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New Bill to Clarify Cellphone Contracts
theorem4 writes to tell us that US Senators today unveiled legislation designed to empower cell phone customers across the nation by providing more protections and guaranteed options. "The Cell Phone Consumer Empowerment Act of 2007 will require wireless service providers to share simple, clear information on their services and charges with customers before they enter into long-term contracts; a thirty-day window in which to exit a contract without early termination fees; and greater flexibility to exit contracts with services that don't meet their needs."
I want a $39.95 plan to actually cost $39.95. As in, that's the number at the bottom of the bill that I have to pay each month.
I don't want to pay "regulatory surcharges" or "cost recovery fees" or anything else that isn't included in the advertised price. And this goes for all these sorts of contracts, not just cell phones.
There's an old saying in D.C. that an "act" -The cellphone empowerment whatever whatever funny acronym ACT- usually means the opposite of whatever it claims in the title.
The Patriot Act took away things the patriots fought for, the tax freedom act put in more restraints and took away freedoms, and so on. If they had a "Save the babies act" it would probably involve NOT saving them. Seriously, it's THAT bad.
So when you hear about some new act, assume it's out to get you somehow and respond accordingly.
I don't see what the big deal is with cell phone bills. They don't seem all that complex to me. The problems I've had with phone bills is six straight months where I had to spend hours each month on the phone, because they were double-billing me. Or the many months I had to deal with them where they kept adding services to my account that I specifically refused and asked not to have... and that they would add back again after I spent hours on the phone removing them. Or the two times they turned off my unlimited net access on my phone, causing me to rack up thousands of dollars in bills for what should have been a $20 unlimited fee.
None of these were due to the contract. These were all due to crappy business practices and nothing else.
There shouldn't be anything *deceiving* in a phone bill. I can certainly agree with that. But I don't see why they should be legally bound to make a phone bill read at a fifth grade level like the daily newspaper.
That's odd- that's exactly how the Chinese wireless market is (2 providers, apparently Virgin Mobile was at one time scheduled to enter the market too but it never happened) but you don't see sky-high prices like in America, and prepaid users are treated essentially the same as postpaid users.
For example, China Mobile charges $.02/minute voice, $.01/text, and $.01/3KB. They also have package plans that work by deducting a set amount monthly from your prepaid account. I have one that gives me 20 minutes and 60 texts for $1.30, and another that gives me 50MB of data (tethered or WAP) for $2.30. Compare to AT&T Mobility which charges $.25/minute, $.10-20/text, and $.01/KB for data. Oh, and they had that wonderful (sarcasm here) $10 for 5MB package. The kicker- for text and data it's cheaper to roam in from China Mobile ($.10/text and $.01/2KB) than to get a prepaid SIM from AT&T. And don't give me any of that "apples and oranges" stuff- AT&T certainly doesn't cover all of the US, just like China Mobile doesn't cover the far reaches of China (China Unicom, however, does a great job of that- and they charge essentially the same rates, except that their data package plan gives 100MB for the price that China Mobile charges for 50MB- I don't go with them because they only have GPRS, while China Mobile has EDGE).
OSx86 FTW
How about we make cell branding and locking illegal?
How about exclusive contracts cell manufacturers and service providers illegal?
How about we make disabling features on the cell phone you paid for unless you ransom it back from your service provider illegal? (Verizon Bluetooth OBEX transfer, anyone? Using your phone as a DUN connection for your laptop?)
The reason the North American cell industry sucks so much is because manufacturers and service providers are working too closely together and nerfing our phones for the purpose of shaking more change out of our pockets. Implementing the above would bring us in line with how everyone else in the world does things. The bill in TFA is a joke. Congress is stroking it, as usual.
-R