Uploaded some pics and my sprint bill.

[Samper]

First I wanna say that I borrowed a POS digital and took a few pics. Uploaded the ones that you can atleast see something. It didn't take the comments that I posted and I don't know why but anyway....
..

I got my sprint phone/dsl bill today.

Sprint dsl $59.99
Monthly service charge $11.96
Non published directory listing $1.60
Check out what the NC state government is charging in the form of taxes per month per customer.
Interstate access surcharge $5.66
Emergency 911 surcharge $1.00
Telecommunications relay surcharge $0.22
Wireless portability surcharge $0.47
State tax $4.78

Now it's federals turn
Federal universal service fund $5.84
Federal Tax $3.02
Total taxes $20.99
Total for one month $109.54 and I don't even use the phone.

Who do I yell at about all these taxes?

[Meric]

Interstate Access Surcharge, Emergency 911, Wireless Portability, and the Telecommunications Relay Charge are all charged by Sprint not the state.

Wireless Portability Charge is a charge that is basically a kickback to other Cell Phone providers in the event you move your cell phone to another provider

Interstate Access Surcharge is the equivelent of the airport "Fuel Tax", it is nothing more than a fee for using a celluar tower that is not owned by Sprint.

Emergency 911 charge is another phantom charge, it is suppose to be used to support tracking of cell phones when a 911 call is made, however most agency's do not have the equipment to track where a cell phone call is made anyway. So Sprint gets to keep that extra charge

The telecommunications relay charge is to support TTY calls, which you do not make. TTY calls are used by hearing impaired telephone users it converts sound to Text.

So Sprint made an extra 7.35 in phantom charges off of you and makes it look like it is goverment mandated

[Samper]

What can I do about them?

[Meric]

Cancel your phone bill and move into a cave.

Nothing you can do about it, just like the so called Fuel Tax airlines charge, or my favorite the Airport Layover charge when you change planes.

[Samper]

Geez.

[saltjunkie]

What can I do about them?

payup, or do without!!!!!
sorry...........

[Poseidon]

if it makes you feel any better SBC does the same thing!!!

[cybratel]

If you already have broadband access at home, either cable or DSL, you can always switch over to internet phone companies like Vonage and Broadline. These companies use your broadband connection to give you phone access. I have been using Vonage for awhile now and you can't tell the difference in quality, just the fees. For now anyway customers of internet phone companies aren't being taxed like traditional phone companie customers are.

Here is what my montly bill looks like for unlimted local and long distance calls to anywhere in the US and Canada.

Monthly Statement Date: Sep 1, 2004
Monthly Statement Number: xxxxxx
Account Number: xxxxxxx
Total Amount: $32.39

Charges Detail:

Premium Unlimited Plan for 1-(321)-xxx-xxxx (01/Sep-30/Sep) $29.99
FET Tax $0.90
Regulatory Recovery Fee $1.50
Total Amount: $32.39