(a) For purposes of this section, “carrier” means a cellular mobile telephone carrier or a reseller of service provided by a cellular mobile telephone carrier.

(b) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall receive customer inquiries and complaints regarding cellular mobile telephone service in the state. For purposes of this section, complaints do not include customer complaints not previously referred to such customer's carrier. Not later than January 1, 2006, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall provide a toll-free telephone number and Internet web site at which members of the public may submit to the authority their information inquiries and complaints regarding activations, disputed bills, collections, deactivations, equipment problems, network trouble and other service problems. The authority shall also accept such inquiries and complaints by mail.

(c) Not later than January 1, 2006, each carrier shall notify each of its customers concerning such toll-free telephone number, Internet web site address and the address of the authority for submitting such inquiries and complaints. Beginning not later than January 1, 2006, and ending on January 1, 2008, each such carrier shall disclose to all new customers at the point of sale or contract the toll-free telephone number, Internet web site address and the address of the authority for submitting such inquiries and complaints.

(d) Not later than March 1, 2007, and March 1, 2008, the authority shall prepare a report for the preceding calendar year containing information on carrier customer inquiries and complaints. Such report shall include information on consumer complaints regarding activations, disputed bills, collections, deactivations, equipment problems, network trouble and other service problems of carriers as may be relevant for the purposes of the report, provided the report may not include any information that may be a violation of section 42-110b. The information may include an analysis of such complaints and recommendations to address problems raised by customers. The authority shall make the report available to the Attorney General and the public, on request and on the authority's Internet web site.

(e) The authority shall, within available appropriations, carry out its responsibilities under this section.

(P.A. 05-241, S. 2; P.A. 06-196, S. 99; P.A. 11-80, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 06-196 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective June 7, 2006; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Department of Public Utility Control” and “department” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Public Utilities Regulatory Authority” and “authority”, respectively, effective July 1, 2011.