The National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange, Inc. (NCTUE)

is a member-owned database housed and managed by Equifax. Membership is available to the nation’s leading telecommunication and utility companies.

NCTUE exchanges information on new connects and defaulted and/or fraudulent accounts among members. It provides access to current contact information on defaulted consumers and customized treatment and collection strategies for new applicants and existing customers who have unpaid bills. In addition, information is available to assist in determining objective methodology for assessing deposits and identification of higher-risk consumer applicants.

• Early identification of higher-risk accounts from new residential service applicants
• Location of former customers whose service was terminated with an unpaid balance
• Identification and implementation of additional uses of the data to benefit members

NCTUE members report Customer Service Applications (CSA's) to the database within 30 days of provisioning. They also report Unpaid Closed Accounts (UCA's) and UCA payment updates. All data submitted remains the property of the member at all times.

A member submitting a CSA that matches a UCA will receive a "match" report containing all the information in the UCA record with the exception of the name of the carrier that submitted the record. This information can be used to identify higher-risk consumer applicants, to customize credit and collections strategy, and to serve as an objective methodology for assessing deposits. The database automatically matches and reports on information received subsequent to account provisioning for six months.

Members also receive a "skip" report when UCA's that they submit match
CSA's in the system. The source of the data is not identified unless it is against the members own data. NCTUE enhances collection and recovery processes by reporting new address and telephone information on defaulted accounts for 24 months.

"Online Inquiry" is available to members at the time of provisioning to determine whether a prospective customer has defaulted on an account with another carrier prior to initiating service. "Reverse Append" is an optional tool that returns a name and address when a phone number is submitted. The"Suppression Tool" allows members to screen marketing lists. Those consumers who have unpaid closed accounts in the database can be deleted from the list prior to the commencement of marketing efforts, saving the member time and money.

Wireless members can utilize the "Wireless Port Indicator" to determine the number of times a wireless number has changed carriers in the last 24 months.

Membership in NCTUE is open to any telecom company (as defined by the Telecommunications Act of 1996) with residential accounts and any utility company with consumer accounts. This includes companies that provide:
cable service, electric/power, gas, internet service, local phone service, long distance phone service, satellite service, water and wireless service.