The Florida Public Service Commission settled with Associated Telecom Management...
The Florida Public Service Commission settled with Associated Telecom Management Services over violations of state Lifeline rules, the commission said. ATMS companies operating in Florida include American Dial Tone (ADT), Bellerud, LifeConnex and All American Telecom. A recent PSC staff…
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investigation uncovered unusual growth in Universal Service Fund disbursements for some ATMS Florida companies. ADT received $6.2 million in state USF funds. The investigation also indicated from multiple anonymous sources that ATMS’s Florida subsidiaries allegedly failed to obtain certification of Lifeline applicants, misrepresented customer enrollments when claiming reimbursement and improperly shared customer information. As part of the settlement, ATMS will pay $4 million to Florida’s General Revenue Fund, in $250,000 quarterly installments, with the chance to suspend $2 million of payments if the company shows all terms of the pact were met. The company committed to a four-year agreement of enhanced monitoring and compliance, with penalties for non-compliance. It will surrender all competitive local exchange company certificates except American Dial Tone and agree to suspension of ADT’s eligible telecom carrier designation for two years, with the option to request that the PSC lift suspension after one year for demonstrated compliance.