Understanding Your Bill
Phone bills can be difficult to understand with all of the federal, local, service and other telecommunication charges. We strive to present our bills in a straightforward format. This guide provides additional details about each section of your phone bill.
If you have any questions, please contact our Customer Service Department at 802-496-3391.
1. Account Summary
- Account Summary – Your account number and billing period.
- Monthly Internet Data Usage – The estimated total Data Usage for the month expressed in gigabytes (GB). GMA does not currently charge for this usage, however, you may want to monitor the usage on your statement as excessive usages can impact the performance of your broadband connection.
2. Billing Summary
Reflects billing from previous month, along with any payments received.
3. Summary of Current Charges
This month’s activity, including all local and long distance charges plus any credits, for a final balance due.
- Services Summary – This is the total of your dial tone, calling features, and maintenance plan charges for your residential or business line(s).
- Total Calls – This is the total of your instate, out of state, and on demand telephone charges.
- Savings Summary – Savings on your telephone bill due to call plans and class feature discounts.
- Federal Tax – This 3 percent tax is mandated by the federal government and is imposed on regulated telecommunications services.
- Vermont Telecommunication Tax – This charge is imposed by the state of Vermont on goods and services. It is imposed on certain public utility services, including telephone companies.
- Vermont Universal Service Fund Charge – This state of Vermont approved charge pays for Enhanced 9-1-1, the Vermont Telecommunications Relay Service, and the Lifeline discount program.
- GMLDS Connectivity Charge – If you are an GMLDS long distance customer and have opted to receive one consolidated bill from WCVT, you will see this charge on your billing statement. This charge is paid into the Federal Universal Service Fund, a federal program which keeps local telephone rates affordable for all customers and supports the provisions of telecommunications services to schools, libraries, and rural health care providers.
- Vermont State Sales Tax – This tax will appear on your billing statement if you lease or have purchased new hardware (Caller ID boxes, modems, etc.) from the telephone company.
4. Important Information
Be sure to watch this area of your telephone bill for important announcements and new service offerings.
5. Amount Due and Due Date
This shows your amount due and due date.
6. Services
Description of services that you are being provided.
Rate – This reflects the monthly fees for each service being received.
7. Payment and Adjustment Detail
This portion of your bill shows payments received and any adjustments that were made.
8. Savings Detail
A description of the savings you are receiving on your billing statement.
10. Long Distance
Detail of your long distance calling.
Summary of Long Distance – Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom may provide the billing for long distance calls, depending on your carrier. Otherwise, you may receive a separate bill from your long distance provider.
11. Call Plan
If you subscribe to additional calling features or a long distance calling plan, it will be detailed in this section.
12. Other Important Information
Check this section monthly for any important announcements.
13. Waitsfield Cable Services
If you are a Waitsfield Cable customer and have opted into the convenience of “combined billing”, your Cable TV services will appear in this section.