Take a look at this email I got from my ISP:


Dear Valued Big Net Customer:

We would like to inform you that as a result of the changing DSL/internet marketplace,the Federal Government has recently mandated that for all dedicated subscriber lines(DSL) a Universal Service Fund (USF) tax be
charged on all installation services and monthly DSL bandwidth charges. The USF tax is administered by the Federal Government and is used to provide funding for educational institutions to purchase computer and technology equipment as well as to support hearing impaired individuals with telecommunication services.
As a result of the Federal Government mandate, Big Net is required to charge a USF tax fee equal to approximately 6% of your monthly DSL invoice. Beginning November 1,2000, the USF tax fee will be shown on your Big Net monthly invoice. Consequently, for customers that have received DSL service since January 1, 2000, he USF tax fee will be charged to the current credit card number that Big Net has on file and will be retroactively applied to the installation services and number of months DSL service has been received.

Big Net appreciates your business and cooperation in this matter, and looks forward to providing you DSL and Internet service in the future.

Now....I am extremely pissed off. After 3 months of crappy service, they do this to me. I called the billing department after recieving this on Thursday, and they said they would give me a credit for the retoactive charges...I said "Hold up what do you mean credit, I didnt authorize this charge".....They had already charged my credit card!!!

This is total BS. There are no new mandates for DSL companies to pay this. They are getting charged from Covad (bignets CLEC) and don't want to pay it so they passed the buck to us and expect us to pay. I don't think so.

If I am not mistaken I can now cancel my contract, because they changed their pricing. I think there is a 30 day window where if you do not agree to the changes the contract is then null and void. I am going to talk to our contract attorney at work. I might even get him to call on my behalf just to get out of this damn company.

I have already called Telocity and once I can get away from BigNet they are my next isp. Argh It makes me mad when I think about it. I will keep yal posted on the events.

Goob