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Billing 

  1. Where do I mail my payment?
  2. How do I read my bill?
  3. Can I pay my bill online?
  4. What are typical costs associated with wireless service?
  5. Why do I have prorated charges on my bill?
  6. How many days do I have to pay my bill?
  7. How can I help ensure prompt processing of my bill payment?
  8. Will I be charged if someone calls me on my wireless phone?
  9. Will I be charged when I place a call and get a busy signal or no answer?
  10. How can I change my billing address?
  11. What should I do if I move out of my home service area?
  12. Is there sales tax on wireless service?
  13. What is the Universal Service Fund?
  14. Is there a charge for 911 calls?
  15. What are roaming charges?
  16. What is an Expanded Local Calling Area?
  17. What are Special Roamer charges?
  18. What is Home Rate Roaming?
  19. How can I monitor minutes used?
  20. What does it mean to bill in FULL-MINUTE increments?
  21. What does BILL IN ADVANCE mean?
  22. What's the difference between LOCAL and EXTENDED Home Service Areas?
  23. What are TOLL CHARGES?
  24. How are late-payment charges applied?
  25. Why does my cellular number appear under "Wireless Details of Usage"?
  26. Why does equipment I've purchased at a retail store show up on my bill?
  27. Are Night and Weekend Minutes the same as Off Peak?
  28. What is the Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee on my bill
  1. Where do I mail my payment?  
    Please mail your payment to the appropriate address for your state. Payments may also be made via our automated account information line by either major credit card or direct-debit from your checking account at 888-944-9400 or 611 from your wireless phone (always a free call).

    Please note: These addresses are for payments only.  For all other correspondence, please call 1-888-944-9400 for the appropriate address.  


    Residents of CA, IA, IL, ID, IN, MO (St. Louis and Columbia area), NE, OR, WA, WI:

    U.S. Cellular
    P.O. Box 0203
    Palatine, IL 60055-0203


    Residents of KS, MO (Joplin area), OK, TX:

    U.S. Cellular
    P.O. Box 650684
    Dallas, TX 75265-0684


    Residents of MD, ME, NH, OH, PA, VA, VT, WV:

    U.S. Cellular
    P.O. Box 371345
    Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7345


    Residents of FL, GA, NC, SC, TN:

    U.S. Cellular
    P.O. Box 530724
    Atlanta, GA 30353-0724


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  2. How do I read my bill?  
    Go to How to Read Your Bill to view a sample statement, as well as get tips for prompt bill paying.
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  3. Can I pay my bill online?  
    Yes. You can log in to My Account, U.S. Cellular's online account management site. You can pay your bill, check your minutes of use and schedule automatic payments. Your monthly statements will be stored for up to 16 months. Sign up today!
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  4. What are typical costs associated with wireless service?  
    Most plans charge a monthly service charge and include a specific number of airtime minutes, determined by the type of use associated with the calling plan you choose. There's usually a onetime charge for activating service and installation (if applicable). A typical monthly bill includes:
    • Monthly service charge which may include packages of included minutes.
    • Charges for airtime that exceeds the minutes included in your monthly calling plan, divided into peak and off-peak minutes.
    • Roaming charges
    • Optional feature charges
    • Other charges and credits made to your account during the billing period, if applicable.
    • Toll charges (as listed on the bill) include long distance (if long distance is included on the plan), International Dialing charges and charges incurred from calling Directory Assistance
    • Taxes
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  5. Why do I have prorated charges on my bill?  
    Prorated or partial charges can appear on your bill if you add or change services in the middle of a billing cycle. Proration can occur on the bill following service suspension or addition of features.
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  6. How many days do I have to pay my bill?  
    Payments are due approximately 20 days after the billing cycle date. Refer to the top right-hand corner of the first page of your bill for the exact date your payment is due. Sign up for online billing to pay your bill online or set up automatic payments.
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  7. How can I help ensure prompt processing of my bill payment?  
    We recommend signing up to pay your bill online with our online account management site. You can pay your bill, check your minutes of use and schedule automatic payments. You will receive an e-mail notification when your statement is ready. You can choose to pay the bill as soon as it arrives or on the due date. You can also set up automatic recurring payments through your credit or debit card or your savings or checking account. Sign up today!

    If you prefer to pay your bill through the mail, return the bottom portion of the first page of your bill (remittance portion) with your payment using the enclosed envelope. Please write your account and wireless telephone numbers on your check or money order. If you are paying for multiple accounts, attach the remittance portion of each bill to ensure that every account is properly credited.

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  8. Will I be charged if someone calls me on my wireless phone?  
    All new U.S. Cellular Single line Wide Area and National service plans for $39.99 or higher include free incoming calls. So you never pay for incoming calls. All new U.S. Cellular Wide Area and National Family plans include Mobile-to-Mobile minutes. Unlimited incoming calls are available for purchase on Wide Area and National Family plans. Please check your service agreement for details.
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  9. Will I be charged when I place a call and get a busy signal or no answer?  
    In California, Illinois, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin there are no charges for busy signals or ring time if there is no answer.

    In all other U.S. Cellular service areas, there is no charge, unless the phone rings for more than 59 seconds from the time you press the SEND key. In that case, regular airtime charges apply. While you are roaming, billing for busy signals and no-answers are at the discretion of the local wireless carrier. If applicable, these charges will appear on your bill.
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  10. How can I change my billing address?  
    Please either call us at 611 from your wireless phone (always a free call), if in your home service area, or at 1-888-944-9400. You can also e-mail our customer service team to let us know the new information.
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  11. What should I do if I move out of my home service area?  
    Simply contact a U.S. Cellular representative by dialing 611 from your wireless phone or 1-888-944-9400. First, we'll check to see if U.S. Cellular service is offered in your new area. If so, we'll make the change for you. If U.S. Cellular service is not available in the new area, we'll explain your options.
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  12. Is there sales tax on wireless service?  
    Normal taxes will apply for your wireless service based on the address on the account, just as they would for your existing utilities such as electricity and your home telephone.
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  13. What is the Universal Service Fund?  
    In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created a directive that allowed for a federal Universal Service Fund to ensure quality, affordable telecommunications service to all consumers, especially those in rural areas, as well as to schools, libraries and hospitals.

    Beginning in 1998, all telecommunications carriers, including U.S. Cellular, had to start contributing to support universal telephone service. Each U.S. Cellular line is assessed this charge, which may be adjusted from time to time based on revised government calculations.
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  14. Is there a charge for 911 calls?  
    U.S. Cellular does not charge for 911 calls. However, if you are roaming when you call, roaming charges may apply. Please remember that 911 may not be available in some areas of the country.
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  15. What are roaming charges?  
    Roaming charges refer to charges for calls made in a roaming area. These charges will include a per-minute charge for airtime. Your roaming area is indicated on the map that appears in your calling plan brochure. Roaming minutes are available for purchase on some plans. Rates may vary by plan. Roaming charges can be delayed and not appear on your bill for one to two months.
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  16. What is an Expanded Local Calling Area?  

    Pertaining to the Local Plans only: "Anytime Minutes" are applicable only within the "Local Calling Area". In addition to this area, there is also an "Expanded Local Calling Area". When using your wireless phone to make a call from this "Expanded Local Calling Area, you will be charged your local per minute rate for every used minute instead of a roaming rate. (Roaming rates are applied when you travel outside the "Expanded Local Calling Area.)

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  17. What are Special Roamer charges?  
    Special Roamer airtime refers to the charges incurred for the delivery of a call to your wireless phone while you are outside your home area. This is a preferred roaming rate that applies to calls made within your Extended Home Service Area. Although you are only charged for those calls once, itemization of Special Roamer calls will appear in both the Call Detail and Roaming Detail portion of the bill.
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  18. What is Home Rate Roaming?  
    The area in which you subscribe to U.S. Cellular service is referred to as your home service area. Beyond that area, your specific calling plan may designate a Home Rate Roaming area. Home Rate Roaming minutes are billed at your calling plan's per-minute rate, the same rate you are charged for usage if you exceed your package minutes. Unlike Extended Home Service Area, Home Rate Roaming minutes are not deducted from your calling package's minutes. Also, long-distance charges may apply.
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  19. How can I monitor minutes used?  
    You can check your minutes used online with U.S. Cellular's online account management. Sign up today!

    You can also check your minutes by dialing 611 or #225 anytime on your wireless phone and follow the prompts to check minutes used on an account. You'll need the last 4 digits of the account holder's Social Security number to access this information.
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  20. What does it mean to bill in FULL-MINUTE increments?  
    U.S. Cellular charges calls in full-minute increments. Each partial minute of airtime is rounded up and billed as a full minute. Rounding applies to all airtime minutes including, but not limited to, promotional and non-promotional minutes and offerings. Airtime charges apply from the time you press SEND/TALK to the time you press END on completed calls. You may also be charged for calls that are not completed but ring longer than 59 seconds.
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  21. What does BILL IN ADVANCE mean?  
    At U.S. Cellular, your monthly service charges are billed one month in advance . For example, if your bill date is the 16th, your January 16th bill would reflect monthly service charges that cover January 16th through February 15th.
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  22. What's the difference between LOCAL and EXTENDED Home Service Areas?  
    A Local Service area includes the immediate area where the particular Cellular Telephone Number (CTN) is from. An Extended Home Service area is a larger service area that U.S. Cellular includes within your plan. Your included package minutes and overage rate will apply while you are in your Local and Extended Home Service area.
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  23. What are TOLL CHARGES?  
    Toll charges (as listed on the bill) include long distance charges (if long distance is not included with the plan), international dialing charges and charges incurred from calling directory assistance.
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  24. How are late-payment charges applied?  
    A late-payment charge is applied to your bill when the previous month's bill has not been paid in full, leaving a previous amount due carried forward. The late-payment charge is included in the total amount due on the current bill.
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  25. Why does my cellular number appear under "Wireless Details of Usage"?  
    Each call made (outgoing) and received (incoming) is detailed by date, time, length of call and number called. Incoming calls will show your cellular number under "Number Called."
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  26. Why does equipment I've purchased at a retail store show up on my bill?  
    This helps you manage your purchases as they relate to your account. You will see both the charge and the payment of the item.
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  27. Are Night and Weekend Minutes the same as Off Peak?  
    Yes, Night and Weekend Minutes are valid Monday through Friday, 7:00 p.m. to 6 :59 a.m., or 9:00 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. (depending on calling plan) and all day Saturday and Sunday. Night and Weekend Minutes are available throughout your rate plan calling area.
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  28. What is the Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee on my bill  
    U.S. Cellular charges its customers a Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee to defray the costs associated with certain federal and state mandated programs. U.S. Cellular is not required by law to charge this fee. Since implementation costs may change over time, this fee will be subject to change accordingly. The Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee defrays the cost of implementing and maintaining the following programs:
    • Wireless Number Portability and Number Pooling
      Wireless Number Portability allows customers to keep their wireless numbers when switching to different carriers . Number pooling is a method to help conserve wireless phone numbers and delay area code exhaustion.

    • E911
      E911 allows emergency response units to more effectively track the locations of wireless 911 calls.

    • Telephone Text (TTY)/Dual Party Relay
      TTY and Dual Party Relay assists speech and hearing-impaired individuals with making and receiving messages by telephone.

    • Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA)
      CALEA requires that wireless service providers make network changes that allow law enforcement officials to intercept and analyze communications carried over that network.
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