|
What are these Fees on my Telephone Bill?Compare long distance rates by also examining the fees on long distance bills - payphone surcharge, PICC charge, and Universal Service Fund charge.Questions?
|
|
|
Home
Rates USA Cell Phone No Contract Rates World Cost Calculator Phone Bill Review Business Phone Unlimited LD Free Newsletter Learn
|
Payphone Surcharge
If you have tollfree service or
use a calling card, you'll be subject to this charge
Based on FCC ruling on
October, 1997
Payphone owners charge long
distance carriers for calling tollfree numbers from their payphone(s).
The tollfree number provider
is charged a rate of $0.24 per call.
All providers are passing
this charge along to the end user
Providers pass along a rate
of $0.24 - $0.35 per call.
USF Charge - Universal Service Fund Charge
This is a percentage of usage
charge (like a tax) used to subsidize various telecom services
For schools, rural or low
income consumers, libraries, rural health care providers.
Will be 10.2% during the
third quarter of 2005.
May vary on a quarterly
basis as determined by the FCC.
For
more info on this charge, click here!
PICC - PreSubscribed Interexchange Carrier Charge
Some long distance carriers are
calling this an "access fee" or "line access fee".
Local phone company (LEC)
imposes charge on the long distance carrier.
Charge based on every line
or trunk presubscribed to the long distance carrier.
There is some variation
among long distance carriers as to how this fee is passed along.Actual FCC mandated charges are as follows; Residential lines - $0.00
The purpose of the PICC is to
make up for revenue lost due to the FCC imposed lowering of
"access fees" which the LOCAL phone companies charge the
long distance carriers on a per-minute basis. The FCC has
ordered these fees lowered significantly, since they were arbitrarily
high, and amounted to a subsidization of local service by the long
distance customer.
For FCC info on this charge, click here!
Questions?
Call 1-800-600-9174
|
|
