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Telecom

FCC to consumers: Here, you take the keys!

It’s hard to believe that it’s actually illegal to take a smartphone to a new carrier, without getting your old carrier’s permission, even if you’ve already paid for the device in full. In fact, it’s so absurdly illegal that the maximum penalty is a $500,000 fine and up to five years…...

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A gut punch to cellphone scam artists

We hope this is the beginning of the end for the insidious “cramming” scam. The nation’s big four cellphone companies are voluntarily banning most premium texting services from their bills–charges that have been a major culprit in the scam. The agreement was pushed by 45 state attorneys general, including Illinois’…...

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Five things to remember when buying a new cellphone

Two months ago I was debating whether or not to buy a new smartphone. My contract was over, my once powerful smartphone had lost its lightning speed, and I realized I was paying a premium monthly charge for a cellphone subsidy I had long since paid off. The internal debate raged…...

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From the CUB files: Top 5 worst consumer horror stories

As CUB approaches its 30th anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of some of the worst consumer horror stories we’ve ever heard. What better way to celebrate Halloween? 1) The phone plan that ate my bank account! It sounds like the title of a 1950s creature feature, but, unfortunately, it’s reality for…...

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CUB’s Consumer Advocacy Team: Meet the CUB crew fighting for you!

Each year, CUB’s Consumer Advocacy Department handles nearly 10,000 calls, emails and letters from Illinoisans with questions or complaints about utility service. The team has saved individuals thousands of dollars by identifying errors on electric, gas and phone bills. Consumer Advocacy Director Sandra Marcelin-Reme said a lot of problems stem from…...

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Shouldn’t you be able to ‘unlock’ a cellphone that YOU own?

Love your smartphone but not your wireless carrier? You might be out of luck. Last October, the Library of Congress adjusted its interpretation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The result is it’s now illegal for customers to “unlock” smartphones without first getting their carrier’s permission—even if they own…...

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Time to break up with your smartphone?

This summer, my smartphone and I celebrated our two-year anniversary. We didn’t do anything fancy to celebrate—just sent a few text messages and watched a video on YouTube. To me, it’s still the same handheld device that took my breath away in the Verizon store two years ago, but lately…...

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CUB’s energy myths quiz results: Homewood woman wins LED bulb, says “What great news…!”

Congratulations to Barbara of Homewood! She won a super-efficient LED light bulb for taking CUB’s quiz on energy myths. “What great news, thanks!” Barbara wrote in an email after CUB notified her. “I will use the new LED bulb in our family room lamp. It’s the first light we turn…...

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See what your phone, gas, electric companies are making

We’ve run the numbers, and Illinois’ major electric, natural gas and telecom companies raked in more than $6 billion in the second quarter alone. Don’t get depressed—get mad! Join the team and help us fight to keep these companies out of your pockets....

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Tele-frustrating! Illinois tops nation in telemarketing complaints

A decade after the federal government created the Do Not Call list to combat telemarketing calls, Illinois has the nation’s worst complaint rate for people who are on the list but still get annoying phone pitches, USA Today reports. Tuesday’s report was just the latest development this week in Illinois’…...

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