By Ward Sanderson, Stars and Stripes
BAGHDAD — Authorities have shut off long-distance service for government-issued MCI mobile phones here, due to monthly bills as high as $10,000 for one handset.
The Coalition Provisional Authority issued the phones last year for staff in the Green Zone without reliable phone access. The phones worked in Baghdad, but all operated as if in the United States, so even calling an Iraqi line had cost at least $1.25 per minute. And individual organizations using the phones never received bills, leaving the impression that the phones were free.
The decision to cut the service was made by the State Department and implemented by the military.
«Unfortunately, control over the phones was a little lax,» said Col. Evin Planto, director of the Communications Support Office, Multinational Force Iraq.
[ read more ]
By MIKE DILLON in Melbourne
Michael Walker puts on his serious face and leans on the wall of the Flemington jockeys’ room.
«You know, I really miss driving,» he said between mouthfuls of orange juice.
«I miss driving long distances to race meetings.»
Which puts the former New Zealand jockey in one of the world’s smallest queues.
«I used to love driving through the Mangaweka Gorge.»
The regret may be genuine, but it disappears when Walker picks up his weekly paycheck.
[ read more ]
By ELIZABETH LEIS, Staff Writer
Until August, Rick Jones hardly glanced at the 40-plus pages of his Sprint cell phone bill, and just paid the $300 monthly bill.
That’s when the Brooklyn Park resident discovered his ZIP code — 21225 — meant Sprint PCS thought he was living in Baltimore and was tacking on the city’s phone tax of $3.50.
The wireless carrier credited his account on the next bill, but before long, Mr. Jones, an electrician, had switched to Verizon. But he’s not any happier.
«There are all kinds of fees,» he said. «It seems like they put it in there to confuse everybody.»
[ read more ]
What we list: We included
calling plans available on a
one-year contract for less than $70 a month ($90 a month on
shared-use plans), including generally available promotions. Coverage maps are based on data the carriers gave us and may not show every gap. We tested AT&T
Wireless’s reception in addition to Cingular’s, but opted not to list its rates separately: We cannot recommend signing up with AT&T Wireless at this point because it merged with Cingular last week and because Cingular offers comparable prices.
[ read more ]
