All phone companies uncaring assholes?

Since AT&T did that bizarrely complicated paperwork shuffle to get me a DSL modem at no charge (which I would have gotten at no charge in the beginning had I known my old one wouldn't work), I've been keeping all my old invoices just to compare (some discounts were supposed to expire in 6 months or a year).

Anyway, this month's bill was bumped up $3, so I hunted down the change; was an increase in my long distance plan. I called, sat on hold for about 20 minutes (thank god for speakerphone and a nearby newspaper), and the guy explained that the cost for the 300 minute plan went up 2 dollars (but $3.50 after taxes?). Anyway, to get it back to the old cost, I stripped back to the 120 minute plan. I'm sure the 120 minute plan will charge me 5 times as much if I go over 120, but I'll never do that unless they count the time I spend on hold trying to talk to them !

Someone had mentioned to me that a corporate strategy is to intentionally make things as convoluted as possible so you won't question every time they jack up the price here and there, and their long hold time insures that you get discouraged when trying to actually find out what's going on.

I told them I know no one at the company actually cares, but if he could register my comment with someone that the next sneak-rate-raise would result in my looking for another carrier. (I eliminated my one-year contract with the last round of b.s. they shoveled my way... yes, I suppose I'm tilting at windmills).

p.s. just ask ! Last time I was on hold forever, I asked them to credit some minutes towards my bill; regardless of whether any minutes are actually deducted from the account, they will often give you credits, and they really should pay you for the time you spend tracking down what money-gouging inconsideration they're trying to sneak onto your bill.