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YOU can help REDESIGN the water bills!!
I have a very special announcement to make. This summer SPUD will launch a “new and improved” Customer Care Solutions billing system. They are giving YOU, the CONSUMER, an opportunity to share how you would like this new system to work.
Heads up! Your AT&T broadband cap begins today.
Just a friendly reminder to all of our readers who use AT&T for their broadband: your cap comes into effect today (much to our chagrin). DSL users will be capped at 150GB and U-Verse users get 250GB. After you hit your cap you'll be charged an additional $10 for every 50GB used. One of the easiest ways to rack up your bandwidth usage is streaming music and video, so be especially concious if you use Netflix or Hulu to stream video to your TV or computer.
For full details on AT&T's new terms of service, check out Josh's blog here.
Q&A - SDG&E and ESPs: What is direct access and how does it affect me?
Q&A time! We received received an inquiry from an SDG&E customer about some ESP charges that appeared on his bill. SDG&E bills him for his electricity use, but it is another company that actually provides him the electricity. Sidestepping the obvious ESP mind reading he should have seen it coming bad joke, let’s jump right in to the heart of the ESP issue.
Installing Photovoltaics on your roof may be the best investment you can make in your home
We've long stated that installing solar panels on your home may be the best investment/improvement you can make in your home. One of the most compelling reasons is that it is an investment that not only appreciates the value of your home but also generates "cash" for you by reducing your energy bill. It turns out that this particular investment may appreciate your home value by appx. $17,000 for a 3.1 watt system according to a recent Berkeley Labs report. Now here's the real kicker -- the out of pocket cost of a 3.1 watt PV system (after tax deductions and rebates) should amount to less than $15,000. So for a $15,000 investment you can appreciate the value of your home by MORE than your investment plus get, essentially, "free" electricity for as long as you are in that home.
Verizon eliminates ETFs on DSL bundles; other ETFs may apply
Verizon just announced in a press release that it is simplifying itsr DSL bundles and eliminating ETFs on their services. Great! No ETF! Except there’s still an ETF. Yes, you’ll still need to sign a two-year contract with DirecTV and you’re still liable to pay their early termination fee. Of course, you can always go with their FiOS option to avoid a contract, but you’ll be paying about 50% more for that.
How to Take Legal Action to Fight a Water Bill!
Welcome to the broken system of claim filing. We will do our best to help.
Grocery items shrink but prices don't follow trend
Here's my suggested title for a new movie: The Incredible Shrinking Groceries! Find out why your grocery cart is easier to push these days and why you are getting less for your money.
Robocalls - ruining your R&R one call at a time
After a long day, there are few things better than sinking into a comfy chair and relaxing with some soothing music. But before you can hit play on the music player of your choice, your cell phone starts playing the theme song to Air Wolf (doesn’t everyone have that as their ring tone?) You glance at the caller ID, which is a strange number. Thinking it may be important, you answer the phone, only to discover it’s a terminator! Well, not quite. It’s a machine of another sort--a robocall.
CTIA confirms that by 2012 all cell phones will have a common charging port
Hey, can I borrow your phone charger? No, I have a Motorola. Wait, maybe that one will work. Let me try plugging it in to my phone … err, maybe it’s upside down … oh crap, was that little metal prong important?
I don’t know about you, but I have enough random phone chargers by now to open up my own storefront. Apparently I’m not alone. Today CTIA Chairman/Sprint CEO Dan Hesse announced that by January 2012, all U.S. cell phones will all have a common microUSB port. Finally, the holy grail has arrived: I can own one phone charger that’s compatible with all cell phones.
Fun TOS! AT&T New Terms of Service for Bandwidth Cap of 150GB-250GB
It’s time for another thrilling edition of Fun TOS!
Earlier this week, we briefly touched on a story posted by Engadget about AT&T’s decision to institute a bandwidth cap. Before AT&T introduced this cap, its DSL customers had unlimited bandwidth access to stream videos, surf the web, and download as they please. We received an e-mail this morning from a member who forwarded us AT&T’s e-mail to its customers giving them notice of the change. Let’s see how easy it is to figure out what is going on.
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.
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