Local home victim of phone “slam” BOEBIE PHILLIPS got slammed and didn’t like it, Slamming is what happens when one long distance phone company tikes a customer away from another without the person’s knowledge. Phillips and her husband first got the hint there might be a problem when a B.C, Tel repre- Scntative phoned them earlier this month to ask why they had switched to another company. They thought the phone call add because they had never au- thorized leaving B,C. Tel. But the call made sense just days laler when their son Derek, a college student in Kelowna, phoned with an interesting story. Just before Christmas represen- lalives of Unitel, a long distance competitor to B,C. Tel, came through his college dorm asking people to fill out and sign a long distance phone survey. Derek was asked if he wanted information on long distance call- ing:and then asked to list his three most frequently phone long dis- tance numbers, One of the phone numbers he listed belongs to his parents. And thal’s how the Phillips household got slammed, “When Detek got back after Christmas there was a package from Unitel for him with in- formation and with a Unitel call- ing card,’’ said Phillips. “Then he talked with another person in the dorm who told him people whose numbers were put down on the survey got switched.” Phillips phoned B.C. Tel in mid-January to gel switched back and to complain about Unitel. She says they were un- authorized customers of Unitel from mid-December 1994 to Jan. 17. “B.C. Tel said many people have been slammed and are switching back. Unilel can send me all the bills it wants, I’m not paying,’ she said. Phillips was also curious as to how people can be switched without their permission. B.C. Tel representalive Ed Clark says that’s due to what the “You called it” . “COOL” Then you called it “a HABIT” Now it’s Cd It’s time to call it QUITS. BRITISH COLUMBIA LUNG ASSOCIATION Box 34009, Staten D Vancouver. B.C. V6) 4M2 \ Phone: 731-5864 “an ADDICTION” > GOOD LUCK | Unitel is the message being sent by Bobbie Phil- lips, Her home phone service was switched from B.C, Tel to Unitel without her permission. She has since switched back but -won't be paying ‘any bil Unitel ties to send her. Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commis- sion (CRTC) calls equal access, Equal access as defined by the CRTC, which regulates phone companies, was meant to give B.C, Tel competitors a chance to gain customers, But it also prevented B.C. Tel for the last three months of 1994 from asking its customers why they wanted to switch. “We couldn't aggressively pur- sue our customers. All we could do was accept the lists of phone numbers given to us by our com- petitors, They would notify us and that was it,” said Clark. B.C. Tel was freed from that testriction in January which ex- plains the phone call made by it to the Phillips household. Clark estimates that at least 3,000 of its customers were slammed last year, Although Phillips says her son tead the survey carefully, Clark said some competitars may have included fine print on various forms that can escape a reader. ‘All we can. say is be very careful of what you may be asked to sign, no matter how it’s pre- sented,” he said. Phillips said she complained to - Unitel but didn’t receive a satis- ' factory answer. She’s now contemplating a complaint to the CRTC, The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 25, 1995 - A7 RADELET & COMPANY Barristers & Solicitors, Vancouver, B.C. Companies « Family Trusts + Tax Matters James W. Radelet Phone 689-0878 Fax 685-1386 Or. Paul Tsang announces the closure of his dental practice. All patient charts and X-rays have been transferred to: Or. Joe Zucchiatti =». 4623 Lakelse Ave. (Across from the White Spot) Phone 635-2552 We Welcome New Patients La CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD The Mail Bag City showed no compassion Dear Sir: So that’s how things are done in the 90s??? What a total cop out! I refer to the statement from our city council and mayor on the termination of three city employees. To only allow the gentlemen 10 minutes notice before ‘disposing’ of them is an utter disgrace. It-is a sad statement from our city that they have total disregard for human feelings or dignity. I was brought up to “‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you,’” There isn’t anyone today that is not aware of restraints and cut- backs, but to treat fellow workers in such a cold and callous way is palpably untenable. 1 am positive there were alternative ways to handle the situation. Unfortunately society today is becoming more and more selfish and uncaring. We sce it everyday on the news, and around us through acts of violence and crime, Instead of showing even a little compassion and decency, our city council chose an attitude of cruel indifference and insensitivity, something we will all remember come cleclion time. The elected members that made this decision were elected to represent the people of Terrace. Few taxpayers I know would con- donesuch discourteous behaviour. Toall of thase who made the decision to act in such a disgraceful manner - shame on you. Was it really necessary? Is that how you would want to be treated if the roles were reversed? Susan M. Corneau, Terrace, B.C ‘Postal facility lacking An open letter to: Regional Manager - Canada Post Dear Sir: I wish to add my volce to that of Brenda Silsbe reaanding the downsizing ofthe lobby in the Terrace past office...” Maybe you have not had any direct complaints about our 'sardine- can’ but if you were to stand in the line-up. down. here you would hear constant mutterings between the unhappy customers. The lack of space is pathetic. You may say that we could u use one of the other postal outlets in town but some of us have post office boxes for business mail and so do not have a choice. Whilst I am complaining about this I will also add another com- plaint - about the wicket service, Not about your staff but about the lack of them. I don’t know what Canada Post policy is concerning service but in most service-oriented businesses more staff would move up to the counter once there was a line-up of three or more people. Not here; we have to pul up with a line-up of six or more people and it is even more annoying when one has a meeting to go to in 20. minutes or 50. More than once I have left the line-up because of prior commit- ments and then had to make a return visit some time later. Claire Chesley, Terrace, B.C Offers You “KERMODET TRADING 201 Pre- Inventory BLOWOUT! Bottom Line -Pricing On Top Quality! 39” Boxspring only 54” Boxspring only Queen Size Mattress & Boxspring - 3 Piece Sofa Seteeccecccsus. ZOD ¢6 Piece Bedroom Suite....°299 +29” StereO T.V.ssssssssssensses OAD Oak Bedroom por ade et On Sa aj le! t ate: Bote e€ @.