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Thursday, January 13, 2011
Disconnect N.M.'s Inconsistent Cell-Phone Surcharges
By Bernadette B. Sanchez
Las Cruces resident
Here I am again pondering over my cellular phone charges and wondering how New Mexico legislators can allow phone providers to pass on all of these surcharges to consumers.
Information provided by the Public Regulation Commission states, "Although not required to do so, many service providers choose to pass their contribution costs to the Universal fund on to their customers in the form of a line item on customer bills, often called the Federal Universal Fee or Universal Connectivity Fee."
Listed below are the 10 surcharges or fees that I receive on my cellular phone:
Federal Universal Service Charge NM Carrier Utility Charge
Regulatory Charge Dona Ana County G/R Charge
Administrative Charge Las Cruces City G/R Charge
NM Gross Receipts Surcharge NM State 911 Fee
NM Universal Service Charge NM State TRS Surcharge
I am particularly interested in the Federal and New Mexico Universal Surcharges.
It is my understanding that these surcharges provide support to promote access to telecommunications needs of consumers living in high-cost areas, low-income households, schools, libraries and rural health-care providers.
A noble deed, indeed. However, each telecommunication provider may implement the Federal Universal Fund differently.
I have concerns regarding the lack of uniformity among the providers in the implementation of the fund usage.
Perhaps the Legislature should look into regulating the phone companies so that the average New Mexico consumer gets some relief from all the added fees and surcharges. Texas, as well as other states, does not pass these surcharges on to consumers. Why don't these same rules apply to all states?
Again, there is a lack of consistency in the telecommunications rules and regulations, which places New Mexico consumers at a disadvantage.
One solution would be to allow all New Mexico consumers — not just business owners — to claim the federal and New Mexico universal surcharges as deductions under charitable contributions in their own personal income tax filings.
The reality of it all is that we the consumers are making these donations on behalf of the phone providers, so why shouldn't we be allowed to claim these surcharges? I leave you to ponder this question: How do the phone providers claim their contribution costs on their tax returns?
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