CyberCJH’S Blog

Not to be outdone by the likes of Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, Sprint announced their $99/mo Simply Everything unlimited plan today. The big difference between Sprint and the other guys is that Sprint’s unlimited plan is for everything - voice, text and data - all for $99/mo. Since I’m looking for a plan that offers me unlimited voice, text and data for my Motorola Q, here is how the contenders currently stack up …

Verizon Wireless (Most Expensive)

• $99 = Unlimited Voice
• $119 = Unlimited Voice + SMS/MMS
• $139 = Unlimited Voice + SMS/MMS + Data
• $149 = Unlimited Voice + SMS/MMS + Data for Blackberries or PDAs
• $169 = Unlimited Voice + SMS/MMS + Data for Blackberries or PDAs + Global Data

AT&T Wireless

• $99 = Unlimited Voice
• $119 = Unlimited Voice + SMS/MMS
• $134 = Unlimited Voice + SMS/MMS + Data
• $149 = Unlimited Voice + SMS/MMS + Data for Blackberries or PDAs

T-Mobile

• $99 = Unlimited Voice + SMS/MMS
• I could not find anything about an unlimited data plan.

Sprint (Least Expensive)

• $99 = Unlimited Voice + SMS/MMS + Data for Blackberries or PDAs

At first glance, it’s clear that Sprint has undercut the competition by a wide margin. Choosing Sprint over Verizon or AT&T would save someone like me $600 a year. That’s a pretty nice chunk of change.

The only problem is that Sprint sucks. I’d switch if I knew I’d never have to call customer service. But, the web is full of horror stories about Sprint’s customer service. Sprint’s new CEO even admitted that their customer service is terrible and its customers have been deflecting in droves. I don’t want to be caught in a situation where everyone is trying to get out and I’m the only moron that is trying to get in.

So, here is my plan. I’m going to switch to Verizon’s $149 plan and keep it for one year. I’m hoping that Sprint’s undercutting creates a price war and Verizon lowers their price eventually. This time next year, I will reevaluate my situation. If Verizon is still expensive but Sprint has fixed their customer service problems (which they’re apparently working on now), I’ll switch to Sprint. But, I’m hoping that Verizon will concede and lower their price.

Update … I tried to change my plan online on Verizon’s website, but it keeps prompting me to add a $44 unlimited data plan to my $149 package which is supposed to include unlimited data. WTF? So, I fired off this e-mail to them.

I have a Motorola Q. I currently pay for 450 minutes ($40) + unlimited data ($40) + a text messaging plan ($10). I was interested in finding out more information about upgrading my plan to a new unlimited plan that includes voice, text and data. But, I am confused. Here is what I’m doing …

- I log into verizonwireless.com.
- Under MY PLAN, I click GO.
- I click CHANGE TO A NEW PLAN.
- I click CONTINUE.
- Next to PDA/SMARTPHONE NATIONWIDE E-MAIL & MESSAGING, I click VIEW PLAN DETAILS.
- I choose UNLIMITED $149.99/mo and click NEXT.
- On the SELECT FEATURES screen, under PDA/SMARTPHONE, I add UNLIMITED DATA USAGE for $44.99/mo. I click CONTINUE.
- On the REVIEW NEW PLAN screen, it says my monthly access charge is $149.99, but does not mention anything about the $44.99 unlimited data usage.

So, my question is … does the $149.99 include unlimited data usage or not? And, if so, why does it prompt me to add a $44.99 unlimited data package if the $149.99 monthly access charge includes that? Or, is the monthly charge for unlimited voice, text and data really $149.99 + $44.99 = $194.98

Also, am I eligible to continue to receive the 15% access discount on the unlimited plan? It doesn’t show up as a promotion under the new calling plan on the REVIEW NEW PLAN screen.

Thank you.

Let’s see what kind of intelligent (snort, snort) response I get.

Update 3/3/08 (4 days later) … I got a response from Verizon.

Dear Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx,

Good afternoon Xxxxxxxxxxx, my name is Sherrlyn and I am eager to assist you with updating your calling plan. I apologize for the confusion with updating your calling plan to the unlimited e-mail and text messaging.

We apologize for the delay in our response, due to higher than normal e-mail volume. Thank you for your patience. We value your business, and it would be my pleasure to assist you.

When changing your calling plan to the $149.99 Nationwide Unlimited E-mail and Messaging plan does not require an additional $44.99 unlimited data plan. We are currently in the process of removing the option to add an unlimited data plan on the existing all inclusive unlimited e-mail and messaging plan. Thank you for your patience as we work to address your concern on your account.

We appreciate your business. Please contact us at our website for any of your future needs.  Again, thank you for using Verizon Wireless products and services.

Sincerely,
Sherrlyn
Verizon Wireless
Customer Service

Wow, a professional response via e-mail. Pity she ignored my second question, “Also, am I eligible to continue to receive the 15% access discount on the unlimited plan?” But, through other websites and forums, I found out that I am not.

After some thought, I’ve decided to stay on my current setup of 450 minutes ($40) + unlimited data ($40) + a text messaging plan ($10). I never go over my minutes or text message allowance. So, I guess there is no point in switching to the unlimited plan right now.

Update 4/21/08 … Due to spam, the ability to comment on this post has been disabled.

written by cybercjh \\ tags: Sprint, Verizon Wireless

So, I’m on myuhc.com looking at my benefits trying to figure out how many quadzillions of dollars my pneumonia foray will cost me. And, I see this sentence: To ensure prompt and accurate payment of your claim as a Network Benefit, notify Care Coordination within two business days or as soon as possible after you receive outpatient Emergency Health Services.

Figuring I needed to call UnitedHealthare (UHC) to tell them I was in the ER last Thursday, I called 866-734-7677, the number listed on myuhc.com and on the back of my insurance card. I navigate through the endless phone menus and finally reach a human being. A man tells me I need to contact Care Coordination (CC) at 800-842-3920.

So, I call CC. I navigate through the menus and then I’m disconnected. Yay. Fun.

So, I call CC again. I navigate through the menus again and choose a different option upon where the operator tells me I need to call 866-734-7677. That’s the number I called originally. Hilarious.

So, I call CC yet again. I navigate through the menus yet again and choose yet a different option and then I sit on hold. When the guy picks up, I explain my situation and he tells me I didn’t need to call since I wasn’t admitted to the hospital.

I can’t wait to start getting bills from the hospital and the radiologist and the cardiologist. I’ll post them here so we can all laugh at how eff’ed up they are.

written by cybercjh \\ tags: UHC

2:15pm : We still have electricity in Port St. Lucie. Christina just reported the power came back on in Boca Raton after being off for about 30 minutes. What’s going on? Here’s what I can gather from the various news outlets…

• CNN is reporting massive power outages with power reported out from Miami to Palm Beach County.
• Florida Today says 8 power plants are down, and that Florida Power & Light (FPL) has experienced massive transmission problems affecting more than 4 million customers.
• The Miami Herald states the service failures came during an unusually warm February day in South Florida, with temperatures reaching near-record highs.

What’s going on? Stay tuned …

2:25pm : CNN is now confirming that there are 8 power plants offline, but the failures have been contained. In Washington, officials at the Department of Homeland Security said there was no immediate concern that terrorism was behind the outage.

The Miami Herald states it is possible the following cities are without power at this time … Boca Raton, Brickell, Clearwater, Doral, Homestead, Key West, Lake Worth, Little Havana, Pinecrest, Pompano Beach, Miramar, North Tampa, West Kendall, Westchester, Weston.

2:30pm : The TCPalm is reporting that several cities throughout the Treasure Coast are reporting power outages that happened shortly after 1pm. A representative from FPL offered this comforting statement: “All I know now is that a big part of the state is without power.”

2:40pm: WPLG (Local 10) is reporting the last time this happened was 1985. Florida Power and Light in Fort Lauderdale confirmed that the transmission line failure was what caused the outage.

WFOR (CBS4) is stating a substation equipment failure may have tripped two FPL power generator units Tuesday afternoon, creating a domino effect in the South Florida power grid.

WFTV (Channel 9) says at Orlando International Airport, a combination of the power outage and weather stopped departures between about 1 and 2pm. The delay backed up about 30 flights. An official at the Miami International Airport says the facility is working on a generator backup but that no airline delays were reported.

02/27/08 10:00am Update … Here is a map of the areas that were affected yesterday. The red square indicates our approximate location.

This morning, CNN is reporting that authorities are investigating how a small fire and a switch failure at an electrical substation outside Miami triggered a power failure that affected over two million people. According to authorities, the grid should have isolated these two problems but did not. The result was cascading grid fluctuations that caused other power plants to shut down for safety reasons.

written by cybercjh \\ tags: FPL

What started as a slight cough last week landed me in the emergency room yesterday. I was hesitant to go because I thought I just had the flu and you don’t go the ER if you have the flu. Not when you’re 28 years old and in otherwise good health. You drive yourself to Walgreens, you buy yourself some Theraflu, some orange juice, maybe a National Enquirer and you get yourself better.

But, as the week progressed, certain things started to become really difficult. Standing and breathing as an example. By Thursday morning, I couldn’t walk 10 steps without gasping for air and getting dizzy to the point I’d fall over. So, I finally caved and Tina took me to the hospital. By the time I got to the ER, my temperature was 103 and my symptoms were shortness of breath, dizziness, heart palpitations, enormous chest pressure, joint pains and coughing up phlegm. Basically, if I wasn’t curled up in a ball in bed, I felt like I was dying.

The ER was full. I was in the waiting room for just over an hour when they called me back. In all, they took a urine sample, about 3 or 4 quadzillion viles of blood, 2 sets of blood cultures, a chest x-ray and then a cat-scan of my chest. At one point, the doctor came in and shoved a Q-Tip that was about as long as pencil up my nose. I got really dizzy when they put my IV in. I think because it was the first time I’d ever had one. Towards the end, the nurse came in and hooked up a bag of Avelox to my IV. Then, the doctor came in and told me I had pneumonia. He prescribed Avelox, told me to take Tylenol to control the fever and (thankfully) sent me home. I was so happy to get the IV taken out.

So, here I am about 30 hours later and I feel much better. I can’t wait to start getting the bills from the hospital and my medical insurance provider. Let the fun begin!

written by cybercjh \\ tags: UHC

Ah, DirecTV. The battered consumer’s only viable alternative to Comcast, until AT&T gets its act together. I called DirecTV last night to schedule an installation appointment to restart our service. We’ve had our account suspended while Tina’s mom was in the Philippines. We never watch TV but she’s home all day and she likes to watch the Filipino channels.

I call DirecTV and I’m on hold for about 7 minutes until a guy comes on the line. After explaining to him I’d like to restart my service, he puts me on hold for another few minutes. Then, he tells me he has to transfer me to another department.

I’m transferred and a very nice, friendly lady comes on the line. I explain to her all over again that we’ve moved and I’d like the dish that can pick up the international channels installed on a pole in our yard and I’d like to restart service with a Total Choice package plus the Filipino service. I also asked for installation to occur on a Friday. So, we opted for Friday, February 29. All was well. We hung up.

Today, I log into my account on DirecTV to see how badly they screwed up my request. Sure enough, the $18 credit on my account has turned into a $9 balance. Why? Because DirecTV started billing me as of yesterday. Why? Installation isn’t scheduled for another 11 days. So, I e-mail DirecTV …

Why do I have a balance on my account? It appears my service was reactivated yesterday. But, I only called to schedule the installation which will be on Feb 29. Why should I have to pay for service I’m not going to have? Should I be charged for that? My billing should start on 2/29, not 2/17. Also, please advise what packages I’ll have when the installer comes and what the monthly charge will be. Thank you.

And, they respond with …

Thanks for writing. I’d be glad to assist you with your concern. First of all, I see that you’ve started your service on 07/29/06. We want you to know that we truly appreciate your business.

I’m sorry to hear about the confusion regarding the charges on your account for the days without service. In order to correct this, please call us at 1-800-531-5000. Our friendly and knowledgeable Customer Service Representatives will be glad to assist you.

Thanks again for writing and for giving us the opportunity to be of service to you.

Sincerely,
Marcelo C.

So, I respond and copied DirecTV’s CEO …

Marcelo C.,
 
Can you please explain to me the point of giving your customers the ability to e-mail a customer service representative only to be told in the response to call customer service?

The questions I submitted via e-mail seem very simple…

• Why am I being charged effective 02/17/08 when my installation isn’t scheduled until 02/29/08, and
• How much will my monthly bill be once installation is complete?

Do you see how counter-productive it is to ask me to call when there is no reason to do so? Please, tell me … What can the people on the telephone do for me that you can’t via e-mail? And, if DirecTV can’t respond to such simple questions via e-mail, why even give your customers that option at all?

Tell you what … DirecTV can either fix my account so the billing doesn’t start until the installation is completed or they can just cancel my installation appointment. Up to you. Please let me know what you decide.

Thanks.

It infuriates me when I’m asked to call customer service to handle a request that could have been just as easily handled via e-mail.

Update 02/18/08… DirecTV responded via e-mail and gave me the answers I was looking for. Now see … was that so hard?

Update 02/29/08… After all this, DirecTV did not show up for the installation appointment. They were supposed to be at our house between 8am and 12pm. At 1pm, they called at said they’d be there in 30 minutes. At 3pm, they called again and said 30 minutes. At 4pm, Christina called DirecTV to reschedule the appointment because we were leaving to go to Orlando that afternoon. They rescheduled for next Friday and gave us a $100 credit due to the missed appointment. That was decent of them.

written by cybercjh \\ tags: DirecTV

So, I’ve decided to drag Ida into the 21st century … with 20th century technology. Yes, I’m giving her my old laptop that is about 10 years old (I bought it sometime in 1998). It’s a Hewlett Packerd Pavilion N3110.

• 433 MHz Intel Celeron Processor
• 32MB SDRAM (which I had upgraded to 160MB)
• 4.8GB hard disk drive
• 24x IDE CD-ROM drive
• 1.44MB floppy disk drive
• 12.1″ HPA display

To it, I added a D-Link AirPlus (DWL-G630) Cardbus Adapter so she can connect to the wireless network at mom’s and at her house. It just chugs along at a snails pace with Windows XP Home Edition (it originally came installed with Windows 98). It’s good for playing Solitaire and for checking her e-mail. By the way, we are still trying to come up with a good e-mail address for her. We thought putagordo@hotmail.com would be funny, but she didn’t seem to think so.

Stay tuned for what’s sure to be hilarious developments …

written by cybercjh

My claim to fame … page 54 of the February 18, 2008 edition of BusinessWeek.

written by cybercjh

Hillary Clinton (Democrat) vs George W. Bush (Republican) …

• Clinton: She’s not George Bush. 
  Bush: He is George Bush.
• Clinton: She’s a democrat.
  Bush: He’s a republican.
  
• Clinton: She will lower taxes for middle class families.
  Bush: He tried to do this, but ended up giving most of the tax breaks to rich people.
• Clinton: She will provide quality, affordable health care to every American.
  Bush: He recently vetoed a bill that would have given health care to kids. In his mind, healthcare has nothing to do with profits for the oil companies. So, he’s not interested.
  
• Clinton: She will make college accessible and affordable.
  Bush: What’s college?
• Clinton: She will confront the growing problems in the housing market.
  Bush: His administration created the problems in the housing market.
• Clinton: She will bolster retirement security by promoting savings and investment. 
  Bush: This also has nothing to do with profits for the oil companies. He don’t wanna hear it.
• Clinton: She will move towards balanced budgets.
  Bush: Forced America to live off foreign credit while he helped bolster profits for and protect the oil companies.
• Clinton: She will harness innovation to create the high-wage jobs of the 21st century.
  Bush: Buy more gas!
  
• Clinton: She will create a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund to jumpstart research and development of alternative energies, in part by taking tax subsidies away from the oil companies.
  Bush: Buy more gas!
  
• Clinton: She will strengthen unions and ensure our trade laws work for all Americans.
  Bush: Will you please go fill your tank?!

written by cybercjh

I’ve been reading tons of articles online about how walking away from your mortgage when you owe more than your house is worth, have little or no equity in it and/or are having a hard time selling it is a good financial move for some people. The people that choose to do this are basically using an escape clause written into their mortgage contract. But, some people think that people who choose to do this should be crucified.

• Check out this article … “Jingle mail:” The Awful Sound Of “Voluntary” Foreclosure. Someone posted a comment to this story that said ‘It disgusts me to know that people are voluntarily foreclosing on their property … there should be more severe repercussions against those who simply walk away- such as NEVER being able to obtain credit ever again.’
• And, this article … A matter of pride - No one should make it easy to walk away from your mortgage. The guy who wrote it says ‘People need to own up to their responsibility — and, yes, continue to pay for a house that may not be worth as much today as it was yesterday.’

Some people think that voluntarily surrendering your home back to the mortgage company and accepting the consequences somehow makes you unfit for society. They think you should be forced to stay and pay the payment, even if it means having to take a third or fourth job. They think that if you walk away, you should be sent to a debtor’s prison and tortured due to the horrible injustice you perpetrated against your fellow citizens for letting your house foreclose. They think you should never be allowed to have credit again and should be forced to wear a scarlet letter for the rest of your life. Give me a f*cking break.

Why don’t these people respond with the same outrage when huge companies perpetrate these purported injustices upon others? For example, companies lay off people all the time because they outsource those jobs to cheaper labor overseas. Where’s the outrage? Companies cancel the pensions of their faithful employees all the time. Where’s the outrage? There are bigger and far more pressing issues that this outrage could benefit. Wanting to nail someone to a cross who let their house foreclose isn’t an appropriate or helpful use of that outrage.

Most every contract comes with some sort of an escape clause that can be used as a last resort. Foreclosure is a mortgage’s escape clause. Why shouldn’t it be used if the person who signed the contract wishes to use it? For the people who think others who let their home foreclose are terrible human beings, I’d like to ask, ‘Would you be willing to sign a mortgage that doesn’t allow for foreclosure? Instead, if you can’t or don’t want to pay your mortgage, you’ll be imprisoned until you work off the debt.’ I’ll bet you anything they won’t sign it.

Update 02/14/08… Today, I read an article by Marcie Geffner called Walk-away homeowners are bitter pill for real estate published in Inman News. In it, Geffner writes:

(fair use excerpt protected by Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act) 

Lenders, institutional investors and individual shareholders will get stuck with the financial losses that result when borrowers irresponsibly refuse to pay their mortgages. Nearby homeowners will suffer the ill effects of foreclosed, vacant and uncared-for homes, which create blight, attract squatters and put additional downward pressure on home prices. And let’s not forget the children of walk-away homeowners, who are exposed to a lifestyle that depends on irresponsibility and irrational debt.

Moreover, walk-away home ownership perpetuates the sad modern notion that a home is neither a lifelong place of residence nor a long-term investment, but instead, just another disposable consumer product that differs little, if at all, from a television set or a tube of toothpaste. Buy it. Use it. And then lose it.

If legions of upside-down homeowners simply decide not to make their mortgage payments, the idyllic “American dream” may be exposed as no more than a fantasy, and at the end of the day, the bedrock notion of home ownership as good public policy may be placed in jeopardy. That’s yet another potential negative outcome of the current mortgage crisis that should give pause to anyone whose livelihood depends on real estate.

Here it is again, with my comments in [red]:

Lenders, institutional investors and individual shareholders will get stuck with the financial losses that result when borrowers irresponsibly refuse to pay their mortgages. [The word irresponsibly here is not appropriate. Sure, there are some irresponsible people in this country. But, more often then not, deciding to walk away from a mortgage even when you have the ability to pay is simply a business decision. Just like in the corporate world, you have to make business decisions regarding your personal finances. Remember when United Airlines decided to cancel employee pensions? Eventhough it screwed the little guy, that move was seen as a as a smart, responsible business decision by United's shareholders to reduce costs and increase profits. How is this different?! The shareholders and investors want to reduce costs and increase profits even if it means shafting the little guy. Now that the little guys are making decisions that not in the best interests of the shareholders and investors, we scream that they're acting irresponsibly. Give me a break. Cry me a river.] Nearby homeowners will suffer the ill effects of foreclosed, vacant and uncared-for homes, which create blight, attract squatters and put additional downward pressure on home prices. [No, it will bring home prices back down to realistic levels. To bad, so sad if it means Jack down the street might lose some equity ... equity he should have never had in the first place.] And let’s not forget the children of walk-away homeowners, who are exposed to a lifestyle that depends on irresponsibility and irrational debt. [Mommy, why are we eating rice again tonight? Because dear, that's all we can afford. We have to keep our house. Marcie says so. But mommy, my feet hurt! I know honey, your shoes are too small. But, we can't afford new ones. We have to keep our house. Marcie says so. Yes! Let's all be slaves to our overpriced, undervalued homes! Marcie says so!]

Moreover, walk-away home ownership perpetuates the sad modern notion that a home is neither a lifelong place of residence nor a long-term investment, but instead, just another disposable consumer product that differs little, if at all, from a television set or a tube of toothpaste. Buy it. Use it. And then lose it. [Spot on. Newsflash - It isn't 1950 anymore. Really?! People don't live in the first house they buy until the day they die. People don't keep the first job they had straight out of high school until their retire. Thanks to the relentless home builders, appraisers, real estate agents and mortgage brokers pushing prices higher and higher and higher, homes have become a commodity - little variation amongst the brands, therefore the lowest price with the loosest terms wins.]

If legions of upside-down homeowners simply decide not to make their mortgage payments, the idyllic “American dream” may be exposed as no more than a fantasy, and at the end of the day, the bedrock notion of home ownership as good public policy may be placed in jeopardy. That’s yet another potential negative outcome of the current mortgage crisis that should give pause to anyone whose livelihood depends on real estate. [This, I agree with. Real estate agents should pause and think about their choice of work. But, we all know most real estate agents are pigs. And by pigs, I don't mean an animal that rolls in its own filth. Well, some of them are those types of pigs. But, the vast majority of real estate agents are 'a person of piglike character, behavior, or habits, as one who is gluttonous, very fat, greedy, selfish, or filthy.' During the boom years, these real estate agents were rolling in money. They knowingly sold houses to people for far more then they were worth. And, all the better for them if they represented the buyer and the seller (double commission), which should be illegal by the way because in that case, they neither have the seller's nor the buyer's best interest at heart. How can they? They represent both people. Most every real estate agent I've ever come across, from the guy who sold my house to the woman who sold my grandmother her condo to the lady I used to work with when I was a mortgage broker. They all were pigs. And, a few were complete morons.]

Note: Yes, I used to be a mortgage broker. But, it didn’t last long. I realized I had to put my conscience aside in that business and rip people off blind in order to make money. That wasn’t me. I couldn’t do it.

Comments disallowed due to spam. If you wish to comment, e-mail cybercjh at cybercjh dot com.

written by cybercjh \\ tags: foreclosure

In an attempt to search for the best credit monitoring service available, I conducted this comparison of credit report and score monitoring services offered by the three major credit bureaus, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. The end result? Stay away from Experian. TransUnion came in second. Equifax is the winner, by far.

Not Recommended: Experian - Triple Advantage (freecreditreport.com) - $14.95/month

When you log in, you’re taken to your Account Summary that is just chock-full of ads. Practically everything you can click on is an advertisement for something. What was really surprising was a section at the bottom of the pages they call ‘Featured Specials.’ Among these featured specials are advertisements for services that can actually damage your credit score ... things like subprime credit card offers and pitches from debt consolidation loan hustlers.

There are three pitches on the account summary page for something called ChildSecure. It is identity theft insurance for your children. This must be an absolute cash cow for Experian because they seem to push it very hard.

Many of the ‘useful’ links and much of the ‘useful’ information gets lost amongst the crap.

Good: Nothing special about this service.
Bad: Pay almost $15 a month to be a pawn in Experian’s game of advertising revenue.
Conclusion: Enough with the ads already!

Recommended with Reservations: TransUnion - TrueCredit (transunion.com) - $11.95/month

TransUnion’s TrueCredit service is marginally better than Experian’s Triple Advantage. There’s still a a ton of ads when you first log in. But, most of the ads are for services and products outside of TransUnion’s control. Of course, there’s the ubiqutious pitches to refinance and consolidate your debt. But TransUnion tries to sell you Carfax vehicle history reports and your insurance scores for car and home insurance. What does that have to do with credit monitoring? Not much. But, they probably get quite a bit of money for pitching these things to you.

Good: Easy to navigate.
Bad: A heck of a lot of ads for services not provided by TransUnion. Be careful!
Conclusion: If you want the lowest price, choose this one.

Recommended: Equifax - Credit Watch Gold + Score Watch (equifax.com) - $16.90/month 

When you log into Equifax’s Member Center, you’re taken to a page that shows you what products you are currently subscribing to. You can then click on them to access to relevant information. There were only 2 ads, both graphics, for services not provided by Equifax (one for a savings account, the other for a mortgage). The rest of the ads on the page were all text based and were for Equifax’s products and services. If you have any alerts, they’re displayed at the top of the Member Center page. Navigation is very easy and intuitive. It is the most professionally designed website of the three credit monitoring services. Experian’s website screams billboard and TransUnion’s is very Wal-Martesque. Equifax took the opposite approach and designed a website people would actually want to use.

Good: The best, by far. Easy to navigate. Professionally designed. Not ‘in-your-face.’
Bad: The most expensive.
Conclusion: Choose this one … You get what you pay for!

written by cybercjh \\ tags: Equifax, Experian, TransUnion