(a) A preferred carrier freeze (or freeze) prevents a change in a subscriber's preferred carrier selection unless the subscriber gives the carrier from whom the freeze was requested his or her express consent. All local exchange carriers who offer preferred carrier freezes must comply with the provisions of this section.

(b) All local exchange carriers who offer preferred carrier freezes shall offer freezes on a nondiscriminatory basis to all subscribers, regardless of the subscriber's carrier selections.

(c) Preferred carrier freeze procedures, including any solicitation, must clearly distinguish among telecommunications services (e.g., local exchange, intraLATA toll, and interLATA toll) subject to a preferred carrier freeze. The carrier offering the freeze must obtain separate authorization for each service for which a preferred carrier freeze is requested.

(d) Solicitation and imposition of preferred carrier freezes.

(1) All carrier-provided solicitation and other materials regarding preferred carrier freezes must include:

(i) An explanation, in clear and neutral language, of what a preferred carrier freeze is and what services may be subject to a freeze;

(ii) A description of the specific procedures necessary to lift a preferred carrier freeze; an explanation that these steps are in addition to the Commission's verification rules in §§64.1120 and 64.1130 for changing a subscriber's preferred carrier selections; and an explanation that the subscriber will be unable to make a change in carrier selection unless he or she lifts the freeze.

(iii) An explanation of any charges associated with the preferred carrier freeze.

(2) No local exchange carrier shall implement a preferred carrier freeze unless the subscriber's request to impose a freeze has first been confirmed in accordance with one of the following procedures:

(i) The local exchange carrier has obtained the subscriber's written or electronically signed authorization in a form that meets the requirements of §64.1190(d)(3); or

(ii) The local exchange carrier has obtained the subscriber's electronic authorization, placed from the telephone number(s) on which the preferred carrier freeze is to be imposed, to impose a preferred carrier freeze. The electronic authorization should confirm appropriate verification data (e.g., the subscriber's date of birth or social security number) and the information required in §§64.1190(d)(3)(ii)(A) through (D). Telecommunications carriers electing to confirm preferred carrier freeze orders electronically shall establish one or more toll-free telephone numbers exclusively for that purpose. Calls to the number(s) will connect a subscriber to a voice response unit, or similar mechanism that records the required information regarding the preferred carrier freeze request, including automatically recording the originating automatic numbering identification; or

(iii) An appropriately qualified independent third party has obtained the subscriber's oral authorization to submit the preferred carrier freeze and confirmed the appropriate verification data (e.g., the subscriber's date of birth or social security number) and the information required in §64.1190(d)(3)(ii)(A) through (D). The independent third party must not be owned, managed, or directly controlled by the carrier or the carrier's marketing agent; must not have any financial incentive to confirm preferred carrier freeze requests for the carrier or the carrier's marketing agent; and must operate in a location physically separate from the carrier or the carrier's marketing agent. The content of the verification must include clear and conspicuous confirmation that the subscriber has authorized a preferred carrier freeze.

(3) Written authorization to impose a preferred carrier freeze. A local exchange carrier may accept a subscriber's written and signed authorization to impose a freeze on his or her preferred carrier selection. Written authorization that does not conform with this section is invalid and may not be used to impose a preferred carrier freeze.

(i) The written authorization shall comply with §§64.1130(b), (c), and (h) of the Commission's rules concerning the form and content for letters of agency.

(ii) At a minimum, the written authorization must be printed with a readable type of sufficient size to be clearly legible and must contain clear and unambiguous language that confirms:

(A) The subscriber's billing name and address and the telephone number(s) to be covered by the preferred carrier freeze;

(B) The decision to place a preferred carrier freeze on the telephone number(s) and particular service(s). To the extent that a jurisdiction allows the imposition of preferred carrier freezes on additional preferred carrier selections (e.g., for local exchange, intraLATA toll, and interLATA toll), the authorization must contain separate statements regarding the particular selections to be frozen;

(C) That the subscriber understands that she or he will be unable to make a change in carrier selection unless she or he lifts the preferred carrier freeze; and

(D) That the subscriber understands that any preferred carrier freeze may involve a charge to the subscriber.

(e) Procedures for lifting preferred carrier freezes. All local exchange carriers who offer preferred carrier freezes must, at a minimum, offer subscribers the following procedures for lifting a preferred carrier freeze:

(1) A local exchange carrier administering a preferred carrier freeze must accept a subscriber's written or electronically signed authorization stating his or her intent to lift a preferred carrier freeze; and

(2) A local exchange carrier administering a preferred carrier freeze must accept a subscriber's oral authorization stating her or his intent to lift a preferred carrier freeze and must offer a mechanism that allows a submitting carrier to conduct a three-way conference call with the carrier administering the freeze and the subscriber in order to lift a freeze. When engaged in oral authorization to lift a preferred carrier freeze, the carrier administering the freeze shall confirm appropriate verification data (e.g., the subscriber's date of birth or social security number) and the subscriber's intent to lift the particular freeze.

[64 FR 7762, Feb. 16, 1999, as amended at 66 FR 12893, Mar. 1, 2001; 73 FR 13150, Mar. 12, 2008]