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It's an approx 30 year old program where the poor, elderly, and rural users are subsidized for basic phone service. Phone service can be considered a necessity in today's (& even 1980's) world. It's supposed to be for a primary phone only but with cell phone prices dropping many cell phone companies found that they can prompt this subsidy program and make money by charging above market rates and charging for extra minutes. Most of the money in the program goes to rural support but it's the cell-phone-for-poor-folk segment that gets the bad press. The ads you see on TV prey on people who could get a better deal elsewhere.
OK. I just checked out the 'Factcheck" link. So it is not payed for directly by taxes. It is payed for by an extra charge on your monthly phone bill. Big difference. The people paying it dont even know that they are being forced to pay for other people's phone bill.
LOL..if you read my post with the link to the Universal Service Charge you'll see that we also paid for a sex chat line in Iowa and free international calls for others.
Telcom slush fund..that's what it seems to be turning into.
It's an approx 30 year old program where the poor, elderly, and rural users are subsidized for basic phone service. Phone service can be considered a necessity in today's (& even 1980's) world. It's supposed to be for a primary phone only but with cell phone prices dropping many cell phone companies found that they can prompt this subsidy program and make money by charging above market rates and charging for extra minutes. Most of the money in the program goes to rural support but it's the cell-phone-for-poor-folk segment that gets the bad press. The ads you see on TV prey on people who could get a better deal elsewhere.
Gary..its more than that now. Yes, it's intention was for poor and rural folks but not anymore.
LOL..if you read my post with the link to the Universal Service Charge you'll see that we also paid for a sex chat line in Iowa and free international calls for others.
Telcom slush fund..that's what it seems to be turning into.
Who cares WHO enacted it? It is still wrong. And where does TracFone get it's subsidy? It says right on the site that it is government subsidized.
It says "government supported" ... supported as in the broad bipartisan support the federal law received, and the Federal Communications Commission's Low Income Program for the Universal Service Fund, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnesthesiaMD
OK. I just checked out the 'Factcheck" link. So it is not payed for directly by taxes. It is payed for by an extra charge on your monthly phone bill. Big difference. The people paying it dont even know that they are being forced to pay for other people's phone bill.
I hear you. Geez, as complicated as they make phone bills these days, we could be paying for a whole lot more than just cell phones for the poor!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pappy&Me
Not so this is not the same thing as TracFone
You're right - it isn't the same as TracFone. According to the SafeLink Wireless website, "Today, there are over 1,700 companies in the United States currently providing discounted telephone service. But, thanks to its extensive outreach promoting SafeLink, TracFone Wireless is one of the largest providers of Lifeline services in the United States, second only to AT&T."
Answer.....NO. End of story. We already have enough expenses going toward other things. Cell phones for the poor is not a necessity. Leave it with food/shelter. Whats next? Flat panel tvs for the poor?
People who sign on get dinged for extra minutes at their own expense. It would be cheaper for them to get a Virgin, T-Mobile, TracFone, or Net10 type pre-paid plan instead.
It says "government supported" ... supported as in the broad bipartisan support the federal law received, and the Federal Communications Commission's Low Income Program for the Universal Service Fund, etc.
I hear you. Geez, as complicated as they make phone bills these days, we could be paying for a whole lot more than just cell phones for the poor!
You're right - it isn't the same as TracFone. According to the SafeLink Wireless website, "Today, there are over 1,700 companies in the United States currently providing discounted telephone service. But, thanks to its extensive outreach promoting SafeLink, TracFone Wireless is one of the largest providers of Lifeline services in the United States, second only to AT&T."
Yea something else I'm probably 'right' about too, thats these companys are all lobbing to get extra tax breaks for the phones , so we pay either way you look at it . No wonder I see a new charge added ever so often .
A year of Tracfone costs just $99. That's just $8.25 a month and there is no reason that whoever wants a phone cannot afford that.
You'll never hear that logic debated in public.
The poor have a right to have their lives paid for by someone else.
They have a right to all the luxuries you and I have, regardless of their income level.
These so called poor people never had it so good here in the US of A.
They cannot be compared to poor in Haiti or Cuba or Zimbabwae or Somalia.
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The people paying it dont even know that they are being forced to pay for other people's phone bill.
