CTIA: FCC's bill shock survey is bogus

Wireless association CTIA questioned the credibility this week of a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) survey that found one in five American consumers have been subject to sudden and unexpected rises in their monthly cell phone bills.

"The bill shock" survey was released in May with a request for comment on whether regulations are needed to make companies clarify cell phone bills.

Among its gripes with the survey, CTIA said this week only 30 percent of the respondents said they were over 18.

"Despite the survey instructions directing the termination of the interview and recording as ineligible if the respondent was under 18, it appears the survey went on to ask questions and record answers about wireless bills. How many people under the age of 18 actually have ever seen a wireless bill?" writes CTIA’s Chris Guttman-McCabe.

He adds that the survey itself did not use the term "bill shock." His full blog post is here.