On almost all telecom bills, there’s a section called something like “fees, taxes, and surcharges,” which customers pay in addition to the services that they are contracted for. These fees are rarely (if ever) discussed during negotiations for new services with telecom vendors. But as a telecom manager responsible for budgeting for services, these additional fees are an important and significant part to be considered during the overall cost analysis. These taxes and fees can add an additional 50% or more to the cost of the contracted services—they are not usually negotiable—and can be variable over time . When negotiating for new services, ask the vendor to provide a sample bill that includes taxes and surcharges. This total is what you need to budget for.
