Skip Collins <collins@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu> (05/17/91)
Some months ago we were having static problems on some of our home phones. It appeared to be a wiring problem, so we called C&P to send a repair-person. The problem ended up being a corroded piece of standard phone wire which ran upstairs on the outside wall of our house. The repair lady was very competent and fixed the problem in no time. Because we had not signed up for any of the wire maintenance plans offered by C&P the charge for the repair should have been about $50. The nice woman who did the repair however offered to delay submitting the service report for a few days until we signed up for an internal wire maintenance plan. We promptly enrolled in the Guardian plan for about $2 per month. I forget the details now, but the plan covers the cost of any repair to the house phone wiring inside the demarc. It does not cover the cost of repairs to customer-owned phones. In general, I believe such insurance is a waste of money. But at that particular time it made a lot of sense. I believe that after we called to subscribe to the plan, our coverage began within 24 hours. (Perhaps it was immediately.) This raises interesting possibilities. Suppose, being a savvy consumer, I enroll at the first sign of trouble in my wiring, and then call for a repair. After the problem is taken care of, I cancel my coverage. Would this work? Is it ripping off the phone company? Just yesterday I called to cancel our coverage. Total cost of repair: $4. Skip Collins [Moderator's Note: Some telcos, Illinois Bell included, get around this by requiring a certain time period to elapse after signing up before it is effective unless you enroll when first invited to do so or during periodic 'open-enrollment' promotional periods. I think IBT requires 120 or 150 days to elapse before you can collect on this form of insurance, which is really what it is. You are 'first invited' to sign up when you install new service. PAT]
Christopher M Lott <cml@cs.umd.edu> (05/19/91)
In article <telecom11.373.4@eecs.nwu.edu> is written: > wire maintenance plan. We promptly enrolled in the Guardian plan for > about $2 per month. I forget the details now, but the plan covers the > cost of any repair to the house phone wiring inside the demarc. It > does not cover the cost of repairs to customer-owned phones. I believe Mr. Collins is mistaken; the Guardian plan as I understand it explicitly DOES cover all customer telephone equipment, and includes a loaner phone while the offending instrument is in the shop. A cheaper plan ($.85/mo in C&P territory) covers only the wiring, no phones. I don't know about elapsed time before you can place a claim. But Pat, 120 days sounds pretty harsh. You sure about this? On a related note, I'll be moving into student housing run by the University in July. I had to sign a statement acknowledging receipt of a copy of the C&P Line Maint. policy (will check for time before claims when I get home) and a copy of the housing office's strong recommendation that I purchase not just the basic plan ($.85/mo) but the Guardian plan ($2/mo). Reason given was that the wiring in those apts is apparently original (some 40 yrs old). Wonder if they get a cut or if they're honestly trying to help. BUT WHAT HAPPENS if some yahoo snarls the wires on the outside of the building? The C&P plan explicitly covers only the wiring within your four or so walls (gee, a whole lot of wiring in a one-bedroom apartment) and explictly does not cover any wiring outside your apartment. It also does not cover problems due to vandalism or other tomfoolery that I think it should. Is there anyone living in an apartment who has used this insurance? Where was the problem (according to them)? What was the resolution? Does anyone know who is responsible for maintaining the punchdown blocks etc. that pertain to telephone service for apartment complexes? Is it telco? I sorta figure I should get the $.85 insurance because if anything at all goes wrong, the morons in the housing office will be quick to charge me, I'm certain. ``Hey, you were warned. You signed the receipt.'' Christopher Lott \/ Dept of Comp Sci, Univ of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 cml@cs.umd.edu /\ 4122 AV Williams Bldg 301 405-2721 <standard disclaimers>
"Peter M. Weiss" <PMW1@psuvm.psu.edu> (05/19/91)
In article <telecom11.373.4@eecs.nwu.edu>, collins@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu (Skip Collins) says: > This raises interesting possibilities. Suppose, being a savvy > consumer, I enroll at the first sign of trouble in my wiring, and then > call for a repair. The Telephone Company should have you call from the telephone requesting the plan using the phone number(s) at the residence; then check it with Caller-ID ;-) Pete
Mike Berger <berger@clio.sts.uiuc.edu> (05/27/91)
cml@cs.umd.edu (Christopher M Lott) writes: > I believe Mr. Collins is mistaken; the Guardian plan as I understand > it explicitly DOES cover all customer telephone equipment, and > includes a loaner phone while the offending instrument is in the shop. It only covers repairs on phones you rent from Bell Atlantic. However, you do get a loaner while yours is in the shop (limited time). > On a related note, I'll be moving into student housing run by the > University in July. I had to sign a statement acknowledging receipt > of a copy of the C&P Line Maint. policy (will check for time before ... > Is there anyone living in an apartment who has used this insurance? > Where was the problem (according to them)? What was the resolution? > Does anyone know who is responsible for maintaining the punchdown > blocks etc. that pertain to telephone service for apartment complexes? > Is it telco? If your toilet breaks, are you responsible for the plumbing bills? You should not be responsible for problems with building services. Whether the phone company is responsible or the landlord isn't your concern. YOU aren't responsible for it. > I sorta figure I should get the $.85 insurance because if anything at > all goes wrong, the morons in the housing office will be quick to > charge me, I'm certain. ``Hey, you were warned. You signed the > receipt.'' Mike Berger Department of Statistics, University of Illinois AT&TNET 217-244-6067 Internet berger@atropa.stat.uiuc.edu [Moderator's Note: Illinois Bell generally assumes responsibility up to the point the wire comes in your apartment *in older buildings with house pairs going back long before divestiture.* In newer buildings, they sometimes pass the house pairs off as the landlord's problem. PAT]
Christopher Lott <cml@cs.umd.edu> (05/28/91)
I double-checked the policy for this rip-off insurance, and found that the policy goes into force at the company's discretion but not any later than 30 days after you request it. So I guess you could be insured within minutes, if the rep is willing, or you could wait quite a while. chris