FCC votes to use phone subsidy fund for high-speed Internet

[her209]

FCC to Use Phone Subsidy Fund to Pay for Broadband
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=12866718

Government regulators are planning to overhaul the $8 billion federal program that subsidizes telephone service in poor and rural areas in order to pay for high-speed Internet connections.

The Federal Communications Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday to begin drafting a blueprint to bring the federal program, called the Universal Service Fund, into the digital age.

The program, which is supported by a surcharge on long-distance bills, was created to ensure that all Americans have access to a basic telephone line. The FCC now wants to use the fund to underwrite the cost of building and operating broadband networks in sparsely populated rural areas where it is uneconomical for private companies to offer service. Those networks would be able to handle regular voice calls as well as data traffic.

What the fuck? Why are poor and rural areas being subsidized by the rest of us to pay for telephone service and/or Internet? If these people want service, how about moving to an area closer to the rest of civilization.

 

[JSt0rm]

I consider high speed internet basic infrastructure at this point.

 

[JTsyo]

I'm OK with this. We pay the fee either way, might as well use it for this than regular landlines.

 

[Corn]

FCC to Use Phone Subsidy Fund to Pay for Broadband
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=12866718



What the fuck? Why are poor and rural areas being subsidized by the rest of us to pay for telephone service and/or Internet? If these people want service, how about moving to an area closer to the rest of civilization.

WTH are you complaining about? This is a lefty's wet dream.

 

[her209]

I consider high speed internet basic infrastructure at this point.

Doesn't mean that the government has to extend the basic infrastructure to where ever you choose to live.

 

[corwin]

That fund is also used to pay for cell phones so why not add one more item to the list to bankrupt another government program?

 

[PeshakJang]

I consider high speed internet basic infrastructure at this point.

I consider cable TV basic infrastructure too. Should we pay for cable TV in rural poor-peoples' homes?

 

[EagleKeeper]

Doesn't mean that the government has to extend the basic infrastructure to where ever you choose to live.

Stop driving down the road also then.

 

[Throckmorton]

Doesn't mean that the government has to extend the basic infrastructure to where ever you choose to live.

Are you a libertarian now?

People have to live in rural America.

 

[Lemon law]

Well all I can say Her209 is fuck you and the horse you rode in on. Its not like I live in the middle of no where, I live less than 30 miles from the Indiana capital building.

Yes I have a land line phone, and my country has had land line phone service since the 1930's and earlier. Yet my protected by monopoly land line phone carrier, AT&T has not upgraded its phone lines to even vanilla dsl capable. And the fools at AT&T applied the profits for land line service to engage in a super costly price war in Indianapolis. And when other carriers jumped into the same price war, everyone of them lost their ass trying to eliminate the competition. And now, all Indiana AT&T profits from land service now go to other states like Arizona.

Now on the other hand, various cell carriers, built filler towers near me, and now I can get 3G broadband internet for $60.00/mo. Now if the Feds forced AT&T to provide 3G service to me at even $30.00/mo, maybe AT&T would get off their dead ass and upgrade their lines to dsl capable.

But all Her209 can suggest is that I move to a big city when broadband internet is now a basic necessity everyone. Her209, you are a fine person in a society of pigs.

 

[dmcowen674]

Well all I can say Her209 is fuck you and the horse you rode in on. Its not like I live in the middle of no where, I live less than 30 miles from the Indiana capital building.

Yes I have a land line phone, and my country has had land line phone service since the 1930's and earlier. Yet my protected by monopoly land line phone carrier, AT&T has not upgraded its phone lines to even vanilla dsl capable. And the fools at AT&T applied the profits for land line service to engage in a super costly price war in Indianapolis. And when other carriers jumped into the same price war, everyone of them lost their ass trying to eliminate the competition. And now, all Indiana AT&T profits from land service now go to other states like Arizona.

Now on the other hand, various cell carriers, built filler towers near me, and now I can get 3G broadband internet for $60.00/mo. Now if the Feds forced AT&T to provide 3G service to me at even $30.00/mo, maybe AT&T would get off their dead ass and upgrade their lines to dsl capable.

But all Her209 can suggest is that I move to a big city when broadband internet is now a basic necessity everyone. Her209, you are a fine person in a society of pigs.

Likes this :thumbsup:

 

[her209]

Are you a libertarian now?

People have to live in rural America.

People can choose to live where they want. There are pros and cons to living in each area. Sometimes those cons are really pros. But why should I have to pay via taxes to provide basic infrastructure for your choice to live where you live. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be able to have it at all. You should pay for it. If its too costly though, then maybe you should consider moving to where its more affordable or not have it at all.

 

[Patranus]

Are you a libertarian now?

People have to live in rural America.

Then they can have DSL, satellite, or dial up internet.

 

[HumblePie]

People can choose to live where they want. There are pros and cons to living in each area. Sometimes those cons are really pros. But why should I have to pay via taxes to provide basic infrastructure for your choice to live where you live. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be able to have it at all. You should pay for it. If its too costly though, then maybe you should consider moving to where its more affordable or not have it at all.

The landline part was for a very specific reason. People need phones for emergency support. There has to be some basic infrastructure for people, including government officials in the area, to support people who live there. Schools, hospitals, and all that needs telephone lines to operate in even rural areas. That is why we have the tax.

However, it is at the point where the price to cover and maintain land lines is just as expensive as maintaining lines for broadband service. So why not re-purpose the funds that are used to support people for a very valid reason into something better if it costs the same? Get off your damn high horse. Next you'll be saying people out in the country shouldn't have the same access to police, roads, schools, hospitals, and other things that all Americans enjoy just because they live in an area where there is about 2 people per square mile instead of 2000.

 

[her209]

The landline part was for a very specific reason. People need phones for emergency support. There has to be some basic infrastructure for people, including government officials in the area, to support people who live there. Schools, hospitals, and all that needs telephone lines to operate in even rural areas. That is why we have the tax.

However, it is at the point where the price to cover and maintain land lines is just as expensive as maintaining lines for broadband service. So why not re-purpose the funds that are used to support people for a very valid reason into something better if it costs the same? Get off your damn high horse. Next you'll be saying people out in the country shouldn't have the same access to police, roads, schools, hospitals, and other things that all Americans enjoy just because they live in an area where there is about 2 people per square mile instead of 2000.

People need phones for emergency support and such but they choose to live in a place where its required that its subsidized in order to make it affordable or to have it at all? If the government STOPPED paying to make it affordable and the residents had to pay for it themselves, it will resolve itself, i.e., the residents who can't afford it will move to where it is more affordable or go without.

 

[chucky2]

FCC to Use Phone Subsidy Fund to Pay for Broadband
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=12866718

What the fuck? Why are poor and rural areas being subsidized by the rest of us to pay for telephone service and/or Internet? If these people want service, how about moving to an area closer to the rest of civilization.

See, and judging by your past posting history in P&N, I'd have pegged you for a take from the rich give to the poor liberal. No different than any other service the have's pay to give to the have not's, is it? Nope. How....Conservative of you.... :thumbsup:

 

[her209]

See, and judging by your past posting history in P&N, I'd have pegged you for a take from the rich give to the poor liberal. No different than any other service the have's pay to give to the have not's, is it? Nope. How....Conservative of you.... :thumbsup:

Well, they choose to live where they live. They could move to where its more affordable. What they want is to have their cake and be able to eat it too.

 

[chucky2]

I totally agree! Just like people chose to not get good jobs so they can gain/afford good health insurance. Or, even just get a job so they're self sufficient. If they could just chose to get a job, and a job that supports them in the manner they want to be supported in, then the public wouldn't need to fund them.

Right?

 

[werepossum]

Nothing funnier than a liberal who's suddenly discovered socialism taketh as well as giveth.

 

[Lemon law]

Well we can look at it the other way, why should America love its telco overloads.

Countless third world countries have their citizens enjoying internet services for a tiny fraction of what America pays. Cheer up Her209, you are being hosed in high population density areas and I am being hosed in low population density areas.

Do you really think, Her209, if I get totally screwed, you get a better deal in the process.

 

[drebo]

Subsidising broadband is stupid. It is in no way an essential utility. Dialup internet is available for $5/mo if anyone wants it.

What's more, it's not always possible to get broadband out to these places. I can see it now: these people who got subsidised 4G/WIMAX cell towers put in for broadband internet are going to complain out the ass that they have bandwidth caps.

I would much rather see the FCC do away with the USF and put pressure on Congress to rewrite the Telco Act of 1996 to do away with ILEC monopolies.

 

[her209]

I totally agree! Just like people chose to not get good jobs so they can gain/afford good health insurance. Or, even just get a job so they're self sufficient. If they could just chose to get a job, and a job that supports them in the manner they want to be supported in, then the public wouldn't need to fund them.

Right?

Not everyone can have a good job, but I would say everyone wants a good job because ITS A GOOD JOB. But I'd be more concerned with everyone paying into a system if they will use it at some point; otherwise, just sign a form or something that says, "Do not treat medically."

 

[chucky2]

True, not everyone can have a good job that offers medical insurance, but, everyone could have a job* at least where they could pay for their own catastrophic medical coverage. It's just that systems in cars, spinners, 10 sets of brand new matching outfits, and all the cheap Chinese plastic POS you can buy at Walmart is more important. Much better to buy that and have someone else pay for your medical coverage. :thumbsup:

*: Well, they could have one if we didn't allow a mass invasion from Mexico...but, that's another thread....

Chuck

 

[JSt0rm]

you fucking retards. How do you think we got electricity into every home in the country? We dont have shanty towns here in the united states. This is a first world nation no matter what you American Taliban think.

 

[chucky2]

I don't know, how'd we get it into every home in the country? Did we make others pay for it? Make the businesses pay for and they therefore passed the costs onto everyone?

If you want someone 20 miles from the CO, through harsh terrain, to get wired broadband, I think that's great. That'll be $50k or so. Just subsidize that yourself and you can be super duper happy then. What's that? You have money left over? Sweet, there's millions more just like that person. I hope you've got a good job!

Chuck