Single Bill Fee Explained
Many customers are finding themselves confused by a new charge they are seeing on their phone bills referred to as a "Single Bill Fee". So what is the Single Bill Fee and why are you being charged for it?
If you are billed for local and long distance service on one phone bill, your long distance provider may soon charge you a Single Bill Fee. While some long distance companies are notifying consumers before they add this fee, some are not.
Be sure to review your bill carefully each month to see if the fee is being applied. If you do not want to incur this charge, it is recommended that you notify your long distance company and tell them that you wish to be billed separately for your long distance service.
While many of the fees listed on your phone bill are required by the government or the FCC, the Single Bill Fee is not. The fee is not mandated by the Federal Communications Commission and is not a FCC charge.
Companies who have already started charging this Single Bill Fee include, but are not limited to Qwest, AT&T, MCI and Sprint. Verizon, the nations number one local phone company, admits that it raised billing fees for long distance companies this year, but it stands firm that the increase was ''slight'' and not enough to justify the $1.50 fee some companies have begun to charge.
The long distance companies are responding that they would rather bill separately to establish better and more direct communication with their customers. However, many are speculating that it has more to do with local telephone companies winning permission to enter the long distance business, something they have not been previously able to do.
Now that local phone companies are becoming competition, it makes sense that traditional long distance carriers would want to separate their billing from the billing of their competitors. Now consumers have to decide if the Single Bill Fee is worth the convenience.
However, traditional long distance carriers are making it easier then ever to pay your bill with Automatic Bill Payment options, online account centers that allow you to view and pay your bill online and by taking credit card/debit card payments by phone.
The bottom line is that you should decide on a long distance carrier based on who provides the most cost-effective, quality service for your needs and not based on single billing.
However, be aware of the fee. Check your phone bill and remember that if you don't want to incur the charge, contact your long distance carrier and request a separate bill.
|
