The evolution of technology brings with it not only wonderful innovations that make our lives easier, but also new dangers and opportunities for companies to abuse their power in billing and privacy. NHMC will provide the latest consumer protection information on its web-site, and will fight for policies to protect individuals from predatory business practices, exorbitant prices and privacy violations.
NHMC joined various allies in urging the FCC not to allow government agencies or private entities to shut down cell phone service as a means to disrupt protests or other public expression. NHMC signed on to two comments alleging that suspension of...
In mid-April, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it had secured the cooperation of all major cell phone providers to launch the PROTECTS Initiative designed to curb the recent rise of cell phone theft (See the various tip...
SB 1161 Will Deregulate The Phone Companies and Leave Consumers Unprotected
Pasadena, CA - April 16, 2012 - Tomorrow, the National Hispanic Media Coalition ("NHMC") will join a number of organizations from across California - such as the...
NHMC Regrets That The FCC Has Lost Ground
WASHINGTON, DC- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released its Annual Report on the Federal Workforce, revealing a further deterioration of consistently disappointing levels of Latino...
Today, NHMC submitted its report entited Trends In Latino Mobile Phone Usage: And What They Mean For U.S. Telecommunications Policy to the FCC so that it may be included in the record of a number of important proceedings.
The report, released in...
NHMC Hoped that Enforceable Rules Would Be Created Rather than Voluntary Guidelines
PASADENA-(NHMC - Oct. 18, 2011)-On Monday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced that the four major wireless industry...
On October 5, NHMC, joined by over a dozen other California organizations, sent letters of support to the California State Senate Rules Committee and Governor Jerry Brown, on behalf of California Public Utilities Commission Comissioner Cathy...
CONSUMER ALERT: US GOVERNMENT FINES PREPAID CALLING CARD COMPANIES FOR FRAUD - PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THIS ABUSE!
Consider the following facts: Latinos may be losing up to $1 million per day because of fraudulent prepaid calling cards. The average...
Groups Ask FCC to Rule Against BART's Mobile Phone Shutdown
PCWorld - Grant Gross - Aug 29, 2011
The emergency petition asks the FCC to rule immediately so that other government agencies don't try to copy BART's tactics. BART appears ready...
In response to recent actions by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in San Francisco, to deprive customers of cell phone access for a number of hours, Public Knowlegde, NHMC, and others have filed an "Emergency Petition for Declaratory Ruling"...
By: Michael J. Scurato
In the past month, the FCC has acted to protect consumers against certain nefarious practices known as “cramming” and “spoofing.” Despite sounding like things that might be going on in a college...
June 24, 2011, Pasadena, CA - If you receive discounts on your telephone service through the "Lifeline" program, you should know that changes are on the horizon and you should educate yourself about those changes to ensure that you are not...
By: Jessica J. Gonzalez
I know it makes me sound old-fashioned, but when text messages first became popular I did not care for them. At the time I was teaching at a high school in the Los Angeles area, and I was constantly competing with text...
NHMC and Public Knowledge submitted comments asking the FCC to clarify the status of text messaging as a Title II telecommunications service. Giving text messaging this classification will create regulatory certainty and help ensure the future...
NHMC joined a diverse group of organizations to submit Reply Comments in the FCC's Bill Shock proceeding. In the Reply Comments, NHMC and others reiterated calls for enhanced consumer protections when it comes to cell phone bills.
To...
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Cecilia Kang]
If you think cellphone bills are complicated now, just wait.
Within weeks, some of the biggest wireless companies will offer super-fast Internet connections for cellphones that rival the...
In the proposed rules, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would require mobile service providers to provide usage alerts and information that will assist consumers in avoiding unexpected charges on their bills. The Commission...
[SOURCE: National Journal, AUTHOR: Juliana Gruenwald]
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., called on the Federal Communications Commission Wednesday to do more to crack down on unauthorized charges added to consumers' phone bills by a third...
[SOURCE: Mobile Marketing Watch]
In light of new reports detailing the “flawed system” surrounding charitable SMS donations, in addition to more nonprofits coming forward in a fight against text message censorship, public interest...
In a letter to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, nearly thirty non-profit organizations representing people of color and/or working towards comprehensive immigration reform requested that the Federal Communications...
Washington, DC -- The FCC today released a white paper on complaints the Commission has received on wireless “bill shock” -- a sudden, unexpected increase in the monthly mobile phone bill, even when the customer had not changed service...
[SOURCE: Radio Business Report/Television Business Report]
The CALM Act, originally proposed by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), has made it through the full Senate, by way of the Commerce Committee, and is that much closer to becoming the law of the...
The main purpose is to ensure that wireless customers understand their bills and are forewarned before receiving a bill that is much more expensive than their typical monthly fees. It urges the FCC to require that wireless providers warn customers...
