Hey folks, I'm seeing some unusual Verizon regulatory fee increases on business accounts here in Arkansas. The "Federal Universal Service Charge" went from 2.1% to 3.8% in December, but I can't find any FCC documentation supporting such a large jump. A manufacturing client's monthly Verizon bill increased by $340 just from this one fee change. Before I challenge Verizon on it, wanted to see if others are seeing similar increases or if this might be a billing error specific to certain regions.
Verizon regulatory fee increases - anyone tracking these?
Cliff, I've seen the same thing on several Memphis business accounts. The Universal Service Fund contribution factor did increase in Q4 2024, but not by that much. Verizon may be passing through more than the actual regulatory requirement. I'd recommend checking the FCC's quarterly USF contribution factor announcements against what Verizon is actually billing. If there's a discrepancy, you've got grounds for a refund claim.
Randy and Cliff, I'm seeing the exact same pattern with Verizon accounts in Buffalo. The regulatory fees are definitely higher than they should be based on actual FCC requirements. What's more suspicious is that these increases started in December but Verizon didn't send any advance notification to customers about the fee changes. That's usually required for regulatory pass-through charges. Might be worth filing a complaint with your state PUC if you've got multiple affected clients.