FCC Plans $7.62 Million Fine Against Optic Internet Protocol for Illegally Billing and Switching Customers' Phone Companies

The Federal Communications Commission plans to fine Optic Internet Protocol, a Roswell (GA) telephone company, $7.62 million for allegedly switching consumers’ long distance telephone services without their authorization (“slamming”), billing customers for unauthorized charges (“cramming”), and submitting falsified evidence to government regulatory officials as “proof” of consumers’ authorizations.

“Cheating and lying to consumers are unacceptable, predatory business practices,” said Travis LeBlanc, Acting Chief of the Enforcement Bureau. “We will vigorously police companies that deceive consumers by billing them for services they did not authorize or desire.”

Optic allegedly switched complainants’ preferred long distance carriers and also billed the consumers for long distance service by placing charges for its set-up fee and recurring monthly fee on their local telephone bills.

The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau reviewed more than 150 complaints against Optic that consumers filed with the Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, state regulatory agencies, and the Better Business Bureau.

Consumers who noticed the unauthorized charges had to expend significant time and effort to attempt to return to their preferred carriers, to get the charges removed from their bills, and file complaints with law enforcement agencies. Therefore, Commission charged Optic with willfully and repeatedly placing unauthorized charges on consumers’ local telephone bills, switching consumers’ preferred long distance carrier without verified authorization, and submitting fabricated audio “verification” recordings, all in apparent violation of the Communications Act.