Montana Code Annotated 2021

TITLE 69. PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS

CHAPTER 3. REGULATION OF UTILITIES

Part 13. Change in Customer's Telecommunications Carrier

Registration Requirements -- Prohibitions -- Revocation

69-3-1311. Registration requirements -- prohibitions -- revocation. (1) A service provider may not offer a product or service to a customer, the charge for which appears on the bill of a billing agent, unless the service provider is properly registered with the commission.

(2) A billing aggregator may not forward to a billing agent charges for a service or product offered by a service provider unless the billing aggregator is properly registered with the commission.

(3) A billing aggregator may not forward charges to a billing agent from a service provider who is required to be registered under this section and who is not properly registered under this section.

(4) A billing agent may not directly bill on behalf of a service provider that is not the billing agent if the service provider is not properly registered, if registration is required under this section.

(5) The commission shall provide a form for registration and establish the procedure for registering with the commission. A registration remains effective until revoked by the commission or surrendered by the service provider or billing aggregator.

(6) After notice and an opportunity for a hearing, the commission may revoke a registration.

(7) The commission may revoke the registration of a service provider that has:

(a) knowingly or repeatedly billed one or more customers for unauthorized service; or

(b) engaged in any other false or deceptive billing practices.

(8) The commission may revoke the registration of a billing aggregator that has:

(a) knowingly or repeatedly forwarded the charge for a service or product to a billing agent on behalf of a service provider that was required to be registered with the commission and that was not properly registered; or

(b) engaged in any other false or deceptive billing practices.

(9) Immediately following a revocation of registration under this section, the commission shall provide notice of the revocation to all telecommunications carriers and registered billing aggregators doing business in Montana.

History: En. Sec. 8, Ch. 249, L. 2003.