R746-240-4. Account Billing

A. Billing Procedures--

1. Bills to account holders for telecommunications services shall be issued on a monthly basis and shall be typed or machine printed.

B. Periodic Billing Statement--

1. Except in the case of telecommunications service which is deemed to be uncollectible or with respect to which collection or termination procedures have been instituted, a telecommunications corporation shall mail or deliver to the account holder, for each billing cycle at the end of which there is an outstanding balance for current service, a statement which the account holder may retain, setting forth each of the following disclosures to the extent applicable:

a. the outstanding balance in the account at the beginning of the current billing cycle using a term such as "previous balance";

b. the amount of the charges debited to the account during the current billing cycle using a term such as "current service";

c. the amount of the payments made to the account from the previous billing cycle using a term, such as "payments";

d. the amount of the late payment charges debited to the account during the current billing cycle using a term, such as "late charge";

e. a listing of the closing date of the current billing cycle and the outstanding balance in the account on that date using a term, such as "amount due";

f. a listing of the statement, or payment, due date;

g. a listing of the date by which payment of the new balance must be made to avoid assessment of a late charge;

h. a statement that a late charge, expressed in annual percentage rate or periodic rate, may be assessed against the account for late payment;

i. a statement such as: "If you have questions about this bill, please call the company at--phone #".

C. Late Charge--

1. A late payment charge of a periodic rate as established by the Commission may be assessed against an unpaid balance pursuant to specific tariffs approved by the Commission for telecommunications corporations not subject to pricing flexibility pursuant to 54-8b-2.3. Late payment charges shall not apply if payment is made before the next bill is rendered by the telecommunications corporation. A late payment charge may be assessed against an unpaid balance pursuant to terms and conditions in price lists of telecommunications corporations subject to pricing flexibility.

2. No other charge, whether described as a finance charge, service charge, discount, net or gross charge may be applied to an account for failure to pay an outstanding bill by the statement due date. This subsection does not apply to reconnection charges or return check service charges.

D. Statement Due Date--An account holder shall have not less than 20 days from the bill date to pay the new balance, which date shall be the statement due date.

E. Disputed Bill--

1. In the event of a dispute between the account holder and the telecommunications corporation respecting a bill, the telecommunications corporation may require the account holder to pay the undisputed portion of the bill to avoid discontinuance of service for nonpayment. The telecommunications corporation shall make an investigation as may be appropriate to the particular case, and report the result thereof to the account holder. In the event the dispute is not reconciled, the telecommunications corporation shall advise the account holder that he may make application to the Division of Public Utilities for review and disposition of the matter per Section R746-240-7, Review and Resolution of Disputes.

2. Inaccurately billed service--When the billings for telecommunications services have not been accurately determined because of the telecommunications corporation's omission or negligence, the telecommunications corporation shall offer and enter into reasonable payment arrangements when the amount owed by the customer exceeds $25 and when the period over which the underbilling accumulated exceeds one month. When a telecommunications corporation overbills a customer for telecommunications service, the telecommunications corporation shall offer the account holder a credit on future bills or a refund if requested by the account holder.

3. Interruption of service--In the event the account holder's service is interrupted, other than by the negligence or the willful act of the account holder, and it remains out of service for a specified number of hours, after being reported or found by the telecommunications corporation to be out of order, credit adjustments shall be made to the account holder's billing. The specified number of hours, which can be either 24 or 48, and the adjustment methods will be as shown in the tariffs of each telecommunications corporation and approved by the Commission for telecommunications corporations that are not subject to pricing flexibility pursuant to 54-8b-2.3 or in the price lists of each telecommunications corporation that is subject to pricing flexibility.