Blog Home
Do you have a potential smart water meter?
The City of San Diego water department does not employ smart meters, but are they gearing up to do so? Recently, a UCAN member tipped us off that the water department installed a new water meter capable of transmitting wireless reads.
Emergency Cell Phone Powered By One AA Battery
As a UCAN member, you’ve no doubt already signed up to receive our latest and greatest offer: UCAN's Blackout Buster, an emergency crank radio. This is a great little piece of technology, as it is not only a flash light and a radio but it is also a charger for your cell phone. Most people with smart phones know just how atrocious the battery life can be. The UCAN emergency crank radio is great for charging phones and you should consider it a vital tool in your emergency kit.
However, just like any handyman worth his salt has multiple tools in his tool kit to tackle any job, a prepared UCAN member should have more than one tool in their emergency kit. In addition to the UCAN crank radio, you can now get an emergency cell phone that is powered by a single AA battery.
Cox Releases Low Cost Cable Package Sans ESPN
Recently, Cox released a lower-cost cable package that, surprisingly, does not include ESPN. For those sports lovers out there, ESPN is a must-have. However, for those people who spend their time watching other stations like the Travel Channel or Food Network, ESPN is an unnecessary channel. As it turns out, ESPN is one of the most expensive cable channels that cable companies offer to its customers. Does Cox’s unbundling of this expensive channel mean that it is finally moving towards an a la carte pricing method? Read more after the jump.
Smart Meter Opt Out - UPDATED
UPDATED 1/4/2012 - SDG&E has filed a proposed opt out policy for the CPUC to review. You can review the document yourself, but the cliff notes are that SDG&E is suggesting removing the wireless signal on existing meters and allowing a manual read each month. This cost will be passed on to consumers who want to opt out.
Caller ID Problems - Thanks to the FCC, no longer as scary as a ghost
Spoof? I AIN'T AFRAID OF NO GHOST! Oh, you said spoof, not spook. As in caller ID spoofing? Well, I guess I had been afraid of spoofing in the past. But with the new enforcement rules laid down by the FCC, spoofing isn't as scary as it used to be. Read more after the jump.
How To Change Your SDG&E Billing Date
Does your SDG&E bill date fall on an inconvenient time? A few days before pay day when it would be so much easier if it was a few days after pay day? Here's a quick tip: you can actually change your SDG&E billing date without incurring any late fees.
Verizon Wireless Now Logging Websites You Visit
If you are a Verizon Wireless customer, chances are you recently received an email from Big Red discussing changes to its privacy policy. Most of you may have just deleted the email without reading it, but if you took the time to see just what changed you'd be in for a big surprise.
Keep an eye out for double water bills
Don't be alarmed if you see a high number on your water bill this month. Due to an "internal error" inside the water department, some July bills were not sent out as scheduled. This was about the time they switched to the new billing system so I'm assuming they experienced some glitches.
How To Read Your City of San Diego Water Bill - Why is my bill so high?
With the most current round of UCAN's inserts in the City of San Diego water bills, our phones have been lighting up like the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. One thing we've noticed is that many people do not know how to read their water bill. The callers can definitely see how expensive their water bill is each month, but they don't know what each line item represents. We can help break though all the confusion, but we have to warn you that you can't unsee the horrors that are the Four Horsemen of the Water Bill.
Utility Consumers' Action Network - (619) 696-6966
Terms and Conditions
UCAN.org is made available by the Utility Consumers' Action Network to assist you in becoming what you always knew you could be: a consumer ROCK STAR! We take no corporate money, and are beholden only to you, the consumer. As such, the site is here for educational, advocacy, and empowerment purposes, as well to to give you general information and a general understanding of the law. Just remember this site is NOT here to provide specific legal advice. By using this web site you of course understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Web Site publisher, UCAN. The Web Site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.
That said, get to digging on the site, inform yourself, speak your mind, and earn Watchdog Bones! This is YOUR site, and we mean it. So comment on any of the content, discuss the latest issues in the forums, file a complaint on a company with the Fraud Squad, and generally cut loose.
See our Terms of Use, Privacy, and Copyright complaint policies as well as our Content Reuse Policy, Some Rights Reserved. Remember, if you have any questions about copyright law or need legal information regarding intellectual property, the internet, or new technologies, visit our affiliate New Media Rights at www.newmediarights.org. If you are in the San Diego region, you can also can apply to use New Media Rights' multimedia studio and equipment for free.
