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NBC's Consumer Bob Hansen interviews Art Neill on ways you can save money on your mobile phone bills. More.
As a part of SDG&E's attempt to make the Sunrise PowerLink appear to be a fait accomplis, the utility is frightening landowners with eminent domain if they are in the Sunrise PowerLink's path. If you read the article in Sunday's Union-Tribune, it seems as though getting approval of the controversial power line is a mere formality. Not true. Get the facts and your Eminent Domain Survival Guide HERE.
In 2011, smart meters will be fully deployed to SDG&E's million+ customers. The rest of the country is following suit with mass deployments of smart meters and creations of Smart Grids, microgrids, and other forms of "intelligent" two-way electric distribution systems. What does all of this mean for consumers? And how will consumers fare in this new energy service world? The California PUC put those questions to stakeholders in its effort to fashion utility Smart Grid deployment plans. Here's UCAN's take.
This man's hopes for a good deal from Mossy's used car department sank when he learned that his car had been completely submerged under water, making the vehicle unuseable. FULL STORY.
Watch this video of a six-president debate on the proposed Consumer Finance Protection Agency might go. More.
Gas prices have made a major move - rising 8.5¢ in seven days. Full story.
Say what? SDG&E hasn't even built the Sunrise Powerlink and it's already selling it off? Well, not quite. But insider players are trying to capitalize on this enormous capital project. This is required reading for those who want to learn the ugly skinny on the financial machinations within the Sunrise debacle.
Rising water costs! Panic! Chaos! Anarchy! Recently, we've received many calls from loyal members and viewers rightfully angry about their high water bills. While we are ramping up to scrutinize City Water & Sewer department rates and operations, we want to give you an explanation of a portion of your bill--specifically, the baseline fees.
Starting February 24, 2010, a number of changes in credit card issuer practices took effect. Some of them are fairly well known by now. Some aren't. An exploration of the provisions of the Credit CARD Act that no one is talking about could have a bigger impact on consumers than the more popular parts.
Late last year, SDG&E filed a request with regulators to increase rates by $29 million for the increased liability premium expense incurred during 2009 due to the 2007 wildfires. UCAN was dubious -- sure, rates went up but $29 million (more than double) more?
John Mattes is an embedded reporter for the New Media Rights Community Journalism Project investigating UCAN issues.
Fill out this form to request a FREE copy of UCAN's 2009 updated Mobile Phone Plan Checker
Need help resolving a dispute with a company? Get individualized help with your dispute from the Fraud Squad by using our Online Complaint Forms. Once you've filled out a complaint, call the Fraud Squad Hotline at (619) 696-6966!
Cell phone providers will let you get out of your contract for around $175 per phone line with no questions asked.
If that just isn't good enough for you, and it shouldn't be, then take a look at this guide to learn about asserting your rights!
Shopping for wireless with the World's Greatest Consumer
They don't call me the "World's Greatest Consumer" for nothing. Well, perhaps they do. But that's an entirely different story and only tangentially related to my decision to take a personal plunge into buying a new wireless phone and service. Join me on my virtual safari.
-Michael, WGC
In 2011, smart meters will be fully deployed to SDG&E's million+ customers. The rest of the country is following suit with mass deployments of smart meters and creations of Smart Grids, microgrids, and other forms of "intelligent" two-way electric distribution systems. What does all of this mean for consumers? And how will consumers fare in this new energy service world? The California PUC put those questions to stakeholders in its effort to fashion utility Smart Grid deployment plans. Here's UCAN's take.
Say what? SDG&E hasn't even built the Sunrise Powerlink and it's already selling it off? Well, not quite. But insider players are trying to capitalize on this enormous capital project. This is required reading for those who want to learn the ugly skinny on the financial machinations within the Sunrise debacle.
Late last year, SDG&E filed a request with regulators to increase rates by $29 million for the increased liability premium expense incurred during 2009 due to the 2007 wildfires. UCAN was dubious -- sure, rates went up but $29 million (more than double) more?
If you just received a notice from SDG&E outlining options for a True-Up period selection you might be scratching your head. We've done the scratching for you and have two suggestions for how you should so select. And if you are considering installing solar panels at your home, you may want to read this. It pertains to you too. (not U2....they don't live in San Diego)
Congress is considering the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. UCAN urges its adoption as not only in the best interest of the consumer, but also the financial industry.
Toyota is ordering mandatory inspections of all Toyota and Lexus vehicles after an improperly installed floor mat was linked to a crash that killed four people last month near Santee, California. One of the victims was a California Highway Patrolman, who was driving the vehicle. READ MORE UPDATE: Toyota recalls 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles, according to Channel 10 News.
Michael's aquaponics adventure led him to the water saving potential for hydroponics, e.g. growing plants using water and nutrients, but no soil. So now he has an hydroponics system, to compare to his aquaponics and conventional soil gardens. 
Miracles don't happen often enough in our world. But when Michael starts growing his own fish and food in his garage, then you know that there's some divine intervention because Michael doesn't fish and he's got a brown thumb that makes all leafy things tremble. So how did Advocate Michael become Farmer Michael? One word: AQUAPONICS.
Many Southern California homeowners are weighing the cost of installing solar, but energy experts agree they should first take advantage of lower-cost energy-saving measures that can be taken now -- especially in older homes.
Visit our page dedicated to the Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Project. You will find news, data, legal hearings and testimony, open-letters from UCAN's executive director, and just about everything else you might want to know regarding this important proposal. Or, listen to Michael Shames explain UCAN's opposition to Sunrise in this UCAN.org podcast.
AT&T's practice of enabling international roaming without customer notification violates the CA Public Utilities Code, which is intended to protect consumers from "cramming" of unauthorized charges. AT&T customers are also being charged for calls that were never placed. UCAN asserts that these customers never sought nor authorized international roaming as a service provided in connection with their cellular phone service.
California Lifeline, formerly known as Universal Lifeline Telephone Service (ULTS), provides discounted basic residential (landline) telephone service to low-income households.
UCAN has filed a federal class action complaint against Sprint Nextel (aka Sprint Solutions) for illegally billing customers taxes, fees, and text message charges on data services plans. You can read the complaint here.
December 8th, 2006 was not a good day for San Diego. On that day, San Diego Gas & Electric asked state regulators for permission to raise base rates for electricity and natural gas customers by some $250 million annually for the years 2008 through 2013. You don't need a calculator to realize that adds up to a chilly $1.5 BILLION over those six years. Listen to Michael Shames explain UCAN's position on SDG&E's rate request.
UCAN established that Cingular Wireless engaged in illegal marketing and customer service practices from 2000-2002 and filed a suit in July 2002. The case dragged on for years, but in was worth the wait. In 2006, a CA Court of Appeals judge ruled against Cingular and upheld a CPUC decision to hit Cingular with a large fine for its unconscionable actions. Get all the details inside our issue center.
UCAN's complaint, filed with the California Public Utilities Commission, details how MCI added surcharges to the bills of local phone customers in violation of California law. MCI's new long-distance "Basic Monthly Fee" is being imposed on those customers who use MCI's local phone service...but don't use MCI long-distance.
In a filing with the Public Utilities Commission, SDG&E has asked for approval to deploy "real-time" advanced meters to all of SDG&E's small business and residential customers. Find out why the SDG&E AMI proposal needed to be substantially revised.
Of all the new features and capabilities of today's cell phones, UCAN receives the most complaints about ringtones and text messages. Our issue center contains all sorts of valuable information from consumer guides and updates to lawsuits and settlements against major cell phone providers. Come inside and see for yourself!
After over two years of litigation, the City and UCAN's Executive Director Michael Shames have agreed to a settlement that would return about $40 million to overcharged residential customers and, perhaps more importantly, allow for the creation of independent oversight of City water and sewer operations. Check out this Issue Center for everything you need to know about the refund!
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How to protect your own blog or website from liability for user generated content
Is Youtube putting advertisements on user videos without permission?
Essential free and open software toolkit for consumers
How to find free music, images, and video you can use or remix in your own creative works
How to Listen to Music on the Internet for Free...Legally
How to make a Podcast... for free
Visit NewMediaRights.org
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Learn how other people have made money by taking telemarketers to small claims court. Download PDF
Post your auto fraud question and get an answer from Hal Rosner, one of California's leading auto fraud attorneys.
What are you packin? Is it anything like UCAN's new and improved Consumer Complaint Directory? If not, you should really pick up a copy. This thing is chock-full of hard-hitting consumer punch.
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