Federal Communications Commission	DA 19-575


Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554


In the Matter of

Charter Communications, Inc.

Complaint Regarding 
Unauthorized Change of
Subscriber’s Telecommunications Carrier
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Complaint No.  3159566/3045676
                           

ORDER

Adopted: June 19, 2019		Released: June 19, 2019

By the Deputy Chief, Consumer Policy Division, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau:
1. In this Order, we consider the complaint See Informal Complaint No. 3159566 (filed Mar. 31, 2019).
 alleging that Charter Communications, Inc. (Charter) changed Complainant’s telecommunications service provider without obtaining authorization and verification from Complainant as required by the Commission’s rules. See 47 CFR §§ 64.1100 – 64.1190.
  We conclude that Charter’s actions did not result in an unauthorized change in Complainant’s telecommunications service provider, and we deny Complainant’s complaint.
2. Section 258 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act), prohibits the practice of “slamming,” the submission or execution of an unauthorized change in a subscriber’s selection of a provider of telephone exchange service or telephone toll service. 47 U.S.C. § 258(a).
  The Commission’s implementing rules require, among other things, that a carrier receive individual subscriber consent before a carrier change may occur. See 47 CFR § 64.1120.
  Specifically, a carrier must:  (1) obtain the subscriber's written or electronically signed authorization in a format that satisfies our rules; (2) obtain confirmation from the subscriber via a toll-free number provided exclusively for the purpose of confirming orders electronically; or (3) utilize an appropriately qualified independent third party to verify the order. See id. § 64.1120(c).  Section 64.1130 details the requirements for letter of agency form and content for written or electronically signed authorizations.  Id. § 64.1130.
  The Commission also has adopted rules to limit the liability of subscribers when a carrier change occurs, and to require carriers involved in slamming practices to compensate subscribers whose carriers were changed without authorization. These rules require the carrier to absolve the subscriber where the subscriber has not paid his or her bill.  If the subscriber has not already paid charges to the unauthorized carrier, the subscriber is absolved of liability for charges imposed by the unauthorized carrier for service provided during the first 30 days after the unauthorized change.  See id. §§ 64.1140, 64.1160.  Any charges imposed by the unauthorized carrier on the subscriber for service provided after this 30-day period shall be paid by the subscriber to the authorized carrier at the rates the subscriber was paying to the authorized carrier at the time of the unauthorized change.  Id.  Where the subscriber has paid charges to the unauthorized carrier, the Commission’s rules require that the unauthorized carrier pay 150 percent of those charges to the authorized carrier, and the authorized carrier shall refund or credit to the subscriber 50 percent of all charges paid by the subscriber to the unauthorized carrier.  See id. §§ 64.1140, 64.1170.  
   
3. We received Complainant’s complaint alleging that Complainant’s telecommunications service provider had been changed without Complainant’s authorization.  Pursuant to our rules, we notified Charter and the Complainant’s local exchange carrier (LEC) of the complaint. Id. § 1.719 (Commission procedure for informal complaints filed pursuant to section 258 of the Act); id. § 64.1150 (procedures for resolution of unauthorized changes in preferred carrier).
  Charter confirms that it is a provider of interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services and correctly observes that it is therefore not subject to the Commission’s slamming rules. Section 64.1120 of our rules requires that any “telecommunications carrier” must adhere to authorization and verification procedures prescribed by the Commission when submitting and executing carrier changes.  47 CFR § 64.1120.  We note that the Commission has sought comment on whether to extend slamming regulations to VoIP or other IP-enabled service providers.  See IP-Enabled Services, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 19 FCC Rcd 4863, 4910-11, para. 72 (2004). 
  Thus, based on the evidence in the record, including information from Charter and Complainant’s LEC, we conclude that Charter’s actions did not result in an “unauthorized change” in Complainant’s telecommunications service provider, as defined in the rules. See 47 CFR § 64.1100(e).  If Complainant is unsatisfied with the resolution of its complaint, such Complainant may file a formal complaint with the Commission pursuant to section 1.721 of the Commission’s rules, id. § 1.721.  Such filing will be deemed to relate back to the filing date of such Complainant’s informal complaint so long as the formal complaint is filed within 45 days from the date this order is mailed or delivered electronically to such Complainant.  See id. § 1.719.

4. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that, pursuant to section 258 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. § 258, and sections 0.141, 0.361 and 1.719 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 0.141, 0.361, 1.719, the complaint filed against Charter IS DENIED.
5. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this Order is effective upon release.		
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
					
		
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