Texas Firm Faces Fine for Alleged ‘Slamming’

Federal regulators proposed their second-largest “slamming� fine ever--$1.12 million--against a Texas company accused of switching people to its long-distance service without permission. The Federal Communications Commission alleges that Brittan Communications International Corp. of Houston violated the agency’s anti-slamming rules, using forged forms to authorize changes in individuals’ long-distance carriers. In some cases, sweepstakes entry forms were used to authorize the switch, but the affected customers denied having filled them out. In other cases, forms were signed by people unrelated and unknown to the affected customers. The company has 30 days to either pay the proposed fine or make a case to the FCC as to why the fine should be reduced or not imposed. The FCC said customers allegedly slammed by Brittan live in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wyoming. During the last four years, the FCC has issued a total of $8.5 million in fines and settlements involving slamming.