Loose lips at the Federal Communications Commission are predicting that the agency will find Verizon guilty of violating consumer privacy as early as June 20 for actions affecting customers’ ability to change providers. The decision would reverse an earlier staff recommendation that Verizon did not violate any FCC rules.
To anyone who has ever tried to transfer his or her number to a new carrier, this finding is hardly surprising.
According to news reports, the FCC now believes Verizon used customers’ private records to improperly attempt to retain customers who asked to transfer their telephone numbers to other carriers. The anticipated vote is in response to a complaint filed by cable companies Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House Networks, which all offer their own voice services.
Tireless Tom Tauke, Verizon’s executive vice president of public affairs, policy and communications, said in an e-mail to AP, “The FCC Commissioners consistently call for competition and customer choice. It’s hard to believe a majority of the FCC believes consumers have real choice if people only get information from the cable company.”
Get over it, Tom.
