*Pages 1--6 from Microsoft Word - 22056.doc* Top Consumer Issues – Subject Category Reference Guide CABLE SERVICES Billing & Rates: Complaints/ inquiries concerning billing matters and the rates charged for cable programming service (or expanded basic) tier on a cable system Broadband- Related: Complaints/ inquiries about the availability or quality of cable modem service. Connections to Cable Systems: Complaints/ inquiries regarding availability or quality of connections to cable systems. Over- The- Air- Reception- Devices (OTARD) Issues: Complaints/ inquiries regarding the installation, maintenance or use of antennas -- including direct- to- home satellite dishes that are less than one meter (39.37") in diameter (or of any size in Alaska), TV antennas, and wireless cable antennas -- to receive video programming Programming Issues: Complaints/ inquiries regarding program content or the choice of channels or programs available to subscribers. Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act (SHVIA) Issues: Complaints/ inquiries concerning satellite carriers provision of television broadcast (including distant or national) programming to subscribers. Service Quality: Complaints/ inquiries about the quality of service provided by cable operators. RADIO & TELEVISION BROADCASTING Programming Issues € Indecency/ Obscenity: Complaints/ inquiries regarding broadcast programs that allegedly contain indecent or obscene material € Loud Commercials: Complaints/ inquiries regarding abrupt changes in volume during transition from regular programming to commercials € Religious: Complaints/ inquiries regarding religious programs € Violence: Complaints/ inquiries regarding violence in programs € General Content Criticism: generalized concerns regarding the content of broadcast programs 1 2 WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS Billing and Rates- Related – Includes the Following Subcategories: Billing/ Rates - Airtime Charges: Disputes regarding charges to subscriber for actual time spent talking on a wireless phone Billing/ Rates- Credit/ Refunds/ Adjustments: Disputes regarding credits, refunds, or bill adjustments Billing/ Rates - Line Items: complaints/ inquiries regarding surcharges and taxes appearing on a phone bill € Access Charge: Complaints/ inquiries regarding miscellaneous line items charges € E- 911: Complaints/ inquiries regarding provision of automatic location information and automatic number identification via a wireless phone used to contact a 911 call center. € Taxes: Complaints/ inquiries regarding taxes appearing on cellular bill € Universal Service: Complaints/ inquiries about the availability and affordability of phone service for low income consumers in geographic areas where the costs of providing telephone service is high Billing/ Rates – Recurring Charges: Disputes over recurring monthly charges that appear on a customer’s bill Billing/ Rates – Roaming Rates: Disputes about charges assessed to the subscriber for wireless calls made while roaming in another carrier’s territory Billing/ Rates – Rounding: Disputes/ inquiries about the practice of rounding calls to a full minute Billing/ Rates – Service Plan Rate: Disputes/ inquiries about the terms and conditions of service: € Activation Fee: usually one time charge to initiate service € Off- Peak: specified time where per- minute rate is lower € Optional Services: including caller- id, voice mail, road- rescue, etc. € Peak: specified time where per- minute rate is higher € Prepaid Service: subscriber pays for service in advance € Promo Plan: including minute allowances € Security Deposit: usually one time charge that is held by the carrier for a specified timeframe in order for subscriber to acquire service Carrier Marketing & Advertising: Disputes/ inquiries regarding advertising and marketing practices of carriers including alleged misrepresentations 2 3 Contract – Early Termination: Disputes/ inquiries regarding termination of a subscriber’s service prior to end of specified contract term € Termination of Service by subscriber: subscriber’s liability for terminating service prior to specified contract term € Termination of Service by carrier: carrier’s right to disconnect a subscriber’s service prior to end of a specified contract term Cramming: Consumer complaints/ inquiries about allegedly unauthorized, misleading, or deceptive charges appearing on a telephone bill Equipment: Complaints/ inquiries about telecommunications equipment used or purchased by a subscriber. € Faulty Equipment: involves technical problems or malfunctioning equipment € Stolen Equipment: involves the purported misuse of or other problems associated with stolen equipment Service – Quality/ Coverage: Disputes/ inquiries regarding quality of service or the lack of coverage within a geographic area served by a wireless provider: € Dead Spots: inability to receive service within certain areas € Dropped Calls: premature termination of calls € Home Area Service: overall quality of service within the subscriber’s local calling area € Network Busy Signal: involving calls that do not go through because of overcrowding of the service frequencies € Roaming Availability: availability of service outside the subscriber’s local calling area € Roaming Service: overall quality of service while roaming € Service Interruption: inability to use cellular phone because service was interrupted by service provider WIRELINE TELECOMMUNICATIONS Billing and Rates- Related – Includes the Following Subcategories: Billing/ Rates Credit/ Refunds/ Adjustments: Disputes/ inquiries about credits, refunds, or adjustments allegedly owed to the subscriber Billing/ Rates – Line Item: Complaints/ inquiries about the line items appearing on telephone bills: € Access – Subscriber Line Charge: questions regarding subscriber local- loop line charges for maintaining residential and business and telephone access to the network € Access – Universal Service: questions regarding the FCC’s universal service fund- affordable access to basic telephone service for low- income consumers 3 4 and consumers in high- cost areas, and communications services for schools and libraries and health care facilities € Interstate Directory Assistance: questions about charges assessed for access to directory assistance information € Taxes on Telephone Bill: questions about local, state, or federal taxes appearing on a telephone bill € Truth in Billing - No Service Provider ID: Disputes/ inquiries about whether the name of the service provider and/ or contact information for the service provider is easily identifiable on the bill € Truth in Billing - Bundled Charges: Disputes/ inquiries about whether bills contain plain language description and breakdown of charges for each carrier when multiple carriers appear on the bill € Truth in Billing - No Payment Solution: Disputes/ inquiries about whether a bill clearly distinguishes charges for which nonpayment will result in disconnection from those that will not result in disconnection Billing/ Rates – Rates: Miscellaneous disputes/ inquiries about the rates and charges billed by telephone companies: € Casual Call Billing: rates billed for calls placed from non- public phones through a carrier who is not the presubscribed carrier for the telephone (or which does not recognize a telephone number as that of a subscriber) € Double Billing: dispute involving alleged double billing for calls or services € DSL Rate Problem: DSL promotion plan rates allegedly altered or unspecified to consumer € International Internet Dial- up: international calls (routed to places like Chad, Madagascar or other countries) that were billed to consumers as a result of using local (domestic) Internet service providers to access websites € International Calls – Rates: international calls, rates and/ or service that either originate or terminate in the U. S. € International 809# Billing: 809 area code collect call and consumer dialing scam € 900 Pay- Per- Call Billing: commercially provided interstate 900 number information or entertainment services € OSP Rates: rates charged for interstate calls placed from public phones € Rates for Interstate Telecommunications Services – Billing: disputes about interstate rates and charges Billing/ Rates – Recurring Charges: Disputed/ inquiries about recurring charges that appear on a customer’s bill Carrier Marketing & Advertising: Disputes/ inquiries regarding the marketing and advertising practices of interexchange carriers 4 5 Service Quality: Complaints/ inquiries regarding the quality of service provided by telephone companies: € DSL Service Inadequate: poor quality of service or service outage € Interstate Telecommunications: poor call reception, service outage, service disconnects, or carrier’s failure to release telephone line (and no charges are associated) € Long Distance Service Treatment: inadequate customer service treatment by long distance carrier including, but not limited to, additional services being added without the consumer’s knowledge or approval, etc. Slamming – Complaints/ inquiries regarding the practice of changing a subscriber’s telecommunications service provider (or a calling plan) without the subscriber’s permission € International slam: changing a subscriber’s international long distance service without permission € Local Service slammed: changing a subscriber’s local or regional intrastate long distance service without permission € Local and Long Distance slammed: changing a subscriber’s local and long distance service without permission € Long Distance slammed: changing a subscriber’s interstate telephone company service without permission € Slamming w/ Problem LOA: changing a subscriber’s interstate telephone company based on fraudulent signed documents or illegal format, such as sweepstake. Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA): Complaints/ inquiries regarding compliance with the TCPA: € Artificial or Prerecorded Message and/ or ATDS: calls to a residence using an artificial or prerecorded voice to deliver a message without prior consent of the called party prohibited unless an emergency exists € Do Not Call List Request Not Honored: no person or entity may initiate any telephone solicitation to a residential telephone subscriber-- unless such person or entity has instituted procedures for maintaining a list of persons who have requested not to receive telephone solicitations € Fax Complaint: unsolicited (“ junk”) faxes or the use of a computer or other device to send any messages via a telephone facsimile prohibited unless such message clearly contains the date and time it is sent and an identification of the business, other entity or individual sending the message € TCPA General Solicitations: Disputes/ inquiries about the initiation of a call or message for the purpose of encouraging the purchase or rental of, or investment in property, goods, or services € Time of Day violation: no person or entity may initiate any telephone solicitation to a residential telephone subscriber before 8 a. m. or after 9 p. m. (local time based on the called party’s location) 5 6 6