Consumers Union is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves.
I called ATT to see if I could get a better rate after my 2 year contract expired, explaining to them that my cell phone does not work at my home, so I am forced to have both landline and cell phone, but did not get a discount. Instead, they gave…
Phone
Ever gotten a cell phone bill that you just couldn’t believe–data charges that you couldn’t track to any service, overages on minutes or texts that cost you hundreds of dollars? We want to give you more control over your service and your bills.
Consumers Union Documents
- AT&T/T-Mobile Fact Sheet
From a consumer standpoint, it’s hard to see much of anything to like about AT&T’s proposed purchase of T-Mobile. The $39 billion mega merger would create the country’s largest wireless company, which along with Verizon – the other big national player in wireless – would control nearly 80 percent of the U.S. marketplace. Consumers Union Continue Reading
- Wireless Device Freedom
What is wireless device freedom and what does it mean for consumers?
Consumers Union News Releases
- Consumers Union opposes House FCC bills
News Release Consumers Union – Policy and Advocacy Division of Consumer Reports Wednesday, November 16, 2011 WASHINGTON — As a House subcommittee prepares to mark up two bills to restructure the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy division of Consumer Reports, is urging members to oppose the legislation. The House Continue Reading
- Consumers Union on FCC Vote to Overhaul Universal Service Fund
News Release Consumers Union – Public Policy and Advocacy Division of Consumer Reports Thursday, October 27, 2011 WASHINGTON – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today voted 4-0 to approve an order to overhaul the Universal Service Fund to help expand the availability of broadband service. Parul P. Desai, Policy Counsel for Consumers Union, the public Continue Reading
- Consumer Groups Urge FCC To Reject “ABC Plan” For Universal Service Fund
News Release Consumers Union – Publisher of Consumer Reports Tuesday, October 04, 2011 WASHINGTON – Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, the National Consumer Law Center, National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates and AARP today sent a joint letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to raise serious concerns about the broadband industry’s Continue Reading
- Seven States Join DOJ in Suit Against AT&T
Consumers Union – Publisher of Consumer Reports Friday, September 16, 2011 WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) gained the support of seven state attorneys general in their efforts to block the AT&T/T-Mobile merger. Attorneys general from New York, Washington, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio and Pennsylvania, representing more than one-third of the Continue Reading
- CU praises Sen. Kohl’s call for federal regulators to block AT&T/T-Mobile merger
An acquisition would decrease the number of national competitors from four to three
- Consumers Union to Testify Against AT&T/T-Mobile Merger at House Hearing
Consumers Union to Testify Against AT&T/T-Mobile Merger at House Hearing Merger would have negative impact on prices, choice, and innovation, CU says Thursday, May 26, 2011 Contact: David Butler or Kara Kelber, 202-462-6262 dbutler@consumer.org or kkelber@consumer.org WASHINGTON, D.C. — Parul P. Desai, policy counsel for Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, will testify Continue Reading
- New Poll Shows Consumer Support Building for “Bill Shock” Protection
New Poll Shows Consumer Support Building for “Bill Shock” Protection NEWS RELEASE Thursday, May 12, 2011 Contact: David Butler (dbutler@consumer.org), Kara Kelber (kkelber@consumer.org): 202-462-6262 WASHINGTON, DC – Over 60% of wireless customers with traditional cellular plans would support a government rule to avoid cell phone “bill shock”, according to a new poll released today by Continue Reading
- AT&T Files with FCC for T-Mobile Acquisition: Consumers Union Statement
NEWS RELEASE Consumers Union – Nonprofit Publisher of Consumer Reports Thursday, April 21, 2011 Contact: David Butler (dbutler@consumer.org), Kara Kelber (kkelber@consumer.org): 202-462-6262 AT&T Files with FCC for T-Mobile Acquisition: Consumers Union Statement WASHINGTON, D.C. – AT&T filed its acquisition proposal with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today, marking the official start of the review process. Continue Reading
- New Poll Shows Cell Phone Owners Believe Government Should Address Cell Phone Interoperability Rules
NEWS RELEASE Consumers Union – Nonprofit Publisher of Consumer Reports Monday, April 18, 2011 Contact: David Butler (dbutler@consumer.org), Kara Kelber (kkelber@consumer.org): 202-462-6262 New Poll Shows Cell Phone Owners Believe Government Should Address Cell Phone Interoperability Rules WASHINGTON, D.C. – A nationwide poll by Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, found that nearly Continue Reading
- AT&T/T-Mobile Merger Tips the Scales against Consumers, Says New Ad from Consumers Union
NEWS RELEASE Consumers Union – Nonprofit Publisher of Consumer Reports Thursday, April 14, 2011 Contact: David Butler (dbutler@consumer.org), Kara Kelber (kkelber@consumer.org): 202-462-6262 AT&T/T-Mobile Merger Tips the Scales against Consumers, Says New Ad from Consumers Union WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Congress prepares to hold a hearing on the AT&T/T-Mobile deal next month, Consumers Union unveiled a Continue Reading
Blog Posts
- Wireless Agreement Could Make Bills Less Shocking
“Bill Shock”—those unexpected and often-quite-large charges that suddenly pop up on cell phone bills – are consistently one of the top complaints from consumers about their wireless carrier. That’s changing, however. Spurred by aggressive lobbying from Consumers Union and other public interest groups – including petitions signed more than 62,000 CU activists – wireless companies Continue Reading
- DOJ Lawsuit to Block ATT-T-Mobile Deal is Great, But the Fight is Far from Over
In a major win for consumers, the Department of Justice recently filed an antitrust lawsuit aiming to block the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile. The complaint points to substantial concerns regarding marketplace competition and the elimination of T-Mobile as a low-cost option. For those reasons and others, Consumers Union strongly opposes AT&T’s $39 billion Continue Reading
- A Bad Deal: What Consumers are Saying about the Proposed AT&T/T Mobile Merger
Consumers Union has received thousands of comments from consumers like you who are concerned about the proposed AT&T/T-Mobile merger currently under consideration by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) and want to have their voices heard. Take a look at what current customers have to say, and share your comment about the AT&T and T-Mobile merger. Continue Reading
- Tell the FCC to Reject AT&T’s Purchase of T-Mobile
The fight to stop the AT&T and T-Mobile merger isn’t over. If you haven’t submitted a comment you can still join the thousands of consumers who have spoken out urging the FCC to protect consumers and deny the request for a merger. This is a bad deal for consumers, but it can only go through Continue Reading
- AT&T Systematically Overcharges for Data, According to Lawsuit
An NBC news report about a lawsuit brought against AT&T Mobility over alleged, systematic overbilling on iPhones and iPads points up yet again the need for careful government scrutiny and rejection of that company’s proposed takeover of T-Mobile. It also drives home the need for the Federal Communications Commission to expeditiously put in place proposed Continue Reading
- Congress to Hold First Hearing on Proposed AT&T Takeover of T-Mobile
The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold the first Congressional hearing on AT&T’s proposed $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile this week. Consumers Union, the publisher of this blog, is strongly opposed to this deal, which would create the country’s largest wireless company. Together with Verizon, the other big national player in wireless, AT&T/T-Mobile would control nearly Continue Reading
- AT&T and T-Mobile File Merger Documents With FCC
AT&T and T-Mobile have filed their initial round of documents about their proposed merger. For your convenience, we have posted a PDF of it here. Please be aware that it totals 381 pages.
- Blogging to You Live from the National Conference for Media Reform
Good morning everyone. We are blogging for you live from the National Conference for Media Reform in Boston. We’re just getting started on the session we are co-sponsoring called “Mobile Phones, Mobile Justice.” Things are cranking up now and we will be your eyes and ears here for the next three hours. Here we go…. Continue Reading
- HearUsNow.org Will be Live Blogging from NCMR
HearUsNow.org is heading up to Boston this weekend and will be live blogging from the 2011 National Conference for Media Reform. If you can’t be there, we hope you will follow the action on our blog. We will be focusing on a panel we are co-sponsoring on Saturday morning titled “Mobile Voices, Mobile Justice: A Continue Reading
- The Facts About AT&T/T-Mobile Merger
From a consumer standpoint, it’s hard to see much of anything to like about AT&T’s proposed purchase of T-Mobile. The $39 billion mega merger would create the country’s largest wireless company, which along with Verizon – the other big national player in wireless – would control nearly 80 percent of the U.S. marketplace. Consumers Union Continue Reading
News Articles
- Apple iPad 2 supplies 'threatened by Japan disaster'
The Japanese earthquake and tsunami are threatening supplies of iPad 2 components as Apple prepares to launch the device worldwide.
Stop SOPA: Who decides that a website is “rogue”?
Supporters of the controversial piracy proposals now before Congress (known in shorthand as SOPA and PIPA) say all the fuss is misplaced because they only want to stop "rogue" sites that promote piracy. While piracy is a problem, defining a "rogue" website becomes an even greater problem.
America's favorite web services could be swept into an onslaught of pointless litigation. Don't let Congress infringe our access to a robust and free internet
