reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
TX Util § 60.163 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter I. Local Exchange Company Requirements|Section 60.163. Infrastructure Sharing

Sec. 60.163.  INFRASTRUCTURE SHARING.  (a)  The commission shall adopt rules that require a local exchange company to share public switched network infrastructure and technology with a requesting local exchange company that lacks economies of scale or scope, to enable the requesting company to provide telecommunications services in each geographic area for which the requesting company is designated as the sole carrier of last resort.(b)  The rules governing the sharing:(1)  may not require a local exchange company to make a decision that is uneconomic or adverse to the public;(2)  shall permit, but may not require, joint ownership and operation of public switched network infrastructure and services by or among the local exchange companies that share infrastructure;  and(3)  shall establish conditions that promote cooperation between local exchange companies.|Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.|
TX Util § 60.164 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter I. Local Exchange Company Requirements|Section 60.164. Permissible Joint Marketing

Sec. 60.164.  PERMISSIBLE JOINT MARKETING.  Except as prescribed in Chapters 61, 62, and 63, the commission may not adopt any rule or order that would prohibit a local exchange company from jointly marketing or selling its products and services with the products and services of any of its affiliates in any manner permitted by federal law or applicable rules or orders of the Federal Communications Commission.|Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 52, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.|
TX Util § 60.165 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter I. Local Exchange Company Requirements|Section 60.165. Affiliate Rule

Sec. 60.165.  AFFILIATE RULE.  Except as prescribed in Chapters 61, 62, and 63, the commission may not adopt any rule or order that would prescribe for any local exchange company any affiliate rule, including any accounting rule, any cost allocation rule, or any structural separation rule, that is more burdensome than federal law or applicable rules or orders of the Federal Communications Commission.  Notwithstanding any other provision in this title, the commission may not attribute or impute to a local exchange company a price discount offered by an affiliate of the local exchange company to the affiliate's customers.  This section does not limit the authority of the commission to consider a complaint brought under Subchapter A, Chapter 52, Section 53.003, or this chapter.|Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 52, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.|
TX Util § 60.201 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter J. Wholesale Code of Conduct|Section 60.201. Statement of Policy

Sec. 60.201.  STATEMENT OF POLICY.  It is the policy of this state that providers of telecommunications services operate in a manner that is consistent with minimum standards to provide customers with continued competitive choices.|Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 5), Sec. 24, eff. September 7, 2005.|
TX Util § 60.202 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter J. Wholesale Code of Conduct|Section 60.202. Applicability of Subchapter

Sec. 60.202.  APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER.  A provision of this subchapter applies only to the extent the provision has not been preempted by federal law or a rule, regulation, or order of the Federal Communications Commission.|Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 5), Sec. 24, eff. September 7, 2005.|
TX Util § 60.203 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter J. Wholesale Code of Conduct|Section 60.203. Minimum Service Requirements

Sec. 60.203.  MINIMUM SERVICE REQUIREMENTS.  A telecommunications provider may not unreasonably:(1)  discriminate against another provider by refusing access to an exchange;(2)  refuse or delay an interconnection to another provider;(3)  degrade the quality of access the telecommunications provider provides to another provider;(4)  impair the speed, quality, or efficiency of a line used by another provider;(5)  fail to fully disclose in a timely manner on request all available information necessary to design equipment that will meet the specifications of the network; or(6)  refuse or delay access by a person to another provider.|Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 5), Sec. 24, eff. September 7, 2005.|
TX Util § 60.204 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter J. Wholesale Code of Conduct|Section 60.204. Interconnection

Sec. 60.204.  INTERCONNECTION.  A telecommunications provider shall provide interconnection with other telecommunications providers' networks for the transmission and routing of telephone exchange service and exchange access.|Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 5), Sec. 24, eff. September 7, 2005.|
TX Util § 60.205 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter J. Wholesale Code of Conduct|Section 60.205. Number Portability

Sec. 60.205.  NUMBER PORTABILITY.  A telecommunications provider shall provide number portability in accordance with federal requirements.|Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 5), Sec. 24, eff. September 7, 2005.|
TX Util § 60.206 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter J. Wholesale Code of Conduct|Section 60.206. Duty to Negotiate

Sec. 60.206.  DUTY TO NEGOTIATE.  A telecommunications provider shall negotiate in good faith the terms and conditions of any agreement.|Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 5), Sec. 24, eff. September 7, 2005.|
TX Util § 60.207 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter J. Wholesale Code of Conduct|Section 60.207. Dialing Parity

Sec. 60.207.  DIALING PARITY.  (a)  A telecommunications provider shall provide dialing parity to competing telecommunications providers of telephone exchange service and telephone toll service.(b)  A telecommunications provider shall provide nondiscriminatory access to telephone numbers, operator services, directory assistance, and directory listings and may not delay that access unreasonably.|Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 5), Sec. 24, eff. September 7, 2005.|
TX Util § 60.208 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter J. Wholesale Code of Conduct|Section 60.208. Access to Rights-of-Way

Sec. 60.208.  ACCESS TO RIGHTS-OF-WAY.  A telecommunications provider shall provide access to poles, ducts, conduits, and rights-of-way to competing providers of telecommunications service on rates, terms, and conditions that are just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory.|Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 5), Sec. 24, eff. September 7, 2005.|
TX Util § 60.209 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter J. Wholesale Code of Conduct|Section 60.209. Reciprocal Compensation

Sec. 60.209.  RECIPROCAL COMPENSATION.  A telecommunications provider shall establish reciprocal compensation arrangements for the transport and termination of telecommunications.|Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 5), Sec. 24, eff. September 7, 2005.|
TX Util § 60.210 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 60 - Competitive Safeguards|Subchapter J. Wholesale Code of Conduct|Section 60.210. Access to Services

Sec. 60.210.  ACCESS TO SERVICES.  A telecommunications provider shall provide access to:(1)  911 and E-911 service;(2)  directory assistance service to allow other telecommunications providers' customers to obtain telephone numbers; and(3)  operator call completion service.|Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 5), Sec. 24, eff. September 7, 2005.|
TX Util § 62.001 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 62 - Broadcaster Safeguards|Subchapter A. General Provisions|Section 62.001. Applicability of Chapter

Sec. 62.001.  APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER.  This chapter does not apply to a cable company.|Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.|
TX Util § 62.002 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 62 - Broadcaster Safeguards|Subchapter A. General Provisions|Section 62.002. Definitions

Sec. 62.002.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:(1)  "Audio programming":(A)  means programming:(i)  provided by an amplitude modulation or frequency modulation broadcast radio station;  or(ii)  generally considered comparable to programming described by Subparagraph (i);  and(B)  does not include an audio-related service offered by an incumbent local exchange company on September 1, 1995.(2)  "Video programming" means programming provided by or generally considered comparable to programming provided by a television broadcast station as defined by Section 602, Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. Section 522).|Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.|
TX Util § 64.001 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 64 - Customer Protection|Subchapter A. General Provisions|Section 64.001. Customer Protection Policy

Sec. 64.001.  CUSTOMER PROTECTION POLICY.  (a)  The legislature finds that new developments in telecommunications services, as well as changes in market structure, marketing techniques, and technology, make it essential that customers have safeguards against fraudulent, unfair, misleading, deceptive, or anticompetitive business practices and against businesses that do not have the technical and financial resources to provide adequate service.(b)  The purpose of this chapter is to establish customer protection standards and confer on the commission authority to adopt and enforce rules to protect customers from fraudulent, unfair, misleading, deceptive, or anticompetitive practices.(c)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to abridge customer rights set forth in commission rules in effect at the time of the enactment of this chapter.(d)  This chapter does not limit the constitutional, statutory, and common law authority of the office of the attorney general.|Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 55, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.|
TX Util § 64.002 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 64 - Customer Protection|Subchapter A. General Provisions|Section 64.002. Definitions

Sec. 64.002.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:(1)  "Billing agent" means any entity that submits charges to the billing utility on behalf of itself or any provider of a product or service.(2)  "Billing utility" means any telecommunications provider, as defined by Section 51.002, that issues a bill directly to a customer for any telecommunications product or service.(3)  "Certificated telecommunications utility" means a telecommunications utility that has been granted either a certificate of convenience and necessity, a certificate of operating authority, or a service provider certificate of operating authority.(4)  "Customer" means any person in whose name telephone service is billed, including individuals, governmental units at all levels of government, corporate entities, and any other entity with legal capacity to be billed for telephone service.(5)  "Service provider" means any entity that offers a product or service to a customer and that directly or indirectly charges to or collects from a customer's bill an amount for the product or service on a customer's bill received from a billing utility.(6)  "Telecommunications utility" has the meaning assigned by Section 51.002.|Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 55, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.|
TX Util § 64.004 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 64 - Customer Protection|Subchapter A. General Provisions|Section 64.004. Customer Protection Standards

Sec. 64.004.  CUSTOMER PROTECTION STANDARDS.  (a)  All buyers of telecommunications services are entitled to:(1)  protection from fraudulent, unfair, misleading, deceptive, or anticompetitive practices, including protection from being billed for services that were not authorized or provided;(2)  choice of a telecommunications service provider and to have that choice honored;(3)  information in English and Spanish and any other language as the commission deems necessary concerning rates, key terms, and conditions;(4)  protection from discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, nationality, religion, marital status, income level, or source of income and from unreasonable discrimination on the basis of geographic location;(5)  impartial and prompt resolution of disputes with a certificated telecommunications utility and disputes with a telecommunications service provider related to unauthorized charges and switching of service;(6)  privacy of customer consumption and credit information;(7)  accuracy of billing;(8)  bills presented in a clear, readable format and easy-to-understand language;(9)  information in English and Spanish and any other language as the commission deems necessary concerning low-income assistance programs and deferred payment plans;(10)  all consumer protections and disclosures established by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. Section 1681 et seq.) and the Truth in Lending Act (15 U.S.C. Section 1601 et seq.);  and(11)  programs that offer eligible low-income customers an affordable rate package and bill payment assistance programs designed to reduce uncollectible accounts.(b)  The commission may adopt and enforce rules as necessary or appropriate to carry out this section, including rules for minimum service standards for a certificated telecommunications utility relating to customer deposits and the extension of credit, switching fees, termination of service, an affordable rate package, and bill payment assistance programs for low-income customers.  The commission may waive language requirements for good cause.(c)  The commission shall request the comments of the office of the attorney general in developing the rules that may be necessary or appropriate to carry out this section.(d)  The commission shall coordinate its enforcement efforts regarding the prosecution of fraudulent, misleading, deceptive, and anticompetitive business practices with the office of the attorney general in order to ensure consistent treatment of specific alleged violations.(e)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to abridge customer rights set forth in commission rules in effect at the time of the enactment of this chapter.|Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 55, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.|
TX Util § 64.051 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 64 - Customer Protection|Subchapter B. Certification, Registration, and Reporting Requirements|Section 64.051. Adoption of Rules

Sec. 64.051.  ADOPTION OF RULES.  (a)  The commission shall adopt rules relating to certification, registration, and reporting requirements for a certificated telecommunications utility, all telecommunications utilities that are not dominant carriers, and pay telephone providers.(b)  The rules adopted under Subsection (a) shall be consistent with and no less effective than federal law and may not require the disclosure of highly sensitive competitive or trade secret information.|Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 55, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.|
TX Util § 64.052 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 64 - Customer Protection|Subchapter B. Certification, Registration, and Reporting Requirements|Section 64.052. Scope of Rules

Sec. 64.052.  SCOPE OF RULES.  The commission may adopt and enforce rules to:(1)  require certification or registration with the commission as a condition of doing business in this state;(2)  amend certificates or registrations to reflect changed ownership and control;(3)  establish rules for customer service and protection;(4)  suspend or revoke certificates or registrations for repeated violations of this chapter or commission rules, except that the commission may not revoke a certificate of convenience and necessity of a telecommunications utility except as provided by Section 54.008;  and(5)  order disconnection of a pay telephone service provider's pay telephones or revocation of certification or registration for repeated violations of this chapter or commission rules.|Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 55, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.|
TX Util § 64.053 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 64 - Customer Protection|Subchapter B. Certification, Registration, and Reporting Requirements|Section 64.053. Reports

Sec. 64.053.  REPORTS.  The commission may require a telecommunications service provider to submit reports to the commission concerning any matter over which it has authority under this chapter.|Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 55, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.|
TX Util § 64.101 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 64 - Customer Protection|Subchapter C. Customer's Right to Choice|Section 64.101. Policy

Sec. 64.101.  POLICY.  It is the policy of this state that all customers be protected from the unauthorized switching of a telecommunications service provider selected by the customer to provide service.|Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 55, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.|
TX Util § 64.102 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 64 - Customer Protection|Subchapter C. Customer's Right to Choice|Section 64.102. Rules Relating to Choice

Sec. 64.102.  RULES RELATING TO CHOICE.  The commission shall adopt and enforce rules that:(1)  ensure that customers are protected from deceptive practices employed in obtaining authorizations of service and in the verification of change orders, including negative option marketing, sweepstakes, and contests that cause customers to unknowingly change their telecommunications service provider;(2)  provide for clear, easily understandable identification, in each bill sent to a customer, of all telecommunications service providers submitting charges on the bill;(3)  ensure that every service provider submitting charges on the bill is clearly and easily identified on the bill along with its services, products, and charges;(4)  provide that unauthorized changes in service be remedied at no cost to the customer within a period established by the commission;(5)  require refunds or credits to the customer in the event of an unauthorized change;  and(6)  provide for penalties for violations of commission rules adopted under this section, including fines and revocation of certificates or registrations, by this action denying the certificated telecommunications utility the right to provide service in this state, except that the commission may not revoke a certificate of convenience and necessity of a telecommunications utility except as provided by Section 54.008.|Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 55, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.|
TX Util § 64.152 (2021)
2021 Texas Statutes|Utilities Code|Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act|Subtitle C - Telecommunications Utilities|Chapter 64 - Customer Protection|Subchapter D. Protection Against Unauthorized Charges|Section 64.152. Responsibilities of Billing Utility

Sec. 64.152.  RESPONSIBILITIES OF BILLING UTILITY.  (a)  If a customer's telephone bill is charged for any product or service without proper customer consent or verification, the billing utility, on its knowledge or notification of any unauthorized charge, shall promptly, not later than 45 days after the date of knowledge or notification of the charge:(1)  notify the service provider to cease charging the customer for the unauthorized product or service;(2)  remove any unauthorized charge from the customer's bill;(3)  refund or credit to the customer all money that has been paid by the customer for any unauthorized charge, and if the unauthorized charge is not adjusted within three billing cycles, shall pay interest on the amount of the unauthorized charge;(4)  on the customer's request, provide the customer with all billing records under its control related to any unauthorized charge within 15 business days after the date of the removal of the unauthorized charge from the customer's bill;  and(5)  maintain for at least 24 months a record of every customer who has experienced any unauthorized charge for a product or service on the customer's telephone bill and who has notified the billing utility of the unauthorized charge.(b)  A record required by Subsection (a)(5) shall contain for each unauthorized charge:(1)  the name of the service provider that offered the product or service;(2)  any affected telephone numbers or addresses;(3)  the date the customer requested that the billing utility remove the unauthorized charge;(4)  the date the unauthorized charge was removed from the customer's telephone bill;  and(5)  the date any money that the customer paid for the unauthorized charges was refunded or credited to the customer.(c)  A billing utility may not:(1)  disconnect or terminate telecommunications service to any customer for nonpayment of an unauthorized charge;  or(2)  file an unfavorable credit report against a customer who has not paid charges the customer has alleged were unauthorized unless the dispute regarding the unauthorized charge is ultimately resolved against the customer, except that the customer shall remain obligated to pay any charges that are not in dispute, and this subsection does not apply to those undisputed charges.|Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1212, Sec. 55, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.|