Monthly Service -
Your Rate Plan:
Each wireless service plan has a unique process for billing your
wireless airtime. Most monthly bills have a variety of other charges as well and
may include some or all of the following charges: Call Forwarding, Three Way
Calling, Call Waiting, Caller ID, Detail Billing, Voicemail and Messaging.
Call Forwarding:
This feature transfers your incoming calls to another telephone
number.
Three Way Calling:
This feature holds an existing call, while a second call can be
made and added to the first connection, allowing all three parties to
participate.
Call Waiting:
This feature provides a signal during a call to indicate to a
customer that another party is trying to call.
Caller ID:
This feature allows the customer to view, on a display unit, the
telephone number of an incoming call. This ability to view numbers of callers
depends on the interconnection agreements between participating carriers. Not
all numbers will be displayed. Customers who have non-listed or non-published
numbers are not automatically blocked from having their information displayed on
a caller ID unit.
Voicemail:
This feature is like an answering machine; it allows callers to
leave messages.
Text Messaging:
Receiving text messages. Text messaging is used for messages
that are no longer than a few hundred characters.
Detailed Billing:
This service provides you detailed billing information such as
the date, time, type of calls (incoming or outgoing) the numbers called or
calling party, the duration and charges of each call.
Airtime:
Charges for actual time spent talking on the wireless phone.
Roaming:
The use of a wireless phone outside of the "home"
service area defined by a service provider. Higher per-minute rates are usually
charged for calls made or received while roaming. Long distance rates and a
daily access fee may also apply.
Federal Tax:
This is an excise tax mandated by the federal government, not
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It is imposed on all
telecommunications services, including your wireline phone bill.
911 Surcharge:
This charge is imposed by local governments to help pay for
emergency services such as fire and rescue.
Universal
Connectivity Charge (sometimes called the Universal Services Fund):
Although this fee is not required by the government, many service
providers choose to pass their contribution costs to their customers in the
form of a minimal fee. This money goes to a fund to assure telephone service
to all households.
FCC Home
Federal Communications Commission
