An Act To Ensure the Integrity of Prepaid Calling Accounts
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §7308 is enacted to read:
§ 7308. Prepaid calling service
1. Definition. For purposes of this section, "prepaid calling service" has the same meaning as in Title 36, section 2551, subsection 9.
2. Prohibition on retroactive rate increase for prepaid calling services. A provider of prepaid calling services may not increase the rate charged for the quantity of service that the consumer purchased until the balance of the purchased service is consumed or expires in accordance with an expiration date of which the consumer had notice at the time of purchase. The quantity of service must be determined by the rates, terms and conditions in effect at the time of the purchase.
3. Notice of rate increase for prepaid calling service purchased by telephone or on the Internet. A provider of a prepaid calling service shall notify a consumer of the prepaid calling service of an increase in the rate charged for that service before that consumer purchases additional service from that provider by telephone or on the Internet. This notice may be in the form of a telephone recording.
4. Notice of variance between in-state and interstate rates. A provider of a prepaid calling service shall notify a consumer of the prepaid calling service if that provider charges different rates for in-state and interstate service. If that service is purchased in a store, this notice must be on the packaging of the prepaid calling service product. If that service is purchased by telephone, this notice must be in the form of a telephone recording. If that service is purchased on the Internet, this notice must be on the website on which that service is purchased.
Effective June 30, 2008