How much do you pay in taxes for your cell phone?

[Kishan]

I've signed an an agreement with Sprint since I receive 25% off per month for a company discount. The plan is $35 a month, but I'm paying 15 bucks a month in taxes. Seems a little steep, but is that normal? Here's a breakdown:

Government Fees and Taxes
Federal Tax 1.39
Suffolk County Sales Tax - Services & Usage 3.70
New York State Sales Tax - Services & Usage 3.51
New York State Wireless 911 1.20
Surcharges & Fees
Suffolk County Special Fee 0.48
Suffolk County Surcharge 0.11
New York State Gross Receipts Tax Surcharge 0.30
New York State Excise Tax Surcharge 2.01
Federal Universal Service Fund 1.06
Federal Wireless Number Pooling And Portability 0.25
Federal E911 0.40

$14.41

 

$1.20 a month for E911? Does your community even have E911 up and running? That really sucks if they don't, and you're paying for other people's E911 service.

 

[Sphexi]

Thank the state of NY and your county for that, not Sprint. It varies state by state, I have a $25 plan through Sprint and I pay about $3 a month in taxes, none of the ones you listed because I don't live in NY. NY is notorious for extra taxes.


Edit:

Government Fees and Taxes
---------------------------------------------
Vermont State Sales Tax - Services & Usage - $1.71
Federal Tax - $0.71

Surcharges & Fees
---------------------------------------------
Vermont State Universal Svc Fund Surcharge - $0.36
Federal Universal Service Fund - $0.69
Federal Wireless Number Pooling And Portability - $0.25
Federal E911 - $0.40


That's all the taxes I got charged last month, $4 roughly.

 

[Zysoclaplem]

I have a $29.99 plan with cingular, and usually pay around $38 a month.

 

[NiKeFiDO]

my 29.99/mo cingular plan is usually $35.50 or so total.

 

[Kishan]

Maybe since this is a new plan, I was charged taxes on the purchase? I think I'll call them.

Thanks for all the replies everybody

 

[cavemanmoron]

nothing

work supplies the Nextel.

 

[Svnla]

Originally posted by: NiKeFiDO
my 29.99/mo cingular plan is usually $35.50 or so total.

Same here.

 

[RichieZ]

Cingular $30 plan w/ 20% discount

TOTAL MONTHLY SERVICE CHARGES $23.99
Usage Charges
(See Usage Charges Details)
TOTAL USAGE CHARGES $0.00

Credits, Adjustments & Other Charges
Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee 0.56
Federal Universal Service Charge 0.78
TOTAL CREDITS, ADJUSTMENTS & OTHER CHARGES $1.34

Government Fees & Taxes
911 Service Fee 0.75
Federal Excise Tax 0.76
State/Municipal Telecommunications Tax 3.30
TOTAL GOVERNMENT FEES & TAXES $4.81

TOTAL CHARGES FOR: 224-XXX-XXXX $30.14

 

[dangereuxjeux]

Most of those (in quantity, if not in $ amount) are expenses to the provider that they then pass on to your by calling them surcharges or Fees. So... they get mandated to have E911, and they cook up some value that they then bill to you, with a label that makes it seem like the Federal gov't is imposing a tax. It's really just a good excuse. I played it smart with the rep from Cingular about a year ago and got them to take off some of the bullshit surcharge/fee things from my bill for the length of my two-year contract.