Typical Charges on a wireless phone bill

Web tools info likes to publish articles we think would be useful to our readers. If you don't see a category that would be of interest to you, please let us know by contacting us and requesting additional categories.
if you write articles on a regular basis and would like to see them published here, please let us know and we can see about giving you your own account.

Article:

Printable Explanation of Charges:

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.

---