30 to 50.00a month?not 2 bad huh?with mci?

[comin2getusoon]

hey new yorkers,i just found out the way my sweetheart chino's friend inside avoids hi bills thru mci high toll dept. is simple, his wifey, jus gets a pay plan goin with mci, az 2 where u pay maybe 30.00/50 a month in collect calls and that is it, then u kno how much exactly u are spending,i may do that,to avoid any blocks from mci,since they cover all of the upstate ny prisons i think.hate that......
but at least this way, we are pretti much"in control"where i get to volunteer how much i want my babi to kall each month, kind of like pre pay i guess, but then we won't hav the burdens of high bills and wen it cannot all be paid as quickli as mci wants, we will not hav to worri about it being interrupted, just add on as we go! i would like to know has ANY of u guyz tried this already?
i might,so pleez gimmee feeback,gracias!thanx....

[trescheek]

I haven't heard of the prepay w/MCI but I definitely need to look into it ... if you wind up doing it, pls share the "how to's"

[comin2getusoon]

trescheek,ok,mami,i will,and hola!hello.lolol.....
yea i will let u guys know once i decide 2 try it...
at least are still trying to budget,for now,the specific tymez 2 kall,
but it gets sooo hard,u kno?
cuidate,take care ma.

[quietstorm]

just a quick note, I tried signing up today for pre-pay & per MCI, if they have an agreement with your local telephone company such as Verizon to bill directly, you don't qualify for pre-pay.

[Hanksmom]

i have the phone company idt and then you can sign up for the prepay. He hates it but I like it because it doesn't cost me 300 dollars a month

[nadi]

well i have not gotten a bill yet, what is the cost per minute.

[trescheek]

Nadi ... the connection charge is $3 and then it's .16 per minute ... a 1/2 hr call runs about $7.80 not including taxes.

I have Verizon, which bills the MCI calls directly on my bill, so I guess prepay is out the window for me. I like Verizon and I really don't want to change ...

[nadi]

thanks for the info trescheek, i also have verizon and the last time i was so excited i just excepted the call without listening to how much it will cost.

[BOsPiece]

Well guys, I don't know how you feel about this option, but I have "call initercept" on my phone. First off, it's about $8 and some change a month and for those of you who don't know what it is, when calls come in UNAVAILBLE (which the prison calls do) the caller (like telemarketer or whoever) is prompted to give their name and the person receiving the call has the option of accepting or rejecting the call. Now of course the calls from our men and family can't follow the prompts, so, the call from them doesn't get thru. You can turn the call intercept on and off as you feel like it, so that's what I do. So somedays I'll have the call intercept turned on which means UNAVAILABLES will have to be screened before the call even reaches me which means my husband can't get thru on those days, and some days I have it turned off, which means UNAVAILABLES don't have to be screened and he will be able to get thru. I primarily got it b/c it's annoying to come home from work and see UNAVAILABLES on the caller ID or times the phone has rang with UNAVAILABLE on the caller ID and I answer and no one is there. So I got the call intercept, which, now that my husband is upstate, can also work as a way of my keeping the phone bill down. In the past, we've tried everything from trying to speak maybe only 10 minutes daily, but that only lasted for a day or two then we'd go back to 30 minutes everyday, somedays with several calls, and lord if we're arguing or not in agreement, that could be 4 or 5 half hour calls in one day. So far, call intercept seems to work the best for me when it comes to controlling the calls I receive (and resultantly must pay for) from my husband. I am a ride or die Verizon customer.

[Monique281]

I have heard of Call intercept but I find it to be very annoying. To me it's just another way for the telephone to get money out of you and extra money I don't have I feel caller id is enough. I am subscribed to the telemarketors banned list and so far I haven't gotten any calls from them. So I know exactly what a unavailable number means a collect call from my honey.

[BOsPiece]

Hi Monique, my entry (#9 above) doesn't apply to you. It ONLY applies to anyone who's open to ANY suggestion of how they can have some type of control over their phone bill. More specifically, those of us who average more than one thirty minute call per day. As regards to that list you're on to get blocked by the telemarketers though, I've heard of it but never looked into it so please let me have that number so that I get myself put on that list. However, b/c it's worth it to me to spend the eight bucks a month verses some sixty bucks upwards on my phone bill, I take the eight bucks with glee b/c that (the call intercept) works for me. Caller ID is good, but that doesn't get past everyone, otherwise I wouldn't of even tried it in the first place, but I'm glad I did, b/c that eight bucks a month spent saves me money when it's time to pay that bill. It's simply a matter of what works for you. I don't know how long you been in this "supporting an inmate" game, for on my first bid with my husband everything was so peachy and rosey that I didn't care bout shellin out three and four hundred bucks a month for the phone. Today, seven years and 3 or 4 new bids later -- I'd rather keep my MCI bill just a lil over $100 a month and spend that extra two hundred plus that the eight bucks a month on call intercept saves me on food for him, commissary money, newports rather than rolling tobacco, bus and visit money, a cute outfit to weart to visit, to keep some of my own damn bills at the house current rather than always just payin somethin on it b/c the tuffest thing wit these bids is that darn MCI bill!

[Monique281]

Hello BosPiece you have your hands full. I hope everything works out fine for you. I have had to endure 200.00 plus telephone bills but that's because he was in Mass and they were charging 1.00 a minute for a thirty minute call. I haven't experience MCI but I will because he is running a concurrent sentence and he was moved to New York in Dec and has a hearing this month Jan and hopefully he will make board. I know it's tough but my man would rather that I took care of home and my children before sending him anything because he knows he's not able to do it and we always had an understanding you can only call on weekends and I send money only when you need it. I visit when I am able too. Its been 3yr long years and I am not going anywhere even if he doesn't make board.

[BOsPiece]

You haven't experienced MCI? Oh my, then you will be in for some surprises, and then you'll understand why so many people on PTO express near hatred for them. MCI operates quite gangster. 3.00 to press 3, 16 cents a minute after that. 30 minutes pass before you know it -- 7.80 before taxes, surcharges, FCC fees, etc. are added on. Actually, my husband doesn't ask me for anything -- all he asks for pretty much is for me to visit him b/c, to get cigarettes to him b/c he's a smoker, food, and the bare essentials like a couple shirts to wear to visit and some sneakers for activities. He don't even ask for clothes to wear around the jail. He tries to help, but there's just somethin about that phone. Last week we were having a disagreement which spanned over 4 calls back to back. After that, I turnt the call intercept on and after a few days went by, I turnt it back on. Had I not, I would have heard from him each day that I had it off. He doesn't set out to call often, but with the phone right there and him having down time and his mind constantly on me, sometimes I do believe that phone looks to him the way a pretty colourful ball looks to a child -- just gotta pick it up! Yes my hands are full -- I don't live with people -- very independent -- got my own -- NY rents are high as heck but fortunately mine is only a thousand a month, gas & electric be high, credit cards, transportation to work, etc., etc., etc. I ain't goin no where either -- he won't let me, and for back up insurance, seems God won't let me go either. Yes indeed, my husband is a blessed man. The good thing about it is he knows that, plus he ain't one to have to lose what he has to realize he got a good thing like a lot of men out here -- he knows what he has and like that kid with that pretty colourful ball -- HE IS NOT LETTING GO!! He on this "THAT'S MINE" thing crazy style when it come to his wife. (smile)

[BOsPiece]

Hi Monique -- I'm still waiting on that telemarketing blocking number. Incidently, I took the Call Intercept thing off my phone so he can call when he wants (daily). $7.80 a call, plus taxes, this bid is just starting, and this is just a part of my life til 2008. You know ladies -- we are some good women. I'm as straight as an arrow, but the more I come across goin to visit and support these men, the more I begin to want one for myself -- A GOOD WOMAN!! Actually, it wouldn't work out though, b/c my motto is "treat me good and I'll treat you better" -- so, no matter how good she treat me, I'd treat her better. Just venting, buggin, cause shyt, let's be for real here -- this supporting an inmate crap is getting to me. Thank God I'm a strong woman. I just do it, without thinking about it, cause if I pause to think about it, I just might hit him with a "see you in 2008 -- so whoever you find to do this time with you and support you thruout -- be sure to tell her that I said 'thanks, and that after 3/2008, her services will no longer be needed." Yall ain't walked my shoes. I'm out.

[BOsPiece]

CORRECTION: LINE 4 SHOULD READ:
but the more women I come across goin to visit and support these men