Britain may tax for universal broadband. Why can't the U.S.?
Filed under: Tax, Technology
Britain is moving toward a 50-pence-a-month tax on all fixed telephone lines to help bring next-generation broadband to the entire country.The small levy would establish an independent national fund to ensure "maximum next-generation broadband coverage" by 2012, when the Olympics come to London, said Ben Bradshaw, the Culture Secretary, as quoted in the London Telegraph.
My question is why can't this be done in the United States? Why not pay a similar fee for fast Internet service everywhere, such as at public parks, coffee shops and every rural area in America?
According to the Telegraph story, the money would provide subsidies for operators to deliver super-fast Internet to areas where it would not normally be commercially viable.The British government plans to have universal broadband access by 2012, enabling households to get at a minimum standard speed of 2 megabits.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown calls a fast Internet connection as vital as electricity, gas and water, and will help the country's communications industries pull Britain out of the recession.
I agree that it is as important as other utility services, and that America should start taxing for it and providing Internet service so that everyone can get fast service. It's vital to the economy.
Paying £6-a-year, equal to $9.76 U.S., seems like a reasonable way to accomplish that.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-16-2009 @ 8:27PM
Jean said...
Heeeyyy, slow your roll Aaron. We're still waiting for the hope & change of rainbows and potty trained @ birth babies. Come to think of it, aren't we still waiting for a chix in every pot and a car in every garage?
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6-16-2009 @ 11:14PM
ric said...
Aaron,
Why don;t you tax yourself and shut up?
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6-16-2009 @ 11:28PM
LJ said...
I got news for you Aaron we all been already paying the phone company for years and years through additional charges and special fees they tack on to your phone bill. All the phone companies did was pocket the money and now they have their hand out for more.
It's just another case of theift on the part of the corporations. You don't notice it on your bill because it's small. But it's on everyone's bill already every month and it adds up to billions and billions of dollars already.
They need to build the infrastructure that they have already been paid to build and quit including these fees as part of their bottom line.
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6-17-2009 @ 12:14PM
Dave said...
No more fees!
Provide "high speed" connection then charge me.
Don't charge me a fee on the
false hope of future "high speed"
Don't you get it we are sick of fees and with mobile service,
fixed phone service is a dying money pit.
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