Last week, the FCC expanded upon their previous release of unaudited complaint data, which the FCC started making available late last year.  Now, site users can not only access the complaint data, but can also access brand new complaint mapping, location and charting features, or access the FCC's data through an API to create their own charts and the like. 

We all remember Lynn v. Monarch Recovery Services, in which the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals decided calls made to a residential VoIP number where the owner was charged for the call, were illegal, just as if they had been made to a wireless phone without written consent.  

It was not that long ago that the FCC and FTC had conflicting regulations on several telemarketing related issues (such as call abandonment rules). But those days are past.

In a somewhat unusual case the FCC has cited Lyft Inc. for failing to allow consumers to use Lyft’s services without opting in to receive autodialed texts and calls.

Last week the FCC released a forfeiture order against Travel Club and several other related parties imposing a fine of $2,960,000. This fine was based on 185 unsolicited robocalls in violation of the TCPA (185 violations x $16,000 per violation).

The United States District Court, for the Southern District of New York recently granted summary judgement against Time Warner Cable, and awarded the plaintiff $229,500 as statutory damages for the 153 automated calls Time Warner made to the plaintiff’s cell phone

We are used to seeing the FCC and the FTC go after the big fish--larger companies who have generated numerous complaints and usually thousands of  alleged violations.