My lack of service experience has continued this week, to include my mom, again with Verizon, but this time for her landline service.

My brother and I changed some of her services for her last time we visited. We put her primary line on the Verizon Freedom plan, to get rid of about $80 in "legacy" long distance charges from AT&T every month. We also asked for their International choice plan, which for $3 per month, entitles her to cheaper long distance rates.

Of course, somehow the request to add the international plan got lost and Verizon tried to nail her with $1.68 per minute for a few calls to Israel. Confronted with two witnesses to the conversation -- me and my brother -- they agreed to credit her for the difference to the $.10 per minute "discount rate."

And it's no wonder people are fleeing to Skype, Vonage and all sorts of other alternate providers.

At Vonage, for only $24.99 per month, you get unlimited calls in the US and Canada, and without any need for complicated "international plans" you are given the "regular" rate to Israel of only $.05 per minute. Even after covering the cost of broadband from your cable provider, that's still a whole lot cheaper than Verizon's "Freedom" plan.

When mom moves, there'll be big changes. Verizon most likely won't be part of them, unless they decide to stop acting like a monopoly and provide the same simple, seamless service available through other alternatives.

-btc