Dilemma over 1c account

UNCENTIMENTAL: Former Telecom customer Wayne Froggatt has no regrets about changing providers as he contemplates how he will pay his 1c Telecom account without incurring any extra charges. 226071AD

By Dean Taylor

Wayne Froggatt was quite looking forward to his last ever account from Telecom - that is until it arrived. Mr Froggatt now has until August 22 to pay the account - for one cent - but he is not sure how he will do it.

The story started when Mr Froggatt, who works from home, decided to change his home phone and broadband accounts to ihug. He made all the arrangements, including for a final account from Telecom once the transfer was complete.

The account arrived showing a credit of $23.21 for rental and services already paid for, plus $23.22 for calls - leaving a balance owing of 1c. Telecom then printed and mailed the account to Mr Froggatt - obviously at a cost greater than the amount of the account.

Mr Froggatt says he is loathe to pay the account on-line, because the cost is 25 times the account. The same goes for sending a cheque. He is considering placing a 10c coin in the Telecom prepaid reply envelope and including his bank account number and asking telecom to deposit the 9c change directly to his account - at their expense. Alternatively Mr Froggatt could ask Telecom to compound the 1c at 10% for 25 years - by then he would owe them 10c.