New Mexico Administrative Code › Title 17 - PUBLIC UTILITIES AND UTILITY SERVICES › Chapter 11 - TELECOMMUNICATIONS › Part 8 - SLAMMING AND CRAMMING PROTECTION › Section 17.11.8.11 - INFORMATION ON CUSTOMER TELEPHONE BILLS

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 13, July 16, 2024
A. Any charge or change in provider shall be
				indicated on the customer's telephone bill in clear and conspicuous language
				and easily legible type.
B. Any
				person that places or causes a charge to be placed on a customer's telephone
				bill, and any person that changes or causes a customer's provider to be changed
				shall:
(1) clearly and conspicuously identify
				the name of the provider associated with each charge or change of provider on
				the telephone bill;
(2) include a
				brief, clear and conspicuous description of the product, service, or change in
				provider to be placed on the customer's bill, including the amount charged for
				each product, service, or change in provider or service (including taxes and
				surcharges). 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;
(3) clearly and conspicuously display on each
				bill a toll-free number or numbers by which customers may inquire or dispute
				any charge contained on the bill. The toll-free number or numbers shall, at a
				minimum, be staffed during normal business hours with personnel able to provide
				sufficient information as necessary to respond to and resolve customer
				inquiries concerning any charge, service, or change in provider on a customer's
				bill, provided that after normal business hours a customer is able to leave a
				recorded message on a 24-hour per day basis concerning any inquiry or complaint
				regarding unauthorized charges or changes in provider on the customer's
				telephone bill. If a customer's call to the toll-free number is recorded after
				normal business hours, the provider or its agent staffing the number must call
				the customer back by the end of the next business day and keep trying for three
				days. If the customer cannot be reached in three days, a letter must be sent to
				the customer stating that the contact could not be made and providing the
				toll-free number and operating hours when the customer may reach personnel able
				to assist the customer with resolving questions or complaints regarding
				unauthorized charges or changes in provider. A provider may list a toll-free
				number for a billing agent, clearinghouse, or other third party, provided that
				such party possesses sufficient information to answer questions concerning the
				customer's account and is fully authorized to resolve customer complaints on
				the provider's behalf. Each provider must make its business address available
				upon request to customers through its toll-free number; and
(4) where charges or changes for two or more
				providers appear on the same telephone bill, separate such charges and provide
				clear and conspicuous notification of any change in provider, including
				notification to the customer that a new provider has begun providing
				service.