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FCC to fine Sprint $105 million for phone bill cramming

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By Alan Friedman

Updated: Dec 17, 2014, 2:15 AM

Sprint

Sprint is facing a fine from the FCC that could run as high as $105 million. The agency is accusing the carrier of cramming, a practice where unauthorized charges are added to a customer's monthly bill. FCC commissioners are expected to soon vote on the fine. Back in October, the FCC demanded a similar amount from AT&T, claiming that the carrier had crammed customers' invoices with unauthorized charges.

In July, the FTC filed cramming charges against T-Mobile in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. According to FCC commissioner Tom Wheeler, 20 million Americans a year are victims of cramming. In November, all four major U.S.mobile operators agreed not to charge customers for third party services.

AT&T's settlement with the FCC back in October called for the mobile operator to return $80 million to customers affected by the cramming, in the form of refunds. $20 million will be paid to the states and the District of Columbia, while a $5 million fine should end up being paid to the feds.

source: Reuters

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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.

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