In April 2021, the Federal Communications Commission started collecting a 33.4% contribution factor for the Federal Universal Service Fund (FUSF), its highest rate ever. This fee is assessed on the interstate and international portions of your phone bill, including cellular, landline, and VoIP.


While it is a federal program, these are not taxes but discretionary fees that can change every quarter (and change they do).

For context, in the early aughts the contribution factor was in the single digits. The FCC revises the rate up or down each quarter, but it has been on an increase.

https://www.avalara.com/blog/en/north-america/2021/05/federal-universal-service-fee-increases-again.html#:~:text=In%20April%202021%2C%20the%20Federal,cellular%2C%20landline%2C%20and%20VoIP.

I don't read/check the bills. 'Thanks' for informing us.

Thanks elleng!

I have Xfinity Mobile. I don't watch TV on my phone.
And you have to have comcast to get this.

gimmick and no mailed statement, hoping we won't log in to check the charges.

and told them and Xfinity that under no condition we will accept auto pay.

We also have wireless wifi with them another $50 month…that’s total tax etc included.

30.00 Monthly charges
2.70 Surcharge & Other Charges
2.49 Government Taxes & Fees
-1.50 AARP Member Discount
--------------------------------------
33.69 Total charges (and the amount that will be autopaid)

Now under surcharges and other fees:
RATE   Amount
33.00   $0.80  Fed USF Cellular: Federal
FLAT   $0.01 FCC   Regulatory Fee (Wireless): Federal
FLAT   $1.89   Operational Compliance Fee
------------------------------------------------
----- $2.70 Total

What I don't understand is the 33.00 RATE that results in an $0.80 charge. 33%? 33% of what?
Oh, I suppose if I read elleng's link in #1, I'd slowly Grok it.
What does FLAT mean?

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For anyone curious, it's an unlimited talk, unlimited text, and 3 GB / month of data usage.
I don't use anywhere near that amount of data usage, and really ought to get a lower cap and save a few bucks. Particularly because CC doesn't punish one for going over, they just raise the cap to the next tier when it happens. One can then reduce the cap again.

I'm liking it so far. I don't use much data at all, so their lowest tier plan is $15/mo - one caveat, you pay the entire year in advance for the plan. If you renew before your plan reaches the 12th month, you'll get the next year for the same price. I rolled the dice and went with this.

and the company (whose name I won't mention because that would cause me to retch and spit fire) explained it in very tiny print at the tail end of the bill.

I may contact my member of Congress (D) to ask why "the government"raises taxes on the Middle Class during inflation.