Sage TelecomSage Telecom, Inc. Unexpected extra charges for "deemed excessive use" local AOL access phone number. Allen Texas

Perhaps this report may help someone else to avoid the same pitfall.

A few months back I received an offer by regular mail from Sage Telecom to consider using their phone service. I contacted them and I was referred to one of their sales reps who explained their plan and how it would be less expensive than the service provided by AT&T. As I understood it, this plan offered me 5 free months of long distance service and unlimited local calls.

After the first 5 months of free unlimited long didtance use, the long distance service would then be free up to the first 300 minutes. I explained to the rep that I spend many hours a day on the internet (AOL) and that I use one local dialup number in order not to incur any long distance costs. The rep made no mention of any potential excess charges in connection with local dialup.

I spend many hours listening to internet radio programs, a fact which I made clear to this rep. Today I checked my February billing and to my surprise I see that I have been billed an additional $35.41 " excessive internet usage beyond the allotted 9000 minutes per month" in addition to the regular $47.79 monthly agreed upon rate.

As I recall the Sage Rep made no mention of "potential excess usage rates" in connection with local numbers when I was offered this service. Their current invoice offered the following explaination for the added fees," your voice services and limits usage are not consistent with use for residential services." If the rep would have presented this stipulation clearly to me when we first spoke, I would have never tried their service.

I contacted customer service and I was told that the excess fee would not be waived. I was not aware that there was a distinction between voice and digital usage of a local access phone number. If their sales rep was aware of this, he apparently wasn't about to volunteer this information. I was with AT&T for many years and I can't recall excess charges in connection with a local internet number. Perhaps this report can help someone else avoid the same surprise.

Charles
Mena, Arkansas
U.S.A.