Bill Charge Explanations

Network Access Charge: The FCC allows local telephone companies to bill customers for a portion of the costs of providing access.

FCC Network Access: This is a federally mandated and regulated fee that all telephone users pay, also known as a Subscriber Line Charge. This nationally pooled money is used to subsidize areas of the country where it costs more to provide phone service, similar to the areas we live.

911 Fee: Local telephone companies are obligated to route emergency calls from customers to the proper Public Safety answering center. Costs associated with the 911 systems are determined by your local government. The local telephone company collects those charges through your monthly telephone bill and then pays those amounts to the provider of 911 service in your area.

Federal Universal Service Charge (FUSC): Because telephone communication provides a vital link to emergency services, to government services and to surrounding communities, the USF (Universal Service Fund) helps to make phone service affordable and available to all Americans. This includes 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.

TAM: Telecommunications Access Minnesota is a fee that is charged on each line you have. It is used to help provide telephone service to people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired.

TAP: Telecommunications Assistance Program is a state mandated fee charged on each telephone line you have (not including cellular phones). It is used to help provide telephone service to Minnesota’s low-income residents.

Universal Service Fund (USF): This fund was created by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Federal Tax: The Federal Government imposes a 3% tax on local access charges.

Minnesota State Tax: This is a 6.875% charge imposed by the state of Minnesota, and local and municipal government, on goods and services.

Optional Local Services Charges: These are charges for added services picked by the customer such as inside wire maintenance, voicemail and caller ID.