FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 20, 2011

Prepaid Wireless Consumers To Pay 911 Charge At Time of Purchase

Effective July 1, 2011, all prepaid wireless consumers will pay a 911 charge at the time of purchase of each prepaid wireless retail transaction.

The new prepaid 911 charge is to provide funding for the cost of a 911 emergency system.

A charge of 63 cents ($0.63) must be collected by a prepaid wireless seller on each sale of prepaid wireless telecommunications service to a consumer. The charge is required to be collected by a prepaid wireless seller on each prepaid wireless transaction occurring in South Carolina. The charges must be stated on an invoice, receipt or other similar document to be provided to the customer by the seller or the seller must otherwise disclose to the consumer that the charge was added to the bill.

The prepaid wireless 911 charge is a flat fee to be approved annually by the South Carolina State Budget and Control Board.

For more information on the law concerning 911 charges, visit www.sctax.org.

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