FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 21, 2000

NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS: Richard Welch (202) 418-7450

Washington, D.C. - Today the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) released a Notice of Apparent Liability proposing a $640,000 fine against AT&T Communications, Inc. (AT&T) for apparent violations of the Commission's rules against slamming. Slamming is the illegal practice of switching consumers' preferred long distance or other telephone service providers without their consent.

In a span of less than nine months this year, the Commission received over 1,000 consumer complaints alleging slamming by AT&T. Commission staff investigated many of the allegations and based the proposed fine on12 consumer complaints, representing 14 alleged violations. Two of the alleged violations involved apparently forged letters of authorization.

The Commission determined that AT&T is apparently liable for a fine of $40,000 for each of 12 of the alleged violations as well as a fine of $80,000 for each of the two conversions that were based on apparently forged letters of authorization. AT&T has 30 days to either pay the $640,000 fine, or show why it should be reduced or not imposed.

AT&T is a company headquartered in New York, New York. The consumers described in this forfeiture action reside in New York, California, and Texas, among other states.

Action by the Commission, December 21, 2000, by Notice of Apparent Liability (FCC 00-446). Chairman Kennard, Commissioners Ness, Furchtgott-Roth, Powell and Tristani.

File No. EB-00-TC-006

Enforcement Bureau Contacts: Richard Welch at (202) 418-7450 or Dana Leavitt at (202) 418-1317.