U.S. carriers to send alerts to prevent ‘bill shock’

U.S. carriers to send alerts to prevent ‘bill shock’U. S. mobile phone users will no longer face bigger-than-expected bill as their carriers will alert them when they are exceeding their monthly usage limits and heading toward a big bill.

The U. S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that carriers serving 97 per cent of mobile phone users in the country agreed to send email or text alerts when users are on the brink of exceeding their usage limits.

For instance, Verizon Wireless will send alerts when customers have used up 50 per cent, 75 per cent, 90 per cent and 100 per cent of their monthly usage limits.

Some mobile phone service providers agreed to alert their customers in 2011, but some other carriers didn't participate in the program.

The telecommunications regulator pushed the carriers to agree to send alerts after a huge number of ordinary consumers received bills for thousands of dollars for using high voice, text or data, after crossing their monthly usage limits, particularly while roaming. A recent FCC survey, revealed that 30 million mobile phone users or one out of every six in the country, experienced so-called "bill shock".

The new rules will not change what mobile phone carriers charge from their customers but they will make certain that customer know when they are crossing limits and advancing toward a big bill.