[Dubya]

Nineteen states charge customers a fee to defray the costs to phone companies of providing service in high-cost areas. Of these, 12 do not exempt cell phones — Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Maine, Nebraska, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

[Dubya]

Since 2003, these states have together collected more than $4 billion, an Associated Press investigation found. The burden is shared by cellular and regular phone customers alike. In some states, cell users appear to be footing more than half the bill.

[raybbr]

C'mon. They have to generate money from somewhere to feed the CEO's bonuses.

[Mygirlsmom]

Most consumers overlook the small surcharges on their telephone bills.

It's hard to overlook them when, for instance, you accidentally receive an instant message not meant for you. I pay per use because I don't use IM. SO..that instant message is, say, five cents. But then the fees and taxes kick in, and before you know it, it's another 4 to 5 bucks added to my bill.

[ikka]

ALL incumbent telco's (ILEC's) are inherently evil, sleazy companies. The CLEC's are not a whole lot better - they just wish they could be like the ILECs.

[FoxInSocks]

"It's egregious . . . By nature, these fees are highly discriminatory because cell users pay in far more than they get out of it."

I say the same thing about my income taxes every year.