Consumer Information –
Telephone Service
Non-Published
or Unlisted Numbers
Non-published number – a telephone number that is not listed in the paper phone directories, but is released to Directory Assistance callers.
Unlisted number – a telephone number that is not listed in the paper phone directories and is not released to Directory Assistance callers.
911 or Emergency Service Calls
Local telephone companies are obligated to route emergency calls from customers to the proper Public Safety answering center. Costs associated with the 911 systems are determined by your local government. The local telephone company collects those charges through your monthly telephone bill and then pays those amounts to the provider of 911 service in your area.
Advance Payment
An advance payment is money received by a telephone company from a customer for the purpose of securing payment for future charges. Generally, a telephone company may request an advance payment for the limited purpose of securing payment of installation charges and estimated charges for one (1) month of services.
Caller ID
This feature
enables the Customer to view the Calling Party Name and/or Number for incoming
telephone calls. When Caller ID is
activated on a customer’s line, the Calling Party Name and/or Number is
displayed on a display unit during the first, long silent interval of the
ringing cycle.
Blocking of Calling Party Name and/or Number will be available upon request, at no charge, ONLY to the following entities for lines over which the official business of the agency is conducted, including those at the residences of employees/volunteers, where an executive officer of the agency registers a need for blocking:
q
Private, nonprofit, tax exempt, domestic violence
intervention agencies,
q
Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
A Customer
may prevent the delivery of their calling name and/or number to the called party
by dialing an access code (*67 on their touch tone pad or 1167 from a rotary
phone) immediately prior to placing a call. The access code will activate per call
blocking, which is available at no charge.
If the calling party activates blocking, the called party will receive an
anonymous indicator. If the Caller
ID customer also subscribes to Anonymous Call Rejection, the calling party will
be routed to a telephone company recording advising the caller that the called
party will not accept calls whose calling name and/or number has been
blocked.
Any customer subscribing to Caller ID is responsible
for the display device that will be located on the customer’s premises. The installation, repair, and technical
capability of that equipment will be the responsibility of the customer. The telephone company assumes no
liability and will be held harmless for any incompatibility of this equipment to
perform satisfactorily with the Caller ID features.
Caller ID is
not available on operator-handled calls.
Call Trace
Call trace
may be available from your local telephone company. You may be required to subscribe to this
service for a monthly charge. Call
Trace typically allows the customer to dial *57 to automatically request that
the following information be recorded: a) the originating telephone number b)
the date and time of the call and c) the date and time call trace was
activated. Contact your local
telephone company for further information.
Changing
Long Distance Service Providers
Telephone
bills indicate the name of your long-distance company. If you believe your long distance
provider was switched without authorization (a practice called slamming), you
should contact your telephone company immediately.
No
telephone company shall process a customer request to change service providers
until that telephone company has obtained the subscriber's written
authorization.
The
telephone company can obtain the subscriber's authorization through a telephone
call placed from the telephone number(s) on which the change is requested to a
voice response unit, or similar mechanism that records the required
information. Verification can also
be obtained by a qualified independent third party. The content of the
verification must include clear and conspicuous confirmation that the subscriber
has authorized a change.
A
telephone company may use a letter of agency to obtain written authorization
and/or verification to process a request to change a customer's telephone
service provider. The letter of
agency must be a separate document (or an easily separable document) containing
only the language authorizing the change.
The letter of agency may only be signed and dated by the customer
requesting the company change.
The
letter of agency may be combined with checks that contain only the required
letter of agency language and the necessary information to make the check a
negotiable instrument. The letter of agency check shall not contain any
promotional language or material. The letter of agency check shall contain in
easily readable, bold-face type on the front of the check, a notice that the
customer is authorizing a change in service providers by signing the check. The
letter of agency language shall be placed near the signature line on the back of
the check.
Pre-subscribed
Interexchange Carrier Charge (PIC) is a charge applied when a customer changes
long distance carriers.
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Customer Inquiries
Each
telephone company must provide a toll-free telephone number for customer
inquiries. Personnel will be
available during normal business hours to accept and handle customer
inquiries.
Customer Telephone Bill For
Local Telephone Service
A
telephone company, after the initial bill for new service is rendered, is
required to render a bill during each billing period except when the bill has a
"00" balance.
A
telephone company may render bills on a cyclical basis if the bill is rendered
on or about the same day of each month or as otherwise agreed to by the
customer.
If
a telephone company does not expressly offer a preferred payment date plan, a
customer shall have at least twenty-one (21) days from the rendition of a bill
to pay the charges stated. If the charges remain unpaid for twenty-one (21) days
from rendition of the bill such charges will be deemed
delinquent.
If
a telephone company has a preferred payment date plan, which it has expressly
offered to all its customers, the charges are due on or before the due date
under the plan. Charges not paid by the due date may be deemed
delinquent.
When
paying by mail, be sure to allow enough time for your payment to reach the
telephone company by the due date.
Payment must be sent to the
telephone company or made at one of its agent locations. Payment for service may be made by
credit card or check, or may be paid in cash at an authorized location. If you are temporarily having difficulty
paying your telephone bill, please call the telephone company immediately. By calling the company, you may avoid
having your phone service suspended or disconnected.
A
telephone company may assess a penalty charge upon a delinquent
account.
Every
bill must clearly state:
The number of telephone lines for
which charges are stated;
The beginning or ending dates of
the billing period for which charges are stated;
A statement of the date the bill
becomes delinquent if not paid;
Penalty fees and advance payments,
if any;
The unpaid balance, if
any;
An itemization of the amount due
for all other services including the date and duration (in minutes or seconds)
of each toll call;
The amount due for all services
offered at a packaged rate and an itemization of each service included in the
package;
An itemization of the amount due
for taxes, franchise fees and other fees and/or
surcharges;
The total amount
due;
A toll free telephone number where
inquiries and/or dispute resolutions may be made for each company with charges
appearing on the customer's bill;
The amount of any deposit, advance
payments and/or interest accrued on a deposit which has been credited to the
charges stated; and
Any other credits and charges
applied to the account during the current billing period.
The
amount of any deposit held by the company and the interest accrual rate must be
stated on the customer’s first bill for service and on the last bill for
service.
During
the first billing period, a customer receives a bill insert or other written
notice that contains an itemized account of the charges for any equipment and
service for which the customer has contracted.
Deposit requirements
A
telephone company may require a deposit or guarantee as a condition of new
service. The deposit may be required prior to and no more than thirty (30)
calendar days after the telephone company actually provides service to the
customer.
A
telephone company may require a deposit or guarantee as a condition of continued
service under either of the following circumstances:
·
The
customer has delinquent charges in two (2) out of the last twelve (12) billing
periods.
·
The
customer has had service discontinued at any time during the preceding twelve
(12) billing periods.
A
deposit or guarantee cannot be required by a telephone company because of race,
sex, creed, national origin, marital status, age, number of dependents, source
of income, disability or geographical area of residence subject to the following
terms:
¨
It
shall not exceed estimated charges for two (2) months' service based on the
average bill during the preceding twelve (12) months, or, in the case of new
applicants for service, the average monthly bill for new
subscribers;
¨
It
shall bear interest at a rate equal to one percent (1%) above the prime lending
rate as published in the Wall Street Journal on the last business day of
September of each year;
¨
Upon
discontinuance or termination, the deposit and accrued interest shall be
credited to the charge stated on the final bill and the balance, if any, shall
be returned to the customer within twenty-one (21) days of the rendition of such
final bill;
¨
Upon
satisfactory payment of all undisputed charges during the twelve (12) billing
periods, the deposit and accrued interest will be promptly refunded or credited
against charges stated on subsequent bills. (A telephone company may withhold
refund of a deposit pending the resolution of a dispute with respect to charges
secured by such deposit);
¨
Customers
can post a deposit required as a condition of continued service in two (2) equal
monthly installments or as otherwise agreed upon. A company may bill these
installments as a line item on customer bills.
¨
In
lieu of a deposit a telephone company may accept a written guarantee. The
guarantee shall not exceed the amount of a cash deposit that the telephone
company could request under this section.
¨
A
guarantor shall be released upon satisfactory payment of all undisputed charges
during twelve (12) billing periods. Payment of a charge is satisfactory if
received prior to the date upon which the charge becomes delinquent, provided it
is not in dispute.
Telephone
service may be discontinued for any of the following
reasons:
Nonpayment of a delinquent
charge;
Failure to post a required deposit
or guarantee;
Unauthorized use of telephone
company equipment in a manner that creates an unsafe condition or creates the
possibility of damage or destruction to such equipment;
Failure to comply with terms of a
settlement agreement;
Refusal after reasonable notice to
permit inspection, maintenance or replacement of telephone company
equipment;
Material misrepresentation of
identity in obtaining telephone company service; or
As provided by state or federal
law.
Local
telephone service may only be discontinued for nonpayment of a delinquent charge
for local telephone services.
A
telephone company may block the ability for customer to make toll calls if a
customer does not pay delinquent charges.
A
telephone company may remove all non-basic calling features and functions (i.e.,
call waiting, call forwarding) if a customer does not pay delinquent
charges.
Service
may be discontinued during normal business hours on or after the date specified
in the notice of discontinuance.
Telephone
service shall not be discontinued unless customer receives written notice by
first-class mail at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the proposed
discontinuance. As an alternative, a telephone company may deliver a written
notice by hand to the customer at least ninety-six (96) hours prior to
discontinuance.
A
notice of discontinuance shall contain the following
information:
The name and address and the
telephone number of the customer;
A statement of the reason for the
proposed discontinuance and the cost for reconnection;
The date service will be
discontinued unless appropriate action is taken;
How a customer may avoid the
discontinuance;
The customer's right to enter into
a settlement agreement if the claim is for a charge not in dispute and the
customer is unable to pay the charge in full at one time;
The telephone number where the
customer may make an inquiry;
A statement that this notice will
not be effective if the charges involved are part of an unresolved dispute;
and
A statement of the exception for
medical emergency.
A
telephone company shall postpone a discontinuance for at least twenty-one (21)
days if service is necessary to obtain emergency medical assistance for a person
who is a member of the household where the telephone service is provided and
where such person is under the care of a physician. Any person who alleges such
emergency, if requested, shall provide the telephone company with reasonable
evidence of such necessity.
At
least twenty-four (24) hours preceding a discontinuance of local telephone
service, a telephone company will make reasonable efforts to advise the customer
of the proposed discontinuance and what steps must be taken to avoid
discontinuance. Reasonable efforts
shall include either additional written notice, a door hanger or at least one
(1) telephone call attempt to reach the customer.
Payment
by personal check may be refused if the customer, within the last twelve (12)
months, has tendered payment in this manner and the check has been dishonored,
except when the dishonor is due to bank error.
In
the event of a dispute over a telephone service:
A
customer shall advise a telephone company that all or part of a charge is in
dispute by written notice, in person or by a telephone message directed to the
telephone company during normal business hours. A dispute must be registered
with the utility prior to the delinquent date of the charge for a customer to
avoid discontinuance of service.
When
a customer advises a telephone company that all or part of a charge is in
dispute, the telephone company is required to record the date, time and place
the inquiry is made; investigate the inquiry promptly and thoroughly; and
attempt to resolve the dispute in a manner satisfactory to both
parties.
Failure
of a customer to cooperate with the telephone company in efforts to resolve an
inquiry which has the effect of placing charges in dispute shall constitute a
waiver of the customer's right to continuance of service.
If
a customer disputes a charge, the customer shall pay an amount to the telephone
company equal to that part of the total bill not in dispute. The amount not in
dispute shall be mutually determined by the parties. The parties shall consider
the customer's prior usage, the nature of the dispute and any other pertinent
factors in determining the amount not in dispute. The telephone company cannot
discontinue service to a customer for nonpayment of charges in dispute while
that dispute is pending.
If
the parties are unable to mutually determine the amount not in dispute, the
customer shall pay to the telephone company, at the company's option, an amount
not to exceed fifty percent (50%) of the charge in dispute or an amount based on
usage during a like period under similar conditions which shall represent the
amount not in dispute. The telephone company shall not discontinue service to a
customer for nonpayment of charges in dispute while that dispute is
pending.
Failure
of the customer to pay the amount not in dispute within four (4) working days
from the date that the dispute is registered or by the delinquent date of the
disputed bill, whichever is later, shall constitute a waiver of the customer's
right to continuance of service and the telephone company may then proceed to
discontinue service.
If
the dispute is ultimately resolved in the favor of the customer in whole or in
part, any excess moneys paid by the customer shall be refunded
promptly.
If
the telephone company does not resolve the dispute to the satisfaction of the
customer, the telephone company representative shall notify the customer that
each party has a right to make an informal complaint to the Missouri Public
Service Commission, and of the address and telephone number where the customer
may file an informal complaint with the Commission.
If the telephone Company cannot resolve your complaint, you may call the Missouri Public Service Commission at 800‑392‑4211 to file an informal complaint. The Missouri Public Service Commission is located at Governor’s Office Building, 200 Madison Street, P.O. Box 360, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101.
You may
contact the Missouri Office of the Public Counsel, representing the public
before the Public Service Commission.
The Missouri Office of the Public Counsel has an office at the Governor’s
Office Building, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101. The Public Counsel’s telephone number is
(573) 751-4857.
After
resolution of the customer complaint, a telephone company may treat a customer
complaint or dispute involving the same question or issue based upon the same
facts as already determined.
Local
Telephone Service/Basic Local Exchange Service:
A
telephone company shall not discriminate against a customer or potential
customer.
All
telephone companies must inform potential customers at the time service is
requested and at the time a contract for service is entered into of the lowest
cost service and equipment available.
A
local service area or basic local service area is the geographic area consumers
may call without incurring long distance charges. This service can include your
telephone line(s) in your home or business, touch-tone features and mileage
zones. In addition, charges for
extended calling plans such as Extended Area Service (EAS) or Metropolitan
Calling Area (MCA) as well as other features such as three-way calling, call
forwarding, etc. may be bundled with charges for local telephone service or
basic local exchange service.
Long Distance Telephone
Service:
A
telephone company shall not discriminate against a customer or potential
customer.
Long distance or toll
calls are generally billed by companies on a per minute basis. Most callers place long distance calls
by dialing 1+ the telephone number they wish to call. Examples of long distance service include
traditional 1+ dialing (1+XXX-XXX-XXXX), 10-10 calling, incoming toll-free
service (e.g., 800, 888), long distance operator services, long distance
directory assistance, calling card services, and pre-paid long distance debit
card service. http://abtolls.com/
Operator Services
Customers
will not be billed for incomplete operator service calls.
Customers
will be advised of the name of the operator service provider at the time of the
initial contact.
The
operator service provider must provide access to general rate information prior
to making a call, or in the case of a collect call, prior to accepting the
charges for a call.
The
operator service provider will employ reasonable calling card verification
procedures.
If able, the operator service provider will transfer calls to, or advise how to reach other authorized long distance carriers upon request.
Customers
using pay telephone equipment shall be able to reach the operator without charge
and without the use of a coin.
Customers
using pay telephone equipment shall be able to reach local 911 emergency
service, where available, without charge and without using a coin. If 911 is not available, each payphone
will display the required procedure to reach local emergency service without
charge and without using a coin.
The
pay telephone provider must provide a means to readily access rate information
prior to making a call, or in the case of a collect call, prior to accepting the
charges for a call.
Pay
telephone equipment shall allow the completion of local and toll
calls.
Pay
telephone equipment shall permit access to directory
assistance.
All
0 – or 00 – emergency calls will be routed in the quickest possible manner to
the appropriate local emergency service provider, at no charge.
Pay
telephone equipment shall not block access to any long distance company except
as otherwise authorized by law.
The
following information shall be displayed in close proximity to all pay telephone
equipment:
The name, address and telephone
number of the pay telephone service provider;
The method of obtaining
refunds;
The procedure for reporting service
difficulty;
If applicable, the notice should
state that the pay telephone does not accept incoming
calls;
The name of the telephone company
handling 0+ long distance calls.
A
preferred carrier freeze prevents a change in a customer’s long distance company
unless the customer gives express consent.
A
customer will need to contact his or her local telephone company to implement a
preferred carrier freeze. The
freeze will not be implemented until:
The local telephone company has obtained the subscriber's written and
signed; or
The local telephone company has obtained the subscriber's authorization,
placed from the telephone number(s) on which the preferred carrier freeze is to
be imposed to a toll-free telephone number exclusively for that purpose that
connects to a voice response unit, or similar mechanism that records the
required information; or
An appropriately qualified independent third party has obtained the
subscriber's oral authorization to submit the preferred carrier freeze and
confirmed the appropriate verification data (e.g., the subscriber's date of
birth) The content of the verification must include clear and conspicuous
confirmation that the subscriber has authorized a preferred carrier
freeze.
Written authorization to impose a preferred carrier freeze. A local
telephone company may accept a subscriber's written and signed authorization to
impose a freeze on his or her preferred carrier selection.
The
preferred carrier freeze may involve a charge to the
customer.
Prepaid Local Telephone Service
Prepaid local
telephone service is local telephone service for which a customer pays for prior
to being provided service. The
telephone company does not perform consumer credit checking and application
scoring and does not require a deposit from the customer prior to receiving
service.
Customers will receive a
telephone bill each month.
Prepaid telephone companies
provide local telephone service only, including access to 9-1-1 service, where
available.
Prepaid telephone companies
do not provide access to long distance, directory assistance service, or
operator service.
A one-time installation fee and the first month’s service charge plus associated taxes are required to initiate service. Upon initiating service, customer will receive a Residential Customer Rights and Responsibilities Statement for Pre-paid Local Telephone Service.
The installation fee is 100% refundable upon request for termination of service within 10 business days following the date on which the Statement of Residential Customer Rights and Responsibilities Statement is either hand delivered or mailed to the customer. In the event the Residential Customer Rights and Responsibilities Statement is mailed, the 10 business days shall start on the date of the postmark.
The monthly service charge plus associated taxes, is also refundable within 10 business days and shall be prorated for the actual number of days which service was provided with the unused portion being refunded.
Rate Changes
Telephone companies are required to provide customer notice at least 10 days in advance of proposed rate increases.
Reconnection of Service
Local
telephone service will be restored when the reason for the discontinuance has
been corrected and all undisputed amounts have been paid.
If
telephone service is discontinued, a new telephone number will be assigned and
installation charges must be paid again.
Prior to discontinuing telephone service, service may be suspended by the
telephone company. If telephone
service is suspended, your telephone number is reserved for a few days and you
will not be charged installation charges again.
Removing
Preferred Carrier Freezes
All
local telephone companies who offer preferred carrier freezes must, at a
minimum, offer subscribers the following procedures for lifting a preferred
carrier freeze:
A local telephone company
administering a preferred carrier freeze must accept a subscriber's written and
signed authorization stating her or his intent to lift a preferred carrier
freeze; and
A local telephone company
administering a preferred carrier freeze must accept a subscriber's oral
authorization stating her or his intent to lift a preferred carrier freeze via a
three (3)-way conference call with the company administering the freeze and the
subscriber in order to lift a freeze.
Settlement
Agreements with Residential Customers
When
a customer is unable to pay a charge in full when due, the telephone company to
whom the charge is due shall permit the customer to enter into an initial
settlement agreement under which the charge may be paid as mutually agreed to by
both parties. A copy of the settlement agreement shall be delivered or mailed to
the customer upon request by the customer.
Matters
treated by a settlement agreement shall not constitute a basis for a
discontinuance as long as the terms of the settlement agreement are
followed.
Universal Service Fund (USF)
http://www.sos.state.mo.us/adrules/csr/current/4csr/4c240-31.pdf
This
fund was created by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to help make
telephone service affordable and available to all Americans, including customers
with low incomes, those living in areas where the costs of providing telephone
service is high, schools and libraries and rural health care
providers.
Residential customers with a financial need and who meet eligibility requirements may qualify for assistance programs, including the Link-Up and Lifeline programs.
Ø Link-Up is designed to provide a reduction and/or a deferred payment plan for a telephone company’s connection charges.
Ø Lifeline is a program designed to offer a monthly discount on a customer’s local telephone bill.