DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND INDUSTRY SERVICES

                         PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

                        OPERATOR SERVICE PROVIDERS


(By authority conferred on the public service commission by sections  213 and 
317 of Act No. 179 of  the  Public   Acts   of   1991,   as  amended,   being 
SS484.2213 and 484.2317 of the Michigan Compiled Laws)


R  484.101   Applicability of rules.
  Rule 1. These rules apply to any person who provides  operator  service  in 
Michigan through a method other than as  specified   in   section  102(t)(i), 
(ii), or (iii) of Act No. 179 of the Public  Acts  of   1991,   as   amended, 
being S484.2102(t)(i), (ii), or (iii) of the Michigan Compiled Laws.

  History: 1996 AACS.


R  484.102   Definitions.
  Rule 2. As used in these rules:
  (a) "Caller" or "end user" means an individual who attempts to  complete  a 
call through use of an operator service provider.
  (b) "Commission" means the Michigan public service commission.
  (c) "Customer" means a person who owns or controls a telephone,  system, or 
network over which operator services are provided in Michigan.
  (d) "Emergency services" means police, fire, or ambulance services.
  (e) "Operator service" means a telecommunication  service   that   includes 
automatic or live assistance to an end user to arrange  for  completion   and 
billing of  a  telephone  call  originating  within  this   state   that   is 
specified by the end user through a method other than 1 of the following:
  (i) Automatic completion with billing to the  telephone   from  which   the 
call originated.
  (ii) Completion through an access code or a  proprietary   account   number 
used by the end user, with billing to  an   account   previously  established 
with the provider by the end user.
  (iii) Completion in association with directory assistance services.
  (c) "Operator service provider" or "OSP" means a   provider   of   operator 
service.
  (d) "Person" means an individual,  corporation,  partnership,  association, 
governmental entity, or any other legal entity.
  (e) "Telecommunication provider" or "provider" means  a   person,   or   an 
affiliate of the  person,  who,  for  compensation,   provides  1   or   more 
telecommunication services.
  (f) "Telecommunication service"  or  "service"   includes   regulated   and 
unregulated services offered to end users for the   transmission   of   2-way 
interactive communication and associated usage.
  (g) "Toll service" means the transmission of  2-way  interactive   switched 
communication between local calling areas. Toll service  does   not   include 
individually negotiated contracts for similar  telecommunication  services or 
wide area telecommunications service.

  History: 1996 AACS.


R  484.103   Registration required.
  Rule 3. An operator service provider shall not provide operator services in 
Michigan without first registering with the commission.

  History: 1996 AACS.


R  484.104   Registration; required information.
  Rule 4. An operator service provider registration shall  include   all   of 
the following information and documentation:
  (a) The name of the operator service provider.
  (b) The address of the operator service provider's principal office.
  (c) If the operator service provider is not  located   in   Michigan,   the 
address of the registered office and the name of the registered agent.
  (d) The name and the telephone number  of  the  employee   who   has   been 
designated by the operator service provider to respond to  inquiries  made by 
the commission or its staff.
  (e) A copy of any sticker, card, or other form of  information   that   the 
operator service provider is required by these rules to  furnish   to   every 
entity with which it contracts to provide operator service.
  (f) A listing of the toll-free customer service   telephone   number   that 
the operator service provider is required by these rules to maintain.
  (g) A complete schedule of the operator service  provider's  current  rates 
and charges to end users.
  (h) Verification in the form of a sworn affidavit by an  officer   of   the 
operator service provider that the operator service  provider's  current  and 
future rates and charges will not be more than 300% of  the   state   average 
rate for any operator or toll service that is  supplied   by   providers   of 
regulated toll service.
  (i) Verification in the form of a sworn affidavit by an  officer   of   the 
operator service  provider  of  the  actions  that   the   operator   service 
provider has taken to ensure that the stickers, cards, or  other   forms   of 
information that the operator service provider  is  required   to  distribute 
have actually been distributed and physically  affixed   to,   or   displayed 
near, each telephone in Michigan that has access to its operator  service.

  History: 1996 AACS.


R  484.105   Payment of registration fee.
  Rule 5. A registration filed by an operator service   provider   shall   be 
accompanied by an annual registration fee of $100.00.

  History: 1996 AACS.


R  484.106   Effective date of registration.
  Rule 6.  A  registration  filed  by  an  operator   service   provider   is 
effective immediately upon filing with the commission and the payment  of the 
registration fee and shall remain   in   effect   for   1   year   from   its 
effective date.

  History: 1996 AACS.


R  484.107   Renewal; failure to renew.
  Rule 7. (1) A registration filed by an operator service  provider  may   be 
renewed for 1 year by filing a renewal registration with the commission on  a 
form provided by the commission, and paying a renewal fee of $100.00.
  (2)  An  operator  service  provider  that  fails   to   file  a    renewal 
registration  form  and  renewal  fee  before  the    expiration    of    its 
registration shall not provide  operator  service  in   Michigan   until   it 
complies with the requirements of subrule (1) of this rule.

  History: 1996 AACS.


R  484.108   Contracts.
  Rule 8. An operator service provider shall offer   and   perform   operator 
service pursuant to a contractual arrangement  with  a   customer   that   is 
subject to  the  laws  of  Michigan  regarding   contract   formalities   and 
enforceability.

  History: 1996 AACS.


R  484.109   Mandatory contractual provisions; information.
  Rule 9. (1) A contract  between  an  operator  service   provider   and   a 
customer to whom the operator  service  provider   has   agreed  to   provide 
operator service shall require that the customer display a sticker,  card, or 
other form of information furnished by the operator   service   provider,  or 
prepared by the customer and containing the  same  information,  on  or  near 
each of the customer's telephones that access the  operator  service.
  (2) The sticker, card, or  other  form  of   information   required   under 
subrule (1) of this rule shall include all of the  following  information:
  (a) The name of the operator service provider.
  (b) A toll-free customer service telephone number.
  (c) A statement that charges imposed by the operator  service  provider  on 
end users are available  by  calling  the   operator   toll-free  using   the 
instructions  posted  on  the  telephone,  or  by   calling   the   toll-free 
telephone number.
  (d) A statement that a  caller  can  reach   emergency   services   without 
charge by dialing 9-1-1, if available, or by calling the operator.

  History: 1996 AACS.


R  484.110   Provider duties before connection of call.
  Rule 10. Before the  connection  of  each  call,   the   operator   service 
provider shall do all of the following:
  (a) Announce the operator service provider's name.
  (b) Quote, at the caller's request and without charge, the  rate  and   any 
other fees or surcharges applicable to the call charged   by   the   operator 
service provider.
  (c) Allow a caller to choose the provider of his or her  choice  by   doing 
either of the following:
  (i) If the rate for the call will not be calculated on the  basis  of   the 
actual origination  and  destination  points  of  the   call,   then,   after 
informing the caller  of  that  fact  and  after   receiving   the   caller's 
consent, transfer the caller to the provider of his or  her  choice,  without 
charge.
  (ii) Instruct the caller how to reach his or her  provider  of  choice   by 
dialing the provider's 950, 1-800, or 10-XXX access service number.
  (d) Allow callers to the operator service provider   to   reach   emergency 
services without charge.

  History: 1996 AACS.


R  484.111   Excessive rates prohibited.
  Rule 11. Except as otherwise authorized by the  commission,   an   operator 
service provider shall not charge a rate  for  operator   service   or   toll 
service that is more than 300% of the state average rate  for   operator   or 
toll service by providers of regulated toll service.

  History: 1996 AACS.


R  484.112   Discontinuation of basic local exchange  service
 prohibited.
  Rule 12. A provider shall not discontinue  basic  local  exchange   service 
because a caller has not paid an operator service provider charge.

  History: 1996 AACS.