American Telecom Services, Inc.; Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment, 11374-11376 [E9-5733]
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11374
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 50 / Tuesday, March 17, 2009 / Notices
FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
dwashington3 on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
Formations of, Acquisitions by, and
Mergers of Bank Holding Companies
The companies listed in this notice
have applied to the Board for approval,
pursuant to the Bank Holding Company
Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.)
(BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR Part
225), and all other applicable statutes
and regulations to become a bank
holding company and/or to acquire the
assets or the ownership of, control of, or
the power to vote shares of a bank or
bank holding company and all of the
banks and nonbanking companies
owned by the bank holding company,
including the companies listed below.
The applications listed below, as well
as other related filings required by the
Board, are available for immediate
inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank
indicated. The applications also will be
available for inspection at the offices of
the Board of Governors. Interested
persons may express their views in
writing on the standards enumerated in
the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1842(c)). If the
proposal also involves the acquisition of
a nonbanking company, the review also
includes whether the acquisition of the
nonbanking company complies with the
standards in section 4 of the BHC Act
(12 U.S.C. 1843). Unless otherwise
noted, nonbanking activities will be
conducted throughout the United States.
Additional information on all bank
holding companies may be obtained
from the National Information Center
website at www.ffiec.gov/nic/.
Unless otherwise noted, comments
regarding each of these applications
must be received at the Reserve Bank
indicated or the offices of the Board of
Governors not later than April 10, 2009.
A. Federal Reserve Bank of New
York (Ivan Hurwitz, Bank Applications
Officer) 33 Liberty Street, New York,
New York 10045–0001:
1. Chemung Financial Corporation,
Elmira, New York, to acquire, by
merger, Canton Bancorp, Inc., and
thereby indirectly acquire The Bank of
Canton, both of Canton, Pennsylvania.
B. Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
(Colette A. Fried, Assistant Vice
President) 230 South LaSalle Street,
Chicago, Illinois 60690–1414:
1. OSB Financial Corporation,
Brooklyn, Michigan, to become a bank
holding company by acquiring 100
percent of the voting shares of OSB
Community Bank, Brooklyn, Michigan.
C. Federal Reserve Bank of
Minneapolis (Jacqueline G. King,
Community Affairs Officer) 90
Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55480–0291:
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13:44 Mar 16, 2009
Jkt 217001
1. Beartooth Financial Corporation,
Billings, Montana, to become a bank
holding company by acquiring 100
percent of the voting shares of Beartooth
Bank, Billings, Montana.
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, March 12, 2009.
Robert deV. Frierson,
Deputy Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. E9–5693 Filed 3–16–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210–01–S
FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
Formations of, Acquisitions by, and
Mergers of Bank Holding Companies;
Correction
This notice corrects a notice (FR Doc.
E9-4588) published on page 9403 of the
issue for Wednesday, March 4, 2009.
Under the Federal Reserve Bank of
Atlanta heading, the entry for RMB
Holdings, LLC, and ATB Management,
LLC, both of Birmingham, Alabama, is
revised to read as follows:
A. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
(Steve Foley, Vice President) 1000
Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia
30309:
1. RMB Holdings, LLC, and ATB
Management, LLC, both of Birmingham,
Alabama, to acquire up to 30 percent of
the voting shares of Americus Financial
Services, Inc., and thereby indirectly
acquire voting shares of Red Mountain
Bank, N.A., both of Birmingham,
Alabama.
Comments on this application must
be received by March 30, 2009.
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, March 11, 2009.
Robert deV. Frierson,
Deputy Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. E9–5652 Filed 3–16–09 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210–01–S
FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
Notice of Proposals to Engage in
Permissible Nonbanking Activities or
to Acquire Companies that are
Engaged in Permissible Nonbanking
Activities
The companies listed in this notice
have given notice under section 4 of the
Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C.
1843) (BHC Act) and Regulation Y (12
CFR Part 225) to engage de novo, or to
acquire or control voting securities or
assets of a company, including the
companies listed below, that engages
either directly or through a subsidiary or
other company, in a nonbanking activity
that is listed in § 225.28 of Regulation Y
(12 CFR 225.28) or that the Board has
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
determined by Order to be closely
related to banking and permissible for
bank holding companies. Unless
otherwise noted, these activities will be
conducted throughout the United States.
Each notice is available for inspection
at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated.
The notice also will be available for
inspection at the offices of the Board of
Governors. Interested persons may
express their views in writing on the
question whether the proposal complies
with the standards of section 4 of the
BHC Act. Additional information on all
bank holding companies may be
obtained from the National Information
Center website at www.ffiec.gov/nic/.
Unless otherwise noted, comments
regarding the applications must be
received at the Reserve Bank indicated
or the offices of the Board of Governors
not later than April 1, 2009.
A. Federal Reserve Bank of San
Francisco (Kenneth Binning, Vice
President, Applications and
Enforcement) 101 Market Street, San
Francisco, California 94105–1579:
1. Manhattan Bancorp, El Segundo,
California; and Carpenter Fund Manager
GP, LLC; Carpenter Fund Management,
LLC; Carpenter Community Bancfund,
L.P.; Carpenter Community Bancfund–
A, L.P.; Carpenter Community
Bancfund–CA, L.P.; CCFW, Inc.; and
SCJ, Inc., all of Irvine, California, to
form a new wholly owned subsidiary,
MB Financial Services, Inc., El Segundo,
California, which will enter into a de
novo joint venture with Bodi Advisors,
Inc., El Segundo, California, by
acquiring approximately 70 percent of
the voting shares of Bodi Capital LLC,
and thereby engage in riskless principal
transactions, pursuant to section
225.28(b)(7), and mortgage brokerage
and loan origination activities, pursuant
to section 225.28(b)(1), both of
Regulation Y.
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, March 12, 2009.
Robert deV. Frierson,
Deputy Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. E9–5692 Filed 3–16–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210–01–S
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
[File No. 082 3114]
American Telecom Services, Inc.;
Analysis of Proposed Consent Order
to Aid Public Comment
Federal Trade Commission.
Proposed Consent Agreement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The consent agreement in this
matter settles alleged violations of
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 50 / Tuesday, March 17, 2009 / Notices
dwashington3 on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
federal law prohibiting unfair or
deceptive acts or practices or unfair
methods of competition. The attached
Analysis to Aid Public Comment
describes both the allegations in the
complaint and the terms of the consent
order—embodied in the consent
agreement—that would settle these
allegations.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before April 9, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties are
invited to submit written comments
electronically or in paper form.
Comments should refer to‘‘American
Telecom Services, File No. 082 3114’’ to
facilitate the organization of comments.
Please note that your comment—
including your name and your state—
will be placed on the public record of
this proceeding, including on the
publicly accessible FTC website, at
(https://www.ftc.gov/os/
publiccomments.shtm).
Because comments will be made
public, they should not include any
sensitive personal information, such as
an individual’s Social Security Number;
date of birth; driver’s license number or
other state identification number, or
foreign country equivalent; passport
number; financial account number; or
credit or debit card number. Comments
also should not include any sensitive
health information, such as medical
records or other individually
identifiable health information. In
addition, comments should not include
any ‘‘[t]rade secret or any commercial or
financial information which is obtained
from any person and which is privileged
or confidential. . .,’’ as provided in
Section 6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C.
46(f), and Commission Rule 4.10(a)(2),
16 CFR 4.10(a)(2). Comments containing
material for which confidential
treatment is requested must be filed in
paper form, must be clearly labeled
‘‘Confidential,’’ and must comply with
FTC Rule 4.9(c).1
Because paper mail addressed to the
FTC is subject to delay due to
heightened security screening, please
consider submitting your comments in
electronic form. Comments filed in
electronic form should be submitted by
using the following weblink: (https://
secure.commentworks.com/ftcAmericanTelecom) (and following the
instructions on the web-based form). To
1 FTC Rule 4.2(d), 16 CFR 4.2(d). The comment
must be accompanied by an explicit request for
confidential treatment, including the factual and
legal basis for the request, and must identify the
specific portions of the comment to be withheld
from the public record. The request will be granted
or denied by the Commission’s General Counsel,
consistent with applicable law and the public
interest. See FTC Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c).
VerDate Nov<24>2008
13:44 Mar 16, 2009
Jkt 217001
ensure that the Commission considers
an electronic comment, you must file it
on the web-based form at the weblink:
(https://secure.commentworks.com/ftcAmericanTelecom). If this Notice
appears at (https://www.regulations.gov/
search/index.jsp), you may also file an
electronic comment through that
website. The Commission will consider
all comments that regulations.gov
forwards to it. You may also visit the
FTC website at https://www.ftc.gov to
read the Notice and the news release
describing it.
A comment filed in paper form
should include the ‘‘American Telecom
Services, Inc., File No. 082 3114‘‘
reference both in the text and on the
envelope, and should be mailed or
delivered to the following address:
Federal Trade Commission, Office of the
Secretary, Room H-135, 600
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington,
DC 20580. The FTC is requesting that
any comment filed in paper form be sent
by courier or overnight service, if
possible, because U.S. postal mail in the
Washington area and at the Commission
is subject to delay due to heightened
security precautions.
The Federal Trade Commission Act
(‘‘FTC Act’’) and other laws the
Commission administers permit the
collection of public comments to
consider and use in this proceeding as
appropriate. The Commission will
consider all timely and responsive
public comments that it receives,
whether filed in paper or electronic
form. Comments received will be
available to the public on the FTC
website, to the extent practicable, at
(https://www.ftc.gov/os/
publiccomments.shtm). As a matter of
discretion, the Commission makes every
effort to remove home contact
information for individuals from the
public comments it receives before
placing those comments on the FTC
website. More information, including
routine uses permitted by the Privacy
Act, may be found in the FTC’s privacy
policy, at (https://www.ftc.gov/ftc/
privacy.shtm).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Linda K. Badger, FTC Western Region,
San Francisco, 600 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20580,
(415) 848-5151.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant
to section 6(f) of the Federal Trade
Commission Act, 38 Stat. 721, 15 U.S.C.
46(f), and § 2.34 of the Commission
Rules of Practice, 16 CFR 2.34, notice is
hereby given that the above-captioned
consent agreement containing a consent
order to cease and desist, having been
filed with and accepted, subject to final
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11375
approval, by the Commission, has been
placed on the public record for a period
of thirty (30) days. The following
Analysis to Aid Public Comment
describes the terms of the consent
agreement, and the allegations in the
complaint. An electronic copy of the
full text of the consent agreement
package can be obtained from the FTC
Home Page (for March 11, 2009), on the
World Wide Web, at (https://
www.ftc.gov/os/2009/03/index.htm). A
paper copy can be obtained from the
FTC Public Reference Room, Room 130H, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington, D.C. 20580, either in
person or by calling (202) 326-2222.
Public comments are invited, and may
be filed with the Commission in either
paper or electronic form. All comments
should be filed as prescribed in the
ADDRESSES section above, and must be
received on or before the date specified
in the DATES section.
Analysis of Agreement Containing
Consent Order to Aid Public Comment
The Federal Trade Commission has
accepted, subject to final approval, an
agreement containing a consent order
from American Telecom Services, Inc.
(‘‘ATS’’). ATS, with headquarters in
Atlanta, Georgia, is a distributor of
telephones and phone services.
The proposed consent order has been
placed on the public record for thirty
(30) days for reception of comments by
interested persons. Comments received
during this period will become part of
the public record. After thirty (30) days,
the Commission will again review the
agreement and the comments received
and will decide whether it should
withdraw from the agreement or make
final the agreement’s proposed order.
This matter concerns ATS’s cash
rebate promotions. To make its products
more attractive to retailers and their
customers, ATS has offered numerous
mail-in rebates ranging from $5 to $50
in value. In implementing these
promotions, ATS used third party
fulfillment houses to process and pay
rebate requests received from its
customers. The complaint alleges that
ATS engaged in deceptive practices
relating to these rebate offers.
Specifically, the complaint alleges that
ATS falsely represented that purchasers
of eligible ATS products will receive
rebate checks within eight weeks after
receipt of their properly completed
requests. The proposed complaint
further alleges that tens of thousands of
consumers who submitted properly
completed requests for rebates since
2006 have experienced substantial
delays, including delays of one year or
longer. According to the complaint,
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11376
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 50 / Tuesday, March 17, 2009 / Notices
these delays have been due, in part, to
ATS’s inability to pay its third party
fulfillment houses, as well as its refusal
to timely pay third party fulfillment
houses with which it had
disagreements.
The proposed order contains
provisions designed to prevent ATS
from engaging in similar acts and
practices in the future. Part I of the
proposed order prohibits ATS from
misrepresenting the time in which any
rebate will be mailed and from failing to
provide any rebate within the time
specified, or if no time is specified,
within thirty days. This provision also
prohibits the company from
misrepresenting any material terms of
any rebate program, including the status
of or reasons for any delay in providing
any rebate.
Parts II through V of the proposed
order are standard reporting and
compliance provisions. Part VI provides
that the order will terminate after
twenty (20) years, with certain
exceptions.
The purpose of this analysis is to
facilitate public comment on the
proposed order, and it is not intended
to constitute an official interpretation of
the agreement and proposed order or to
modify in any way their terms.
By direction of the Commission.
Donald S. Clark
Secretary
[FR Doc. E9–5733 Filed 3–16–09: 8:45 am]
[BILLING CODE 6750–01–S]
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and
Families
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
Title: TANF Quarterly Financial
Report, ACF–196.
OMB No.: 0970–0247.
Description: This information
collection is authorized under Section
411(a)(3) of the Social Security Act. This
request is for renewal of approval to use
the Administration for Children and
Families’ (ACF) 196 form for periodic
financial reporting under the Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
program. Approval of this information
collection expires on March 31, 2009.
States participating in the TANF
program are required by statute to report
financial data on a quarterly basis. This
form meets the legal standard and
provides essential data on the use of
Federal funds. Failure to collect the data
would seriously compromise ACF’s
ability to monitor program
expenditures, estimate funding needs,
and to prepare budget submissions
required by Congress. Financial
reporting under the TANF program is
governed by 45 CFR part 265.
Respondents: TANF Agencies.
ANNUAL BURDEN ESTIMATES
Number of
respondents
Number of
responses per
respondent
Average
burden hours
per response
ACF–196TT .....................................................................................................
ACF–196 ..........................................................................................................
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: ...........................................................
dwashington3 on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
Instrument
20
51
........................
4
4
........................
2
8
........................
Additional Information:
Copies of the proposed collection may
be obtained by writing to the
Administration for Children and
Families, Office of Administration,
Office of Information Services, 370
L’Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington,
DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance
Officer. All requests should be
identified by the title of the information
collection. E-mail address:
infocollection@acf.hhs.gov.
OMB Comment:
OMB is required to make a decision
concerning the collection of information
between 30 and 60 days after
publication of this document in the
Federal Register. Therefore, a comment
is best assured of having its full effect
if OMB receives it within 30 days of
publication. Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent
directly to the following: Office of
Management and Budget, Paperwork
Reduction Project. Fax: 202–395–6974.
Attn: Desk Officer for the
Administration for Children and
Families.
VerDate Nov<24>2008
13:44 Mar 16, 2009
Jkt 217001
Dated: March 11, 2009.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E9–5641 Filed 3–16–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
[Docket No. FDA–2009–N–0664]
Blood Products Advisory Committee;
Notice of Meeting
AGENCY:
Food and Drug Administration,
HHS.
ACTION:
Notice.
This notice announces a forthcoming
meeting of a public advisory committee
of the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). At least one portion of the
meeting will be closed to the public.
Name of Committee: Blood Products
Advisory Committee.
General Function of the Committee:
To provide advice and
recommendations to the agency on
FDA’s regulatory issues.
PO 00000
Frm 00032
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Total burden
hours
160
1,632
1,792
Date and Time: The meeting will be
held on April 1, 2009, from 8 a.m. to 6
p.m. and on April 2, 2009, from 8 a.m.
to 4:45 p.m.
Location: Hilton Washington DC
North/Gaithersburg, Grand Ballroom,
620 Perry Pkwy., Gaithersburg, MD
20877, 301–977–8900.
Contact Person: William Freas or
Pearline K. Muckelvene, Center for
Biologics Evaluation and Research
(CBER), Food and Drug Administration,
1401 Rockville Pike (HFM–71),
Rockville, MD 20852, 301–827–0314, or
FDA Advisory Committee Information
Line, 1–800–741–8138 (301–443–0572
in the Washington, DC area), code
3014519516. Please call the Information
Line for up-to-date information on this
meeting. A notice in the Federal
Register about last minute modifications
that impact a previously announced
advisory committee meeting cannot
always be published quickly enough to
provide timely notice. Therefore, you
should always check the agency’s Web
site and call the appropriate advisory
committee hot line/phone line to learn
about possible modifications before
coming to the meeting.
E:\FR\FM\17MRN1.SGM
17MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11374-11376]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5733]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
[File No. 082 3114]
American Telecom Services, Inc.; Analysis of Proposed Consent
Order to Aid Public Comment
AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.
ACTION: Proposed Consent Agreement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged
violations of
[[Page 11375]]
federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair
methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment
describes both the allegations in the complaint and the terms of the
consent order--embodied in the consent agreement--that would settle
these allegations.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 9, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments
electronically or in paper form. Comments should refer to``American
Telecom Services, File No. 082 3114'' to facilitate the organization of
comments. Please note that your comment--including your name and your
state--will be placed on the public record of this proceeding,
including on the publicly accessible FTC website, at (https://
www.ftc.gov/os/publiccomments.shtm).
Because comments will be made public, they should not include any
sensitive personal information, such as an individual's Social Security
Number; date of birth; driver's license number or other state
identification number, or foreign country equivalent; passport number;
financial account number; or credit or debit card number. Comments also
should not include any sensitive health information, such as medical
records or other individually identifiable health information. In
addition, comments should not include any ``[t]rade secret or any
commercial or financial information which is obtained from any person
and which is privileged or confidential. . .,'' as provided in Section
6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and Commission Rule 4.10(a)(2),
16 CFR 4.10(a)(2). Comments containing material for which confidential
treatment is requested must be filed in paper form, must be clearly
labeled ``Confidential,'' and must comply with FTC Rule 4.9(c).\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ FTC Rule 4.2(d), 16 CFR 4.2(d). The comment must be
accompanied by an explicit request for confidential treatment,
including the factual and legal basis for the request, and must
identify the specific portions of the comment to be withheld from
the public record. The request will be granted or denied by the
Commission's General Counsel, consistent with applicable law and the
public interest. See FTC Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Because paper mail addressed to the FTC is subject to delay due to
heightened security screening, please consider submitting your comments
in electronic form. Comments filed in electronic form should be
submitted by using the following weblink: (https://
secure.commentworks.com/ftc-AmericanTelecom) (and following the
instructions on the web-based form). To ensure that the Commission
considers an electronic comment, you must file it on the web-based form
at the weblink: (https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-AmericanTelecom).
If this Notice appears at (https://www.regulations.gov/search/
index.jsp), you may also file an electronic comment through that
website. The Commission will consider all comments that regulations.gov
forwards to it. You may also visit the FTC website at https://
www.ftc.gov to read the Notice and the news release describing it.
A comment filed in paper form should include the ``American Telecom
Services, Inc., File No. 082 3114`` reference both in the text and on
the envelope, and should be mailed or delivered to the following
address: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, Room H-135,
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580. The FTC is
requesting that any comment filed in paper form be sent by courier or
overnight service, if possible, because U.S. postal mail in the
Washington area and at the Commission is subject to delay due to
heightened security precautions.
The Federal Trade Commission Act (``FTC Act'') and other laws the
Commission administers permit the collection of public comments to
consider and use in this proceeding as appropriate. The Commission will
consider all timely and responsive public comments that it receives,
whether filed in paper or electronic form. Comments received will be
available to the public on the FTC website, to the extent practicable,
at (https://www.ftc.gov/os/publiccomments.shtm). As a matter of
discretion, the Commission makes every effort to remove home contact
information for individuals from the public comments it receives before
placing those comments on the FTC website. More information, including
routine uses permitted by the Privacy Act, may be found in the FTC's
privacy policy, at (https://www.ftc.gov/ftc/privacy.shtm).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda K. Badger, FTC Western Region,
San Francisco, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20580,
(415) 848-5151.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 6(f) of the Federal
Trade Commission Act, 38 Stat. 721, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and Sec. 2.34 of
the Commission Rules of Practice, 16 CFR 2.34, notice is hereby given
that the above-captioned consent agreement containing a consent order
to cease and desist, having been filed with and accepted, subject to
final approval, by the Commission, has been placed on the public record
for a period of thirty (30) days. The following Analysis to Aid Public
Comment describes the terms of the consent agreement, and the
allegations in the complaint. An electronic copy of the full text of
the consent agreement package can be obtained from the FTC Home Page
(for March 11, 2009), on the World Wide Web, at (https://www.ftc.gov/os/
2009/03/index.htm). A paper copy can be obtained from the FTC Public
Reference Room, Room 130-H, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington,
D.C. 20580, either in person or by calling (202) 326-2222.
Public comments are invited, and may be filed with the Commission
in either paper or electronic form. All comments should be filed as
prescribed in the ADDRESSES section above, and must be received on or
before the date specified in the DATES section.
Analysis of Agreement Containing Consent Order to Aid Public Comment
The Federal Trade Commission has accepted, subject to final
approval, an agreement containing a consent order from American Telecom
Services, Inc. (``ATS''). ATS, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia,
is a distributor of telephones and phone services.
The proposed consent order has been placed on the public record for
thirty (30) days for reception of comments by interested persons.
Comments received during this period will become part of the public
record. After thirty (30) days, the Commission will again review the
agreement and the comments received and will decide whether it should
withdraw from the agreement or make final the agreement's proposed
order.
This matter concerns ATS's cash rebate promotions. To make its
products more attractive to retailers and their customers, ATS has
offered numerous mail-in rebates ranging from $5 to $50 in value. In
implementing these promotions, ATS used third party fulfillment houses
to process and pay rebate requests received from its customers. The
complaint alleges that ATS engaged in deceptive practices relating to
these rebate offers. Specifically, the complaint alleges that ATS
falsely represented that purchasers of eligible ATS products will
receive rebate checks within eight weeks after receipt of their
properly completed requests. The proposed complaint further alleges
that tens of thousands of consumers who submitted properly completed
requests for rebates since 2006 have experienced substantial delays,
including delays of one year or longer. According to the complaint,
[[Page 11376]]
these delays have been due, in part, to ATS's inability to pay its
third party fulfillment houses, as well as its refusal to timely pay
third party fulfillment houses with which it had disagreements.
The proposed order contains provisions designed to prevent ATS from
engaging in similar acts and practices in the future. Part I of the
proposed order prohibits ATS from misrepresenting the time in which any
rebate will be mailed and from failing to provide any rebate within the
time specified, or if no time is specified, within thirty days. This
provision also prohibits the company from misrepresenting any material
terms of any rebate program, including the status of or reasons for any
delay in providing any rebate.
Parts II through V of the proposed order are standard reporting and
compliance provisions. Part VI provides that the order will terminate
after twenty (20) years, with certain exceptions.
The purpose of this analysis is to facilitate public comment on the
proposed order, and it is not intended to constitute an official
interpretation of the agreement and proposed order or to modify in any
way their terms.
By direction of the Commission.
Donald S. Clark
Secretary
[FR Doc. E9-5733 Filed 3-16-09: 8:45 am]
[BILLING CODE 6750-01-S]