A CTIA voluntary consumer code of conduct set to be unveiled in W...

the industry-devised consumer protection guidelines in comments to the Cal. PUC last week. CTIA is set to announce the plan formally on Tues., but hasn’t released it publicly. The Cal. industry group filed comments on the state’s “consumer bill of rights,” sponsored by PUC Comr. Carl Wood, which would impose on all telecom providers obligations involving disclosure of service terms and conditions, bill readability, privacy and other issues. CTIA has scheduled a news briefing on its code for Tues. A CTIA spokeswoman confirmed Thurs. that the 6 largest national wireless carriers had signed onto the plan. CCAC said the plan would require carriers that signed on to it to make available to subscribers detailed information on rates and terms of its plans. It also said the code would have carriers commit to: (1) Disclose rates and terms of service to consumers, including a plan’s calling area, monthly access fee or base charge, early termination fees that applied. (2) Make coverage maps available, allowing consumers to make comparisons between operators by using generally accepted methodologies and standards. (3) Provide contract terms to customers and confirm service changes. (4) Offer a 14-day trial period for new service during which no penalties would be assessed for early termination. (5) Provide specific disclosures in ads on key terms of services, covering areas such as whether different fees applied to calls outside a carrier’s network. (6) Make billing clear, including drawing a distinction between charges that were taxes and fees that carriers had been ordered to collect, compared with those a carrier levied to recover a cost of doing business. “Carriers will not label cost-recovery fees or charges as taxes,” the plan said. (7) Give customers a right to terminate service for changes in contract terms. Given advance notice of a proposed contract change, customers would have 14 days to cancel without an early termination fee. (8) Provide ready access to customer service, including a toll- free number for customers to call. (9) Make prompt responses to customer inquiries and complaints received from govt. agencies. Carriers would respond within 30 days of receiving written customer complaints from a state or federal agency. (10) Abide by policies for protection of customer privacy. CCAC told the PUC it “would be well advised to allow the wireless industry the time to implement its self-determined code. The results achieved will be comparable to those desired by the Commission but they will be achieved faster and with a great deal less expense and disruption to the California economy.” The group said the proposed Cal. rules would add “layers of regulation in areas already well protected by state and/or federal law.” It said the rules “contain many examples of a one-size-fits-all mentality which would saddle the industry with a series of overly restrictive operating procedures which are unnecessary and, in the long run, harmful to consumers.” Several state regulators, including NARUC leaders, have pointed out shortcomings in the CTIA plan, including a failure to address issues such as Enhanced 911 or local number portability (CD Aug 29 p7). NARUC said last month that CTIA’s code didn’t fully factor in principles that NARUC approved at its summer meetings in Denver, including certain carrier billing practices (CD Aug 28 p8).