Jay Rockefeller: “yesterday, I introduced the Phone Bill Fairness Act. Consumers across this country have to deal on a regular basis with…”

“yesterday, I introduced the Phone Bill Fairness Act. Consumers across this country have to deal on a regular basis with telephone bills, and one thing they do understand is that telephone bills are very complicated and frustrating. But what they may not know is that telephone bills are, to them, more than just an annoyance--they may be costing them quite a lot of money. I want to address that issue very briefly. When the average consumer receives their phone bill, they don't get a sheet of paper; they get dozens of pages, with very small type, filled with confusing acronyms, complicated payment schemes, and sometimes even services they have not signed up for at all but for which they are being asked to pay. I imagine most consumers not only don't understand everything they have received, but after reading a few pages into their bill--if they do that--they give up and just hope, so-to-speak, they are getting what they want. Now, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was based on the idea competition and market forces would lead to lower prices and better service. We have begun to see the benefits of that act in certain respects. New companies and newly competitive incumbents have begun to reduce rates and offer innovative new services. That is to the good. The main beneficiaries of these improvements, however, have been business consumers.…”