BISMARCK, N.D. (PSC) – The North Dakota Public Service Commission (PSC) has issued a Cease and Desist Order against Bright Sound Communications Inc. ordering the company to stop all marketing of telecommunications services in North Dakota.
“Competition in the telecommunications industry is fine and even encouraged, but blatantly and continually misrepresenting the facts will absolutely not be tolerated,” said Commission Chair Randy Christmann, who holds the telecommunications portfolio.
In Oct. 2022, the PSC received a complaint from a North Dakota telecommunications company followed by a similar complaint from a business alleging Bright Sound was misrepresenting themselves on sales calls. Further investigation by PSC staff revealed similar instances of misrepresentation on sales calls in at least six other instances. In each of these instances, customers reported that they received sales calls from a representative of Bright Sound claiming to be associated with or otherwise affiliated with their current long-distance provider. During those calls customers were urged to switch their long distance service to Bright Sound due to their current provider no longer offering the service. In each instance, the current providers confirmed that they have no affiliation with Bright Sound nor did they have plans to discontinue their long distance services.
In Nov. 2022, PSC staff served a notice to Bright Sound outlining the Commission’s intent to issue a cease and desist order and giving the company a chance to request a hearing. A response was received indicating that the company had canceled their contract with an outsourced marketing firm and the practices would stop, but PSC staff received another complaint in Feb. 2023 concerning misrepresentation by Bright Sound. The customer stated that they began receiving bills from Bright Sound without signing up for service.
The Cease and Desist Order approved by the Commission on Feb. 22, 2023, prohibits Bright Sound from conducting any marketing activities in North Dakota. Any customer who receives a marketing phone call from Bright Sound is encouraged to contact the Commission.
The North Dakota Public Service Commission is a constitutionally created state agency with authority to permit, site and regulate certain business activities in the state including electric and gas utilities, telecommunications companies, power plants, electric transmission lines, pipelines, railroads, auctioneers, commercial weighing devices, pipeline safety and coal mine reclamation. For more information, contact the Public Service Commission at (701) 328-2400 or psc.nd.gov