The bill was approved by voice vote. It would end the unauthorized changing of a consumer s long-distance carrier by prohibiting a telephone company from changing a consumer s telephone service unless the company obtains a verbal, written or electronic consent to change. It would also establish expedited procedures for resolution of slamming complaints and stiff penalties for those carriers found guilty of slamming. This is a bad problem and it will only get worse if we don t do something about it, McCain said. I am pleased the Committee agrees that slamming has to stop once and for all.
Consumers have two rights when dealing with long-distance companies.
One, they have the right to choose the company they use, and two, they have the right to keep that company, Senator Hollings said. This legislation allows those rights to stay in place while penalizing any company that violates them. Amendments were offered by Senators McCain and Burns. The McCain amendment would require long-distance companies to get oral, written or electronic verification when service is first established. It would also make resellers accountable for slamming, instead of the underlying telecommunications carrier.