Network Access for Interstate Calling | Telecommunications Expense Management

Charges for Network Access for Interstate Calling

The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Order on Access Reform, effective January 1, 1998, was designed to realign the recovery of costs for access service more closely to the cost using entity(s).

There are three rate elements included under this umbrella:

End User Common Line Charge (EUCL) This allows Pacific Bell (and all other Local Exchange Carriers) compensation for the cost to maintain the local loop connecting the customer to the local switching office via wire, poles and conduits. These costs were originally subsidized by long distance revenue prior to Divestiture in 1984. The effective rate as of 8/11/01 is $4.40 for business lines and changes annually and sometimes more frequently.

Presubscribed Interexchange Carrier Charge - PICC

This was a monthly per line recurring charge assessed on customers who have not selected a Primary Long Distance Provider. It was also billed to a Long Distance Provider when a customer selected and subscribed to their service. However, SBC Pacific Bell ceased to charge the PICC on 7/1/99 for BRI ISDN, PRI ISDN, Centrex, Multi Line Business Lines and SuperTrunk. It is charged today ONLY for a single business line where there is only one account billed to that name in the state of California. The effective rate as of 4/1/99 is $0.87.

Digital Line Port Charge This is a monthly charge applied only to ISDN customers. Effective 07/01/98 the cost is $0.97 per line for a Basic Rate Interface (BRI) and $32.80 per Primary Rate Interface (PRI).

Federal taxes apply to these charges and local tax applies only if a local tax is applied to interstate and international charges State taxes do not apply.