Other Information

When you place a collect or third-number billed call, the telecommunications provider that handled the call may want to bill you directly, so we must provide them your name and address. Telecommunications service providers are usually long distance companies, but also may include pay phone owners, long distance resellers, and "900" pay per call providers. Your name and address are to be used for customer service, to prevent fraud, or to update mailing addresses, but cannot be used for marketing.

If you do not want your billing name and address released, simply call Consolidated Customer Service at 800-742-7464. You should be aware that you will not be able to place third number calls or receive collect calls if your billing name and address is not released.

We are responsible for the line to your home and any equipment provided by Consolidated, not for problems with equipment you own or equipment leased from a third party. Equipment not furnished by Consolidated may be used, provided such use does not interfere, endanger, or damage our facilities, or the services we provide. Any items used in violation of our tariff may lead to the removal of the equipment or the suspension of telephone service.

In order to avoid interruption of utility service, Nebraska law requires that everyone planning to excavate (or otherwise disturb the ground) must call Nebraska811 at least two business days, but not more that 10 days, before the work is scheduled to start. Customers can access Nebraska811 free of charge by dialing 8-1-1 or 800-331-5666 from any phone. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please be ready to provide the following information:

• Your name, address and phone number.
• Start date, time, and duration of the excavation.
• For whom the work is being performed.
• Driving instructions to the area to be excavated, as well as a description of the work site.

After you call Nebraska811, they will in turn authorize us to begin locating facilities.

The National Do Not Call Registry has been established to offer you a choice about receiving telemarketing calls at home. Registering will stop most telemarketing calls but it will not stop calls from political organizations, charities, and companies conducting surveys or companies with whom you have done business within the last 18 months.

Consumers can register their residential phone numbers, but the Registry does not cover business numbers. The number will be on the Do Not Call list the day after registration. Telemarketers have up to 31 days to remove the number from call lists. Your registration will not expire but a number can be removed from the list at any time. You may register up to three numbers at one time if registering on the Internet. If registering via telephone, you can register only one number at a time and you must call from the telephone number you are registering.

To register or remove a number from the Do Not Call Registry call 1-888-382-1222, for TTY call 1-866-290-4236 or register on the Internet at www.donotcall.gov.

The Nebraska Public Service Commission designated Consolidated as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. Other services, including toll blocking, are also available. Broadband is available as an Internet access service.

Consolidated participates in Lifeline, a government benefit program, to make residential telephone service more affordable. Monthly service discounts are available to customers who qualify based on income or who participate in one or more of the following programs:

• Medicaid
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
• Veteran’s Pension and Survivor’s Pension Benefit or income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty guidelines

The Lifeline discount is available for one wireless or wireline telephone or voice and broadband service per household, which is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Lifeline service is not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers who willfully make false statements to obtain Lifeline service can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from the program.

Individuals may apply for discounts through the Nebraska Telephone Assistance Program (NTAP). Contact your local Health and Human Services agency caseworker, the Nebraska Public Service Commission at 800-526-0017 or apply online at http://www.psc.nebraska.gov/ for more information. If you have any questions regarding Consolidated’s services, please call 800-742-7464.

This notice is posted in accordance with Nebraska Public Service Commission order TC97-XXX and pursuant to 47 United States Code Section 214(e) and 47 Code of Federal Regulations Section 54.201.

What is Nebraska Relay?
Nebraska Relay is a free, completely confidential 24-hour public service that makes the use of the telephone possible and a better experience for many thousands of citizens and visitors of the state who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, speech-disabled, and hearing.

How does Nebraska Relay work?
The person dials the toll-free Nebraska Relay number and gives the communications assistant (often abbreviated as the CAl the area code and number of the person receiving the call. An example of a Nebraska Relay service is a highly trained CA who voices the typed comments by the TTY (text telephone) user and types the spoken comments by the other person back to the TTY user. Nebraska Relay provides several options to meet the needs of people who do not use the standard telephone.

How to connect to Nebraska Relay
Dial: 7-1-1 Hearing Carry-Over: 1-800-833-7352
TTY: 1-800-833-7352 Speech-to-Speech: 1-888-272-5527
Voice: 1-800-833-0920 Spanish-to-Spanish: 1-888-272-5528
ASCII: 1-888-696-0629 Spanish-to-English: 1-877-564-3503
Voice Carry-Over: 1-877-564-2481

*Some buildings with a PBX telephone system (often in hotels and offices that have extension numbers) make reaching 7-1-1 not possible. The 800 numbers can be dialed when not able to get through to 7-1-1.

How do I apply for specialized telephone equipment?
The Nebraska Specialized Telecommunications Equipment Program (NSTEP) provides qualified applicants (proof of a disability that makes using a standard telephone difficult or impossible) with vouchers to purchase assistive telephone equipment. A person can apply for a voucher by visiting www.nebraskarelay.com/nstep or calling 1-800-526-0017 VoicemY or the Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 1-800-545-6244.

Learn more about Nebraska Relay
Nebraska Relay Website: www.nebraskarelay.com
Nebraska Relay Customer Service: 1-800-676-3777 (TTYNoice/ASCII)
Nebraska Relay Spanish Customer Service: 1-800-676-4290 (TTYNoice/ASCII)
CapTel Customer Service: 1-888-269-7477 (Voice/CapTellTTY)
CapTel Spanish Customer Service: 1-866-670-9134 (Voice/CapTellTTY)
Sprint TTY Operator Service: 1-800-855-4000

Services supported by surcharge
A few cents per telephone bill surcharge makes Nebraska Relay services possible for the citizens of Nebraska. Sprint is the provider of the relay services for Nebraska.

To learn more about 7-1-1 and the Nebraska Relay Service contact us at 1-800-676-3777 Voice/TTY or visit NebraskaRelay.com. Also you may contact one of our representatives by email, acctinfo@nebnet.net.

If you are receiving obscene or threatening calls, the following suggestions may be helpful:

• Do not give information, such as your name or address, and advise your children not to give out information either.
• Inform your children that if you are not at home they should say, "My mother and father are busy and can't come to the phone right now."
• Screen your calls using calling features such as Caller ID, Call Rejection, or Call Acceptance. For more information, see the Optional Services section.
• Hang up at the first obscene word, or if the caller does not say anything after the second hello.
• Always find out who is calling, the name of the person, and the company he or she represents.
• If calls persist, and you have used the techniques suggested above, call your local police department. Intentional annoyance of another by telephone is prohibited by law. The maximum penalty for violation is a fine of $500, or three months imprisonment, or both. (Nebraska Statute: 28-1310)

A variety of information services are available by dialing phone numbers with an area code of "900." The companies providing the information establish the price and content of these services.

For billing disputes or inquiries, please contact our business office. You have 60 days from the date of your bill to dispute a billing error. You have the right to withhold payment of disputed charges and no collection activity for disputed charges will occur while the charges are under investigation. The billing entity of "900" charges forfeits the amount of any telephone billed purchase (up to $50.00 per transaction) if it fails to comply with the billing error resolution requirement rules. If after investigation, it is determined that the disputed charges are legitimate, your long distance company or the information provider may proceed with outside collections against your account.

Your local and long distance service, however, cannot be disconnected for non-payment of "900" charges. Failure to pay legitimate "900" charges may result in involuntary blocking of access to "900" service. You may voluntarily block access to "900" services. If you prefer the ability to override the "900" block, you may want to order the Phone Lock feature. Please call us at 800-742- 7464 if you are interested in either of these services.

Nebraska law prohibits the fraudulent use of a calling card or telephone billing number to obtain telephone service for the purpose of avoiding charges.

The maximum penalty for violation is 20 years imprisonment, or $25,000, or both. (Nebraska Statute: 28-515)

The privacy of your telecommunication services is important. You can read our Privacy Policy here.

Regulations and rules governing Consolidated's services are on file at our business office. One of our customer service representatives will be glad to assist you in obtaining this information. Problems regarding telephone service or billing should be brought to our attention by calling us at 800-742-7464 or writing us at:

ATTN: Customer Service Supervisor
6900 Van Dorn Street Ste 21
Lincoln, NE 68506

Consolidated Telco, Inc., is the recipient of Federal financial assistance from the Rural Electrification Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is subject to the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture which provide that no person in the United States on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap shall be excluded from participation in, admission or access to, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any of this organization's programs or activities.

The person responsible for coordinating this organization's nondiscrimination compliance efforts is Charles L. Fast, President. Any individual, or specific class of individuals, who feels that this organization has subjected them to discrimination may obtain further information about the statutes and regulations listed above from and/or file a written complaint with this organization; or the Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250; or the Administrator, Rural Electrification Administration, Washington, D.C. 20250. Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the alleged discrimination.

Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible.

Customers can access weather reports and road conditions around the clock by dialing 5-1-1 from any phone. Callers can request route specific information for interstates and highways throughout the state. There is no charge to callers. This program is managed by the Nebraska State Patrol and Department of Roads.

Consolidated WBITS and CBOL Rates Terms and Conditions