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Q. What changes are taking place with the Federal and General Excise Taxes?
A. For a detailed list of relative taxes, rates, and descriptions click here >>
Q. Does Hawaiian Telcom accept credit card payments?
A. Yes, you may by credit card online.
Q. Why would I setup automated bill pay service?
A. With automated bill pay, you authorize Hawaiian Telcom to automatically deduct payment from a checking or savings account to pay your phone bill each month. It saves the hassle of having to pay bills via mail or in person.
Q. Is there a service fee for using Hawaiian Telcom’s online bill pay or automated bill pay service?
A. No, bill paying services are free of charge. However, you are responsible for any fees that may be charged by your financial institution, so we encourage you to contact them for details.
Q. Will my bill show that I’ve setup automated bill pay?
A. Yes, your bill will indicate that your account will be debited on a certain date. You can also logon to the Hawaiian Telcom bill pay website to confirm your account setup. Your automated payments will appear as credits on your bill, and the payment information will appear online once the payment has been received.
Q. How do I sign up for online bill pay or automated bill pay?
A. Click here to begin the registration process. You will need to setup a login and password for your account. You’ll need your Hawaiian Telcom account number which is located in the left-hand column of your Hawaiian Telcom bill (be sure to enter the full account ID), and you’ll need a valid email address to assure payment and bill notification is sent to the correct email address. The first time you logon you’ll establish your account user ID and password. Be sure to keep this information in a secure place.
Q. Can I use my telephone number to sign up for bill pay service?
A. No. You must register your account with the Hawaiian Telcom Account Management Center first.
Q. If I have more than one bill do I need to sign up each account?
A. Yes. We’re working on an additional capability that will allow you to sign up all of your accounts at once, but for now, please do each individually.
Q. Will I receive a bill in the mail if I signed up for automated bill pay?
A. It’s your choice. You can request online notification, which will be sent to your email account on record. You can also request that a paper bill be mailed to you.
Q. How will I know that my bill is ready to view online?
A. You’ll receive an email notification of your bill, or a paper bill in the mail, depending on the invoice method you choose.
Q. What if I forget my password?
A. Click on “Forgot Password,” provide the secure user identification information, and we’ll email you a new password.
You can use your new password immediately.
Q. How long does it take for my online bill payment to be posted?
A. One-time payments made up until 8:00 p.m. (Hawaii Standard Time) will post to your telephone account on the following business day, and payments made after 8:00 p.m. will post within the next two business days (business days exclude Saturdays, Sundays and Hawaiian Telcom-observed holidays).
Q. When are my automatic bill payments withdrawn from my account?
A. Automated bill pay is processed 10 calendar days before your next due date. The transaction is typically recorded to your bank account from 1 to 3 business days after your payment is processed. See your financial institution for more information.
Q. I just closed my bank account. What will happen to my automated bill payment?
A. Immediately go online and update your automated bill pay information. If the payment has already been processed, we will be notified of the closed account and returned item fees may apply.
Q. How do I cancel my automated bill pay service?
A. The easiest way is to logon to the Hawaiian bill pay service. Please note that if you cancel your automatic bill payment within 12 calendar days of your due date, your payment may already have been debited from your account.
Q. How long does it take to cancel my automated bill pay arrangement?
A. Cancellation is immediate. However, if the payment is already being processed it cannot be cancelled, so it’s best to cancel at least 12 days before your due date.
Q. What should I do if I’ve received a late notice and my service is in jeopardy of being disconnected?
A. You should make your payment immediately at any of Hawaiian Telcom’s convenient store locations. If you have already made payment, please contact Customer Care at 643-1666 during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 7 am to 6 pm) so we can verify receipt, and if applicable, restore your phone service.
Q. Do I have to pay my whole bill, or can I just pay part of it?
A. You are responsible for your whole bill. If we receive partial payment, the funds will first be applied to your basic local phone service, and then to any additional services. Please be aware that any unpaid services are subject to collection efforts.
Q. I am planning an extended trip. Can I pay my phone bill(s) in advance?
A. Yes. The easiest way is to sign up for automated bill pay so that your phone bill will be automatically paid. Or, you can call Customer Care to arrange for advance payment, which must be made by check (we cannot accept advance payment via the online bill pay service).
Q. If the due date is on a weekend, do I have the next business day to pay the bill without incurring a late fee?
A. No. Payment is due by the due date, so if that day falls on a weekend or holiday, it is your responsibility to ensure that we receive payment before that date.
Q. I have automatic withdrawal. Am I going to be charged twice?
A. No, you will not be charged twice. We will only withdraw the current amount due, and we will make that withdrawal on the date shown on your billing statement. To figure the exact amount that will be withdrawn, just look at the current amount due for this month. This is just a timing issue because the May bills were sent out before the withdrawal was made. bills were delayed because of the transition from Verizon, and we sent out May bills shortly afterwards to help us get back on a regular billing schedule.
Q. What’s my account balance?
A. Current account balances are available through the automated voice response system.
RESIDENTIAL: If you are calling about a residential account balance and want to use this automated option, please call 643-3456 and follow the prompts for account balance. You will need to provide the telephone number, the account number, which can be found on the top left of the first page of the bill, and the Zip Code of the billing address.
BUSINESS: If you are calling about a business account balance, please call 643-4411. Choose option 1 to change or order new service. Choose option 2 to hear the account balance or to pay by phone. Choose option 3 for all other billing options.
Q. When will I get my credit?
A. If a credit is due to you, it should appear on the next month’s billing statement. In some cases, the credit might take two billing cycles to appear. The timing depends upon whether or not the credit is applied before your next bill is processed.
Q. Why does my bill have a different name/address on it?
A. This happened as a result of the transfer of information from Verizon. Verizon had multiple billing systems, and we funneled everything into a single system for Hawaiian Telcom. In some cases, Verizon had different customer names and addresses in different systems. For example, if you changed addresses as a Verizon customer, the update might not have been made throughout all of Verizon’s billing systems, and we picked up an incorrect address.
In some cases, if you called to change your address, it might have been changed in our order entry system but not carried through to our unified billing system. We’re now in the process of double-checking these changes.
Q: I heard something about the taxes on my phone bill and that they would be changing. What’s happening?
A: The government stated in a news release issued from the IRS on May 25th that it will soon stop collecting the federal excise tax on long distance calling. The IRS said it would refund taxpayers for all excise tax they have paid, with interest, on long distance service billed after Feb. 28, 2003.
Q: How much is the tax?
A: The federal excise tax on long distance services is 3 percent. This means that an average household with long distance charges of $10 a month pays $0.30 a month in federal excise taxes on long distance calling.
Q: Will I see the tax credit on my phone bill?
A: No, you will need to claim the tax credit on your 2006 Federal Income tax return to be filed in 2007.
Q: I want to claim my credit. Can you provide me with all the long distance charges I’ve paid since Feb. 28, 2003?
A: The IRS is developing a system to simplify the claims process for individuals, and we expect to have details from them some time in the next few months. We’ll provide the additional information to customers as soon as when the government finalizes their processes. We are also waiting for the IRS to provide information regarding the claims process for businesses.
Q: Does this mean that I will no longer see any taxes on my bill?
A: No, this only affects the Federal Excise Tax on long distance calls. All other taxes and surcharges will continue to apply.
Q: Why do I still see the tax on my June bill?
A: We are required to bill and collect these taxes until July 31, 2006.
Q: If I forget to claim the federal excise tax credit on my 2006 tax return, can I claim it on my 2007 tax return?
A: You need to check with the IRS as they haven’t provided Hawaiian Telcom with any information regarding that.
Q: Why did you charge me the tax to begin with?
A: We were required by law to collect the excise tax on long distance on behalf of the IRS. All funds rendered were passed directly to the federal government.
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