Posted on: Tuesday, September 9, 2003

Skepticism high over new wireless-phone standards

By Caroline E. Mayer
Washington Post

In a carefully choreographed ceremony, the wireless telephone industry is scheduled to announce today a voluntary set of consumer standards to encourage companies to be forthcoming about their rates and services, and more flexible in letting consumers test their service.

The unveiling — complete with a special seal companies can display in their advertising to show compliance — comes nine days before California's Public Utility Commission, responding to consumer complaints about billing and other practices, is to vote on a stricter telecommunications bill of rights.

Travis Larson, spokesman for the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, said, "I won't say the announcement is unrelated to California, but we set this date a while back."

Even before the official announcement, some consumer advocates and government regulators were questioning the adequacy of the code, which was disclosed in legal filings before the California commission.

"It's ridiculous because it's not enforceable," said Carl Hilliard, president of the Wireless Consumers Alliance. "The level of billing complaints has remained constant." A chief concern, he said, is that consumers "think they're buying free long-distance service, only to find out that it's not free if they're calling from outside their home area."

Carl Wood, the California commissioner who is author of the bill of rights, said the industry proposal doesn't "represent strong consumer protection" and "is not a substitute for effective state regulation."

The wireless industry has vigorously opposed California's effort, calling it unnecessary and burdensome to companies and warning it could end up costing consumers $4 to $21 more a month.

This summer, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners called on the industry to develop voluntary standards, including a requirement of credit for dropped calls.