One-time charges on your bill

If your bill seems higher than normal, it may be caused by one-time charges that have been applied to your account. One-time charges may occur when you:

You will typically find these charges listed on your bill in the sub-sections labeled "One-time Charges" and "Usage Charges."

When you start or make changes to your service

One-time charges are especially common when you first connect your service or if you have recently made changes to it. Typical one-time charges include:

Equipment purchases (such as your modem)
Equipment shipping and handling
Activation or installation fees

Occasionally, one-time charges are billed over multiple months. This is called installment billing. In this case, you will see a portion of a one-time charge on your bill for multiple months, until the full amount is paid (e.g. a $99 one-time charge being split into three $33 charges).

When you use pay-per-use features

It may be that you or someone in your household has used a pay-per-use feature. Since you're only charged for pay-per-use features when you use them, you might not be accustomed to seeing them on your bill. These appear on your bill under the "Usage Charges" section.

For your phone service, they could include:

Directory assistance (i.e. "information" or 411)
Last call return
Continuous redial
3-way calling

For your television service, they could include pay-per-view selections such as movies, video-on-demand or special events.

When you request repair service

Some repair visits incur one-time charges. For example, if a technician has to repair the wiring inside your home, you will be billed for this work.

Repair costs appear in the "One-time Charges" sub-section of the service details area of your bill.

When you fall behind on paying your bill

If you fall behind on paying your bill, you may find charges that you don't typically see on your bill.

Late payment charges: The charge for late payments is outlined in the "Information About Your Account" section of your bill. Late payment charges are either a flat fee or a percentage of amount past due. Learn how late payment charges are calculated.
Restoration of service charges: If you're disconnected due to nonpayment and then your service is later restored, you may be charged a one-time service reinstatement fee.