(ARA) – Some 30 million Americans have experienced cellular bill shock, a surprise that comes along with receiving unexpected – and expensive – charges when it comes time to pay their monthly wireless bill.

Consumers are increasingly relying on wireless voice and data devices to keep in touch with family and friends and, of course, to conduct business. For this reason, the Federal Communications Commission has launched an industry-wide investigation into wireless billing practices that may require carriers to notify users of overcharges and sudden increases in their cellphone bills.

The investigation comes on the heels of an FCC survey that indicated one in six mobile device users had experienced unexpected increases in their bills that weren’t caused by a change in service plans. The FCC also reports that of the 764 bill-shock complaints filed in the first six months of 2010, 67 percent involved amounts that were $100 or more than the user’s normal monthly cellphone bill.

Certain providers like Consumer Cellular are also doing their part to help customers avoid expensive charges by offering free mobile alerts when customers reach a certain threshold of usage. Consumer Cellular users can choose the usage level at which they would like to be issued an alert and whether they’d like to receive the message by email, text message or both.

In addition to finding a provider that notifies its customers as they approach their monthly voice or data allotment, following are additional steps consumers can take to avoid bill shock:

Shop smart. Choose a wireless service that allows you to change plans (both upgrading and downgrading) in the middle of a bill cycle. This can help you avoid expensive charges if you absolutely need to go over your minute or data allotment.

Use minutes wisely. Listen to voicemails once and then delete, since you’re using minutes each time you access your voicemail from your cellphone. Retrieving your message from a landline can also be a beneficial way to save on minutes.

Consider free alternatives to 411. 411 can cost up to $2 per use. Save 411 alternatives, such as 1-800-FREE-411 and 1-800-BING-411, in your phone so you can easily access them when you need information.

Monitor your cellphone use. If you’re unsure about where you stand on your minutes, check your account online. Many companies also have a number you can text for updated usage numbers or a toll free number you can call for updates. Be aware of times that your voice and date usage may spike such as holidays, birthdays, unexpected illnesses, and other special times of the year.

The FCC also identified the following common scenarios where consumers incur unexpected extra charges:

* Making international or roaming calls without realizing that you will be charged significantly more for minutes used during those calls.

* Incurring charges for data plans when you are unaware that you have such a plan.

* Being charged taxes and fees that were not made clear when you signed up for your plan.

Taking the proper precautions to monitor your cellphone use and enrolling with a provider that will help you stay within your limits can end up saving hundreds of dollars in overage fees. Take a minute to review your plan and figure out the best ways to monitor your usage. For more information on how to avoid overage fees, visit www.consumercellular.com.