753.10 BILLING.

   (a)   Format of Subscriber’s Bill. The bill shall be designed in such a way as to present the information contained therein clearly and comprehensibly to subscribers. The bill shall contain itemized charges for each category of service and piece of equipment for which a charge is imposed (including late charges, if any), an explicit due date, the name and address of the operator, and the telephone number for the operator’s office responsible for inquiries and billing. The bill shall state the billing period, amount of current billing and appropriate credits or past due balances, if any.

   (b)   Billing Procedures. The operator shall have a written description of billing and collection policies and procedures which shall, at a minimum, incorporate the provisions of this chapter. All bills shall be rendered monthly, unless otherwise authorized by the subscriber, or unless service was provided for less than one month. The operator shall promptly credit any subscriber who has voluntarily interrupted cable service and/or returned equipment, but no later than the earlier of forty-five days or the customer’s next billing cycle, with a refund check or credit on his or her monthly bill for the period(s) during which service was voluntarily interrupted and/or equipment returned. The operator may charge any such subscriber a reconnection charge.

   (c)   Procedures for Collecting Late Bills and Service Discontinuance.

      (1)   No bill shall be due less than twenty-eight days from the date the statement is created by the operator. The operator shall ensure that statements are promptly put in the mail after creation.

      (2)   A bill shall not be considered delinquent until at least forty-five days have elapsed from the mailing of the bill to the subscriber and payment has not been received by the operator, provided that no bill shall be mailed more than fifteen days prior to the date services covered by such bill commence, except in cases where a subscriber requests advance billing.

      (3)   The operator shall not physically or electronically discontinue service for nonpayment of bills rendered for service until the subscriber is delinquent in payment for service and at least eight days have elapsed after mailing to the subscriber a separate written notice of impending discontinuance, for which postage is paid by the operator, addressed to such person at the premises where the subscriber requests billing.

      (4)   Notice of service discontinuance must clearly state the amount in arrears, reconnection charges if applicable, and the date by which such payment must be made, the location of service center(s) where such payment may be made and the telephone number for information as to where each payment center is located where such payment may be made. Such notice shall be written in English.

      (5)   Receipt of a subsequently dishonored negotiable instrument in response to a notice of discontinuance shall not constitute payment, and the operator shall not be required to issue an additional notice prior to discontinuance.

   (d)   Procedures for Resolution of Billing Disputes.

      (1)   Operator shall have a written billing dispute resolution process which, at a minimum, incorporates the provisions of this chapter. The billing dispute resolution procedure shall be initiated once a subscriber contacts either the operator’s department which handles billing questions or the City or its agent in writing, so long as such contact occurs within thirty days from the date of receipt of the bill by the subscriber. If the subscriber contacts the City or ICRC, the City or ICRC shall notify the operator, by mail, by telephone or by electronic means, that the dispute resolution procedure has been initiated and the operator shall then contact the subscriber to discuss the dispute.

      (2)   The operator shall promptly undertake whatever review is necessary to resolve the dispute, and shall notify the subscriber of the results of the review as soon as it is completed, but in no case later than twenty business days after receipt from the subscriber of the billing dispute, problem or complaint notification.

      (3)   The operator shall notify the subscriber in writing of its proposed resolution of the billing dispute.

         (Ord. 95-29. Passed 3-28-95.)