Brief Summary
Consumers increasingly rely on cell phone service to meet their basic communication needs. The use of wireless communications has skyrocketed over the past few years, jumping from approximately 24 million subscribers in 1994 to an estimated 170 million today. However, along with the growth in the industry has come a disproportionate increase in consumer complaints. In fact, complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency charged with overseeing competition in the wireless industry, increased almost 40 percent between 2002 and 2003, tripling the 13 percent growth in subscribers during that time period.

Many surveys of cell phone users have revealed chronic dissatisfaction with the wireless industry. Problems include dropped calls, misleading coverage maps, unexpected surcharges on their bills and unresponsive customer service, yet consumers are trapped with that company because of huge fees to terminate their contract and no real trial period.

Because the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has refused to enact even the most basic consumer protections, PIRGIM is leading the campaign to pass the Cell Phone Users’ Bill of Rights to ensure that the cell phone industry is governed by basic consumer standards.

PIRGIM's cell phone user' bill of rights.

Links
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)—to file a complaint with FCC’s consumer Affairs Bureau, call 1-888-225-5322
Michigan Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division—Consumer Complaint directory