Broadband Tax

[ColinW]

I've just been reading about this ridiculous idea to charge everybody with a landline telephone connection a tax to spend on spreading broadband to those who haven't got it.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8270772.stm

 

Am I missing the point here?

 

How about a tax on people who have to watch the rubbish on terrestrial TV in order to subsidise those of us who don't have Sky Sports 1 and the Movie Channel?

 

If someone hasn't got broadband then tough titty. That's the price you pay for living in areas where feral youths aren't staggering around the street off their heads on cheap booze, kicking car door mirrors off "for a laugh"!

It's a ridiculous idea that people living crammed together in towns should be subsidizing broadband for those who choose to live in farmhouses in the middle of nowhere.

[Colin Brett]

I've just been reading about this ridiculous idea to charge everybody with a landline telephone connection a tax to spend on spreading broadband to those who haven't got it.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8270772.stm

 

Am I missing the point here?

 

How about a tax on people who have to watch the rubbish on terrestrial TV in order to subsidise those of us who don't have Sky Sports 1 and the Movie Channel?

 

If someone hasn't got broadband then tough titty. That's the price you pay for living in areas where feral youths aren't staggering around the street off their heads on cheap booze, kicking car door mirrors off "for a laugh"!

It's a ridiculous idea that people living crammed together in towns should be subsidizing broadband for those who choose to live in farmhouses in the middle of nowhere.

I already pay a tax on my landline and broadband, it's called VAT :huh:

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

I've just been reading about this ridiculous idea to charge everybody with a landline telephone connection a tax to spend on spreading broadband to those who haven't got it.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8270772.stm

 

Am I missing the point here?

 

How about a tax on people who have to watch the rubbish on terrestrial TV in order to subsidise those of us who don't have Sky Sports 1 and the Movie Channel?

 

If someone hasn't got broadband then tough titty. That's the price you pay for living in areas where feral youths aren't staggering around the street off their heads on cheap booze, kicking car door mirrors off "for a laugh"!

It's a ridiculous idea that people living crammed together in towns should be subsidizing broadband for those who choose to live in farmhouses in the middle of nowhere.

 

I don't have a landline and havn't had for years so I don't care

[billy50000]

I see my bill go up and il soon be digging about!!!

 

If these so called hard up broadbandless people want broadband! then they do what they have been doing since broadband has been around,go to the bloomin librarys like the rest of them!!

 

Its free! or for a minimal fee ,and they dont have to get screw'd a line rental charge like the rest of us.

 

anyway if they spent the ill gotten proceeds from thier offsprings criminal activitys more wisly ,they could have broadband instead of a couple of rocks of crack cocaine or illegal viagra:)

 

and if mr farmhouse guy wants broadband then it should be down to his phone company to get it sorted!

its in thier best interest and since bt has wadds of cash, it wouldnt dent the pocket.

 

besides they are the best at raping back the fluff from our pockets!

 

i mean earning it really!

Edited September 23, 2009 by billy50000

[Ken Davison South Wales]

I think you will find if you research the news item the money is to be invested in upgrading i.e fibre-optic cables for existing land line users, obviously new comers will benefit but they will still have to pay the enormous sum of £6 per annum.

 

Providing the money goes where it is supposed to go I can see no great problem.

[les middy]

Will it effect people on cable broadband ie virgin

[Alan Stubbs]

Will it also mean that access will be avalable to people who live in the Styx? I doubt it.

 

My understanding is that the aim is to upgrade the network to fibre optic cable, and if the funds aren't vired off into other projects I see no serious issue about the tax..... other than as someone said that people already pay tax on it -VAT. What about Income tax?

[Ken Davison South Wales]

Will it effect people on cable broadband ie virgin

 

Not as I read it.

 

It does state through out the UK but I expect there will be limits to it. If the money goes where it stated it should benefit a lot of people out side of city areas which are devoid of cable networks. Hopefully some common sense will apply and areas without cable will be top of the list.

Edited September 28, 2009 by Ken Davison South Wales

[Steve Walker]

I'm not sure I see the logic of making people who own landline telephones pay for other people to have broadband. If it needs subsidy, pay for it out of general taxation. If there isn't enough money in the pot to pay for it now, is it a luxury we can afford?

 

Here is a scenario - the phone tax for subsidising broadband stays at £6 per phone line per annum until the network is upgraded, and is then repealed.

 

Here is another scenario - in twenty years, when we ask why the phone tax raises more money than is spent maintaining the network, smart-arses will ask us whether beer tax should pay for pubs.

 

I know which I'd expect...

[barry luxton]

Not as I read it.

 

It does state through out the UK but I expect there will be limits to it. If the money goes where it stated it should benefit a lot of people out side of city areas which are devoid of cable networks. Hopefully some common sense will apply and areas without cable will be top of the list.

 

Indeed, like the country pile i visited last week, sits in it's own, job to see the boundaries, must be worth a few mill. Is it reasonable that the ordinaries have to help pay for their connection.