Blog Post  How Do You Connect? A Consumer Guide to Landline Telephone Service: Part 2—Billing

When buying landline telephone service for your home, you should be aware of several issues, including technological changes impacting the communications network, and ask questions to make sure you are getting the type of telephone service that best meets your needs.

Telephone calls are generally categorized as:

• Local: Calls made within your immediate area as determined by the exchanges (area codes) in the calling plan and the service provider you choose. It is possible that calls in your own municipality may not be considered local. Be sure to ask or request a list of the exchanges that are part of your local calling plan;
• Regional: Calls made outside the “local” calling area; and
• Long Distance: Calls generally made out-of-state.

Always contact your service provider of choice to inquire about their service offerings and available calling plans. You can choose one provider for all your calling needs, or you can select different providers for different types of calls. Federal Law allows you to keep your current phone number when you change providers as long as you remain within the local exchange. When switching providers be sure to tell your provider you want to keep your existing phone number

Billing

Your monthly bill will include charges for the price of the calling plan and any additional features you selected, in addition to any calls that you have made outside of your selected calling plan. Also included are state and federal taxes, as well as surcharges added by your provider, which may include a federal excise tax, sales tax, subscriber line charge, and 911/disability access fee. To get the bottom line of the cost of your plan, make sure those charges are included in the price you are quoted. You may also visit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for more information on applicable fees, taxes, and charges.

The DTC regulates the telecommunications and cable industries in Massachusetts. As part of its responsibilities, the DTC’s Consumer Division works to resolve disputes that arise between consumers and their telephone or cable service provider.  The Division offers a series of outreach programs to help educate consumers about these industries, and empower them to make smart decisions when evaluating their needs for purchasing these services. For more information or for help with a complaint about your telephone provider, contact the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable.