Telephone FAQ's

If you have any questions that are not answered on this page, please feel free to contact our office at 660-674-2297 or toll free at 888-371-6821.

• Why is the battery pack necessary for my phone service?
• What does Fiber Optic Cable mean?
• When is my Telephone payment due?
• What should I do if I have Telephone trouble?
• How can I stop telemarketing calls?
• I don't understand some of the charges on my bill.
• If I want to dispute a charge that appears on my bill, and don't pay that charge, will my service be affected.
• How do I check my Voicemail?

The battery pack that was installed is a very vital part of your telephone service. The battery pack supplies and conditions electricity to the electronics in the NID (the Network Interface Device that Alma Communications Company installed on the side of your house). These electronics convert the Fiber Optic signal into the copper signal that is ran throughout your house or business.

This battery pack must stay plugged in at ALL times to ensure telephone service. In the event that your electricity goes out for any reason, the battery pack is equipped with a battery that will supply telephone service for a minimum of 8 hours. The electronics will alert Alma Communications Company of the power failure, and we will make an attempt to contact and inform you of the situation.

Alma Communications Company is in the final stages of replacing its entire network; from the Central Office to the side of your house. As new technology develops, Alma Communications Company is able to bring many new and exciting features to all customers, including those in the most rural areas. For more information and detail about Fiber Optic Cable please click here.

Your Telephone Bill will be processed and mailed at the beginning of each month. A payment is due when it is received, and will be considered delinquent if not received by the 21st of each month. If your payment has not been received by the 21st, a Disconnection Notice will be sent to inform you that a payment is expected. Failure to make a payment or contact Alma Communications Company for arrangements will result in disconnection of your service.

Should you have any questions or concerns about any part of your bill please contact our office at 660-674-2297 to speak with a representative.

There are several things you can do to test your phone troubles before calling Alma Communications Company. Please visit our Telephone Trouble Shooting page for more details.

There are two things you can do to reduce the amount of telemarketing calls you receive:

The No Call Law allows Missourians to reduce unwanted telemarketing calls made to their homes by signing up for the No Call List, which is managed by the Attorney General's office. There is no cost to get on the list.

Missouri's state law prohibits telemarketers from calling households on the No Call List, with some exceptions written into the law.

Register by calling toll free 1-866-662-2551 or online at http://ago.mo.gov/nocalllaw.

You are now able to register home and mobile telephone numbers on the National "Do Not Call List".

There are exceptions; nonprofit and political organizations will still be able to call freely. Businesses are allowed to call customers up to 18 months after making a sale to that customer. These organizations must abide by the consumers request to be removed from their call lists.

The "Do Not Call" list is funded by telemarketers and is free to consumers. To sign up, call 1-888-382-1222 or visit http://donotcall.gov. If you sign up online, you will be able to register up to three phone numbers at once. Consumers who register by phone may only register the phone number by which they are calling.

• Res/Bus Local Access -



• End User Charge - The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) authorizes local telephone companies to recover a portion of the costs of facilities used to connect your home or business to their Central Office. The End User Charge is a flat rate that is addressed directly on your bill. This monthly charge does not result in additional revenue for Alma Communications Company.



• Relay Missouri - Relay Missouri is a service funded by the Missouri Public Service Commission to provide functionally equivalent telephone access to all residents and businesses of Missouri. Simply speaking, Relay Missouri allows deaf, hard of hearing, and speech disabled individuals to use the telephone. Please visit http://www.relaymissouri.com for more information.



• E-911 Surcharge - This charge is a state/local government charge to help fund emergency services, such as Police, Fire and Rescue agencies.

Alma Telephone Company identifies all charges on your bill that if not paid, could result in the disconnection of your local service. These charges are noted with an asterisk (*). Non-payment of services not noted by the asterisk may result in disconnection of specific services, but will not lead to disconnection of your local service. If you do not recognize a charge or would like to dispute a charge, please contact our office at 660-674-2297 and a customer service representative will do their best to help resolve the issue.

From inside your home:
1. Dial *98
2. Then enter your account password (by default it will be the last 4 digits of your telephone number, you may change this at any time.)

From outside your home:
1. Dial: 1-660-674-0777
2. Enter your Voicemail Box Number (674-****)
3. Finally enter your Account Password (by default it will be the last 4 digits of your telephone number.)

• A new Voicemail is indicated by a "stutter tone" when you first pick up the receiver.
• Voicemail will automatically pick up on the 5th ring.
• A temporary Account Password given to you by Alma Telephone Company will be the LAST FOUR digits of your telephone company. This will need to be changed as soon as possible.