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Legal Issues

by Mike Masnick

Fri, Mar 3rd 2006 1:13am





No Bill Of Rights For Mobile Users... But, Uh...We'll Investigate Crappy Service

from the small-comforts dept

In 2004, California passed a mobile phone "bill of rights" designed to protect consumers from misleading statements from mobile operators -- basically helping people get out of onerous contracts within a reasonable period of time if (for example) there really wasn't service covering your home, despite a map that said there was. However, after the mobile operators went to court over the issue, the bill of rights was ditched. Late last year a new telco bill of rights was proposed that covered mobile operators as well as regular telco efforts -- such as DSL (mandating network neutrality). However, instead of passing that, it appears that regulators have instead passed what amounts to a PR statement about how they'll be tough on misleading mobile operators. It doesn't appear to guarantee any rights to users who find themselves stuck in bad contracts, but instead promises a special unit to "investigate" misleading claims from operators. That seems like a pretty weak solution. After all, shouldn't misleading claims already be investigated? Of course, the best solution would have been if regulation wasn't needed at all -- but so far, the operators haven't always shown a willingness to respond to customer complaints, and with users locked in for so long, there are some real consumer concerns.

6 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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Reader Comments (rss)

(Flattened / Threaded)

  1.  

    $print!!!!

    icon
    chuck (profile), Mar 3rd, 2006 @ 3:37am

    i was with sprint for four years they put me thruogh hell, to say the least it got to the point of me being banned from sprint good thing for me im away from sprint but i need help i feel that sprint up and abused me on purpose i wanna sue sprint for pain and suffering ( from constantly calling the CSR's at sprint and getting lied to has led me to become very angery and short tempered i have been in serious trouble because of how sprint made me if i call say my cable provider i curse and yell and threaten over the smallest thing i never was like this 4 years ago )

    any help you guys?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Re: $print!!!!

    identicon
    Steve Arnold, Mar 3rd, 2006 @ 4:25am

    I dunno -- ever heard of punctuation?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Re: $print!!!!

    identicon
    mkam, Mar 3rd, 2006 @ 4:52am

    Re: $print!!!! by Steve Arnold on Friday March 03, @04:25
    I dunno -- ever heard of punctuation?

    Steve makes a valid point and an good arguement.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: $print!!!!

    identicon
    Hahaha, Mar 3rd, 2006 @ 4:54am

    Burn!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Re: $print!!!!

    identicon
    Scott, Mar 3rd, 2006 @ 5:18am

    Put on big boy pants, deal with it, move on?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    Re: $print!!!!

    identicon
    SMG, Mar 3rd, 2006 @ 10:55am

    use the "." and the "," more.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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