- In this report
- Overview
- AT&T is now the worst carrier
- No-contract options multiply
- Faster 4G networks expand
- "Bill shock" is common
- Best plan if you're a minimal phone user
- Best plan if you're a talker and texter
- Best plan if you want it all
- Best plan if you're an ardent e-mailer
- January 2011 Recommended
- Ratings by city
- Contract service Ratings
- No-contract service Ratings
- January 2011 Canadian Ratings
- 75 Years of CU
75 years bold
A retrospective of Consumer Reports and its place in the American consumer landscape.
"Bill shock" is common
This article appeared in One in five survey respondents reported receiving an unexpectedly high bill in the previous year, often for exceeding the plan's voice, text, or data limits, an experience called "bill shock." Half of them were hit for at least $50, and one in five for more than $100.
In October, the Federal Communications Commission proposed that cell carriers be required to send customers alerts before they incur hefty overage fees, which for voice minutes are 25 to 45 cents per minute, five to nine times the regular 5 cents-per-minute average price. We support that customer-friendly idea, a no-brainer that should be a snap for today's sophisticated smart phones.
Some carriers, including Verizon and Sprint, claim to be doing that already, though one staffer did not receive such an alert before incurring an overage charge.
