New Web site offers help for your telecom woes

The communications revolution has arrived. Some people can watch TV news on their cell phones. Others are doing their shopping online. Kids are “ripping” music from CDs and sharing songs with their friends. And what’s this about making telephone calls over the Internet?

It can be tough to keep up. That’s why Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, will soon launch HearUsNow.org, a Web site that will offer advice on topics such as how to pick the best cell phone, how to complain about your phone bill, whether cable or satellite TV is right for you, plus information on the larger issues at play.

The site will explain policies that affect the communications marketplace and will suggest ways the market could work better for consumers. As its name suggests, HearUsNow.org will also help make your voice heard by policymakers and corporate executives. Funding from the Ford Foundation helped make the Web site possible.

There is a lot at stake. Here are some of the topics that Consumers Union plans to address on the site:

Media consolidation. This is an issue that might not seem at first glance to affect you, given the hundreds of channels available on cable and satellite TV. But only a few media companies control widely viewed channels and thus the news and entertainment you see.

Americans depend on television, newspapers, and radio to learn about the news, understand national and local issues, and make informed political choices. If media outlets and the programming offered on them are consolidated in the hands of fewer and fewer owners, then the chances are greater that the owners can more easily manipulate the news. HearUsNow.org will present the facts on this issue and let you know what you can do to have your concerns heard and diversity of programming preserved.

Cable TV rates and content. Since 1996, cable prices have risen nearly three times the rate of inflation. And although multiple channels are offered, you may wonder what you’re getting for your money and if the time has come for you to have more control over what you see and pay for on cable. The Web site will explore the options you may have available to save money on your cable bill and control the content that comes into your home.

Cell-phone service. It seems as though everyone has a wireless phone, whether it’s a bare-bones model for emergencies or a souped-up multifunction gadget that sends e-mail and takes photos. Yet many consumers have experienced the “cell hell” of billing disputes, poor handling of complaints, and uneven coverage. Consumers across the country are calling for improvements in cell-phone service, and HearUsNow.org will tell you what’s going on and the steps you can take to make a difference.

Digital rights. Battles are raging over the movies and TV programming you watch in your home and the music and books you enjoy on computers and portable devices. Copyrighted materials are valuable to their creators, but they also are valued by consumers. This site will explain what’s at stake.

Emerging technologies. HearUsNow.org will explore new technologies such as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), which lets you use your high-speed Internet connection as a phone.

HearUsNow.org will give you a lot to mull over during this interesting and
revolutionary time in the world of communications. Consumer advocates at CU are excited about the Web site. They hope you will be, too.

then	& now

1954		2004
As suburbia grew, so did the station wagon’s popularity. In 1954 we said that a station wagon was the children’s delight, the camper’s friend, and the small-business owner’s standby. Earlier station wagons had resembled domesticated buses. Consumers wanted cars that were not only practical, but also had some oomph. The smoother lines of the 1954 station wagons, such as the Ford V-8 Ranch Wagon at left, appealed to those who prized form and function. In recent years, sales of SUVs and minivans have far exceeded those of wagons. Now automakers are introducing more models that are sportier and more versatile, and have four-wheel drive, helping wagons make a comeback (see our December 2004 Wagons and SUVs report). You’ll date yourself, however, if you call them station wagons. Today they’re marketed as sports wagons or SUV-like crossovers, such as the Subaru Outback; the model for 2005 is shown above.