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Background
Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934
prohibits the “use or operation of any apparatus for the
transmission of energy or communications or signals by radio”
without a license issued by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC). Thus, generally, in order to use or operate a radio
station, the Communications Act requires that you first obtain a
license from the FCC.
There are certain limited exceptions. For
example, the FCC has provided blanket authorization to operators
of Citizens Band (CB) radios, radio control stations, domestic
ship and aircraft radios, and certain other types of devices. This
blanket authorization means that operators of these devices are
not required to have individual station licenses. Operators are
required to operate their devices in a manner consistent with the
FCC’s operational and technical rules for these services. Failure
to do so could be considered an unauthorized operation. For
further information regarding operation of these devices, see the
FCC’s consumer fact sheet at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/prs.html.
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Sanctions
The FCC takes enforcement of
unauthorized radio operations very seriously. Anyone found
operating a radio station without an FCC authorization can
be subject to a variety of enforcement actions, including
seizure of equipment, imposition of monetary forfeitures,
and criminal penalties. |
Filing a Complaint with the FCC
If you have a complaint about unauthorized
radio operation, you can file it with the FCC. There is no charge
for filing a complaint. You can file your complaint using the
on-line complaint Form 2000F 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 Complaints 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 2000F. If you do not use the on-line
complaint Form 2000F, your complaint, at a minimum, should
indicate:
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your name, address, email address, and
phone number where you can be reached;
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name and phone number of the company that
you are complaining about; and
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any additional details of your complaint,
including time, date, and nature of the conduct or activity you
are complaining about and identifying information for any
companies, organizations, or individuals involved.
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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
