Questions and Answers

Why were Network Access fees implemented ?

Most licensed long-distance service providers charge network access fees. These fees compensate for the costs incurred when providing telephone services in zones in which delivery costs are high.

NorthernTel held off charging these fees for as long as possible. However, in order to continue our regional telephone network support and development activities, we began applying these fees in 2008.

Can customers who subscribe to one of our long-distance plans and who make few or no long-distance calls opt for the standard long-distance service to avoid paying the fees ?

Yes, it is possible to avoid paying network access fees by opting for the company’s standard long-distance service package (includes reduced rates based on the day and time). However, at the moment, customers opting out of a long-distance plan will no longer benefit from any savings associated with a long-distance plan.

Note that customers who are subscribed to the SuperValu bundle will not be billed for the network access fees.

* Sunday rates apply December 25 and January 1.
+ This chart reflects our basic long distance rates. Different rates may apply at different times within our long distance plans.

What are these fees called when they are billed to the customer?

The fees are “network access fees”. They are added to customers’ monthly charges and are included in the “Services” section of the bill.

Why charge a fixed rate for all NorthernTel long-distance savings plans instead of an amount that is proportional to the customers’ long-distance usage ?

Because we want access fees to be fair and simple, we have decided to charge a fixed rate per month, regardless of network use or total long-distance charges. These fees enable us to recover part of the additional costs that we incur to ensure that our customers have access to basic local telephone service at an affordable rate.