CHAPTER
8: Who Charges Switching Fees and Can I Be Reimbursed ?
Most
consumers are unaware that it is NOT the long distance provider that
charges a switching fee but rather your local telephone company. Your
local provider is the one that changes out the PIC Code, (code used
to associate your lines with a particular carrier and long distance
provider) and updates since they are the ones that route your long distance
calls to the provider of your choice.
In
most cases, your local provider will charge an average of $5.00 per
line when switching long distance companies. Some local providers will
charge a fee for switching your long distance (InterState)
and another fee to switch your IntraLata long distance.
A little
known secret is that some long distance companies will credit your account
with them for part or all of the switching fee costs.
Money
is always there but the pockets change; it is not in the same pockets
after a change, and that is all there is to say about money.
-Gertrude Stein
Here
is a break down of which recommended companies will cover all or part
of the switching fees.
Covista
Communications - Will credit your long distance account for the
switching fees up to $10.00 per line for business lines only.
PowerNet
Global Communications - Will credit your long distance account for
the entire switching costs on residential and commercial accounts.
Total
Call International - Will credit your long distance account
for the entire switching costs on residential and commercial accounts.
Unitel
Communications Group - Will credit your long distance account for
the entire switching costs on residential and commercial accounts.
