The following companies have been identified by TAA as telecom or business services vendors that TAA members may wish to watch as they "do things differently" or have been singled out by others for special attention. If you believe other companies need to be added to TAA's vendor watch list, or any of this information is in error, please contact Dan Baldwin, TAA's Editor-at-Large at 206-203-6115 x2.

Epixtar Corp.; Liberty Online Services, Inc.; National Online Services, Inc.; B2B Advantage, Inc., formerly known as SBA Online For "cramming" charges on consumer's phone bills for websites they didn't order. FTC Press Release - FTC Cache  11/2003, Washington Post Article 12/2003

Mercury Marketing/Mercury Internet Service  For "cramming" charges on consumer's phone bills for websites they didn't order.   Washington Post Article 12/2003, FTC Press Release 3/2001

New Access Communications  New Access appears to be a Minneapolis-based UNEP CLEC that is being sued by the Minnesota Attorney General "for allegedly violating civil fraud and consumer protection laws." A Minneapolis newspaper reports that Mew Access "paid $222,000 to settle charges with Oregon, Washington and Indiana. The three states concluded that New Access wronged more than 5,600 people in 2001, either through overcharging or slamming." The article suggests that New Access is also being investigated by Montana, North Dakota & Michigan for its marketing practices. Newspaper Article 12/2003, TV Station Article 12/2003, FCC Order 11/2002

NOS Communications NOS Communications & related companies NOSVA, ANI, Affinity Network, Quantum Link, HorizonOne, IBA, INETBA, Internet Business Association & CierraCom are Las Vegas based long distance companies. Federal Communications Commision News Release 4/2003, Federal Communications Commision News Release 12/2002, Nevada Attorney General News Release 7/2002, Florida Attorney General News Release 3/2002, San Francisco Chronicle Story about NOS 8/2000