In our first-ever “virtual utility bill clinic,” CUB members from 64 different cities across Illinois submitted their utility bills to get CUB’s unique utility-bill checkup service from the comfort of their own homes. CUB holds 400-500 events a year, but the virtual clinic was an attempt to reach people who…...
AT&T: Consumer’s Choice plans end Nov. 17
What happened? In a letter sent to consumers, AT&T announced that as of Nov. 17, 2017, the company’s Consumer’s Choice plans, Illinois’ best local phone deals, will end. Why is this happening? In July, the Illinois General Assembly passed a rewrite of the state Telecommunications Act that eliminated the requirement…...
Tell us your landline story
How do people feel about losing their landline phone service? “They’re terrified,” Julie Vahling, AARP Illinois associate state director, said in a recent TV interview. We want to hear how YOU feel. AT&T has won state legislation to eventually end landline phone service in Illinois—but it still needs to get…...
Disappointing: General Assembly overrides veto of AT&T’s legislation
The General Assembly has overridden the veto of AT&T’s legislation. CUB’s statement: CHICAGO, July 1, 2017—CUB is disappointed that the General Assembly has overridden the governor’s veto of AT&T-backed legislation that would eventually allow the company to end traditional landline phone service in its Illinois territory. Not only does this…...
Take Action: Energy Star on the chopping block
The White House has released its official budget plan, and it calls for eliminating funding for Energy Star—an efficiency program that has cut utility bills by $430 billion. The good news: You can help win this battle by putting pressure on Congress—where there’s already bipartisan support for efficiency. For example, Alaska…...
IL watchdogs sound the alarm on AT&T’s plan to eliminate landlines
Have you seen the headlines? This week, Illinois top consumer advocates held news conferences in seven cities across the state to fight bad legislation from AT&T. The company, which made $13 billion in profits in 2016, wants to end traditional home phone service (landlines) in its service territory—but consumer advocates…...
AARP, IL PIRG, CUB Launch Save Our Service (SOS) Campaign
Today, AARP, the Illinois Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and CUB joined forces to launch the Save Our Service (SOS) campaign to block AT&T-backed legislation that would hang up on Illinois’ most vulnerable phone customers. Consumer advocates urged Illinoisans to visit SaveOurPhoneService.com to send messages to the General Assembly against AT&T’s deregulation…...
The local phone plans that AT&T just doesn’t like
Read CUB Executive Director David Kolata’s statement on the General Assembly’s passage of a revised Illinois Telecommunications Act over the weekend. After a months-long Save Our Service (SOS) Campaign fighting Big Telecom, the revisions were a mixed bag for consumer advocates. CUB was glad that big phone companies failed in their…...
