Government Cell Phones

Off Topic Politics and World Issues
21

[quote]PB-Crawl wrote:
egg on your face.
and this program is not supported by federal or state tax payer dollars. Its payed for using funds paid into the Universal Service Fund by telecommunications companies.
[/quote]
come on now. This is still a tax that is collected from anyone that has a phone.

It’s on landline bills as well. It is used to subsidize a ton of things.

I am beginning to think you’re just not very bright. Even the cost is hidden by the provider, it is still there. What if all phone companies quit printing it on the bill but the USF pool kept filling up, where would the money be coming from?

22

[quote]jawara wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
tom63 wrote:
jawara wrote:
tom63 wrote:
dk44 wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
jawara wrote:
https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx

and this program is not supported by federal or state tax payer dollars. Its payed for using funds paid into the Universal Service Fund by telecommunications companies.

Theres a line item in your cell phone bill called USF. Not all cell phone companys pass this cost onto their own customers.

If yours does and you object to this, you can always change providers.

You’r wrong. http://www.universalservice.org/about/universal-service/

Currently, all telecommunications companies that provide service between states, including long distance companies, local telephone companies, wireless telephone companies, paging companies, and payphone providers, are required to contribute to the federal Universal Service Fund. Carriers providing international services also must contribute to the Universal Service Fund.

Since all the phone companies are charging their customers for this it’s more like a tax. A cell phone is a privilage not a right. When cell phones first came out I didnt have one because it was expensive so I just had a regular phone.
Oh yeah, what about Boostmobile and Tracphone??

[/quote]

He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I work in the telecom industry. I live and breath USF every day. You are absolutly right, everyone pays in so that all sorts of things can be subsidized.

23

[quote]dhickey wrote:

I am beginning to think you’re just not very bright. Even the cost is hidden by the provider, it is still there. What if all phone companies quit printing it on the bill but the USF pool kept filling up, where would the money be coming from?[/quote]

the difference is its not coming out of your pocketbook. unless your assuming they would just raise your general rates instead of adding an extra line item.

24

[quote]jawara wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
tom63 wrote:
jawara wrote:
tom63 wrote:
dk44 wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
jawara wrote:
https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx

and this program is not supported by federal or state tax payer dollars. Its payed for using funds paid into the Universal Service Fund by telecommunications companies.

Theres a line item in your cell phone bill called USF. Not all cell phone companys pass this cost onto their own customers.

If yours does and you object to this, you can always change providers.

You’r wrong. http://www.universalservice.org/about/universal-service/

Currently, all telecommunications companies that provide service between states, including long distance companies, local telephone companies, wireless telephone companies, paging companies, and payphone providers, are required to contribute to the federal Universal Service Fund. Carriers providing international services also must contribute to the Universal Service Fund.

Since all the phone companies are charging their customers for this it’s more like a tax. A cell phone is a privilage not a right. When cell phones first came out I didnt have one because it was expensive so I just had a regular phone.
Oh yeah, what about Boostmobile and Tracphone??

[/quote]

i have just as many issues with it as well, the phones the give out let people text. call forward, caller id, and other frills that defeat the purpose of these programs.

but if it really gets you guys that bundled up you can always change providers…to that of not having a provider. After all, its not a necessity.

its not a tax, they don’t have to pass this cost along to you, they choose to.

25

[quote]dhickey wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
jawara wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
jawara wrote:
https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx

A prime example of your tax dollars at work, making America a better place by providing cell phones to the needy.

do you not support governement programs that provide phones for shelter women to call in rapes as well?

Shelters already have land line phones and I never heard of a rape in a actual shelter.

lol people who live in city shelters are homeless people, they don’t spend all day in a shelter, theyre not even allowed to.

any cell phone can call 911 even if theres no plan or minutes on it.

Yep, same with pay phones. I just don’t understand how something can be concidered a necessity when it was even around 15 years ago. food, shelter, clothing. These are necessities.
[/quote]

the purpose behind Reagan’s lifeline was not that its a necessity, i havent seen too much stuff on safelink outside of the nitty gritty so i cant say if thats how theyre selling it or not.

the idea behind it was that allowing low income people access to a stable phone line, it would allow them to better their situations and move upward to the point where they dont need the program.

there was one study at a college that showed this works, though i havent seen any analysis on how effective the programs really are. and since its been around for so long i either suspect it costs very little to where no one wants to look bad for cutting it, or its effective. but i suppose its the first.

26

[quote]dhickey wrote:
jawara wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
tom63 wrote:
jawara wrote:
tom63 wrote:
dk44 wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
jawara wrote:
https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx

and this program is not supported by federal or state tax payer dollars. Its payed for using funds paid into the Universal Service Fund by telecommunications companies.

Theres a line item in your cell phone bill called USF. Not all cell phone companys pass this cost onto their own customers.

If yours does and you object to this, you can always change providers.

You’r wrong. http://www.universalservice.org/about/universal-service/

Currently, all telecommunications companies that provide service between states, including long distance companies, local telephone companies, wireless telephone companies, paging companies, and payphone providers, are required to contribute to the federal Universal Service Fund. Carriers providing international services also must contribute to the Universal Service Fund.

Since all the phone companies are charging their customers for this it’s more like a tax. A cell phone is a privilage not a right. When cell phones first came out I didnt have one because it was expensive so I just had a regular phone.
Oh yeah, what about Boostmobile and Tracphone??

He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I work in the telecom industry. I live and breath USF every day. You are absolutly right, everyone pays in so that all sorts of things can be subsidized. [/quote]

its only been like that for the past 3 years. for a long time voip didnt have to. and thats another can of worms.

27

PB,

Reading you posts reminds me of one of my uncles that like to drink and shoot things. Hint, he’s not a very good shot.

28

[quote]PB-Crawl wrote:
dhickey wrote:

I am beginning to think you’re just not very bright. Even the cost is hidden by the provider, it is still there. What if all phone companies quit printing it on the bill but the USF pool kept filling up, where would the money be coming from?

the difference is its not coming out of your pocketbook. unless your assuming they would just raise your general rates instead of adding an extra line item.[/quote]

Dude…come on.

29

[quote]PB-Crawl wrote:
dhickey wrote:
jawara wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
tom63 wrote:
jawara wrote:
tom63 wrote:
dk44 wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
jawara wrote:
https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx

and this program is not supported by federal or state tax payer dollars. Its payed for using funds paid into the Universal Service Fund by telecommunications companies.

Theres a line item in your cell phone bill called USF. Not all cell phone companys pass this cost onto their own customers.

If yours does and you object to this, you can always change providers.

You’r wrong. http://www.universalservice.org/about/universal-service/

Currently, all telecommunications companies that provide service between states, including long distance companies, local telephone companies, wireless telephone companies, paging companies, and payphone providers, are required to contribute to the federal Universal Service Fund. Carriers providing international services also must contribute to the Universal Service Fund.

Since all the phone companies are charging their customers for this it’s more like a tax. A cell phone is a privilage not a right. When cell phones first came out I didnt have one because it was expensive so I just had a regular phone.
Oh yeah, what about Boostmobile and Tracphone??

He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I work in the telecom industry. I live and breath USF every day. You are absolutly right, everyone pays in so that all sorts of things can be subsidized.

its only been like that for the past 3 years. for a long time voip didnt have to. and thats another can of worms.[/quote]

If you want voice services from a licenses provider, you pay.

30

[quote]dhickey wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
dhickey wrote:
jawara wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
tom63 wrote:
jawara wrote:
tom63 wrote:
dk44 wrote:
PB-Crawl wrote:
jawara wrote:
https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx

and this program is not supported by federal or state tax payer dollars. Its payed for using funds paid into the Universal Service Fund by telecommunications companies.

Theres a line item in your cell phone bill called USF. Not all cell phone companys pass this cost onto their own customers.

If yours does and you object to this, you can always change providers.

You’r wrong. http://www.universalservice.org/about/universal-service/

Currently, all telecommunications companies that provide service between states, including long distance companies, local telephone companies, wireless telephone companies, paging companies, and payphone providers, are required to contribute to the federal Universal Service Fund. Carriers providing international services also must contribute to the Universal Service Fund.

Since all the phone companies are charging their customers for this it’s more like a tax. A cell phone is a privilage not a right. When cell phones first came out I didnt have one because it was expensive so I just had a regular phone.
Oh yeah, what about Boostmobile and Tracphone??

He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I work in the telecom industry. I live and breath USF every day. You are absolutly right, everyone pays in so that all sorts of things can be subsidized.

its only been like that for the past 3 years. for a long time voip didnt have to. and thats another can of worms.

If you want voice services from a licenses provider, you pay. [/quote]

the point of the usf was to generate funds to offset the cost of telephone companies operating out to rural areas. which is a good thing.

but theres no reason voip should have to pay to subsidize pstn infrastructure. and the way the fcc went about it was retarded and over stepping. these are two separate industries, most voip rides on broadband coax or cables anyways not phone wires. its the exact reason they made dsl/broadband exempt from having to pay into the usf.

and i have yet to see a dsl package where you can get just broadband and no landline, so i end up paying twice.

whats the next move? block skype traffic and the skype web address since it can be provided from anywhere in the world to ensure skype pays? another step closer to communist china cause i gotta pay…