A significant problem known as "slamming" is currently taking place in the telecommunications industry. Slamming is the illegal and unauthorized changing of your chosen telecommunications carrier. Previously, 3 Rivers Telephone verified with the customer all requested long distance carrier changes. Effective immediately the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has now prohibited us from performing this service.

In order to minimize the expense and inconvenience which may result from “slamming”, 3 Rivers Telephone offers its subscribers, at no charge, the protection of a “freeze” of their accounts.

Subscribers may freeze the carrier providing any or all services; however, FCC Rules require a separate authorization for each service.

If you choose a Preferred Carrier Freeze, 3 Rivers Telephone will not change your carrier without your direct authorization. The FCC’s verification procedure for removing a Preferred Carrier Freeze and changing a preferred carrier requires one of the following actions to occur before you or anyone else changes your specified carrier:

• You authorize 3 Rivers Telephone in writing to lift the freeze for the particular service.
• You orally request 3 Rivers Telephone to lift the freeze from the telephone line for which the change is to be made. This telephone call may be on a three-way conference call with the carrier to which you are changing the service and a representative of 3 Rivers Telephone. We will ask for identifying information during this call.

In some circumstances, your preferred carrier may change your service to another long distance company that carries its service. A Preferred Carrier Freeze will not prevent this reselling of your service. 3 Rivers Telephone has no way of preventing these changes under the current FCC rules.

Please complete and sign the form to authorize a Preferred Carrier Freeze. It is important that you sign both areas if you intend to freeze both your Interstate (outside Montana) and Intrastate (inside Montana) carrier.

If you should have questions regarding your preferred carrier freeze, please contact a customer service representative at 1-800-796-4567.

Click here to download Preferred Carrier Freeze Authorization Form