NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D. C.  20554
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).
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
October 28, 2010 Louis Peraertz, (202) 418-1879
louis.peraertz@fcc.gov
STATEMENT BY FCC COMMISSIONER MIGNON L. CLYBURN
ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE ENFORCEMENT BUREAU AND VERIZON 
WIRELESS HAVE ENTERED INTO A CONSENT DECREE   
“This month, the FCC has taken actions that send an important message about how seriously this agency 
takes its public interest obligation to protect consumers. In both the Bill Shock Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, which we adopted on October 14, and today’s Consent Decree with Verizon Wireless, the 
Commission’s initial examination demonstrated that voluntary steps to resolve the issues that wireless 
consumers identified in their complaints were insufficient and warranted further inquiry.
“Trends in the wireless industry indicate that the Commission’s interest in protecting wireless consumers 
should only increase. The Fourteenth Mobile Services Report, which the Commission adopted in May of 
this year, shows that the percentages of Americans who are subscribing to wireless services and opting to 
replace their wireline phone services with wireless phone services are growing. And surveys, including 
one that the FCC prepared in conjunction with development of the National Broadband Plan, further 
suggest that a substantial percentage of Americans are choosing to access the Internet solely from their 
wireless service devices.
“To me, these trends mean that, when consumers voice concerns over their bills and other aspects of their
relationships with service providers, the FCC must take steps to ensure that service providers take action 
that will address those concerns.  Therefore, once again, I applaud the Enforcement Bureau for 
investigating these mystery data fees.  I also commend the Bureau and Verizon Wireless for acting swiftly 
to negotiate meaningful measures to protect consumers.  The monetary contribution that Verizon Wireless 
volunteered to pay to the U.S. Treasury is the largest such contribution a licensee has made as a result of 
an investigation and sends a clear message as to how important this is to us.  The other steps Verizon 
Wireless has agreed to implement through today’s Consent Decree, such as the Data Charge Task Force 
and greater training for its customer service representatives, should result in processes to prevent billing 
errors in the future and other measures to better inform and protect consumers.
“I commend Chairman Genachowski for his leadership in shining a spotlight on the need for enhanced 
protections for wireless consumers from billing errors. I am confident that Verizon Wireless will 
continue to show the type of industry leadership that will result in systemic efforts to better identify and 
address wireless consumer concerns.