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REVISED GENERAL ORDER 168,

MARKET RULES TO EMPOWER TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSUMERS AND TO PREVENT FRAUD

GENERAL ORDER NO. 168

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Consumer Bill of Rights

Governing Telecommunications Services

Adopted March 2, 2006; Effective March 2, 2006

(Decision 06-03-013 in Rulemaking 00-02-004)

IT IS ORDERED that all Commission-regulated telecommunications service providers shall respect the consumer rights and freedom of choice provisions set forth in this General Order.

PART 1 - Consumer Bill of Rights and Freedom of Choice

Freedom of Choice:

Disclosure:

Privacy:

Public Participation and Enforcement:

Accurate Bills and Dispute Resolution:

Non-Discrimination:

Public Safety:

The foregoing principles contained in this Consumer Bill of Rights and Freedom of Choice shall serve the same purpose as a statement of legislative intent that will help guide governmental action to promote consumer protection and freedom of choice in a competitive telecommunications market. These principles shall not be interpreted to create a private right of action, to form the predicate for a right of action under any other state or federal law, or to create liability that would not exist absent the foregoing principles.

PART 2 - Consumer Protection and Public Safety Rules

These rules are applicable to telecommunications services subject to the Commission's jurisdiction offered by telecommunication service providers.

Compliance with these rules does not relieve service providers of other obligations they may have under their tariffs, other Commission General Orders and decisions, FCC orders and federal or state statutes.

For services offered under the Universal Lifeline Telephone Service program, carriers shall also comply with the requirements set forth in General Order 153, Procedures for Administration of the Moore Universal Telephone Service Act, where they apply. The requirements of General Order 153 take precedence over these rules whenever there is a conflict between them.

The Commission intends to continue its policy of cooperating with law enforcement authorities to enforce consumer protection laws.

These rules shall not be interpreted to create any new private right of action, to abridge or alter a right of action under any other state or federal law, or to create liability that would not exist absent the foregoing rules.

The standard to be applied in the construction and application of these rules is that of a reasonable consumer.

Rule 1: Commission staff Requests for Information

Rule 2: Worker Identification

Rule 3: Emergency Services 911 / E911

PART 3 - Rules Governing Slamming Complaints

The purpose of these rules is to establish carriers' and subscribers' rights and responsibilities, and the procedures both must follow, for addressing slamming complaints that involve California's regulated telecommunications carriers. Slamming is the unauthorized change of a subscriber's presubscribed carrier. These California-specific rules are designed to supplement and work in conjunction with corresponding rules issued by the Federal Communications Commission.

The California Public Utilities Commission is the primary adjudicator of both intrastate and interstate slamming complaints in California. A subscriber may request that the FCC rather than the Commission handle an interstate slamming complaint, in which case the FCC would apply its rules, and these rules would govern any related intrastate complaint. Where these rules differ from the FCC's slamming rules, the differences are in recognition of California-specific issues and are consistent with the FCC's mandate to the states.

Compliance with these rules does not relieve carriers of other obligations they may have under their tariffs, other Commission General Orders and decisions, FCC orders, and state and federal statutes. Nor do these rules limit any rights a consumer may have.

The Commission intends to continue its policy of cooperating with law enforcement authorities to enforce consumer protection laws.

These rules shall not be interpreted to create any new private right of action, to abridge or alter a right of action under any other state or federal law, or to create liability that would not exist absent the foregoing rules.

These rules take precedence over any conflicting tariff provisions on file at the Commission. The remedies provided by these rules are in addition to any others available by law.

The standard to be applied in the construction and application of these rules is that of a reasonable consumer.

Authorized Carrier: Any telecommunications carrier that submits a change, on behalf of a subscriber, in the subscriber's selection of a provider of telecommunications service with the subscriber's authorization verified in accordance with state and federal law.

Commission: California Public Utilities Commission, unless otherwise noted.

Consumer Affairs Branch (CAB): The Commission office where California consumers may complain about a utility service or billing problem they have not been able to resolve with the utility.

Days: Calendar days, unless otherwise noted.

Executing Carrier: Any telecommunications carrier that effects a request that a subscriber's telecommunications carrier be changed. A carrier may be treated as an executing carrier, however, if it is responsible for any unreasonable delays in the execution of carrier changes or for the execution of unauthorized carrier changes, including fraudulent authorizations.

FCC: Federal Communications Commission.

LATA: Local Access and Transport Area.

Submitting Carrier: Any telecommunications carrier that requests on the behalf of a subscriber that the subscriber's telecommunications carrier be changed and seeks to provide retail services to the end user subscriber. A carrier may be treated as a submitting carrier, however, if it is responsible for any unreasonable delays in the submission of carrier change requests or for the submission of unauthorized carrier change requests, including fraudulent authorizations.

Subscriber: Any one of the following:

Unauthorized Carrier: Any telecommunications carrier that submits a change, on behalf of the subscriber, in the subscriber's selection of a provider of telecommunications service but fails to obtain the subscriber's authorization verified in accordance with state and/or federal law.

Unauthorized Change: A change in a subscriber's selection of a provider of telecommunications service that was made without authorization verified in accordance with the verification procedures described in state and/or federal law.

Authorization and verification of orders for telecommunications services shall be done in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

[Comment: Nothing in these Part 3 rules is intended to prohibit a subscriber and an alleged unauthorized carrier from making mutually-agreeable arrangements for compensating the subscriber and restoring the service to the authorized carrier without the subscriber's having to file a complaint with CAB; provided, however, that the alleged unauthorized carrier must first have informed the subscriber of the 30-day absolution period and the subscriber's right to file such a complaint.]

The following procedures shall apply to informal complaints to the Commission alleging an unauthorized change of a subscriber's preferred carrier, as defined by P.U. Code § 2889.5 or the FCC's slamming rules.

Part 4 - Rules Governing Cramming Complaints

A. Applicability

The purpose of these rules is to clarify telephone companies' responsibilities, and the procedures they must follow, for addressing cramming complaints. Cramming occurs when an unauthorized charge is placed on a subscriber's phone bill.

Compliance with these rules does not relieve phone companies of other obligations they may have under their tariffs, other Commission General Orders and decisions, FCC orders, and state and federal statutes. Nor do these rules limit any rights a consumer may have.

The Commission intends to enhance its cooperation with law enforcement authorities and other appropriate government agencies to enforce consumer protection laws.

These rules shall not be interpreted to create any new private right of action, to abridge or alter a right of action under any other state or federal law, or to create liability that would not exist absent the foregoing rules.

The standard to be applied in the construction and application of these rules is that of a reasonable consumer.

B. Definitions

Complaint: Any written or oral communication from a person or entity that has been billed for a charge that the person or entity alleges was unauthorized and that was billed, either directly or indirectly, through a telephone company.

Investigation: An inquiry conducted by (i) the person or entity from which the disputed charge originated, (ii) a telephone company that provides billing services to any third party (including its own affiliate), (iii) the Commission, or (iv) any other relevant government agency, such as the District Attorney's office in the subscriber's county or the AG's office.

Telephone company: A telephone company is any telephone corporation (as defined in P.U. Code § 234) operating within California. This term includes resellers and wireless telephone service providers.

Subscriber: A person or entity that subscribes to a telecommunications network or service subject to Commission jurisdiction.

User: A person or entity using a telecommunications network or service subject to Commission jurisdiction.

C. Rules

(a) Billing for Authorized Charges Only: Telephone companies may bill subscribers only for authorized charges.

(b) Authorization Required: In the case of a complaint, there is a rebuttable presumption that an unverified charge for a product or service was not authorized by the user. A telephone company may establish that a user authorized a charge with (i) a record of affirmative user authorization, (ii) a demonstrated pattern of knowledgeable past use, or (iii) other persuasive evidence of authorization. With regard to direct dialed telecommunications services, evidence that a call was dialed is prima facie evidence of authorization.

(d) Complaint Resolution: If a telephone company receives a complaint that the user did not authorize the purchase of the product or service associated with a charge, the telephone company, not later than 30 days from the date on which the complaint is received, shall either (i) verify and advise the subscriber of the user's authorization of the disputed charge or (ii) undertake to credit the disputed charge and any associated late charges or penalties to the subscriber's bill.

_______________________________

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

By: Steve Larsen

Executive Director

1 See United States Telecomm. Ass'n v. FCC, 400 F. 3d 29 (D.C. Cir. 2005); In the Matter of Telephone Number Portability, Intermodal Order, 18 FCC Rcd. 23697 (2003).

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