Friday, June 29, 2007

No More Self Help Actions by Bells

The FCC ruled today that the Carriers collectively (cellular and landline) cannot remedy billing disputes via "self help action" such as call blocking.

Because the ubiquity and reliability of the nation’s telecommunications network is of paramount importance to the explicit goals of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, (Act),3 we reiterate here that Commission precedent does not permit unreasonable call blocking by carriers. The Commission’s rules and regulations provide carriers with several mechanisms to address allegations of unreasonable access charges, including tariff investigations and informal and formal complaints.5 We find that carriers that contend that the access charges of a LEC are unreasonable should use these mechanisms to seek relief and may not engage in self help actions such as call blocking.

All I have to say is: It's about time! Sheesh! If you can't make them complete calls, then you have failed in your basic legal basis for existence, Kevin.

Now if you would just fix Inter-Carrier Compensation, this would all be done.

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