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What Is Call Splashing?
When you place a long distance call from a public phone
(a payphone, hotel, or airport phone, for example), your call may be routed
to a distant call center before being “handed off” to your preferred long
distance company. Your preferred long distance company might then, either
unintentionally or intentionally, bill you as if your call originated from
the distant call center, rather than from your actual location. As a result,
you may be charged higher long distance rates for the call than you
expected. This is called “call splashing,” and it may be in violation of
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules.
Is Call Splashing Legal?
A telephone company is permitted to base charges on an artificial point of
origination if the caller:
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requests to be transferred to a different company's operator;
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is informed (before incurring any charges) that the
call may be billed as if it originated somewhere other than where the
caller is calling from; and
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he/she consents to the transfer.
Avoid Being "Splashed"
To help avoid call splashing, listen carefully to the
telephone operator and don’t consent to any call transfers unless you
understand what the operator is asking. Carefully read your phone bill to
ensure the origination and destination locations of your long distance phone
calls are correct. If your phone call has been billed without your consent
as if the call originated from a distant call center, and the rate is higher
than you anticipated, complain to your preferred long distance company so
you can receive the correct billing rate.
Filing a Complaint with the FCC
If you are unable to resolve the matter with your
preferred long distance company, you can file a complaint with the FCC.
There is no charge for filing a complaint. You can file your complaint using
the on-line complaint Form 2000B found on the FCC Web site at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html. You can also file your complaint with
the FCC’s Consumer Center by e-mailing
fccinfo@fcc.gov; calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or
1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaint Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554.
What to Include in Your Complaint
The best way to provide all the information the FCC
needs to process your complaint is to complete fully the on-line complaint
Form 2000B. If you do not use the on-line complaint Form 2000B, your
complaint, at a minimum, should indicate:
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your name, address, e-mail address, and phone
number where you can be reached;
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the telephone and account numbers that are the
subject of your complaint;
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the names and phone numbers of any companies
involved with your complaint;
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the amount of any disputed charges, whether you
paid them, whether you received a refund or adjustment to your bill, the
amount of any adjustment or refund you have received, an explanation if
the disputed charges are related to services in addition to residence or
business telephone services; and
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the details of your complaint and any additional
relevant information.
For More Information
For information about other telecommunications issues,
visit the FCC’s Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Web site at
www.fcc.gov/cgb, or contact the FCC’s Consumer Center
using the information provided for filing a complaint.
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Federal Communications Commission · Consumer
& Governmental Affairs Bureau · 445 12th St. S.W. ·
Washington, DC 20554 |
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1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) ·
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) · Fax: 1-866-418-0232 · www.fcc.gov/cgb/
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Federal Communications Commission
