Ajit Pai finalizes vote to limit FCC reviews of customer complaints

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The Federal Communications Commission today voted 3-1 to stop reviewing informal consumer complaints about telecom companies. To get an FCC review of a company’s bad behavior, a consumer will have to file a formal complaint—which requires a payment of $225 to the FCC.

Even if an ISP fails to respond to a customer’s informal complaint, the FCC would not review the complaint until after a consumer pays $225 and goes through the formal complaint process.

While the text of the FCC’s rule about informal complaints was changed, commissioners disagreed on whether this will result in a real change in commission policy. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai argues that the rule change merely codifies the commission’s existing practices. At Pai’s urging, an FCC Enforcement Bureau staff member supported Pai’s contention during today’s meeting.

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