WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission Friday announced a negotiated a consent decree requiring U S West Inc. to pay $800,000 in connection with telephone communications between U S West and Western PCS BTA I Corp. during the personal communications services auction for blocks D, E and F in 1996.
Last year, the FCC proposed fining U S West $1.2 million for the incident.
After the auction began on Aug. 26, 1996, according to the FCC, Corey Ford, U S West Wireless Group’s vice president of business development and external affairs, called Cregg Baumbaugh, Western’s director and senior vice president for corporate development, to talk about the auction.
Ford was fired by U S West shortly thereafter. The firm now has a comprehensive program designed to prevent future auction misconduct. FCC rules prohibit communications among bidders during auction periods.
