FCC Fines Seven Companies $.M for Slamming and Cramming Violations

NEWS

Federal Communications Commission

News Media Information 202 / 418-0500

445 12th Street, SW

Internet: http://www.fcc.gov

Washington, DC 20554

TTY: 1-888-835-5322

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.

See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:

Feb. 10, 2015

Neil Grace, 202-418-0506

E-mail: neil.grace@fcc.gov

FCC FINES SEVEN COMPANIES $1.2 MILLION

FOR SLAMMING AND CRAMMING VIOLATIONS

Settlement resolves complaints against seven companies that admit to engaging in slamming and

cramming of consumers

Washington, D.C. - The Enforcement Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has

settled its investigations of seven companies that have admitted to billing consumers for services without

their authorization. Business Network Long Distance, Inc., Communications Network Billing, Inc.,

Integrated Services, Inc., Multiline Long Distance, Inc., National Access Long Distance, Inc., Nationwide

Long Distance Service, Inc., and Network Service Billing, Inc., slammed consumers by changing their

preferred long distance telephone carriers without authorization, and crammed consumers by assessing

charges on their telephone bills without their consent. As part of the settlement, the companies will pay

civil penalties totaling $1.2 million dollars, and must adopt comprehensive, rigorous compliance plans

going forward to forestall future cramming and slamming violations. Back Office Support Systems, Inc.

(BOSS) manages many functions for each of the companies, and is also bound by the compliance plan, as

are its principal and the principals of each of the seven companies.

The deceptive practices of switching consumers' telephone carriers and placing charges on their

telephone bills without their authorization unfortunately are persistent problems, said Travis LeBlanc,

Chief of the FCC Enforcement Bureau. The FCC has aggressively responded to hold phone companies

accountable when they prey on the public, and these settlements demonstrate that we will continue to do

so.

The Commission's Enforcement Bureau reviewed more than 150 consumer complaints stating that these

seven companies engaged in widespread cramming and slamming of consumers. The settlement requires

the seven companies to pay a combined fine of $1.2 million and implement a comprehensive compliance

plan to forestall any future slamming and cramming violations.

With today's settlements, the Commission has now taken nearly 30 enforcement actions for cramming or

slamming in the past five years. These actions have announced more than $85 million in penalties, and

are slated to return more than $200 million to consumers.

BOSS, is located in St. Clair Shores, Michigan; Business Network Long Distance, Inc. in Denver,

Colorado; Communications Network Billing, Inc., in Reno, Nevada; Integrated Services, Inc., in

Northbrook, Illinois; Multiline Long Distance, Inc., in Cincinnati, Ohio; National Access Long Distance,

Inc., in Henderson, Nevada; Nationwide Long Distance Service, Inc., in Southfield, Michigan; and

Network Service Billing, Inc., in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The FCC has information on its website for consumers on cramming and slamming, available at

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/cramming.html and http://www.fcc.gov/guides/slamming-

switching-your-authorized-telephone-company-without-permission. Consumers who believe they may be

victims of such unauthorized charges should file a complaint with the Commission:

http://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us.

The Orders and Consent Decrees are available at:



Business Network Long Distance, Inc.: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-

91A1.pdf



Communications Network Billing, Inc.: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-

90A1.pdf



Integrated Services, Inc.: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-88A1.pdf



Multiline Long Distance, Inc.: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-87A1.pdf



National Access Long Distance, Inc.: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-

86A1.pdf



Nationwide Long Distance Service, Inc.: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-

85A1.pdf



Network Service Billing, Inc.: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-84A1.pdf

--FCC--

LINK:	http://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-fines-seven-companies-12m-slamming-and...
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