This phone better be made of gold.

Marie5656 · Post by **Marie5656** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 7:21 am

Sad thing is, alot of people were put in this predicament.

Elderly Woman Puts Her Money Where Her Mouth Is ------

CANTON, Ohio - Ester Strogen's family is amazed that she has

spent as much as $14,666.40 to lease two rotary-dial phones

from AT&T since 1964. Strogen and her late husband paid

$29.10 a month for more than 40 years to lease the phones.

In the 1960s, when rotary dial phones were new and expensive,

it was not uncommon for customers to choose leasing options

instead of purchasing. Strogen's granddaughter, Barb Gordon,

fears there are others like her grandmother who do not

realize they are paying thousands of dollars for an

inexpensive technology. "I'm outraged," Gordon said. "It made

me so mad. It's ridiculous. If my own grandmother was doing

it, how many other people are?" Strogen's family insisted she

discontinue payments to AT&T, and the company demanded she

return the phones.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 7:24 am

What a bunch of cheapskates, AT & T.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 7:40 am

That is just sickening!

Marie5656 · Post by **Marie5656** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 7:42 am

I remember when the phone company did this..leased the phone to you!!

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 7:48 am

Yeah me too!

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:02 am

Me Three, I also remember them announcing that you didn't have to lease them anymore back in the 70's. So I'm not sure if it is totally AT&T's fault. Sure they could have been a bit more persistent and called and explained this to customers. If you have a land line which many of us still do, in a sense your still leasing the phone monthly. :-5 :-5

Marie5656 · Post by **Marie5656** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:14 am

Valid points, Carla. But the thing I question is this....why did they continue to charge the "lease" price to folks rather than just letting them have the phones, or giving them the option to return them in exchange for another one.

But, I disagree, sort of, with your last comment. You are paying for the service, not a lease on the phone. Oh, I know this is nit picking...but still. All those add-on charges are crazy sometimes. We are seriously considering canceling the land line once we get broadband..and just have our cells be our primary phones.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:10 am

I see your point and it is valid. I think they did run many adds, and put notices in the bills that you could turn your old phone in and buy it, or get your own. I remember I did this, and well my parents.. Mind you I'm not an AT&T fan by any means but notice was given.

Your right about paying for services not the phone, I stand corrected.

Remember unless your broadband connection is through your cable company, or your wireless provider you will still need your land line to use it.

[QUOTE]Valid points, Carla. But the thing I question is this....why did they continue to charge the "lease" price to folks rather than just letting them have the phones, or giving them the option to return them in exchange for another one.

But, I disagree, sort of, with your last comment. You are paying for the service, not a lease on the phone. Oh, I know this is nit picking...but still. All those add-on charges are crazy sometimes. We are seriously considering canceling the land line once we get broadband..and just have our cells be our primary phones.[/QUOTE]

Casey Morgan · Post by **Casey Morgan** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:49 pm

You got this from Daily Snopes, right? I've got my fingers crossed that this ends up being bunk. You'd almost think they would have upgraded her to touchtone phones by now.

Marie5656 · Post by **Marie5656** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 3:19 pm

Casey Morgan wrote: You got this from Daily Snopes, right? I've got my fingers crossed that this ends up being bunk. You'd almost think they would have upgraded her to touchtone phones by now.

Actually, no I did not. BUT, I was thinking about it, and I seem to remember having read the story before, and was going to go have a look at snopes. Is it there?

Casey Morgan · Post by **Casey Morgan** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 3:33 pm

It's there and it looks like it was posted today. But it looks like the things in the Daily Snopes haven't been looked at yet. So it could be real, or not. I know where I'm placing my $20.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:38 pm

OK enlighten me what is the "DAILY SNOPES"???:-3

Marie5656 · Post by **Marie5656** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:39 pm

Carla.. www.snopes.com is a site which lists Urban Myths, hoaxes etc. Will either debunk them, or find them true. It is Most often the place I go to check on possible myths.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:43 pm

Cool site thanks Marie..

Marie5656 · Post by **Marie5656** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:40 pm

CARLA wrote: Cool site thanks Marie..

You are welcome. I often go and check the What's New section.