About MTA

MTA Local Tariff (11/14/08) PDF

MTA Long Distance Interstate Tariff (12/19/06) PDF
MTA Long Distance Intrastate Tariff (12/14/06) PDF

MTA collects various taxes and surcharges each month that appear on your bill. Here is a brief explanation and rates for each charge.

Alaska Universal Service Fund (AUSF)
Description	The RCA established the AUSF to promote universal telephone service in Alaska. Specifically the surcharge provides Lifeline support funding. Lifeline support is a program which is designed to provide low cost phone service to low income customers. The AUSF also helps subsidize switching costs for smaller LECs, which in turn reduces local service rates. The FCC evaluates this rate yearly.
Applies To	All regulated retail customer billings for local and intrastate long distance.
Jurisdiction	State/Local.
Rate	.77% for Local service and intrastate service.
Effective	January 1, 2008.

Enhanced 911 Emergency System Surcharge (E-911)
Description	State legislation allows the municipality/borough to elect to provide an enhanced 911 system (E911). The municipality/borough determines the rates to be charged per line. The costs to operate the E911 system are recovered through a surcharge. The surcharge is paid on all local exchange telephone lines in the area served by the system. All but 1% of the proceeds collected are forwarded on the municipality/borough to maintain the system.
Applies To	All residential and Local business customers.
Jurisdiction	State/Local.
Rate	$1.50 per line for MOA (Eagle River/Chugiak) customers, $0.85 per line for Mat-Su Borough (Palmer, Wasilla, Willow, Big Lake, Talkeetna), and $1.15 per line for Kenai Borough (Tyonek).
Effective	July 1, 2006 for Mat-Su, October 1, 2005 for MOA, and May 1, 2006 for Kenai Borough.

Universal Access Surcharge (UAS)
Description	The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates a Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) for the hearing and/or speech impaired. The costs to operate the TRS will be recovered by a Universal Access Surcharge. The surcharge is paid by all those in the state with local telephone service and will be billed monthly by their local telephone company.
Applies To	All residential and business customers (Local and intrastate).
Jurisdiction	Federal.
Rate	$ 0.10 per month per line for residential lines, $ 0.10 per month per line for a single line business and $ 0.20 per month per line for a multiple line business.
Effective	February 11, 2002.

Federal Excise Tax (FET)
Description	The revenue collected from the telephone excise tax goes into the general receipts of the U.S. Treasury. It is used for general government expenditures as they accrue.
Applies To	All residential and business customers (Local).
Jurisdiction	Federal.
Rate	3.00%.
Effective	July 31, 2006.

Federal Universal Service Charge (FUSC)
Description	This fund offsets the high cost of providing telephone service in rural areas so that consumers in all regions of the Nation, including low-income consumers and those in rural, insular and high cost areas, should have access to telecommunications and information services provided in urban areas, and that are available at rates that are reasonably comparable to rates charged for similar services in urban areas. Funds include the Link up America and Lifeline Assistance program. Both funds offer reduced rates for low income customers. The FCC evaluates this rate quarterly.
Applies To	All residential and business customers (Local and intrastate).
Jurisdiction	Federal.
Rate	11.4% of a customer's net Local and Long Distance charges less any discounts or credits given.
Effective	July 1, 2008.

Regulatory Cost Charge (RCC)
Description	The Regulatory Cost Charge (RCC) is a percentage of the Local and intrastate regulated revenues billed and collected by utilities to pay the costs of operating the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA). All utilities (including electric, gas, garbage) that are regulated by the RCA are assessed the charge. The FCC evaluates this rate yearly.
Applies To	All residential and business customers (Local and intrastate charges, plan setup, and surcharges).
Jurisdiction	State/Local and intrastate.
Rate	2.347% of total billing for Local service charges and 1.098% of total billing for intrastate service charges.
Effective	July 1, 2008.

Network Access Fee (NAF)
Description	A fee implemented by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. The fee is designed to assist in paying for local network services.
Applies To	All residential and business customers (Local).
Jurisdiction	State/Local.
Rate	Residential is $3 per month; single and multi-line business per line is $3 per month; PRI and T1/DS1, a maximum of 5 charges per PRI is $3 per month for each or a maximum of $15 total.
Effective	April 1, 2005.

Toll Line Access Charge (TLAC)
Description	In 1985, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ordered telephone companies to begin charging residential and business customers a subscriber line charge. The federal TLAC charge recovers the fixed cost of the facilities that give the subscriber the ability to make and receive long distance calls.
Applies To	All residential and business customers.
Jurisdiction	Federal.
Rate	$6.50 per single line for residential and business, $9.20 per line multiplied by a maximum of 5 for T1/DS1 or $46.00.
Effective	July 1, 2003.

Local Sales Tax
Description	MTA is required to collect local taxes on behalf of local boroughs and cities in Alaska.
Applies To	All residential and business customers.
Jurisdiction	State/Local.
Rate	Local tax rates vary by municipality and borough.
Effective	Local tax effective dates vary by municipality and borough.