Ever since I got a huge cellphone bill four months ago, every time I make a call, I note down the duration of my call along with the charges for the call. But every time I find that my billed amount is more than my calculations. Can someone tell me the reason for this? Maybe this cellphone expenses infographic from Billshrink has an answer to my query. Here are certain charges that you pay in addition to the talk-time charges:
Media Files Exchange
Firstly, this infographic reveals that our wireless services providers are not charging us merely on talk time. You might be shocked to hear this, but if you use a smartphone, a lot of data exchange is taking place from your phone and you are being charged for all this. Data carrier service charges are calculated in technical lingo which is generally difficult for many of us to understand when we opt for the services. So, we are generally not prepared for those extra charges which add up to our basic call charges. Did you know that when you exchange images via your smartphone, you are being charged on the size of the image sent? Moreover, your service provider is quietly charging you a flat fee for transporting that image to you. So next time you think of sending your pretty shots to your college gang, just wait awhile and make sure that you understand the charges well.
911 Surcharge
The 911 surcharge is a fee that your service provider collects from you to fund emergency conditions like fire and 
rescue situations. This is not much. Only about $0.75.Well, I don’t have any qualms about paying up for these benevolent purposes.
The Universal Connectivity Charge
A universal connectivity charge of $0.40 is levied upon you by the service providers even though the government does not necessitate that. This contribution goes into the “telephone services for all” assurance fund. Another benevolent effort from the service provider maybe, but it sure does add up to the pressure on my small wallet.
Talk out with your service provider to eliminate these charges and you might save at least $50 on your telephone bills for a typical two-year agreement.
Roaming Calls
Roaming charges constitute a major culprit in raising your telephone bills. Did you know that even if you don’t respond to call, leave alone receiving it, you’ll be charged. Why? The call will be diverted to your voice mail and you’ll be charged for the services. This happens mostly on the T-Mobile, where even for a missed call you are charged $4.99. Other than this for making call you are charged $2.49 for one minute. Your incoming calls are also charged. If all these statistics are working up your adrenals, just switch off your smartphone. It’s as simple as that!
Opt For Text Messaging
Text messaging is your cheapest option of communication while you travel with a charge of $ 0.20 per text message.
Turn Off Data Roaming While Traveling
You can turn off the data roaming facility alone while traveling. Exchanging a picture while on cruise which will cost you $7, and a U-Tube 5 megapixel picture download at a terminal will cost $40.
