MCI Offers Plan to Combat Unapproved Service Switches

WASHINGTON —  MCI Communications Corp. offered the federal government a plan Thursday to thwart telemarketers who switch phone customers’ long-distance service without their permission.

This customer switching, known as slamming, has generated tens of thousands of complaints to state and federal telephone regulators, particularly in the wake of recent advertising wars among MCI, US Sprint and American Telephone & Telegraph Co.

With all three leading long-distance carriers now offering about the same prices, they are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising and telemarketing trying to lure customers from their rivals.

AT&T; has 65% of the market, MCI 14% and Sprint 10%.

MCI called on the Federal Communications Commission to establish uniform, minimum disclosures in all telephone sales solicitations; monitor procedures for phone solicitors; independently verify sales to insure that the customer has authorized a change in service, conduct independent audits and ensure “free and convenient return to the original long-distance carrier in the case of unauthorized service conversion.”