Cell Phone Bill Shock Legislation
New Mexico Senator Tom Udall has introduced a piece of legislation aimed at reducing cell phone bill shock. This is the Senator's second attempt to get the measure through the Senate, which would require wireless operators to notify their customers via SMS or email when they have used 80% of their monthly limit of voice minutes, text messages or data usage.
The bill would also require wireless providers to obtain customer consent before charging for services in excess of their monthly limits. Udall believes that this is a cost-effective solution that should not place an undue burden on cell phone companies and yet will go a long way toward reducing bill shock among consumers. The first time he introduced the measure, it died in committee. The current bill does not have any cosponsors, and its success is also unclear as it has again been referred to the Senate Commerce Committee.