§1.721. General pleading requirements. — Inbound Citations

(2) Any person who files a complaint or request to revoke a license or other authorization or for an order to show cause which shows that the complainant has served it on the subject of the complaint or which is a formal complaint under 47 U.S.C. 208 and § 1.721 or 47 U.S.C. 255 and either § 6.21 or § 7.21 of this chapter, and the person who is the subject of such a complaint or request that shows service or is a formal complaint under 47 U.S.C. 208 and § 1.721 or 47 U.S.C. 255 and either § 6.21 or § 7.21 of this chapter;

(d) Except in formal complaint proceedings against common carriers under §§ 1.720 through 1.740 and proceedings related to the Wireless Radio Services under subpart F of this part, documents may be served upon a party, his attorney, or other duly constituted agent by delivering a copy or by mailing a copy to the last known address. Documents that are required to be served must be served in paper form, even if documents are filed in electronic form with the Commission, unless the party to be served agrees to accept service in some other form. Petitions, pleadings, and other documents associated with licensing matters in the Wireless Radio Services must be served electronically upon a party, his attorney, or other duly constituted agent by delivering a copy by email to the email address listed in the Universal Licensing System (ULS). If a filer is not an applicant or licensee, the document must include an email address for receiving electronic service.

(i) Formal complaint proceedings under section 208 of the Act and rules in §§ 1.720 through 1.740, and pole attachment complaint proceedings under section 224 of the Act and rules in §§ 1.1401 through 1.1415;

The Commission will forward informal complaints to the appropriate carrier for investigation and may set a due date for the carrier to provide a written response to the informal complaint to the Commission, with a copy to the complainant. The response will advise the Commission of the carrier's satisfaction of the complaint or of its refusal or inability to do so. Where there are clear indications from the carrier's response or from other communications with the parties that the complaint has been satisfied, the Commission may, in its discretion, consider a complaint proceeding to be closed. In all other cases, the Commission will notify the complainant that if the complainant is not satisfied by the carrier's response, or if the carrier has failed to submit a response by the due date, the complainant may file a formal complaint in accordance with § 1.721.

When an informal complaint has not been satisfied pursuant to § 1.717, the complainant may file a formal complaint with this Commission in the form specified in § 1.721. Such filing will be deemed to relate back to the filing date of the informal complaint: Provided, That the formal complaint: Is filed within 6 months from the date of the carrier's response, or if no response has been filed, within 6 months of the due date for the response; makes reference to the date of the informal complaint, and is based on the same cause of action as the informal complaint. If no formal complaint is filed within the 6-month period, the informal complaint proceeding will be closed.

(d) Unsatisfied Informal Complaints Involving Unauthorized Changes of a Subscriber's Preferred Carrier; Formal Complaints Relating Back to the Filing Dates of Informal Complaints. If the complainant is unsatisfied with the resolution of a complaint under this section, the complainant may file a formal complaint with the Commission in the form specified in § 1.721. Such filing will be deemed to relate back to the filing date of the informal complaint filed under this section, so long as the informal complaint complied with the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section and provided that: The formal complaint is filed within 45 days from the date an order resolving the informal complaint filed under this section is mailed or delivered electronically to the complainant; makes reference to both the informal complaint number assigned to and the initial date of filing the informal complaint filed under this section; and is based on the same cause of action as the informal complaint filed under this section. If no formal complaint is filed within the 45-day period, the complainant will be deemed to have abandoned its right to bring a formal complaint regarding the cause of action at issue.

Cross-complaints seeking any relief within the jurisdiction of the Commission against any party (complainant or defendant) to that proceeding are prohibited. Any claim that might otherwise meet the requirements of a cross-complaint may be filed as a separate complaint in accordance with §§ 1.720 through 1.740. For purposes of this subpart, the term “cross-complaint” shall include counterclaims.

(1) Petitions seeking investigation, suspension, or rejection of a new or revised tariff filing or any provision thereof shall specify the filing's Federal Communications Commission tariff number and carrier transmittal number, the items against which protest is made, and the specific reasons why the protested tariff filing warrants investigation, suspension, or rejection under the Communications Act. No petition shall include a prayer that it also be considered a formal complaint. Any formal complaint shall be filed as a separate pleading as provided in § 1.721.

(i) Petitions seeking investigation, suspension, or rejection of a new or revised tariff filing or any provision of such a publication, must specify the pertinent Federal Communications Commission tariff number and carrier transmittal number; the matters protested; and the specific reasons why the tariff warrants investigation, suspension, or rejection. When a single petition asks for more than one form of relief, it must separately and distinctly plead and support each form of relief. However, no petition may ask that it also be considered a formal complaint. Formal complaints must be separately lodged, as provided in § 1.721.

(ii) For purposes of this section, tariff filings by nondominant carriers will be considered prima facie lawful, and will not be suspended by the Commission unless the petition requesting suspension shows:

(A) That there is a high probability the tariff would be found unlawful after investigation;

(B) That the harm alleged to competition would be more substantial than the injury to the public arising from the unavailability of the service pursuant to the rates and conditions proposed in the tariff filing;

(C) That irreparable injury will result if the tariff filing is not suspended; and

(iii) For the purpose of this section, any tariff filing by a local exchange carrier filed pursuant to the requirements of § 61.39 will be considered prima facie lawful and will not be suspended by the Commission unless the petition requesting suspension shows that the cost and demand studies or average schedule information was not provided upon reasonable request. If such a showing is not made, then the filing will be considered prima facie lawful and will not be suspended by the Commission unless the petition requesting suspension shows each of the following:

(A) That there is a high probability the tariff would be found unlawful after investigation;

(B) That any unreasonable rate would not be corrected in a subsequent filing;

(C) That irreparable injury will result if the tariff filing is not suspended; and

(iv) For the purposes of this section, tariff filings made pursuant to § 61.49(b) by carriers subject to price cap regulation will be considered prima facie lawful, and will not be suspended by the Commission unless the petition shows that the support information required in § 61.49(b) was not provided, or unless the petition requesting suspension shows each of the following:

(A) That there is a high probability the tariff would be found unlawful after investigation;

(B) That the suspension would not substantially harm other interested parties;

(C) That irreparable injury will result if the tariff filing is not suspended; and

(v) For the purposes of this section, any tariff filing by a price cap LEC filed pursuant to the requirements of § 61.42(d)(4)(ii) of this chapter will be considered prima facie lawful, and will not be suspended by the Commission unless the petition requesting suspension shows each of the following:

(A) That there is a high probability the tariff would be found unlawful after investigation;

(B) That any unreasonable rate would not be corrected in a subsequent filing;

(C) That irreparable injury will result if the tariff filing is not suspended; and

(vii) A copy of the certification must be served on the PSAP in accordance with § 1.47 of this chapter. The PSAP may challenge in writing the accuracy of the carrier's certification and shall serve a copy of such challenge on the carrier. See §§ 1.45 and 1.47 and 1.720 through 1.740 of this chapter.

(3) Persons alleging a violation of the rules in § 9.16 may file a complaint under the procedures set forth in §§ 1.711 through 1.737 of this chapter.

(2) A party alleging a violation of this section may file a formal or informal complaint pursuant to the procedures in §§ 1.716 through 1.718, 1.720, 1.721, and 1.723 through 1.735 of this chapter, which sections are incorporated herein. For purposes of § 20.12(e), references to a “carrier” or “common carrier” in the formal and informal complaint procedures incorporated herein will mean a provider of commercial mobile data services. The Commission will resolve such disputes on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the totality of the circumstances presented in each case. The remedy of damages shall not be available in connection with any complaint alleging a violation of this section. Whether the appropriate procedural vehicle for a dispute is a complaint under this paragraph or a petition for declaratory ruling under § 1.2 of this chapter may vary depending on the circumstances of each case.

(e) The Federal Communications Commission will not adjudicate a complaint filed pursuant to § 1.719 or §§ 1.720 through 1.736 of this chapter, involving an alleged unauthorized change, as defined by § 64.1100(e), while a complaint based on the same set of facts is pending with a state commission.

(c) Formal complaints against an NDBEDP certified program may be filed in the form and in the manner prescribed under §§ 1.720 through 1.740 of this chapter. Commission staff may grant waivers of, or exceptions to, particular requirements under §§ 1.720 through 1.740 of this chapter for good cause shown; provided, however, that such waiver authority may not be exercised in a manner that relieves, or has the effect of relieving, a complainant of the obligation under §§ 1.721 and 1.722 of this chapter to allege facts which, if true, are sufficient to constitute a violation or violations of section 719 of the Communications Act or this subpart.

(e) If a complainant exercises its right under paragraph (c) of this section, or the Commission invokes its authority under paragraph (d) of this section, the complainant may initiate a separate proceeding to obtain a determination of damages by filing a supplemental complaint within sixty days after public notice (as defined in § 1.4(b)) of a decision that contains a finding of liability on the merits of the original complaint. Supplemental complaints filed pursuant to this section need not comply with the requirements in §§ 1.721(c) or 1.722(d), (g), (h), (j), and (k). The supplemental complaint shall be deemed, for statutory limitations purposes, to relate back to the date of the original complaint.