STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER MIGNON L. CLYBURN
Re:  In the Matter of Empowering Consumers to Prevent and Detect Billing for Unauthorized 
Charges (“Cramming”) Consumer Information and Disclosure; Truth-in-Billing and Billing 
Format, CG Docket No. 11-116
This Notice proposes rules that will give consumers better tools to detect and prevent 
unauthorized charges or “mystery fees,” which may appear on their telephone bills.  Evidence to 
date indicates that this action is necessary, because the Commission continues to receive between 
two and three thousand complaints a year from consumers about unwanted and unrequested 
charges from their telephone companies.  It is our responsibility at the FCC to protect telephone 
consumers when the marketplace is not functioning appropriately.  Consumers should be 
informed of the choices they can make with respect to blocking third-party charges on their phone 
bills, and they need clear and conspicuous notice of third-party charges, and where they can call 
to request further information about those charges.  As such, I support our inquiry into the 
appropriate rules that will better inform and notify consumers, and am particularly interested in 
whether these rules should apply across the board to both wireline and wireless companies.  
While the complaints about unauthorized charges on cell phone bills are not as prevalent as on 
wireline bills, I am interested in hearing about whether cell phone consumers should receive the 
same protections as wireline customers.  In particular, do consumers expect that the 
Commission’s rules will help inform and protect them no matter the technology they use to 
complete their calls?  And does the evidence warrant the implementation of rules for wireless at 
this time? I look forward to hearing from consumers and industry about these issues.
I wish to thank the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, along with the 
Enforcement Bureau for their work on this item.