FCC Charge for Network Access: a charge per residential line that covers costs of connecting your local phone to the nationwide phone network. Also covers some of the cost of equipment and facilities maintenance for the phone company. Despite the name, it is not a charge set or collected by the Federal Communications Commission.

FCC Local Number Line Portability charge: A charge per residential line that pays for software and equipment setup needed to ensure that you can keep your current phone number if you decide to switch to a different local phone company or move to a new location within the same exchange.

Emergency 911 service: Pays for equipment and maintenance for routing 911 calls to the proper emergency-response office.

Inside Wire Maintenance: Insurance-like coverage that pays for phone company workers to repair telephone wiring problems inside your home. Without the optional coverage, you’ll pay trip and labor charges for each phone jack repaired.

Lifeline Support: Goes into a pool that provides subsidized phone service for low-income customers. People who meet the income guidelines can get their local service at half price.

Messages: This is the headline used for phone-company promotions and educational materials.

Personal Access Code: A four digit code number that allows you access to automated customer service on the telephone and online services concerning your phone account. It is always on the first page of the bill below the summary of charges due.

Pre-subscribed Interexchange Carrier Charge (PICC)…more frequently listed as carrier line charge: A fee on the long-distance portion of your phone bill. It covers charges that long-distance companies pay to the local phone network to begin and end long-distance calls. Different long -distance companies may charge different amounts and label the fee by various names. AT&T calls it a carrier line charge.

Non-regulated: Not set or controlled by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission or FCC. Your local phone service (dial tone) cannot be turned off because you haven’t paid these charges. They include charges for internet service, cellular phones and telephone equipment.

Regulated: Governed by the OCC or the FCC.

Right Touch: An automated 24-hour customer service system available from any touch-tone phone. There’s no charge for using the service.

Telecommunications Relay Service Charge: Finances the relay service for hearing/speech-impaired customers. The fund pays for equipment that allows people with the disabilities to send and receive written messages over the phone lines. It also pays for relay operators to translate written words to speech (and vice versa) so customers using the equipment can phone people who use standard phones.

Universal Service Fund: Appears on the long-distance portion of your bill and pays for FCC-required subsidies to phone service for people with low income, people who live in areas where the cost of providing phone service is high, schools and libraries and rural health-care providers. Different long-distance companies may label the fee by various names and charge different amounts. AT&T uses the term "Universal Connectivity Charge" and charges a fee ranging from a base of $1.38 up to 8.6 percent of state-to-state and international long-distance charges.

The Oklahoma state legislature has applied an Oklahoma Universal Service Fund (OUSF) similar to the federal USF to all phone companies providing intrastate service in Oklahoma. Phone companies may pay into the fund without recouping the cost or they may pass the cost on to customers.