N.H. Admin. Code § Puc 410.03

Current through Register No. 50, December 12, 2024

Section Puc 410.03 - Basic Service

(a) An ILEC shall not require a customer to purchase or subscribe to any other service, feature or product, whether separate from or in combination with basic service, or on an unbundled or bundled basis with basic service, in order to obtain basic service offered by the ILEC. This rule shall not preclude an ILEC from charging a customer construction costs or other non-recurring costs on a non-discriminatory basis that would not discourage the customer from selecting residential basic service.

(b) An ILEC shall not require an existing or prospective basic service customer to waive, release or otherwise relinquish any rights or remedies under the Puc 400 rules or the statutes implemented by these rules, including, but not limited to, the right to submit a complaint to the commission pursuant to Puc 410.05.

(c) An ILEC shall not impose exit fees on a customer who cancels basic service.

(d) An ILEC-ELEC shall change its rates for basic service only through the following process:

(1) After August 10, 2020, the ILEC-ELEC may increase its rates to any level without commission review or approval;

(2) Without commission review or approval, the ILEC-ELEC shall limit increases to its rates for basic service subject to the following cap in each 12-month period beginning August 10, 2012 or the effective date of an existing alternative plan of regulation approved by the commission, pursuant to RSA 374:22-p, VIII (b):

a. For customers who are enrolled in the Lifeline Telephone Assistance program, the cap is 5%; and

b. For all other customers, the cap is 10%; and

(3) The ILEC-ELEC shall seek commission approval for additional rate increases in the event of changes in federal, state, or local government taxes, mandates, rules, regulation, or statutes.

(e) Any ILEC proposing to change its basic service coverage area shall comply with the following provisions:

(1) An ILEC which seeks to change geographic boundaries or other policies that would change the geographic area which can be reached using a local call, shall petition the commission for review and approval of the change;

(2) Such petition may include a proposed rate adjustment to reflect the change in coverage; and

(f) The commission shall approve the proposal described in the petition filed pursuant to (e) if the proposed change:

(1) Results in service comparable to or superior to the basic service offered on August 10, 2012; and

(2) Does not effectively increase the price of basic service by more than the rate cap pursuant to (d) above.

(g) An ILEC that is unable to provide basic service to a current or prospective customer upon application therefor shall comply with the following provisions:

(1) An ILEC shall keep a record as to each instance in which it is not able to supply basic service to prospective customers within 10 days following the customer's application for service;

(2) The record required by (g)(1) above shall be provided to the commission on request; and

(3) The record shall include:

a. The name, address, and telephone number of each applicant who was not provided service within 10 days;

b. The date of application for service;

c. The class of service applied for; and

d. The reason the ILEC was unable to provide service within 10 days of the customer's application.

N.H. Admin. Code § Puc 410.03

#8348, eff 5-10-05 (See Revision Note #1 at chapter heading for Puc 400); ss by #10542, eff 3-12-14 (See Revision Note #2 at chapter heading for Puc 400)

Ss by #10542, eff 3/12/2014 (See Revision Note #2 at chapter heading for Puc 400).