FCC could re-examine ETFs

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin again suggested the agency may decide to address in a broader context the mobile phone industry practice of assessing hefty early termination fees levied on subscribers who break service contracts.
The FCC has yet to act on a March 2005 request by cellphone association CTIA to preempt states-as well as plaintiffs’ lawyers-from addressing consumer complaints about ETFs. The agency could find doing so difficult as a result of a federal appeals court decision overturning an FCC decision that would have prohibited states from regulating line item charges on mobile-phone bills.
Martin said the FCC possibly could put together a panel to examine ETFs and other charges in all telecom and media sectors. Martin first indicated the agency could be headed in that direction in August.
ETFs have become a lightning rod for controversy, sparking consumer lawsuits and, more recently, federal wireless consumer protection legislation.