Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
A. A LILEC shall maintain comprehensive,
understandable, accurate, and up-to-date service and rate information. A LILEC:
(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 LILEC 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 LILEC
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 LILEC 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 LILEC 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 LILEC will mail an application to the
customer;
(b) that the customer
must submit to the LILEC 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 LILEC 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; and
(d) the contact
information for the Universal service administrative company, responsible for
administering the FCC's lifeline program, including phone number, email
contact, and website information; and
(e) that the customer may obtain additional
assistance from the commission's consumer relations division and the LILEC
shall provide the toll-free telephone number of the commission's consumer
relations division.
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.
