Thank you to the 1,600+ people who signed CUB’s Valentine to AT&T. Our hearts ache alright–not for AT&T, but for the millions of Illinoisans who depend on traditional home phone service as their most reliable and affordable telecom option. AT&T has stated clearly that it wants to end their phone…...
Comcast at it again?
Just when you think it can’t get any worse, news emerged this week of yet another Comcast customer service fiasco. Mary Bauer opened her bill last month to discover her bill had been addressed to “Super B***h Bauer.” The Addison resident had previously spent nearly a year going back and forth with…...
Update: Net Neutrality
Earlier this week, we talked about Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler’s announcement of plans to introduce strong protections in his upcoming proposal for rules on net neutrality. Now, we have some more details on the plan, which promises to save the free and open Internet. The FCC released a statement this week…...
New year, new hope for the Internet?
Recently at the world’s largest consumer electronics show, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler appeared to defend the reclassification of broadband Internet under Title II of the Telecommunications Act. That bombshell appears to be a big win for net neutrality, the idea that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must treat all Internet content…...
Deceptive Billing: 3 Tips to Protect Yourself
Imagine you’ve just signed up for Broadband Internet Service for $34.99 per month. You’re pretty content with the deal, and soon spend your days in a quiet reverie of Pinterest, Netflix documentaries, and cat videos… …until you get your first month’s bill: $94.95! That’s what happened to Jeremy Zielinski of New York…...
The quest for “a la carte” cable
If you’re like most cable customers, you are probably paying for more channels than you’ll ever watch. That’s because Pay TV providers like Comcast and Time Warner only offer channels as part of expensive “bundles,” rather than letting you purchase channels individually. Non-sports fans are paying for ESPN. Retirees are paying…...
CUB consumer advocates 2, big cable 0
Comcast has been receiving a lot of flack for its less-than-stellar customer service calls. It’s unfortunately no surprise to the members of CUB’s consumer advocacy team, who know a thing or two about dealing with unruly cable/Internet customer service. Take the case of Tony R.: Tony’s father, Robert, had switched…...
Last chance!
Fed up with your cable choices? Make your voice heard while there’s still time! The Federal Communications Commission’s open comment period for the proposed Comcast/Time Warner merger ends August 25th. Sign CUB’s petition demanding the FCC either reject the deal or ensure these basic consumer protections: Mandatory compensation to customers who suffer…...
