Effective June 30, 2023, CPUC is under a new contract with U.S. Bank. No changes are required on your end if have already followed the instructions as indicated in item #5, under Section IV. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE SYSTEM.

 

I. TUFFS - U.S. BANK PAYMENT SYSTEM

The U.S. Bank/California EFT web based system is an integrated Automated Clearing House (ACH) network that allows payers’ to submit their surcharges and user fee payments online to the CPUC after they have been reported in TUFFS.

The system is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Payments can be submitted at any time through this interface.

This system uses the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network to remit payments. The user creates an online payment for the CPUC by inserting details like:
    a. Payment Type - This is the fee type, Surcharge and/or User Fee you want to pay.
    b. Billing Period (MM/YY) - The billing period of the fee the payment is for.
    c. Fee Amount - the amount of payment you want to remit.
    d. Bank debit date -This is the date the user's bank account will be debited.Accordion text body will be here.

The U.S. Bank/California EFT payment system offers many benefits:

    a. Ease of Use -California EFT offers 4 easy "step by step" instructions to make a payment.
         i. Select Payment Option
         ii. Enter Payment Information
         iii. Confirm Payment Information
         iv. Receive Payment Acknowledgement

    b. Fast -Payments can be scheduled in minutes.

    c. Scheduling -Payments can be scheduled in advance for future dates. Depending on your agency, a payment can be scheduled up to 90 banking days from the current day.

    d. Secure -This system implements a high degree of security to protect your payments. All payments are sent to your financial institution through secured connections.

    e. History -CA EFT stores your payment history for a 3-year period. Users can log into their account and review all the payments made and their statuses using the "Payment Inquiry" feature. All payments made through other Metavante interfaces like telephone (IVR - Interactive Voice Response), or through a customer service representative (CSR) will also show within this web based system.

    f. Paperless -This system eliminates the need for writing checks to make payments. Even your payment receipts are stored online. A customer can print them if required.

5.What types of payments can be made through the web based payment system?
All telecommunications surcharges and user fees may be remitted using the system.
    a. California's (six) public purpose program surcharges
    b. California's (six) ppp surcharges for intrastate PREPAID wireless service
    c. CPUC User Fee
    d. CPUC User Fee for intrastate PREPAID wireless service

This system is available to telecommunications corporations and VoIP providers who have registered with the CPUC.  Upon confirmation of their enrollment, users will obtain a login ID, generic 4-digit security code and will be required to register on the web application and create an 8-35 character password.

On the Sign In page, click the Register button for first time users. Enter in you CPUC login ID and generic security code an click continue. Complete the required fields and click the Submit button to activate your web account.  For returning users, enter in your CPUC login ID and password.

Payments can be scheduled for any banking day up to 45 days in advance; but, they cannot be scheduled for weekends or any of the Federal Reserve holidays listed below:

    a. New Year’s Day                      January 1*
    b. Martin Luther King Jr. Day     Third Monday in January
    c. Presidents' Day                      Third Monday in February
    d. Memorial Day                         Last Monday in May 6
    e. Independence Day                 July 4*
    f. Labor Day                                First Monday in September
    g. Columbus Day                        Second Monday in October
    h. Veteran's Day                         November 11*
    i. Thanksgiving Day                    Fourth Thursday in November
    j. Christmas Day                         December 25*

*If this day falls on a Sunday, the banks are closed the following Monday.

Payments can be submitted any time the system is available. If you are scheduling a payment for the next banking day, it must be completed before 3:00 pm Pacific Time.

In addition to your -CPUC login ID, security code and password to access the system, you will need the following basic information:
    a. Payment type
    b. Amount of the payment
    c. Billing period
    d. The debit date or the date you want the funds withdrawn from your account and deposited in the CPUC account.

II. SCHEDULE A PAYMENT

a. Login
b. Select the desired Payment Type and billing period and enter the appropriate values in the displayed fields. Click "Continue". The Payment Verification screen will be displayed.
c. Review the payment information for accuracy. If it is correct, click "Submit Payment". If incorrect, click the "Edit Payment" button to make changes.
d. The Payment Confirmation screen will be displayed. Your Payment Confirmation Number will be listed. Print this page as a receipt for your payment. If you wish to make another payment, click the Make Another Payment button. Otherwise, you may select another function or log off the system.

a. Log in and click "Payment Inquiry" on the navigation menu.
b. If necessary, enter the search criteria of the payment you would like to view and click "Search".
c. When you find your payment, click the View/Cancel button on the payment line to display the payment details.

The search results may be sorted by clicking the column headers (ex: Payment Type, Debit Date, etc.) you wish to sort by.

a. Scheduled: The payment is scheduled for debit in the future, and may still be canceled.
b. Submitted: The payment is scheduled for debit on the next banking day. The payment may still be canceled if performed prior to 3:00 pm PT of the banking day before the debit date.
c. Canceled: The scheduled or submitted payment was canceled.
d. Paid: The payment was processed successfully.
e. Failed: The payment was processed on the ACH network, but was denied.

a. When viewing the Payment Confirmation screen, click the "Print this Page" link. A printer-friendly version of the page will be displayed.
b. Select File/Print or click the printer icon in your web browser to print the page.

a. Log in and click "Payment Inquiry" on the navigation menu.
b. Enter the search criteria for the payment you would like to cancel and click "Search."
c. Click the View/Cancel button for payment you would like to cancel.
d. Click "Cancel Payment" on the View/Cancel Payment screen if you are certain you want to cancel the payment.
e. Click "Confirm" on the Confirm Payment Cancelation popup message to confirm the cancelation.
f. After the payment is canceled, the Payment Cancelled screen will be displayed with your cancelation reference number. You may print this page for your records.

No. Once a payment has been canceled, it cannot be altered again. The payment will need to be re-entered and a new reference number will be generated.

III. USER ASSISTANCE AND QUESTIONS

a. Select the Payment Inquiry option from the main navigation menu.
b. Enter the criteria of the payment you would like to retrieve and click Search.

Contact Customer Service at 1-800-554-7500 and follow the prompts to get to an operator, or contact your agency's EFT Helpline for assistance.

Forgotten passwords and security codes cannot be retrieved; however, new ones can be created. On the login page, click the appropriate link to your forgotten password/security code. Answer the security questions when prompted to replace your forgotten information.

Additional instructions on how to report and remit your surcharge and user fee payments are available in the TUFFS user guide and other instructional information on the CPUC’s Communications Division webpage under Surcharge and User Fees

IV. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE SYSTEM

You will need a computer with Internet access and one of following combinations of browser and operating systems:

a. Chrome 44 or newer

b. Internet Explorer Version 9 or newer     

c. Firefox 42 or newer

d. Safari 7 or newer

 

Our system does not store cookies on your computer. Users will have to put in their login credentials every time they log in to this system. Our system requires users to enter their CPUC login ID and password.

This system utilizes the most advanced security available to ensure the privacy of your payment information. All transactions are conducted over a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection secured with 256-bit encryption. SSL is a communications protocol for transmitting private information over the Internet.

a. All transmitted information is sent using an encrypted connection.

b. Your session will timeout after 20 minutes if left idle.

c. Your browser will not cache the information entered and it will not be stored locally on your computer.

The carriers’ banks should understand the need for debit filters. There is no requirement that the debit block on behalf of the carriers be removed. The only requirement would be to establish a debit filter. The debit filter allows debit transactions from only a specific sender to access their respective accounts. The filters are established by using the company ID from batch header information which U.S. Bank transmits within the ACH file to the clearing house. This information is received by the account holders’ bank and the company ID acknowledges this data as an acceptable debit.

U.S. Bank offers this service as follows:

Block and Filter Descriptions

Debit Block:

This is the simplest option. A debit block prevents all ACH debits received for the account from posting. Unauthorized debits are automatically returned to the originating (sending) company. Debit Blocks remain in effect until U.S. Bank receives written notification from the account holder to cancel or change the service.

Standing Order Authorization: (filter)

This option is designed for those clients who want to permit routine, recurring debit transactions to post to their Demand Deposit Account (DDA). The Standing Order filter can be established at the company level.

1.     Company Level: This option restricts the identification criteria of the transaction to the sending company’s identification and to a dollar amount limitation (max amount can be applied). Further identification criteria for the transaction are not required. All transactions from the sending company that pass the dollar amount limitation will be accepted.

Public Purpose Program Surcharges on Access Lines

Company Name (max 16 bytes) position 5‐20 on the ACH batch header record

Company ID (max 10 bytes) position 41‐50 on the ACH batch header record

 Access Line Surcharge   3943031353

 

Public Purpose Program Surcharges

Company Name (max 16 bytes) position 5‐20 on the ACH batch header record

Company ID (max 10 bytes) position 41‐50 on the ACH batch header record

 CPUC ULTS  7050001096
 CPUC DDTP  7050001088
 CPUC CHCF A  7020021904
 CPUC CHCF B  7050001061
 CPUC CTF  7020015831
 CPUC CASF  7020001111

 

Prepaid Wireless Surcharges

Company Name (max 16 bytes) position 5‐20 on the ACH batch header record

Company ID (max 10 bytes) position 41‐50 on the ACH batch header record

 CPUC CASF PREPAID  8020001111
 CPUC CHCF A PREPAID  8020021904
 CPUC CHCF B PREPAID  8050001061
 CPUC CTF PREPAID  8020015831
 CPUC DDTP PREPAID  8050001088
 CPUC ULTS PREPAID  8050001096

 

CPUC User Fees

Company Name (max 16 bytes) position 5‐20 on the ACH batch header record

Company ID (max 10 bytes) position 41‐50 on the ACH batch header record

 CPUC USER FEE  1943031353
 CPUC PREPAID USER FEE  2943031353

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