(Seattle) Legislation proposed today by Pacific Northwest activist Ashley White seeks to restructure telecommunication pricing to conform to realistic usage standards.
The bill would also provide customers a refund for overcharges accrued in the past year.
"It costs me 30 cents to send a simple smiley face text message," explained Ms. White. "But I can talk to them for three minutes for the same price?
"Something needs to be done to end this disparity," she stressed. "People dialing wrong numbers keep costing me $1.10 when I answer or check my voice mail," she lamented.
"And don't even get me started that the largest button on my cell phone keeps automatically taking me to the Internet for 40 cents a pop," she said becoming agitated.
Referred to as the Byte Me Bill, initial support has been astounding.
"In just the first four hours we gathered nearly fifty thousand signatures," said Ms. White. "And my phone is ringing off the hook from canvassers asking for more petitions," she noted.
Phone carriers could not be reached for comment.
