Comm Carriers Spin Fees as "Taxes"

The Wall Street Journal - Pesky new fees -- with names that
sound like government taxes -- are popping up on even more
telephone bills.

The fees are listed in a way that makes them look like
government taxes on your bill. But they're not. They go to
the companies, which can do whatever they want with the money.

National cellphone carriers, which started adding the new fees
in force early last year, now all have them. And, the practice
is spreading to DSL bills.

BellSouth - "regulatory cost recovery fee" - $2.97
SBC Communications - "Federal Universal Service Fund Fee" - $1.84
Verizon Comm. - "universal-service-fund fee" - $2-$3 new for May
Verizon Wireless - "regulatory charge" - 45 cents
T-Mobile USA - "regulatory program fee" - 86 cents
AT&T Wireless - "regulatory program fee" - $1.75

Wall Street Journal article