Federal/State/Local Fees & Surcharges for Voice Services
Federal Universal Service Fund Fee
Fee: Variable (Regulated by the FCC & USAC)
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires that Wise Solutions Inc. contribute to the Federal Universal Service
Fund (“FUSF”) based on revenue derived from certain Services. The FUSF helps to make phone service affordable
and available to all Americans, including consumers with low incomes; those living in areas where the cost of
providing telephone service is high; public schools and libraries; and rural health care providers. The FCC
delegates the administration of the FUSF to the Universal Service Administrative Company (“USAC”). Each
quarter, USAC announces, and the FCC approves, a “contribution factor.” The contribution factor is a percentage
of the total interstate/international end-user revenue that the carrier is responsible for contributing to the FUSF in
order to sustain the FUSF System. As permitted by FCC regulations, TecInfo Communications, LLC has opted to
bill FUSF as a separate line item to end-user customers. Consistent with such regulations, the Company only bills
FUSF line item charges in an amount equal to the quarterly contribution factor currently in effect. This is a
permissible pass-through fee but is not a tax or charge mandated by the government.
Please visit USAC’s Website for more information on the FCC’s Universal Service Fund.
Contribution Factor & Quarterly Filings
Subscriber Line Charge
Fee: Variable (Regulated by the FCC)
The subscriber line charge helps local telephone companies recover some of the costs associated with
connecting telephone lines to your home or business. Long distance carriers take advantage of those local lines to
connect their long distance calls, and this charge contributes the infrastructure needed to make the
telecommunication system work. Regulated by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), this fee is
assessed to all incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) end users.
Telecommunication Relay Charge
Fee: $0.25/month (Per Line/DID)
This surcharge helps fund communication solutions for hearing- and speech-impaired individuals.
The relay service makes sure messages are relayed between a hearing-impaired customer with a
Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) and someone who does not have a TDD. As a side note, the
Telecommunications Relay Service is required by Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and to the
extent possible, must be “functionally equivalent” to standard telephone services.
E911 Training Fee
Fee: $0.05/month (Per Line/DID)
This fee is assessed by the State of Mississippi to offset the cost of training 911 dispatchers.
911 professionals, also referred to as “dispatchers” or “call takers,” are often the first trained point of contact in
an emergency. They begin the important work of obtaining essential information, remaining calm, calming others,
and sending the appropriate responders to the right location. They may also provide instructions to the 911 caller,
which in many cases is essential to stabilizing or saving a life.
More Information: https://www.911.gov/issue_telecommunicatorsandtraining.html
E911 Emergency Services Fee
Fee: $2.00/month (Per Line/DID)
The 911 Emergency Service Fee provides funding for the operation of 911 emergency telecommunications services
in your area. Emergency personnel must have the capability to identify the location of a caller when they dial 911.
The fee, which is applied per access line, funds communications systems that support emergency and quick
response police, fire and ambulance services with identification of phone number and location. Customers pay for
this service and other 911 communication costs through state and county 911 surcharges. Not all counties have
the 911 system yet, but may collect for future implementation.
The money from the 911 fee can only be spent in the region in which it is collected. The Commission on State
Emergency Communications (CSEC), which administers 911 services, allocates funds for specific needs to the
individual regional planning commissions.
Federal Excise Tax
Fee: 3% of Telecommunications Services
The federal telephone excise tax is a statutory 3 percent federal tax on local telecommunications services. It is
collected from the customer by telephone companies and then passed on to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service
(IRS).
Local and State Taxes
Fee: Variable (Regulated by State and Local Government)
These taxes are mandated by the state, and commonly, local municipalities. These tax rates vary from legislative
sessions, and are collected directly from Wise Solutions Inc.