The group representing state utility consumer advocates urged Con...
The group representing state utility consumer advocates urged Congress to kill or curb FCC ability to exempt telecom carriers from Telecom Act requirements meant to level the competitive playing field and protect consumers. The group, the National Association of…
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State Utility Consumer Advocates also called at its recent annual meeting in California for changes in carrier-transfer verification to protect consumers from deceptions and for the FCC to ensure that consumers see benefits from any changes in charging universal-service fees. NASUCA said members of Congress have contested FCC’s use of its authority to forbear from enforcing Telecom Act rules on carriers and how it handles petitions for forbearance. NASUCA also urged changing verification of carrier change orders to protect consumers from being slammed through deceptive sales pitches. It suggested requiring recording of the entire sales solicitation made before the third-party verification, or authorizing the FCC to punish carriers misrepresenting facts to get consumers to change carriers. NASUCA said that before the FCC changes how consumers pay into the federal universal-service fund, it should investigate how consumers will benefit or at least not suffer harm. The group said proposals such as basing consumer contributions on a flat fee per number could mean much larger universal-service fees for consumers who make few long- distance calls.