[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 3]
[Revised as of October 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR64.703]

[Page 276-277]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
        CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 64_MISCELLANEOUS RULES RELATING TO COMMON CARRIERS--Table of Contents
 
    Subpart G_Furnishing of Enhanced Services and Customer-Premises 
   Equipment by Bell Operating Companies; Telephone Operator Services
 
Sec. 64.703  Consumer information.

    (a) Each provider of operator services shall:
    (1) Identify itself, audibly and distinctly, to the consumer at the 
beginning of each telephone call and before the consumer incurs any 
charge for the call;
    (2) Permit the consumer to terminate the telephone call at no charge 
before the call is connected;
    (3) Disclose immediately to the consumer, upon request and at no 
charge to the consumer--
    (i) A quotation of its rates or charges for the call;
    (ii) The methods by which such rates or charges will be collected; 
and
    (iii) The methods by which complaints concerning such rates, 
charges, or collection practices will be resolved; and
    (4) Disclose, audibly and distinctly to the consumer, at no charge 
and before connecting any interstate non-access code operator service 
call, how to obtain the total cost of the call, including any aggregator 
surcharge, or the maximum possible total cost of the call, including any 
aggregator surcharge, before providing further oral advice to the 
consumer on how to proceed to make the call. The oral disclosure 
required in this subsection shall instruct consumers that they may 
obtain applicable rate and surcharge quotations either, at the option of 
the provider of operator services, by dialing no more than two digits or 
by remaining on the line. The phrase ``total cost of the call'' as used 
in this paragraph means both the variable (duration-based) charges for 
the call and the total per-call charges, exclusive of taxes, that the 
carrier, or its billing agent, may collect from the consumer for the 
call. It does not include additional charges that may be assessed and 
collected without the involvement of the carrier, such as a hotel 
surcharge billed by a hotel. Such charges are addressed in paragraph (b) 
of this section.
    (b) Each aggregator shall post on or near the telephone instrument, 
in plain view of consumers:
    (1) The name, address, and toll-free telephone number of the 
provider of operator services;
    (2) Except for CMRS aggregators, a written disclosure that the rates 
for all operator-assisted calls are available on request, and that 
consumers have a right to obtain access to the interstate common carrier 
of their choice and may contact their preferred interstate common 
carriers for information on accessing that carrier's service using that 
telephone;
    (3) In the case of a pay telephone, the local coin rate for the pay 
telephone location; and
    (4) The name and address of the Consumer Information Bureau of the 
Commission (Federal Communications Commission, Consumer Information 
Bureau, Consumer Complaints--Telephone, Washington, D.C. 20554), to 
which the consumer may direct complaints regarding operator services. An 
existing posting that displays the address that was required prior to 
the amendment of this rules (i.e., the address of the Common Carrier 
Bureau's Enforcement Division, which no longer exists) may remain until 
such time as the posting is replaced for any other purpose. Any posting 
made after the effective date of this amendment must display the updated 
address (i.e., the address of the Consumer Information Bureau).
    (c) Updating of postings. The posting required by this section shall 
be updated as soon as practicable following any change of the carrier 
presubscribed to provide interstate service at an aggregator location, 
but no later than 30 days following such change. This requirement may be 
satisfied by applying to a payphone a temporary sticker displaying the 
required posting information, provided that any such temporary sticker 
shall be replaced with permanent signage during the next regularly 
scheduled maintenance visit.
    (d) Effect of state law or regulation. The requirements of paragraph 
(b) of this section shall not apply to an aggregator in any case in 
which State law or State regulation requires the aggregator to take 
actions that are

[[Page 277]]

substantially the same as those required in paragraph (b) of this 
section.
    (e) Each provider of operator services shall ensure, by contract or 
tariff, that each aggregator for which such provider is the 
presubscribed provider of operator services is in compliance with the 
requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.

[56 FR 18523, Apr. 23, 1991, as amended at 61 FR 14981, Apr. 4, 1996; 61 
FR 52323, Oct. 7, 1996; 63 FR 11617, Mar. 10, 1998; 63 FR 43041, Aug. 
11, 1998; 64 FR 47119, Aug. 30, 1999; 67 FR 2819, Jan. 22, 2002]