E-911 Surcharges and Fees

911 has been designated as the "Universal Emergency Number" for all citizens throughout the United States to request emergency assistance. The purpose of the fee is to "pay for" the cost of such systems. A consumer has access to E911 whether or not the locality in which the consumer lives has imposed the monthly charge.

The E911 system utilizes a computerized system to automatically route emergency telephone calls to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). The enhanced 911 system allows the PSAP operator to automatically see the phone number and address of the person calling. The E911 fee covers the installation and maintenance expenses for the E911 system. All lines (residential and commercial) are subject to a monthly E911 charge per line which is imposed by the respective state and local Public Service commissions.