subject: Internet Service - Your First Month's Bill [print this page] Internet Service - Your First Month's Bill
When you see a promotion advertising the rates for Internet service so low, it's hard to resist the low pricing being offered. Before signing up for an offer there are some items you may find yourself paying for when you get your first monthly bill. Money is tight these days for many people so it makes sense to pay close attention to the expenses you may end up paying for.
Before we go into this article, I just want to let everyone know that this is not to bash any particular ISP or cause an discouragement from ordering Internet services. This article is solely produced for the purpose of informing the average consumer of possible expenses to expect other than an advertised rate offered by an ISP. Many of these fees I should note come with bundled Internet services and not just single connections.
Commonly the installation fee is a fee that many do not put into consideration when signing up for Internet service. The installation fee for one household can go over $50.00 alone and can cause some stress when reading the first bill. Before signing up for services make sure it is clear what the installation cost is going to be beforehand.
Everyone needs a modem for broadband Internet access these days. You will be probably needing to use a modem from your Internet service provider, more so than ever if you plan on purchasing bundled broadband phone and Internet services. A rental of a modem will more likely be necessary for your broadband Internet lease. Usually the modem rental fee is not included in the promotional advertising, so you will need to be prepared to spend additionally each month for that in addition to your Internet bill. The cost of renting a modem can be anywhere from $3.00 a month all the way to $20.00, so be careful.
A franchise fee is something else you can expect to see on a bill, but not commonly looked into. The franchise fee can run from a few cents all the way to $10.00 or more. This fee the ISP has no control over and is charged by local city or county government. This is charged to the ISP for having the privilege to do business within your locality. Pretty much everyone on both sides would prefer to not to have to endure this charge but it exists regardless.
A more common bill item is known Nationwide to consumers. This item is the almighty state sales tax which will be billed with your Internet or other items within your bill. Basically, expect one instance of sales tax per item, not bill. You will pay a sales tax for your phone service, a separate sales tax for your Internet access, and another sales tax even for cable television services. This tax is variable depending on the services acquired and the package you choose with your Internet service provider.
