Ala. Admin. Code r. 770-X-5-.15
Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024
Section 770-X-5-.15 - Pay Telephones(1) Public Pay Telephone Service of Local Exchange Carriers (a) In each exchange, the telephone utility shall provide at least one public pay telephone available to the public at all hours, prominently located and properly maintained and equipped.(b) The telephone utility shall make a reasonable effort to maintain at each company-owned, public pay telephone station a current copy of the telephone directory for that exchange. Each instrument shall have all operating instructions posted thereon including, but not limited to, the access code for long distance dialing, directory assistance, and emergency or "911" numbers.(c) Each pay telephone station shall provide coin-free access to the local operator, the toll operator, emergency numbers and 800 numbers.(d) Each pay telephone instrument shall be pre-pay.(e) A notice must be displayed on each instrument giving the local exchange company's address and telephone number where callers can get help when problems occur with pay telephone service, without charge for such telephone calls.(f) The name of the interLATA toll carrier selected by the local exchange carrier must be posted on each telephone instrument in plain view of customers.(g) All instruments must be able to accommodate hearing-impaired and handicapped persons as required by federal law and regulations.(h) All instruments must be capable of accepting nickels, dimes and quarters. Coins must be returned by the instruments for any incomplete calls.(i) Repairs shall be performed within 24 hours of a trouble report on the instrument.(j) The instruments must accept incoming calls without a charge, except where:1. Otherwise requested by a law enforcement agency, and2. The instrument bears a notice stating that incoming calls are not accepted.(k) If a time limitation is placed on a phone, proper notice must be posted and a tone must sound 15 to 30 seconds before disconnection. The exact interval of which shall be clearly stated on the instrument. The minimum time limit for local calls shall be no less than five (5) minutes, provided, however, that no time limit will be allowed on phones where, in the past, the need for no time limit on that phone has been determined by the Commission, or where, in the future, the Director of Telecommunications Division directs, in writing, that the pay phone have no time limit. Removal of the time limit may be requested by the owner of the phone, the owner of the premises, and/or governmental or civic groups.(l) The rates for intrastate/interLATA long distance service shall be no higher than the Commission approved rates for the certificated carrier selected. The only exception is the rounding up to the nearest nickel ($.05).(m) All pay telephones are subject to random and periodic inspections to assure compliance with Commission requirements. Noncompliance will be brought to the attention of the local exchange company in writing, and shall be corrected within 30 days.(n) All local exchange companies shall provide to the Commission, upon request, a list of pay telephone access lines maintained in the state.(2) Customer-Owned, Coin-Operated Telephone Service(a) All customer-owned instruments must be registered under Part 68 of the FCC regulation Program to be connected to the Exchange Network.(b) All instruments must be able to accommodate hearing-impaired and handicapped persons.(c) All instruments must be installed in compliance with the National Electrical Safety Code and all accepted telecommunications industry standards relating to pay telephone service.(d) The owner of the instruments must be certified by the Commission. Access to the exchange network shall be prohibited unless compliance with the guideline is achieved.(e) The charge for a local call shall not exceed the maximum amount authorized by the Commission for a local exchange company coin telephone.(f) The owner must display, on each instrument, the address and telephone number where callers can get help when problems occur with pay telephone service, without a charge for such calls.(g) Each instrument must have all operating instructions posted thereon.(h) Non-chargeable Operator, 911, and 800 number calls must be able to be made without a coin deposit and with no time limitations. Directory assistance calls will be charged at a rate not to exceed the local exchange company charge for such calls from coin operated instruments.(i) A reasonable effort must be made to assure that directories are provided at each instrument location.(j) All coin instruments must be capable of accepting nickels, dimes, andquarters. Coins must be returned by the instruments for any incomplete calls.(k) Repairs shall be performed within 24 hours of a trouble report on the instruments, the responsibility of which will be the owner of the pay telephone.(l) All local calls shall be pre-paid.(m) The instruments must accept incoming calls without a charge, except where: 1. Otherwise requested by a law enforcement agency, and2. The instrument bears a notice stating that incoming calls are not accepted.(n) If a time limitation is placed on a phone, proper notice must be posted and a tone must sound 15 to 30 seconds before disconnection. The exact interval of which shall be clearly stated on the instrument. The minimum time limit for local calls shall be no less than five (5) minutes, provided, however, that no time limit will be allowed on phones where, in the past, the need for no time limit on that phone has been determined by the Commission, or where, in the future, the Director of the Telecommunications Division directs, in writing, that the pay phone have no time limit. Removal of the time limit may be requested by the owner of the phone, the owner of the premises, and/or governmental or civic groups.(o) Customer-owned pay telephones shall not be connected to a residential or business access line.(p) The resale of toll telephone service is prohibited unless the guidelines for resellers are met. (see Docket 18548)(q) All telephones are subject to random and periodic inspections to assure compliance with Commission requirements.1. Noncompliance will be brought to the attention of the COCOT owner or provider by letter. If violations are not corrected and the Commission notified within thirty (30) days from the date of the Commission staffs letter, the provider's certificate of public convenience and necessity shall be subject to revocation, and access lines to all the instruments shall be disconnected.(r) Access to the local exchange operator must be provided by dialing 0 from each instrument. All 0+ and intraLATA calls must be routed to the local exchange company or a carrier authorized to provide intraLATA service.(s) Access to the interLATA operator may be provided by 00 or 0+ on intrastate/interLATA calls. 00 cannot be used from any COCOT to reach the local exchange company.(t) All COCOT providers shall provide to the Commission a list of all COCOT access lines maintained in the State of Alabama on a quarterly basis and upon request.(u) The rates for intrastate/intraLATA long distance calls shall be no higher than the local exchange company's approved rates. The only exception to this is the rounding up to the nearest nickel ($.05).(v) The rates for intrastate/interLATA long distance service shall be no higher than the Commission approved rates for the certificated carrier of choice. The only exception to this is the rounding up to the nearest nickel ($.05).(w) Toll charges will incorporate time of day, day of week, and recognized holiday discounts as approved by the Commission for intrastate/intraLATA and intrastate/interLATA calls.(x) All COCOTs shall adhere to appropriate General Rules, Telephone Rules and orders of the Commission.(y) A local exchange company shall not provide intrastate access to any customer-owned, coin-operated telephone company which is not lawfully operating in the State of Alabama for intrastate purposes.(z) All customer-owned pay telephones, coin/coinless shall be connected to a one-party line only.(aa) IntraLATA, 0+ calls shall not be completed with "store and forward" devices.(bb) IntraLATA, 1+ calls must be sent through the local exchange carrier and shall be carried by an authorized intraLATA toll service provider.(3) Coinless Inmate Telephone Collect-Only Service (a) This type of service is placed in areas where prisons/jails have internal rules and regulations administered in compliance with the State Department of Corrections, or city or county governmental body, which governs inmate telephone usage and access.(b) This service is initiated by the calling party selecting the option of making a station-to-station or person-to-person call.(c) All calls from coinless pay telephones located within a prison/jail, which are placed there to provide telephone service for the sole purpose of the inmates, shall be collect to the called party.(d) All operator services provided at coinless pay telephones located in prisons must be provided under a certificate issued by the Commission and in compliance with Commission rules.(e) On local collect calls that are limited to three minutes the called party must be notified prior to any additional charges being applied over the initial three minutes.(f) "Store and Forward" instruments may be used only if they include affirmative response and negative response features that have been approved by the Commission.Ala. Admin. Code r. 770-X-5-.15
Effective June 1968. Amended April 1988. Amended March 1993. Amended November 1998. Amended March 2009. Filed with LRS February 5, 2013. Filed for Codification in the Alabama Administrative Code by the Alabama Public Service Commission on February 5, 2013, pursuant to the Code of Ala. 1975, § 41-22-7.Author: Alabama Public Service Commission
Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 37-1-32, 37-1-57, 37-1-82, 37-2-3.