OAR 860-034-0140
Establishing Credit for Residential Utility Service

(1)

An applicant or customer may demonstrate satisfactory credit for new or continuing service by showing any of the following, provided that a deposit is not required under section (2) of this rule:

(a)

Received 12 months of continuous telecommunications utility service during the preceding 24 months and the small telecommunications utility can verify, either by contacting the former utility or through an authorized letter provided by the applicant or customer, that the applicant or customer voluntarily terminated service and timely paid for all services rendered; or

(b)

Proof of ability to pay by providing either:

(A)

Proof of employment during the entire 12 months previous to the application of service for person(s) responsible for payment on the account and a work telephone number to enable the small telecommunications utility to verify employment; or

(B)

A statement or other documentation from the income provider or an authorized representative, that the small telecommunications utility can verify, indicating that the applicant or customer receives a regular source of income.

(2)

In addition to the methods of demonstrating satisfactory credit set forth in section (1) of this rule, a small telecommunications utility may choose to offer an applicant the option of demonstrating satisfactory credit by meeting minimum credit requirements approved by the Commission.

(3)

An applicant or customer may be required to pay a deposit at the time of application for new or continued service when:

(a)

The applicant or customer is unable to establish credit as defined in section (1) of this rule;

(b)

The applicant or customer received the same type of utility service from it or any Oregon telecommunications utility or telecommunications cooperative, as defined in ORS 759.005 (Definitions), within the preceding 24 months and owed an account balance that was not paid in full when service was terminated. Subsection (2)(b) of this rule does not apply to a customer who registered a dispute with the Commission within 60 days after service was terminated and who paid all undisputed or adjudicated amounts; or

(c)

The applicant or customer was previously terminated for theft of service by any Oregon telecommunications utility or telecommunications cooperative as defined in ORS 759.005 (Definitions), was found to have tampered with other telecommunications utility facilities, or was otherwise found to have diverted telecommunications utility service.

(4)

In lieu of paying a deposit, an applicant or customer may provide the small telecommunications utility a written surety agreement from a responsible party to secure payment in an amount equal to two months’ average usage. For purposes of section (3) of this rule, a responsible party is a customer with the same utility who meets one of the qualifying conditions outlined in section (1) of this rule. The surety agreement obligation will automatically terminate should the responsible party no longer meet the conditions set forth herein. In the event a responsible party is subsequently found not to qualify, the applicant or customer will be required to either pay a deposit or obtain a written surety agreement from another responsible party. The surety obligation ceases when the customer establishes good credit.

(5)

Deposits for telecommunications service shall be based upon two months’ average or estimated bills for usage of the applicable telecommunications utility’s tariff and price-listed services. Each deposit shall be rounded to the nearest whole dollar. For telecommunications service, applicants eligible for Oregon Telephone Assistance Program (OTAP) funding and who voluntarily elect to receive toll-blocked service, no deposit may be charged. The small telecommunications utility shall make toll blocking available at no charge to all applicants identified in OAR 860-033-0030 (OTAP and Lifeline Eligibility).

(6)

A new or additional deposit, calculated as provided by sections (4) of this rule with the most recent information available, may be required from a customer as a condition of continued service when:

(a)

The small telecommunications utility discovers that the customer gave false information to establish an account and/or credit status;

(b)

The small telecommunications utility discovers that the customer has stolen utility service, has tampered with the meter or other utility facilities, or was otherwise found to have diverted utility service; or

(c)

If service records for the customer indicates unbilled intraLATA toll activity under the small telecommunications utility’s tariff and price list is greater than the basis of the prior deposit.

(7)

Paying a deposit does not excuse a customer from complying with the small telecommunications utility’s tariffs or other regulations on file with the Commission, such as the obligation to promptly pay bills.

(8)

A small telecommunications utility may file a tariff that contains less stringent deposit requirements than those specified in this rule.

Source: Rule 860-034-0140 — Establishing Credit for Residential Utility Service, https://secure.­sos.­state.­or.­us/oard/view.­action?ruleNumber=860-034-0140.

860–034–0010
Scope of the Rules 860–034–0015
Through Service 860–034–0020
Definitions for OAR 860-034-0030 through 860-034-0290 860–034–0030
Applications for Service from a Small Telecommunications Utility 860–034–0040
Information for Utility Customers and Applicants 860–034–0050
Multilingual Notices 860–034–0060
Dispute Resolution 860–034–0070
Designation of Third Party to Receive Notices 860–034–0080
Restrictions on Entering a Customer Residence 860–034–0090
Interruption of Utility Service 860–034–0095
Annual Fees Payable to the Commission by a Small Telecommunications Utility 860–034–0097
Estimated Annual Fees Payable to the Commission 860–034–0100
Temporary Utility Service 860–034–0110
Due and Payable Period 860–034–0120
Late-Payment Charge 860–034–0130
Adjustment of Utility Bills 860–034–0140
Establishing Credit for Residential Utility Service 860–034–0150
Payment Arrangements for Deposit and Installation Charges for Residential Utility Service 860–034–0160
Interest on Deposits for Residential and Nonresidential Utility Service 860–034–0170
Refund of Deposits for Residential and Nonresidential Utility Service 860–034–0180
Grounds for Disconnecting Utility Service 860–034–0190
Voluntary Disconnection of Utility Service 860–034–0200
Emergency Disconnection of Utility Service 860–034–0210
Disconnection of Utility Service on Weekends and Holidays 860–034–0220
Accounts Not Related to Residential Utility Service 860–034–0230
Reconnection Fee for Utility Service 860–034–0240
Transfer Billings 860–034–0250
Refusal of Utility Service 860–034–0260
Disconnection Procedures for Commercial and Residential Utility Customers 860–034–0270
Emergency Medical Certificate for Residential Utility Service 860–034–0275
Termination of Local Exchange Residential Service for Telecommunications Customers at Significant Risk 860–034–0276
Time Payment Agreements for Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0280
Telephone Solicitation Notices by Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0290
Customer Notification and Information Delivery Services for Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0300
Tariffs of Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0310
Announcement of Rate Increases by Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0320
Notice to Interested Persons of Tariffs Filed Under ORS 759.175 by Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0325
Requests to Abandon, Exempt from Regulation, or Price-List Regulated Telecommunications Services 860–034–0330
Relating to City Privilege Taxes, Fees, and Other Assessments Imposed Upon a Small Telecommunications Utility or Type 2 Cooperative 860–034–0340
Relating to Local Government Fees, Taxes, and Other Assessments Imposed Upon a Small Telecommunications Utility or Type 2 Cooperative 860–034–0350
Forced Conversion of Communication Facilities for Small Telecommunications Utilities and Type 2 Cooperatives 860–034–0380
Maintenance of Plant and Equipment by Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0390
Retail Telecommunications Service Standards for Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0392
Accounting for Directors’ Fees by Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0393
Uniform System of Accounts for Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0394
Allocation of Costs by Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0395
Annual Report Requirements for Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0396
Reporting of Affiliated Transactions by Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0397
Use of Deferred Accounting by Small Telecommunications Utilities 860–034–0400
Maps and Records of Small Telecommunications Utilities and Telecommunications Cooperatives 860–034–0420
Location of Underground Facilities 860–034–0430
Construction, Safety, and Reporting Standards for Small Telecommunications Utilities and Telecommunications Cooperatives 860–034–0440
Applicability and Formal Requirements for Small Telecommunications Utilities and Telecommunications Cooperatives 860–034–0450
Applications for Approval of Contracts to Avoid or Eliminate Duplicate Utility Service for Small Telecommunications Utilities and Telecommunications Cooperatives 860–034–0460
Applications for Approval of Amendments to Contracts to Avoid or Eliminate Duplicate Utility Service for Small Telecommunications Utilities and Telecommunications Cooperatives 860–034–0470
Applications for Allocation of Exclusively Served Territory by Small Telecommunications Utilities and Telecommunications Cooperatives 860–034–0480
Applications for Allocation of Unserved Territory for Small Telecommunications Utilities and Telecommunications Cooperatives 860–034–0490
Applications to Transfer Rights to Allocated Territory for Small Telecommunications Utilities and Telecommunications Cooperatives 860–034–0495
Application by an Unserved Person for Service from a Small Telecommunications Utility 860–034–0505
Attachments to Poles and Conduits Owned by Public, Telecommunications, and Consumer-Owned Utilities 860–034–0580
Preservation and Destruction of Records for Small Telecommunications Utilities and Type 2 Cooperatives 860–034–0600
Definitions for Depreciation Guidelines for Small Telecommunications Utilities and Type 2 Cooperatives 860–034–0610
Revision of Depreciation Guidelines 860–034–0620
Filing Deadlines for a Request for an Exception by a Small Telecommunications Utility or Type 2 Cooperatives 860–034–0630
Information to be Included With a Request for an Exception Filed Under OAR 860-034-0620 860–034–0640
Review by Staff of a Request for an Exception Filed Under OAR 860-034-0620 860–034–0650
Petition to Open Depreciation Docket 860–034–0660
Review Procedure and Schedule for a Request for an Exception Filed Under OAR 860-034-0650 860–034–0670
Extension of Time for a Request for an Exception 860–034–0710
Extension of Time for a Request for an Exception Filed Under OAR 860-034-0650 860–034–0720
Announcement of Rate Increases for Joint Rates or Rates Charged for Through Services by Type 2 Cooperatives 860–034–0725
Telephone Solicitation Notices by Telecommunications Cooperatives 860–034–0730
Uniform System of Accounts for Type 2 Cooperatives 860–034–0740
Allocation of Costs by Type 2 Cooperatives 860–034–0750
Annual Report Requirements for Type 2 Cooperatives
Last Updated

Jun. 8, 2021

Rule 860-034-0140’s source at or​.us