Press Release

PUC Seeks Comment on Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Recording Customer Communications

Published on 4/15/2010

Filed under: Telecommunications

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission today issued for comment a proposed rulemaking regarding regulations that would modify the regulatory prohibition against call recording by telephone companies and would establish regulatory conditions under which telephone companies could record calls between employees and customers of the telephone companies. 

In July 2009, the Commission adopted a blanket partial waiver of the call recording prohibition relating to telephone companies, thus permitting telephone companies to record customer calls for quality of service and training purposes subject to terms and conditions including:

A carrier seeking to operate pursuant to the Blanket Waiver Order is required to file notice with the Secretary of the Commission, with a copy to the Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Services, of its intent to do so prior to commencing such operations, giving at least thirty (30) days notice to the Commission, and must also provide its customers with a bill insert (or make an equivalent customer contact) explaining the call recording process and the opt-out process to customers at least 30 days before commencing call recording operations. Telephone companies must provide a pre-recorded message to the effect that the call may be monitored or recorded for training or quality control purposes. Recorded telephone calls may be used solely for the purpose of training or measuring and improving service quality. Recorded calls must be erased after a 90-day (or shorter) retention period.

Interested persons will have 45 days from the date of publication of the rulemaking in the Pennsylvania Bulletin to file comments.  An original and 15 copies of comments should be marked with the appropriate docket number and submitted to:

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

Attention: Secretary

P.O. Box 3265

Harrisburg, PA  17105

Comments can also be filed through eFiling.  eFiling permits consumers, utilities and attorneys to file certain documents electronically with the Commission without filing paper copies, serve documents electronically on other parties if they agree to such service, and to receive electronic service of documents from the Commission.  The eFiling process is intended to permit individuals to initiate formal proceedings with the Commission by the filing of a Qualified Document.  A listing of those Qualified Documents can be obtained by clicking here.  When registering to use eFiling, eFilers will be asked to provide information, including their name, the party they represent, their address and their email address if they agree to receive service of documents electronically.

In order to electronically file documents with the Commission, you will first need to create an eFiling user account. If you have not yet created an eFiling user account, you can create an individual account or a corporate account at any time.

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, audio of select Commission proceedings or more information about the PUC, visit our website at www.puc.state.pa.us.

Docket Number L-2009-2123673

Contact:

• Press Secretary
  717-787-5722