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SureWest Frequently Asked Questions - For Customer Notice of Detariffing, General Terms and Conditions, and Service Guide
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- Why did SureWest send me this “Important Notice?”
- What is changing as a result of this “Important Notice?”
- Why the change to General Terms and Conditions and a Service Guide?
- What do I need to do as a result of this “Notice?”
- What if I disagree with these General Terms and Conditions?
- How do I cancel my service if I disagree to the General Terms and Conditions?
- What if I currently have a contract with SureWest?
- Does detariffing mean I’m agreeing to a contract or some other term?
- What is a tariff?
- What is detariffing?
- What are General Terms and Conditions?
- What is a Service Guide?
- When and how can I view the General Terms and Conditions?
- When and how can I view the Service Guide?
- What types of services remain in the tariff?
- Will the new Service Guide cause my rates to increase?
- Are my rates going to change when the Service Guide goes into effect on January 1, 2010?
- Will changing to a Service Guide cause any interruptions to my service?
- How will I know when my rates or charges are increasing or if my service is changing?
- When will this new “Service Guide” or “Detariffing” take effect?
- Will my SureWest Digital Phone, Internet and Digital TV services change?
- I have more questions, how can I get additional information?
1. Why did SureWest send me this “Important Notice?”
Most of the telecommunications services that SureWest provides to you are described and priced in an official document, or book, called a “tariff.” Tariffs are on file at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). SureWest recently requested approval from the CPUC to move the descriptions and pricings of certain telecommunication services into a similar type of document, called a “Service Guide.” This process is permitted by the CPUC and is known as “detariffing.” In making this change, the CPUC requires that we provide you, a customer of SureWest, with at least 30-days’ notice before this change goes into effect. The proposed effective date of this change is January 1, 2010.
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2. What is changing as a result of this “Important Notice?”
Pending CPUC approval, beginning January 1, 2010, the prices, service descriptions, terms and conditions for most California retail telecommunications services will no longer be included in SureWest tariffs that are now on file with the CPUC. Instead, those services will be “detariffed.” As a result of detariffing, the prices, service descriptions, terms and conditions applicable to those detariffed services will be set forth in two documents: General Terms and Conditions, and in a Service Guide. These two documents are similar to a tariff, but will not be on file with the CPUC. However, the CPUC requires these documents be available for the CPUC’s inspection, and your inspection, at SureWest’s website, www.surewest.com/regulatory.
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3. Why the change to General Terms and Conditions and a Service Guide?
Instead of filing prices, service descriptions, and terms and conditions (in tariffs) for phone services, such as Caller ID, Call Waiting, and Call Forwarding, with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), landline telephone companies may now offer phone services through Service Guides directly with consumers. In light of competition in the telephone marketplace by new providers, the CPUC allowed landline phone companies to “detariff” their service offerings and to do business in this new way to further promote competition and empower consumers in the rapidly changing telecommunications market. SureWest is one of the many California landline telephone companies that are electing to offer its services through Service Guides.
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4. What do I need to do as a result of this “Notice?”
When the General Terms and Conditions become available, on and after December 1, 2009, you are encouraged to review those General Terms and Conditions and decide if you agree or disagree to them. The General Terms and Conditions defines the relationship between you and SureWest as they apply to service provided to you by way of the Service Guide, versus the current tariff.
PLEASE NOTE THE NEW SERVICE GUIDE WILL NOT CAUSE ANY INCREASE TO YOUR CURRENT MONTHLY RATES, NOR WILL THE SERVICE GUIDE IMPOSE MORE RESTRICTIVE TERMS OR CONDITIONS TO SERVICE CURRENTLY PROVIDED TO YOU BY WAY OF THE SUREWEST TARIFF.
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5. What if I disagree with these General Terms and Conditions?
If you disagree with the General Terms and Conditions, as they apply to the Service Guide, you have the option to terminate any affected service(s) you subscribe to from SureWest. However, beginning January 1, 2010, the effective date of the General Terms and Conditions and Service Guide, if you continue with your SureWest services after that date, you will be deemed to be in acceptance with the General Terms and Conditions and Service Guide.
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6. How do I cancel my service if I disagree to the General Terms and Conditions?
If you do not agree with the provisions of the General Terms and Conditions as they apply to the Service Guide, you may cancel your affected service by calling SureWest; toll free at 1-800-921-8101 for residential customers or 1-800-921-8102 for business customers.
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7. What if I currently have a contract with SureWest?
If you currently have a contract in place with SureWest, all of the terms and conditions pertaining to that contract remain as they were originally written. The Service Guide will not conflict with any rates, terms or conditions of your contract with SureWest.
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8. Does detariffing mean I’m agreeing to a contract or some other term?
No. Neither the General Terms and Conditions nor Service Guide commit you to a contract of a specified term or period of time.
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9. What is a tariff?
A tariff is a California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) document that contains rates, terms, and conditions for the services that a telephone company provides to consumers, such as Residential Basic Service, Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, and Caller ID. Phone companies, such as SureWest, were previously required to file tariffs with the CPUC for approval.
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10. What is detariffing?
A landline phone company is no longer required to file tariffs with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Instead, the CPUC allows companies, such as SureWest, to enter into General Terms and Conditions and Service Guides with consumers. These Service Guides contain the prices, terms and conditions for services. SureWest (and other telephone companies) must still file tariffs for basic residential telephone service (the dial tone and local service of a residential customer’s phone service, exclusive of special options) with the CPUC, but can detariff other types of services, such as Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, and Caller ID.
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11. What are General Terms and Conditions?
The General Terms and Conditions document sets out the terms and conditions for doing business with SureWest as they apply to the services in the proposed Service Guide.
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12. What is a Service Guide?
A Service Guide contains the prices, terms and conditions under which SureWest’s detariffed California retail services are governed (those services no longer governed by tariffs filed with the California Public Utilities Commission).
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13. When and how can I view the General Terms and Conditions?
The General Terms and Conditions document will be available on December 1, 2009, and will be available for online viewing at www.surewest.com/regulatory. You may also visit one of our three Customer Service Centers in the Sacramento region on or after its availability dates to request a copy. These offices are located: In Roseville, 8150 Industrial Avenue Building D; in Elk Grove, 9766 Waterman Road; and at McClellan Park, 5411 Luce Ave. Office hours are Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm. You may also request a free copy of the General Terms and Conditions by contacting SureWest at 1-877-896-0080, or by sending your request to regulatory@surewest.com. Please type “General Terms and Conditions Request” in the “subject” area of your email.
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14. When and how can I view the Service Guide?
The Service Guide will be available by January 1, 2010, for online viewing, available on SureWest’s website at www.surewest.com/regulatory.
PLEASE NOTE THE NEW SERVICE GUIDE WILL NOT CAUSE ANY INCREASE TO YOUR CURRENT MONTHLY RATES, NOR WILL THE SERVICE GUIDE IMPOSE MORE RESTRICTIVE TERMS OR CONDITIONS TO SERVICE CURRENTLY PROVIDED TO YOU BY WAY OF THE SUREWEST TARIFF.
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15. What types of services remain in the tariff?
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) requires that basic residential service, emergency 911 services, and your right to choose and presubscribe to any long distance carrier are to remain tariffed. In addition, all provisions, conditions, and requirements imposed by the CPUC remain tariffed.
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16. Will the new Service Guide cause my rates to increase?
No. The rates and charges as they apply to your existing services are not increasing as a result of SureWest’s move to detariff those services and move those detariffed services into a Service Guide. Please note that the change from your services provided by tariff to your services provided by the proposed Service Guide will not cause any increase to your current monthly rates, nor will this change impose more restrictive terms or conditions to your service.
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17. Are my rates going to change when the Service Guide goes into effect on January 1, 2010?
NO. THE NEW SERVICE GUIDE WILL NOT CAUSE ANY INCREASE TO YOUR CURRENT MONTHLY RATES, NOR WILL THE SERVICE GUIDE IMPOSE MORE RESTRICTIVE TERMS OR CONDITIONS TO SERVICE CURRENTLY PROVIDED TO YOU BY WAY OF THE SUREWEST TARIFF.
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18. Will changing to a Service Guide cause any interruptions to my service?
No. The change to a Service Guide from the previous arrangement of offering you those services through a tariff will not cause any interruptions to your service.
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19. How will I know when my rates or charges are increasing or if my service is changing?
Whether a service is provided by a tariff or by a service guide, the CPUC requires utilities, such as SureWest, to provide affected consumers with at least 30-days’ notice before higher rates or charges, or more restrictive terms or conditions, than those currently in place can go into effect. You will automatically benefit from price decreases without notice.
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20. When will this new “Service Guide” or “Detariffing” take effect?
The proposed effective date is January 1, 2010, pending California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approval.
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21. Will my SureWest Digital Phone, Internet and Digital TV services change?
The Notice does not apply to SureWest Digital Phone, Internet and Digital TV service.
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22. I have more questions, how can I get additional information?
You may contact SureWest, 24-hours a day, at a special toll-free line established for “Detariffing.” The toll-free number is 1-877-896-0080. Please leave a message with any question(s) you may have, and be sure to provide us with your weekday contact information. A SureWest representative will contact you. You may also email SureWest at regulatory@surewest.com.
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