The Federal Communications Commission has fined a firm accused of illegally selling cell phone customer data $97,500 for failing to provide information about how it got the private consumer telephone records that its Web site offered for sale.

On January 20th, 2006, the FCC issued a subpoena to LocateCell and another data broker, DataFind.org, demanding documentation of its practices. LocateCell, which was based in Missouri, is no longer in business. The states Attorney General Jay Nixon shut the company down with a court order eleven days after the FCC's subppoena.

Selling phone records, formally known as "Customer Proprietary Network Information" (CPNI), is against the law, specifically against Section 222 of the Communications Act.

In July of 2006, the FCC disclosed that LocateCell had not responded to the agency's requests for information and issued a Notice of Apparent Liability, that is, a tentative fine for the $97,500.

"LocateCell has not filed a response to the NAL nor has LocateCell paid the proposed forfeiture amount," the FCC announced today. "Based on the information before us, we affirm this forfeiture."