170 IAC 7-1.3-6 - Bills for utility service

Authority: IC 8-1

Affected: IC 8-1-2-4

Sec. 6.

(a) Bills rendered periodically to customers for telecommunication services, excluding CMRS, shall be clearly organized and must include the following required information:

(1) The name for the service provider associated with each charge shall be clearly identified.

(2) Where charges for two (2) or more telephone carriers appear on the same telephone bill, the charges shall be separated by service provider, and the billing entity shall provide clear and conspicuous notification of any change in service provider, including notification to the customer that a new service provider has begun providing service. The notification shall describe the nature of the relationship with the customer, including a description of whether the new service provider is the presubscribed:

(A) LEC;

(B) intra-LATA IXC; or

(C) inter-LATA IXC.

(3) Charges contained on telephone bills shall be accompanied by a brief, clear, nonmisleading, plain language description of the individual service or services rendered. The description shall be sufficiently clear in presentation and specific enough in content so that:

(A) a customer can accurately assess that the services for which he or she is billed correspond to those that he or she has requested and received; and

(B) the costs assessed for those services conform to the customer's understanding of the price charged.

(4) Telephone bills shall contain clear and conspicuous disclosure of any information that the customer may need to make inquiries about, or contest charges on, the bill. The bill shall contain a clear and conspicuous notice that the customer may dispute charges on the bill prior to payment, including, but not limited to, the following:

(A) A prominent display on each bill of a toll free number of the carrier by which a customer may inquire or dispute any charge contained on the bill.

(B) A carrier may list a toll free number for a billing agent, clearinghouse, or other third party, provided that the party:

(i) possesses sufficient information to answer questions concerning the customer's account; and

(ii) is fully authorized to resolve consumer complaints on the carrier's behalf.

Where the customer does not receive a paper copy of his or her telephone bill, but instead accesses that bill only by email or Internet, the carrier may comply with this subdivision by providing on the bill an e-mail or website address. Each carrier shall make a business address available upon request from a customer.

(b) The billing requirements of subsection (a)(1) through (a)(3) may be waived for business customers if those customers consent in writing to the waiver.

(c) The LEC may only change a monthly billing cycle to another periodic form of billing if the customer agrees in writing to such change.

Notes

170 IAC 7-1.3-6

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission; 170 IAC 7-1.3-6; filed Aug 7, 2002, 10:05 a.m.: 25 IR 4069, eff one hundred eighty 180 Readopted filed 7/12/2016, 10:01 a.m.: 20160810-IR-170160168RFA Readopted filed 7/12/2022, 12:18 p.m.: 20220810-IR-170220116RFA