Eligible provider to notify eligible customers regarding default receipt of lifeline and link up services; contents of notification; declination of services; billing for services; duration of lifeline services.
1. An eligible provider, within 7 days after determining that a person located in its service area is an eligible customer, shall notify the eligible customer that he will receive lifeline or link up services, or both, unless he specifically declines to receive the services. The notification must include:
(a) Information about the lifeline and link up services, including, without limitation, the date on which the services will begin and any options or responsibilities that the eligible customer may have related to the receipt of those services;
(b) A self-addressed, postage paid response card which the eligible customer must return to the eligible provider to decline the services; and
(c) A statement that the eligible provider will automatically provide lifeline or link up services, or both, to the eligible customer unless the eligible customer declines the services by timely returning to the eligible provider the response card included with the notification.
2. To decline lifeline or link up services, an eligible customer must return the response card included in the notification provided pursuant to subsection 1 to the eligible provider not later than 10 days before the date on which the services are scheduled to begin.
3. An eligible provider shall begin billing an eligible customer for lifeline or link up services, or both, not later than 60 days after the date on which the eligible provider receives the list of eligible customers from the Department which includes the eligible customer, if the eligible customer has not declined the services.
4. An eligible provider shall continue providing lifeline services to an eligible customer for as long as he continues to receive telecommunication services from the eligible provider until the customer or the Department notifies the eligible provider that the customer is no longer eligible for the program. The eligible provider shall discontinue providing lifeline services to an eligible customer if the eligible customer notifies the eligible provider in writing that he wishes to discontinue receiving those services.
Last modified: February 26, 2006