Carriers To Create Wireless Code Of Conduct
Wireless carriers seem to have gotten the message that if they don’t police themselves, the government is going to do it for them. Next week they’re expected to announce their own code of conduct, which they hope will stop the government from passing laws (so-called “Cell Phone User Bill of Rights”) on them. While I think some of the laws go a bit overboard, I also think that the industry hasn’t done a very good job policing themselves in the past. It’s not very convincing to believe they’ll suddenly turn over a new leaf. Already, the proposed code of conduct basically just codifies what they’re already doing, and does little to advance consumers’ rights for things like the ability to return a phone and cancel a plan if it doesn’t meet the service levels promised.
