Bill Shock
Every year, millions of Americans are forced to pay higher phone bills as the result of a practice known as “bill shock.” “Bill shock” occurs when cell phone customers unexpectedly receive phone bills that are significantly higher than their typical monthly bill. A May 2011 survey by Consumer Reports found that one in five Americans had experienced bill shock. Because of the especially high rate of cell phone usage among African-Americans and Latinos, these communities are especially hard hit by this practice.
It can be difficult for consumers to know when they’re running up a surprisingly high wireless bill. Several major wireless providers have committed to sending customers alerts when they are about to exceed monthly limits on voice, texting and data or if they are going to begin incurring international roaming fees.
Click here for more information on wireless usage alerts.
Civil rights organizations are teaming up with media rights groups to make sure that our communities are protected – by holding industry accountable to the voluntary agreement to curb bill shock and giving our constituents a powerful voice when violations are detected.
BILL SHOCK: FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOWFCC News on Bill ShockRelated NewsNational Broadband Plan Aims to Close Digital DivideMarch 17, 2010 - Posted by The Leadership Conference The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week released its anticipated National Broadband plan, which aims to bring access to high-speed-internet to 100 million homes by 2020. Groups Outline Bold Vision for FCC National Broadband PlanMarch 10, 2010 - Posted by The Leadership Conference A coalition of public interest and consumer groups is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to increase access to broadband internet in underserved communities. House Passes Local Community Radio ActDecember 17, 2009 - Posted by Tyler Lewis The Local Community Radio Act passed the House of Representatives by voice vote last night and now moves to the Senate. Campaign Asks People to Take a 'Media Violence Fast'October 19, 2009 - Posted by Tyler Lewis  This week is the "2009 Media Violence Fast", an annual week-long campaign that encourages people to take a stand against violent media by making a conscious decision to not watch or listen to it. The campaign is sponsored by the So We Might See Coalition, a diverse group of faith organizations that includes the United Church of Christ, U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, the Islamic Society of North America, and others. This year's focus is on the increasing amount of anti-immigrant hate speech in media, particularly in television news and talk radio. You can go to the campaign's website to sign a petition asking the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Commerce to conduct an inquiry into hate speech and update a government report that collects statistics and information about the connection between hate speech and hate crimes. Categories: Hate Crimes & LLEHCPA, Media & Technology House Subcommittee Overwhelmingly Approves the Local Community Radio ActOctober 9, 2009 - Posted by The Leadership Conference Yesterday, the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet voted 15-1 to approve the Local Community Radio Act. The bill would expand low power radio to 40 million people who are currently unable to receive it. Low power FM (LPFM) refers to community-based, non-commercial FM stations that operate at 100 watts or less and have a broadcast reach of only a few miles. There are currently 800 LPFM stations being used by churches, schools, non-profits, and other community groups. These stations provide local forums for important news and discussions. However, LPFM is not fully available to many communities across the country because a law passed in 2000 limits the Federal Communications Commission's authority to license LPFM. The Local Community Radio Act, introduced by Reps. Mike Doyle, D. Pa., and Lee Terry, R. Neb., allows the number of new LPFM stations to increase without interfering with larger, full power stations. "The Leadership Conference commends Representatives Doyle and Terry for championing equal access to information for all. In an era of mass media consolidation, we in the civil rights community believe that it is critical to promote diverse ownership and diverse viewpoints over the public airwaves, and we look forward to the passage of this bill into law," said Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. Categories: Media President Obama’s Broadband Initiative Will Attempt to Bridge the Nation’s Growing Digital DivideSeptember 4, 2009 - Posted by The Leadership Conference The digital divide is large and shows no signs of decreasing. It compounds the racial disparities found in education and household earnings and impacts heavily on standard of living. The broadband initiatives contained in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) could help to bridge that gap by making the internet more accessible to all Americans.Blacks and Latinos are much less likely to have access to home computers than are white, non-Latinos (50.6 and 48.7 percent compared to 74.6 percent in 2003). They are also less likely to have internet access at home (40.5 and 38.1 percent compared to 67.3 percent). According to the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund report "Are We Really a Nation Online? Ethnic and Racial Disparities in Access to Technology and Their Consequences," data suggests that teenagers who have access to home computers are 6 to 8 percentage points more likely to graduate from high school than teenagers who do not have home computers. The Recovery Act appropriated $7.2 billion to the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) to invest in broadband infrastructure and access. This has led to the creation of two programs with different aims: the RUS Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP), which will make loans and grants for broadband infrastructure projects in rural areas; and the NTIA Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), which will provide grants to fund broadband infrastructure, public computer centers, and sustainable broadband adoption projects. LCCR/EF Staff Member Mark Lloyd Joins the FCC in Diversity PositionJuly 29, 2009 - Posted by Tyler Lewis  Mark Lloyd speaks at a November 2008 press conference sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters on the Digital Television Transition We are pleased to report that LCCR/EF staff member Mark Lloyd has joined the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as associate general counsel and chief diversity officer. The FCC is the federal agency that regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. In his new position, Lloyd will help the FCC to develop communications policy that will increase media diversity and address the needs of low-income people, women, minorities, people with disabilities. Lloyd, a communications lawyer and former broadcast journalist, was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress before joining LCCR/EF as vice president for strategic initiatives, where he provided strategic guidance for the organization's media and telecommunications work. Coalition Raises Awareness about the Need to Diversify the AirwavesJune 12, 2009 - Posted by The Leadership Conference The Future of Music Coalition, a coalition of members of the music, technology, public policy, and intellectual property law communities, has launched a campaign to educate Americans about the role low-power FM (LPFM) radio plays in diversifying the airwaves, particularly since it provides the opportunity for more minority- and female-owned stations to receive licenses. LPFM stations are non-commercial, community-based radio stations that operate at very low power and have a range of only a few miles. They provide news and information that address specific interests of local communities and play an important role in broadcasting emergency information. LPFM radio also supplies a platform for underserved musical genres, minority and religious groups, and offers a forum for debate about important local issues. The coalition is pushing Congress to pass the Local Community Radio Act of 2009, which will lift the restrictions on the number of licenses the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can give to LPFM stations. In a recent report, LCCR said that lifting this restriction will provide an opportunity for greater diversity of ownership and content among LPFM radio stations. In this video from the campaign, poet and activist Saul Williams talks about how community radio provides opportunities to hear different types of music and community-based information that you don't necessarily get from commercial radio.
Low Power FM Radio Stations Bring Diversity to the AirwavesApril 24, 2009 - Posted by The Leadership Conference  Representative Mike Doyle, D. Pa., speaks to a group of low power radio advocates. Rep. Doyle is a lead co-sponsor of the Local Community Radio Act of 2009. Yesterday, owners and news directors of low power FM (LPFM) radio stations, along with media diversity activists and civil rights advocates, met in Washington, D.C., to encourage Congress to pass the Local Community Radio Act of 2009, which will lift restrictions on the FCC's ability to license LPFM stations and allow more low power stations to go on the air. LPFM stations are non-commercial, community-based radio stations that operate at very low power and have a range of only a few miles. They provide news and information that address specific interests of local communities and play an important role in broadcasting emergency information relating to inclement weather, natural disasters, and other public safety needs. In a new report, Low Power Radio: Lost Opportunity or Success on the Dial? , LCCR says that allowing the FCC to license more LPFM stations will provide an opportunity for greater diversity of ownership and content among FM radio stations. FCC to Collect More Data on Minority and Female Broadcast OwnershipApril 9, 2009 - Posted by Corrine Yu The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is working to collect better data on minority and female ownership of television and radio stations. In an order issued yesterday, the FCC increased the number of broadcast stations that are required to file ownership reports to the FCC. Previously, many small stations, as well as some owned by individuals rather than corporations, were not required to file, thereby overlooking a potentially significant group of minority and female owners. "The sad truth is that we simply do not know the precise state of minority and female ownership in this country," acting FCC Chairman Michael J. Copps said in a statement. "The official term for it is 'we don't have a clue.' We will never get to where we need to go unless we know where we are." According to the FCC, the new requirements will help the agency assess and promote diversity of ownership in the broadcast industry. Copps, who was named acting chairman by President Obama in January, has for years expressed his dismay that past efforts to increase diversity in broadcast ownership had been hindered by a lack of accurate data on minority and female ownership. The deficiencies in the FCC's data collection methods had previously been identified by the Government Accountability Office, as well as by media reform and civil rights organizations. |
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