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Act now! Fight irritating, illegal robocalls

Today, CUB asked Illinois consumers to sign a petition to fight illegal “robocalls.” It’s the perfect time to take action, now that Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler has urged big phone companies to give customers free technology to block these computer-generated telemarketing calls. We’re all annoyed by these…...

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More TV options?

Tired of flipping through a host of channels you pay for but don’t watch? We know the feeling! If you’re like most of us, you’re paying for more channels than you need.  Right now, channels are offered only as part of large “bundles” and are not available individually. Non-sports fans…...

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CUB helps a grieving husband

After Aurora resident William Schweihs lost his wife, Louise, in April,he didn’t expect the headache he received from Verizon. Fortunately, CUB was there to help. William’s wife had been on a prepaid cellphone plan with Verizon, and her plan required her to maintain a balance to pay for her use. So…...

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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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Paid TV fails the lie detector test

Ever gotten the bait and switch from your cable company? Nowadays the best strategy to keep your TV and Internet bill low appears to be calling every few months to negotiate. CUB believes consumers should have the option of paying only for the channels they watch. If you agree, take…...

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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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Got a smartphone? You’re probably overpaying for data

Illinois consumers are overspending on cellphone data plans by $1.4 billion dollars each year. That’s according to a report released today by CUB and wireless research firm Validas. The report, based on an analysis of more than 100,000 wireless bills nationwide, shows that the vast majority of cellphone users are…...

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