Sprint sues over claims of improper wireless call billing

Sprint (NYSE: S) has filed a lawsuit against two FairPoint subsidiaries, Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and Windstream's Paetec over claims that they are improperly billing for switched-access charges on wireless calls, reports Channel Partners.

According to the lawsuit it filed in New York on May 13, Sprint alleges that the "defendants' behavior is contrary to the law and is in violation of their interstate and/or intrastate tariffs."

The wireless operator has asked that the telcos refund it millions of dollars and that they should stop assessing charges on wireless, which are known as commercial mobile radio service (CMRS), or what are known as calls that orginate and terminate in the same "Major Trading Area."

In its lawsuit, Sprint cites a 1996 FCC ruling that said that CMRS calls are local calls and are not subject to access charges. It also cited a separate FCC order that said local "intraMTA" calls are subject to reciprocal compensation vs. switched-access charges.

Verizon and Windstream's Paetec did not provide a comment to Channel Partners. FairPoint's Berkshire Telephone and Taconic Telephone operating subsidiaries also did not comment on the pending lawsuit.

For more:
- Channel Partners has this article

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