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You're kinda missing the point. Rural lines take twice the amount of money, total, out of the Universal Service Fund. Yet nobody bats an eyelid.
Are you as principally opposed to that as to the cell phone program? If not, why not?
And the fund is not broke so why are having landlines installed an issue ?
Letting people cheat the system with 2,3,4 or more subsidized plans is OK by you ? The government NEVER thought to keep track of who they were handing out subsidized plans to ?
Does the government ever think of accounting for where the money goes and who gets it ? Ever ?
A cell phone is a necessity. The "free" cell phone is a very basic service that only provides about 200 minutes of talk time. The poor need this service if they ever hope to get a job or accomplish anything.
I do not agree that a cell phone is a necessity. It is a luxury item. Despite the fact that *everybody* under 50 has cell phones, that does not make it a necessity. Assuming that these poor people WANT a job, (which is highly unlikely, since they government is paying for their food, housing and all other living expenses), they can do what people have done for decades. They can...A. get a land line installed in their hovel....B.Get voicemail service that you can check and prospective employers can leave a message on...C. Have a friend with a phone take the message for you...
To be perfectly honest, most all the people I know of on welfare and other "public assistance" have a cell phone already (most of them have iPhones, actually), so this program is a complete waste of money. These phones will be abuse, misused and probably given to 6 year olds before they are summarily broken or lost, only to be replaced over and over and over again because they're FREE.
This is the kind of government program that makes me sick. My tax dollars (that I work darn hard for) being thrown in the toilet.
Sounds like we agree that getting subsidized phone service if you wouldn't otherwise have the means is OK - I am happily surprised.
Of course not, but you may notice that the OP is fuming about the concept of any subsidized cell phone.
The program isn't run by the government.
The phone companies collect on behalf of the FCC.
The FCC is the government.
They've acknowledged their blunder and constructed a database and have been able to recoup a couple of hundred million dollars so far.
A Congresswoman got a "get a lifeline phone" postcard and started the ball rolling on an investigation of lifeline program.
Another "I hate poor people" thread. Anyone ever consider that these phones are often used per emergencies?
I mean, we (and by we I mean the cons) sit here and ***** about poor people and welfare programs, but will do nothing to help them escape those situations.
The only people who can change/improve the quality of their life is THEM. This is what the government (and liberals) fail to understand. If they don't WANT their lives to change, there is nothing you can do about it.
Location: Just transplanted to FL from the N GA mountains
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I didn't know that was what the Universal Charge was for... thank you. Couldn't get a straight answer from Verizon. Also... after just pulling up my bill... it's charged for each phone... not a single solitary monthly charge. So joy.. joy... I get to pay 4 universal charges each month since we have 4 phones on our plan....
I don't know the percentage but the younger you get, the less likely you are to have a landline. The fact is that cell phones are better and, in some cases, cheaper. Think about the advantages:
1. No "installation" charges
2. If you move the phone moves with you. You keep your number no matter where you go- across town or to another state.
3. Text, pictures, email (try that with a landline)
4. Free USA and Canada long distance (cost about $25 with a landline)
The only reason to have a landline is for 911.
You already have a land connection to use the Internet. I see no reason to not have a land line. People will just look at you funny if you don't have a cell phone, but it isn't necessary.
I don't know the percentage but the younger you get, the less likely you are to have a landline. The fact is that cell phones are better and, in some cases, cheaper. Think about the advantages:
1. No "installation" charges
2. If you move the phone moves with you. You keep your number no matter where you go- across town or to another state.
3. Text, pictures, email (try that with a landline)
4. Free USA and Canada long distance (cost about $25 with a landline)
The only reason to have a landline is for 911.
I asked about that when I kept my MD number. They said that 911 was no problem. The real problem was Comcast customer service and their automated telephone system.
And twice the amount of money goes to providing phone service to rural areas. Every time a dollar is spent on assisted cellphones, the yokels in Flyover Country are taking two. Yet the right-wing ire seems entirely directed at the cheaper program, I wonder why.
We here in Flyover Country happen to grow a lot of your food.
You already have a land connection to use the Internet. I see no reason to not have a land line. People will just look at you funny if you don't have a cell phone, but it isn't necessary.
mobile broadband will connect your computer to the internet. You do NOT need a landline anymore.
I have verizon mobil broadband. USB stick that I have plugged into a wireless router that gives me wireless internet in the house. It's as good as DSL. My only other options were dialup or satellite, neither of which perform well.
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