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Early Termination Fees. ETFs. The bane of the cell phone subscriber’s existence. No one wants to pay $175 or $200 to rid themselves of a service they don’t like, or can no longer use. But that’s the way it is in the cell phone industry. While some companies, like Verizon and AT&T, have announced pro-rated early termination fee initiatives, it’s still not a standard in the industry. That is, until the government stepped in. Reports are that they are working with cell carriers to work on a way to make these fees a bit more reasonable.

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Are you ready to succumb to the latest trend in communications? No, it’s not the iPhone. Nope, not the BlackBerry Bold. It’s not any phone, per se, but rather every phone. People are ditching their landlines and going cellular-only en masse. The only question that remains is whether you’re ready for the lifestyle. There is enough familiarity and security in a landline that will keep many users around, even if they don’t use it much. But if you’re looking to cut costs and consolidate your phone usage, it might be time for a switch.

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We might have been donning the tinfoil hats with our recent GPS feature, but privacy is certainly a legitimate concern when it comes to location based services. Thing is, GPS might not be the most likely method to track you without your knowledge. We’ve long known that Bluetooth doesn’t provide very secure file transfers. It turns out, though, that it might be the easiest way to keep tabs on people. Excuse me while I go add another aluminum layer to my hat.

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In my daily web surfing, I came across an article in the New York Daily News titled, What to do about excessive phone bill charges. Great, I thought. Just the kind of thing I want to share with my readers. But as I read it, I realized that the writer, Asa Aarons, provided no real advice on how to deal with these situations. He mentioned that the victim, Shailesh Patel, called the company repeatedly, but received the same old response: “We are looking into it.” But in the end, Mr. Patel’s problem was solved. How so? It’s all about the power of the media.

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A bill was introduced in the Senate last week by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) that would provide consumer protection in the mobile phone industry. It’s focus would be cracking down on fraudulent and anti-competitive behavior. But perhaps the most important aspect is that it would repeal the common carrier exception in the FTC statute. This means that the FTC would gain some oversight over the industry, and quash some deceptive practices, such as advertising. I wonder what would come of AT&T’s prepaid commercials.

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The cell phone “not dangerous/dangerous” seesaw has shifted yet again. One day the experts are saying there’s no evidence of any health risks from using a cell phone, and the next someone proposes it will cause disease or kill you.

Most recently Dr. Vini Khurana, a top neurosurgeon in the world, has published a study about cell phone usage and an increased risk of brain cancer. His study claims that cell phone usage is increasing the risk of brain cancer due to the radiation from the handsets.
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Have you ever been burned by your cell carrier? If you haven’t, you may be in the minority. The cell phone industry generates a massive amount of complaints, more than any other industry for three straight years, according to the Better Business Bureau. Minnesota state senator Mary A. Olson has noticed that there were 1,000 complaints filed against wireless companies in 2007, just in her state. And so she’s taken measures to create a wireless bill of rights. This would help clarify what people will get from their cell phone service, so we’re left with fewer ambiguities and loopholes.
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We’re breaking some new ground in the cellular world. See, there’s this little clause in your contract that says you waive your Constitutional right to a trial by jury if you are somehow wronged by your company — in this case, AT&T. However, AT&T made a considerable gaffe during their merger with Cingular, and more than one subscriber is P.O.d. So they did what most people would do in that situation, which is to file a class-action suit. However, the litigation can’t begin until they clear the arbitration hurdle. The class is saying they deserve their day in court. AT&T is saying no, you signed an agreement. The plaintiff’s lawyers, however, have filed papers in a federal court in Seattle to have this clause quashed and have the case move forward.
Read the rest of Class action against AT&T may move forward…

There’s been much ado about warrantless wiretapping lately. The Protect America Act, which granted immunity to telecommunications companies aiding the government with their warrantless wiretaps, expired in mid-February, and there’s been plenty of time spent on trying to renew that bill. It’s a bit of a slippery situation. The idea behind the act is to more easily catch people plotting against America. However, there is plenty of room for abuse in there. The latest development, though, is that the government not only had/has access to wiretap phones, but it has a “high-speed back door” into a “major wireless carrier’s systems.” So not only can they tap calls, they have access to billing systems and text messaging as well.
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Finally, someone is doing something about this. There are thousands upon thousands of ringtones sites on the Internet. Many of them claim to be free. So, naturally, people gravitate towards them, as they want their favorite songs playing when the phone rings. Unfortunately, not many people ask the question: How is this free? If ringtones cost money most places, how do some services end up giving them away? The answer: They sign you up for monthly subscription services which are billed through your cell phone carrier. This way, you’re less apt to notice the charge on your bill, and will continue paying it. The Florida Attorney General has had enough, though. His office and AT&T have agreed to refund all Florida AT&T Mobility customers for any unauthorized charges they may have incurred from this.
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