| Frequently Asked Questions - Bills, Payments, Deposits, and Late Fees
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CTSI Support - Billing - Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ]
The information in this document was last updated on
5/11/05.
Understanding your bill
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| Q: |
Why is the amount of my first bill different than what I expected? |
| A: |
Telephone companies bill local services one month in advance, and long distance services are billed at least one month in arrears. Because your telephone bill is based on the calendar month, the first bill will include the coming month, plus pro-rated charges for the portion of the current month (the days you had service "last" month plus the entire amount of "this" month). After the first bill, your charges will be in line with what you expect.
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| Q: |
Will you explain each charge in detail? |
| A: |
We'd be happy to. Call or Come By Our Offices and we will get you the answers you deserve.
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Making Payments
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| Q: |
How can I make payments? |
| A: |
You can pay in person with cash, check, or Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express; by mail with a check; or by automatic monthly or one-time credit card charge or bank draft.
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| Q: |
Are there any fees or surcharges related to which method of payment I prefer? |
| A: |
No. There are no fees or surcharges associated with any of these methods of payment. We don't penalize you for talking with a live person or using the payment method that is most convenient for you.
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| Q: |
If I am late making a payment, are there late charges? |
| A: |
Late fees will be assessed at 1.5% per month on accounts that become delinquent (unpaid after the 10th of each month). If you can't pay by the 10th of the month, please contact our office. We may be able to help you with payment arrangements.
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Deposits
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| Q: |
Do you require a deposit to establish service? |
| A: |
Our initial credit check determines whether a deposit will be required, and the amount of that deposit.
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| Q: |
If I am required to make a deposit, when will it be returned? |
| A: |
If a deposit is needed in order to establish service, the deposit will be refunded in full, with interest, after one year of service, if your account is good standing. If you disconnect before one year and your account is current, the deposit will be refunded at that time.
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Additional Charges
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| Q: |
Is there a charge for technician call-out for repair? |
| A: |
Chickasaw repairs problems on our side of the network interface at no charge to you. (The "Network Interface Device," or "NID," is also known as the "demarc," which is short for "point of demarcation" -- the separation between the responsibility of the utility company and the owner of the premises). Much like the water, gas, or electrical service to your home or business, the telephone company is responsible for repairs at its own expense when trouble exists on the utility company's side of the connection -- outside of the demarc.
If there is trouble on your phone line and the trouble is determined to be on your inside wires or jacks, or caused by your phone, computer, answering machine, or other telephone accessory, then you are responsible for the repairs.
These repairs, if made by our technicians, incur a call-out charge of $36.25 for the first 15 minutes, and $17.00 for each additional 15 minutes. If you subscribe to Wire Maintenance, which has a monthly subscription charge, you will not be billed for these services.
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| Q: |
What does the law say about charges for trouble caused by my inside wiring or telephones, even if I don't want you to do the inside repairs? |
| A: |
State Law, Oklahoma Administrative Code OAC 165:55-7-3, under the heading "Trouble caused by customer-provided equipment (CPE) or inside wiring" states:
The customer will be liable for charges incurred as a result of a premises visit by the telecommunications service provider for a trouble report caused by nonregulated customer provided equipment or inside wiring. The customer shall be advised of the potential for charges prior to the premises visit if the customer reports the trouble. If the telecommunications service provider finds the trouble through routine checks of its system, the customer will be notified of the charges before any work is done by the telecommunications service provider. The customer shall not be charged for a premises visit if the customer reports the trouble before the visit and is not advised before the visit of the potential for charges relating to the proposed visit by the telecommunications service provider.
[Source: Amended at 13 Ok Reg 2437, eff 7-1-96]
This means if a telephone company technician visits your premises to investigate a trouble report, and the trouble is caused by wiring or equipment inside your home or business, and not by the telephone company's network or equipment, and you do not have a wiring maintenance agreement in place, then you are responsible for the cost of the time spent by the telphone company in isolating the trouble, even if you do not request or allow us to assist you with the actual repair of the trouble.
This is the reason the test jack is provided in your network interface device, outside. Plugging in a known-working telephone into this jack allows you to determine conclusively whether working telephone service is being delivered to your premises so that you can investigate the inside trouble yourself or have a third party do it, prior to reporting trouble to the telephone company. Many unnecessary trip charges and false trouble reports are caused by phones left off the hook or defective cordless telephones, computer modems, and answering machines seizing up the telephone line.
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