1001 Tips to Lower Your Telephone Bills

Wireless and cell phone services savings are almost always possible but are rarely taken - Top 10 Ways to Reduce Your Business Cell Phone Bills

2006-09-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

I wrote the following article today and I figured I should also include it here. As always, your feedback is appreciated. -- Frank

Wireless and cell phone services savings are almost always possible but are rarely taken. Organizations everywhere blindly over-pay for their wireless and cell phone services and, the cellular companies do little or nothing to prevent it. The reason is simple. It generates billions of dollars in incremental revenue annually for them!

Large or small, public or private, for-profit or not-for-profit, heavy user or light user; the fact is, most organizations (more than 80%) are over-paying by 18% to 28% on average for their wireless and cell phone services.

For most businesses today, cell phones and wireless broadband access have become a critical component of their day-to-day operations. For many, cell phone and wireless acquisition/deployment has evolved over the years as a decentralized function. And in an over-whelming number of companies, even some very large ones, no one really knows exactly how many cell phones and wireless devices they have or who is actually using them.

I hear it from clients almost everyday, “Our cell phone bills are completely out of hand! Last year we spent x, this year we’re spending more than twice that amount. Can you help us figure out what we have, what we need and where we need to go?” High-energy, fast-paced companies that desperately need mobile technology to facilitate their business often find it hard to dedicate the time and expertise it takes to truly optimize and manage their cellular, mobile phone and PDA wireless services.

If you have the time and expertise, here are 10 of the best ways to save money on your cell phone and wireless services bills:

1. Start a corporate account.
2. Ask for free phones.
3. Downgrade plans for low-end users.
4. Upgrade plans for high-end users.
5. Use a carrier that automatically upgrades your rate plan monthly.
6. Upgrade from analog to digital service.
7. Switch wireless long distance to your long distance provider.
8. Use prepaid wireless.
9. Ensure proper discounts, rates and tariffs and taxes are applied.
10.Switch to a different wireless provider.

Another significant area to focus on is phone bill errors. A report by the Gartner Group shows that 80 percent of phone bills have errors on them. Most (98%) of these errors are never found or reported. The 2% that are found and reported typically get resolved and receive a refund from the phone company very quickly.

The ten ideas listed above only represent a small fraction of the potential ways organizations can save money on their wireless and cellphone services bills. Constant changes in tariffs and plans create new opportunities for savings virtually every day. The true key to long term wireless and cell phone services optimization is either dedicating the time yourself to keep up with the continual changes or hiring an expert to do it for you.

Frank Stoczko is the President of TeamNCTY, Inc. (Telecom Expense Analysis and Management, No Cost To You). They offer many other money savings ideas on their web sites http://www.TeamNCTY.com and http://www.LowerPhoneBills.net. Frank also publishes a blog at http://telesave.blogspot.com. He founded TeamNCTY as a 100% contingency-based solution to help companies and larger organizations spending more than $1,000 a month optimize and manage their telecommunications expenses. TeamNCTY is not associated with any telecom vendors and does not try to sell clients new services. They are independent consultants providing unique and unbiased recommendations for their clients.

Contact:

Frank Stoczko
Frank@TeamNCTY.com
800-890-9615

Verizon follows Bellsouth's lead...

2006-09-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

Verizon, under pressure from the FCC, has dropped its attempt to mask a price increase for its DSL services under the guise of a surcharge. Last week Bellsouth, who was also trying the same stunt, gave up on its plans.

I am thrilled that the FCC has successfully thwarted this blantant attempt to fool the public. Three cheers for the FCC!!!

Frank
www.TeamNCTY.com
Frank@TeamNCTY.com

IRS on LD Excise Tax refunds...

2006-09-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

The IRS has come out with some more details on the long distance excise tax refunds. Individuals will be able to claim a standard refund of between $30 (single) and $60 (family with 4 or more dependents).

There has been no standard refund policy defined as of yet for businesses however. It appears that businesses, large and small, will be required to examine there previous bills, calculate appropriate refunds and produce appropriate documention for their claims.

You can find more details in the Boston.com article below:

http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2006/09/01/irs_phone_tax_repeal_to_net_families_60/

It is looking more and more like 2007 will be a busy year for telecom audits.

Frank Stoczko
TeamNCTY, Inc. - Telecom expense analysis & management, No Cost To You
www.TeamNCTY.com
Frank@TeamNCTY.com

Bellsouth drops new internet fee after FCC threat...

2006-08-28T04:11:00.000-07:00

InformationWeek reports that Bellsouth (potentially soon to be acquired by AT&T) will drop its new surcharge. Like Verizon, Bellsouth attempted to replace the recently dropped Federal USF surcharge on internet services with its own newly adopted surcharge.

As I stated previously in this blog, Verizon is simply raising the price of their DSL service by deceptively hiding the increase as as an added surcharge. I am glad to see the FCC stepping in. It is encouraging to see them take a proactive stance on curbing this deception.

You can read the InformationWeek story at the following link:

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=192300252

Thank you FCC,
Frank Stoczko
Frank@TeamNCTY.com
http://www.TeamNCTY.com

Yankee Group projects huge call center VoIP growth by end of 2007...

2006-08-25T16:58:00.000-07:00

Basically, the Yankee Group is projecting adoption of VoIP by call centers will increase significantly between 2005 and 2007 going from 17% in 2005 to over 47% in 2007.

Get more details in the following article from TechNewsWorld.com:

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/pE9NBLiqVAVOe9/VoIP-Adoption-in-Contact-Centers-to-Soar.xhtml

Each year in recent history saw predictions of significant VoIP growth. It still hasn't happened. Do you think the Yankee Group has finally nailed it?

I have my doubts but there is no denying the level of buzz surrounding VoIP in call centers. It will be interesting to see how this prediction turns out.

Frank
http://www.TeamNCTY.com
Frank@TeamNCTY.com

The Economy | Verizon's lesson about elasticity of demand...

2006-08-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

I came across an interesting article today on Philly.com about Verizon's plan to substitute their own surcharge on DSL services for a government surcharge that is going away:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/business/15336433.htm

Personally, I believe it is very misleading for Verizon to create an add-on charge that may not be charged by other vendors of DSL service. Basically, when you compare Verizon's base cost for DSL service to the competition, their price will appear lower even though the total cost to the customer could end up being higher because of the surcharge.

And, where do you draw the line? Suppose all of the vendors start making up miscellaneous surcharges everytime they want to increase their price. Can you picture a world where every vendor has a base price of $14.95 plus 12 different surcharges that have been tacked on over time? Most people have a hard time understanding their phone and internet services bills now. It would become even worse if this ala cart approach to pricing is allowed to flourish.

Let me know your feelings on this issue.

Frank Stoczko
President
TeamNCTY, Inc.
http://www.TeamNCTY.com
Frank@TeamNCTY.com

Six Mobile Innovations That Will Change Our Lives...

2006-08-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

http://www.smallbizresource.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=191900154

I came across the above article and thought it would be interesting reading for those of you looking foward to the next big things coming down the pike on the cellular phone front.

Most of these new things are really part of a more grand scheme known as IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem). Verizon has actually already come out with enhancements to the basic IMS definitions. They call it A-IMS (Advanced IMS).

This new technology, like most advancements, will have both positive and negative
implications. It is exciting to think about the wonderful things this new technology will bring to our lives but we'll also pay dearly for it unless strong standards are set to ensure our privacy and allow us the option to pick and choose which new functions we want to use and how we want to use them.

The future is filled with promise. Let's hope Verizon and the other vendors defining these new technologies think through all of the implications and maximize the user's governance over how they are used. If history is any indication, they won't; but I can dream can't I?

Frank Stoczko
TeamNCTY, Inc.
www.TeamNCTY.com

The Fed Giveth and the Fed Taketh Away...

2006-08-04T04:40:00.000-07:00

As I reported in this blog back in May, the Treasury Department finally gave up its long-fought court battle to impose a 3 percent excise tax on long-distance phone calls (a law that dates back to the Spanish American War). They have told us they will issue refunds to businesses and individuals beginning in 2007.

This morning's Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that the IRS wants us to produce the old phone records proving our tax refund claims before it will hand out our refund checks—which are available for the three-year period between March 2003 and July 2006.

The feds have got it wrong yet again! The burden of proof will require companies and individuals to hire consultants (like me) and also pay significant fees to phone service companies for retrieving their old records. Obviously, it will cost time and money to sift through the records to determine the tax overpayments. For instance, the Journal noted that companies such as Wal-Mart and Alcoa have thousands of phones lines provided by several different companies that have to be dissected.

Searching for proof of overpayment is a bear of a project, especially for small companies. But the IRS claims that once the paperwork is in order, the refunds will be paid. Anyone who has ever worked with the telcos knows just how time-consuming and difficult it is to get timely responses these days. This enormous additional burden on already over-burdened and oft times poorly-skilled phone company resources would likely be the proverbial, "straw that broke the camels back".

In my opinion, the federal government has once again stuck it to us taxpayers. Maybe it is just their way of getting back at us for winning the court battle.

A better solution would be for the federal government to hire consultants to develop a standardized formula based on annual telecom spend or some other easily obtained and reasonable measure. Some companies might get a little less and others a little more than they would otherwise be entitled to but overall everyone would likely get back a lot more than they will under the current proposed solution.

But do I know, I am just one of millions of unfairly burdened tax payers.

Frank Stoczko
TeamNCTY, Inc.
www.TeamNCTY.com
www.LowerPhoneBills.net
www.DoVoIPNow.com
Frank@TeamNCTY.com

VoIP phishing or vishing - a new threat...

2006-07-25T04:23:00.000-07:00

A recent Information Week article describes a new threat:

"Scammers have begun using the telephone to harvest data for use in identity theft and credit card fraud, and VoIP is making it easier for them to cover their tracks.

Websense Security Labs, San Diego, in June reported a scam that targeted customers of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust with an e-mail alerting them to a supposed problem with their account. Instead of directing them to click on a link, the e-mail listed a phone number for customers to call to verify their identity. When the victim called the number, a fake automated voice response system set up by the scammers asked them to enter their 16-digit account number using the phone keypad. "

The full article can be found at http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=191000209

In order to perpetrate the scam the vishers use VoIP technology to hide their true identity by making the incoming caller id information appear like the call is coming from a legitimate source. At this point, I do not know how many VoIP vendors are vulnerable to this kind of falsification or who they are but obviously, we all need to be more vigilant in safeguarding our personal information.

Frank Stoczko
TeamNCTY, Inc.
http://www.TeamNCTY.com

More info on IRS repeal of excise tax on long distance phone services

2006-05-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

Some more background information about the Treasury Department dropping the excise tax on long distance phone services can be found at the Levine Blaszak Block & Boothby, LLC web site address below:

http://www.lb3law.com/practice_tax_refunds.cfm

Key points I have learned in reading various articles:

1. The Treasury is only waiving the excise on long distance and bundled services not local service. There is a bill working through congress (Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee) which would also abolish the excise tax on local services.

2. Refunds will include the period from February 28, 2003 through July 31, 2006 AND INCLUDE BACK INTEREST.

3. Collectors of the excise tax should not collect it after July 31, 2006.

4. Taxpayers may request a tax credit on their 2006 federal income tax return.

5. There will be a "safe harbor" amount (not yet defined) that individual tax payers can claim which will not require any documentation.

6. Interest collected most be included as income on the tax payers' 2007 federal income tax return.

At this point, we should all hope that congress takes action quickly and totally abolishes all excise taxes on phone services (i.e. long distance, bundled and local).

TeamNCTY, Inc. (Telecom expense analysis & management, No Cost To you) provides 100%contingency-based telcom expense reduction, recovery and management services. Typically (80% of the time) we save our clients between 18% and 28% and 70 % of the time we find these savings without changing vendors. There are no out-of-pocket costs or risks for our clients - If we don't save you money, it costs you nothing!

Have a question about the new excise tax changes? Contact me and I'll do my best to find the answer.

Frank Stoczko
http://www.TeamNCTY.com
Frank@TeamNCTY.com
(215) 230-4668 [office/fax]

Treasury Department Ends Excise Tax on Phone Service...

2006-05-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

Chalk one up for the good guys (us). The US Treasury Department has finally seen the light...

The U.S. Treasury Department conceded its court battle over the 3% tax on calls billed based on distance and duration and said it would refund taxes paid by consumers since Feb. 28, 2003. "Today is a good day for American taxpayers; it marks the beginning of the end of an outdated , antiquated tax that has survived a century beyond its original purpose, and by now should have been ancient history," Treasury Secretary John Snow said. Chicago Tribune/Associated Press (free registration) (5/25), CNNmoney.com (5/25), RCR Wireless News (Denver, Colo.) (5/25)

Scam international calls in PA rectified...

2006-01-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

Pennsylvania consumers wrongly billed for mysterious international calls, sometimes at rates as high as $8 a minute, are entitled to a full refund of the charges under a settlement announced today between Pennsylvania Consumer Advocate Irwin A. "Sonny" Popowsky and three out-of-state companies: USBI, Telliss Billing Inc., and One Call Communications Inc.

You can read the entire story at http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/business/13601303.htm

This is great news for those who have been taken in by this scam.

Frank
http://www.TeamNCTY.com
Frank@TeamNCTY.com

AT&T settles long-distance claims in PA...

2005-12-18T07:07:00.000-08:00

AT&T settles long-distance claims in Pa.
AT&T Inc. will pay $550,000 to settle claims that it erroneously billed nearly 50,000 people in Pennsylvania for long-distance service.

Read more about this story at http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2005/12/12/daily24.html?f=et74&hbx=e_du

Frank
Team NCTY, Inc.
http://www.LowerPhoneBills.net

It's your wireless future protect it...

2005-12-18T06:57:00.000-08:00

FEDERAL EXCISE TAX ON COMMUNICATIONS – “Tax on Talk” A recent USA Today news article (“Cellphone rulings could mean billions in tax refunds”, December 13, 2005) explained that the IRS is continuing to collect a 3% Federal Excise Tax from wireless users, despite the fact that nine federal courts have ruled the tax unlawful.

Why Are We Paying A 107 Year Old Tax ?!This tax, imposed by President William McKinley in 1898 to help fund the Spanish American War, was originally a luxury tax, at a time when only wealthy Americans had phones. The war lasted only four months, but the “Tax on Talk” is still around more than 100 years later. Today, every person who makes a phone call pays 3% on every monthly phone bill for this outdated tax. Unlike other excise taxes, the money raised through the Tax on Talk is not “earmarked” for a specific purpose—not even to improve service or support for the telecom services that are being singled out for the tax! In fact, the Tax on Talk makes access to wireless (and other telecom) services less affordable for many Americans.

Repealing the Tax on Talk: Things Are Moving!Your wireless companies are working to end this tax and simplify the refund process. U.S. Representative Gary Miller has a proposal, H.R. 1898, and Senator Rick Santorum has introduced a bill, S. 1321, both of which will repeal the Federal Excise Tax! Wireless companies and many others are supporting these bills, but we need your help! Elected officials need to hear from consumers like you that wireless services shouldn’t be subject to a 100- year-old luxury tax!!

If you want to help, go to http://www.mywireless.org/issuesfetirs/

Frank
Team NCTY, Inc.
http://www.TeamNCTY.com

Best Cingular Cell Phones (PC Magazine)...

2005-09-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

Excellent article reviews several current Cingular cell phones and helps you to pick out which Cingular cell phone is best for you.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1860093,00.asp

Frank
http://www.LowerPhoneBills.net
Frank@TeamNCTY.com

Dual mode Wireless Wireline cell phones may be available soon...

2005-09-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

A recent Business Journal article talks about a new dual mode cell phone technology being worked on by Bellsouth. It's called Wireless Wireline and basically allows cell phone users to automatically transition from cell phone use to wireline when you return to your home or office.

The technology is being tested now and may be ready for roll out in the months ahead.

You can read more about this interesting technology at:

http://www.bizjournals.com/industries/high_tech/telecom/2005/09/12/birmingham_focus1.html?f=et175&hbx=e_vert

Frank
http://www.LowerPhoneBills.net

J.D. Power and Associates Picks Verizon Wireless...

2005-08-04T05:31:00.000-07:00

Verizon Wireless ranks highest in national call quality in three out of six regions, including the Mid-Atlantic, according to a J.D. Power and Associates report released Wednesday.

For more details see the Pittsburgh Business Journal story at: http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2005/08/01/daily18.html?f=et74

Last year, Consumer Reports picked Verizon Wireless as the overall best cell phone provider in all six regions.

I use Verizon Wireless myself and I also believe they provide great quality and coverage but they do charge a premium price compared to their competitors.

Frank

62% Broadband Penetration By 2010...

2005-08-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Broadband penetration to reach 62% by 2010, study says Sixty-two percent of U.S. homes will have some form of broadband access by 2010, more than doubling last year's level of 29%, according to a study by Forrester Research. In addition, 37% of homes will use a DVR (Digital Video Recorder, e.g. - TIVO) by 2010, Forrester predicts.

It is a little surprising to see the current number so low and that it will take 5 years to double it. Given the significant speed advantages of broadband over dial up internet access and the decreasing cost (see Savings Tip #52 below) I would think there would be a massive switch in the making.

Oh well, what I know,
Frank

Nextel, Vonage And Others Not Yet E911 Ready...

2005-08-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Nextel Communications is seeking a waiver from an FCC requirement to activate e911 service for 95% of handsets by the end of this year. Nextel reportedly is struggling to meet the deadline because of burdens associated with its merger with Sprint. Other companies including Vonage and Telecommunication Systems also appear to be having trouble.

If you are looking for an alternative, try Packet8. They already have E911 capability implemented. You can find out more at http://www.LD.net/?teamncty. Choose VoIP Services from the main menu and then click on Packet8.

I hope this helps,
Frank

Tip #52 - Lower Your Monthly Cable Bill

2005-08-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

I just came across an easy way to save $13/month on your Comcast bill. It will probably work for other cable providers as well. Try it. It only takes 5 minutes.

If you have Comcast high speed internet service, call their customer service telephone number (it is listed on your bill) and tell them you are considering changing to Verizon (or other) DSL service. Tell them you have received numerous offers to switch to Verizon (or other) DSL service for $29.95/month, that you are not unhappy with Comcast’s service but that $13/month is a significant difference.

In all likelihood, they will offer you a one year promotional price of $29.95/month to keep your Comcast high speed internet service. There is no paperwork involved and you are not committing to anything. They will simply lower your internet fee to $29.95 for one year.

You may even get them to back date the change to the previous month.

If you call and the rep does not offer you the promotional price, call back again and again until you get someone who does. Just make sure you are talking to a different person each time you call.

Saving $13/month adds up to an annual savings of $156. It is definitely worth doing.

If you're successful at getting this savings, please consider donating at least of a portion of the savings to your favorite charity. You can learn about other ways to save money on your telephone bill at http://www.LowerPhoneBills.net/charity.html

Also check out http://www.LowerPhoneBills.net for other ways to save on all your personal and business telecommunications expenses.

All the best,
Frank

AT&T admits overcharging some Texas customers...

2005-07-16T06:29:00.000-07:00

And the billing errors continue...

A recent news story in the Austin Business Journal, "AT&T admits overcharging Texas customers" describes a billing error incident where AT&T overcharged 75,000 of its customers in Texas by $800,000.

You can read more about this incident at http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2005/07/11/daily55.html

I will look to add more stories like this in the future so over time this blog will become a repository for information regarding telecom billing errors. Please remember though, a 2002 Gartner Group Report stated that only about 2% of telecom billing errors are ever reported and acted on. The other 98% of the telecom billing mistakes go on month after month undetected and unreported.

Thanks for visiting my blog,
Frank
Team NCTY, Inc. (Telecom Analysis & Management, No Cost To You)
http://www.LowerPhoneBill.net

Interesting news stories...

2005-06-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading the latest edition of TheDigest.com's Telecom Agent News #46 newsletter and found a couple of very interesting articles which I wanted to share with you. I always enjoy reading this newsletter. It is always informative and interesting.

Article number one:

TELEMARKETER JUSTICE I can't say as I have ever run across a story like this one before. It's one where real justice actually does seem to have been served upon a telemarketer. It has not appeared yet in the popular press to the best of our knowledge. We are bringing the news to you here in the form of a court document that details a judgment against automated telemarketer Howard Hugh Holland dba Market Your Way. It seems that Mr. Holland used an illegal device to telemarket a certain Mr. Joe Shields of Harris County, Texas. Although served with a subpoena to appear in a lawsuit against him, the defendant Mr. Holland did not bother to show. For failing to appear and apparently breaking a number of federal and state anti-telemarketing laws, Mr. Shields was awarded a total of $87,000, plus the defendant was ordered to never call Mr. Shields again. That's only the beginning though. Holland, his company, employees, officers, lawyers, agents and other assignees were also permanently ordered to give out their first and last names as well as their HOME TELEPHONE NUMBERS at the beginning of all future telemarketing calls! Somehow, I'm guessing that this judgment will be appealed, but it seems pretty fitting to us. You can download the five page court decision at http://www.thedigest.com/docs/Shields_judgment.pdf . Thanks to Keith for passing this item along.

And a second article:

A 107 YEAR OLD TAX on telecommunications services may finally be repealed. The Telephone Excise Tax started being charged to consumers in 1898 as a way to pay for the Spanish-American War. Although said to be temporary, the tax has somehow remained on the books for over a century. The tax currently applies to all interstate telecommunications services, including telephone, telegraph and dial-up internet access. H.R. 1898, the Telephone Excise Tax Repeal Act of 2005, aims to finally put an end to this tax, which has plagued consumers since Alexander Graham Bell's invention was still considered a luxury. Several attempts have been made over the years to kill this tax, but it has somehow managed to survive through two World Wars and survive from the 19th century all of the way to the 21st. An overview of the Bill and its status in Congress is available at
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.1898.IH:

My thanks to William Van Heffner who is the editor of the newsletter.

His contact information follows:

Vantek Communications, Inc.
555 H Street, Ste. C
Eureka, CA 95501
(707) 476-0833 ph
e-mail: editor@thedigest.com

PA Cell Phone Tax Relief May Be Near...

2005-06-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

The Philadelphia Business Journal reported today that Pennsylvania senators Wonderling and Scavello have introduced introduced legislation to repeal the state's 5 percent gross receipts surcharge, that wireless users began paying in January 2004.

"This onerous tax is costing businesses and consumers as much as $225 million a year," Wonderling said. The proposed bill is co-sponsored by 129 legislators.

Read the entire article at:

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2005/06/06/daily6.html?f=et72

Every little bit helps. If you live in Pennsylvania do your part, contact your state representatives to make sure this "double" tax gets repealed as soon as possible.

Frank
TEAM NCTY, Inc. - Telecom Expense Analysis & Management - No Cost To You
http://www.LowerPhoneBills.net

The Coming Death of Cheap VoIP?

2005-05-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

I came across an interesting article in PC Magazine by John Dvorak http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1812887,00.asp.

Although I am a long time fan of John's, I'm not sure I completely agree with him on this issue. Being the eternal optimist that I am, I can't help but believe that good old Yankee ingenuity will prevail. Registering a physical address for VoIP 911 service and linking that address with a VoIP hardware device is only a partial answer for sure.

Since the web is IP-based and all communication over the web has to follow along physical links, there has to be a straightforward (but as yet undefined) way to determine that a VoIP device is no longer physically at the address for which it is registered. I've got to believe one of the cheap VoIP providers will come up with the answer. I can only hope they do so in time.

As with everything in life, there is no perfect answer for VoIP 911. Hell, even the traditional telephone network has its shortcomings and failures regarding 911.

Viva la competition!

By the way, cheap VoIP could die from threats other than the 911 issue. How much longer will the FCC be successful at keeping a lid on state and federal taxation of VoIP services? Once VoIP becomes burdened with all (or most) of the surcharges and taxes placed on traditional telephone service, the telecos can simply adjust prices downward to make up the difference thereby eliminating the cost advantage.

Just my opinion,
Frank

Cingular/AT&T Wireless register most complaints - Tip #51

2005-05-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

I ran across this interesting tidbit of information and thought you might find it interesting as well is you are considering switching your cell phone service.

http://www.commweb.com/news/159908683

It is based on information from the FCC and reported by Consumer Reports.

Let me know about your war story with a cellular phone company.

Frank

Another telecom cost reduction success story...

2005-05-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

We completed another analysis this week and the savings were fantastic, coming in at 33%. That takes our record to eight for eight since January 1, 2005.

So far this year we have identified savings of 20%, 27%, 33%, 34%, 36%, 40%, 42% and 49%.

I am still amazed when I see just how much money companies are over-paying for their telecom services. The vast majority of companies out there haven't reviewed their local, long distance, internet/data, cellular, video/voice conferencing services; PBX lease/maintenance agreements; etc. in years and may even be paying for things they no longer use or need. Most telecom managers are over-worked and underpaid (at least to hear them tell it) and simply do not have the time to go through a detailed review.

That's where TEAM NCTY can help. We provide our services on a 100% contigency basis so our clients have no out-of-pocket expense to get the analysis done and have our recommendations implemented. Like all things in life, there are many alternatives but only one that is optimum. We design optimum solutions for our clients. By the way, we have a simple guarantee - if we don't save you money, you owe us nothing!

Given our outstanding level of success, you'd think everyone would be beating a path to our door. That is not the fact at all. I may not be doing a good enough job of getting the message out or maybe people are just naturally skeptical. Either way, our better mouse trap has not yet found its market.

If you happen to read this blog and and have any recommendations on how I can get my message out to the right people, I'd love to hear from you. You can email me Frank@TEAMNCTY.com.

Thanks,
Frank
TEAM NCTY, Inc.
Telecom Expense Analysis & Management - No Cost To You
If we don't save you money, you owe us nothing!
http://www.TEAMNCTY.com
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty

My recent successes at saving money for my clients...

2005-04-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

I took an opportunity this morning to review my accomplishments since the first of the year and I was was thrilled with the results. Of the seven clients I have completed the analysis work for, two had me analyze only their cell phone services while the other five requested complete telecom services analysis. The results (in my humble opinion) were outstanding.

The two cell phone-only analysis projects delivered 42% and 49% savings and the five complete analysis projects delivered 36%, 20%, 27%, 34% and 40% savings. These are annual savings not one-time savings so my clients will receive the benefit ofmy work for many years to come.

Needless to say, my clients were thrilled with the results and I am gratified that my No Cost To You, 100% contingency-based model is consistently meeting or exceeding their expectations.

Frank
TEAM NCTY, Inc.
Telecom Expense Analysis & Management - No Cost To You
http://www.TEAMNCTY.com
Frank@TEAMNCTY.com

Top 10 Ways to Save on Your Long Distance Phone Services - Tip #41 to 50

2005-04-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

Visit the following site to learn more about how you can save money on your long distance phone services: http://www.TEAMNCTY.com/Top10LDChecklist.html

Also visit: http://www.teamncty.com/ for more information on saving money on all your telecom services.

Frank
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty
http://www.teamncty.com

Top 10 Ways to Save on Your Local Phone Services - Tip #31 to 40

2005-04-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

Visit the following site to learn more about how you can save money on your local phone services: http://www.TEAMNCTY.com/Top10LocalChecklist.html

Also visit: http://www.teamncty.com/ for more information on saving money on all your telecom services.

Frank
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty
http://www.teamncty.com/

Top 10 Ways to Save on Your Data and Internet Services - Tip #21 to 30

2005-04-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

Visit the following site to learn more about how you can save money on your data and internet services: http://www.TEAMNCTY.com/Top10DataInternetChecklist.html

Also visit: http://www.teamncty.com/ for more information on saving money on all your telecom services.

Frank
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty
http://www.teamncty.com/

Top 10 Ways to Save on Your Cell Phone Services - Tip #11 to 20

2005-04-30T10:06:00.000-07:00

Visit the following site to learn more about how you can save money on your cell phone services: http://www.TEAMNCTY.com/Top10CellChecklist.html

Also visit: http://www.TEAMNCTY.com for more information on saving money on all your telecom services.

Frank
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty
http://www.TEAMNCTY.com

LD Savings - Tip #10

2005-04-30T09:53:00.000-07:00

Ever get frustrated when you look at your phone bill. I did. I know large companies have always been able to negotiate low rates but I never thought there were any options for us little guys.

Wrong!

There are many options. VoIP is one. But, if you are not yet ready to take the plunge into VoIP or, you can't because you do not have a broadband internet connection, then I've got another solution for you - try a discount long distance (LD) provider.

I personally use UniTel and I am very satisfied with the results. You can learn more about UniTel and other discount LD providers at http://www.LD.net/?teamncty. Choose the long distance option from the main menu on the left side of the page and then click on the various providers to see which one offers the lowest prices in your area (it does vary). UniTel was best in my area.

If you have a question email me at Frank@TEAMNCTY.com.

Frank
TEAM NCTY, Inc.
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty
http://www.TEAMNCTY.com
Frank@TEAMNCTY.com

Am I Ready For VoIP? Tip #9 - Do I Need A Router?

2005-04-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

No, VoIP does not require a router.

Routers are used to allow multiple PCs to share data and internet access. I use a Linksys wireless router which allows me to access the internet from my laptop PC from anywhere in the house. I purchased it on eBay for under $100.

Here is how things plug together:

Modem connects to cable TV cable to DSL connection.
Router connects to modem (cable or DSL) via RJ45 cable.
PC plugs into the router with RJ45 cable.
Laptop PC connects to router wirelessly.
VoIP device connects to router via RJ45 cable.
Telephone connects to VoIP device via RJ11 cable (smaller connector than RJ45)

There you have it.
-- Frank
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty
Frank@TEAMNCTY.com

Am I Ready For VoIP? Tip #8 - How Hard Is VoIP Setup?

2005-04-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

It really doesn't get much easier.

Your provider will send you everything you need and detailed instructions. Most also offer a 24x7 - 800 number help line just in case.

I received my setup kit about 5 days after placing my order online. The instructions were clear and concise. I followed them and was up and running within 5 minutes.

Essentially, you plug the new VoIP device they send you into your cable or DSL modem and then plug your computer and standard wired or wireless telephone into the VoIP device. The device registers itself and voila! you are up and running. NOTE: Do NOT connect the VoIP device to your telephone while the telephone is still connected to your regular telephone service. Crossing the connections could damage the VoIP device and make it unuseable.

If you have a router on your LAN (Local Area Network), the new VoIP device plugs into it and only the telephone plugs into the VoIP device.

If you've been holding off from trying VoIP because you were afraid it was too technical or required any technical skills at all, your wait is over. It is easy enough for virtually anyone young or old to install. Worst case, call the help line and they will walk you through installation one step at a time.
-- Frank
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty
Frank@TEAMNCTY.com

Am I Ready For VoIP? Tip #7 - What Did You Do?

2005-04-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

I started out with one telephone number for my home and one for my small home-based business. I was not ready to risk putting either on VoIP until I could try it so I decided to add a new third telephone line for outbound calling only.

I now place all or most of my outbound business calls on the VoIP line which leaves my home and business lines open at all points in time for inbound calls.

Historically, my bills for intrastate and state-to-state calling were relatively high. Now I pay a flat $19.95/month for unlimited calling to North America on my VoIP line and only minimal outbound calling charges on my regular telephone lines. I am saving a significant amount of money each month as a result. In fact, I now have three lines instead of two, have better service since my inbound lines are always available and I am paying significantly less.

My next step is to buy a 3-line wireless phone so I can have the rest of my family make their calls on the VoIP line as well. In the short term however I have found a very good alternative. I signed up for long distance service with UniTel, a discount long distance provider. Their rates in my area are great (much less than I was paying) and they bill in 6 second increments after an 18 second minimum. UniTel and other discount long distance providers can be found at http://www.LD.net/?teamncty. Choose long distance from the menu options on the left and then review the various providers' offerings. Different providers offer different pricing so make sure to check out prices for your specific telephone number(s) before signing up. Ordering is easy (right online) and you can even charge your monthly bills to your credit card. Most of these discount vendors charge a fee (usually $2.00) if you do not meet a certain minimum monthly amount. In the case of UniTel, the minimum monthly amount is $15.00 and the fee is $2.00.

So, that is what I have done to minimize my phone bills and maximize the value I get from my telephone services.
-- Frank
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty
Frank@TEAMNCTY.com

Am I Ready For VoIP? Tip #6 - How Do I Order VoIP?

2005-04-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

Ordering is simple.

Just visit http://www.LD.net/?teamncty choose VoIP services from the menu on the left and then check out the various providers' offerings.

Which one is best? Quite frankly I do not know. It depends on a great deal of things which are unique to you. Your location, the way you intend to use the VoIP service, the reliability of your broadband provider, etc. Only you can determine which service will best meet your needs.

I use Packet8 for my VoIP line. They are the second largest provider behind Vonage and their monthly fee is only $19.95 versus $24.95 for Vonage. I also like the idea of their video phone service. I am not ready for it now but I like the idea of possibly using it in the future.

In my next post I'll tell you what I did and why I did it.
-- Frank
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty
Frank@TEAMNCTY.com

Am I Ready For VoIP? Tip #5 - Now Am I Ready For VoIP?

2005-04-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

Maybe.

First you need to decide how you would like to use VoIP.

If, like most people, you only have one telephone number. You may not want to risk switching that number to VoIP. At least not until you know more about the issues and challenges it presents.

Instead, you may want to sign up for a new number and try it for your outbound calling only for a while to make sure it is reliable enough for you to consider having it be your only telephone link.

For many people, the low cost of VoIP allows them to have two lines instead of just one. Think of it this way, your regular telephone service is for inbound calls and your VoIP service is for outbound calls. Telephone companies do not charge for inbound calls and VoIP services usually charge a flat fee for unlimited calling within a geographic area (i.e. - for the US the calling area is usually the US or North America). Purchasing a two-line wireless phone makes it easy to switch between the lines as needed. Worst case, even if your Voip service isn't working at a particular point in time, you will still have the ability to call out on your regular telephone line.

People with two or more telephone lines may feel more comfortable switching one or more of them to VoIP right from the start. The key question is - how critical is it for this phone line to be available for inbound calls. If you can tolerate minor outages then that line can be considered eligible for VoIP.

VoIP is a great technology. It offers unlimited calling for a very low flat monthly fee. And, at least currently, you can avoid the taxes and surcharges you have to pay the telephone companies for regular telephone service.
-- Frank
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty
Frank@TEAMNCTY.com

Am I Ready For VoIP? Tip #4 - Do I Need A UPS?

2005-04-23T08:52:00.000-07:00

Now that I have broadband internet access how do I protect myself from power outages?

Simple. Buy a small UPS (uninterruptable power supply) for your PC and modem. You should be able to buy one on eBay for less than $100. Always purchase new from a reputable dealer.

I use a larger APC model designed for multiple PCs and devices. For home use, you can typically go with a smaller unit capable for handling a single PC and a few additional small devices (e.g. - cable or DSL modem, answering machine, etc.). APC 300 and 500 models should be adequate for most people's needs.

Businesses, depending on the your needs might want to consider one or more larger units to handle multiple groups of PCs. Even larger business with many servers may want to consider one very large centralized UPS.

A UPS is a wonderful addition for any PC and internet access setup. Not only will it protect you from power outages, it will also provide cleaner electric power to your PC and other devices allowing them to last far longer than they would on a regular unprotected power line. Power surges, brown outs and other similar events are hard on PCs and related electrical devices. Protect them with a good UPS and you will save yourself a lot of headaches in the long run.
-- Frank
Frank@TEAMNCTY.com

Am I Ready For VoIP? Tip #3 - How Do I Setup It Up?

2005-04-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

What does it take to implement the broadband access I have ordered?

This is usually a very simple step. Most of the providers make it painless and foolproof.

If you ordered cable or DSL access your provider will send you a modem, cabling and instructions. Basically, just follow the instructions and you should be up and running very quickly.

Initially, you will probably just rent the modem from the provider. Once you get things operational you might want to consider buying your own modem to avoid paying the rental fee. The easy way to do this is get the model number off your modem, search for it on eBay and them buy it new from a reputable (high customer score) dealer. When you get the new modem contact your provider, have them help you install it and then return the rental modem to them. Make sure you get a receipt when you return it just in case they forget to take it off your bill.

T1 and fractional T1 access is more complex. You are probably better served having the provider install and test everything for you.
-- Frank
Frank@TEAMNCTY.com

Am I Ready for VoIP? Tip #2 - What Do I Need?

2005-04-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

As with all things in life, complexity will overwhelm you. Don't let the perceived complexity of VoIP stop you from getting started.

Each installment of this blog will talk about one simple step. Follow the steps and you will overcome the complexity.

Before you can decide on which brand of VoIP to use, you will need to have broadband internet access to your home or business. You may already have DSL service, high speed internet access though your cable provider, a T1 or some other high bandwidth means for accessing the internet. If this is the case, you can skip forward to the next post.

Those who do not have broadband access to the internet will need to set that up first.

If you already have cable TV coming to your home or business or you are considering getting it, ask your provider about availability and cost for adding high speed internet access. More and more local telephone companies will be offering cable TV and high speed internet access in the future as well. Check with your local telephone company to see if it is available in your area.

DSL is another option. There are several vendors to choose from at http://www.LD.net/?teamncty. First you will need to determine if DSL is available in your area. You can go to the web site above and check each vendor to see if service is available in your area. If multiple vendors provide service in your area, compare prices and see who is offering the best deal.

For businesses, T1 and fractional T1 internet access may be a better solution. You can shop for the lowest cost T1 options at http://www.LD.net/?teamncty.

Which is the best broadband solution? The simple answer is - the one you can afford to pay for. T1 and fractional T1 is better than most DSL or cable access but it will cost significantly more. Standard cable access is generally faster than low cost DSL but more expensive DSL access is faster than standard cable access.

To keep things simple, think of data flow to and from your home or business. Data you send is called upstream and data you receive is called downstream. Companies measure bandwidth in each direction in KB or MB. Think of KB as thousands and MB as millions. A cable access offering 4MB downstream and 512KB upstream is faster than a DSL access offering 1.5MB downstream and 368KB upstream. For most people downstream speed is more important than upstream since we use our browsers to surf the internet more often than we upload data to the internet.

In general, lower cost and higher speed are better. Chose the highest speed you can afford.

Once you have ordered your broadband internet access, the next step is implementing it.
-- Frank
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty
Frank@TEAMNCTY.com

Am I Ready For VoIP? Tip #1 - Should I Try It?

2005-04-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

The ads read, "VoIP, $19.95/month unlimited calling to anywhere in North America". Everybody wants more for less but sometimes the pain just isn't worth the savings. Is it time for the average American household to consider VoIP (Voice over IP)?

I've lived my whole life following some very basic principles like - honesty with yourself and others builds trust, trust forges relationships and givers gain so help those in need. I also firmly believe you will never know for sure if something is right for you until you give it a try yourself.

Anyone who has read a product comparision, service review or buyer's recommendation list knows they are always based on the author's biased viewpoint. Just because Joe says it worked for him, does that mean it will work equally well for me? There's only one way to find out for sure - try it.

This is my recommended approach when people ask me about VoIP.
-- Frank
http://www.LD.net/?teamncty