Consumer FAQ
Q: What is MyWireless.org?MyWireless.org is a non-profit grassroots advocacy organization that gives wireless consumers a unified and powerful voice to speak out against unfair and excessive taxes and regulations that limit consumer choices, raise the costs of wireless services and threaten to slow wireless innovation. MyWireless.org educates consumers about important wireless issues, updates them on the latest wireless developments, and provides the tools they need to fight unnecessary taxes and regulations on wireless services in their city and state, as well as nationally.
Q: Why am I seeing MyWireless.org ads now?
There is an important debate going on in our nation’s capital. Members of Congress and the Federal Communications Commission are reviewing the laws that govern telecommunications services, including wireless. It’s a great opportunity for consumers to make their voices heard and protect their wireless freedom.
Q: What do you hope to achieve by placing ads and posting information on your Website?
MyWireless.org’s goal is to ensure consumers maintain access to affordable and innovative wireless services. Right now, we are focused on ensuring that multiple sets of inconsistent state laws and regulations do not increase consumer costs, reduce choices or slow innovation, not to mention disrupt the mobility consumers appreciate with wireless. If any state imposes unique laws and regulations on wireless, then consumers in all states may be affected, because consumers may lose national product and service offerings.
Q: Your ads indicate state regulations add cost and confusion for consumers. How is this true?
Imagine if every state had different traffic laws – some states drive on the left and some on the right, some have red/yellow/green lights and some purple/orange/blue. Similarly, if states impose their own, unique rules on wireless service, what was once a seamless, national wireless service suddenly becomes a service subject to state borders, creating more confusion, more cost, and more complications for consumers. If any state imposes unique laws and regulations on wireless, then consumers in all states may be affected, because consumers will lose out on national plans and seamless mobility. The bottom line – a patchwork of inconsistent state laws and regulations on wireless will create confusion for consumers, drive up costs, delay improvements to quality and service, and delay the introduction of innovative, new products.
Q: How will one set of rules benefit consumers?
Wireless is a national service, one that does not recognize state borders. So it is important that consumers in Manhattan, Kansas continue to get the same values, services, and choices as consumers in Manhattan, New York. With a consistent national policy for wireless, consumers in California will have access to the same affordable, quality products and services as consumers in Maine. If any state imposes unique laws and regulations on wireless, then consumers in all states may be affected, because consumers will likely lose the savings and choices associated with national product and service offerings.
Q: Are wireless consumers truly behind this effort or is this activity just a front for industry priorities?
MyWireless.org is a coalition of diverse, highly regarded non-profit organizations that represent consumer, seniors, business, and minority interests. Please visit www.MyWireless.org/coalition for a full list of MyWireless.org coalition partners. These coalition partners have decades of experience promoting and protecting consumer interests and have partnered with MyWireless.org to empower the more than 260 million U.S. wireless consumers to impact the policies that will affect them and their wireless services. CTIA-The Wireless Association® as well as a broad spectrum of wireless companies support MyWireless.org’s efforts, because they realize that unfair and excessive taxes and regulations ultimately hurt millions of American consumers, as well as our economy.
Q: How does MyWireless.org determine what consumers want and don't want?
MyWireless.org conducts extensive research on both state and national issues to gauge consumer opinion, in addition to keeping regular communication with coalition partners across the country. This extensive research shows that wireless consumers do not want more costly and complicated state regulations that will increase the cost of their service, delay the introduction of new services, or inhibit the build out and improvement of existing services.
Q: Why is there a need for consumer advocacy in wireless?
Especially at the state and local level, efforts to increase wireless taxes and regulations are spiraling out of control. In 2005, hundreds of bills were introduced to add wireless taxes or regulations at the state or local level. However, most of the time, consumers are not even aware of these proposed taxes and regulations, which can greatly affect their wireless services. MyWireless.org is dedicated to educating and mobilizing wireless users on these proposals and giving them the tools to directly communicate with policymakers.
Q: Who is ultimately paying for the advertisements? How does MyWireless raise money to run ads?
Member companies of CTIA-The Wireless Association® funded MyWireless.org to empower wireless consumers to fight government taxes and regulations that raise their prices, limit their choices and slow innovations that benefit them. MyWireless.org does not charge consumers any kind of fees or membership dues, and does not sell their information to third parties of any kind.
Q: What other issues does MyWireless.org address?
MyWireless.org addresses a range of issues that affect the affordability and accessibility of wireless services for more than 260 million wireless consumers. MyWireless.org helps consumers protect their wireless freedom by opposing unfair and excessive taxes imposed by every level of government, such as the 3% “Federal Excise Tax” on wireless bills. (See www.MyWireless.org/taxontalk for more information.) MyWireless.org has also fought back state and local wireless taxes in Missouri, Louisiana, Oregon and Texas. In addition, MyWireless.org is fighting to protect consumers from complicated and costly wireless regulations in California, New York and Massachusetts.
