CONSUMER BULLETIN No. 01-2 Prepared by:  Maine Public Utilities Commission, Consumer Assistance Division

 

242 State Street, 18 State House Station, Augusta, ME  04333-0018

Contact:  Derek D. Davidson, (207) 287-1596 or derek.d.davidson@maine.gov

 

New Charges for
Receiving a Single Telephone Bill

May 1, 2001

 

Customers of AT&T, MCI WorldCom, and Sprint must now pay $1.50 each month to receive their long distance charges on their local telephone bill—a service that used to be free.  For some customers, this change occurred without notice.  MCI WorldCom introduced the $1.50 fee in stages last year.  Sprint added the fee in January.  In April, AT&T implemented its fee increase, but advised residential customers how they could avoid the charge.  For all three companies, customers can avoid the fee by contacting their long distance phone company and requesting a separate bill for their long distance charges.

 

The basis of this new fee varies.  The long distance carriers say local phone companies have increased the charge for them to put the long-distance charges on consumers' bills, and that they are just passing on the increased cost.  Local phone companies counter that their recent increase in billing fees to long distance companies is not enough to justify a $1.50 fee.

 

Long distance companies offer a variety of billing options to their customers, including the ability to pay on-line via the Internet.  To find out what choices are available to you, contact your long distance carrier.

 

Consumers with questions about this bulletin should contact the Maine PUC’s Consumer Assistance staff either by phone (800/452-4699 or TTY Relay 800/437-1220), e-mail (maine.puc@maine.gov), or facsimile (207/287-1039), or visit the Maine PUC Website at http://www.janus.state.me.us/mpuc