Billing
The following information is provided to better assist you in understanding Oklatel bills.
- Bills will be issued monthly and are due upon receipt. They cover the local service charge for one month in advance from the date of the bill, and long distance charges for the previous toll billing period.
- Oklatel prepares and sends out statements to be in the hands of its customers on the first day of each month. If the bill is not paid on time, a “Reminder Notice” is mailed to the customer. If the bill is still not paid when the new bills are prepared, the amount due will appear on the bill as a previous balance. A “Disconnect Notice” is then mailed shortly after the new bill, specifying a date by which the past due amount must be paid to avoid disconnection or interruption of service.
- If service is disconnected because of non-payment, a reconnect fee will be charged and a security deposit may be required before service is restored. If you are unable to pay your bill on time, please contact the office to make acceptable payment arrangements.
- Oklatel’s credit and collection policy is lenient but is strictly enforced. Much of the policy is driven by the fact that Oklatel must pay the long-distance telephone companies at the end of each month for all long-distance calls which Oklatel bills for these Companies. This occurs whether or not Oklatel collects from its customers for the long-distance calls.
- The end result is a bill can go unpaid for approximately 40 days before service is disconnected.
- As always, please direct any questions to the Oklatel business office.
For any questions concerning your bill please call your Customer Service Representative at 918-656-3233.
Customer Tips
How Can We Improve Your Service?
The Oklatel Communications companies make every attempt to help our customers with problems that might arise regarding their service. Our customer sales and service representatives are eager to help you! Just call our business office and describe the problem. If the representative is unable to solve your problem they will find someone to assist you. Oklatel Communications, Inc. 918-656-3233.
If You Receive Obscene Or Harassing Phone Calls…
It is against the law to make obscene, threatening or anonymous phone calls. Telephone harassment is a crime. Penalties include imprisonment and/or fine.
- When answering your calls, say hello twice. If there is no answer HANG UP!
- Do not give out any information unless you know the person to whom you are speaking.
- Instruct children not to give out information.
- HANG UP if you hear obscene remarks.
- Never say you are alone.
What Can I Do About Unwanted Telephone Solicitations?
- HANG UP!
- Report companies using questionable sales practices to your Attorney General’s Office.
- Go to the Oklahoma Attorney General’s website at www.oag.ok.gov to register online for the Do Not Call list or call 405-521-3921. Oklahomans can also register by mail.
Protecting You…
We make every effort to protect your telecommunications service from unlawful wiretapping or other illegal interceptions. Customer service records, credit information, and related confidential personal account information are fully protected.
Illegal Wiretapping
It is a crime under federal and state laws for any person to wiretap or otherwise intercept a telephone call unless that person has first obtained a court order or the consent of one or both people participating in the call. The penalty for illegally wiretapping can be imprisonment and/or fine.
How Do I Know When My Conversation is Being Recorded
A short “beep” tone heard on your telephone line every 15 seconds means the person with whom you are talking is recording your conversation. If you do not want your conversation recorded advise the caller not to record. If you continue to hear the “beep,” HANG UP.
Pay Per Call Services…
What are they? Private companies offer a service in which you are charged by the call or the minute. It used to be exclusively 900/976 numbers, now it can be any kind of number. Voluntary blocking of access to 900 services is available by contacting the Company’s business office.
Money Saving Telephone Tips…
- Take advantage of holiday rates, if applicable.
- You have direct dialing long distance capabilities, so dial your own calls. Going through an operator costs money.
- Call long distance when rates are lowest… in the evening and on weekends.
- Plan your conversation. Jot down the things you want to talk about. You will save calling time-and you won’t forget something you wanted to say.
My Long Distance Carrier Was Changed Without My Consent…
If you have been slammed, you can change your service immediately back to your original provider by calling your local telephone company. You should report the slam by writing or calling the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Consumer Services Division – 2101 N. Lincoln Boulevard, P.O. Box 52000-2000, Oklahoma City, OK 73152-2000. Contact phone numbers are 1-800-522-8154 or 405-521-2211 and fax number is 405-521-2087. You can prevent slamming by requesting a preferred telephone company freeze from Oklatel.
Phone Service
How does telephone number assignment work?
The assignment of a number to a customer’s telephone service will be made at the discretion of the telephone company. The customer has no proprietary right in the number, and the company may make such reasonable changes in the telephone number or central office designation as the requirements of the service may demand.
When will I get my phone bill?
Bills will be issued monthly and are due upon receipt. They cover the local service charge for one month in advance from the date of the bill, and long distance charges for the previous toll billing period. Mail your payment to the following address:
Oklatel Communications, Inc.
P.O. Box 390600
Dustin, OK 74839
What should I do if I disagree with a charge on my bill?
If you disagree with a particular charge on your bill, please call the telephone number which appears at the top of the page on which the charge appears. This will enable you to talk with a customer service representative from the company which has applied that charge on your bill.
Is there a late fee if I am late paying my bill?
Whether you are a residential or business customer, a late payment penalty of 5.0% will be assessed to the current balance.
How can I check and verify that my payment has been received?
Call Oklatel at the telephone number which appears at the top of your bill during normal business hours to verify the last payment we have received and your current account balance.
Why are there so many taxes and surcharges on my bill?
Government agencies have found phone bills to be an effective way to assess and collect taxes because the majority of the people receive a telephone bill. Oklatel and other telephone companies collect the required taxes as part of the total phone bill and send the appropriate amounts back to the taxing agency. Federal, state and local governments assess taxes and surcharges for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common charges include: 911 charges – usually a dedicated tax that provides funds for the communications systems that support emergency and quick response police, fire and ambulance services with identification of phone number and location; Federal excise taxes – taxes assessed by the United States government on telephone services; Assistance Plans – often referred to as Universal Service Funds of Telephone Assistance Plans which are dedicated monies used to provide telephone subsidies to low income or physically challenged individuals or families who could not otherwise afford the service; Municipal surcharges and fees – taxes and fees ordinarily assessed by local governments and often used to pay for special bonds or levies, often to support new 911 or other telephone services.
What should I do if I need to report a trouble with my line and/or any damaged lines, pedestals or poles?
Should you need to report any trouble, please call 918-656-3233.
What happens when a problem is found after I report trouble?
When you call to report a problem, we will strive to locate and resolve the trouble. If the trouble is in our lines or switching equipment, we will take quick action to correct the problem. If the source of the problem is determined to be your telephone, then you should follow the instructions on the telephone warranty for repair. Repair to your equipment or wiring, if requested, would be billed at a time and material charge.
Is there any troubleshooting I can do on my own should I have a problem?
Absolutely! If you take a few minutes to double check the following items, your problem may be easier to fix than you thought.
- Check your equipment (i.e. cordless phone, answering machine or fax), by disconnecting it from the phone jack and power source. Sometimes resetting your equipment will restore service.
- Make sure all of your phones are hung up.
- Do a visual inspection of all exposed wiring and connections for damage or loose connections.
- If you have more than one outlet, check each instrument at each outlet to determine if operation can be obtained from any outlet.
- To isolate jack or house wiring problems, move a working telephone to each jack in the house to find which location is causing the trouble.
How do I disconnect my service?
There is no charge to disconnect your phone service. Call your customer sales and service representative at 918-656-3233.
Who do I call if I need to dig where there might be buried phone cables?
Call 811 or OKIE at 1-800-522-6543 or 1-877-234-8344 to locate an underground cable.
Internet Connection Troubleshooting
Reboot the Computer
It seems trivial, but you should always begin troubleshooting computer problems by rebooting your computer! This is particularly important if your computer has worked fine in the past and only just began to exhibit problems.
Power-Cycle the DSL Router
Power-cycling the router causes it to re-synchronize the DSL signal and the network connection to your computer.
- Unplug then wait 30 seconds.
- Plug the DSL Router back in. Wait another 60 – 120 seconds.
- Restart your computer.
Remove Network Devices
Remove any network devices (such as hubs, wireless routers, or network switches) that sit between your computer and the DSL router. By running your computer directly into the DSL router, you can eliminate the possibility that another device on your network is causing the problem.
Power LED
Check the status of the LED lights located on the front panel of the router. “POWER” or “PWR” should be lit solid. If the power light is unlit or is flashing, try the following:
- Ensure that the power supply is plugged in securely, both at the wall outlet and at the back of the DSL router.
- You may need to try a different wall outlet.
Status LED
The “STATUS” LED should be lit solid. The Status Link light will flash when the router is trying to connect to your DSL service. In most cases, it should take less than 90 seconds for your “STATUS” LED to display a solid light.If the Status link light continues to flash, try the following:
- With the exception of your DSL router/modem, ensure that all devices plugged into the phone line, fax machines, and satellite receivers have a DSL line filter on them. These filters prevent interference with your DSL signal. The DSL router/modem should be the only unfiltered device on the phone line.
- The phone cable coming from the wall should be plugged into the line side of the DSL modem. Try bypassing any splitters or other devices as they can sometimes cause interference with your DSL signal. We suggest you remove and re-plug the phone cable into the DSL Router and the wall jack to ensure the cable is plugged in securely. The cable should “click“ when it is pushed into place.
- With your DSL Router turned off, check the phone line for line noise. Audible phone line noise might be interfering with your DSL signal. If you hear snaps or static when making a phone call, it is likely that the phone company will need to repair your wiring or the wiring in your house will need to be checked.
LAN LED
The LAN light should be lit solid or blinking rapidly. The LAN link light will blink when your computer is sending or receiving data. It will remain solid while no data is being passed. If the link light is not lit, try the following:
- Make sure the ethernet cable connecting your DSL modem with your computer is plugged into the LAN port on the back of the DSL modem. Remove and re-plug the cable into the DSL modem and your computer to ensure the cable is plugged in securely.
- If there are any network devices between your computer and DSL router, such as a hub or other router, try bypassing them and run your computer directly into the DSL router. This will help you eliminate the possibility that one of these devices may be causing your problem.
Firewall
If you are running a third-party firewall program on your computer, these may be interfering with your computer’s ability to access the Internet. Try disabling any firewall program that you have running.
