“GRAND” RIP-OFF!!
Though this site is primarily designed to focus on our beloved game, the following blog should fall within its parameters as a tournament destination was included in our itinerary. Bobby and I decided to take a short excursion via the Grand Canyon. All arrangements were made through AAA and Trip Tik who were right on target. The accommodations and on-site restaurant were perfectly fine — but then disaster struck in the guise of my computer connection. I never leave home without my laptop and without exaggeration — have taken my trusty computer to well over fifty hotels over the course of the last ten years. Though DSL lines are available, I prefer the mundane, unsophisticated service of dial-up through the telephone in the comfort of my bedroom. The actual cost is either by local call or a daily rate — depending upon the hotel. It is always affordable, usually a pittance — and never problematic. At this juncture in time, I can set up the dial-up function by rote. I turn it on; change the location by inserting the dial-up area code plus the three numbers of the hotel telephone exchange; and when the names of the three nearest locations appear (cities or suburbs), I simply accept their suggestions and Presto — you are set to go. It never fails! (However, at this point in my life, I should learn never to say never)!
Both Bobby and I enjoy accessing our individual emails and other sites such as up-to-date news, sporting events, blogging, etc., during our leisure time in the room. We take turns in cyberspace — always shutting the computer down when we are finished. Perhaps this saga is getting boring to you — but don’t despair — the excitement picks up momentum. Mind you — we were at the hotel about 36 hours and in the middle of the night I heard something being slipped under my door. THE BILL!
The ‘bottom line’ included two nights’ stay and a rented refrigerator which were pre-arranged and agreed upon. However, I needed a blood pressure pill when I spotted the alleged cost for their routine dial-up service and the use of an 800 number to my cell phone company as I was having reception problems — possibly because of the altitude. For the person who can come closest to guessing my telephone cost for 36 hours — I offer one autographed copy of The Lone Wolff — and if you already have read it — we can make it as a Holiday Gift for the person of your choice — signed, sealed and delivered. The answer and winner will be announced twenty-four hours from now.
You can be certain I have already sent an S. O. S. to my credit card service and registered a disputed charge complaint — initiating an investigation. Of course, it’s not over till it’s over!!!! Stay tuned — and send in your guesses!
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Hmmmm. I’ll go nuts. $3,600? $10 an hour?
I’m afraid to ask if I’m too high or too low!
Oh God; and now I can’t even do simple math. Guess that’s only $360. “Only”…..
Hi Peggy: Send your email address to kay19072@aol.com as I don’t have it.
If you are the same Peggy Kaplan I know — your photographic talents are much
appreciated and add enormously to the coverage of our tournaments.
Riki-Tiki guessed $5.60 an hour times 36 hours.
Pimo will try $15.00 an hour times $36 hours….good luck from Luang Prabang, Laos, where we are wifi for free while eating on our outdoor breakfast deck overlooking the Namkan River…it’s paradise
$420.. just a guess
I guess I shouldn’t complain about paying $16.oo a day (which I think is outrageous). This trip Ray had a blackberry and we only logged on occasionally. I feel the hotels rip everyone off with this.
But I am guessing that your bill was in three figuures which is truly outrageous. I have no doubt that you will sort it out though.
I will guess 15 cents per minute for usage time; and a flate rate of $2.00 an hour for non- usage time. So, as I don’t have your full data to make the calculation – I’ll expect you’ll give me a true total if I’ve got the right idea of how it was done. Just recently, in Boston, George used the hotel phone to make a 1 minute local call [I was gone with my cell phone – he left his at home] and was charged $1.50 plus tax. How ludicrous was that!
I’ll go with $.20/minute for 36 hours or $432 total as outlandish as that sounds.
Good luck getting it reversed – I’ve heard similar horror stories. Had a similar situation myself a few years back. I recall at the time I was charged $.12 a minute and had my computer on for an entire month non-stop.
My guess is $259 dollars.
Whatever it was it was too much. I feel sorry for the people you will be speaking to. Good luck.
Since I’m not good at figures, Burt came up with $432 @.20 a minute for 36 hours!!
For the ‘routine internet service’ – I predict $9.95 / day, first 3 minutes free with .07 per minute after that, so aprox. $180.84 for 36 hours.
The use of the 800 number calling your cell-phone company confuses me.. are you calling from the hotel to the cell-phone company? I assume so, since you said you were having reception problems and therefore couldn’t use your cell phone. So the hotel is going to charge you for their phone services (which is NOT cheap). I estimate for 2 nights(3 days) you would probably have to make 2-3 support calls per day, averaging around $13-14 for each call (since you’ll probably be on hold a long time, the hotel would likely charge you number of minutes on a long-distance call, regardless of if it were toll-free or not), so I’ll add an additional $101.25. Grand total: $282.09.
Of course, I could make a more accurate prediction if I knew just exactly how many support calls were made and the aprox. length of each call.