Telecom RSS FeedNomination of Commissioner Chong is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Battle brewing over PUC nominee. The governor's effort to extend the tenure of Rachelle Chong is fought by consumer groups.
City approves unfair utility tax hike
The city of San Diego has signed off on a sucharge that effectively aks residents to reimburse AT&T for the cost of undergrounding telephone lines. Cox, Time-Warner, and SDG&E have all borne the cost of undergrounding themselves, calling it a "cost of doing business." See what UCAN executive director, Michael Shames, has to say about AT&T in this San Diego Union-Tribune article.
Beware of Third-Party Cell Phone Providers
UCAN warns consumers of the risks associated with third-party cell phone providers. Watch the Channel 10 News story here.
Pre-Paid Wireless Phone Service
Looking for a cell phone but don't want a lot of minutes or an extended billing plan? Pre-paid wireless offers some advantages over traditional wireless plans that you should know about.
Free Products and Services for the Impaired
Free? That's right. California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) is a state-mandated program that provides free telecommunications equipment and services for California individuals certified as having functional limitations of hearing, vision, mobility, speech and/or interpretation of information.
Mobile Phone Plan Checker - Buying a Cell Phone
Don't sign a cell phone deal without it! UCAN's new and improved Mobile Phone Plan Checker forces cellular phone salespeople to back up their sales claims in writing.
The guide can help you compare and choose cell phone plans. It also offers lots of tips about researching before you buy and even how to handle a dispute with your cell phone company.
The Fraud Squad Network helps a victim of Gargantuan Phone Co.
UCAN has represented the interests of San Diego County utility customers since 1983. UCAN focuses its efforts on the rates and services of San Diego Gas and Electric Company, telecommunications utilities and the City of San Diego Water Department. We do this by intervening in legal proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), by supporting litigation in court cases, and by helping individual utility customers with problems they are having with their utility bills and services.
UCAN's Privacy Project
UCAN also operates our nationally recognized Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.
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How to Buy A Cell Phone
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Issues
FCC Communications Consumer Protection and Empowerment Proceeding
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.
Telepacific charges for calls never made -- blame the phone company or hackers?
Imagine you are small business and you get a bill from your local phone 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.
Cramming Requirement Revisions in California
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.
Ringtone and text message rip-offs
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!
Cingular Customer Service Case 2002-2007
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.
Tools
Surprising Ways to Reduce Your Cable TV Bills - More TV, Less Money
With the average family paying upwards of $70 per month for cable alone and when you throw on another $40-50 per month for broadband Internet, the bucks are really adding up. In many cases, families pay more for cable/Internet than they do for electricity or water each month. Fortunately, cable customers are not powerless to fight back. Here are some proven and probably surprising tips about how to get your monthly cable bill lower.
VoIP Comparison Table
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.
Updated: 05/06/2010
Unsolicited or SPAM Text Messages
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.
Stop Telemarketers Now - An Anti-Telemarketing Guide
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.
"Material Adverse" Clauses in Cell Phone Contracts
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.
How to Cancel Your Cell Phone Contract
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!
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