To establish or to move residential phone service, please call your local service office.
To establish or to move business phone service, call or visit your local service office.
To enable us to process your order to establish phone service you will need to complete an application for service and return it to our business office. You may pick up an application at our business office or we will be happy to mail or fax an application to you. Also, for your convenience an application can be taken over the phone.
Installation Rates | Back to top
Installation rates will vary with the needs of your service. There are many steps involved in installing your phone service, but not every customer needs each step. The amount of work needed to install phone service for you will depend on the type of facilities and service you want. Rates associated with each element of the work performed are available in the Business Office.
Home Wiring Options | Back to top
Where we once did all installation and repair of wiring inside our customers’ homes, you now have two options:
Hire an electrical contractor, or
Save money by doing the work yourself.
(Materials are available from numerous retail stores. )
Inside wiring is all the wiring inside your home and includes your telephone outlets or jacks.
Deposit Policy | Back to top
Customers may be asked to pay a deposit to establish telephone service. The amount of your deposit is determined when you apply for service.
You Will Be Billed For Changes In Your Service | Back to top
All changes, except termination of service, and disconnection of certain options, require a service charge. The amount you are charged depends on the type of change requested. Consult your service representative for different services.
Your Telephone Bill
How You Are Billed | Back to top
Charges for local service and equipment are billed one month in advance. Telegrams, long distance charges and repair charges are billed after they have been placed.
How, When & Where To Pay | Back to top
The due date for payment of customer’s bills is within sixteen (16) days after issuance, or the 20th or 1st week day thereafter. Bills are delinquent if unpaid by the due date.
You can mail your payment or pay your bill at your local service office. You can save time if you use your payment portion of your bill when paying in person or by mail.
Error On Your Bill | Back to top
If you have a question on your bill, call your local service representative. Explain the possible error to the representative who will help you. If the error cannot be resolved, please pay the undisputed charges on time so you’ll maintain a good payment record while the problem is being investigated.
Paying The Bill On Time, So Your Service Will Not Be Disconnected. | Back to top
Service may be disconnected if the bill has not been paid or a satisfactory agreement has not been made with the Company within twenty-six (26) days from the date of issuance of the billing, subject to the Company giving proper notice at least ten (10) days prior to stated date of disconnection. The customer is responsible for all Long Distance calls placed from or charged to his telephone. The holder of a calling card is responsible for the security of his calling card number and will be required to pay for all Long Distance calls correctly charged to that number until the Company is notified in writing that the customer’s calling card has been lost, stolen or is being used by an unauthorized person.
How To Get Your Service Restored | Back to top
All past charges must be paid before your service can be reconnected, and you will be charged a restoral fee. You may be asked to pay a deposit.
If You Cannot Pay Your Bill | Back to top
If you are ill, or cannot pay your bill, a deferred payment plan is available to any residential customer who has expressed an inability to pay all of his or her bill, if that customer has not been issued more than two disconnection notices at any time during the preceding twelve months.
Notice to Customers with Bridged Line Service | Back to top
Bridged Lines or Off Premise Extensions at Big Bend Telephone are bridged in the Central Office and per NECA Tariff FCC No. 5, Section 4, which is the ruling authority for End User Subscriber Line Charges, both portions of the "bridge" should be charged an End User Subscriber Line Charge.
New Billing Option–Prepaid Telephone Service | Back to top
Big Bend Telephone Company, Inc. (Big Bend) is pleased to notify you of Prepaid Local Telephone Service (PLTS), a program that helps customers manage outstanding telephone balances and retain basic local telephone service. The Public Utility Commission of Texas has directed that we provide this service.
PLTS gives eligible customers a one-time opportunity to retain their local service if they are at risk of disconnection of their local service for nonpayment of telephone bills. It also allows residential customers who have been disconnected because of delinquent or unpaid bills to be reconnected.
PLTS is not available to business customers.
Your Responsibility | Back to top
To receive this service, you must agree to receive Toll Blocking/Restriction Service, which will prevent you from making long distance telephone calls or usage-sensitive calls, which include directory assistance, call return, call trace, and auto redial. In subscribing to PLTS, you agree not to incur additional charges for long distance or usage-sensitive services. In addition, you agree not to request additional services from your local telephone carrier other than those included in your PLTS subscription. If you violate the terms of this agreement you can be disconnected immediately and will not be eligible to receive PLTS again from Big Bend.
To subscribe to PLTS, you must also pay up to two months of charges up front. You must arrange a deferred payment plan with Big Bend for your outstanding local telephone charges. Payments for these charges will begin with the third billing cycle after you subscribe to PLTS. The monthly payments on this plan may not exceed $10.00 per month or one-twelfth of the outstanding local debt, whichever is larger.
You must pay your PLTS bill by the date due.
To Subscribe | Back to top
Please contact your local Big Bend office during normal business hours and request PLTS. If your telephone has been disconnected and you apply for PLTS within 10 days of Big Bend’s mailing of your PLTS eligibility notice, you will not be required to pay the reconnection charge for restoring service at that time. You will be required to pay that charge when you return to basic local telephone service.
PLTS Rates | Back to top
A subscription to PLTS provides these services at the monthly rate listed below. If you are eligible for Lifeline rates, your rates may be lower.
| PLTS Services |
Monthly Rate |
| Residential Basic Local Telephone Service |
$ 8.50 |
| White Pages Directory Listing |
No Charge |
| Toll Blocking/Restrictions |
No Charge |
Non-Published Number Service (if requested)
Access to 911, dual party services and Big Bend |
$ 1.00 |
| Business Office |
No Charge |
In addition to the charges for service listed above, customers will be responsible for paying surcharges or fees required by law or ordinance, including, but not limited to: 911 charges, subscriber line charges, sales tax, Universal Service Fund charges, and municipal fees. Customers are also expected to pay for Extended Area Service (EAS), Extended Local Calling (ELC) or Extended Metropolitan Service (EMS) if those services are requested and required in their area.
If you have any questions about PLTS, please contact your local Big Bend Business Office.
CHARGES ON YOUR TELEPHONE BILL - YOUR RIGHTS AS A CUSTOMER | Back to top
Placing charges on your phone bill for products or services without your authorization is known as "cramming" and is prohibited by law. Your telephone company may be providing billing services for other companies, so other companies' charges may appear on your telephone bill. If you believe you were "crammed," you should contact the telephone company that bills you for your telephone service, Big Bend Telephone Company at 1-800-592-4781 and request that it take corrective action. The Public Utility Commission of Texas requires the billing telephone company to do the following within 45 days of when it learns of the unauthorized charge:
Notify the service provider to cease charging you for the unauthorized product or service;
remove any unauthorized charge from your bill;
refund or credit all money to you that you have paid for an unauthorized charge;
and
on your request, provide you with all billing records related to any unauthorized charge within 15 business days after the charge is removed from your telephone bill.
If the company fails to resolve your request, or if you would like to file a complaint, please write or call the Public Utility Commission of Texas, PO Box 13326, Austin, Texas 78711-3326, (512) 936-7120 or toll-free in Texas at (888) 782-8477.
Hearing and speech-impaired individuals with text telephones (TTY) may contact the commission at (512) 936-7136.
Your phone service cannot be disconnected for disputing or refusing to pay unauthorized charges.
You may have additional rights under state and federal law. Please contact the Federal Communications Commission, the Attorney General of Texas, or the Public Utility Commission of Texas if you would like further information about possible additional rights.
LOCAL DISCONNECT RULE | Back to top
At the December 1, 1999 Open meeting, the Public Utility Commission approved local disconnect rule in Project No. 21030, revisions to various Customer Service and Protection rules which prohibit discontinuance of basic local service for nonpayment of long distance charges. With the adoption of the rule revisions in this project, local service providers are:
Prohibited from:
Refusing service to a residential applicant for previous nonpayment of long distance charges.
Including long distance charges in determining deposit amounts for residential customers.
Disconnecting basic local service of a residential customer for failure to pay long distance charges.
Required to:
Specifically state on the customer disconnect notice the amount due and payable to retain basic local service. Note: This amount includes, in addition to the rate for the basic residential access line, the rates for all tariffed optional local services subscribed to by the customer, associated taxes, fees, surcharges, etc.
Apply partial payments to basic local service (identified above) first. In instances where basic local service is provided in a bundle, the standalone rate for basic local service shall be used in the application of payment.
Notify the customer of their right to receive basic local telephone service without entering into PLTS anytime the company notifies (orally or in writing) the customer of the rates and conditions of PLTS if the customer does not owe for basic local service. Note: A statement to this effect will need to be added to the PLTS notice.
Allowed to:
Disconnect basic local service of a residential customer in instances where the customer avoided a toll block initiated due to the nonpayment of long distance charges and/or for fraudulent activities.
Toll block (with access to toll-free numbers where technically available) a residential customer for nonpayment of long distance charges. The local service provider is required to provide notice to the customer within 24 hours of implementation of the toll block.
Establish toll blocking pursuant to long distance carrier's request and charge the long distance carrier the Commission-established nonrecurring and recurring monthly charges for toll blocking. The local service provider is required to provide notice to the customer within 24 hours of implementation of the toll block. Note: Notices sent may include an explanation that the long distance carrier requested the toll block and provide contact information for the long distance carrier. If there is an agreement between the long distance carrier and the local service provider, the long distance carrier may actually send the notice.
Federal Universal Service Charge Increase | Back to top
The Federal Universal Service Charge (FUSC) contributions factor has been increased from 10.2 percent to 10.9 percent effective April 1, 2006. The new FUSC amount is calculated by multiplying the FCC’s universal service contribution factor (10.9%) times your interstate service charges. The federal universal service fund program is designed to help keep local telephone service rates affordable for all customers, in all areas of the United States.
Reducción del cargo llamado servicio federal universal
El redito del cargo del Servicio Federal Universal aumento a 10.2 por ciento a 10.9 por ciento effectivo el 1 de Abril del 2006. El nuevo cargo se calcula multiplicando el factor de contribución del FCC de 10.9% por la cantidad de sus cargos de fuera de nuestra area. Este fondo universal de servicios esta disenado para ayudar a companias locales mantener reditos razonables a todos los clientes en todas las areas de Estados Unidos.
Texas Universal Service Fund Rate Increase | Back to top
The Texas Universal Service Fund (TUSF) assessment rate has changed from 3.60% of all taxable telecommunications receipts to 5.65% of intrastate telecommunications services receipts only. Beginning September 1, 2004, you will no longer be assessed TUSF on interstate or international telecommunications services.
Tejas los Fondos Universales del Servicio Valoran el Aumento El redito asesorado del Fondo de Servicio Universal de Texas cambio de 3.60% a 5.65%. Este redito se aplica a ingresos que llevan impuestos de servicios telecomunicación dentro del estado. Comenzando con esta factura ya no se asesorara el Servicioi Universal de Texas a servicios de telecomunicación fuera del estado o internancional.
Texas Universal Service Fund | Back to top
You may notice a charge called "Texas Universal Service" that pays for the Texas Universal Service Fund. This fund was created by the State of Texas to help pay for low income customers and customers in high cost rural areas and to serve customers with disabilities. This charge is approximately 5.65 percent of your bill and is being offset by reductions in instate long distance charges. If you have any questions about this charge or how it is calculated, please call Big Bend Telephone Co. at 1-800-592-4781.
Puede que usted se fije que su factural lleva un cargo llamado "Texas Universal Service" (Servicio Universal de Texas). Este cargo se establecio por el estado de Texas para ayudar a clientes de bajos recursos y clientes en areas rurales donde el costo de servicio es mascaro y tambien para servicios a clientes incapacitados. Este cargo es aproximadamente 5.65 por ciento de su factura telefonica y compensado por la reduccion en cargos de larga distancia entre el estado. Si tiene alguna pregunta referente a este cargo o su calculacion, por favor llame a Big Bend Telephone Company al 1-800-592-4781.
Preferred Telephone Company Freeze | Back to top
Preferred telephone company freeze ("freeze") prevents a change in a customer’s telephone provider unless you consent by contacting Big Bend Telephone Company. A freeze can protect you against "slamming" (switching your telephone service without your permission). You can impose a freeze on your local toll, long distance service, or both. To impose a freeze contact Big Bend Telephone Company. Big Bend Telephone Company must verify your freeze request by getting your written and signed authorization, electronic authorization, or through an independent third party verification. You will not be able to change your telephone provider without lifting the freeze. You may lift a freeze by giving Big Bend Telephone Company a written and signed request or by calling Big Bend Telephone Company with your request. You must do this in addition to providing the verification information that your new telephone provider will request. There is no charge to the customer to impose or lift a freeze.
Freeze Authorization Form | Back to top
The purpose of a freeze is to prevent a change in your telephone company without your consent. A freeze is a protection against "slamming" (switching your telephone company without your permission). You can impose a freeze on either your local toll or long distance service provider, or both. If you want a freeze, you must contact Big Bend Telephone Company at 1-800-592-4781 to lift the freeze before you can change your service provider. You may add or lift a freeze at any time at no charge.
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