(1) General. Applicants or customers, excluding telecommunications companies as defined in RCW 80.04.010, are entitled to, and a company must allow, an initial use, and then, once every five years dating from the customer's most recent use of the option, an option to pay a prior obligation over not less than a six-month period. The company must restore service upon payment of the first installment if an applicant is entitled to the payment arrangement provided for in this section and, if applicable, the first installment of a deposit is paid as provided for in WAC 480-120-122 (Establishing credit—Residential services).

(2) Restoring service based on federal enhanced tribal lifeline program eligibility. Local exchange companies (LECs) must restore service for any customer who has had basic service discontinued for nonpayment under WAC 480-120-172 (Discontinuing service—Company initiated) if the customer was not a participant in the federal enhanced tribal lifeline program at the time service was discontinued and if the customer is eligible to participate in the federal enhanced tribal lifeline program at the time the restoration of service is requested. To have service restored under this subsection, a customer must establish eligibility for the federal enhanced tribal lifeline program, agree to continuing participation in the federal enhanced tribal lifeline program, and agree to toll restriction, or ancillary service restriction, or both, if the company requires it, until the unpaid amounts are paid. Companies must not charge for toll restriction when restoring service under this section.

In the event a customer receiving service under this subsection fails to make a timely payment for either monthly basic service or for unpaid basic service or ancillary service, the company may discontinue service pursuant to WAC 480-120-172.

(3) Nothing in this rule precludes the company from entering into separate payment arrangements with any customer for unpaid toll charges or over a longer period than described in this rule as long as both the company and the customer agree to the payment arrangement. Longer payment arrangements as described in this subsection satisfy the requirements in subsection (1) or (2) of this section.