CUB Connects 2016 and Beyond: Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Posted on January 26, 2016 by Samuel Pastrick
Tags, Telecommunications
For the CUB Connects project, 2015 was an important year in that we took aim at stabilizing and, in many cases, strengthening the channels already in use to educate Oregon consumers about important developments in an increasingly telecommunications-reliant world.
In 2016, our goal is a bit different. We hope to refine the advocacy and education aspects of CUB Connects by, among other things, committing additional staff time. In fact, beginning this month, Samuel Pastrick, who’d previously worked with CUB’s Development and Communications team, will now split his time to also address consumer issues as they relate to both state-level and nationwide telecom policy and regulation.
More specifically, he will continue CUB’s consumer workshop series, which was revamped in 2015 to provide phone and internet customers with additional tools and resources to educate themselves and their families about current risks and opportunities – ultimately helping these folks choose the service, or combination of services, that meet their specific needs.
The plan for now is to continue to hold workshops at City of Portland events like Fix-it Fairs (Saturday, February 20 from 10am-10:45am) and in close partnership with community organizations like Free Geek (workshops are scheduled Saturday, January 30 from 11:00am-12:00pm and once monthly thereafter.) We expect that in 2016, more opportunities will unfold in this area.
As we look to the future, CUB’s consumer advocacy and community education work, especially as it concerns Oregon telecom services, is more important (we at CUB would argue) than at any point in recent history.
It’s no surprise that technological advances muddle consumer expectations, about not only service availability, but also the definition of the services themselves. And that’s why, going forward, the big question for policy makers and regulators, both nationally and at the state level, is how to keep pace with a changing landscape while not hanging consumers out to dry.
CUB’s commitment, above all else, is to maintain careful watch on these important issues by staying informed about the concerns facing Oregonians. While the future of telecom remains somewhat uncertain, our commitment to represent you and all Oregon customers is strong. Stay tuned to our blog for regular updates.
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09/05/22 | 0 Comments | CUB Connects 2016 and Beyond: Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes