Summary of Taxes, Surcharges, Recovery and Funding Charges on your BBTC/ BBCP Invoice
Bristol Bay Telephone Cooperative, Inc and Bristol Bay Cellular Partnership is responsible for collecting various taxes, fees and surcharges that appear on your monthly billing statement. Scroll down for an explanation of these taxes, fees or surcharges.
If you have further questions or would like more information about the purpose of specific regulatory fees or surcharges you can contact the following organizations:
Intrastate
Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA)
Consumer Protection Division
907-276-6222
Interstate
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Public Service Division
1-888-225-5322
www.fcc.gov
Federal Universal Service Cost Recovery Charge
Goes to: Subsidize local service in rural high cost telephone exchanges. Specifically, subsidy for local switching cost and local loop (phone wire) cost. Additionally, this funds the “Link-up America” program (subsidizes installation costs of phone service for qualified low-income families), and the federal “Lifeline Assistance” program (subsidizes the federal Subscriber Line Charges for qualified low-income families). These subsidies are intended to reduce local service rates for end users.
Applies to: Business and Residential Phone
Jurisdiction: Federal
Rate: 25.2% of the customer’s total net interstate and international long distance charges (after the application of any discounts and credits) and the Local Subscriber Line Charge. Effective 1/1/2022.
Previously 29.1% Effective 10/1/2021.
AUSF - Alaska Universal Service Fund Surcharge
AUSF is remitted to a state fund that supports Essential Network Support (ENS) and is designed to offset the high cost of constructing and maintaining local networks. This fund is used to reduce local service rates.
Applies to: Business and Residential Customers (Local and Intrastate services)
Jurisdiction: State (Local and Intrastate)
Rate:
RCC - Regulatory Cost Charge
Goes to: The Regulatory Commission of Alaska to cover the commission’s budget. Each phone company pays the same percentage rate, which is set by the RCA (formally known as APUC – Alaska Public Utilities Commission), per Alaska Statutes AS 42.05.253-3 AS 42.06.285 and the RCA regulations 3 AAC 47.010 – 3 AAC 47.999. This is not an optional charge and consumers are not exempt. All phone companies pay the same percentage rate 1.232%.
Applies to: Residential and Business (Local and Intrastate services including recurring plan fees, any Intrastate plan set up fees and all plan minimum deficiencies)
Jurisdiction: State (Local and Intrastate)
E-911 (Enhanced 911) Emergency System Surcharge
Goes to: Support the provision of an enhanced system for emergency services communications, as prescribed by Alaska Statutes, Title 29, Chapter 35, Section 131. 911 Surcharge (AS 29.35.131. 911 Surcharge). In the statute, phone companies may charge, per access line (no charge after 100 access lines in the account), in a municipality with 100,000+ people where an enhanced 911 system is in place. No more than 1.0% of the proceeds are kept by the phone company to cover administrative costs, and the rest is forwarded to the municipality to fund the system.
Applies to: Residential and Business Customers (Local & Wireless services)
Jurisdiction: State (Local)
Rate:
FCC EUCL - End User Common Line Charge
Formerly known as SLC – Service Line Charge
Goes to: This charge was established by the FCC to recover a portion of the loop costs that is not covered through basic local rates.
Applies to: Residential and Business (Local services)
Effective Sept. 1, 2004, the FCC changed the number of Subscriber Line Charges (SLC) that a business can be charged for a Digital Subscriber Service (DSS) and PRIs. The maximum of 5 SLCs can be assessed. With the reduction of the SLC charges, a port surcharge was allowed:
Jurisdiction: Federal
Rate:
UAS - Universal Access Surcharge
Goes to: Fund Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) to meet the needs of persons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech disabled as prescribed by Alaska Statute AS 42.05.296 and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska’s regulations 3 AAC 51.010, et seq., requiring that TRS is funded by a monthly surcharge on all voice lines from subscribers of telecommunications, including wireline, wireless and VOIP services.
Applies to: Residential and Business Customers (Local and Intrastate services)
Jurisdiction: State (Local and Intrastate)
Rate:
NAF - Network Access Fee
Goes to: The Regulatory Commission of Alaska has made changes to the intrastate interexchange access charge regulations. One of those changes was to institute a Network Access Fee (NAF) as a mandated way of paying for local network services. Beginning April 1, 2005 the NAF will be applied to each access line.
Applies to: Residential and Business Customers (Local services)
Jurisdiction: State (Local)
Rate:
Federal, State and Local Taxes:
Federal Tax
Goes to: GCI is required to collect Federal Excise Tax on all telecommunications services provided to customers
Applies to: Residential and Business (Applies to Local services)
Jurisdiction: Federal
Rate: 3.0%
Dillingham City Tax
Applies to: This tax is only for those customers with Wireless customers who reside in the city of Dillingham.
Jurisdiction: Dillingham
Rate:
Bristol Bay Telephone Cooperative, Inc and Bristol Bay Cellular Partnership is responsible for collecting various taxes, fees and surcharges that appear on your monthly billing statement. Scroll down for an explanation of these taxes, fees or surcharges.
If you have further questions or would like more information about the purpose of specific regulatory fees or surcharges you can contact the following organizations:
Intrastate
Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA)
Consumer Protection Division
907-276-6222
Interstate
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Public Service Division
1-888-225-5322
www.fcc.gov
Federal Universal Service Cost Recovery Charge
Goes to: Subsidize local service in rural high cost telephone exchanges. Specifically, subsidy for local switching cost and local loop (phone wire) cost. Additionally, this funds the “Link-up America” program (subsidizes installation costs of phone service for qualified low-income families), and the federal “Lifeline Assistance” program (subsidizes the federal Subscriber Line Charges for qualified low-income families). These subsidies are intended to reduce local service rates for end users.
Applies to: Business and Residential Phone
Jurisdiction: Federal
Rate: 25.2% of the customer’s total net interstate and international long distance charges (after the application of any discounts and credits) and the Local Subscriber Line Charge. Effective 1/1/2022.
Previously 29.1% Effective 10/1/2021.
AUSF - Alaska Universal Service Fund Surcharge
AUSF is remitted to a state fund that supports Essential Network Support (ENS) and is designed to offset the high cost of constructing and maintaining local networks. This fund is used to reduce local service rates.
Applies to: Business and Residential Customers (Local and Intrastate services)
Jurisdiction: State (Local and Intrastate)
Rate:
- 10% of Local service charges
- 10% of Intrastate toll
RCC - Regulatory Cost Charge
Goes to: The Regulatory Commission of Alaska to cover the commission’s budget. Each phone company pays the same percentage rate, which is set by the RCA (formally known as APUC – Alaska Public Utilities Commission), per Alaska Statutes AS 42.05.253-3 AS 42.06.285 and the RCA regulations 3 AAC 47.010 – 3 AAC 47.999. This is not an optional charge and consumers are not exempt. All phone companies pay the same percentage rate 1.232%.
Applies to: Residential and Business (Local and Intrastate services including recurring plan fees, any Intrastate plan set up fees and all plan minimum deficiencies)
Jurisdiction: State (Local and Intrastate)
E-911 (Enhanced 911) Emergency System Surcharge
Goes to: Support the provision of an enhanced system for emergency services communications, as prescribed by Alaska Statutes, Title 29, Chapter 35, Section 131. 911 Surcharge (AS 29.35.131. 911 Surcharge). In the statute, phone companies may charge, per access line (no charge after 100 access lines in the account), in a municipality with 100,000+ people where an enhanced 911 system is in place. No more than 1.0% of the proceeds are kept by the phone company to cover administrative costs, and the rest is forwarded to the municipality to fund the system.
Applies to: Residential and Business Customers (Local & Wireless services)
Jurisdiction: State (Local)
Rate:
- Dillingham $2.00/ month
FCC EUCL - End User Common Line Charge
Formerly known as SLC – Service Line Charge
Goes to: This charge was established by the FCC to recover a portion of the loop costs that is not covered through basic local rates.
Applies to: Residential and Business (Local services)
Effective Sept. 1, 2004, the FCC changed the number of Subscriber Line Charges (SLC) that a business can be charged for a Digital Subscriber Service (DSS) and PRIs. The maximum of 5 SLCs can be assessed. With the reduction of the SLC charges, a port surcharge was allowed:
Jurisdiction: Federal
Rate:
- Residential, per line or trunk: $6.50 per month
- Single-line Business, per line or trunk: $6.50 per month
- Multi-line Business, per line, trunk or VN: $9.20 per month
- Effective July 1, 2014
UAS - Universal Access Surcharge
Goes to: Fund Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) to meet the needs of persons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech disabled as prescribed by Alaska Statute AS 42.05.296 and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska’s regulations 3 AAC 51.010, et seq., requiring that TRS is funded by a monthly surcharge on all voice lines from subscribers of telecommunications, including wireline, wireless and VOIP services.
Applies to: Residential and Business Customers (Local and Intrastate services)
Jurisdiction: State (Local and Intrastate)
Rate:
- Voice Line, per line or trunk: $0.01 per month
- Effective July 1, 2021
- Voice Line, per line or trunk: $0.09 per month
- Effective May 16, 2020
NAF - Network Access Fee
Goes to: The Regulatory Commission of Alaska has made changes to the intrastate interexchange access charge regulations. One of those changes was to institute a Network Access Fee (NAF) as a mandated way of paying for local network services. Beginning April 1, 2005 the NAF will be applied to each access line.
Applies to: Residential and Business Customers (Local services)
Jurisdiction: State (Local)
Rate:
- Residential, per line or trunk:
- $5.75/ month
- Business, per line or trunk:
- $5.75/ month
Federal, State and Local Taxes:
Federal Tax
Goes to: GCI is required to collect Federal Excise Tax on all telecommunications services provided to customers
Applies to: Residential and Business (Applies to Local services)
Jurisdiction: Federal
Rate: 3.0%
Dillingham City Tax
Applies to: This tax is only for those customers with Wireless customers who reside in the city of Dillingham.
Jurisdiction: Dillingham
Rate:
- Currently Dillingham City Sales tax is 6%
Background Photo Credit: Kara Bove