§ 64.1510   Billing and collection of pay-per-call and similar service
charges.

   (a) Any common carrier assigning a telephone number to a provider of
   interstate pay-per-call services and offering billing and collection
   services to such provider shall:

   (1) Ensure that a subscriber is not billed for interstate pay-per-call
   services that such carrier knows or reasonably should know were
   provided in violation of the regulations set forth in this subpart or
   prescribed by the Federal Trade Commission pursuant to titles II or III
   of the TDDRA or any other federal law;

   (2) In any billing to telephone subscribers that includes charges for
   any interstate pay-per-call service:

   (i) Include a statement indicating that:

   (A) Such charges are for non-communications services;

   (B) Neither local nor long distances services can be disconnected for
   non-payment although an information provider may employ private
   entities to seek to collect such charges;

   (C) 900 number blocking is available upon request; and

   (D) Access to pay-per-call services may be involuntarily blocked for
   failure to pay legitimate charges;

   (ii) Display any charges for pay-per-call services in a part of the
   bill that is identified as not being related to local and long distance
   telephone charges;

   (iii) Specify, for each pay-per-call charge made, the type of service,
   the amount of the charge, and the date, time, and, for calls billed on
   a time-sensitive basis, the duration of the call; and

   (iv) Identify the local or toll-free number established in accordance
   with § 64.1509(b)(1).

   (b) Any common carrier offering billing and collection services to an
   entity providing interstate information services on a collect basis
   shall, to the extent possible, display the billing information in the
   manner described in paragraphs (a)(2)(i), (A), (B), (D) and (a)(2)(ii)
   of this section.

   (c) If a subscriber elects, pursuant to § 64.1504(c)(1)(vi), to pay by
   means of a phone bill for any information service provided by through
   any 800 telephone number, or other telephone number advertised or
   widely understood to be toll-free, the phone bill shall:

   (1) Include, in prominent type, the following disclaimer: “Common
   carriers may not disconnect local or long distance telephone service
   for failure to pay disputed charges for information services;” and

   (2) Clearly list the 800 or other toll-free number dialed.

   [ 58 FR 44773 , Aug. 25, 1993, as amended at  59 FR 46771 , Sept. 12, 1994;
    61 FR 39088 , July 26, 1996]

   return arrow Back to Top