Congress Debates Wireless Bill of Rights

The draft bill, debated Wednesday in a hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, calls for several regulations to protect the rights of consumers when dealing with wireless phone carriers such as Verizon Wireless and AT&T.

The draft legislation was introduced by Representative Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat who is also the chairman of the subcommittee. In it, Markey proposes that wireless carriers be required to describe their terms and charges "in a clear, plain and conspicuous manner."

It also challenges the industry status quo of offering two-year contracts with high early termination fees. Instead, the draft calls for carriers to offer a service plan with no early termination fee and that they offer a prorated penalty for plans that do carry an early-termination fee. For example, for a two-year service contract, the early termination fee would be cut in half after the first year. Markey also calls for wireless carriers to generate clear, accurate service coverage maps.

In addition, the draft legislation empowers states to enforce the national rules.

Steve Largent, president and CEO of CTIA - The Wireless Association, testified during the hearing that wireless carriers favor a single set of federal rules over a diverse collection of state laws but are concerned that the bill's current language gives state officials too much leeway in interpreting them, according to Reuters.

"We still want to work with them in getting it to where it is palatable," Largent said during a break in the hearing, Reuters reported.