October is “Energy Smart Month” at CUB, and we’re giving away a money-saving prize every week to celebrate. All you have to do is correctly answer CUB’s weekly quiz question on Facebook by noon each Friday for a chance to win. This week’s prize: 4 LED light bulbs capable of cutting…...
Shouldn’t you be able to ‘unlock’ a cellphone that YOU own?
Love your smartphone but not your wireless carrier? You might be out of luck. Last October, the Library of Congress adjusted its interpretation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The result is it’s now illegal for customers to “unlock” smartphones without first getting their carrier’s permission—even if they own…...
It’s a new electricity market in Illinois
Even as consumers flocked to alternative electricity suppliers to take advantage of prices that were sometimes 50 percent lower than the traditional utilities, CUB warned that this was just the honeymoon phase for the state’s power market. Now it appears that the honeymoon is over. Crain’s Chicago Business reports that…...
How do Illinois consumers feel about smart meters?
As ComEd and Ameren begin the enormous task of installing nearly 5 million digital smart meters across the state over the next decade, we polled more than 1,000 weekly e-newsletter subscribers to get their thoughts on the new technology. We also invited consumers to submit their comments and questions about digital smart meters. Find…...
CUB hits the highway to help consumers save
CUB’s outreach department is no stranger to Illinois highways, logging thousands of miles every year up and down I-55, I-57, I-80 and everywhere in between to spread the word about saving money on utility bills. Headed by Outreach Director Sarah Moskowitz, the department is made up of Environmental Outreach Coordinator…...
The quest for a smarter power grid begins today
Today, Illinois’ biggest electric utility will begin installing digital “smart meters” in Chicago’s western suburbs, launching an ambitious plan to give 4 million customers new meters by 2021. These new meters, built in a plant on the city’s South side, are a symbol of high-tech upgrades, collectively called the “smart grid,”…...
