§202 — Title 47 Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs | U.S. Code

Summary

Common carriers must not treat similar communications unfairly. They cannot use different prices, rules, equipment, or services to give special favors or impose unfair harm on any person, group, or place. "Charges or services" includes using carrier wire or radio lines, including chain broadcasting. If a carrier knowingly breaks this rule, it must pay $6,000 for each offense and $300 for each day the violation continues.

Title 47, §202

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It shall be unlawful for any common carrier 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, class of persons, or locality, or to subject any particular person, class of persons, or locality to any undue or unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage.

(b)Charges or services, whenever referred to in this chapter, include charges for, or services in connection with, the use of common carrier lines of communication, whether derived from wire or radio facilities, in chain broadcasting or incidental to radio communication of any kind.

(c)Any carrier who knowingly violates the provisions of this section shall forfeit to the United States the sum of $6,000 for each such offense and $300 for each and every day of the continuance of such offense.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

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”.

§202 Discriminations and preferences