CallerID4u, Inc. v. MCI Communications Services, Inc., No. 15-35028 (9th Cir. 2018)
Annotate this CaseThe Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of claims brought by plaintiff under Washington state law, seeking compensation for telecommunications services it provided to AT&T and Verizon. In this case, plaintiff had neither a tariff nor a contract in place during a six-month period in which it provided telecommunications services to AT&T and Verizon. The panel held that plaintiff was subject to the tariff-filing requirements of Section 203 of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. 203, because it did not have a negotiated agreement, and plaintiff's state law equitable claims were preempted under Section 203. Finally, plaintiff failed to state a claim under the Washington Consumer Protection Act.
Court Description: Communications Act. The panel affirmed the district court’s dismissal of claims brought under Washington state law by CallerID4u, Inc., seeking compensation for telecommunications services it provided to AT&T Corp. and Verizon Business Services. CallerID4u sought compensation for local telecommunications services it provided during a period when it had neither entered into a negotiated compensation agreement nor filed a valid tariff setting rates for the services with the Federal Communications Commission. The panel concluded that CallerID4u was subject to the tariff-filing requirements of Section 203 of the Communications Act because it did not have a negotiated agreement. Agreeing with the Tenth Circuit, the panel also concluded that, under the filed rate doctrine, CallerID4u’s state law equitable claims for unjust enrichment and quantum meruit were preempted under Section 203. In addition, CallerID4u failed to state a claim under the Washington Consumer Protection Act.
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