Consumer protections are never outdated

Send a message to state legislators to preserve consumer protections for landline customers.

This week AT&T fired off a pointed  response to our Save Our Service campaign. (CUB and AARP held a seven-city media campaign because we expect big phone companies  to push for changes in the Illinois Telecom Act that would end traditional home phone service for people who need it most.)

Here’s what the phone giant said:

If CUB and AARP get their way, Illinois would remain a rotary dial state in a broadband and wireless world.

Who said anything about wanting a “rotary dial state”?

Hey, Big Telecom, advocating for consumer protections doesn’t mean we don’t like technology. CUB staffers use smartphones and computer-based phone service, and a major reason we launched the SOS Campaign is because we want Big Telecom to do better. Every corner of the state–from Chicago to Cairo–should be blanketed with affordable, reliable broadband and cellphone service.

But right now, anyone who has traveled Illinois can tell you that’s not the case. Until we can honestly say that wireless and Internet-based phone options, like AT&T’s U-Verse, are equal to traditional home phone service in accessiblity, reliability and affordability, we’re going to fight to protect landlines for customers who choose them.

Consumer protections are never outdated and they should never take a back seat to profits. If you agree, send a message to your legislators now.