Tucked into your landline phone bill is probably a very official looking fee called the “Federal Subscriber Line Charge,” but did you know it doesn’t go to the federal government?
fcc
File A Complaint With The FCC
By 6.22.07
If you have a complaint about anything that happens over a wire or is otherwise communicated, you can file one with the FCC. Telephone, cable, debt collectors, and more all fall under their jurisdiction.
AT&T's Secret $10 DSL
By 6.18.07
As part of a concession made to the FCC in order to get its mitts on BellSouth, AT&T is required to offer basic DSL for $10 a month to its entire 22 state coverage area for a period of 2 years.
FCC To Retailers: "Warn Consumers About Analog TVs"
By 6.8.07
CONSUMER ALERT: This television receiver has only an analog broadcast tuner and will require a converter box after February 17, 2009, to receive over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna because of the Nation’s transition to digital broadcasting. Analog-only TVs should continue to work as before with cable and satellite TV services, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players, and similar products. For more information, call the Federal CommunicationsCommission at 1-888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322) or visit the Commission’s digital television website at: http://www.dtv.gov.
The FCC supposedly has undercover agents surfing the web and shopping in-store, on the prowl for analog TVs that are not clearly marked as such. Fear the FCC. The warnings come after retailers promised that federal regulations were not necessary, then showed that they were by ignoring the voluntary program. —MEGHANN MARCO
FTC To Investigate Deceptive Youth-Oriented Advertising Practices, Like KFC's "21st Century Dinner Bell," Audible Only To Kids
By 5.22.07
A report damning the coercive and deceptive practices used by food marketers to reach kids has been submitted to the FTC. The Commission plans to investigate how the food industry markets to children and adolescents; information requests, Commission-speak for subpoenas, have been sent to 44 companies that manufacture, market, and distribute foods and beverages.
FCC Chairman Orders Telecoms To Restore Access To Free Iowa-Based Conference Call Providers
By 5.5.07
The Chairman of the FCC, Kevin Martin, has issued a stern rebuke to the telecoms that blocked their subscribers from accessing free Iowa-based conference call providers. Quoth the Chairman:
We actually contacted the companies that were listed in the press [reports] and said our rules prohibit you from blocking consumers’ access to any of the service providers… One had stopped blocking, but we heard complaints the next week that they were restricting access, sort of narrowing the pipe. We called them back and said, no, no, you can’t artificially degrade [service] either.
We think you should celebrate this reversal with your friends on a free Iowa-based conference call. If the service is blocked, or in any way degraded, don’t hesitate to fill out the FTC’s consumer complaint form. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
FCC Requires "Consumer Alert" Labels For TVs Affected By The Switch To Digital Television
By 5.5.07
The FCC will require retailers to warn consumers that certain television models will not work without additional equipment after the conversion to digital television in early 2009. The FCC nicely asked retailers to help educate the public, but concluded that voluntary efforts are “not working.”
Feeling Cingular
By 4.30.07
Justin Callaway’s Cingular cellphone sent radio interference that destroyed one of his prized speakers, so he made an awesome music video about it.
FCC Chairman Supports a la Carte Cable, Needs Congressional Support
By 4.19.07
The FCC official said Martin testified that an a la carte law was justified because nominal cable rates kept rising and because consumers who tend to watch 15-17 channels still need to buy dozens of channels they don’t want in order to see their favorites.
FCC Upholds In-Flight Cellphone Ban
By 4.4.07
Cellphones will stay banned from use during air travel, the FCC confirmed in an order released late Tuesday.
Start Thinking Of A Password: FCC Approves New Rules To Stop Pretexting
By 4.3.07
In addition to the password protection, the rules also require carriers to ask for customers’ permission when sharing private account information with business partners and independent contractors.
Cingular, Sprint, And Qwest Block Access To Free Conference Call Services
By 3.26.07
Cingular blocked access to free conference call providers; Sprint and Qwest found Cingular’s chutzpah inspiring, and followed suit. At issue is a charge Iowa-based companies pass along to national carriers.
The 712 area code used by these services allow the local carriers to charge a number of subsidies to those carrying the incoming calls due to the location of the tiny, rural exchange. These fees are split between the local exchange and the “free” conference call company, which allows them to make a pretty penny. The fees for these calls made into 712 are higher than those charged by other exchanges, and AT&T/Cingular has in fact filed a lawsuit against these Iowa-based telcos for what Cingular claims are violation of a number of laws and FCC decisions.
Reader Mike asked Cingular to explain their action. Their response, inside…
FCC Won't Legalize Cellphones In-Flight After All
By 3.22.07
Wave goodbye to your nightmares of hearing people jabbering on cellphones in flight!
Proposed FCC Rule Would Limit Comcast's Growth
By 3.15.07
FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin circulated the proposed ownership cap to other commissioners Monday, said Rudy Brioche, a legal advisor to Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein.
Comcast To Suck Less
By 1.19.07
Last week the FCC reiterated that Comcast needs to “unlock” it’s DVRs and set-top boxes. And, to make life even better, “The foot-dragging, tech-testing wing of the cable industry, Cable Labs, has finally standardized a two-way interactive CableCARD.” A CableCARD is a device that will allow a CableCARD ready TV to operate digital cable without a set-top box.
Some Acura Owners Stuck With Useless OnStar Units
By 12.28.06
Reader Charlie writes in with a complaint about Acura and OnStar. Charlie has a 2003 Acura TL that came equipped with OnStar. Usually he renews for 2 years at a time, but this time something was wrong. OnStar wouldn’t let him renew because his Acura had an analog OnStar system, and due to a FCC ruling, the wireless carriers that provide service to OnStar will no longer be required to maintain analog networks.
FCC Keeps Cellular Outage Reports Secret
By 12.19.06
Wouldn’t it be nice to definitively know which cellphone network had the fewest outages?
FCC Ordered “Monopolies Are Bad For Local TV” Study Destroyed
By 9.15.06
A study showing how having fewer owners of media outlets hurts local TV news was ordered destroyed by the FCC. It has since come to light and a California senator demands answers.
