Minimum Rate Pricing Explained

Minimum Rate Pricing, Inc. (MRP) was a long-distance telecommunications carrier, based out of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, started by Thomas Salzano.

Minimum Rate Pricing became the number 7 long-distance carrier in the United States within four years from its start-up, with over 1.9 million long-distance customers in 1998.

Minimum Rate Pricing was accused of slamming customers (changing rate plans without notice). Under a consent decree agreement with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Minimum Rate Pricing agreed to voluntarily pay $1.2 million to the FCC in a settlement without any admission of liability.

Minimum Rate Pricing subsequently eliminated its switch-back provisions, but the FCC continued its investigation into other slamming-related issues concerning Minimum Rate Pricing's business and marketing practices.

The company went bankrupt in 1999, owing WorldCom and Access Capital $67 million.^[1] Thomas Salzano later started Norvergence with his brother, Peter Salzano which also went bankrupt, amid widespread charges of fraud.^[2]

See also

Norvergence

References

• Federal Communications Commission, Consent decree
• Iowa Department of Justice, Attorney General Tom Miller Announces $1 million Settlement with Long Distance Slammer
• Florida Public Service Commission, Initiation of show cause proceedings against MRP Inc. for violation of Rule 25.4-118, F.A.C. Interexchange Carrier Selection
• fcc.gov, MINIMUM RATE PRICING TO PAY $1.2 MILLION TO U.S. TREASURY AND CHANGE ITS BUSINESS PRACTICES"
• State of Tennessee, "PROCEEDINGS AGAINST MINIMUM RATE PRICING INC."
• Long, Josh. Phone+, 1 November 2004. Been There, Done That - NorVergence Predecessor Shares Traits with Bankrupt Firm. Accessed 28 April 2010.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Before NorVergence, there was Minimum Rate Pricing . November 1, 2004. www.phoneplusmag.com. May 29, 2010.
2. Dirk Smillie, Forbes, 3 September 2004, "The Matrix unraveled: How two wrecked telecom companies have put lessors and small businesses on the hook for $300 million.". Accessed 21 June 2010.