Welcome to the Enforcement Bureau's Home Page!

The Enforcement Bureau is the primary organizational unit within the Federal Communications Commission that is responsible for enforcement of provisions of the Communications Act, the Commission's rules, Commission orders and terms and conditions of station authorizations.

Major areas of enforcement that are handled by the Enforcement Bureau are: (1) consumer protection enforcement; (2) local competition enforcement; and (3) public safety/homeland security enforcement.

The Enforcement Bureau protects consumers by investigating and taking or recommending enforcement actions for violation of consumer protection provisions of the Communications Act that apply to telephone companies. These include, for example, provisions prohibiting slamming (i.e., the unauthorized changing of a consumer's long distance carrier), unsolicited faxes and telemarketing calls to people on the National Do-Not-Call Registry. In addition, the Enforcement Bureau protects consumers through enforcement of statutes and rules that apply to broadcast stations such as obscenity and indecency, broadcast of telephone conversations, station-conducted contests, broadcast station main studio and public inspection file requirements.

The Enforcement Bureau promotes competition in the telecommunications industry by investigating and taking or recommending enforcement actions for violation of competition and market-related provisions of the Communications Act and Commission rules. The Enforcement Bureau also adjudicates and mediates disputes between telecommunications industry entities.

The Enforcement Bureau promotes efficient public safety and other spectrum-based communications by investigating and taking or recommending enforcement actions for violation of technical and operational rules that apply to use of spectrum such as unauthorized broadcast station operation, cable signal leakage, and interference to public safety communications. The Enforcement Bureau also enforces rules designed to protect safety of life such as the Emergency Alert System, construction, marking and lighting of antenna structures and radiofrequency radiation.

You can find additional information about the Enforcement Bureau and its efforts on our web site.