Section 1345.18. Prior, verified consent required to switch natural gas or public telecommunications service provider

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Consumer," "person," and "supplier" have the same meanings as in section 1345.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Consumer transaction" has the same meaning as in section 1345.01 of the Revised Code except that the sale, lease, assignment, award by chance, or other transfer of an item of goods, a service, a franchise, or an intangible, or solicitation to supply any of those things, to an individual is for purposes that are primarily other than personal, family, or household.

(3) "Natural gas service" means the sale of natural gas, exclusive of any distribution or ancillary service.

(4) "Public telecommunications service" means the transmission by electromagnetic or other means, other than by a telephone company as defined in section 4927.01 of the Revised Code, of signs, signals, writings, images, sounds, messages, or data originating in this state regardless of actual call routing. "Public telecommunications service" excludes a system, including its construction, maintenance, or operation, for the provision of telecommunications service, or any portion of such service, by any entity for the sole and exclusive use of that entity, its parent, a subsidiary, or an affiliated entity, and not for resale, directly or indirectly; the provision of terminal equipment used to originate telecommunications service; broadcast transmission by radio, television, or satellite broadcast stations regulated by the federal government; or cable television service.

(B)

(1) No supplier, in connection with a consumer transaction involving natural gas service or public telecommunications service to a consumer in this state, shall request or submit, or cause to be requested or submitted, a change in the consumer's provider of natural gas service or public telecommunications service, without first obtaining, or causing to be obtained, the verified consent of the consumer. For the purpose of this division and with respect to public telecommunications service only, the procedures necessary for verifying the consent of a consumer shall be those prescribed by rule by the public utilities commission for public telecommunications service under division (D) of section 4905.72 of the Revised Code. Also, for the purpose of this division, the act, omission, or failure of any officer, agent, or other individual, acting for or employed by another person, while acting within the scope of that authority or employment, is the act or failure of that other person.

(2) Consistent with the exclusion, under 47 C.F.R. 64.1100(a)(3), of commercial mobile radio service providers from the verification requirements adopted in 47 C.F.R. 64.1100 , 64.1150, 64.1160, 64.1170, 64.1180, and 64.1190 by the federal communications commission, division (B)(1) of this section does not apply to a provider of commercial mobile radio service insofar as such provider is engaged in the provision of commercial mobile radio service. However, when that exclusion no longer is in effect, division (B)(1) of this section shall apply to such a provider.

Effective Date: 05-17-2000