Cell Carriers Have Us Over A Barrel For Directory Assistance Calls

An open letter to the California PUC:

I already knew that Verizon et al had us over a barrel charging $1.25 a minute for directory assistance. Today I found out that airtime ALSO applies to these calls. If the agent looking up the number takes 2 minutes (rare but possible) I get billed 2 minutes of airtime in addition to that inflated rate.

This is silly. On a landline I can dial 411 and be billed, I think 95¢, per min (still a big chunk but less) and not be charged for how long it takes.

I used to be able to dial a remote directory assistance number, like 1-540-555-1212, and let them handle the request for free. Now, no matter what I dial, Verizon gets the request. We should be allowed to dial around the cell carrier’s own, monopolistic directory assistance service; if not, we don't have a free market.

What's more, Verizon et al are charging me partly for the ability to look up INFORMATION like "Please find me a Chinese Restaurant at 4th and Vine". What if I JUST need a number? Also, their database (not provided by any of the RBOCs) often has wrong info; last month I spent many mins on the phone asking for the # for an Office Depot to see if they were open. By the time they swore there was none in downtown, I was walking thru the front door of that non-existent store. I later tried SBC 411 and they got it right away. That's not the first time Verizon 411 has had bad info and yet I paid a premium for it.

Thanks and Happy New Year

Noam Sane
Idealist.
================Addendum 1/14/06===================
The article at the following URL, a year after my post above, offers alternatives for cell phone directory assistance. Noam.

http://www.nydailynews.com/business/story/381147p-323648c.html