Frequently Asked Questions

Telecommunications services are subject to a number of taxes, fees and surcharges that are imposed in accordance with federal, state and local regulations. Taxes, fees and surcharges are subject to change from time to time and may be assessed on a wide range of products and services, including the following:

• Monthly service charges for users, lines, fax lines and services such as toll-free and virtual numbers; and
• Equipment, shipping charges, activation fees and other charges.

The following is a description of certain taxes, fees and surcharges that are itemized on NTELogic invoices for telecommunications services:

• Universal Service Fund Surcharge — Federal and State
• Enhanced 911 Tax – State and Local
• Emergency Service Surcharge
• Federal Regulatory Fee
• Regulatory Compliance Fee
• Administrative Surcharge
• State, Local & Provincial Taxes and Surcharges

Universal Service Fund Surcharge — Federal and State

The Universal Service Fund Surcharge supports the Federal Universal Service Fund (Federal USF) and other federal and state government programs that promote universal access to telephone service. The Federal USF was established by the U.S. government with the goal of subsidizing basic telephone service for people with low incomes and for those who live in rural areas, as well as providing schools and libraries with Internet connections and traditional landline and mobile handsets. Some states also require contributions to programs with a similar purpose; such amounts may appear on your bill as contributions to Universal Service Funds, High-Cost Funds, or other similarly named programs. We recover our mandatory contributions to these funds from our customers, as permitted under applicable rules and regulations.

With respect to the Federal USF, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sets the applicable USF rate on a quarterly basis, and the rate is subject to change. The amount of the Universal Service Fund Surcharge that appears on your invoice will vary from month to month based on a number of factors, including the FCC’s quarterly USF rate, changes in state rates and the types of calls made under your account that month.

Enhanced 911 Tax – State and Local

The Enhanced 911 Tax is a tax imposed by many state and local jurisdictions to cover the costs incurred by those jurisdictions in providing 911 emergency response services to their residents. The tax is typically calculated as either an amount per telephone access line or a percentage of the amount charged for the telecom services. The Enhanced 911 Tax is a government-mandated fee.

Emergency Service Surcharge

Federal, state and local government agencies have implemented a number of requirements applicable to telecommunications providers, including specialized communications systems and mandatory processes, to ensure that all customers are able to access emergency services (i.e., E-911 services) when needed. These requirements have expanded significantly in recent years, and compliance by all telecommunications providers is required. As permitted by applicable regulations, the Emergency Service Surcharge represents NTELogic's recovery of a portion of the overall cost of complying with these numerous and costly requirements.

Federal Regulatory Fee

As a telecommunications provider, Intermedia is assessed various regulatory fees by the U.S. federal government to fund a number of government programs. The federal government permits (but does not require) providers to charge customers a regulatory fee, or a carrier cost recovery fee, in order to offset the expense of the regulatory fees required to be paid to the federal government. The Federal Regulatory Fee represents that recovery fee.

Regulatory Compliance Fee

This fee is applied by Intermedia to recover a portion of the costs associated with Intermedia 's compliance with regulatory requirements, such as, for example, (i) charges that Intermedia or our resellers pay to providers of telecommunications services that are used to provide services to customers; (ii) fees and assessments on our network facilities and services; (iii) costs of various state, local, and other regulatory programs; and (iv) costs that NTELogic incurs responding to regulatory and legal obligations, including obligations related to orders received from law enforcement. The Regulatory Compliance Fee is not a government-mandated fee.

Administrative Surcharge

This Administrative Surcharge is a fee that is intended to partially offset the costs incurred by Intermedia in connection with regulation and taxation management. As regulatory and tax compliance become increasingly complex, the costs incurred by NTELogic in delivering services in a manner that complies with all applicable regulations and tax requirements also increase, including tax engine licensing costs, personnel and advisory expenses, and other associated costs. The Administrative Surcharge is not a government-mandated fee.

State, Local & Provincial Taxes and Surcharges

These Taxes and Surcharges are mandatory taxes that are imposed by State (US), Provincial (CAN), local, and municipal governments. They include a number of different taxes and assessments that vary in name by jurisdiction, such as Sales and Use Taxes, Gross Receipts Taxes and Poison Control Funds, to name a few. Some of these taxes and assessments are calculated as a fixed amount per line, while others are calculated as a percentage of costs. Please refer to your local tax authority for a listing of taxes and assessments related to telecommunications services. Intermedia is not able to provide exact tax percentages as they are based on the service address on file and vary from location to location.