Pennsylvania Code › Title 52 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Part I - Public Utility Commission › Subpart C - Fixed Service Utilities › Chapter 64 - STANDARDS AND BILLING PRACTICES FOR RESIDENTIAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE › Subchapter A - PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS › Section 64.2 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
The following words and terms, when used in this chapter,
						have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates
						otherwise:
Applicant
-A person who applies for
						residential telecommunications service, other than a transfer of service from
						one dwelling to another within the service area of the LEC or a reinstatement
						of service following a discontinuation or suspension.
Basic service
-The transmission of
						messages or communications by a telephone device between points within a local
						calling area as established in the tariff of a LEC, including installation
						service, providing and restoring access lines, touch tone service and handling
						of unpaid checks as addressed in §
											64.11 (relating to method of
						payment). The term includes charges for 911 service, telecommunications relay
						service and subscriber line service, but does not include premises visits for
						installation of new service.
Billing period
-A period of at least 26
						days and not more than 35 days, except in the following circumstances:
(i) An initial bill for a new customer may be
					 less than 26 days or greater than 35 days. The initial bill may never exceed 60
					 days.
(ii) A final bill due to
					 discontinuance or termination may be less than 26 days or greater than 35 days
					 but may not exceed 42 days. A bill may be rendered after the final bill for an
					 additional toll, lost equipment or other similar charge.
(iii) Bills for less than 26 days or more
					 than 35 days will be permitted if they result from a rebilling initiated by the
					 company or by a customer dispute to correct a billing problem.
Bundled service package
-
(i) A package of services, which includes
					 noncompetitive or protected and competitive services, including services of an
					 affiliate, in combinations and at a single rate or charge that is offered and
					 billed on one bill by a competitive telecommunications carrier or a local
					 exchange telecommunications company.
(ii) The term does not include a local
					 exchange telecommunications company or competitive telecommunications carrier
					 tariff filing that involves simultaneous changes in rates and charges for
					 noncompetitive services in a revenue neutral manner.
CTC-Competitive telecommunications
						carrier
-An entity that provides telecommunications services subject to
						the jurisdiction of the Commission and in competition with a local exchange
						telecommunications company.
Commercial service
-Telecommunications
						service to a location other than a dwelling, except that service to a dwelling
						used for both residential and commercial purposes shall be considered
						commercial service if concurrent residential service is provided.
Competitive wire center
-A wire center or
						other geographic area that is defined and served by a local exchange
						telecommunications company where all of its protected, retail nonprotected and
						retail noncompetitive telecommunications services have been declared or
						determined to be competitive by the Commission under
						66 Pa.C.S. §
												3016
						(relating to competitive services).
Cramming
-The submission or inclusion of
						unauthorized, misleading or deceptive charges for products or services on an
						end-user customer's local telephone bill.
Customer
-An applicant in whose name a
						residential service account is billed.
Delinquent account
-Charges for
						telecommunications service which have not been paid in full by the due date
						stated on the bill or otherwise agreed upon. The contested portion of an
						account may not be deemed delinquent if, before the due date, payment
						arrangements with the LEC have been entered into by the customer, a timely
						filed notice of dispute is pending before the LEC or an informal or formal
						complaint is timely filed with and is pending before the Commission.
Discontinuation of service
-The temporary
						or permanent cessation of service upon the request of a customer.
Dispute
-A grievance of an applicant,
						customer or customer's designee about a utility's application of one or more
						provisions covered by this chapter, including credit determinations, deposit
						requirements, the accuracy of amounts billed or the proper party to be charged,
						which remains unresolved after the initial contact or utility follow-up
						response when the applicant, customer or customer's designee consents to the
						utility reviewing pertinent records or other information and calling back. The
						term does not include a disagreement arising from matters outside the scope of
						this chapter, or failure to negotiate a mutually satisfactory payment agreement
						regarding undisputed amounts, or a disagreement over billing data provided to
						the local exchange carrier by an interexchange carrier.
Dwelling
-A house, apartment or other
						location where a person resides.
Emergency
-An unforeseen combination of
						circumstances requiring temporary discontinuation of service either to effect
						repairs or maintenance or to eliminate an imminent threat to life, health,
						safety or property.
Interexchange carrier
-A carrier which
						provides interexchange services to the public under
						66 Pa.C.S. §
												3018
						(relating to interexchange telecommunications carriers).
LEC-Local Exchange Carrier
-A
						jurisdictional telecommunications public utility which provides basic service
						either exclusively or in addition to toll service. A local exchange carrier can
						be either a local exchange telecommunications company or a competitive
						telecommunications carrier.
LETC-Local exchange telecommunications
						com-pany
-A telecommunications service provider as defined in
						66 Pa.C.S. §
												3012
						(relating to definitions).
Nonbasic service
-A service or a product
						other than telecommunications service which is either offered or billed for by
						a LEC. The term includes the sale or lease of customer premises equipment,
						inside wiring maintenance plans, repair services, premises visits for service
						installation, nonrecurring charges for nonbasic services, restoral charges for
						nonbasic services, custom calling services, audiotex services, pay-per-call
						services and international information or entertainment services.
Noncompetitive wire center
-A wire center
						or other geographic area that is defined and served by a local exchange
						telecommunications company where the jurisdictional telecommunications public
						utility offers protected, retail nonprotected and noncompetitive
						telecommunications services as defined by
						66 Pa.C.S. §
												3012.
Occupant
-A person who resides at a
						location to which residential service is supplied.
Payment agreement
-A mutually
						satisfactory agreement between the customer and the LEC whereby a customer who
						admits liability for billed service is permitted to pay the unpaid balance of
						the account in one or more payments over a reasonable period.
Physician
-An individual permitted under
						the statutes of the Commonwealth to engage in the practice of medicine and
						surgery or in the practice of osteopathy or osteopathic surgery.
Residential service
-Telecommunications
						service supplied to a dwelling, including service provided to a location used
						for both residential and commercial purposes if no concurrent commercial
						service is provided. The term does not include telecommunications service
						provided to a hotel or motel.
Service provider
-Facilities-based
						interexchange carrier, interexchange reseller or information service provider
						initiating the service or charges to end-user customers.
Slamming
-The unauthorized changing of a
						customer's telecommunications provider, whether for local exchange service,
						intraLATA toll or interLATA toll.
Suspension of service
-A temporary
						cessation of service without the consent of the customer.
Telecommunications company
-A public
						utility which provides telecommunications service subject to Commission
						jurisdiction.
Telecommunications service
-The
						transmission of messages or communications by telephone. The term includes
						basic service and toll service.
Termination of service
-Permanent
						cessation of service after a suspension without the consent of the
						customer.
Toll service
-The transmission of
						messages or communications by telephone between points which are not both
						within a local calling area as established in the tariff of a LEC. The term
						includes service that is either billed by or provided by a LEC, toll restoral
						charges and presubscription interexchange carrier change
						charges.
The provisions of this §
													64.2 amended under the Public
						  Utility Code,
						  66 Pa.C.S. §
														§
														501,
						  504-506,
						  1301-1325,
						  1501-1511 and
						  3019(b)(2) and
						  (3).
This section cited in 52 Pa. Code §
													55.115 (relating to coordination
						  with other regulations); 52 Pa. Code §
													64.24 (relating to provision of
						  bundled service packages); and 52 Pa. Code §
													64.73 (relating to notice when
						  dispute pending).