BigBend2023

Consumer Rights

Service Complaints or Requests for Information

the service credit history. Credit history main tained by one must be applied equally to the other without modification and without addi tional qualifications not required of the other. Credit may be established in several ways: • Demonstrate that you have been a resi dential customer of a telephone company within the last two years, that you are not delinquent in payment of your account with them and that during the last twelve consecutive months of service, you did not have more than one occasion in which your telephone bill was paid after becoming delinquent, and never had ser vice disconnected for nonpayment (you are encouraged to obtain a letter of cred it history from your previous telephone company before moving). • Demonstrate a satisfactory credit rating by appropriate means, including but not limited to, a letter of credit reference from a utility company. • Pay a deposit. • Furnish in writing a satisfactory guarantee to secure payment of bills for your tele phone service. • Demonstrate that you are 65 years of age or older and that you do not have any outstanding account balances with any telephone company for residential service which accrued within the last two years. If credit can not be satisfactorily established, the payment of a deposit not exceeding an amount equivalent to one-sixth of your esti mated annual billing, or a letter of guarantee will be required. To maintain satisfactory credit a customer must make prompt payment on all telephone bills. Pursuant to the rules of the Texas Public Utilities Commission, the telephone company is allowed to obtain a deposit under the follow ing circumstances:

Customers or applicants may file requests or complaints with the telephone company at its business office either by letter, in person, or by telephone. The telephone company shall make a prompt response after suitable investigation or development of information requests. You may request the results of the review in writing. If you are dissatisfied with the telephone company’s review, you may contact the commission (PUC) to initiate an informal or formal complaint.

PUC contact information: Public Utility Commission of Texas Office of Customer Protection P. O. Box 13326

Austin, Texas 78711-3326 512-936-7120 or in Texas (toll free) 1-888-782-8477 Fax 512-936-7003 e-mail address: customer@puc.texas.gov

Internet address: www.puc.state.tx.us TTY 1-800-735-2988 and Relay Texas (toll free) 1-800-735-2988

Rates and Policies Copies of our rules and regulations and sched ules of rates are available at our business office for public information. Our business office is located at 808 N. Fifth Street, Alpine, Texas 79830. Our business office telephone number is 1-800-592-4781. Credit, Deposit Information Each residential and business customer apply ing for service with the telephone company must satisfactorily establish credit. Credit his tory shall be applied equally for a

reasonable period of time to a spouse or former spouse who shared

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