Marketer to Pay $676,000 for Disrupting Hospital Phones

A federal judge in North Carolina has ordered a Texas-based satellite television company to pay $676,000 for disrupting a hospital’s phone lines with pre-recorded telemarketing messages, according to state Attorney General Roy Cooper.

U.S. District Court Judge N. Carlton Tilley, Jr. in Raleigh issued the judgment and a permanent injunction to bar TNT DBS Marketing Inc. of Arlington, TX from making illegal telemarketing calls to consumers in the state, according to Cooper.

TNT has been ordered to pay $275,000 in damages to Davie County Hospital in Mocksville, NC for 400 calls it made to the hospital during two days in early 2004 and to Continental Teves for tying up all 150 phone lines at the Morganton auto parts manufacturer during two days in Dec.2003, according to Cooper.

The court also ordered TNT to pay $401,500 for illegalprerecorded telemarketing calls it made to more than 80 North Carolinians, funds designated by law to go to the public schools, Cooper said.

Direct Newsline was unable to reach TNT at deadline.