Hear Us Now Blog

Now Hear This Newsletter -- July 2, 2009

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:31:01 -0500

In a refreshing move, the Federal Communications Commission has begun looking into cell phone handset exclusivity deals � those ubiquitous agreements between cell phone makers and wireless service providers that chain up consumers.

Now Hear This Newsletter, June 18, 2009

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:01:38 -0500

The big national switch to digital broadcasting took place last Friday as the final wave of the nation�s full-power broadcasters flipped off their traditional analog signals. By most accounts the transition took place with the vast majority of consumers experiencing no problems. An FCC help line did get nearly a million calls in the days following the switch, although most of the problems were relatively minor and easily resolved.

Now Hear This Newsletter, June 4, 2009

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:09:05 -0500

It�s just over a week until the nation�s full-power broadcasters are required to turn off their traditional analog signals and go all digital. There will be problems, probably a lot of them. But the Obama Administration and Congress deserve credit for helping head off an almost certain train wreck.

Now Hear This Newsletter, April 30, 2009

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:13:43 -0500

Time Warner Cable's financial results contradict its argument it has to go to metered broadband -- and no amount of "consumer education will change that fact.

Now Hear This Newsletter, April 16, 2009

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:07:41 -0500

Rumors are flying hot and heavy that AT&T is seeking to extend its deal with Apple as the exclusive U.S. carrier for the iPhone. The original deal between the two companies runs out next year. From a purely consumer standpoint, we hope Apple dumps its pact with AT&T and unlocks the uber popular iPhone so it can work on any wireless carrier network.

Now Hear This Newsletter, March 26, 2009

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:42:25 -0500

An Oklahoma woman files a class action lawsuit after receiving a $5,077 bill for her $60 a month wireless data plan and the government's digital-to-analog converter box coupon program is back in business.

Now Hear This Newsletter, March 12, 2009

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:24:21 -0500

There�s been some heartening news about the transition to all-digital broadcasting in recent days and the New York Times explains the "Broadband Gap" in an excellent series of blogs.

Now Hear This Newsletter, February 26, 2009

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:57:37 -0500

Read about a Chicago man who got a $28,000 wireless bill after watching a football game on his computer and how the FCC has issued fines against more than 600 telecom firms for not complying with rules aimed at protecting their customers private information.

Now Hear This Newsletter, February 12, 2009

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:15:03 -0500

Despite legislation passed by Congress moving the date of the national transition to all digital television over-the-air broadcasting to June 12th, as many as 681 of the nation�s nearly 1,800 broadcasters have either already made the switch or have filed applications to go digital on the original date of next Tuesday, February 17th. The Federal Communications Commission says it has recently received notice from 491 full-power broadcasters that want to terminate their traditional, over-the-air signals on February 17th. The FCC says another 190 stations had already made the switch or had previously told the agency they planned to make the switch on February 17th.

Now Hear This Newsletter, January 29, 2009

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:25:15 -0500

As we write this blog legislation that would delay the transition to digital television broadcasting from February 17 the June 12 is in a state of limbo in Congress. Without a delay millions of people who watch free, over-the-air broadcasting will see their screens go blank on February 17th. The biggest impact will be on some of the country�s most vulnerable people, including the elderly and low income populations.

Now Hear This Newsletter, January 15, 2009

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:28:51 -0500

There is a real possibility the federal government will delay implementing the looming switch to all digital broadcasting scheduled for February 17th, which is a long way from where we were when we last wrote about this only a couple of weeks ago.

Now Hear This Newsletter, January 1, 2009

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:03:20 -0500

In the latest in an ongoing series of eye-rolling developments, the government agency in charge of the digital television converter box coupon program � the Commerce Department�s National Telecommunications and Information Administration � said it will likely stop processing coupon requests as early as next week because it expects to run out of money. Congress has to step in and act fast.

Now Hear This Newsletter, December 18, 2008

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:18:40 -0500

There was a little bit of good news for some consumers about the looming nationwide transition to digital television broadcasting, which is now less than two months away. But there is a lot more that needs to be done -- fast.

Now Hear This Newsletter, December 4, 2008

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:05:27 -0500

The Federal Communications Commission has one of those ominous countdown clocks on its web site, showing the exact number of days, hours, minutes and seconds left until the looming switchover to all digital, over-the-air television broadcasting on February 17th. For the record, we are now 75 days and some change away from the big switch. And with each passing day it appears more and more likely that government efforts to make the huge switchover easy and painless are going to be woefully inadequate, leaving millions of Americans with blank television screens.

Now Hear This Newsletter, November 20, 2008

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:28:35 -0500

U.S. broadband prices need to be pushed down by at least 25 percent and typical speeds need to be increased dramatically to catch up to countries such as France and Japan, according to a new report from Consumers Union and the Consumer Federation of America. Titled �Broadband in America: A Policy of Neglect is Not Benign,� the study calls on the incoming Obama administration and Congress to pursue policies to help prevent overcharging, blocking and discrimination against consumers and small businesses on the Internet. Consumers Union is the sponsor of this blog.