Informal Section 208 Complaints
MDRD handles informal Section 208 complaints brought by market participants, entities, or organizations against wireline, wireless, or international common carriers. The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, 1-888-225-5322, oversees informal Section 208 complaints filed by consumers against common carriers.
Formal Section 208 Complaints
Detailed procedural rules and filing requirements govern the formal Section 208 complaint process. Like federal court litigation, the formal complaint process includes a complaint, answer, reply, motions, discovery, and briefs. Unlike federal court litigation, however, formal Section 208 complaints must contain detailed facts and proof regarding all claims in the complaint itself, and discovery usually is not as expansive.
Section 224 Complaints
Section 224 of the Communications Act authorizes the Commission to regulate attachments by cable television systems or providers of telecommunications service to utility poles, ducts, conduits, and rights-of-way.
Rapid Broadband Assessment Team (RBAT)
The RBAT is an intra-agency rapid response team charged with expediting the resolution of pole attachment disputes that are impeding or delaying the deployment of broadband facilities by providing coordinated review and assessment of those disputes.
Pending Complaints
A list of pending complaints.
Released Items Concerning Section 208 Formal Complaints and Section 224 Pole Attachment Complaints
A list of released items concerning Section 208 Formal Complaints and Roaming Formal Complaints, and Section 224 Pole Attachment Complaints filed with the Commission and assigned to the Enforcement Bureau's Market Disputes Resolution Division.
Mediation
The Commission encourages parties to attempt to settle or narrow their disputes. To that end, MDRD staff are available to conduct mediations in appropriate cases. Participation in mediation is generally voluntary.
Primary Jurisdiction Referrals
Any party involved in a dispute against a common carrier that a court has referred to the Commission under the primary jurisdiction doctrine should, before filing any papers with the Commission, contact MDRD staff.