Calif. Court Reinstates Lawsuit Against SBC

SBC Communications Inc. must face a lawsuit accusing it of misleading customers into ordering caller identification services after the California Supreme Court reinstated the case.

The high court, without discussing the merits of the lawsuit, reversed a lower court decision to dismiss the case. The lawsuit filed by district attorneys in the counties of Alameda, San Mateo and Monterey says Pacific Bell, a unit of SBC, used deceptive marketing practices to get customers to sign up for caller identification blocking services.

SBC did not comment.