Printable Explanation of Charges:
Charge for Network Access (Subscriber Line Charge):
This charge covers the costs of the local phone network. This charge may appear
as “FCC Charge for Network Access,” “Federal Line Cost Charge,” “Interstate
Access Charge,” “Federal Access Charge,” “Interstate Single Line Charge,”
“Customer Line Charge” or “FCC-Approved Customer Line Charge.” The FCC sets the
maximum allowable Federal Subscriber Line Charge. This is not a government charge or tax, and it
does not end up in the U.S. treasury.
Voice Mail:
This item is provided as a service by your local telephone company. This
service may be disconnected for nonpayment, but nonpayment of this service will not result in
disconnection of your local telephone service.
Universal
Connectivity Fee (Universal Service Fund), Federal:
Because telephones provide a vital link to emergency services,
to government services and to surrounding communities, it has been our nation’s
policy to promote telephone service to all households since this service began
in the 1930s. The USF helps to make phone service affordable and available to
all Americans, including consumers with low incomes, those living in areas where
the costs of providing telephone service is high, schools and libraries and
rural health care providers. Congress has mandated that all telephone companies
providing interstate service must contribute to the USF. Although not required
to do so by the government, many carriers choose to pass their contribution
costs on to their customers in the form of a line item, often called the “Federal
Universal Service Fee” or “Universal Connectivity Fee”.
Local Number Portability:
The FCC allows local telephone companies to recover certain costs for
providing telephone number portability to its customers. Telephone number
portability allows residential and business customers to retain, at the same
location, their existing local telephone numbers when switching from one local
telephone service provider to another. The LNP Charge is a fixed, monthly charge. Local telephone companies
may continue to assess this charge on their customers’ telephone bills for
five years from the date the local telephone company first began itemizing the charge on the bill.
This charge is not a tax.
Emergency 911:
This charge is imposed by local governments to help pay for
emergency services such as fire and rescue.
TRS (Telecommunications Relay):
This charge helps to pay for the relay center which
transmits and translates calls for hearing-impaired and speech-impaired people.
Federal Excise Tax,
Federal:
This three percent tax is now applied only to local service billed separately from long distance service.
State & Local Taxes:
This charge is imposed by state, local and municipal governments
on goods and services. It may also appear as a “gross receipts” tax in some
states.
Carrier Universal
Service Charge:
Because telephones provide a vital link to emergency
services, to government services and to surrounding communities, it has been
our nation’s policy to promote telephone service to all households since
this service began in the 1930s. The USF helps to make phone service
affordable and available to all Americans, including consumers with low
incomes, those living in areas where the costs of providing telephone
service is high, schools and libraries and rural health care providers.
Congress has mandated that all telephone companies providing interstate
service must contribute to the USF. Although not required to do so by the
government, many carriers choose to pass their contribution costs on to
their customers in the form of a line item, often called the “Federal
Universal Service Fee” or “Universal Connectivity Fee”.
Single Bill Fee:
Some carriers charge a monthly fee for combining local and long distance
charges onto one bill. This fee is not mandated by the FCC and is not an FCC
charge. Some phone companies waive the fee for customers who pay bills online or
by credit card. Also, consumers may avoid the “single bill fee” by arranging for
separate billing from their long distance carrier.
Federal Communications Commission
