(1) Customer information includes the customer's name, address, telephone number, service level, credit and deposit information, and billing history.

(2) Companies must use customer information only for:

(a) Providing and billing for services the customer requests;

(b) Marketing new services or options to its customers; or

(c) Providing information to its customers.

(3) Any sale or release of customer information without the written permission of the customer is prohibited. The only exceptions to this rule are:

(a) Release of information to the commission to investigate or resolve complaints filed with the commission by a customer;

(b) Sharing nonpayment information with agencies the company engages to act as the company's agent in pursuing collection of past due accounts; and

(c) Release of information of a former customer for purposes of WAC 480-70-411 (1)(a).

(4) Companies are allowed to collect and release customer information in aggregate form if the aggregated information does not allow any specific customer to be identified.