|
|
|
To: Editors, News Directors |
Date: January
2 |
|
For: Immediate Release |
|
|
|
|
|
Commissioners Set “Truth in Billing” Public Comment Sessions & Include Privacy Issues |
|
PHOENIX – Line items on phone bills seem to be multiplying almost as fast as the plan and pricing options being offered to consumers today. Whether it’s on a mobile phone bill or a traditional land line phone bill, consumers are seeing more itemized charges – sometimes with very vague descriptions. Confused consumers outraged over mysterious “regulatory fees” prompted the Arizona Corporation Commissioners to open a docket to examine the billing practices of telecommunications providers in Arizona.
The Commissioners are expanding the focus of these public comment sessions to include privacy issues related to Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) that phone companies gather based on the customer-to-service provider relationship. Customer Proprietary Network Information (“private information”) is defined as:
a. information about the quantity, technical configuration, type, destination, and amount of use of a telecommunications service subscribed to by any customer of a telecommunications carrier, and that is made available to the carrier by the customer solely by virtue of the carrier-customer relationship; and b. information contained in the bills pertaining to telephone exchange service or telephone toll service received by a customer of a carrier.
The Commissioners recently approved an official draft of rules aimed at protecting consumers from the unauthorized use of this data. (See related release issued October 20, 2004 at http://www.cc.state.az.us/news/index.htm.)
The majority of complaints coming into the Commission are related to wireless telephone service over which the Commission has limited jurisdiction. The Commissioners want to hear directly from wireless and wireline consumers about truth in billing, privacy and customer service issues. The public comment process may lead the Commissioners to open a formal rulemaking process in order to protect phone customers from ambiguous charges or unfair billing practices.
These public comment sessions began in 2004 with a series of stops around the state. The following meetings have been added to the schedule.
Wednesday, March 16 at 5:00 PM Tucson Area Public Comment Session Arizona Corporation Commission 400 West Congress Street, Room 222 Tucson, AZ
Thursday, March 17 at 10:00 AM Green Valley Library 601 North La Cañada (The library is not visible from the road but it is located on La Canada between Esperanza and Duval Mine Road in the Government Center) Green Valley, AZ
About Public Comment Sessions Public comment sessions are formal proceedings and all comments will be transcribed by a court reporter. The Commissioners may limit the duration of each individual’s comments to allow everyone a fair opportunity to speak. Other Ways to Offer Input to the Commission Public Comment by Mail If you cannot attend a public comment session, the Commission encourages the timely submission of written comments. If it concerns a specific billing issue or line item, please enclose a copy of your bill. Be sure to reference the docket numbers to ensure that your comments are properly catalogued and referenced.
Arizona
Corporation Commission
Docket Number: T-00000D-04-0582
Electronic Public Comment You may also comment through the Commission’s “Can We Help You” page on the Utilities Division website. Be sure to include the docket number listed above. For instructions on filing electronic public comment, click on http://www.cc.state.az.us/utility/cons/index.htm. |
