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Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
)
)
)
In the Matter of ) File No. EB-06-TC-4006
Capital Telecommunications, Inc. ) NAL/Acct. No. 20073217 0076
Apparent Liability for Forfeiture ) FRN: 0003743119
)
)
)
NOTICE OF APPARENT LIABILITY FOR FORFEITURE
Adopted: August 10, 2007 Released: August 10, 2007
By the Chief, Enforcement Bureau:
I. INTRODUCTION
1. In this Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture ("NAL"), we find
that Capital Telecommunications, Inc. ("CTI") apparently violated section
64.2009(e) of the Commission's rules by failing to maintain a compliance
certificate executed by a corporate officer stating that he has personal
knowledge that the company has established operating procedures adequate
to ensure compliance with the Commission's rules governing protection and
use of customer proprietary network information ("CPNI"). Protection of
CPNI is a fundamental obligation of all telecommunications carriers as
provided by section 222 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended
("Communications Act" or "Act"). Based upon our review of the facts and
circumstances surrounding this apparent violation, and in particular, the
serious consequences that may flow from inadequate concern for and
protection of CPNI, we propose a monetary forfeiture of $100,000 against
CTI for its apparent failure to comply with section 64.2009(e) of the
Commission's rules.
II. BACKGROUND
2. The Enforcement Bureau ("Bureau") has been investigating the adequacy
of procedures implemented by telecommunications carriers to ensure
confidentiality of their subscribers' CPNI, based on concerns regarding
the apparent availability to third parties of sensitive, personal
subscriber information. For example, some companies, known as "data
brokers," have advertised the availability of records of wireless
subscribers' incoming and outgoing telephone calls for a fee. Data brokers
have also advertised the availability of call information that relates to
certain landline toll calls.
3. As part of our inquiry into these issues, the Bureau sent a Letter of
Inquiry ("LOI") to CTI on December 4, 2006, directing it to produce the
compliance certificates for the previous five (5) years that it had
prepared pursuant to section 64.2009(e) of the Commission's rules. On
December 11, 2006, CTI submitted a document in response to the Bureau's
LOI, and on December 21, 2006, CTI supplemented its response to the LOI.
The documents submitted by CTI do not satisfy the requirements set forth
in the rule. Accordingly, we issue this proposed forfeiture.
III. DISCUSSION
4. Section 222 imposes the general duty on all telecommunications carriers
to protect the confidentiality of their subscribers' proprietary
information. The Commission has issued rules implementing section 222 of
the Act. The Commission required carriers to establish and maintain a
system designed to ensure that carriers adequately protected their
subscribers' CPNI. Section 64.2009(e) is one such requirement. Pursuant to
section 64.2009(e):
A telecommunications carrier must have an officer, as an agent of the
carrier, sign a compliance certificate on an annual basis stating that the
officer has personal knowledge that the company has established operating
procedures that are adequate to ensure compliance with the rules in this
subpart. The carrier must provide a statement accompanying the certificate
explaining how its operating procedures ensure that it is or is not in
compliance with the rules in this subpart.
5. The Bureau's December 4 LOI directed CTI to produce the company's
compliance certificates for the previous five (5) years that it had
prepared in compliance with section 64.2009(e) of the Commission's rules.
On December 11, 2006, CTI submitted its response, and on December 21,
2006, CTI supplemented that response. The responses include a description
of CTI's CPNI policies and practices, and a statement that the company
believes that it maintained CPNI certifications. However, CTI was unable
to locate or produce any copies of its CPNI certifications, as required by
the rules. Accordingly, CTI's submission, on its face, does not comply
with section 64.2009(e) of the Commission's rules.
6. We conclude that CTI has apparently failed to comply with the
requirement that it maintain a compliance certificate executed by a
corporate officer stating that he has personal knowledge that the company
has established operating procedures adequate to ensure compliance with
the Commission's rules governing protection and use of CPNI. For this
apparent violation, we propose a forfeiture.
IV. FORFEITURE AMOUNT
7. Section 503(b) of the Communications Act authorizes the Commission to
assess a forfeiture of up to $130,000 for each violation of the Act or of
any rule, regulation, or order issued by the Commission under the Act. The
Commission may assess this penalty if it determines that the carrier's
noncompliance is "willful or repeated." For a violation to be willful, it
need not be intentional. In exercising our forfeiture authority, we are
required to take into account "the nature, circumstances, extent, and
gravity of the violation and, with respect to the violator, the degree of
culpability, any history of prior offenses, ability to pay, and such other
matters as justice may require." In addition, the Commission has
established guidelines for forfeiture amounts and, where there is no
specific base amount for a violation, retained discretion to set an amount
on a case-by-case basis.
8. The Commission's forfeiture guidelines do not address the specific
violation at issue in this proceeding. In determining the proper
forfeiture amount in this case, however, we are guided by the principle
that there may be no more important obligation on a carrier's part than
protection of its subscribers' proprietary information. Consumers are
increasingly concerned about the security of their sensitive, personal
data that they must entrust to their various service providers, whether
they are financial institutions or telephone companies. Given customers'
increasing concern about the security of this data, and evidence that the
data appears to be widely available to third parties, we must take
aggressive, substantial steps to ensure that carriers implement necessary
and adequate measures to protect their subscribers' CPNI, as required by
the Commission's existing CPNI rules. Additionally, in three recent
actions, the Commission has issued Notices of Apparent Liability for
Forfeiture in the amount of $100,000 against carriers for failure to
maintain certifications in compliance with section 64.2009(e) of the
Commission's rules. In this case, CTI has apparently failed to implement
necessary and adequate measures as required to protect their subscribers'
CPNI data entrusted to them, as evidenced by the apparent insufficiency of
the required compliance statement. Based on all the facts and
circumstances present in this case, we believe the proposed forfeiture of
$100,000 is warranted.
9. CTI will have the opportunity to submit further evidence and arguments
in response to this NAL to show that no forfeiture should be imposed or
that some lesser amount should be assessed. For example, CTI may present
evidence that it has compelling financial arguments to reduce the proposed
forfeiture or that it has maintained a history of overall compliance. To
support a claim of inability to pay, the petitioner must submit: (1)
federal tax returns for the most recent three-year period; (2) financial
statements prepared according to generally accepted accounting practices
(GAAP); or (3) some other reliable and objective documentation that
accurately reflects the petitioner's current financial status. Any claim
of inability to pay must specifically identify the basis for the claim by
reference to the financial documentation submitted. The Commission will
fully consider any such arguments made by CTI in its response to this NAL.
V. CONCLUSION AND ordering clauses
10. We have determined that Capital Telecommunications, Inc. has
apparently violated Section 64.2009(e) of the Commission's rules by
failing to maintain an adequate CPNI compliance certificate in accordance
with the rule. We find Capital Telecommunications, Inc. apparently liable
for $100,000.
11. ACCORDINGLY, IT IS ORDERED THAT, pursuant to Section 503(b) of the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, Section 1.80(f)(4) of the
Commission's rules, and authority delegated by Sections 0.111 and 0.311 of
the Commission's rules, CAPTIAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. IS LIABLE FOR A
MONETARY FORFEITURE in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000) for willfully or repeatedly violating Section 64.2009 of the
Commission's rules, by failing to prepare and maintain a certificate that
complies with 64.2009(e).
12. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT, pursuant to section 1.80 of the
Commission's rules, within thirty days of the release date of this NOTICE
OF APPARENT LIABILITY, CAPITAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. SHALL PAY the full
amount of the proposed forfeiture or SHALL FILE a written statement
seeking reduction or cancellation of the proposed forfeiture.
13. Payment of the forfeiture must be made by check or similar instrument,
payable to the order of the Federal Communications Commission. The payment
must include the NAL/Acct. No. and FRN No. referenced above. Payment by
check or money order may be mailed to Forfeiture Collection Section,
Finance Branch, Federal Communications Commission, P.O. Box 358340,
Pittsburgh, PA 15251. Payment by overnight mail may be sent to Mellon
Client Service Center, 500 Ross Street, Room 670, Pittsburgh, PA
15262-0001. Attn: FCC Module Supervisor. Payment by wire transfer may be
made to ABA Number 043000261, receiving bank Mellon Bank, and account
number 911-6229. Please include your NAL/Acct. No. with your wire transfer
remittance. Requests for payment of the full amount of this NAL under an
installment plan should be sent to Chief, Credit and Management Center,
445 12th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20554.
14. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a copy of this Order shall be sent by
Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested to 200 West Market Street, York,
Pennsylvania, 17401, and Kyle Dickinson, General Counsel, StarVox
Communications, Inc. parent of Capital Telecommunications, Inc., 2728
Orchard Parkway, San Jose, California 95134, and Jonathan S. Marashlian,
Helein Law Group, P.C., 8180 Greensboro Drive, Suite 775, McLean, Virginia
22102.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Kris A. Monteith
Chief, Enforcement Bureau
See 47 C.F.R. S:64.2009(e).
CPNI is defined as information that relates to the quantity, technical
configuration, type, destination, location, and amount of use of a
telecommunications service subscribed to by any customer of a
telecommunications carrier, and that is made available to the carrier by
the customer solely by virtue of the customer-carrier relationship. See 47
U.S.C. S: 222(h)(1)(A); 47 C.F.R. S: 64.2003(d).
See, e.g. http://www.epic.org/privacy/iei/.
See id.
Letter from Marcy Greene, Deputy Chief, Telecommunications Consumers
Division, Enforcement Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, to Ann E.
Shafer, Vice President - Customer Service, Capital Telecommunications,
Inc. (December 4, 2006) ("December 4 LOI").
Section 222 of the Communications Act provides that: "Every
telecommunications carrier has a duty to protect the confidentiality of
proprietary information of, and relating to, other telecommunications
carriers, equipment manufacturers, and customers, including
telecommunication carriers reselling telecommunications services provided
by a telecommunications carrier." 47 U.S.C S: 222.
In the Matter of Implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996:
Telecommunications Carriers' Use of Customer Proprietary Network
Information and Other Customer Information and Implementation of the
Non-Accounting Safeguards of Sections 271 and 272 of the Communications
Act of 1934, as amended, Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,
13 FCC Rcd 8061 (1998) ("CPNI Order"); see also In the Matter of
Implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996: Telecommunications
Carriers' Use of Customer Proprietary Network Information and Other
Customer Information and Implementation of the Non-Accounting Safeguards
of Sections 271 and 272 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,
Order on Reconsideration and Petitions for Forbearance, 14 FCC Rcd 14409
(1999); In the Matter of Implementation of the Telecommunications Act of
1996: Telecommunications Carriers' Use of Customer Proprietary Network
Information and Other Customer Information and Implementation of the
Non-Accounting Safeguards of Sections 271 and 272 of the Communications
Act of 1934, as amended; 2000 Biennial Regulatory Review -- Review of
Policies and Rules Concerning Unauthorized Changes of Consumers' Long
Distance Carriers, Third Report and Order and Third Further Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking, 17 FCC Rcd 14860 (2002).
47 C.F.R. S: 64.2009(e).
47 C.F.R. S:64.2009; see also supra note 5, at 2.
47 C.F.R. S: 64.2009(e).
Section 503(b)(2)(B) provides for forfeitures against common carriers of
up to $130,000 for each violation or each day of a continuing violation up
to a maximum of $1,325,000 for each continuing violation. 47 U.S.C. S:
503(b)(2)(B). See Amendment of Section 1.80 of the Commission's Rules and
Adjustment of Forfeiture Maxima to Reflect Inflation, 15 FCC Rcd 18221
(2000); Amendment of Section 1.80 of the Commission's Rules and Adjustment
of Forfeiture Maxima to Reflect Inflation, 19 FCC Rcd 10945 (2004)
(increasing maximum forfeiture amounts to account for inflation).
47 U.S.C. S: 503(b)(1)(B) (the Commission has authority under this section
of the Act to assess a forfeiture penalty against a common carrier if the
Commission determines that the carrier has "willfully or repeatedly"
failed to comply with the provisions of the Act or with any rule,
regulation, or order issued by the Commission under the Act); see also 47
U.S.C. S: 503(b)(4)(A) (providing that the Commission must assess such
penalties through the use of a written notice of apparent liability or
notice of opportunity for hearing). Here, as described above, Oneida's
actions were willful as it apparently failed to prepare the required
compliance certification.
Southern California Broadcasting Co., 6 FCC Rcd 4387 (1991).
See 47 U.S.C. S: 503(b)(2)(D); see also The Commission's Forfeiture Policy
Statement and Amendment of Section 1.80 of the Commission's Rules, 12 FCC
Rcd 17087 (1997) ("Forfeiture Policy Statement"); recon. denied, 15 FCC
Rcd 303 (1999).
Forfeiture Policy Statement, 12 FCC Rcd 17098-99, P: 22.
AT&T, Inc., Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture, 21 FCC Rcd 751
(Enf. Bur. rel. Jan. 30, 2006); Alltel Corp., Notice of Apparent Liability
for Forfeiture, 21 FCC Rcd 746 (Enf. Bur. rel. Jan 30, 2006); Cbeyond
Communications LLC, Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture, 21 FCC
Rcd 4316 (Enf. Bur. rel. April 21, 2006).
47 U.S.C. S: 503(b)(4)(A).
47 U.S.C. S: 503(b)(4)(C); 47 C.F.R. S: 1.80(f)(3).
47 C.F.R. S: 1.80(b)(4) (discussing factors the Commission or its designee
will consider in deciding appropriate forfeiture amount).
47 U.S.C. S: 503(b).
47 C.F.R. S: 1.80(f)(4).
47 C.F.R. S:S: 0.111, 0.311.
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Federal Communications Commission DA 07-3584
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Federal Communications Commission DA 07-3584