New Phone Line Tax To Pay For Faster Internet

JohnDotCom · 16th June 2009, 22:34

New Phone Line Tax To Pay For Faster Internet

5 hours 8 mins ago
© Sky News 2009

A tax on telephone lines will help pay for ambitious plans to rewire Britain so that super-fast broadband is available to all, it has been revealed.

New Phone Line Tax To Pay For Faster Internet

The newly-released Digital Britain report proposes charging households with landlines an extra 50p a month to subsidise broadband provision in rural areas.
It aims to ensure every home in Britain has access to 2MB-per-second broadband by 2012 - a speed fast enough to use online shopping services and social networks.
Commenting on the levy, Sky's Ursual Errington said: "It is a form of tax and will have to go through legislative processes and a consultation period.
"This shows how seriously the Government is taking this idea of a broadband roll-out to as many people as possible."
Meanwhile, those who misuse broadband will be targeted by new measures outlined in the report.
They would give communications regulator Ofcom new powers to clamp down on people who persistently download music and films illegally.
Introducing the report, Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw told MPs that the Government intended to upgrade all national radio stations from analogue to digital by 2015.
He also spoke about changes to the licence fee spending, which could see part of the cash ring-fenced to pay for public service programmes on non-BBC channels.
This could amount to £130m a year from 2013 for ITV local news, shows for children and other important but less profitable programming.
The cash will come from the pot that had been put aside to pay for the switchover to digital - which is expected to come in under budget.
In an article written for the Times newspaper before the Digital Britain report release, the Prime Minister said he he believed there was an urgent need to invest in internet and telecoms networks.
"Just as the bridges, roads and railways built in the 19th century were the foundations of an Industrial Revolution that helped Britain to become the workshop of the world, so investment now in the information and communications industries can underpin our emergence from recession," he wrote.

Dragrad · 16th June 2009, 23:38

Yet more Tax!!!!! At this rate I'll have to get overdrawn to pay for all these stealth taxes....... Just to enjoy what I am getting now, sans tax!!!!

Where will it all end

Talk of VAT being increased to 18.5% at the end of the year (not back to 17.5% as originally promised!!

)

Some Government!! More taxation without representation - time for a change....

Rant over.....for now.................

GrahamP · 17th June 2009, 01:37

Also mean those that have only a telephone and no computer or internet will be subsidising those that do, just another tax ill thought out by the pocket lining crooks.

JohnDotCom · 17th June 2009, 07:39

Surely if people want these services they should pay for them not everyone else!

Raistlin · 17th June 2009, 08:54

It was my understanding that there would be a single capital investment in infrastructure.

In which case, how does that warrant a continuous, year on year tax?

kully · 17th June 2009, 09:30

I'm glad they had the gumption to do this, it's only 50p a month (~3-4 miles worth of petrol?) even if it won't improve my connection.

I'm sure in the past people were wondering why they were paying for sewage systems when they had a perfectly acceptable hole in the garden or transport infrastructure when the furthest they travelled was the next village for the summer fete on dobbin the donkey

StevenWilliams · 17th June 2009, 09:34

I'm wondering if they will find a way to tax me. I have no landline as such. I have cable.

As it's basically an IP phone they have no right to tax it in this way but I bet they will somehow.

comanche · 17th June 2009, 14:41

So the government will tax all those with a fixed line, and the money will disappear in to their piggy bank, by the time they work out which companies are going to benefit and by how much most of it will have been swallowed up on government red tape.
Just another tax to keep the government running.

16th June 2009, 22:34	#1
JohnDotCom * Rover 75 FaceLift Tourer CDTi 170BHP Auto ConnSE 2005 Model Starlight Silver Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Abergele Posts: 28,735 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	New Phone Line Tax To Pay For Faster Internet New Phone Line Tax To Pay For Faster Internet 5 hours 8 mins ago © Sky News 2009 A tax on telephone lines will help pay for ambitious plans to rewire Britain so that super-fast broadband is available to all, it has been revealed. New Phone Line Tax To Pay For Faster Internet The newly-released Digital Britain report proposes charging households with landlines an extra 50p a month to subsidise broadband provision in rural areas. It aims to ensure every home in Britain has access to 2MB-per-second broadband by 2012 - a speed fast enough to use online shopping services and social networks. Commenting on the levy, Sky's Ursual Errington said: "It is a form of tax and will have to go through legislative processes and a consultation period. "This shows how seriously the Government is taking this idea of a broadband roll-out to as many people as possible." Meanwhile, those who misuse broadband will be targeted by new measures outlined in the report. They would give communications regulator Ofcom new powers to clamp down on people who persistently download music and films illegally. Introducing the report, Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw told MPs that the Government intended to upgrade all national radio stations from analogue to digital by 2015. He also spoke about changes to the licence fee spending, which could see part of the cash ring-fenced to pay for public service programmes on non-BBC channels. This could amount to £130m a year from 2013 for ITV local news, shows for children and other important but less profitable programming. The cash will come from the pot that had been put aside to pay for the switchover to digital - which is expected to come in under budget. In an article written for the Times newspaper before the Digital Britain report release, the Prime Minister said he he believed there was an urgent need to invest in internet and telecoms networks. "Just as the bridges, roads and railways built in the 19th century were the foundations of an Industrial Revolution that helped Britain to become the workshop of the world, so investment now in the information and communications industries can underpin our emergence from recession," he wrote.

16th June 2009, 23:38	#2
Dragrad This is my second home *None DROWNED** Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Cardigan Posts: 33,339 Thanks: 1,257 Thanked 1,664 Times in 1,081 Posts	Yet more Tax!!!!! At this rate I'll have to get overdrawn to pay for all these stealth taxes....... Just to enjoy what I am getting now, sans tax!!!! Where will it all end Talk of VAT being increased to 18.5% at the end of the year (not back to 17.5% as originally promised!!) Some Government!! More taxation without representation - time for a change.... Rant over.....for now................. __________________ Andrew Ich Dien Problem solving is... lateral thinking SEARCH FIRST ...ASK LATER...

17th June 2009, 01:37	#3
GrahamP Loves to post Rover 75 2.0 CDT Club Automatic Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Park Gate Posts: 438 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Also mean those that have only a telephone and no computer or internet will be subsidising those that do, just another tax ill thought out by the pocket lining crooks. __________________ Graham 3606 [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

17th June 2009, 09:34	#7
StevenWilliams This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon 2.5 V6 British Racing Green. 81,000 miles and counting Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Crawley, West Sussex Posts: 6,183 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	I'm wondering if they will find a way to tax me. I have no landline as such. I have cable. As it's basically an IP phone they have no right to tax it in this way but I bet they will somehow. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Rover 75 2.5 2000 Club SE. British Racing Green. MEMBER NUMBER: MMMDCCXXVI Looking for: 7 seater

17th June 2009, 07:39	#4
JohnDotCom * Rover 75 FaceLift Tourer CDTi 170BHP Auto ConnSE 2005 Model Starlight Silver Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Abergele Posts: 28,735 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Surely if people want these services they should pay for them not everyone else!

17th June 2009, 08:54	#5
Raistlin Banned 75 CDT Connoisseur SE Auto Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Wolverhampton Posts: 8,450 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	It was my understanding that there would be a single capital investment in infrastructure. In which case, how does that warrant a continuous, year on year tax?

17th June 2009, 09:30	#6
kully Loves to post 75 MkI 1.8T Saloon Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North Hampshire Posts: 444 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I'm glad they had the gumption to do this, it's only 50p a month (~3-4 miles worth of petrol?) even if it won't improve my connection. I'm sure in the past people were wondering why they were paying for sewage systems when they had a perfectly acceptable hole in the garden or transport infrastructure when the furthest they travelled was the next village for the summer fete on dobbin the donkey

17th June 2009, 14:41	#8
comanche Avid contributor Rover 75 Tourer 2.0 V6 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Mansfield , Notts Posts: 136 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 1 Post	So the government will tax all those with a fixed line, and the money will disappear in to their piggy bank, by the time they work out which companies are going to benefit and by how much most of it will have been swallowed up on government red tape. Just another tax to keep the government running.