DEAR SUN SPOTS: Thank you for a great column. I have a question regarding all the fees and funds I am being charged on my Oxford Networks bill. I am also wondering if they are mandatory or if I can opt out of them.

These fees add up to an extra $13.02 per month. This is in addition to the phone service and Internet charges. These charges include access recovery charge, E911 surcharge, federal universal charge, FCC end-user charge, federal tax, service provider tax, school/library fund, ME USF SCHG and a ConnectME fund. Thank you for your help in sorting this out. — L.F., Buckfield

ANSWER: Sun Spots has also noted these fees. She regrets to inform you that these charges affect everyone’s phone bill regardless of company, although they can vary somewhat. Many of them are fees assessed by various government entities.

There are excellent explanations of phone bills at maine.gov/meopa/utilities/telephone/anatomy_bill.html and fcc.gov/guides/understanding-your-telephone-bill. For those without the Internet, here are the explanations of some of those charges. Note that the abbreviations used by L.F. may not be the same as those used on your bill.

* Access charges are fees charged subscribers or other telephone companies by a local telephone company for the use of its local network. (For example, Oxford Networks may have to pay Fairpoint for the use of its infrastructure.)

* The 911 charge imposed by local governments to help pay for emergency services such as fire and rescue.

* The Maine Universal Service Fund is 1.51 percent of instate charges The Universal Service Fund provides support to promote access to telecommunications services at reasonable rates for those living in rural and high-cost areas, income-eligible consumers, rural health care facilities, and schools and libraries.

* Maine Service Provider tax is 5 percent of instate charges (new name for sales tax on telecom services).

* The Federal Universal Fund is 17.4 percent of interstate charges (changes quarterly). If you don’t have out-of-state long distance on your line, this charge won’t apply.

* The 3 percent federal excise tax is now applied only to local service billed separately from long distance service. (On Maine.gov it says that fee is still paying for the Spanish American War!)

* The subscriber line charge is the federal portion of the local phone company’s rate. Ranges from $6.14 to $6.50.

* The Maine School and Library Fund is 0.6 percent of instate charges (supports Internet connectivity).

* ConnectME is 0.25 percent of instate charges (supports broadband projects in rural areas).

PRINT COPIES OF OLD STORIES: Sun Spots often gets requests from readers who are looking for old stories and want a print copy.

Since printing from the Google archive is very difficult, if not impossible (see “Google archive printing possible, not easy”; http://tinyurl.com/3ufnme3), Sun Spots has been referring readers to the Lewiston Public Library, which has a nearly complete microfiche of old issues. You can then print off the microfiche.

Now there is an option directly from the Sun Journal for those without access to the library. Once you have located the story, you can purchase a print copy for $20. This will not be as good as the original print version, but every effort will be made to provide a clean copy as close to the original size as possible.  

You must locate the story yourself. Searching the Google archive or microfiche is extremely time consuming, so you need to provide the date the story appeared, the title and preferably the page number as well.

Request for reprints from the Sun Journal archive files should be made to Customer Service, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400 or call 207-784-5411 or 1-800-482-0753. The fee will be $20 paid at the time the request is taken and will include mailing if requested.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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