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Telecommunications relay surcharge
This surcharge helps fund communication solutions for hearing- and speech-impaired individuals.
This includes:
- Telecommunications devices and relay services for hearing- and speech-impaired individuals
- The telecommunications relay center, which helps hearing- and speech-impaired individuals communicate
- Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements
The surcharge does not apply with Remote Call Forwarding service.
A relay service makes sure messages are relayed between a hearing-impaired customer with a Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) and someone who does not have a TDD. As a side note, the Telecommunications Relay Service is required by Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and to the extent possible, must be "functionally equivalent" to standard telephone services.
Who put it on the bill?
This surcharge is collected by Brightspeed and paid to the appropriate state authority. The state authorities use the funds collected to provide telecommunications services for those with special needs.
Other ways it may appear on the bill
In some states, this surcharge may appear on the bill combined with other similar surcharges, including:
- Relay/TAP Surcharge
- Relay/911/Tele Assist Fee
- Telecom Relay Service Excise Tax
- Res Service Protection Fund
- TASA Telecom Relay Surcharge
- TDD Surcharge
Also known as:
- Telecommunications Access System Act (TASA)
- Hearing and Speech Surcharge
Taxes and fees
-
911 emergency service fee -
911 equalization surcharge -
Access recovery charge (ARC) -
Carrier property tax and federal regulatory recovery fee -
City occupation tax -
City sales tax -
County tax -
Expanded local calling (ELC) fee & surcharge -
Facility relocation cost recovery fee -
Federal tax -
Federal universal service fund (USF) -
Foreign state tax -
Internet cost recovery fee -
Interstate services fee (ISF) -
Local franchise tax or fees -
Local number portability charge -
Local sales tax -
Long distance line charge -
National access fee -
Non-telecom services surcharge -
Presubscribed interexchange carrier charge (PICC) -
Property tax allocation -
Prop TX/reg fees/USF admn -
Special district sales tax -
State commission gross receipts tax -
State franchise tax or fees -
State sales tax -
State universal service fund (USF) -
Subscriber line charge -
Telecommunications relay surcharge -
Telephone assistance program (TAP) surcharge -
Texas municipal franchise fee -
USF administrative fee -
What are DTS port charges? -
What is the state Infrastructure fund?
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