Hey all...

Some of you may know that I have been struggling with MCI for two months now! My last call from my partner was August 3rd and I finally got a call again September 25th. The crazy part is that I still do not know why the calls stopped! My phone bill is paid up and always has been - furthermore, I don't subscribe to MCI and the call tolls are just transfered to my local service! My Partner had no restrictions or violations that would prevent him to call. I spoke to the Prison admin and they had not blocked the calls.

My frustration with MCI over the last two months is the lack of any kind of credible information at any time and/or from any level that I spoke to. Trying to find someone that knows anything was like pulling teeth. For 5 weeks I got lip service. I was told my calls were not blocked that it was a software problem. I was told that my calls WERE blocked. I was also told that they had no idea why the calls were not coming through. MCI did however know every attempt that my Partner made to call. This I found interesting... Sometimes I would talk to the same agent from a previous call and they would contradict what they said the previous week and when I would question them they would deny saying what they said before.

I was told on three separate occasions that the problem (whatever it was) was fixed. Still no calls and when I would call back a different agent would claim that I should not have been told it was fixed because it was not.

I did record the name and took notes from every call.

Finally with a great deal of persuasion I got to a Supervisors voice mail. This only got me more lip service. Promises to call me back and then when she didn't call back I would pursue again. The supervisor told me that she cannot call Canada! THIS IS A LONG DISTANCE PHONE COMPANY - COME ON...! DON'T TELL ME THAT YOU CANNOT CALL CANADA! I CAN CALL YOU?

With that frustration I pushed further and finally got through all the "gatekeeper" agents and got the Supervisors bosses name and put to his voice mail. Three 2 minute messages later I hung up!

Wouldn't you know it that 2 hours after that 6 minute message I get a call from the Supervisor personally and she begins with a lengthy apology then tells me that the problem IS IN FACT FIXED as of that time. The next day - 58 days later I get a call from my Partner.

Wow, now was that so tough that only after 58 days of frustration - one call to the boss and it is fixed???????? On the spot????????? What is the problem here?

Anyway, you can tell from the story that there is a lot of frustration here. The calls are coming through now and I will call the Supervisor Monday and thank her for making it so. (I will be biting my tongue and swallowing my pride but hey, I can't complain for any good reason now...)

One of my fellow Canadians was good enough to post an article on the phone issue and it named a Senator in Missouri that has done a lot of work towards lowering the rates from Missouri prisons. I have emailed him with questions and concerns around this. I am also going to file a complaint with the FCC.

Here is some contact information for anyone that needs it:

From Canada - MCI Inmate Services - 800-937-1048

From USA - MCI Inmate Services - 800-231-0193

Supervisor - Elaine
Supervisor's Boss - John Croft
Agents answering the phone - useless.

Filing a complaint with the FCC might be the best thing you can do, as well as all the rest of you that I've heard complain about MCI and the prison phone system including billing!

I would subject that any phone calls be followed up with a letter and keep a copy.

LOL want some more MCI phone numbers:

1 888 414 0898
1 888 205 3688

1 800 937 1048 Block Information
1 800 820-1679 option 4...billing information

Can't remember what the other two are for though. One is in Florida though and it is a 'trouble shooter' phone number.

I'm really hoping the service that I attached at the beginning of this forum will help out so many of us!

sometimes calls are "blocked" because you use the service to reject solicitation calls. Hope that "bit" of info was usefull. Get the solicitation rejection disconnected and poof you can accept the collect calls. Also there is a feature where if you get an "out-of-area" call and the inmate is required to re dial the 10 digit phone number, as in denver Colorado because we have 2 area codes, the inmate is unable to do this thus voiding all collect calls, the two above features need to be removed from your local telephone service.
Jessy

Thanks Jessy,

That is not the case for me as I have been all over my local carrier that provides my phone line and long distance... and the problem rests in MCI's hands, but I am sure those little facts will help others!

Thanks!

I too have begun to have problems w/ MCI. I did find out how to find out if you have a block on the line. If you call 1-800-COLLECT from another phone it will say if the # cannot receive collect calls. If it asks you for your name then the line is open. I have talked to so many people in the last week, each w/ a different explanation as to why the calls are blocked. One gal yesterday had the block taken off, only for it to be put back on 4 hours later. I did get to talk to hubby in between there. So last night the guy tells me to call in the am w/ the number from the last company that I paid $648 to so they can verify that I have made a payment over $200 to a phone company and they will unblock it. What a bunch of BS!!! I have already sent MCI a payment of $219! So hopefully I can get s**t straightened out today!!
KMEG

Well, I just got off the phone w/ MCI They verified the $648 that I had paid with the other company. And put in for the block to be removed.I asked If I could send $ w/o a bill to ensure that they wouldn't block it in the future for any reason. He told me that they allow 2x the highest paid amount before a restriction will be placed, he said so that wouldn't happen to you until your account reached almost $1300.00. I just called 1-800-collect and the block is off. What a pain in the butt they are!!
KMEG

kemg,

I understand your frustration totally. They are the most difficult people to deal with especially when your calls and billing is coming through another service because you cannot even pay them driectly.

This may not be the answer for you, but if it was a viable option for you, you could switch all your long distance to MCI and then your payments are direct to them and you are not waiting for payment to flow through?

I do not understand this however, because my understanding is that the charges flow from MCI to your carrier and MCI are paid when this happens. Whether or not your bill is paid with your current l/d carrier is not MCI's concern or business...

I believe that MCI is just blocking you for the fun and frustration of it.

MCI did verify to me that they would NEVER block my line for high toll because the charges flow to my local phone and l/d supplier and my l/d bill is between me and my local supplier. MCI are always paid no matter what. I checked with my local supplier and they agreed that the charges flow through and they cannot refuse them nor initiate a block with MCI.

It is the most confusing system to figure out and I am sorry taht you or anyone has to go through this! It is just another sorry reminder of our loved ones being locked up - and as if we need a reminder!

Tebkrg
I have thought about that too. But.... my local carrier doesn't accept third party billing so I get a seperate bill from MCI-they can't put the charges on my regular phone bill. And...my regular phone carrier has an awsome plan that saves me tons. I live in a small town just south of the town I grew up in. so all my calls to friends, work and relatives are long distance. So on my calling plan I pay 4.95 a month and get 7 hours free local long distance. And 3.95 for 4 hours out of state long distanceeach month. Plus regular fees and taxes, but I save well over 100.00 a month with them. I wanted to change to MCI, but i would lose more $ a month.
I just don't understand how they can operate with so much inconsistancy. I get different answers from EVERY person I talk to. mci = morally corrupt institution.....heehee
:)
kmeg

I hear what you are saying kemg! Believe me!

I have not found one consistant story from MCI yet!

The only thing that I am thankful for is that my 58 days of frustration are over for now and I am going to build a "relationship" with this Supervisor so that if it ever happens again she will remember me and fix the problem right away!

I can hope anyway! LOL