FCC Considers Ways to Simplify Cellphone Bills

October 13, 2009 at 9:47 am PT

If consumer advocates get their way, deconstructing that monthly cellphone bill could become a lot easier.

Comments are filing in to the Federal Communications Commission’s request for input on simplifying wireless bills.

The deadline comes amid a thicket of consumer-focused fee news, from credit cards to overdraft fees. Consumer advocates are arguing for more transparency in billing, both when shopping around for plans and for existing mobile subscribers.

Filing comment Tuesday is BillShrink.com, a site that analyzes the fine print of credit card bills and user profiles to find the cheapest cellphone plan. The average consumer overspends $300 a month on her cellphone plan a year, Schwark Satyavolu, BillShrink’s co-founder and president, said. In the last five months, the site has found $800 million in potential savings on cellphone plans.

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Tagged with: BillShrink.com, cell phone bill, cellphone bill, consumer advocates, credit cards, digital, Digits, economy, Federal Communications Commission, frontpage, innovation, Mary Pilon, overdraft, savings, Schwark Satyavolu, subscribers, telecom, The Wall Street Journal, wireless

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