Tell the FCC: End Cell Phone Bill Shock

The Issue

When you open your cell phone bill, or log on to manage your account, do you hold your breath for a moment? Did you blow your voice or text usage limit? Did the kids download something unexpectedly costly? Will this be another $400 bill?

According to a recent FCC study, an estimated 30 million Americans this year got hit by an unexpected, very high cell phone bill. Bill shock costs us all. We spend hours on the phone with customer service. We fork out hundreds in unexpected plan charges.

It doesn't have to be this way.

Cell phone customers in Europe get a quick call or text when they are getting close to their usage limits, and another one when they hit those limits. We need similar options here in U.S. -- it would give you back control of your family's cell phone service.

After such a notice, most of us would quickly change our calling behavior -- stop using the personal cell at work, temporarily take away a child's phone, use the land line more if we have one.

The FCC is asking for your thoughts on this idea. With your help, it could become the law here, and help us end this costly consumer headache. Take a moment right now to tell the FCC you support this common sense idea.

avatar of the starter
Consumers Union of United StatesPetition StarterAt <a href="http://Change.org" rel="nofollow">Change.org</a> I am Senior Director of Client Services. Before joining the team at <a href="http://Change.org" rel="nofollow">Change.org</a>, I worked as Senior Campaigner at Care2 and for two years I worked as Senior Consultant at M+R Strategic Services. My foray into online organizing began in 2004, when I co-founded Equality Ohio, an LGBT rights organization and a member organization of the national Equality Federation. In my spare time I tend a small flock of chickens in my Oakland backyard.
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This petition had 14,325 supporters

The Issue

When you open your cell phone bill, or log on to manage your account, do you hold your breath for a moment? Did you blow your voice or text usage limit? Did the kids download something unexpectedly costly? Will this be another $400 bill?

According to a recent FCC study, an estimated 30 million Americans this year got hit by an unexpected, very high cell phone bill. Bill shock costs us all. We spend hours on the phone with customer service. We fork out hundreds in unexpected plan charges.

It doesn't have to be this way.

Cell phone customers in Europe get a quick call or text when they are getting close to their usage limits, and another one when they hit those limits. We need similar options here in U.S. -- it would give you back control of your family's cell phone service.

After such a notice, most of us would quickly change our calling behavior -- stop using the personal cell at work, temporarily take away a child's phone, use the land line more if we have one.

The FCC is asking for your thoughts on this idea. With your help, it could become the law here, and help us end this costly consumer headache. Take a moment right now to tell the FCC you support this common sense idea.

avatar of the starter
Consumers Union of United StatesPetition StarterAt <a href="http://Change.org" rel="nofollow">Change.org</a> I am Senior Director of Client Services. Before joining the team at <a href="http://Change.org" rel="nofollow">Change.org</a>, I worked as Senior Campaigner at Care2 and for two years I worked as Senior Consultant at M+R Strategic Services. My foray into online organizing began in 2004, when I co-founded Equality Ohio, an LGBT rights organization and a member organization of the national Equality Federation. In my spare time I tend a small flock of chickens in my Oakland backyard.
Media inquiries

The Decision Makers

Federal Communication Commission
Federal Communication Commission

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Petition created on October 29, 2010