Apparently the FCC grew a pair a balls after previous week’s huey during Operation : Chokehold, and told Verizon that it’s reasons for raising its ETF charges 234 % were “unsatisfying, and in some cases, troubling.” Way to put the fear of God into these wacky wireless service providers.

I'm not really a public servant but I play one in real life

Babealicious FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn’s luscious money quote here:

“No longer is the claim that ETFs are tied solely to the true cost of the wireless device; rather, they are now also used to foot the bill for ‘advertising costs, commissions for sales personnel, and store costs,” she wrote. “So when they are assessed excessive penalties, especially when they are near the end of the contract term, it is hard for me to believe that the public interest is being well served.”

But wait, dear fans, there’s more:

She says that she is “alarmed” by the fact that customers “have been charged phantom fees for inadvertently pressing a key on their phones launching Verizon’s Wireless mobile internet service.”

She states ominously, “I look forward to exploring this issue in greater depth with my colleagues in the New Year.”

-Daily Tech blog

24 DEC 2009

There’s also overcharging, adding fees for services never purchases and services  nor rendered, lying to customers and government officials with a straight face, and no Christmas bonus a bribe disrespect towards the office of The FCC. Okay, that one I made up. No one has any respect for the FCC, and that’s not illegal yet.