Phone Company Ordered to Pay $2.4 Million

Federal regulators ordered a Long Beach company to pay $2.4 million for illegally switching consumers’ long-distance service and deceptive telemarketing practices. The Federal Communications Commission said it received thousands of complaints from consumers about the company--Business Discount Plan Inc.--in a 10-month period. Consumers in 14 Midwestern and Eastern states said the company misrepresented itself and said it was affiliated with their existing local or long-distance carrier. Other complaints alleged that BDP told consumers its service consisted of a discount plan combining local and long-distance charges onto one bill. The company did not deny substituting itself as the preferred carrier for 30 consumers, but it said that it should not be liable under commission rules. Officials from the company, formerly known as Trans National Telephone Inc.--did not immediately return calls seeking comment.