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   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:

   October 28, 2010 Louis Peraertz, (202) 418-1879

   louis.peraertz@fcc.gov

                STATEMENT BY FCC COMMISSIONER MIGNON L. CLYBURN

   ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE ENFORCEMENT BUREAU AND VERIZON WIRELESS HAVE
                         ENTERED INTO A CONSENT DECREE

   "This month, the FCC has taken actions that send an important message
   about how seriously this agency takes its public interest obligation to
   protect consumers.  In both the Bill Shock Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,
   which we adopted on October 14, and today's Consent Decree with Verizon
   Wireless, the Commission's initial examination demonstrated that voluntary
   steps to resolve the issues that wireless consumers identified in their
   complaints were insufficient and warranted further inquiry.

   "Trends in the wireless industry indicate that the Commission's interest
   in protecting wireless consumers should only increase.  The Fourteenth
   Mobile Services Report, which the Commission adopted in May of this year,
   shows that the percentages of Americans who are subscribing to wireless
   services and opting to replace their wireline phone services with wireless
   phone services are growing.  And surveys, including one that the FCC
   prepared in conjunction with development of the National Broadband Plan,
   further suggest that a substantial percentage of Americans are choosing to
   access the Internet solely from their wireless service devices.

   "To me, these trends mean that, when consumers voice concerns over their
   bills and other aspects of their relationships with service providers, the
   FCC must take steps to ensure that service providers take action that will
   address those concerns. Therefore, once again, I applaud the Enforcement
   Bureau for investigating these mystery data fees. I also commend the
   Bureau and Verizon Wireless for acting swiftly to negotiate meaningful
   measures to protect consumers. The monetary contribution that Verizon
   Wireless volunteered to pay to the U.S. Treasury is the largest such
   contribution a licensee has made as a result of an investigation and sends
   a clear message as to how important this is to us. The other steps Verizon
   Wireless has agreed to implement through today's Consent Decree, such as
   the Data Charge Task Force and greater training for its customer service
   representatives, should result in processes to prevent billing errors in
   the future and other measures to better inform and protect consumers.

   "I commend Chairman Genachowski for his leadership in shining a spotlight
   on the need for enhanced protections for wireless consumers from billing
   errors.  I am confident that Verizon Wireless will continue to show the
   type of industry leadership that will result in systemic efforts to better
   identify and address wireless consumer concerns.   

   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