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ZPDI: Zero Plus Dialing

ZPDI illustrates what happens when Congress is so busy trying to please warring lobbyists that it overlooks the consumer.

ZPDI • Feds Settle with BSG/ZPDI/Billing Concepts • Disputed Collect Calls • Expensive Collect Calls • Calling Card Calls • Hotel Room Calls • Scam Calls from Mexico • "Regular Carrier Unavailable" • Calls through Opticom --- • Congressional Action Needed to Stop ZPDI • You can fight back • ZPDI: What Can Consumers Do? • Consumer complaints about ZPDI and WXT Communications • Who's Behind ZPDI?

A little history: More than 70 years ago, Congress passed the Communications Act of 1934, which established a very orderly system that regulated telephone service, broadcasting and other public-service utilities. Everyone paid pretty much the same price and everyone got pretty much the same reliable, relatively inexpensive service.

It wasn't until 1996 that Congress once again stirred itself and, after decades of furious lobbying, passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which basically deregulated telephone service, cable TV and broadcasting as far as consumers are concerned, leaving in place just enough regulation to protect the big players who employ all those lobbyists.

ZPDI is a creature of the new "market-driven" telecom universe -- you know, the one that's brought you rising cable rates, bankrupt DSL providers and, oh yes, all the new local phone service competitors. (See ZPDI: Behind the Screen)

What can you do?

• Fight back. We have reports from consumers who've done it and won.
• Write your Congressional representatives. Unless you live in Washington, D.C., you are represented by two Senators and one Member of Congress. To get their addresses, type your Zip code in the box above. More on this topic.
• Complain loudly, publicly and bitterly to ZPDI's "partners." ZPDI is a billing agent for companies and institutions that own the telephones in hotels, hospitals and prisons and for payphones located in stores, airports, schools and on street corners. The owners of the phones are getting a big cut and you should let them know you don't like it.

Here are a few sample complaints. You'll find many more in the categories listed to the right.

ZPDI • Feds Settle with BSG/ZPDI/Billing Concepts • Disputed Collect Calls • Expensive Collect Calls • Calling Card Calls • Hotel Room Calls • Scam Calls from Mexico • "Regular Carrier Unavailable" • Calls through Opticom --- • Congressional Action Needed to Stop ZPDI • You can fight back • ZPDI: What Can Consumers Do? • Consumer complaints about ZPDI and WXT Communications • Who's Behind ZPDI?

Rick of Spokane Valley, WA October 19, 2008

Rick of Spokane Valley WA (10/19/08)
A 3 min. collect call was placed from a convenience store pay phone at Diamond Lake WA to our home in Spokane which is less than an hour away. Normally this would cost about 2-3 or 50 cents. We got the bill for this call on our Qwest statement and it was 18.10 from a company called Zero Plus Dialing. Our internet research concluded that this company is a scammer and it is sad. Calls to the company should note that Sam the supervisor and Nick the call attendant did not satisfy our request for reasonalble compensation or settlement on the charge. Their offer was a disgraceful joke and insult to our integrity. No one person in this company deserves jobs.

Our long established (over 20 yrs with the same company) phone bill must be paid. We ask that this scrupulous company not be allowed to destroy one more customers credit. THIS SHOULD NOT EVER BE ALLOWED. WE WOULD LIKE QWEST TO GET INVOLVED AS WELL.

Dani of Ferndale, WA October 15, 2008

Dani of Ferndale WA (10/15/08)
I recieved a bill with 4 collect call charges. Two of which I know I personally accepted but there was certainly no explaination of charges and no live person to ask, I only had the option to accept or refuse by pressing a button. I figured there would be a small fee but the charges were 6.70 per minute on one of the calls and then had several fees on top of that. a 3 minute call was 23.60.

The economic damage it caused was 89.84 for the four short calls. As those call had to be accepted for medical emergencies we had plenty of medical bills too. This company is taking advantage of people when they are vulnerabe and in desparate situations.

Marc of Chandler, AZ October 15, 2008

Marc of Chandler AZ (10/15/08)
Still in process of sorting out who to file complaint(s) with. Local phone provider(COX) lists 3rd party billing agent on my COX bill as ZPDI who I have called. Disputed(3) 3min collect calls made from my Las Vegas Hotel room @ Embassy suites. The 3 calls are billed at a OC/1 rate time which works out to 6.78 a min for calls that were less than 1 min each with one call not ever connecting or answered,yet still charged as a 20.36 call as were the other 1min completed call.

I offered/would only pay for 2mins total @ 6.78 per min = 13.56 or nothing at all and dispute the whole amount with my local COX service provider. Told by not 1 but 2 service reps and 1 supervisor that I would have to take that up with COX and that they were only the collections dept for the calls made. Took 3 calls to ZPDI to inquire who the company was that they were collecting the 6.78 a min calls for? Finally get the name of the carrier who they(represent/bill/share in spoils)as CUSTOM TELECONNECT.

I call them to dispute amount as well and told that I called from a pay-phone (which is NOT a Pay-Phone but the actual main # to the Hotel I was staying at! ZPDI also told me the same thing and I called them on that as well. Bottom line is that this isn't the first time I have had a problem with ZPDI 3rd party billing!(BUT THATS ANOTHER STORY IN AND OF ITSELF). COX cable has been notified for the 2nd TIME of a ZPDI experience that I am disputing,and I conclude that it will take another 3 billing cycles to clear this on up as well. Will give updates as this snails on forward. (2nd Time Crammed)and fighting back!

In progress

Gina of Yucaipa, CA October 14, 2008

Gina of Yucaipa CA (10/14/08)
I have 2 collect calls on my bill, 1 for 18 minutes and the other for 27 minutes, due to an emergency situation with my son. The total for the 2 calls is 158.22. This is not the customary rate for phone service and is completely unreasonable. This more than my total monthly phone bill. This is an overcharge and consumer fraud and completely unreasonable.

I will have to pay this charge with my phone carrier to remain in good standing with my phone carrier as they have already paid the charges in advance.

Jeffery of Bethlehem, GA October 13, 2008

Jeffery of Bethlehem GA (10/13/08)
Our son is in the United States Army, Stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia. During some portions of his training, they are not allowed to have a cell phone and only allowed to make phone calls only at special times which are un-designated and unkonwn to the soldiers. This is the portion of Advanced Infantry School which qualifies my son to protect this Nation in all arenas. During this the time they are alloted to make a phone call, they are provided with a bank of pay phones.

When the soldier calls home collect because they are not allowed to have any money on their person, credit cards or debit cards or phone cards, they call collect. When you answer the ophone and accept the unkown charge rate, you are billed up to 4.65 per minute. When you question the bill, you are connected to a company in the Phillipines, non-Americans whom could care less about the United States or the American Soldier. They are extremly difficult to deal with, speak broken english and could care less about your concerns of astronimical billing issues. This service is connected to AT&T. After over an hour of arguing they agreed to reduce my bill to near 3.00 per minute but that is still rediculious. The men of the U.S. Army should be allowed to talk with their families at a resonable customary cost. When the billing is handled, it should be with Americans. These phones shopuld be banned from our American Armed Forces Instituitions without question.

Extermly high phone bill, elevated blood pressure, embarassment for my Country and our Military Personnel. I want this system rejected from our military bases immediatly. I want the company to be forced to communicate their service charges before they rip-off another American in another location other than a MIlitary Base.

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