The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a USD 163,912 fine, the maximum amount allowed by law, against ISP BarrierFree for apparently reporting inaccurate information that significantly inflated its broadband subscription numbers, among other breaches.
The FCC said a revised March 2018 filing, and in September 2019 and March 2020 filings, BarrierFree apparently reported having vastly more broadband subscribers than there were housing units in the Suffolk County, New York census tracts where it reported providing service.
The ISP also allegedly failed to submit its March 2019 broadband deployment data Form 477 filing, provide accurate responses to letters of inquiry issued by the Commission’s Enforcement Bureau during the course of its investigation, and fully respond to those letters of inquiry.
The FCC said BarrierFree will be given an opportunity to respond before it acts further to resolve the matter.
