§5721 Regulations

Summary

The Commission must create rules for fixing billing mistakes on purchases charged to a phone bill. The rules must also block unfair or deceptive actions that try to get around those protections. The rules should be largely like the rules for credit disputes under the Truth in Lending and Fair Credit Billing Acts, and they will be treated like other consumer-protection rules. The Commission had to issue these rules within 270 days after October 28, 1992, following the rulemaking process in section 553 of title 5. Breaking these rules counts as an unfair or deceptive act under section 45, and phone companies are subject to the Commission for these matters. When writing the rules, the Commission must consider things such as how customers start reviews, how billing companies and phone companies respond, delivery investigations, limits on carrier responsibilities (for example verifying audio delivery), setting aside charges, limits on collections, credit report handling, quick account credits, customer and carrier rights, and where rules may differ from the Truth in Lending rules to protect customers and be cost effective.