Explanation of Taxes, Fees, and Other Charges on Your Bill

As indicated on the FCC website at https://www.fcc.gov/general/universal-service, the FCC has universal service programs to drive further investment in, and access to, 21st-century broadband and voice services. These efforts are focused on targeting support for broadband expansion and adoption, as well as improving efficiency and eliminating waste in the programs. State and local governments similarly impose taxes and fees for their own programs, such as providing emergency services.

In an effort to maintain full support and compliance with applicable law, you may see new taxes, fees, or surcharges appear on your bill. What you see on your bill may vary by region and services purchased, but will generally fall into two categories:

  • Taxes, fees, or surcharges that we're required, by law, to collect from customers on behalf of local, state, and federal government. These may change from time to time, without notice.
  • Other costs which, by law, can be passed on to customers to recover our payment of specific taxes, fees, or surcharges.

Please refer to the additional data provided below for more details about some of the taxes, charges, and fees that may appear on your bill. Whether any specific taxes, charges, and fees will appear on your bill may depend on a number of factors; and your bill may include items that are not listed below. Please contact Customer Service if you have questions about your bill.

State, Local, and Provincial Taxes

Tax requirements each vary by region, and they are imposed in compliance with state and/or local, or municipal, governments.

Federal Universal Service Recovery Fee

The Federal Universal Service Recovery Fee is allocated towards the recovery of required contributions to the Federal Universal Service Fund. Telecommunications service providers operating in the United States must contribute to the Federal Universal Service Fund. This Fund helps eligible residents in rural and high-cost areas, and income-eligible consumers, by providing them with access to telecommunications services at reasonable rates through funded programs and initiatives. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sets the applicable USF rate on a quarterly basis and is subject to change.

911 Emergency Service Fee

The 911 Emergency Service Fee is charged, pursuant to state or local law, to support 911 and emergency response services.

Administrative and Compliance Cost-Recovery Fee

The Administrative and Compliance and Cost Recovery Fee is charged to recover various telecommunications service-related administrative and compliance service costs and expenses, including:

  • Maintaining compliance with legal, regulatory, and other statues—including, without limitation, federal, state, and local reporting and filing requirements.
  • Assisting with official requests and investigations; and responding to subpoenas, civil investigation demands, and other related inquiries.
  • Managing and processing payment reporting associated with 3rd-party telecommunications-services providers.

This fee is not a tax and is not mandated by law.

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