§  64.2401   Truth-in-Billing Requirements.

   (a) Bill organization. Telephone bills shall be clearly organized, and
   must comply with the following requirements:

   (1) The name of the service provider associated with each charge must
   be clearly and conspicuously identified on the telephone bill.

   (2) Where charges for two or more carriers appear on the same telephone
   bill, the charges must be separated by service provider.

   (3) The telephone bill must clearly and conspicuously identify any
   change in service provider, including identification of charges from
   any new service provider. For purpose of this subparagraph “new service
   provider” means a service provider that did not bill the subscriber for
   service during the service provider's last billing cycle. This
   definition shall include only providers that have continuing
   relationships with the subscriber that will result in periodic charges
   on the subscriber's bill, unless the service is subsequently canceled.

   (b) Descriptions of billed charges. Charges contained on telephone
   bills must be accompanied by a brief, clear, non-misleading, plain
   language description of the service or services rendered. The
   description must be sufficiently clear in presentation and specific
   enough in content so that customers can accurately assess that the
   services for which they are billed correspond to those that they have
   requested and received, and that the costs assessed for those services
   conform to their understanding of the price charged.

   (c) “Deniable” and “Non-Deniable” Charges. Where a bill contains
   charges for basic local service, in addition to other charges, the bill
   must distinguish between charges for which non-payment will result in
   disconnection of basic, local service, and charges for which
   non-payment will not result in such disconnection. The carrier must
   explain this distinction to the customer, and must clearly and
   conspicuously identify on the bill those charges for which non-payment
   will not result in disconnection of basic, local service. Carriers may
   also elect to devise other methods of informing consumers on the bill
   that they may contest charges prior to payment.

   (d) Clear and conspicuous disclosure of inquiry contacts. Telephone
   bills must contain clear and conspicuous disclosure of any information
   that the subscriber may need to make inquiries about, or contest,
   charges on the bill. Common carriers must prominently display on each
   bill a toll-free number or numbers by which subscribers may inquire or
   dispute any charges on the bill. A carrier may list a toll-free number
   for a billing agent, clearinghouse, or other third party, provided such
   party possesses sufficient information to answer questions concerning
   the subscriber's account and is fully authorized to resolve the
   consumer's complaints on the carrier's behalf. Where the subscriber
   does not receive a paper copy of his or her telephone bill, but instead
   accesses that bill only by e-mail or internet, the carrier may comply
   with this requirement by providing on the bill an e-mail or web site
   address. Each carrier must make a business address available upon
   request from a consumer.

   (e) Definition of clear and conspicuous. For purposes of this section,
   “clear and conspicuous” means notice that would be apparent to the
   reasonable consumer.

   Note to § 64.2401: The following provisions, for which compliance would
   have been required as of April 1, 2000, have been stayed until such
   time as the amendments to § 64.2401(a), (d), and (e) become effective
   (following their approval by the Office of Management and Budget and
   the publication by the Commission of a document in theFederal
   Registerannouncing the effective date of these amended rules) and will
   be superceded by the amended rules: (1) That portion of § 64.2401(a)(2)
   that requires that each carrier's “telephone bill must provide clear
   and conspicuous notification of any change in service provider,
   including notification to the customer that a new provider has begun
   providing service,” (2) § 64.2401(a)(2)(ii), and (3) § 64.2401(d).

   [ 64 FR 34497 , June 25, 1999, as amended at  65 FR 43258 , July 13, 2000]

Subpart Z—Prohibition on Exclusive Telecommunications Contracts

   Source:    66 FR 2334 , Jan. 11, 2001, unless otherwise noted.