CUB Releases Free Guide to Help Consumers Reduce Data Costs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                         CONTACT: Jim Chilsen

March 7, 2019                                                                        (o) 312-263-4282, (c) 312-513-1784

As part of a yearlong 35th anniversary celebration, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) has released a free guide to help consumers cut down on data costs on their smartphones.

Visit CitizensUtilityBoard.org to order a free copy of the six-page publication, “10 Ways to Cut Smartphone Data Waste.”

There was a time when reducing your cellphone bill was about cutting down on your calling costs. Now, it’s about how smartphone users manage their Internet usage (data). Consumers in the U.S. pay some of the highest data costs in the world. Unlimited data plans are expensive. Limited data plans slap people with high “overage” charges, or they “throttle” customers with slower speeds, for going over the data limit.

“We want to give consumers, simple, down-to-Earth tips on how to get the most out of their smartphone data plans,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata said. “We’re a consumer group concerned about lowering phone bills, and reducing data waste is a great way to do that.”

Using data wisely not only benefits the pocketbook, but it also helps a smartphone’s battery life and internet speed.

CUB’s guide gives consumers “spring-cleaning tips” on how they can adjust their devices to settings that don’t waste as much data. The consumer group researched dozens of sources to identify the best general tips for iPhone and Android users. The guide is available at CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

In 2019, CUB is celebrating its 35th anniversary as Illinois’ leading nonprofit, nonpartisan utility watchdog. Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doors in 1984 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, it has saved consumers more than $20 billion by helping to block rate hikes and secure refunds. For more information, call CUB’s Consumer Hotline, 1-800-669-5556, or visit its award-winning website, www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

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