16 Tex. Admin. Code § 26.21 - General Provisions of Customer Service and Protection Rules
(a) Purpose. The
purpose of the rules in this subchapter is to ensure certain customer
protections in the provision of local telecommunications service by
certificated telecommunications utilities (CTUs) and to establish minimum
customer service standards that a CTU shall meet in providing
telecommunications service to the public. Nothing in these rules should be
interpreted as preventing a CTU from adopting stronger customer protection
policies for all customers or for differing groups of customers, as long as
those policies do not violate the prohibitions against discrimination in
subsection (b) of this section.
(b)
Prohibition against discrimination.
(1) This
subchapter prohibits CTUs from discrimination based on race, nationality,
color, religion, sex, marital status, income level, source of income, and from
unreasonable discrimination on the basis of geographic location.
(2) CTUs shall establish an
anti-discrimination policy and shall maintain all appropriate information
needed to demonstrate compliance.
(3) Upon request by a customer or the
commission, a CTU shall provide its anti-discrimination policy and all
information necessary to demonstrate compliance with anti-discrimination
requirements.
(c) Other
prohibitions. No CTU shall engage in any fraudulent, unfair, misleading,
deceptive, or anti-competitive practice.
(d) Protections. All customer protections and
disclosures established by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C.
§§1681, et seq.)
and the Truth in Lending Act (15
U.S.C. §§1601, et
seq.) are applicable where appropriate whether or not explicitly
stated in the rules.
(e)
Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this subchapter shall
have the following meanings, unless the context indicates otherwise.
(1) Applicant--A person who applies for
service for the first time or reapplies after disconnection of
service.
(2) Customer--A person who
is currently receiving service from a CTU in the person's own name or the name
of the person's spouse.
(3)
Days--Refers to calendar days.
(4)
In writing--Written words memorialized on paper or sent
electronically.
Notes
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