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Basic Service
This is the dial tone that allows you to make and receive
local (non-toll) calls. Local service is billed one month in
advance. Basic service rates are determined by the type
of service you apply for: Residential Service, California
LifeLine Residential Service and Business Service.
Description of Taxes
and Surcharges on Your
Ponderosa Telephone Bill
The taxes and surcharge percentage rates below are
effective at the time of this publication.
Federal Subscriber
Line Charge (SLC) – Current rate $6.50*
A flat monthly charge for residential and single-line
business established by the FCC, it is applied directly to
customers to help local telephone companies recover
some of their costs in constructing and maintaining
the local network. The Subscriber Line Charge (SLC)
is also applied to multi-line business at the current rate
of $9.20 per line. These rates are subject to review and
change by the FCC.
Access Recovery Charge (ARC) -
Current rate: Residential and
Single Line Business $2.00 per month;
Multi Line Business $3.00 per month
The FCC issued revised rules which became
effective December 29, 2011, and shifted a portion of
Ponderosa’s existing revenue recovery to a new rate
element called “Access Recovery Charge” or “ARC.”
The “ARC” charge allows Ponderosa to recover from
end user customers a limited portion of the revenues
lost due to FCC mandated reductions in intercarrier
billings. The effective date for customer billing of the
“ARC” charge was July 3, 2012.
Federal Universal Service
Charge (FUSC) – Current rate 16.7%*
The federal government established national programs
to support universal telephone service in this country.
The federal version of the Universal Service Fund
assists with the costs of providing affordable service
to low-income individuals and to residents living in
the rural, high-costs areas of the country. The United
States Congress has expanded this program to help
the schools, libraries and rural health care providers to
obtain the advanced services such as Internet access.
All providers of telecommunications services contribute
to the support of these programs. How it affects you,
the individual end-user, is determined on the services
you order and the number of telephone lines you have.
The FUSC surcharge is applied on a percentage basis
to the total of your interstate service charges.
*Please note that the rates and charges listed are
current at the time of publication but are subject to
change by the appropriate agency.
Helpful Information