Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
A. A carrier shall maintain comprehensive,
understandable, accurate, and up-to-date service and rate information. A
carrier:
(1) shall provide a toll-free
telephone number by which customers can access such information and shall, upon
request, mail written information to a customer;
(2) shall provide such information to
disabled customers in a form accessible to them;
(3) shall provide such information in English
and Spanish as requested by the customer; and
(4) may provide such information
electronically (e.g., by email or text message) if a customer agrees in
writing.
B. A carrier
shall provide:
(1) information regarding the
rates for direct dialed calls;
(2)
information regarding all relevant charges and rates for calls using a credit
card or calling card;
(3) details
on all advance payments or termination procedures and charges that may
apply;
(4) information regarding
where and how a customer may subscribe to the carrier's services;
(5) an explanation of charges on customers'
bills;
(6) information regarding
proposed changes in services and rates;
(7) information regarding the availability of
service; and
(8) information
describing the commission's procedures for resolving slamming and cramming
disputes, as set forth in 17.13.8 NMAC, Slamming and Cramming
Protection.
C. A LEC
shall also provide information regarding:
(1)
the timing of installation of primary local exchange lines or additional lines;
and
(2) rates for repair work done
on the customer's side of the network interface.
D. A carrier shall provide notice of a rate
or fee increase or a new charge for an existing service prior to the
implementation of the rate increase or new charge. The notice shall be provided
in a bill, a bill insert, or by separate mailing, in a form and manner that
clearly identifies every rate or fee increase or new charge as such. A carrier
shall provide notice of a rate decrease by no later than the next bill
following the billing cycle in which the rate decrease was implemented. This
notice requirement shall not apply to increases or decreases in taxes or other
government-related fees.
E. When a
customer initially subscribes to basic local exchange service, a LEC shall
inform the customer, in English or Spanish, as requested by the customer:
(1) that a low income telephone assistance
program (LITAP) is available to qualifying residential customers and shall ask
if the customer would like to receive further information about the program. If
the customer answers affirmatively, the LEC shall inform the customer:
(a) that applications are available at its
billing offices or that the LEC will mail an application to the
customer;
(b) that the customer
must submit to the LEC a completed application and proof that the customer
meets the eligibility requirements for one or more need-based assistance
programs administered by the human services department;
(c) if the customer does not have such proof,
the LEC shall advise the customer to contact his or her local human services
department income support division office or call the HSD customer help desk at
its toll free telephone number for information on how to obtain proof of
eligibility;
(d) of other community
assistance programs that may be available; and
(e) that the customer may obtain additional
assistance from the commission's consumer relations division and the LEC shall
provide the toll-free telephone number of the commission's consumer relations
division.
(2) that a
third party notification program is available to residential customers;
and
(3) of the existence of "900"
number calling, specifically noting that the calling party incurs a charge each
time a "900" number is called, and shall offer "900" number blocking at no
charge to the customer.
F. The commission strongly encourages each
carrier to make service and rate information accessible to customers on its
website and at its business offices or customer service centers open to the
public, where these exist.
