Frequently Asked Questions
How to handle disputes on telephone bills?
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Try to resolve the issue with your telephone
company. Pay the undisputed portion of the bill in order to avoid being disconnected.
If the dispute cannot be resolved with the telephone company, contact the
Telecommunications Division with the PSC at 1-800-882-3919. Certain types of services
are deregulated, such as DSL; however, we will assist you as much as possible in
resolving the complaint.
A formal complaint may be filed if the customer wants to pursue further action.
In order to file a formal complaint, send a description of the complaint by letter to
the Alabama Public Service Commission. Include copies of all correspondence, receipts,
etc. Address your complaint to:
Consumer Services Section
Alabama Public Service Commission
RSA Union Building – 8th Floor
100 North Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
What is "Slamming"?
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Slamming occurs when a customer’s long distance or local telephone company is
changed without their knowledge or consent. Slamming is illegal in the state of
Alabama and violators are subject to penalties as provided for in Act 97-412. It
also violates the rules and policies of the FCC as well as the Telecom Act of 1996.
If you are slammed, call the PSC at 1 800 882-3919.
What is "spoofing"?
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Spoofing is a type of Caller ID fraud where disreputable parties deliberately falsify
the telephone number relayed as the Caller ID number to disguise the identity and
originator of the call.
How do I stop telemarketers from calling?
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Register with the “Do Not Call” program to stop telemarketers from calling. To find
out more information about this program follow the link below.
https://www.donotcall.gov/
What to do if charged for a service that was not ordered or requested?
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Cramming is the term used when a customer is charged for a service that was not ordered
or requested. To resolve this issue, follow the procedures listed below.
- Contact the billing company and request cancellation of the service. Also, ask
for a credit.
- Contact the local telephone company and tell them you did not order the service.
- If further assistance is needed, call the PSC at 1 800 882 3919
How to choose a long distance company?
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The most important factor to consider is calling habits. Look at the long distance
bills that have been incurred within the last six months. Then compare calling plans
of different long distance companies. Be sure to look for references to minimum usage,
monthly fees, and time of day usage.
If the phone has been out of service, does the customer have to pay the full amount
of the monthly bill?
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If an outage occurs because of a malfunction in telephone equipment, the customer may
ask for an adjustment to their bill if the phone has been out of service for more than
48 hours. The 48 hour period begins when the problem has been reported.
Can consumers keep their phone number if they change telephone companies?
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Through Local Number Portability (LNP), a customer is allowed to retain their existing
local telephone number, at the same location, when switching from one telephone service
provider to another. In order for a customer to keep the same phone number, they must
tell the new service provider that they want to keep their current telephone number. If
this is not done another phone number will be assigned to the customer.