(a) Each telecommunications user shall be billed for
its respective use of telecommunications goods and services on a monthly
basis. Telecommunications users will be billed for the following:
(1) variable recurring costs for usage sensitive services;
(2) fixed recurring costs for non-usage sensitive services;
(3) telecommunications user's proportionate use of
common telecommunications services, operational costs, administrative
costs and/or equipment for said services provided to all or some users;
(4) telecommunications user's nonrecurring charges
for any telecommunications services and/or equipment provided by the
department;
(5) employee fringe benefits; and
(6) bill rate intervention.
(b) Each telecommunications user shall notify the department
in writing within twenty-one (21) days of receipt of a billing of
any errors in the bill, including all requests for additional time
to research billing issues. All telecommunications user requests for
additional time beyond the twenty-one (21) day period are subject
to written approval by the Chief Financial Officer of the department,
or designee. The notice must provide details as to the nature of the
error and all information the user may have to assist in resolution
of the error(s). All allegations of errors in bills must be based
on a good-faith belief that the charges in question are not the responsibility
of the user. Each telecommunications user shall make payment in the
amount of the bill not found to be in error within thirty (30) days
of receipt pursuant to the Prompt Payment Act, Chapter 2251, Government
Code. Upon resolution of the alleged error(s), if the telecommunications
user owes the department, the payment shall be paid within ten (10)
days of the date of resolution. Upon resolution of the alleged error,
if the billing was found to be in error, the department shall make
a notation in the user's billing record and no further collection
attempts shall be undertaken against the user.
(c) Any institution of higher education extending telecommunications
service to students purchased through the department is responsible
for payment directly to the department of the total charges billed
within thirty (30) days of receipt, regardless of whether it is able
to collect the student's contribution of the payment.
(d) In order to maintain sufficient amounts in the
telecommunications revolving account to make timely payments to the
telecommunications service providers, the department may require any
telecommunications users to make advance payments based on 80% of
the average of each user's prior three-month billing exclusive of
charges described in subsection (a)(4) of this section. Advance payments
which are not equal to the actual amount due for the subsequent payment
period will be adjusted accordingly.
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