The same B.S. was given by Pacific Telephone in the Los Angeles Metro Area about the same time. (probably the San Francisco Metro area as well.)
I recall complaining about it, and the rep told me I could have my message units itemized for a charge of 50 cents a month (like $4.00 a month today). I opted for this "nice service."
Within a year itemization of message units was free (after the California PUC had to react to a bazillon complaints).
It all reminds me of an Al Capp cartoon of the era. Al Capp was the guy who drew the Little Abner cartoon in those days and who would occasionally draw a "commentary" strip unrelated to his Dogpatch characters. One noteworthy strip he drew circa late 1950s or early
1960s, was at the executive offices of AT&T (the old Bell System) in which the senior executives were jumping up and down with joy, and the head guy says, "We made it! Our billings for this month equal the country's gross national product!"