OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — According to a release from Nebraska Public Service Commissioner Crystal Rhoades of District 2, wireless carrier Sprint has been fined for misleading and overcharging customers.
Rhoades’ release said:
On Tuesday, June 8, the Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) issued an Order (911.033.16) dismissing its formal complaint and levying a fine against the wireless carrier Sprint.
“Sprint has admitted that for a six-year period it overcharged every customer, on every line in the city limits of Omaha to the tune of nearly 300,000 dollars,” said Commissioner Crystal Rhoades, District 2. “By levying a civil penalty of $50,000 the Commission is sending a message that carriers need to be more responsible to the consumer and that such blatant errors will not be tolerated.”
The Commission opened a formal complaint against Sprint in March of 2019, alleging the wireless carrier violated Neb. Rev. Stat. § 86-457 and 86-459(4) from 2013-2019, by charging users who live in Omaha, an Enhanced Wireless 911 Surcharge of 0.50 per active wireless telephone number. The surcharge set annually by the Commission has been at 0.45 since 2012. The complaint also alleged that Sprint mislabeled the surcharge on the billing statement referring to it as the Omaha City Tax, rather than the Enhanced Wireless 911 Surcharge.
The overcharge affected 77,421 Sprint customers and totaled $296,414.15. The carrier has issued a credit to all currently active customers affected by the overcharge and is in the process of issuing refund checks to closed accounts.
Commissioner Rhoades said, “I would urge former customers of Sprint who feel they may have been affected by the overcharge to contact the carrier.”
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