Residential customers who use AT&T long-distance will see a 93-cent monthly fee on their telephone bills starting next month, a charge that helps pay for inexpensive Internet hookups for schools and libraries.
The fee, which flows into the federal Universal Service Fund, isn't a new tax but merely shows up for the first time on phone bills in July. Previously, the charge was included within an assortment of subsidies paid by customers.AT&T had previously said it would charge customers a 5 percent monthly residential charge.
By its nature, AT&T's decision to impose a flat-rate fee is better for customers whose monthly long-distance bills are more than $18.60 but worse for people whose bills are always less.