A recent study finds 91-percent of Americans now own cellular phones and legislation before Congress this week aims to help shield those people from being stuck with their wireless provider. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s cosponsoring the bill which is expected to go before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday morning.
“It makes sure that consumers are treated fairly from these long-term contracts that you have with telephone companies, to make sure that there’s something there that protects the consumers,” according to Grassley. Under the bill, consumers would be able to use or “unlock” their existing cell phones when they move their service to a new wireless provider.
Grassley, a Republican, says there’s another key element to the legislation which cell phone users will welcome. “It would allow people to switch cell phone companies after their contract is up,” Grassley says, “which is something that a lot of consumers have run into now being a major problem and a costly problem to the consumers.” The measure is called the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act.