Worst Case Scenario, Your Phone Bill Will Be Increasing Here In Texas, But Why?

If you live in Texas, you will soon be seeing your phone bills increase, here is why.

According to the Texas Tribune, the Public Utility Commission decided to go with a rate hike last month which took effect this month.

The commission not only regulates telecommunication, but it also regulates the state's electric, water, and sewer utilities and decided last month to increase the Texas Universal Service Fund which telecommunications companies are forced to pay to help keep up cellphone services in rural parts of the state.

The rate hike took effect August 1 and will effect people on family plans and pay per-minute plans more than those on individual plans.

Individual plans will only see an increase of maybe a few dollars per month but the family plans and pay per-minute plans will see the biggest increases in their monthly charges.

The Texas Universal Service Fund helps about 4 million people that live in rural areas of Texas to be able to get basic telecommunications services.

The fund is crucial in keeping those rural areas connected to basic 911 service, without the fund large parts of Texas could be without connectivity.

“Rural providers and our customers didn’t ask for such a dramatic rate increase, and will work to continue to seek a longer-term, more affordable alternative to keep the universal service fund viable,” said Mark Seale, Executive Diorector of the Texas Telephone Association which represents the incumbent local exchange telephone companies in Texas.

So be on the lookout for increasing phone bills coming this month.