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Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
)
) File No. EB-08-TC-5257
In the Matter of
) NAL/Acct. No. 200932170723
Royal Phone Company, LLC
) FRN: 0007656317
)
ORDER
Adopted: February 7, 2011 Released: February 8, 2011
By the Chief, Telecommunications Consumers Division, Enforcement Bureau:
1. In this Order, we adopt the attached Consent Decree entered into
between the Enforcement Bureau ("Bureau") of the Federal
Communications Commission ("FCC" or "Commission") and Royal Phone
Company, LLC ("Royal Phone" or "Company"). The Consent Decree
terminates an investigation and Notice of Apparent Liability for
Forfeiture ("NAL") by the Bureau against Royal Phone for possible
violation of section 222 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended
("Communications Act" or "Act"), 47 U.S.C. S: 222, section 64.2009(e)
of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. S: 64.2009(e), and the
Commission's EPIC CPNI Order, regarding Royal Phone's apparent failure
to timely file a compliant annual customer proprietary network
information ("CPNI") certification pursuant to 64.2009(e).
2. The Bureau and Royal Phone have negotiated the terms of the Consent
Decree that resolve this matter. A copy of the Consent Decree is
attached hereto and incorporated by reference.
3. After reviewing the terms of the Consent Decree and evaluating the
facts before us, we find that the public interest would be served by
adopting the Consent Decree, terminating the investigation and
cancelling the NAL.
4. In the absence of material new evidence relating to this matter, we
conclude that our investigation raises no substantial or material
questions of fact as to whether Royal Phone possesses the basic
qualifications, including those related to character, to hold or
obtain any Commission license or authorization.
5. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that, pursuant to sections 4(i) and 503(b)
of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and sections 0.111 and
0.311 of the Commission's Rules, the Consent Decree attached to this
Order IS ADOPTED.
6. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the above-captioned investigation IS
TERMINATED and the Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture IS
CANCELLED.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Richard A. Hindman
Chief
Telecommunications Consumers Division
Enforcement Bureau
Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
)
) File No. EB-08-TC-5257
In the Matter of
) NAL/Acct. No. 200932170723
Royal Phone Company, LLC
) FRN: 0007656317
)
CONSENT DECREE
1. The Enforcement Bureau ("Bureau") and Royal Phone Company, LLC
("Royal Phone" or the "Company"), by their authorized representatives,
hereby enter into this Consent Decree for the purpose of cancelling
the Notice of Apparent Liability ("NAL") and terminating the
Enforcement Bureau's investigation into Royal Phone's possible
noncompliance with the requirements of section 222 of the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended ("Communications Act" or
"Act"), 47 U.S.C. S: 222, section 64.2009(e) of the Commission's
rules, 47 C.F.R. S: 64.2009(e), and the Commission's EPIC CPNI Order.
I. DEFINITIONS
2. For the purposes of this Consent Decree, the following definitions
shall apply:
a. "Act" means the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C.
S: 151 et seq.
b. "Adopting Order" means an Order of the Commission adopting the terms
of this Consent Decree without change, addition, deletion, or
modification.
c. "Bureau" means the Enforcement Bureau of the Federal Communications
Commission.
d. "Commission" and "FCC" mean the Federal Communications Commission and
all of its bureaus and offices.
e. "Compliance Plan" means the program described in this Consent Decree
at paragraph 11.
f. "Effective Date" means the date on which the Commission releases the
Adopting Order.
g. "Investigation" means the investigation commenced by the Bureau's
letter of inquiry regarding whether Royal Phone violated the
requirements of section 222 of the Communications Act and section
64.2009(e) of the Commission's rules by failing to file a compliant
customer proprietary network information ("CPNI") certification.
h. "Royal Phone" means Royal Phone Company, LLC and its
predecessors-in-interest and successors-in-interest.
i. "NAL" means Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture.
j. "Parties" means Royal Phone and the Bureau.
k. "Rules" means the Commission's regulations found in Title 47 of the
Code of Federal Regulations.
II. BACKGROUND
3. Section 222 imposes the general duty on all telecommunications
carriers to protect the confidentiality of their subscribers'
proprietary information. The Commission has issued rules implementing
section 222 of the Act. The Commission required carriers to establish
and maintain a system designed to ensure that carriers adequately
protected their subscribers' CPNI. Section 64.2009(e) is one such
requirement.
4. In 2006, some companies, known as "data brokers," advertised the
availability of records of wireless subscribers' incoming and outgoing
telephone calls for a fee. Data brokers also advertised the
availability of certain landline toll calls. On April 2, 2007, the
Commission strengthened its privacy rules with the release of the EPIC
CPNI Order, which adopted additional safeguards to protect CPNI
against unauthorized access and disclosure. The EPIC CPNI Order was
directly responsive to the actions of databrokers, or pretexters, to
obtain unauthorized access to CPNI. The EPIC CPNI Order requires that
all companies subject to the CPNI rules file annually, on or before
March 1, a certification with the Commission pursuant to amended rule
47 C.F.R. S: 64.2009(e). Additionally, companies must now provide,
with their certification, "an explanation of any actions taken against
data brokers and a summary of all customer complaints received in the
past year concerning the unauthorized release of CPNI."
5. The Bureau sent a Letter of Inquiry ("LOI") to Royal Phone on
September 2, 2008, asking it to provide copies and evidence of its
timely filed CPNI compliance certificate for 2007, which was due by
March 1, 2008, pursuant to section 64.2009(e) of the Commission's
rules or an explanation as to why no certification was filed. On
September 22, 2008, Royal Phone submitted a document in response to
the Bureau's LOI. The Bureau concluded that Royal Phone failed to
submit satisfactory evidence of its timely filing of the annual CPNI
compliance certification. Accordingly, on February 24, 2009, the
Bureau released the Omnibus NAL against numerous companies, including
Royal Phone, proposing a monetary forfeiture of twenty thousand
dollars ($20,000) for its apparent failure to comply with section
64.2009(e) of the Commission's rules, and the Commission's EPIC CPNI
Order, and ordered the Company either to pay the proposed forfeiture
or file a written response within thirty (30) days of the release date
stating why the proposed forfeiture should be reduced or canceled.
Royal Phone and the Bureau entered into settlement discussions.
III. TERMS OF AGREEMENT
6. Adopting Order. The Parties agree that the provisions of this Consent
Decree shall be subject to final approval by the Bureau by
incorporation of such provisions by reference in the Adopting Order
without change, addition, modification, or deletion.
7. Jurisdiction. Royal Phone agrees that the Bureau has jurisdiction over
it and the matters contained in this Consent Decree and has the
authority to enter into and adopt this Consent Decree.
8. Effective Date; Violations. The Parties agree that this Consent Decree
shall become effective on the date on which the FCC releases the
Adopting Order. Upon release, the Adopting Order and this Consent
Decree shall have the same force and effect as any other Order of the
Bureau. Any violation of the Adopting Order or of the terms of this
Consent Decree shall constitute a separate violation of a Bureau
Order, entitling the Bureau to exercise any rights and remedies
attendant to the enforcement of a Bureau Order.
9. Termination of Investigation. In express reliance on the covenants and
representations in this Consent Decree and to avoid further
expenditure of public resources, the Bureau agrees to terminate its
investigation and to cancel the NAL. In consideration for the
termination of said investigation and cancellation of the NAL, Royal
Phone agrees to the terms, conditions, and procedures contained
herein. The Bureau further agrees that, in the absence of new material
evidence, the Bureau will not use the facts developed in this
investigation through the Effective Date of the Consent Decree, or the
existence of this Consent Decree, to institute, on its own motion, any
new proceeding, formal or informal, or take any action on its own
motion against Royal Phone concerning the matters that were the
subject of the investigation. The Bureau also agrees that it will not
use the facts developed in this investigation through the Effective
Date of this Consent Decree, or the existence of this Consent Decree,
to institute on its own motion any proceeding, formal or informal, or
take any action on its own motion against Royal Phone with respect to
Royal Phone's basic qualifications, including its character
qualifications, to be a Commission licensee or authorized common
carrier or hold Commission authorizations.
10. Compliance Plan. For purposes of settling the matters set forth herein
and to help ensure compliance with the Commission's CPNI rules, Royal
Phone agrees to take all measures necessary to achieve full compliance
with Section 64.2009(e) of the Commission's rules. Royal Phone agrees
to train its personnel within thirty (30) days as to when they are and
are not authorized to use CPNI. Royal Phone further agrees to have an
express disciplinary process in place for the unauthorized use of
CPNI, within thirty (30) days. Additionally, Royal Phone agrees to
submit a copy of its annual 64.2009(e) compliance certificate, which
it is required to file annually in EB Docket 06-36, for each of two
(2) years following the Effective Date of this Consent Decree to the
Chief, Telecommunications Consumers Division, Enforcement Bureau,
Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S.W. Room 4-C244,
Washington, D.C. 20554, and must include the file number listed above.
Royal Phone will also send an electronic copy of its certification to
other Telecommunications Consumers Division staff as directed by the
Division Chief. This Consent Decree will expire two (2) years after
the Effective Date or upon the termination of the certification
requirement set forth in sections 64.2009(e) of the Commission's
rules, 47 C.F.R. S: 64.2009(e), whichever is earlier.
11. Section 208 Complaints; Subsequent Investigations. Nothing in this
Consent Decree shall prevent the Commission or its delegated authority
from adjudicating complaints filed pursuant to section 208 of the Act
against Royal Phone or its affiliates for alleged violations of the
Act, or for any other type of alleged misconduct, regardless of when
such misconduct took place. The Commission's adjudication of any such
complaint will be based solely on the record developed in that
proceeding. Except as expressly provided in this Consent Decree, this
Consent Decree shall not prevent the Commission from investigating new
evidence of noncompliance by Royal Phone of the Act, the rules, or the
Order.
12. Voluntary Contribution. Royal Phone agrees that it will make a
voluntary contribution to the United States Treasury in the amount of
$2,000. The payment shall be made as follows: one payment of $100
within thirty (30) calendar days after the Effective Date of the
Adopting Order, and nineteen (19) consecutive monthly installments of
$100 commencing within sixty (60) calendar days after the Effective
Date of the Adopting Order. Payment must be made by check or similar
instrument, payable to the order of the Federal Communications
Commission. The payment must include the NAL/Account Number and FRN
Number referenced in the caption to the Adopting Order. Payment by
check or money order may be mailed to Federal Communications
Commission, P.O. Box 979088, St. Louis, MO 63197-9000. Payment by
overnight mail may be sent to U.S. Bank - Government Lockbox #979088,
SL-MO-C2-GL, 1005 Convention Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63101. Payment by
wire transfer may be made to ABA Number 021030004, receiving bank
TREAS/NYC, and account number 27000001. For payment by credit card, an
FCC Form 159 (Remittance Advice) must be submitted. When completing
the FCC Form 159, enter the NAL/Account number in block number 23A
(call sign/other ID), and enter the letters "FORF" in block number 24A
(payment type code). Royal Phone will also send electronic
notification on the date said payment is made to johnny.drake@fcc.gov.
13. Waivers. Royal Phone waives any and all rights it may have to seek
administrative or judicial reconsideration, review, appeal or stay, or
to otherwise challenge or contest the validity of this Consent Decree
and the Adopting Order, provided the Commission issues an Adopting
Order adopting the Consent Decree without change, addition,
modification, or deletion. Royal Phone shall retain the right to
challenge Commission interpretation of the Consent Decree or any terms
contained herein. If either Party (or the United States on behalf of
the Commission) brings a judicial action to enforce the terms of the
Adopting Order, neither Royal Phone nor the Commission shall contest
the validity of the Consent Decree or the Adopting Order, and Royal
Phone shall waive any statutory right to a trial de novo. Royal Phone
hereby agrees to waive any claims it may otherwise have under the
Equal Access to Justice Act, 5 U.S.C. S: 504 and 47 C.F.R. S: 1.1501
et seq., relating to the matters addressed in this Consent Decree.
14. Severability. The Parties agree that if any of the provisions of the
Adopting Order or the Consent Decree shall be invalid or
unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not
invalidate or render unenforceable the entire Adopting Order or
Consent Decree, but rather the entire Adopting Order or Consent Decree
shall be construed as if not containing the particular invalid or
unenforceable provision or provisions, and the rights and obligations
of the Parties shall be construed and enforced accordingly. In the
event that this Consent Decree in its entirety is rendered invalid by
any court of competent jurisdiction, it shall become null and void and
may not be used in any manner in any legal proceeding.
15. Subsequent Rule or Order. The Parties agree that if any provision of
the Consent Decree conflicts with any subsequent rule or Order adopted
by the Commission (except an Order specifically intended to revise the
terms of this Consent Decree to which Royal Phone does not expressly
consent) that provision will be superseded by such Commission rule or
Order.
16. Successors and Assigns. Royal Phone agrees that the provisions of this
Consent Decree shall be binding on its successors, assigns, and
transferees.
17. Final Settlement. The Parties agree and acknowledge that this Consent
Decree shall constitute a final settlement between the Parties. The
Parties further agree that this Consent Decree does not constitute
either an adjudication on the merits or a factual or legal finding or
determination regarding any compliance or noncompliance with the
requirements of the Act or the Commission's Rules and Orders.
18. Modifications. This Consent Decree cannot be modified without the
advance written consent of both Parties.
19. Paragraph Headings. The headings of the Paragraphs in this Consent
Decree are inserted for convenience only and are not intended to
affect the meaning or interpretation of this Consent Decree.
20. Authorized Representative. Each party represents and warrants to the
other that it has full power and authority to enter into this Consent
Decree.
21. Counterparts. This Consent Decree may be signed in any number of
counterparts (including by facsimile), each of which, when executed
and delivered, shall be an original, and all of which counterparts
together shall constitute one and the same fully executed instrument.
________________________________
Richard A. Hindman
Chief
Telecommunications Consumers Division
Enforcement Bureau
________________________________
Date
________________________________
Tae Kim
Executive Vice-President
Royal Phone Company, LLC
________________________________
Date
Implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996: Telecommunications
Carriers' Use of Customer Proprietary Network Information and Other
Customer Information; IP-Enabled Services, CC Docket No. 96-115; WC Docket
No. 04-36, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 22
FCC Rcd 6927, 6953 (2007) ("EPIC CPNI Order"); aff'd sub nom. Nat'l Cable
& Telecom. Assoc. v. FCC, No. 07-132, (D.C. Cir. decided Feb. 13, 2009).
47 U.S.C. S:S:154(i), 503(b).
47 C.F.R. S:S: 0.111, 0.311.
Implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996: Telecommunications
Carriers' Use of Customer Proprietary Network Information and Other
Customer Information; IP-Enabled Services, CC Docket No. 96-115; WC Docket
No. 04-36, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 22
FCC Rcd 6927, 6953 (2007) ("EPIC CPNI Order"); aff'd sub nom. Nat'l Cable
& Telecom. Assoc. v. FCC, No. 07-132, (D.C. Cir. decided Feb. 13, 2009).
Letter from Marcy Greene, Deputy Division Chief, Telecommunications
Consumers Division, Enforcement Bureau, Federal Communications Commission,
to Royal Phone, (Sept. 2, 2008) ("LOI").
47 C.F.R. 64.2009(e).
Section 222 of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C S: 222, provides that:
"Every telecommunications carrier has a duty to protect the
confidentiality of proprietary information of, and relating to, other
telecommunications carriers, equipment manufacturers, and customers,
including telecommunication carriers reselling telecommunications services
provided by a telecommunications carrier." Prior to the 1996 Act, the
Commission had established CPNI requirements applicable to the enhanced
services operations of AT&T, the Bell Operating Companies ("BOCs"), and
GTE, and the customer premises equipment ("CPE") operations of AT&T and
the BOCs, in the Computer II, Computer III, GTE Open Network Architecture
("ONA"), and BOC CPE Relief proceedings. See Implementation of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996: Telecommunications Carriers' Use of
Customer Proprietary Network Information and Other Customer Information
and Implementation of Non-Accounting Safeguards of Sections 271 and 272 of
the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, CC Docket Nos. 96-115 and
96-149, Second Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,
13 FCC Rcd 8061, 8068-70, para. 7 (1998) ("CPNI Order") (describing the
Commission's privacy protections for confidential customer information in
place prior to the 1996 Act.
See CPNI Order. See also Implementation of the Telecommunications Act of
1996: Telecommunications Carriers' Use of Customer Proprietary Network
Information and Other Customer Information and Implementation of the
Non-Accounting Safeguards of Sections 271 and 272 of the Communications
Act of 1934, as amended, CC Docket Nos. 96-115 and 96-149, Order on
Reconsideration and Petitions for Forbearance, 14 FCC Rcd 14409 (1999);
Implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996: Telecommunications
Carriers' Use of Customer Proprietary Network Information and Other
Customer Information and Implementation of the Non-Accounting Safeguards
of Sections 271 and 272 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, CC
Docket Nos. 96-115 and 96-149; 2000 Biennial Regulatory Review -- Review
of Policies and Rules Concerning Unauthorized Changes of Consumers' Long
Distance Carriers, CC Docket No. 00-257, Third Report and Order and Third
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 17 FCC Rcd 14860 (2002); EPIC CPNI
Order.
See, e.g., http://www.epic.org/privacy/iei/.
See id.
EPIC CPNI Order, 22 FCC Rcd 6927. Specifically, pursuant to section
64.2009(e): A telecommunications carrier must have an officer, as an agent
of the carrier, sign and file with the Commission a compliance certificate
on an annual basis. The officer must state in the certification that he or
she has personal knowledge that the company has established operating
procedures that are adequate to ensure compliance with the rules in this
subpart. The carrier must provide a statement accompanying the
certification explaining how its operating procedures ensure that it is or
is not in compliance with the rules in this subpart. In addition, the
carrier must include an explanation of any actions taken against data
brokers and a summary of all customer complaints received in the past year
concerning the unauthorized release of CPNI. This filing must be made
annually with the Enforcement Bureau on or before March 1 in EB Docket No.
06-36, for data pertaining to the previous calendar year. 47 C.F.R. S:
64.2009(e).
Id. at 6928.
Id. at 6953; 47 C.F.R. S: 64.2009(e).
EPIC CPNI Order, 22 FCC Rcd at 6953.
See note 2, supra.
Letter from Royal Phone to Marcy Greene, Deputy Division Chief,
Telecommunications Consumers Division, Enforcement Bureau, Federal
Communications Commission (Sept. 22, 2008) ("response to LOI").
Annual CPNI Certification, Omnibus Notice of Apparent Liability for
Forfeiture, 24 FCC Rcd 2299 (Enf. Bur. 2009) ("Omnibus NAL").
Id.
Federal Communications Commission DA 11-186
2
Federal Communications Commission DA 11-186