FCC May Force Mobile Carriers to Alert Users of Overages
FCC May Force Mobile Carriers to Alert Users of Overages
Posted 10/13/2010 at 3:00pm
| by Ryan Whitwam
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You've probably heard the horror stories, maybe you've even experienced it yourself. The cell phone bill comes, and it is unexpectedly massive. Huge overages happen more than expected, so much in fact, that it's been given a name: "bill shock". The FCC received 764 complaints in just the first 6 months of the year, and a survey showed that 30 million Americans have experienced this. Now it looks like the FCC might be about to take action.
According to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, the agency will propose rules tomorrow that will force the carriers to alert users via voice or text when they are about to go over their plan's limits and incur extra fees. The carriers are not particularly pleased with this possibility. The VP of CTIA ( an industry trade group) said in an interview that, "The industry continues to develop tools to keep customers informed about their level of usage." He also cautioned against " prescriptive and costly rules." We're not sure what needs to be developed. SMS works just fine as it is.
Some customers have ended up being stuck with bills in the tens of thousands after traveling, or changing their plan. Wireless carriers often end up cutting them a deal, but still ask for substantial sums of cash. The FCC has intervened in some of these incidents, but if new rules are adopted this problem could go away altogether. Have you ever had a case of bill shock? Let us in on the sordid details.
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Ghok
October 13, 2010 at 6:18pm
This isn't a bad idea, though I'm pretty responsible and realize what my account limits are. The only problem I've ever had was once when the wrong plan was credited to me, about an hour of being bounced around the customer service line and they fixed it.
ebeale, I don't like more government in my live either, but I dislike big corporations milking their consumers even more. Ideally, another company would come along and provide a better service but that doesn't really work with giants like the telecoms. Telecoms are able to provide poor service because people don't have the choice of using a good one. I've never met anyone who liked their telecom, aside from a "they're not as bad as ______". Until just anyone can set up a functioning cell phone provider, I'm fine with some regulation.
tornato7
October 13, 2010 at 6:25pm
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tornato7
October 13, 2010 at 6:24pm
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ebeale
October 13, 2010 at 6:03pm
The wireless companies do nickel and dime you to death with all the added services but people do need to take a little personal responsibility. The government does not need to be involved in every business known to man.
fiXXer
October 13, 2010 at 4:03pm
I don't understand why this didn't happen a long, long time ago. I can't even remember the number of stories I've seen come across this site as well as others about astronomically high cell phone bills. Why wasn't this enforced sooner? Obviously cell phone companies don't care because they make a small fortune every time someone uses thier data plan while roaming or over-uses their text messaging. It's simply baffleing that SOME 3rd-party agency hasn't stepped in yet to protect the consumer from these practices. I can understand if it's a simple case of talking or texting a bit to much and maybe racking up $25 or $50 in overages, but these $5k and $10k bills are rediculous!
jihnn
October 13, 2010 at 3:37pm
i had an instate only plan with verizon,used phone only for calling customers instate, went to virgina to help after a flood took the cell knowing i would have to pay a roaming charge, what i didn't know was there was also a tower charge. i had to pay $8 for each tower i used. bill was for $722
i went to alltell then after i quit doing that kind of work i got rid of the cell. it was like a $1000 yearly raise
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