CONSUMER ADVISORY - January 1995 CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION 505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 5301 San Francisco, CA 94102-3298 CONTACT: Dianne Dienstein, 415-703-2423 CPUC ALERTS CONSUMERS ON "SLAMMING" The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) advises that phone customers are being "slammed" up and down the state by long distance phone companies competing in a heated marketplace. You've been "slammed" if a long distance phone company, without permission, switches your service from the company you've been using. Most consumers are unaware of the slam until they scan their monthly long distance bills. More than 180 long distance phone companies provide service in California. The CPUC has received many customer complaints about slamming. In January 1995 alone, the CPUC received complaints involving: SONIC (115), ICT (19), MCI (15), AT&T (9), CTS (7), Sprint (6), and LD Services (3). Many companies contacting consumers offer checks, gifts or other incentives to gain their long distance service. Slamming is illegal under California and Federal law. The Federal Communications Commission, which regulates long distance interstate phone companies, is considering stronger rules and fines to prevent slamming. It may also require long distance companies to use a standard form to sign up new customers instead of checks, or other marketing tools. The California Public Utilities Commission regulates phone companies that provide long distance service within California. Under California law, a customer cannot be switched to another long distance company without the customer's permission. HERE IS INFORMATION TO HELP YOU AVOID BEING SLAMMED: 1. According to California Public Utilities Code Section 2889.5, a long distance company may not assume your service without permission, and it must send written verification to residential customers advising that it will be your long distance company. 2. Read your monthly phone bill carefully to make sure your long distance carrier is the company billing you. You can verify your long distance company any time by calling (toll free) 1-700-555-4141. 3. If a long distance company mails you a check, an offer of a gift, a contest entry form, or an opinion survey, read the front, back, and fine print carefully. In most cases if you cash the check, accept the gift, or respond in writing, you authorize the company to become your long distance phone company. 4. If a long distance company asks you to switch to its service and you don't want to, say "NO." Ask for the caller's name and state that you will report the caller to the California Public Utilities Commission and the Federal Communications Commission if you find out later you were switched without your permission. If you say "YES," you want information about a company, you may be slammed if the company sends you a form to mail back that requires you to say NO, you do not want to be transferred to the company. Carefully read all materials. Don't give a caller your phone number or personal information like your birthdate, social security number, or how much you spend on long distance calls each month. This information could enable a company to switch you without your approval. Tell everyone who uses your phone about slamming and advise them not to give out this information. 5. Ask your local phone company for a PIC Freeze. PIC stands for Primary Interexchange Carrier (a long distance phone company) and with a PIC freeze, only you can change your long distance company. The change cannot be made unless you write to your local phone company requesting it. The local phone company may charge you for the PIC freeze, and it also may charge each time you change your long distance company. 6. Some long distance companies try to get customers who speak languages other than English to switch companies using advertising written in those languages, but with information about switching long distance companies in English. IF YOU ARE SLAMMED, IMMEDIATELY CONTACT: O your local phone company. Ask to be returned to your original long distance company and not charged for this change. O your original long distance company and state that you were slammed by another company and want to be returned to heir service. O the long distance company listed on the phone bill. State that you did not give permission to be switched and have asked your local phone company to return you to your original company. Ask the slamming company to recalculate the charges for your calls according to your original company's rates. 2. Send a written complaint to: Consumer Affairs Consumer Affairs CPUC CPUC 505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2003 107 S.Broadway, Room 5109 San Francisco, CA 94102 Los Angeles, CA 90012 1-800-649-7570 1-800-649-7570 TDD 415-703-2032 TDD 213-897-0426 AND Common Carrier Bureau Federal Communications Commission 1919 M Street, NW Washington D.C., 20554 1-202-632-7553 ###