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S 1216 108th Congress Senate

Cell Phone Users Bill of Rights

Official title: A bill to improve wireless telephone service, and for other purposes.

Introduced: June 9, 2003 Introduced by: Schumer, Charles E. Democratic · New York See on congress.gov
Science, Technology, Communications Administrative procedureAdministrative remediesCommerceCommon carriers
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Consumer complaintsConsumer educationConsumer protectionFederal Communications CommissionFines (Penalties)Government Operations and PoliticsGovernment paperworkLawTelecommunication industryWireless communication
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This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 9, 2003
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Jun 9, 2003
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action June 9, 2003

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Cell Phone Users Bill of Rights - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to require each wireless telephone service provider (provider) offering service in one of the largest 100 U.S. metropolitan statistical areas to provide consumers with the option to port (retain) telephone numbers between providers by implementing wireless telephone number portability throughout the networks of providers in each of those statistical areas. Mandates subsequent implementation of such requirement with respect to all other metropolitan statistical areas in which three or more providers provide wireless service.

Directs the FCC to require providers to include specified information in their wireless telephone service plans, including charges, minutes allowed, contract length, start-up fees, and taxes and surcharges.

Requires each provider to make available, including on the Internet, a map of their service area.

Directs the FCC to monitor the quality of wireless service through semiannual provider reports.

Empowers the FCC to, and the States to bring civil actions in U.S. district court to, enforce provisions of this Act.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1216: Cell Phone Users Bill of Rights. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1216/
MLA
"S. 1216: Cell Phone Users Bill of Rights." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1216/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1216, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1216/.
Markdown link
[S. 1216: Cell Phone Users Bill of Rights](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1216/)
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