Outage Refund Protection Act

This bill requires telephone, cable, direct broadcast satellite (DBS), and internet providers with over 5,000 customers to automatically refund customers when services are unavailable for 4 hours or more, and to make customer service improvements. It also mandates reporting of service outages during disasters.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines cable, DBS, internet, and telephone providers as those with more than 5,000 customers, including wireless carriers, wireline providers, and VoIP services.

Sec. 3, Refunds: Providers must automatically credit customers 1/30 of the monthly rate for each day service is unavailable for 4 hours or more. If a customer terminates service, any credit exceeding the amount due must be refunded within 30 days via check, no-fee prepaid debit card, or electronic transfer, at the customer's choice. Refunds are not required if the cost of disbursement exceeds the refund amount. Pre-planned maintenance outages are excluded. The FCC must issue enforcement rules within 18 months. State laws with stricter requirements are not preempted.

Sec. 4, Customer Service Improvements: Within 18 months, the FCC must issue rules requiring providers to extend cable customer service requirements to other services, maintain customer service call recordings for at least one year and release them upon request, and not charge fees for callback options. The FTC must issue rules on missed service appointments and assess the burden of returning equipment for disabled or non-driving individuals, requiring alternative return methods at no extra cost if the burden is high. The FTC can seek injunctions to enforce these rules. States may impose higher requirements.

Sec. 5, Service Outages: As soon as possible after the Disaster Information Reporting System is activated, each broadband internet service provider must report service outages in the affected area to the FCC and include outage information in public reports.