http://engmobdev.weblogsinc.com/2009/01/15/atandt-forced-to-pay-2-million-for-violating-court-orders-in-dobs/ Engadget Mobile Comments for AT&T forced to pay $2 million for violating court orders in Dobson acquisition http://engmobdev.weblogsinc.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://engmobdev.weblogsinc.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://engmobdev.weblogsinc.com/2009/01/15/atandt-forced-to-pay-2-million-for-violating-court-orders-in-dobs/http://engmobdev.weblogsinc.com/2009/01/15/atandt-forced-to-pay-2-million-for-violating-court-orders-in-dobs/This is also being discussed here: http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1484420

Sounds like careless employees and poor management led to this. ATT officials and their employees knew better but chose to carelessly violate FCC imposed mandates.

The intent of the low level employees was not malicious in itself, but the fact that management allowed it to go on reinforces the fact the shady nature of the telecom industry leaders. ]]>Jan 15th 2009 3:41PMhttp://engmobdev.weblogsinc.com/2009/01/15/atandt-forced-to-pay-2-million-for-violating-court-orders-in-dobs/http://engmobdev.weblogsinc.com/2009/01/15/atandt-forced-to-pay-2-million-for-violating-court-orders-in-dobs/Jan 15th 2009 3:42PMhttp://engmobdev.weblogsinc.com/2009/01/15/atandt-forced-to-pay-2-million-for-violating-court-orders-in-dobs/http://engmobdev.weblogsinc.com/2009/01/15/atandt-forced-to-pay-2-million-for-violating-court-orders-in-dobs/
Here in the real world, we don't care much for lawyer talk. ]]>Jan 15th 2009 3:54PMhttp://engmobdev.weblogsinc.com/2009/01/15/atandt-forced-to-pay-2-million-for-violating-court-orders-in-dobs/http://engmobdev.weblogsinc.com/2009/01/15/atandt-forced-to-pay-2-million-for-violating-court-orders-in-dobs/@ Cash:

When AT&T acquired Dobson, they were forced to divest a certain amount of customers in areas where they'd hold too much control. The customers in these areas would be assumed by another carrier namely Verizon Wireless, Metro, etc.

What AT&T did was allow these customers to leave without paying the ETF which meant they couldn't be divested. In English, if a customer on the original divestment list has left AT&T, then they can't be divested and the assuming company is cheated of their business.

In some cases, AT&T then went back to the customer they let go ETF free and tried to win them back with special perks. By signing the customer up as a new customer, they wouldn't be required to divest them.

Management allowed this to happen despite being totally illegal. I'm surprised that AT&T is not being sued by the other cariers for this.



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