By Samantha Vercellino It’s hard for many of us to imagine not being able to dial a friend, text mom or schedule a work event in our mobile calendars. Phone service has become so intertwined with our daily lives that we forget too many people can’t afford even basic telephone service, and thus…...
The deal with data
When Verizon announced last week that it would do away with cumbersome long-term cellphone contracts, the company also unveiled another big change: the end of unlimited data plans. This follows other major carriers, like AT&T, who have also been phasing out unlimited data plans in favor of tiered data packages to best fit customer…...
Contracts begone!
Looks like two-year phone contracts are going the way of the dinosaurs. The nation’s largest cellphone provider, Verizon, announced last month that it would eliminate two-year service contracts for its customers— and the up-front phone subsidies that made those contracts attractive. Sprint announced the same week that it would also…...
CUB Action Network members say NO to Big Telecom
Consumer advocates expect Big Telecom to mount a new push to eliminate important consumer protections on home phone service in Illinois–and CUB Action Network members have something to say about it. The Illinois Telecommunications Act—important legislation that protects your rights and keeps telephone landline rates low—is up for review in 2015. In…...
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…...
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…...
