Posted on 3/6/2005, 7:12:15 PM by Incorrigible
FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq -- There are many things soldiers assigned to this dusty outpost near Tikrit could complain about.
Long hours. Bad food. And jobs that can be deadly.
But ask what bothers them most, and the answer might surprise you.
"The phone cards are a rip-off, I don't know how else to say it," said Spc. Stephen Wade, 25, of Los Angeles, a member of the New Jersey National Guard's 50th Main Support Battalion stationed at the base. "I get the feeling someone is making a fortune off us."
Another member of the unit, Spc. Jay Ruggiero of New York, calls prices to call home "absurd" and said soldiers are "getting screwed."
The target of their criticism almost always is AT&T, the once glorious telephone company that for decades has been one of the most important and largest employers in New Jersey.
For example, a 550-unit card can yield as many as 185 minutes or as few as 68, depending on where the card was purchased. A card advertised for 120 minutes provides six to 30 minutes, soldiers at Camp Speicher said.
"If a card says 120 minutes, it should give you 120 minutes," said Staff Sgt. Calvin Brokaw, of Tenafly, also with the 50th.
But rates for cards bought in the United States and sent to soldiers are generally much higher, the other fact that has troops, their families and advocates upset. Some call it price-gouging, and soldiers say they remain confused over the rates and where and how cards can be used.
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
There are a couple of links mentioned in the article that help the troops get some phone time:
thats interesting...
I bought a phone card in Qatar on my way up to Iraq in November. It had 550 units on it and I used 330 of them....now I have 220...
Could it just be bad or misprogrammed cards maybe? I didnt have that problem.....
This pisses me off!! I bought a bunch off cards and gave it to the troops and they should have what they say!! They need to go to Walgreens
I wonder if they are using payphones cause i know sometimes payphones screw you on phonecards
"Could it just be bad or misprogrammed cards maybe?"
I'm afraid not. On the back of AT&T's cardboard package it says: "International flat rates are higher than US domestic flat rates, differ according to destination called and are subject to change without notice. Rates may be higher for calls to mobile phones. Call customer service for current international rates, available countries and surcharge information."
That accounts for the wide swing in value, and I'd bet AT&T IS making a fortune off military families.
The cards themselves don't have any programming in them, just identifying information. AT&T would have a computer system or multiple systems to keep track of how many units are associated with each each card.
I have my own personal gripes about AT&T. I DESPISE they way they treated me, and I'm not surprised they treat others miserably.
AT&T is an absolutely horrible company. After fighting with them for weeks about my lack of service, I finally cancelled my land line all together. I never thought I'd be reliant on cell phones, but AT&T forced my hand. They deserve every lawsuit and piece of negative publicity.
This is the inevitable consequence of a governmental philosophy and DOJ & FTC doctrines that permit mergers that boost the bottom line but act contrary to the public and consumer interest. When the administration and the antitrust division of the justice department tell the commercial pirates at mega-corporations that they can act in any manner whatever, irrespective of the burdens placed on the American consumer, this should be anticipated. And, it ain't over yet.
yeah because the pay phones in England charged me a 10 unit fee for every call...makes you wonder.....
I used the DSN lines to get out of Iraq on the phones. It was just one for one....
I wonder why type of phones the soldiers are using? Cell Phones? Private phones? DSN lines? It does make a difference.
I called nothing but my wife's cell phone and it was still 1 unit per minute for me....
something is wrong here...we arent getting the entire story...what type of phones are the soldiers themselves using?
Sounds like we had similar expereinces.
Unfortunately I can't bring over the entire article from NJO.COM but according to the linked article, they are using trailers that AT&T has set up near forward operating bases.
Did you have a wife and kids then though? Many of the complainers are Guardsman that are probably older with families.
Maybe they were cards bought in the US and mailed overseas?
According to the linked article, that does seem to be the source of most of the problem.
I've never used any phone cards, but I think the number of minutes available are based on the cost per minute at the originating (calling) location.
The ME rates seem to be significantly higher per minute than many countries.
One rate card showed this for Iraq:
Iraq - 324 min at $20 is 6.2¢ per minute
Iraq - Cellular - 180 min at $20 is 11.1¢ per minute
Afghanistan is 20.8¢ per minute
Pay phones crew you a number of ways, especially on long distance. Regardless of intent or the specifics, AT&T is taking a PR hit on this.
In an e-mail, AT&T spokesman Nersesian said, "U.S. cards are not and have never been designed for optimal use overseas. It's stated on the back of every card and on its packaging. AT&T has never marketed or otherwise tried to make the case that prepaid cards sold in the U.S. should be used by soldiers overseas."
Nersesian last month said the company would provide its military markets director to further explain the cards and how they're used. But last week, Nersesian said the director would not be made available.
AT&T is the sole provider of the calling centers in Iraq under a phone service agreement with the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, which operates the military post exchanges where the AT&T cards are purchased. Nersesian said the company "took the financial risk, we took the operational risk, and we took the personnel risk" in building the system. He also said AT&T has donated over $6 million in prepaid phone cards to the troops.
No matter how you cut it this is a very poor way to handle the complaint. Had they said something to the effect that the troops were extremely important to them and they will do even more to try to assure good service to them, they would have been much better off.
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