Taxes, Fees and Surcharges
911 Fee
This charge is imposed by local governments to help pay for emergency services
such as fire and rescue. Federal, state or local government end-users are exempt
from this charge.
Federal Excise Tax
This is a 3% tax mandated by the federal government. It is imposed on all
telecommunications services, including local, long distance and wireless bills.
The percentage is not applied to other taxes.
Telephone Franchise Fee
This charge is assessed as 3% of local exchange telephone services not
including long distance. This mandated 3% franchise fee is collected for local
municipalities.
Cable Television Franchise Fee
This charge is assessed as a percentage of the cable television services
provided not including equipment costs or rentals. This mandated franchise fee is
collected for local municipalities and county governments.
Pole Attachment Fees
This fee is assessed to recover increased costs charged by third parties to attach
our fiber to their poles.
State & Local Sales Tax
This charge is imposed by state, local, and municipal governments on goods and
services.
Federal Universal Service Fund Charge (USF)
The charge is not a tax and can have federal tax applied to it. Because
telephones provide a vital link to emergency services, to government services and
to surrounding communities, it has been our nation’s policy to promote telephone
service to all households to make phone service affordable and available to all
Americans, including consumers with low income, those living in areas where the
cost of providing telephone service is high, local schools and libraries and rural
health care providers. Congress has mandated that all telephone companies
providing interstate service must contribute to the USF.
Federal Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS)
All providers of interstate telecommunications services are required to contribute
to support telecommunications relay service programs for hearing impaired and
speech disabled persons. This surcharge is $0.11 per phone line.
Local Number Portability Fee
Local number portability gives the customer the option to keep his or her current
phone number when they change to a different telephone service provider. When
porting a phone number, there is a one-time fee of $25.35 per household.
Disconnect
If payment has not been made by 30 days after the bill date your service is
subject to disconnection.
Reconnect Charge
If your service has been disconnected due to nonpayment you will be subject to a
$50 reconnection fee and/or a security deposit. These fees must be paid during
regular business hours (8am-5pm) Mon-Fri.
Returned Checks Charge
The customer is responsible for returned checks or bank drafts. For each
returned item due to insufficient funds, Dalton Utilities may charge $25 or 5% of
the account balance.
Closed Captioning
For closed captioning concerns call 706-529-1313 or fax to 706-529-9990 or email
cablegroup@dutil.com. Address any written correspondence to
Dalton Utilities-Cable Group
PO Box 869
Dalton, GA 30722-0869
Georgia Universal Access Fund Surcharge (UAF)
Legislation was enacted in Georgia that allows local exchange companies to
establish a surcharge to collect from its customers contributions required under
Code Section 46-5-167-Universal Access Fund after approval by the Georgia
Public Service Commission. Effective November 1, 2022, OptiLink will
assess a surcharge identified as “GA Universal Access (UAF) Surcharge”
calculated as 3.75% of intrastate retail revenues. The rate of the surcharge is
equal to the contribution factor established by the Public Service Commission
and is subject to change as determined by the Public Service Commission.
Local Broadcast Transmission(s)
The Local Broadcast Transmission Fee is added to your bill to offset a portion of the
local broadcast transmission charged to OptiLink and other cable/satellite providers
by local broadcast television stations (i.e. network affiliates such as CBS, NBC,
ABC, Fox, etc.). These local broadcast transmission fees are charged to obtain the
broadcasters’ “consent” for their channels to be part of the cable/satellite providers’
channel line-ups (Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of
1992).
Broadcast stations transmit their signals over the air at no cost to consumers.
However, they charge cable and satellite providers significant amounts to carry their
signals. The “consent” fees, which historically were quite low, have increased
dramatically over the past several years. The Local Broadcast Transmission fees
only reflects a portion of the fees charged to OptiLink to provide local networks for
our customers. We are providing this information in the interest of transparency to
clarify the source of these fees and what they represent.
Payment Information
If your recent payment does not show on this bill, deduct the amount from the
total amount that is due before you make the payment. Always include the
remittance slip when paying on your account, whether you mail it, or pay at
one of our convenient community locations. The date on which payment is due for
this bill applies only to current charges. It does not extend the time available to pay
prior balances.
Ways to Pay:
Kiosk Payments
Kiosk Payments located at:
Dalton Utilities- 1200 V.D. Parrott Jr. Pkway Dalton, GA 30720
Loa Bakery- 737 Riverbend Rd Dalton, GA 30720
La Providencia- 1300 Underwood St Dalton,GA 30720
Online Payments
OptiLink offers online payments, please visit us @ www.optilink.us.
Phone Payments
OptiLink offers phone payments, please call 706-529-0001.
Recurring Payments
If you would like to pay by bank draft please contact our office at 706-529-1313 or
you may email optilink@dutil.com.
Frequent Billing Questions
Varying Bill Amounts
If the amount of your bill is different from month to month, the cause may be long
distance calls or Pay Per View movies.
About Changing Services Mid-Month
You are place in a monthly bill cycle based on the date that the services are
installed in your home. If you wish to change your services at a time other than the
end of your billing cycle we will prorate the services that you have had to that
point and/or the services that are being added.
For example, if your install date is August 18th, and you decide on August 29th to
change from basic telephone service to enhanced, you will be charged the basic
rates from the 18th to the 29th, and the enhanced rates for the rest of the month.
You will see the charges and credit on your next bill. Credits will have a “CR” after
the dollar amount (11.36CR).
Unpaid Balances
If this account is not paid the balance will be turned over to a collection agency.
- Dalton Utilities will never call you to demand immediate payment or with a threat to disconnect service if a bill is not paid immediately.
- The only time we will ever call regarding your bill is with a courtesy reminder for a bill that is late.
- It can appear on your caller ID that a call is coming from a Dalton Utilities phone number, even when it is not Dalton Utilities calling.
- Please call Dalton Utilities (706-278-1313) or OptiLink (706-529-1313) any time with questions or concerns about your account, or visit us online at dutil.com.
