Press Release

PUC Approves Settlement with North Pittsburgh Telephone Co. for Incorrect TRS Bills

Published on 8/30/2007

Filed under: Telecommunications

HARRISBURG –The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved a settlement with North Pittsburgh Telephone Co. after some customers were incorrectly billed for certain calls using the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS).

The Commission voted 5-0 to approve the settlement that calls for a credit of $1,198 total to be divided between 78 customers who placed intrastate intraLATA TRS calls between Aug. 1, 2001, and July 31, 2005. Affected customers will be notified of the billing correction in a letter.

TRS is an AT&T phone service regulated by the PUC offering persons who are hearing, deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled three ways to connect using the telephone:  Traditional Relay, Video Relay, and Internet Relay.  Users dial 7-1-1 to connect to a skillfully-trained Communications Assistant (CA) who follows a strict code of ethics and confidentiality.  The CA then relays your message to the person on the other line. 

Under the settlement, the company also agreed to set aside an additional $5,500 to be used for payment of any credits owed to its any other customers. If after four months, any of that money remains, the company will give that money to a consumer education fund.

To ensure that no other customers were incorrectly billed, the company will issue a general notification to all customers in their next bill explaining the issues and asking them to notify the company if they believe they were incorrectly billed.

The Commission’s independent prosecutory staff, who conducted an investigation into the incorrect billing, concluded that the company’s actions were an inadvertent or negligent rather than intentional conduct.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities to ensure safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protect the public interest; educate consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; further economic development; and foster new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner. For recent news releases, or more information about the PUC, visit our Internet homepage www.puc.state.pa.us.

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Docket No. M-00072011

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