Utilities Watchdog says Illinois residents overspending on phone

Illinois residents are over-paying their phone bills by almost $575 a year, according to a report released Tuesday by the Citizens Utility Board. The utility watchdog analyzed more than 32,000 local, long-distance and cell phone bills of Illinois consumers and found that the majority are paying for minutes and services they don't need. The CUB report determined that the average Illinois customer could save $187.15 a year by switching to cheaper local calling plans like "Consumer Choice" and by dropping services like "line-backer," which covers wire repairs that typically are needed only every 20 to 30 years. Long-distance callers could save about $60 annually by changing to lower-cost providers that charge less than 3 cents a minute for long-distance calls, the CUB study determined. AT&T and other national carriers typically charge 5 cents to 10 cents a minute for the same calls, Mr. Kolata said. Cell phone users waste an average of $308.28 a year on unused minutes and unnecessary plan upgrades like roadside assistance, according to the CUB report. Mr. Kolata said typical cell phone users pay for 420 unused peak minutes every year. The collective savings on phone services, he said, could add up to a $1.5-billion boost to the Illinois economy if all residents trimmed their bills based on CUB's recommendations.