CUB's 'Fight Back' Clinic at Thompson Center to Battle Bad Economy by Cutting Phone...

CUB's 'Fight Back' Clinic at Thompson Center to Battle Bad Economy by Cutting
Phone Bills

CHICAGO, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A team of experts from the
Citizens Utility Board (CUB), armed with state-of-the art online tools, will
show people how to battle the bad economy by cutting their calling costs by
potentially hundreds of dollars a year at a free event in downtown Chicago.

The consumer group's first-ever Loop "phone-bill clinic" will feature
information on local-calling plans CUB designed to save most customers money
as well as news about a $20 credit CUB negotiated for consumers who sign up
for one of the best long-distance plans in the nation. Participants will also
learn about the CUB Cellphone Saver, a new online service that can make deep
cuts in wireless bills. CUB's "Fight Back" phone-bill clinic is:

11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 30
James R. Thompson Center, Atrium
100 W. Randolph St.
Chicago

"As consumers read dark headlines about the economy, utility rate hikes, and
soaring energy prices, what better way to fight back than attend a CUB clinic
that could cut your yearly costs by hundreds of dollars," CUB Executive
Director David Kolata said. "Cutting your phone bill could be the first step
to battling a bad economy."

People should bring their phone bills so CUB experts can analyze them and give
helpful money-saving information about:

*The CUB Cellphone Saver, a web tool that automatically analyzes wireless
bills to identify cheaper calling plans, spot billing errors, and detect
unnecessary charges. This tool has been showing customers how to cut their
bills by about $300 a year.

*Line-Backer, a costly (about $84 a year) and optional AT&T service that most
people don't need.

*The new CUB-designed Consumer's Choice local-calling plans that AT&T is
forced to offer under a legal settlement. By connecting people with the right
Consumer's Choice plan, CUB has been showing customers how to save about $200
a year on local and long-distance service.

*How to get an automatic $20 credit CUB negotiated with one of the most
affordable long-distance providers in the country. That's nearly 11 hours of
long-distance calling.

All told, CUB has been showing consumers how to save an average of more than
$500 a year.

"Where else can you get a free service like this?" Kolata said. "It's time
consumers get some good news for a change."

CUB is Illinois' leading nonprofit utility watchdog organization. It was
created by the Illinois legislature in 1983 to represent the interests of
residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, the watchdog has
saved consumers more than $10 billion by helping to block rate hikes and
secure refunds. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has called CUB the "gold standard"
of consumer groups nationwide. For more information, call CUB's Consumer
Hotline, at 1-800-669-5556, or visit www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

SOURCE Citizens Utility Board

Patrick Deignan of Citizens Utility Board, +1-312-263-4282, Cell:
847-636-0677