Learn why your phone bill is more than expected

Explore the most common reasons your phone bill might be higher than you expected.


Examples of common charges

Partial-month charges

  • These occur if you add or remove services in the middle of a billing cycle.
  • Services billed in advance are charged for partial month when added or removed during a billing cycle prior to the bill date. The actual partial-month charge depends on the number of days the services were used in that billing cycle.

Billed in advance

Certain recurring charges are billed one month in advance. These include custom calling features, calling plans, local calling services, and emergency 911.

Billed in arrears

Charges for local usage, long distance, and pay per use are billed in arrears (after the fact).

Promotional credits

Your promo credits may have expired on your most recent bill.

Discounts

It may take one to two billing periods for discounts to appear on your bill. Please pay the full amount on your bill, by the due date, to avoid future billing issues.

International calls

It might benefit you to have a plan for international calls (PDF, 237KB).

Unexpected calls

  • Information, operator-assisted, or entertainment calls that you weren’t aware of may have been made from your phone.
  • Collect calls may have been accepted that you weren’t aware of.

Taxes

Taxes may apply to charges for products and services included in your bill. Specific taxes vary by state and locality.




Last updated: April 24, 2024