47 CFR § 64.1201 - Restrictions on billing name and address disclosure.

§ 64.1201 Restrictions on billing name and address disclosure.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) The term billing name and address means the name and address provided to a local exchange company by each of its local exchange customers to which the local exchange company directs bills for its services.

(2) The term “telecommunications service provider” means interexchange carriers, operator service providers, enhanced service providers, and any other provider of interstate telecommunications services.

(3) The term authorized billing agent means a third party hired by a telecommunications service provider to perform billing and collection services for the telecommunications service provider.

(4) The term bulk basis means billing name and address information for all the local exchange service subscribers of a local exchange carrier.

(5) The term LEC joint use card means a calling card bearing an account number assigned by a local exchange carrier, used for the services of the local exchange carrier and a designated interexchange carrier, and validated by access to data maintained by the local exchange carrier.

(b) No local exchange carrier providing billing name and address shall disclose billing name and address information to any party other than a telecommunications service provider or an authorized billing and collection agent of a telecommunications service provider.

(c)

(1) No telecommunications service provider or authorized billing and collection agent of a telecommunications service provider shall use billing name and address information for any purpose other than the following:

(i) Billing customers for using telecommunications services of that service provider and collecting amounts due;

(ii) Any purpose associated with the “equal access” requirement of United States v. AT&T 552 F.Supp. 131 (D.D.C. 1982); and

(iii) Verification of service orders of new customers, identification of customers who have moved to a new address, fraud prevention, and similar nonmarketing purposes.

(2) In no case shall any telecommunications service provider or authorized billing and collection agent of a telecommunications service provider disclose the billing name and address information of any subscriber to any third party, except that a telecommunications service provider may disclose billing name and address information to its authorized billing and collection agent.

(d) [Reserved]

(e)

(1) All local exchange carriers providing billing name and address information shall notify their subscribers that:

(i) The subscriber's billing name and address will be disclosed, pursuant to Policies and Rules Concerning Local Exchange Carrier Validation and Billing Information for Joint Use Calling Cards, CC Docket No. 91-115, FCC 93-254, adopted May 13, 1993, whenever the subscriber uses a LEC joint use card to pay for services obtained from the telecommunications service provider, and

(ii) The subscriber's billing name and address will be disclosed, pursuant to Policies and Rules Concerning Local Exchange Carrier Validation and Billing Information for Joint Use Calling Cards, CC Docket No. 91-115, FCC 93-254, adopted May 13, 1993, whenever the subscriber accepts a third party or collect call to a telephone station provided by the LEC to the subscriber.

(2) In addition to the notification specified in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, all local exchange carriers providing billing name and address information shall notify their subscribers with unlisted or nonpublished telephone numbers that:

(i) Customers have a right to request that their BNA not be disclosed, and that customers may prevent BNA disclosure for third party and collect calls as well as calling card calls;

(ii) LECs will presume that unlisted and nonpublished end users consent to disclosure and use of their BNA if customers do not affirmatively request that their BNA not be disclosed; and

(iii) The presumption in favor of consent for disclosure will begin 30 days after customers receive notice.

(3) No local exchange carrier shall disclose the billing name and address information associated with any calling card call made by any subscriber who has affirmatively withheld consent for disclosure of BNA information, or for any third party or collect call charged to any subscriber who has affirmatively withheld consent for disclosure of BNA information.

[53 FR 36145, July 6, 1993, as amended at 58 FR 65671, Dec. 16, 1993; 61 FR 8880, Mar. 6, 1996]