Phone company thrown out of Florida
AT&T Florida will temporarily take over telephone service for statewide residents who were using Vilaire Communications, as the Florida Public Service Commission has removed Vilaire’s right to operate in Florida.
The commission found that Vilaire "showed a lack of technical, financial and managerial capability to operate a telecommunications company," a news release said. The commission said it believed Vilaire overcharged for E911 calls and falsely obtained more than $1.3 million in funds earmarked to provide telephone service to low-income residents.
Vilaire was a competitive provider of landline service in AT&T Florida’s territory statewide, the release said. Vilaire also was an eligible telecommunications carrier, which allowed it obtain money from the federal Universal Service Fund to provide Link-Up and Lifeline service to low-income telephone customers free instant credit score estimator.
A Public Service Commission audit found that Vilaire was overbilling its customers by 25 cents a month for E911, charging 75 cents when state law caps such a rate at 50 cents.
Lakewood, Wash.-based Vilaire has been ordered to provide refunds to customers that were overbilled for E911. The commission’s investigation will be forwarded to the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice.
Filed under: technology by Wolf