Q: I called BellSouth yesterday to question a minor charge on my bill. I have had BellSouth DSL for a couple of years and have been paying $42.95 for it.

The rep noticed that monthly charge and said that I qualify for the lower rate of $32.95. I was happy about it of course, but I probably “qualified” some time ago.

BellSouth could have notified me and a lot of other customers about this savings. Do you know why aren’t they required to do that?

A: Sure, BellSouth could have notified you, but then they would have been making less money. Companies aren’t required to tell you when competition has forced prices to go down. It’s up to you to stay on top of pricing so that you can figure out how to get the best deal.

I find that it’s best to check every year to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your telephone, cell phone, wireless hand-held, and Internet access.
To find out if you qualify for a better deal on phone service, I like to use www.myrateplan.com.

Thanks for writing.