Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Consumer Watchdog Takes On Nextel

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2003 00:34:02 -0400

Consumer Watchdog Takes On Nextel
BY SUSAN RUSH
OCTOBER 22, 2003

A consumer watchdog is doing what it deems necessary to keep wireless carriers
honest in California. The latest: The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights
filed a billing suit against Nextel Communications Inc. in Los Angeles Superior
Court yesterday.

The suit claims that on Oct. 1 Nextel stopped providing customers with itemized
bills, making it hard for subscribers to challenge call charges. It also calls out
Nextel for allegedly sending customers text messages to its customers in
California and then charged them to receive the message. The suit is seeking an
injunction against Nextel and reimbursement for the overcharged customers.

A Nextel spokeswoman said the company has not yet seen the suit and is unable to
comment.
The Nextel suit marks the second suit the watchdog group has filed against a
wireless carrier in less than a month. Earlier this month, the consumer group
filed suit against Cingular Wireless over alleged unfair business practices and
false advertising. The suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court claims the carrier
'deliberately spurred demand that it knew it could not meet while continuing to
require customers to pay large early termination fees.'

When the suit was filed, Cingular said it considered the allegations to be
'baseless.'

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