New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 18 - REGULATIONS OF CABLE TELEVISION › Subchapter 3 - CUSTOMER RIGHTS › Section 14:18-3.9 - Due date of payment and notice of discontinuance

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The
				specified due date of payment shall be no less than 15 days from the start of
				the billing cycle of the bill.
(b)
				Prior to disconnection for non-payment, a customer must receive 15 days written
				notice from the cable television company. Such notice must be provided
				separately and not as part of the periodic bill. Such notice shall not be
				issued until 15 days beyond the due date on the previous bill. Such notice may
				be provided using any reasonable written means in accordance with
				47 CFR
				76.1600 and not inconsistent with any other
				applicable Federal or State statute for customers who have opted to receive
				electronic billing.
(c) A new
				notice shall be served by the cable television company each time the cable
				television company intends to discontinue service for nonpayment of a
				bill.
(d) If a cable television
				company issues a notice of discontinuance, but fails to act upon it within 30
				days of issuance, a new notice shall be served prior to service
				suspension.
(e) In case of fraud,
				illegal use or when it is clearly indicated the customer is preparing to leave,
				immediate payment of accounts may be required.
(f) A customer wishing to discontinue service
				must give notice to that effect, either verbally by speaking with a customer
				service representative on the phone or in-person, or in writing. Where such
				notice is not received by the cable television company, the customer shall be
				liable for service until such notice is received by the cable television
				company.
(g) Notice to discontinue
				service will not relieve a customer from any minimum or guaranteed payment
				under any contract or rate agreement.
(h) Each cable television company shall
				annually notify all residential customers that, upon written request, notice of
				disconnection of service will be sent to a designated third-party, as well as
				to the customer. Once a customer has made a third-party designation,
				notification of this provision need no longer be provided to that customer.
				After the initial notice, notice of this provision may be provided as part of
				the annual notices required by
				N.J.A.C.
				14:18-3.18.
1. A customer requesting such a third party
				designation must send a written notification to his or her cable television
				operator on a form which may be designated by the cable television operator.
				The notification shall contain the written acceptance of the person to act as a
				third party to receive the notification(s) on behalf of the customer.
2. Notice of third party designation shall be
				effective no later than 10 business days following the date of receipt by the
				cable television operator.
3. A
				cable television operator shall notify the third party designee of
				disconnection of the customer in the same method that it notifies the
				subscriber, in accordance with the provisions of (b) through (d) above, where
				notice of third party designation has been received and is effective.
4. Designation of a third party shall not
				constitute liability on the part of the third party for payment of the cable
				television bill and the cable television operator shall not demand payment from
				the third party.