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   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:

   May 12, 2010 David Fiske: (202) 418-0513

   Email: david.fiske@fcc.gov

                 FCC PROPOSES $1.48 MILLION FORFEITURE AGAINST

                  SILV COMMUNICATION FOR "SLAMMING" VIOLATIONS

   Today, in response to an Enforcement Bureau investigation, the FCC
   proposed a forfeiture of $1.48 million against Silv Communication for
   "slamming" violations -- changing consumers' telecom carriers without
   proper authorization.

   The Enforcement Bureau launched an investigation of the company based on
   information received from a whistleblower. In today's order, the
   Commission finds that Silv committed 25 slamming violations, and concludes
   that the volume of complaints against Silv reflects a systemic problem
   meriting a substantial penalty.

   The Commission found that many of the violations were particularly
   egregious because they involved intentional and misleading marketing
   practices. In particular, the Enforcement Bureau's investigation
   determined that Silv failed to take timely action when it learned that its
   telemarketer was misrepresenting its identity to consumers - in a dozen
   cases stating that it was calling on behalf of their current carrier to
   offer lower rates or simply to verify account information. In those
   instances involving deceptive practices, the Commission doubled the usual
   forfeiture for slamming from $40,000 to $80,000.

   A detailed fact sheet on slamming, which includes information on how to
   file a complaint, is available on the Commission's website at
   http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/slamming.html.

   The full text of the Notice of Apparently Liability for Forfeiture is
   available 
   
   HERE
   on the FCC's website, www.fcc.gov.

                                    --FCC--

   NEWS

   Federal Communications Commission

   445 12th Street, S.W.

   Washington, D. C. 20554

   This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the
   full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.

   See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).

                                        News Media Information 202 / 418-0500

                                                 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov

                                                          TTY: 1-888-835-5322