Lawmakers Consider Consumer Protections on Cell Phone Billing

The Act to Establish a Cell Phone Users’ Bill Of Rights was heard today at a public hearing before the Telecom, Energy and Utilities Committee at the State House.

The bill includes the following consumer protections:

Better disclosure:

• All wireless contracts and marketing materials must clearly spell out the terms of the contract in an easy-to-read, standardized format so consumers can compare costs. The disclosures must be made available and accessible to consumers comparing prices and services.
• All providers must provide consumers with coverage maps that are as accurate as current technology would allow. These maps must be available on the provider's Internet site as well.

Billing:

• Cell phone bills must be clearly organized. All mandated government taxes, surcharges and fees required to be collected from consumers and to be remitted to federal, state, or local governments would be listed in a separate section of the bill and clearly itemized. This section of the bill may not include any charges for which the carrier is not required to remit to the government.
• Roaming calls must be itemized on the bill within 60 days of the call, and identify the date and location of the call.
• Charges from theft that arise after reported to the carrier may not be charged to the consumer as long as the consumer promptly reported the theft to the service provider.
• Consumers will be able to file billing disputes with the state utility commission and providers should not treat the disputed portion of the bill as late or terminate the contract or service for non-payment if the billing dispute complaint is pending with the state.