---
kind: "section"
citation: "47 U.S.C. § 202"
title: "47"
title_heading: "Telecommunications"
number: "202"
heading: "Discriminations and preferences"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/47/202"
units:
  - "Chapter 5 — Wire or Radio Communication"
  - "Subchapter II — Common Carriers"
  - "Part I — Common Carrier Regulation"
---

# §202. Discriminations and preferences

- (a) **Charges, services, etc.** It shall be unlawful for any [common carrier](/usc/47/153.md?p=11) to make any unjust or unreasonable discrimination in charges, practices, classifications, regulations, facilities, or services for or in connection with like communication service, directly or indirectly, by any means or device, or to make or give any undue or unreasonable preference or advantage to any particular [person](/usc/47/153.md?p=39), class of [persons](/usc/47/153.md?p=39), or locality, or to subject any particular [person](/usc/47/153.md?p=39), class of [persons](/usc/47/153.md?p=39), or locality to any undue or unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage.
- (b) **Charges or services included—** Charges or services, whenever referred to in this chapter, include charges for, or services in connection with, the use of [common carrier](/usc/47/153.md?p=11) lines of communication, whether derived from wire or radio facilities, in [chain broadcasting](/usc/47/153.md?p=10) or incidental to [radio communication](/usc/47/153.md?p=40) of any kind.
- (c) **Penalty—** Any [carrier](/usc/47/153.md?p=11) who knowingly violates the provisions of this section shall forfeit to the [United States](/usc/47/153.md?p=58) the sum of $6,000 for each such offense and $300 for each and every day of the continuance of such offense.

## Source credit

(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title II, § 202, 48 Stat. 1070; Pub. L. 86–751, Sept. 13, 1960, 74 Stat. 888; Pub. L. 101–239, title III, § 3002(a), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2131.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original “this Act”, meaning act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, known as the Communications Act of 1934, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables.

### Amendments

1989—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–239 substituted “$6,000” for “$500” and “$300” for “$25”.

1960—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 86–751 substituted “common carrier lines of communication, whether derived from wire or radio facilities,” for “wires”.