(1)
General. Applicants or customers, excluding telecommunications
companies as defined in
RCW
80.04.010, are entitled to, and a company
must allow, an initial use, and then, once every five years dating from the
customer's most recent use of the option, an option to pay a prior obligation
over not less than a six-month period. The company must restore service upon
payment of the first installment if an applicant is entitled to the payment
arrangement provided for in this section and, if applicable, the first
installment of a deposit is paid as provided for in WAC
480-120-122 (Establishing credit
Residential services).
(2)
Restoring service based on federal enhanced tribal lifeline program
eligibility. Local exchange companies (LECs) must restore service for
any customer who has had basic service discontinued for nonpayment under WAC
480-120-172 (Discontinuing
serviceCompany initiated) if the customer was not a participant in the federal
enhanced tribal lifeline program at the time service was discontinued and if
the customer is eligible to participate in the federal enhanced tribal lifeline
program at the time the restoration of service is requested. To have service
restored under this subsection, a customer must establish eligibility for the
federal enhanced tribal lifeline program, agree to continuing participation in
the federal enhanced tribal lifeline program, and agree to toll restriction, or
ancillary service restriction, or both, if the company requires it, until the
unpaid amounts are paid. Companies must not charge for toll restriction when
restoring service under this section.
In the event a customer receiving service under this
subsection fails to make a timely payment for either monthly basic service or
for unpaid basic service or ancillary service, the company may discontinue
service pursuant to WAC
480-120-172.
(3) Nothing in this rule precludes the
company from entering into separate payment arrangements with any customer for
unpaid toll charges or over a longer period than described in this rule as long
as both the company and the customer agree to the payment arrangement. Longer
payment arrangements as described in this subsection satisfy the requirements
in subsection (1) or (2) of this section.
Notes
Wash. Admin. Code §
480-120-174
Amended by
WSR
16-20-003, Filed 9/22/2016, effective
10/23/2016
Statutory Authority:
RCW
80.01.040 and
80.04.160. 05-03-031 (Docket No.
UT 040015, General Order No. R-516), § 480-120-174, filed 1/10/05,
effective 2/10/05; 03-01-065 (Docket No. UT-990146, General Order No. R-507),
§ 480-120-174, filed 12/12/02, effective
7/1/03.
