CUB is all about consumer choice, and we think the cellphone industry is in need of a makeover. Here are a few changes we’d like to see: 1. Pay-for-what-you-use data pricing. We’ve already told you about how badly smartphone customers are overpaying on bloated data plans. A key remedy would…...
Text me a dollar! The facts on P2P money transfers
Ever wish you could pay the babysitter by tapping a screen, or reimburse your roommate for utilities without writing a check? Peer-to-Peer (P2P) payment transferring allows you to send money to another person’s bank account by text, email, or even bumping smartphones. Your bank may offer this service (Bank of America…...
Got a smartphone? You’re probably overpaying for data
Illinois consumers are overspending on cellphone data plans by $1.4 billion dollars each year. That’s according to a report released today by CUB and wireless research firm Validas. The report, based on an analysis of more than 100,000 wireless bills nationwide, shows that the vast majority of cellphone users are…...
Hidden cellphone fees nickel-and-dime customers
A common complaint among consumers is that wireless bills seem to always be rising, even though carriers claim their rates aren’t going up. How is this possible? An underhanded way of assessing fees, called “nickel-and-diming,” can cause customers to pay more on their overall bills even though the base rates…...
Kick “cramming” off our wireless bills!
Fraudulent third-party charges could cost wireless customers up to $887 million a year. That’s according to a nationwide coalition of consumer advocates, including CUB, who are pushing federal regulators to adopt tough rules cracking down on the “cramming” scam. Cramming is when a third-party company places a charge on your…...
Breaking: Consumers beat back Big Telecom
CUB staffers love their smartphones and Internet phone service, but landlines still reserve a special place in our hearts. That’s because more than 2 million Illinois households rely on a landline to stay connected with friends, relatives, job opportunities, and emergency services. So we’re happy that the Illinois Senate today unanimously…...
