4927.06 [Effective 9/13/2010] Unfair or deceptive trade practices. - Ohio Statutes

4927.06 [Effective 9/13/2010] Unfair or deceptive trade practices.

(A) No telephone company shall commit any unfair or deceptive act or practice in connection with the offering or provision of any telecommunications service in this state. A failure to comply with any of the following requirements shall constitute an unfair or deceptive act or practice by a telephone company:

(1) Any communication by the company, including, but not limited to, a solicitation, offer, or contract term or condition, shall be truthful, clear, conspicuous, and accurate in disclosing any material terms and conditions of service and any material exclusions or limitations. The public utilities commission may prescribe, by rule, a commission review process to determine when disclosing such information is not practicable, and therefore nondisclosure does not result in an unfair or deceptive act or practice.

(2) Any written service solicitation, marketing material, offer, contract, or agreement, as well as any written response from the company to a service-related inquiry or complaint that the company receives from a customer or others, shall disclose the company’s name and contact information. The commission may prescribe, by rule, a commission review process to determine when disclosing such information is not practicable, and therefore nondisclosure does not result in an unfair or deceptive act or practice.

(3) The company shall inform its customers, as applicable and in any reasonable manner, of their rights and responsibilities concerning inside wire, the repair and maintenance of customer-owned equipment, and the use of a network interface device, and of any charges that the company imposes for a diagnostic visit, consistent with rules adopted by the public utilities commission.

(4) The company shall not commit any act, practice, or omission that the commission determines, by rulemaking under section 4927.03 of the Revised Code or adjudication under section 4927.21 of the Revised Code, constitutes an unfair or deceptive act or practice in connection with the offering or provision of telecommunications service in this state.

(B) The commission shall provide notice to all telephone companies specifying any act, practice, or omission that it prescribes pursuant to division (A)(4) of this section. No telephone company is liable for any act, practice, or omission absent that notice and adequate time for implementation.

(C) This section does not apply to wireless service. A consumer purchase of wireless service or a related product shall constitute a consumer transaction for purposes of sections 1345.01 to 1345.13 of the Revised Code, notwithstanding any provision of those sections to the contrary.

Added by 128th General Assembly File No. 43, SB 162, § 1, eff. 9/13/2010.