Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Senator Says Wireless Companies Out of Control

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 02 Jun 2003 15:01:03 -0400

Senator Says Wireless Companies Out of Control

Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) slammed wireless companies saying the industry is
"out of control." Hidden fees by the six major  carriers in the metropolitan New
York area range from 47 cents to $1.75 per month with only Verizon and T-Mobile
not adding those  fees, says Schumer. Such fees are meant to improve carrier
technology for services such as E-911. The Senator plans to introduce The Cell
Phone Users Bill of Rights, which demands companies address emergency services and
number portability as mandated  by the Federal Communications Commission. 

======================================================================
Sen. Schumer Decries Wireless Companies
Mon Jun 2,11:32 AM ET

Nextel is guilty also with their $1.55 TSFF (Timmy Slush Fund Fee).

NEW YORK - Senator Charles Schumer called wireless (news - web
sites) companies an "industry out of control" on Sunday as he spoke on his
analysis of wireless services in the metropolitan area.

Schumer surveyed six major services in the area and found depending on
the provider, the hidden fees ranged from 47 cents to $1.75 a month. Only
Verizon and T-Mobile did not add the fees.

"Some wireless companies are really taking advantage here and it's a
shame," Schumer said. "No amount of convenience can make up for the
aggravation of bogus billing."

The fees are said to be used for service improvements like better 911
tracing. But in many cases, those upgrades have not been made by the
companies, Schumer said.

He added that improved emergency call service might have saved four
teenagers who drowned off City Island in January.

"The police would've wanted to locate them from their cell phone signal, but
the technology wasn't there," Schumer said.

As a result, Schumer announced that he will introduce legislation to ban the
hidden fees. The bill, called The Cell Phone Users Bill of Rights, will also
demand that companies make improvements to emergency services as
mandated by the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites),
and allow cell phone users to keep their phone numbers when they change
service providers.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030602/ap_on_hi_te/schumer_cellphones_2

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