Domain transfer woes

Network Solutions can be a real pain in the neck when it comes to domain registry transfer requests. Transfers away from them, that is (surprise, surprise).
Firstly, by today’s standards they are expensive. Their annual registration rates have remained unchanged since the Stone Age, where they enjoyed monopoly rights. Which is why I see no point in staying on with them, especially since I’ve switched to a web host which uses a cheaper registrar.
So I requested for a transfer last month. I received an automated email asking me to click on a link to confirm my request within a couple of days. Which I did. I was directed to a page which stated that I had approved this transfer.
Several days later, however, I received another email from Network Solutions saying that since I didn’t approve the transfer, the request had been denied.
I wrote in to Network Solutions and CC’d my web host. I told them that the link I received in the previous email still worked – in fact, it continued to display the confirmation page.
Today I received a reply from a Network Solutions employee, saying that in the light of recent communications with me it’s obvious that the issue cannot be resolved by email. So they gave me a number to call.
Now, considering the standard of service I’ve been receiving so far, I am not prepared to make a long-distance phone call to the States at some obscure time at night, just to be put on hold. Even if that doesn’t happen, I don’t see why I have to go through so much trouble when I’ve already done everything on my part to facilitate the transfer.
And if they think it doesn’t matter if they make one customer unhappy, as she was planning to leave anyway, well, they’re wrong, because I’m telling this to everyone now.
And I’m not the only one who thinks Network Solutions sucks.