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The groundwork has been laid for a potentially major victory for low income Californians today! Changes to the Lifeline telephone service verification process have resulted in a rate of up to 70% of low income consumers getting unfairly removed from lifeline service over the last few months. Now, due to the efforts of a coalition of consumer groups, low income consumers removed from the Lifeline telephone service will be reinstated into the program, and refunded for the time they were removed from the service.
The California Public Utilities Commission accepts two settlements in UCAN's cases against Cingular and Sprint.
UCAN's evaluation of a settlement between Verizon and class action attorneys showed it was good for the attorneys, but bad for the victims. We intervened, but Verizon is still using very confusing contract language.
On June 20th, the California Court of Appeals started summer off in the nicest way by ruling that Cingular had to honor California's consumer protection laws. In a 3-0 vote,
A California appeals court yesterday upheld a state decision to fine Cingular Wireless $12 million for failing to tell customers that its network was overburdened and then charging them stiff penalties to get out of their contracts.
UCAN has established that Cingular Wireless engaged in illegal and shoddy sales and service practices during the 2000-2002 time frame -- many of which may be continuing even today. On July 3, 2002, UCAN set its sights upon Cingular Wireless. UCAN pushed for and intervened in a regulatory inquiry into Cingular sales and service practices. Hearings were held before the CPUC in April 2003. In September 2003, the PUC Judge issued a decision supporting almost all of UCAN's recommendations. Not surprisingly, Cingular appealed the Judge's ruling.
On September 23, 2004, the CPUC adopted fined Cingular Wireless $12.14 million for violation of laws governing telecommunications carriers and ordered restitution that could amount to an additional $50 million or more. Cingular has appealed the CPUC decision. UCAN has filed an opposition to the appeal. This matter will likely be hung up in the Courts for a year or two. In the meantime, customers who deserve refunds of the improperly assessed Early Termination Penalties during the 2000-2002 time period will continue to go without the refunds. Currently, the new "Schwarzenegger" CPUC refuses to require the carrier to give the refunds that were ordered by the "Davis" CPUC.
This just in! Spanish-American War over...phone bills to drop 3%.
Michael Shames is featured in CBS story showing how your cell phone company profits when you are ripped off by a ringtone vendor.
Need help resolving a dispute with a company? Get individualized help with your dispute from the Fraud Squad by using our Online Complaint Forms. Once you've filled out a complaint, call the Fraud Squad Hotline at (619) 696-6966!
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The FCC recently sought comment concerning what actions need to be taken to ensure consumers of wireless, broadband, and video services are well informed about: the costs associated with the services; the contracts consumers must enter into; the charges for which consumers are billed; and the methods for resolving billing issues.
Imagine you are small business and you get a bill from your local phone company company for $1000. You are shocked because your monthly bill is usually closer to $100 per month. The company claims that your higher bill is for the international calls that you made from your fax machine. "Hold on", you think. "I didn't make any international calls from my fax machine or from ANY phone. I didn't make any international calls at all!"
You protest but the phone company says that even though you didn't make the calls, someone was able to hack into your phone system and make the calls. "But wait", you exclaim, "I don't have a phone system. I don't have a PBX. I just have two phone lines provided by you".
"Ah, but you didn't take precautions to protect your phones from being hacked," responds the phone company.
"What precautions!", you reply. "I put international call blocking on my phone service".
An impossible scenario? Apparently not accordingly to Telepacific/MPower. It did almost exactly this to a San Diego-based flower shop. Read our complaint about this shocking practice.
The CPUC is considering revising the rules regarding reporting of unauthorized charges for telecommunications services. Learn about the proposed changes as well as UCAN's position and legal filings on the issue.
UCAN has filed a federal class action complaint against Sprint Nextel (aka Sprint Solutions) for illegally billing customers taxes, fees, and text message charges on data services plans. You can read the complaint here.
AT&T's practice of enabling international roaming without customer notification violates the CA Public Utilities Code, which is intended to protect consumers from "cramming" of unauthorized charges. AT&T customers are also being charged for calls that were never placed. UCAN asserts that these customers never sought nor authorized international roaming as a service provided in connection with their cellular phone service.
California Lifeline, formerly known as Universal Lifeline Telephone Service (ULTS), provides discounted basic residential (landline) telephone service to low-income households.
UCAN's complaint, filed with the California Public Utilities Commission, details how MCI added surcharges to the bills of local phone customers in violation of California law. MCI's new long-distance "Basic Monthly Fee" is being imposed on those customers who use MCI's local phone service...but don't use MCI long-distance.
Of all the new features and capabilities of today's cell phones, UCAN receives the most complaints about ringtones and text messages. Our issue center contains all sorts of valuable information from consumer guides and updates to lawsuits and settlements against major cell phone providers. Come inside and see for yourself!
UCAN established that Cingular Wireless engaged in illegal marketing and customer service practices from 2000-2002 and filed a suit in July 2002. The case dragged on for years, but in was worth the wait. In 2006, a CA Court of Appeals judge ruled against Cingular and upheld a CPUC decision to hit Cingular with a large fine for its unconscionable actions. Get all the details inside our issue center.
From SDG&E to SBC, get the real story on undergrounding in San Diego inside this issue center.
Despite continuous improvements to the technology, wireless companies have not found a way to stop unsolicited or SPAM Text Messages. There are a few solutions out there that each of the companies allow. Here are the steps you can take with the 4 largest wireless companies to help stop unsolicited text messages.
UCAN has compiled a list of VoIP providers and their current costs and features for comparison purposes. Let us know if we missed any providers. UCAN does not endorse or recommend any of these services. This list is just for comparison purposes and to let you the consumer know what's available.
Want to bring the hammer down on annoying telemarketers? The following guide will give you all the resources you need to get your number off telemarketing lists. But some telemarketers just won't take no NO for an answer. That's when you take them to court and hurt 'em where it counts...in the pocketbook.
Each carrier takes a different stance on what is materially adverse, who can get out (Cingular for instance has eliminated language in some contracts that claims that text messages are an "optional service"). You usually (except for Verizon which does offer 60 day period to call and claim materially adverse) only have a short time to claim a change as materially adverse, sometimes less than 14 days.
Cell phone providers will let you get out of your contract for around $175 per phone line with no questions asked.
If that just isn't good enough for you, and it shouldn't be, then take a look at this guide to learn about asserting your rights!
Regardless of what you are buying, there are simple "do's" and "don'ts" that apply to all types of contracts. UCAN's consumer advocates have compiled a list of insider secrets that will help you get a better deal. Read more
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UCAN's affiliate New Media Rights is hosting a discussion forum on the future of media and journalism in San Diego. Join in on the discussion now!
How to protect your own blog or website from liability for user generated content
Is Youtube putting advertisements on user videos without permission?
Essential free and open software toolkit for consumers
How to find free music, images, and video you can use or remix in your own creative works
How to Listen to Music on the Internet for Free...Legally
How to make a Podcast... for free
Visit NewMediaRights.org
Don't let your cell phone hold you prisoner! Learn How to Hack Your Cell Phone Using BitPim and then Make Your Own Ringtones for Free at our newest affiliate:
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Get personal assistance with your consumer complaint about a company by using our Online Complaint Forms. Or, call the Fraud Squad Hotline at (619) 696-6966!
Want to bring the hammer down on annoying telemarketers? Stop Telemarketers Now and get your number off telemarketing lists. And for the telemarketers that just won't take no for an answer; we'll show you how to take them to court and hurt em where it counts...in the pocketbook.
Don't buy a cell phone without our Mobile Phone Plan Checker!
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What are you packin? Is it anything like UCAN's new and improved Consumer Complaint Directory? If not, you should really pick up a copy. This thing is chock-full of hard-hitting consumer punch.
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