Qwest May Face $2 Million in Fines

WASHINGTON —  The Federal Communications Commission proposed $2 million in fines Tuesday against Qwest Communications International Inc., accusing the company of switching long-distance service without subscribers’ consent.

The FCC charged Denver-based Qwest with illegally switching telephone service for 30 consumers without their authorization--a practice known as “slamming.” The proposed fines are based on customer complaints, 22 of them in cases involving apparent forgery or falsified letters of authorization to switch service.

In one case, according to the FCC, a man reported having his long-distance service switched with a “signed” authorization by his dog. For privacy reasons, the phone was listed in the local telephone directory under the dog’s name.

Last year, after Alda Hodgson learned from AT&T;, her long-distance carrier, that she had been switched to another company, she received a letter addressed to her husband from Qwest.

Hodgson called Qwest to inform the company her husband could not have authorized the service to be switched: He had been dead for 7 1/2 years.

“I don’t know how all this happened,” Hodgson said from her home near Riverside. She eventually had the charges removed, and her subscription was returned to AT&T.;

The commission found in the eight other complaints that Qwest apparently had switched subscribers’ long-distance carriers without proper authorization, in some cases failing to verify that consent was given.

Under commission rules, a carrier must have authorization to switch a subscriber’s phone service. This can be given by a signed written form or orally if verified by an independent third party.

Qwest has 30 days to pay the fines or show why it should not have to.

The company said in a statement that it would work with the FCC to evaluate each complaint and would contact each of the customers who are part of the filing.

“If we conclude that there was any wrongdoing, the agents responsible will be terminated,” Qwest said. The company also said it has implemented new technologies to help track and verify orders.

The complaints involve slamming allegations against both Qwest and LCI International Telecom Corp., acquired by Qwest a year ago.