§5724 Definitions

Summary

Defines words used for rules about purchases put on telephone bills. Telephone-billed purchase means a buy that is finished only because of a phone call, touch-tone entry, or similar action, but it does not include buys already covered by a prior agreement, certain local or long-distance phone services and related services the Federal Communications Commission says are closely related and have billing dispute rules, or buys already covered by federal billing dispute rules. Billing error means things like charges on a bill that the customer did not make or that are the wrong amount, charges the customer asks for proof about, purchases not accepted or not delivered as promised, charges for calls to 800 or other toll-free numbers, payments or credits not shown, math or accounting mistakes, a bill not sent to the customer’s last known address (unless that address was given less than 20 days before the billing cycle ended), or other errors the Commission lists by rule. Commission means the Federal Trade Commission. Providing carrier means the phone company (other than local exchange service) that provides service to a seller for the disputed telephone-billed purchase. Vendor means a person who offers goods or services by phone for billing to a telephone bill. Customer means a person who buys or tries to buy goods or services in a telephone-billed purchase.