| (i) A Lifeline provider shall identify, on the initial
database provided by the LIDA, those customers to whom it is providing
telephone service and shall begin reduced billing for those qualifying
low-income customers.
(ii) The eligible customer shall not be charged for
changes in telephone service arrangements that are made in order to
qualify for Lifeline Service, or for service order charges associated
with transferring the account into Lifeline Service. If the eligible
customer changes the telephone service, the Lifeline provider shall
begin reduced billing at the time the change of service becomes effective.
(iii) Monthly, all ETCs, ETPs, RETPs, and certificated
providers providing telephone service in Texas must provide a file
of its residential customers in a format and date determined by LIDA,
for Lifeline processing.
(iv) Upon receipt of the monthly update provided by
the LIDA, a Lifeline provider shall begin reduced billing for those
qualifying low-income customers subscribing to services within 30
days.
(v) The LIDA shall maintain customers' self-enrollment
forms and provide a file of self-enrolling customers to all Lifeline
providers.
(B) Tariff Requirement. Each Lifeline provider shall
file a tariff to implement Lifeline Service, or revise its existing
tariff for compliance with this section and with applicable law, including
subsection (f)(1)(C) of this section.
(C) Reporting requirements. Lifeline providers providing
Lifeline Service pursuant to this section shall report information
as required by the commission or the TUSF administrator, including
but not limited to the following information:
(i) Initial reporting requirements. Lifeline providers
shall provide the commission and the TUSF administrator with information
demonstrating that it meets the requirements of this section.
(ii) Monthly reporting requirements. Lifeline providers
shall report monthly to the TUSF administrator the total number of
qualified low-income customers to whom Lifeline Service was provided
for the month by the Lifeline providers. Resale ETPs shall not report
any customers whose Lifeline Services were purchased from an ILEC
as a wholesale Lifeline Service offering. The ILEC from whom these
lines were purchased will include those customers in its total number
of qualified low-income customers reported to the TUSF administrator.
Non-ETP Lifeline providers are excluded from this reporting requirement
since they have elected not to receive any type of Lifeline support.
(iii) Quarterly reporting requirements. Non-ETP certificated
Lifeline providers shall report to the commission its Lifeline activity
as required. Certificated non-ETPs shall use the Report of Lifeline Service Provided by Non-ETP's form
located on the PUC website to provide this information.
(iv) Other reporting requirements. Lifeline providers
shall report any other information required by the commission or the
TUSF administrator, including any information necessary to assess
contributions to and disbursements from the TUSF.
(v) ETPs shall file the following information with
the administrator of the Federal Lifeline Program:
(I) information demonstrating that the ETP's Lifeline
Service plan meets the criteria set forth in 47 C.F.R. Subpart E (relating
to Universal Service Support for Low-Income Consumers);
(II) the number of qualifying low-income customers
served by the ETP;
(III) the amount of state assistance; and
(IV) other information required by the administrator
of the Federal Lifeline Program.
(D) Notice Requirement. A Lifeline provider shall provide
the following notices of Lifeline Service:
(i) Notice of Lifeline Service in any directory it
distributes to its customers advising customers of the availability
of Lifeline Service. In any instance where the Lifeline provider provides
bilingual (English and Spanish) information in its directory, the
Lifeline provider must also provide its notice regarding Lifeline
Service in a bilingual format;
(ii) An annual bill message-advising customers of the
availability of Lifeline Service. In any instance where the Lifeline
provider provides bilingual (English and Spanish) information in its
annual bill messages, the Lifeline provider must also provide its
notice regarding Lifeline Service in a bilingual format. All Lifeline
providers are required to file a copy of the annual bill message in
the designated project at the commission;
(iii) Inform all customers both orally and in writing
of the existence of the Lifeline Service program when they request
or initiate service or change service locations or providers. In any
instance where the Lifeline provider provides bilingual (English and
Spanish) information in its directory, the Lifeline provider must
also provide its notice regarding Lifeline Service in a bilingual
format; and
(iv) Shall publicize the availability of Lifeline Service
in a manner reasonably designed to reach those likely to qualify for
the service.
(E) Confidentiality agreements. Each Lifeline provider
must execute a confidentiality agreement with the LIDA prior to receiving
the LIDA's eligibility database. The agreement will specify that client
information is released by the LIDA to the Lifeline provider for the
sole purpose of providing Lifeline Service to eligible customers and
that the information cannot be released by the Lifeline provider or
be used by the Lifeline provider for any other purpose.
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| Source Note: The provisions of this §26.412 adopted to be effective April 8, 2007, 32 TexReg 1905; amended to be effective December 4, 2008, 33 TexReg 9687; amended to be effective July 8, 2012, 37 TexReg 5120; amended to be effective December 6, 2012, 37 TexReg 9626; amended to be effective November 25, 2013, 38 TexReg 8415 |
