We’ve heard stories of bad customer service over the years, but this takes the cake: Tech journalist Ryan Block attempted to cancel his service with Comcast, only to endure an exasperating 18 minutes with a relentless customer service representative who refused to perform the request. (It’s interesting to note…...
Crackdown on Cramming
Did you know that cell phone carriers can profit up to 40 percent on fraudulent third-party fees on your bill? We were shocked, too. Not only do these third parties “cram” charges for services you never ordered onto your bill, but wireless carriers are taking a cut! Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed…...
Which company grinds your gears?
Over 30 years of service, we have seen all sorts of utility mischief: sky-high bills, unresponsive customer service, confusing rates. And in a year of astronomical prices and frequent rate-hike requests, we know there’s still plenty to complain about. So here’s your chance to air it out: In honor of CUB’s 30th anniversary, we’re…...
3 things that stink about cellphones
A recent CUB Facebook poll asked people what was most annoying about their cellphones. Guess what aggravation took top honors? 1) High Bills: According to CTIA data, consumers with smartphones–such as an iPhone, Android, or Blackberry–use an average of about 800 MB of data per month. That’s far less than the standard 2…...
Now we’ve seen everything…
At CUB, we’re a pretty thrifty bunch– after all, we spend our days helping consumers shave money off their bills–but even we think this might be going a little far: Eligo Energy, an alternative electric supplier serving the Chicagoland area, is offering a Groupon for a $50 discount on electricity. We’ve heard of alternative electric suppliers mailing, phoning…...
The ‘un-carrier’ under fire over the cellphone industry’s uncomfortable truth
A federal lawsuit accusing T-Mobile of profiting off a scam called “cramming” shines a spotlight on an uncomfortable truth in the cellphone industry: Wireless companies can make lots of money off of so-called third-party charges–even when they’re fraudulent. Cramming is when third-party companies throw charges on your bill for services you didn’t authorize.…...
