§24D-1-17. Office operating requirements; office hours.

(a) Each cable operator shall operate a business office in or near its area of operation as approved by the franchise authority or the commission that shall be open during normal business hours.

(b) Each cable operator shall operate sufficient telephone lines, including a toll-free number or any other free calling option, as approved by the commission, staffed by a company customer service representative during normal business hours.

(c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) and (b) of this section, each cable operator that has been subject to a compliance order issued by the Public Service Commission in a show cause or general investigation proceeding in which the commission concluded that the provider’s customer service communications were not safe, adequate, or reliable shall maintain a call center within the boundaries of the state to serve its subscribers. The foregoing requirement shall be in effect for a minimum period of five years commencing 90 days from the commission compliance order or on the effective date of this subsection, whichever occurs later. After five years of operations under this subsection, a cable operator may petition the commission for, and the commission has authority to grant or deny, a release of the cable operator from the requirements of this subsection. The commission will grant a release only upon proper showing that the cable operator is in compliance with this chapter, commission rules, and the commission compliance order.