| [Lingo] is going to charge Excise and Reg Tax Just got this through.
Excise I can understand, but why the hell do I have to pay the $1.50 each for my International phone numbers. ??
Dear Lingo Customer,
As a valued Lingo broadband phone service customer, we strive to provide you with the best service possible at the most affordable costs. Until now, we have been fortunate to take advantage of current federal regulations and a regulatory environment that has allowed us not to charge Federal taxes and other cost recovery fees on your service. However, changes in both areas have caused us to modify our current policy.
Effective with your billing cycle in February 2005, your Lingo service will be subject a 3% Federal Telecommunications Excise Tax on your monthly subscription fees and additional usages charges from the previous month. Additionally, your Lingo phone numbers are now subject to a Lingo service regulatory recovery fee of a $1.50 per phone number on your service. This includes your primary voice, secondary voice, and fax numbers.
In anticipation that you may have some basic questions regarding these changes, below are some questions and answers for your reference.
What is the Federal Excise Tax?
Lingo is required by Federal law to collect a 3% federal excise tax on the amount which it charges its customers for all communication services. This tax applies to monthly subscription fees as well as to any additional usage charges.
What is the Regulatory Recovery Fee?
The Lingo service regulatory recovery fee is $1.50 per phone number. This fee is charged to our Lingo customers to recover the costs of certain regulatory and compliance requirements imposed, or expected to be imposed, on us by the federal government or various states and localities. These costs can include charges associated with supporting services such as state or local universal service, emergency calling, law enforcement, disability compliance and certain tax requirements. Your Regulatory Recovery Fee reflects a $1.50 charge for each domestic or international phone number, including primary voice, secondary voice, and fax numbers.
We thank you for your understanding and your continued use of Lingo service.
Regards,
Lingo Customer Service
Lingo is a registered trademark of Primus Telecommunications, Inc. |
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 PCInTechkeeping art alive since 1953Premium
join:2004-06-07
Massena, NY
kudos:9 | Uh oh.... smells like the beginning of something disgusting...  |
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| reply to Robbob90210
Thank you other VOIP carriers, now everyone is following suit with fees and taxes. The party is over:( |
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GrepTar
join:2004-06-21
Huntsville, AL | reply to Robbob90210
So, if I cancel because of this, I wonder if I will still have to pay the $40 cancelation fee, since this is not what I originally agreed to. |
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| reply to Robbob90210
Why did not they put following question in FAQ.
Question: Why other providers don't charge those or charge those and don't increase prices and Lingo does?
Answer: Becouse we can |
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| Im a bit confused about this whole thing.
»australianit.news.com.au/article···,00.html
Im sure there are heaps of other articles around about this.
Robert |
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tj008
join:2004-06-24
Cincinnati, OH | reply to Robbob90210
"U. Taxes
1. All taxes, tax-like charges, and tax-related surcharges are referred to collectively as "Tax(es)." Primus may elect to impose and collect such Taxes, unless otherwise constrained by court order or direction.
2. You agree to pay all Taxes imposed. If Primus has collected Taxes and a challenged Tax is found to have been invalid and unenforceable, Primus, in its sole discretion, will either reduce service rates for a fixed period of time in the future in order to flow-through to customers an amount equivalent to the amounts collected, or it will credit or refund such amounts to affected customers (less its reasonable administrative costs), if the amounts collected were retained by Primus or if they were delivered to the jurisdiction and returned to Primus, or it will negotiate an arrangement with the jurisdiction to provide a future benefit for customers in that jurisdiction."
-From the current Terms and Conditions dated in October 2004
Was just a hope and prayer on our parts that they wouldnt succumb to charging taxes.
Would still like to see where the FCC requires these taxes and fees to be collected on voip services.
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GrepTar
join:2004-06-21
Huntsville, AL | I am almost certain that wasn't in the agreement when I signed up on June 9, 2004. I didn't print it out at the time, though. I guess I will remember to do that from now on.
Would anyone here have an agreement from then? |
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mwf
join:2000-11-26
Granite Quarry, NC | reply to Robbob90210
This is my favorite part:
or expected to be imposed, |
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tj008
join:2004-06-24
Cincinnati, OH
1 edit | reply to GrepTar
said by GrepTar:I am almost certain that wasn't in the agreement when I signed up on June 9, 2004. I didn't print it out at the time, though. I guess I will remember to do that from now on. Would anyone here have an agreement from then? Im sure somewhere in the T&C there is a line saying if this T&C is changed you are bound by them by continuing to pay for the service.
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| reply to GrepTar
said by GrepTar:I am almost certain that wasn't in the agreement when I signed up on June 9, 2004. I didn't print it out at the time, though. I guess I will remember to do that from now on. Would anyone here have an agreement from then? I just looked at the T&C from when I signed up in June. Unfortunatley here is the Taxes part:
S. Taxes
1. All taxes, tax-like charges, and tax-related surcharges are referred to collectively as “Tax(es).” Primus may elect to impose
and collect such Taxes, unless otherwise constrained by
court order or direction.
2. You agree to pay all Taxes imposed. If Primus has collected Taxes and a challenged Tax is found to have been invalid and
unenforceable, Primus, in its sole discretion, will either reduce service rates for a fixed
period of time in the future in order to flow-through to customers an amount equivalent to the amounts collected, or it will credit
or refund such amounts to affected customers (less its reasonable administrative costs),
if the amounts collected were retained by Primus or if they were delivered to the jurisdiction and returned to Primus, or it will
negotiate an arrangement with the jurisdiction to provide a future benefit for customers in
that
jurisdiction.
3. If you provide Primus with a duly authorized tax exemption certificate, Primus will exempt you in accordance with law,
effective on the date Primus receives the certificate.
& Taxes on Primus's net income will be Primus's responsibility.
5. If you are required by the laws of any foreign tax jurisdiction to withhold income or profit taxes from a payment, within 90
days of the withholding, you will provide Primus with official tax certificates documenting
remittance of the taxes. The tax certificates will be in a form sufficient to document qualification of the taxes for the foreign
tax credit allowable against Primus’s U.S. corporate income tax, and will be accompanied by
an English translation. Upon receipt of the tax certificate, Primus will issue you a credit for the amounts represented thereby.
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HooperPremium
join:2001-10-22
Villanova, PA | reply to Robbob90210
Verizon and Comcast raise their taxes all the time. Unfortunately in the future we will see more posts like this... but hopefully not too soon. Look at ATT CV, they are already collecting fees for taxes they don't have to pay.
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Bonnaroo 2004 : June 11-13 Manchester, TN |
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| Why would not just Lingo customer call customer service and ask them why exactly Lingo collecting this tax and other providers don't. This looks like one question which still has not got answered anywhere in this group. |
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| said by artisticcheese:Why would not just Lingo customer call customer service and ask them why exactly Lingo collecting this tax and other providers don't. This looks like one question which still has not got answered anywhere in this group. I sent them an email asking why companies like SunRocket do not charge these taxes but Lingo does. |
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| reply to Robbob90210
There is no way to put lipstick on this pig....the $1.50 is just a surcharge that, as long as VoIP is unregulated, comes out of our pocket and right to Primus's bottom line. |
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| reply to laserjobs
PLease note that SunRocket charges some taxes required but they are just included in monthly price. |
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| reply to Hooper
said by Hooper:Verizon and Comcast raise their taxes all the time. Unfortunately in the future we will see more posts like this... but hopefully not too soon. Look at ATT CV, they are already collecting fees for taxes they don't have to pay. Are you suggesting that Lingo keeps the taxes they collect?
Also, Lingo says that "changes" have caused them to alter their policy. What changes are they referring to? |
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| Exactly what changes have happened?
Until now, we have been fortunate to take advantage of current federal regulations and a regulatory environment that has allowed us not to charge Federal taxes and other cost recovery fees on your service. However, changes in both areas have caused us to modify our current policy. |
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| reply to Robbob90210
Simple just switch to a non US provider. And fingers up to their taxes. |
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Reviews:
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| reply to Robbob90210
I wonder how much longer before the rest of the VoIP carriers start charging tax and fees. That's one big reason why I just switched over from POTS in the first place.
Anyone know Broadvox's stance on this? |
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