Federal Universal Service Charge, State Gross Receipts Surcharge, State Sales Tax

20 % is about right for your state.  The total telecom taxes and fees on your line fee under normal circumstance is about 19.95%.  That is also not an updated number.

This is the ballpark.   http://taxfoundation.org/article/state-and-local-governments-impose-hefty-taxes-cell-phone-consumers

Here is the calculator....

https://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/additionalcharges/

But the increase makes no sense unless you terminated a line early.  

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@Outinthecountry wrote:

Time for my Bi-monthly call to AT&T for billing issues......(I pay attention)

This time the taxes on my December bill increased significantly from November:

FUSC - $0.97 to $15.17 

SGRS - $0.92 to $5.91

State Sales Tax - $1.11 to $7.10

The only variables in my bill were four international calls totaling $81.59.  That would equate to a 20% tax for international calls. So, I called AT&T customer service for an explanation and the representative said "we don't have anything to do with the taxes, call you local government". Who, I asked???  "Just Google it" she said ..."and it should pop up". REALLY!? Just Google local government???, State telecommunications??? 

That's how I found this forum.

 

I would think that if AT&T bills me for something they should know why.

I can kind of understand the high price for an international call, but 20% tax on those calls seems a bit excessive.

Why!?

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THE USF is taxed at 17.4%  so that 15.17 is right.  81.59*.174=14.19666 so they round to 14.20.  Then add the .97 you always pay to that and you get 15.17...  INTERNET is not taxed but they tax the crappola out of calling.

@Outinthecountry  

Agreed.  You might want to look into wifi calling options.  They can't tax 20% of free.  

My surcharges went up slightly but nothing on plan changed. 

@irelandjm31

???   Taxes and fees change often.  Up and down.