<section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-101" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="General Provisions"> <level label="a"> <text>This subtitle applies to:</text> <level label="1"> <text>a telegraph company; or</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>a telephone company that owned lines and provided local exchange or interexchange service in the State as of October 1, 1993, with the approval of the Commission.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>Except as otherwise provided by law, the provisions of this subtitle are not subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-102" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="General Provisions"> <text>Corporations may be formed as provided in the Corporations and Associations Article to own, lease, construct, or operate telegraph or telephone lines as provided in § 8-103 of this subtitle.</text> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-103" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="General Provisions"> <level label="a"> <level label="1"> <text>A telegraph or telephone company or a corporation authorized under § 5-410(a)(3) of this article may construct lines:</text> <level label="i"> <text>through the State;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>from or to any point in the State;</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>on the boundaries of the State;</text> </level> <level label="iv"> <text>along and on a road, street, or highway; and</text> </level> <level label="v"> <text>across bridges and the waters in the State.</text> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The company may erect fixtures, including poles, piers, or abutments necessary to sustain the lines.</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>This section does not authorize a company to construct a bridge across any of the navigable waters of the State.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>A line constructed under subsection (a) of this section is not a public nuisance and is not subject to abatement by a private party if the line does not interfere with or disturb:</text> <level label="1"> <text>the public use of roads, highways, and bridges;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>the navigation of the waters of the State; or</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>the convenience of a landowner more than is unavoidable.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-104" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="General Provisions"> <text>Notwithstanding the provisions of § 8-103(b) of this subtitle, a telegraph or telephone company or a corporation authorized under § 5-410(a)(3) of this article is responsible for damage a person may sustain through the erection, continuance, or use of telegraph, telephone, or electric facilities.</text> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-105" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="General Provisions"> <level label="a"> <text>If, within a reasonable time after due notice, a telegraph or telephone company or a corporation authorized under § 5-410(a)(3) of this article fails or refuses to remove telegraph, telephone, or electric facilities causing damage, the owner or possessor of land or a political subdivision may sue for damages.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <level label="1"> <text>If the person filing suit for damages under this section prevails, the company may elect to pay damages for allowing the company to maintain the facilities permanently.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>If the damages paid include damages for allowing the company to maintain the facilities permanently, the right of the company to maintain the facilities permanently shall be confirmed as if the right were granted by the parties to the suit.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-106" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="General Provisions"> <level label="a"> <text>To obtain an easement, the president and directors of a telegraph or telephone company or a corporation authorized under § 5-410(a)(3) of this article may apply to the circuit court of the county containing the land or bridge where the telegraph, telephone, or electric facilities will be placed to empanel a jury to appraise the loss or damage that will be sustained by the owner or possessor of the land or bridge.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <level label="1"> <level label="i"> <text>The jury shall make a return and inquisition in writing that is signed and sealed by each juror.</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>The return and inquisition shall state the amount of the loss or damage.</text> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <level label="i"> <text>The county sheriff shall return the jury’s inquisition to the clerk of the circuit court of the county.</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>The clerk shall file the inquisition with the court.</text> </level> </level> <level label="3"> <text>Except as provided in paragraph (4) of this subsection, the court shall confirm the inquisition of the jury and the clerk shall record the inquisition at the expense of the company.</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>For good cause, the court may set aside the inquisition and direct another inquisition to be taken as provided in this section.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <level label="1"> <text>When the value of the loss or damage is paid or tendered to the owner of the land or the legal representative of the owner of the land, the company is entitled to the easement as if the owner of the land conveyed the easement to the company.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>If the value is not received when tendered, it may be received at any time without costs by the owner of the land or the legal representative of the owner of the land.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-107" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="General Provisions"> <level label="a"> <text>Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the owner of timber growing along a telegraph or telephone line is not subject to an action for damages if:</text> <level label="1"> <text>the telegraph or telephone line prevents the owner of the timber from cutting and felling the timber; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>in cutting or felling the timber, the owner damages the telegraph or telephone line.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>An owner of timber is subject to an action for damages if, in cutting and felling the timber, the owner willfully and intentionally injures the telegraph or telephone line.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-108" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="General Provisions"> <level label="a"> <text>A telegraph company doing business in this State shall:</text> <level label="1"> <text>receive telegrams from and for other telegraph companies and from or for any individual; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, transmit telegrams received:</text> <level label="i"> <text>in the manner established by the rules and regulations of the telegraph company;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>in the order received; and</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>with impartiality and good faith.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to a telegraph company that makes an arrangement with newspapers for the transmission of information of general and public interest out of the order received for the purpose of publication.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>A telegraph company that violates subsection (a) of this section is liable to the person sending or desiring to send the telegram for:</text> <level label="1"> <text>$100 for each instance of neglect or refusal to receive or transmit a telegram; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>the costs of the suit.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-201" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Telephone Service"> <level label="a"> <level label="1"> <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>“Economic unit” means all adult individuals contributing to and sharing in the income and expenses of a household.</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>“Household” means an individual or a group of individuals who are living together at the same address as one economic unit.</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>“Lifeline” means a nontransferable retail service offering provided directly to qualifying low–income consumers for which qualifying low–income consumers pay reduced charges as a result of federal or State lifeline support.</text> </level> <level label="5"> <text>“Qualifying low–income consumer” means an individual who:</text> <level label="i"> <text>meets the qualifications for lifeline under 47 C.F.R. §§ 54.400, 54.409, and 54.410; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>is certified to receive lifeline.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>Except as provided in subsection (i) of this section, this section applies only to a local telephone company and the provision of local telephone service.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>At the direction of the Commission, a local telephone company with more than 10,000 subscribers shall offer lifeline to qualifying low–income consumers subject to the following conditions:</text> <level label="1"> <text>no other local voice telephone service may be provided to the household of the qualifying low–income consumer applying for lifeline; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>an inside wiring maintenance plan is not provided to the qualifying low–income consumer.</text> </level> </level> <level label="d"> <level label="1"> <text>A qualifying low–income consumer may select a lifeline under either paragraph (2) or (3) of this subsection.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>A qualifying low–income consumer who selects lifeline under this paragraph:</text> <level label="i"> <text>shall receive:</text> <level label="1"> <text>an individual residential local exchange access line; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>the first 30 residential local untimed messages each billing month at no additional charge;</text> </level> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>shall be charged:</text> <level label="1"> <text>50% of the lowest applicable and approved federal and State tariff rates for the access line and included residential local untimed messages, minus any applicable waiver of federal tariff provisions for qualifying low–income consumers, plus all applicable federal, State, and local taxes;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>the full applicable tariff rates for all other residential local untimed messages; and</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>the full applicable tariff rates for all other services; and</text> </level> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>may not be provided any premium services, including foreign zone or foreign exchange service.</text> </level> </level> <level label="3"> <text>A qualifying low–income consumer who selects lifeline under this paragraph:</text> <level label="i"> <text>shall receive an individual residential local exchange access line with unlimited residential local untimed messages for a monthly charge of $10; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>may purchase up to two value–added services at the full applicable tariff rates.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="e"> <text>The telephone company shall charge to the qualifying low–income consumer all applicable federal, State, and local taxes and fees.</text> </level> <level label="f"> <level label="1"> <text>A telephone company may not require payment of an order processing charge or line change charge to change a qualifying low–income consumer to lifeline from any other class of residential telephone service.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>An individual who is no longer a qualifying low–income consumer may not be charged a fee to change from lifeline to any other class of residential telephone service.</text> </level> </level> <level label="g"> <level label="1"> <text>A telephone company may not request a deposit to secure payment in connection with the initial installation or connection of lifeline.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>A qualifying low–income consumer applying for service may be denied service if the qualifying low–income consumer:</text> <level label="i"> <text>has an outstanding unpaid net telephone debt of $100 or more for prior telephone service; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>has not established a reasonable payment plan to satisfy the debt.</text> </level> </level> <level label="3"> <text>A qualifying low–income consumer may not be denied service if the qualifying low–income consumer has an outstanding unpaid net telephone debt of less than $100 for prior telephone service.</text> </level> </level> <level label="h"> <level label="1"> <text>To the extent allowed by federal and State law, the Department of Human Services shall provide to local telephone companies that offer lifeline monthly electronic access to a file containing a list of qualifying low–income consumers until the Federal Communications Commission or its designee determines eligibility.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>To obtain access to the file maintained by the Department of Human Services, a local telephone company must enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Human Services that governs access to use, confidentiality, and retention of the file.</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>The grant of access to the file satisfies the certification requirement of subsection (a)(5) of this section.</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>Once the Federal Communications Commission or its designee determines eligibility, that determination will satisfy the certification requirement under subsection (a)(5) of this section.</text> </level> </level> <level label="i"> <text>The Department of Human Services may certify consumers as qualifying low–income consumers if they use services other than local telephone service.</text> </level> <level label="j"> <text>Nothing in this section may be construed to establish jurisdiction by the Commission over wireless services, broadband services, voice over Internet protocol services, or other services that are not provided through telephone lines.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-202" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Telephone Service"> <level label="a"> <level label="1"> <text>The Commission may not authorize telephone company charges to be levied for directory assistance calls made by residential customers on the first two calls made to directory assistance from each residential service per monthly billing cycle.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>Subject to subsection (b) of this section, the Commission shall authorize charges on other directory assistance calls.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>The Commission may not authorize telephone company charges to be levied for directory assistance on an individual who suffers from a physical or visual disability that precludes the use of a telephone directory.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-203" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Telephone Service"> <level label="a"> <level label="1"> <text>The Commission may not authorize mandatory telephone company charges based on a measured time period unit rate for local messages.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The Commission may study or evaluate mandatory telephone company charges.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>If the Commission authorizes a telephone company to offer to residential customers the option of telephone charges based on a measured time period unit rate for local messages, the Commission also shall require the telephone company to offer to residential customers:</text> <level label="1"> <text>the option of an unlimited number and duration of local calls; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>the option of a specific charge per local call, regardless of the duration of the local call.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <text>A telephone company may not require the payment of an order processing charge or line change charge for a residential customer’s first change from local telephone service based on charges for measured time period unit rates, if the change occurs within 18 months after the date that the consumer elects this telephone service.</text> </level> <level label="d"> <text>The Commission may not authorize a telephone company to charge for the distance of a call within a local calling area.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-204" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Telephone Service"> <level label="a"> <text>This section does not apply to:</text> <level label="1"> <text>a unit of federal, State, or local government that uses an automated dialing prerecorded message machine for emergency purposes; or</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>a person who has a preexisting business relationship with, or the consent of, the person called.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>A person may not use an automated dialing, push-button, or tone-activated address signaling system with a prerecorded message to:</text> <level label="1"> <text>solicit persons to purchase, lease, or rent goods or services;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>offer a gift or prize;</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>conduct a poll; or</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>request survey information if the results will be used directly to solicit persons to purchase, lease, or rent goods or services.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <text>The sender of an automated dialing, push-button, or tone-activated address signaling call shall disconnect the prerecorded message machine from the recipient’s telephone line within 5 seconds after the termination of the call by either the person calling or the person called.</text> </level> <level label="d"> <text>A person who violates a provision of subsection (b) or (c) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine:</text> <level label="1"> <text>not exceeding $1,000 for the first offense; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>not exceeding $5,000 for each subsequent offense.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-205" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Telephone Service"> <level label="a"> <level label="1"> <text>In this section, “telephone solicitation” means an organized activity, program, or campaign to communicate by telephone with residents of Maryland in order to:</text> <level label="i"> <text>sell, lease, or rent goods or services;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>attempt to sell, lease, or rent goods or services;</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>offer or attempt to offer a gift or prize;</text> </level> <level label="iv"> <text>conduct or attempt to conduct a poll; or</text> </level> <level label="v"> <text>request or attempt to request survey information, if the results of the survey will be used directly to solicit persons to purchase, lease, or rent goods or services.</text> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <text>“Telephone solicitation” includes the act of managing, directing, or supervising an individual engaged in telephone solicitation under paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>This section does not apply to a unit of federal, State, or local government.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>If the telephone service or equipment of a person engaged in telephone solicitation allows that person to choose to restrict or display the transmission of the person’s telephone number to the recipient of a telephone solicitation, the person may not:</text> <level label="1"> <text>intentionally use any device or method to block the transmission of the person’s telephone number to a recipient; or</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>take any other action to prevent or control the transmission of the person’s telephone number to a recipient.</text> </level> </level> <level label="d"> <text>A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to:</text> <level label="1"> <text>for a first offense, a fine not exceeding $1,000; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>for each subsequent offense, a fine not exceeding $5,000.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-206" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Telephone Service"> <level label="a"> <text>This section applies to telephone directories distributed by, or on behalf of, a telephone company other than advertisement–based business directories.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>A telephone company may not be required to distribute a telephone directory to an address in the State unless the property owner or an occupant requests the telephone directory.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <level label="1"> <text>If a telephone company elects not to distribute a print telephone directory to a customer at an address in the State, the telephone company shall provide notice as to how the customer may request a print telephone directory.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The notice required under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall:</text> <level label="i"> <text>include a toll–free telephone number a customer may call to request a print telephone directory; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>be included:</text> <level label="1"> <text>in each customer’s bill at least once each year;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>on the telephone company’s website; and</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>in bold red print, on the front cover and the table of contents page of any print advertisement–based business directory distributed on behalf of the telephone company through September 30, 2016.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="3"> <text>If a customer requests a print telephone directory, the telephone company shall deliver the print telephone directory to the customer at no cost to the customer.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-301" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Miscellaneous Provisions"> <text>Except as otherwise provided by law, the provisions of this subtitle are not subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission.</text> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-302" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Miscellaneous Provisions"> <level label="a"> <text>A telephone company doing business in the State that has coin pay telephones located on outdoor sites shall provide a method to place calls to the operator without requiring the insertion of coins into the telephone.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>The cost of providing the method of placing calls required in subsection (a) of this section is a reasonable and necessary cost of providing telephone service.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-303" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Miscellaneous Provisions"> <level label="a"> <text>A telegraph company engaged in the business of transmitting communications by telegraph in the State and charging tolls for providing this service shall show conspicuously on each telegram delivered:</text> <level label="1"> <text>under the caption “time filed”, the time the telegram was filed at the place of origin for transmission; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>under the caption “time received”, the time the telegram was received at the office from which it is to be delivered.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>A telegraph company is liable for a fine of not less than $10 and not more than $200 for each telegram it delivers in violation of subsection (a) of this section.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-401" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Telecommunications Service Changes"> <level label="a"> <text>In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>“Hold order” or “freeze” means a directive to retain:</text> <level label="1"> <text>the telephone company or reseller selected by a customer until the customer provides express authorization for a change to another telephone company or reseller;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>for telecommunications service options for which the telephone company or reseller imposes a charge, the telecommunications service options selected by a customer until the customer provides express authorization for a change of telecommunications service options; or</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>the person who bills the customer or the customer’s billing arrangement until the customer provides express authorization for a change of the person who bills the customer or the customer’s billing arrangement.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <text>“Reseller” means a person who:</text> <level label="1"> <text>provides telecommunications services to end-use customers by using the transmission facilities of another person, including wire, cable, optical fiber, or satellite or terrestrial radio signals, regardless of whether the reseller possesses its own switching facilities; or</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>bills an end-use customer or causes the customer to be billed for telecommunications service.</text> </level> </level> <level label="d"> <text>“Telecommunications service” means any service or product provided by a telephone company or reseller that is under the jurisdiction of the Commission.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-402" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Telecommunications Service Changes"> <level label="a"> <text>This subtitle applies to a telephone company or reseller that provides intrastate interLATA, intraLATA, or local exchange carrier telecommunications service.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>An act of a person or company that is acting as an agent or representative of a telephone company or reseller is deemed to be an act of the telephone company or reseller under this subtitle.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-403" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Telecommunications Service Changes"> <text>Each reseller that provides telecommunications service shall obtain authorization from the Commission in a manner determined by the Commission to provide those services in the State.</text> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-404" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Telecommunications Service Changes"> <text>Unless the telephone company or reseller complies with authorization and confirmation procedures adopted by the Commission and by federal law and regulation, a telephone company or reseller may not, on behalf of a customer:</text> <level label="1"> <text>change, or direct another telephone company or reseller to change, the customer’s telephone company or reseller;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>select a telecommunications service option for which the telephone company or reseller imposes a charge; or</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>change the person who bills the customer or the customer’s billing arrangement.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-405" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Telecommunications Service Changes"> <level label="a"> <text>This section applies to a telephone company or reseller that initiates an unauthorized change in violation of this subtitle in:</text> <level label="1"> <text>a customer’s telephone company;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>a customer’s reseller;</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>a customer’s telecommunications service options; or</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>the person who bills the customer or the customer’s billing arrangement.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>A telephone company or reseller that is subject to this section is liable:</text> <level label="1"> <text>to the customer, the customer’s previously selected telephone company or reseller, or both, as determined by the Commission, for all intrastate long distance charges, interstate long distance charges, local exchange service charges, provider switching fees, the value of any premiums to which the customer would have been entitled, and other relevant charges incurred by the customer in the first 30 days of the unauthorized change; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>to the customer’s local exchange provider for the change fees for the unauthorized change and reinstating the customer to the original telephone company or reseller.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-406" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Telecommunications Service Changes"> <level label="a"> <text>When a customer, or a telephone company or reseller providing a new telecommunications service on behalf of the customer, makes a change in the customer’s telephone company or reseller, the telephone company or reseller providing the new telecommunications service shall provide a conspicuous notice to the customer, informing the customer that the change was made.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>When a customer, or a telephone company or reseller on behalf of the customer, makes a change in the customer’s selection of a telecommunications service option for which the telephone company or reseller imposes a charge, the telephone company or reseller providing the new telecommunications service option shall provide a conspicuous notice to the customer, informing the customer that the change was made.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>When a customer, or a telephone company or reseller on behalf of a customer, makes a change in the person who bills the customer or the customer’s billing arrangement, the telephone company or reseller providing the new billing service or arrangement shall provide a conspicuous notice to the customer, informing the customer that the change was made.</text> </level> <level label="d"> <text>A telephone company or reseller that is required to provide notice under this section shall provide the notice by:</text> <level label="1"> <text>inserting the notice on or with the customer’s first bill for which the change is effective; or</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>sending a separate notice to the customer within 30 days after the change takes effect.</text> </level> </level> <level label="e"> <text>A telephone company or reseller may not, on behalf of a customer, fail to make any change in a customer’s telephone company, reseller, or telecommunications service options, or in the person who bills the customer or the customer’s billing arrangement when the change order has been received in a manner that complies with federal and State rules and regulations. All such change orders shall be properly processed to assure that the order is completed and service will be provided by the new telephone company or reseller of choice within 15 business days of receipt of the compliant change order or as otherwise negotiated with the customer.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-407" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Telecommunications Service Changes"> <level label="a"> <text>If the Commission determines that a hold order or freeze is necessary, the Commission may require a telephone company or reseller that operates the network facilities that control routing, selection, or billing functions necessary to implement the hold order or freeze to offer the hold order or freeze to the telephone company’s end-use customers or to the reseller’s end-use customers as a method of reducing incidents of unauthorized changes in a customer’s telephone company, reseller, or telecommunications service options, or in the person who bills the customer or the customer’s billing arrangement.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>A telephone company or reseller that is required to offer a hold order or freeze shall implement the hold order or freeze in a nondiscriminatory and competitively neutral manner that does not give the telephone company or reseller an advantage over its competitors in the telecommunications market.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>All regulations regarding the implementation of a hold order or freeze shall be consistent with the rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-408" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Telecommunications Service Changes"> <level label="a"> <text>To implement this subtitle the Commission may adopt regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this subtitle that are consistent with federal law.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>The regulations may include:</text> <level label="1"> <text>procedures for a customer to confirm a change in the customer’s telephone company or reseller made by another telephone company or reseller on behalf of the customer;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>procedures for a customer to confirm a change in telecommunications service options;</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>procedures for a customer to confirm a change in the person who bills the customer or the customer’s billing arrangement;</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>provisions for the disclosure to the customer of the terms of the services offered by a telephone company or reseller;</text> </level> <level label="5"> <text>methods of enforcement; and</text> </level> <level label="6"> <text>other provisions, not inconsistent with federal law, that the Commission considers necessary to implement this subtitle.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-409" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Telecommunications Service Changes"> <level label="a"> <text>A telephone company or reseller may not fail or neglect to comply with this subtitle or with a regulation adopted under this subtitle.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this subtitle, the Commission may:</text> <level label="1"> <text>exercise any of the powers conferred under this division against a telephone company or reseller; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>in the case of a complaint filed against a telephone company or reseller, order the telephone company or reseller to make reparations to the complaining party in accordance with § 8–405 of this subtitle.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <text>In addition to any other available penalty, the Commission may assess directly, after an opportunity for hearing, an administrative penalty on a telephone company or reseller that violates the provisions of this subtitle, or a regulation adopted under this subtitle, or federal law or regulation on unauthorized changes to a customer’s telephone company, reseller, or telecommunications service options, or to the person who bills the customer or the customer’s billing arrangement.</text> </level> <level label="d"> <text>The administrative penalty assessed under this section may not exceed $1,000 for each violation associated with a specific access line in the State.</text> </level> <level label="e"> <text>In assessing an administrative penalty under this section, the Commission shall consider:</text> <level label="1"> <text>the nature, circumstances, extent, gravity, and number of violations;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>the degree of culpability of the violator;</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>prior offenses and repeated violations of the violator; and</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>any other matter that the Commission considers appropriate and relevant.</text> </level> </level> <level label="f"> <text>An administrative penalty collected under this section shall be paid into the General Fund of the State.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-501" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Telecommunications Competition Requirements"> <level label="a"> <text>The Commission may, after notice and public hearing, adopt policies and regulations governing the development of competition in the telecommunications services market.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>Policies and regulations adopted by the Commission under this section shall be consistent with federal law, policies and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission, Title 4 of this article, and any other applicable provisions of Maryland law.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-601" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="6" subtitle_name="Voice Over Internet Protocol Service"> <text>In this subtitle:</text> <level label="1"> <text>“voice over Internet protocol service” or “VoIP service” means any service that:</text> <level label="i"> <text>enables real–time two–way voice communications that originate from or terminate to the subscriber end user’s location requiring Internet protocol or any successor protocol to Internet protocol; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>requires a broadband connection from the user’s location; and</text> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <text>“voice over Internet protocol service” or “VoIP service” includes any such service that permits users generally to receive calls that originate on the public switched telephone network and to terminate calls to the public switched telephone network.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="8-602" title_number="8" title_name="Telegraph and Telephone Companies" subtitle_number="6" subtitle_name="Voice Over Internet Protocol Service"> <level label="a"> <text>The Commission does not have jurisdiction over the regulation of VoIP service, including the imposition of regulatory fees, certification requirements, and the filing or approval of tariffs.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>Nothing in this subtitle may be construed to:</text> <level label="1"> <text>require or prohibit the assessment of 9–1–1 fees in accordance with § 1–310 of the Public Safety Article on VoIP;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>require or prohibit the assessment of fees for telecommunications relay service under Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the State Finance and Procurement Article;</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>require or prohibit the payment of any switched network access rates or other intercarrier compensation rates that may be determined to apply;</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>relieve a company that is otherwise subject to § 8–201 of this title of its obligation to provide telephone lifeline service over local exchange access lines that are subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction;</text> </level> <level label="5"> <text>exempt VoIP service from generally applicable State and federal laws relating to public safety, consumer protection, and unfair and deceptive trade practices, or to exempt VoIP service from the authority of the Division of Consumer Protection in the Office of the Attorney General; or</text> </level> <level label="6"> <text>remove the Commission’s jurisdiction over circuit switched local exchange access service.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <text>A company that moves a customer from a Commission–approved tariff service to VoIP service shall notify the customer that the Commission does not have jurisdiction over the regulation of VoIP service and that complaints about VoIP service may be filed with the Division of Consumer Protection in the Office of the Attorney General.</text> </level> </section>