New bill would require carriers to reveal data caps, ’4G’ speeds and more

A new bill would require carriers to disclose hidden data caps on ‘unlimited’ accounts and compare ’4G’ speeds directly with competitors, reports Macworld.

The Next Generation Wireless Disclosure Act was introduced in an effort to give consumers more accurate information about just what they’re paying for when they purchase wireless service.

Currently many carriers have wildly disparate definitions of what constitutes ’4G’ speeds, causing enough confusion among customers to make it difficult to determine who exactly has the fastest data service. This isn’t helped by the fact that there are several competing technologies that are being marketed as ’4G’ by the carriers, including HSPA+ (AT&T), LTE (Verizon and AT&T) and WiMax (Sprint).

The new bill would require carriers to disclose the exact technology that they’re using to deliver ’4G’ service. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission would have to develop and offer a chart to consumers that compares the prices and speeds of 4G service at the top  10 US carriers.

“Consumers deserve to know exactly what they’re getting for their money when they sign-up for a 4G data plan,” said Representative Anna Eshoo of California, the bill’s sponsor, “The wireless industry has invested billions to improve service coverage, reliability and data speeds, and consumers’ demand for 4G is expected to explode. But consumers need to know the truth about the speeds they’re actually getting.”

The bill would also require mobile carriers to offer customers information on pricing and to reveal the hidden data caps on ‘unlimited’ data plans.

CITA, a trade group that represents the interests of the larger mobile carriers is opposing the bill and its VP of government affairs, Jot Carpenter, said that the “real issue” is making sure that wireless carriers have enough wireless spectrum to support the expanding data needs of customers.

The all-too-common practice of obscuring exactly what consists of 4G data serves only to confuse customers and the tech blogging community spends much of its time untangling the convoluted landscape of 4G tech. Anything that offers more clarity to the consumer at the time of purchase couldn’t hurt.Macworld

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New bill demands carriers finally explain 4G

Still not sure what 4G really means? A new bill put before Congress today intends to push wireless providers to dish all the dirty details about their data networks.

If passed, the Next Generation Wireless Disclosure Act would effectively force providers to quantify the speeds behind current marketing terms like 4G. Championed by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), the bill also calls for disclosure of network reliability, minimum speeds, and even network conditions that might adversely affect reliability. Under the Act, the FCC would be responsible for offering curious consumers side-by-side comparisons of the top 10 region’s 4G providers.

“Consumers deserve to know exactly what they’re getting for their money when they sign-up for a 4G data plan,” said Eshoo in statement announcing the bill. “We need to enhance transparency and ensure consumers are fully informed before they commit to a long-term service contract.”

For many, the confusion stems from the 4G’s naming scheme and the marketing attached. To wit, T-Mobile advertises that it has the nation’s largest 4G network, but in reality the company’s HSPA+ network is a 3.5G network that happens to perform just as fast as some 4G networks. Effectively, this bill would cut through marketing jargon like this to deliver what most consumers are looking for — actual facts and throughput speeds.

Though the bill will likely fall into the crosshairs of the telecom lobby, there’s still a pretty good chance it’ll gain traction with consumers. As wireless providers continue to signal the death of unlimited data, the industry can only expect more scrutiny from consumers.

Filed under: Business and Technology, mobile, VentureBeat

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New bill could force carriers to tell the truth about 4G

4G is barely in its infancy and it has already been through so much. First it was fake, and then some solid lobbying on carriers’ parts convinced the International Telecommunication Union to sing a new tune that would allow telcos to call LTE, WiMAX and even certain 3G technologies “4G” without blatantly lying. Though 4G’s definition is now anything but clear, carrier marketing soon could be — new legislation currently in hands of the U.S. House of Representatives could potentially require U.S. wireless service providers to define guaranteed minimum data speeds that customers can expect of their networks. Since two tin cans and a piece of string can basically be called a 4G network according to the ITU’s loose guidelines, this bill — dubbed the Next Generation Wireless Disclosure Act — would be a big step toward weaving through marketing tomfoolery and letting customers know just how 4G their 4G network really is. While the benefits to subscribers are fairly obvious, whether or not the proposition might become law depends largely on how much lobbying carriers are prepared to do.

[Via Macworld]

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