Georgia becomes first state to offer $5 cellphone plans (Atlanta: 2013, to buy)

[ChefRamsey]

"Georgia will become the first state in the nation to charge low-income customers $5 a month for basic cellphones provided through a federal program.
The Georgia Public Service Commission voted 3-2 Tuesday to levy the monthly charge starting Jan. 1 on participants in the Lifeline program, who have been getting the phones for free."

Georgia PSC approves cellphone fee - Atlanta Business Chronicle

[AnsleyPark]

It's too bad that dishonest folks defrauded the gov't requiring the poor to now have to pay for such a necessary and basic commodity.

[ChefRamsey]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

It's too bad that dishonest folks defrauded the gov't requiring the poor to now have to pay for such a necessary and basic commodity.

It's a cell phone. Not food. What other first-world government gives away free phones? It's only $5. Get real.


How is the guy making 13k a year going to give back to society? Is he going to volunteer at church working 45 hours a week? Is he going to donate to the library or local universities? Is he going to buy sandwiches at the mom and pop restaurant down the street? Is he going to boost tourism and businesses by convincing friends and family or colleagues that Georgia is such a great place? Free phones come at a cost. Tax payer's cost. Life isn't free.

Don't be so blindly liberal. Our government is literally closed. You can't just give anyone anything. Money is tight

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by ChefRamsey

It's a cell phone. Not food. What other first-world government gives away free phones? It's only $5. Get real.


How is the guy making 13k a year going to give back to society? Is he going to volunteer at church working 45 hours a week? Is he going to donate to the library or local universities? Is he going to buy sandwiches at the mom and pop restaurant down the street? Is he going to boost tourism and businesses by convincing friends and family or colleagues that Georgia is such a great place? Free phones come at a cost. Tax payer's cost. Life isn't free.

Don't be so blindly liberal. Our government is literally closed. You can't just give anyone anything. Money is tight

I dunno, Chef. Ronald Reagan started the program. But, I bet that guy making $13k a year really wished he was making a lot more and did have the wherewithal to give back to society. And it is the federal government that's closed. Not the state government and the telecom companies.

[gerrythesnake]

It better be a flip phone and not a smart phone

[DJDeadParrot]

Originally Posted by ChefRamsey

Free phones come at a cost. Tax payer's cost.

Actually, the program is funded not from taxpayer dollars, but from a fee charged to telecom carriers. Those carriers usually pass those costs on to consumers.

[DJDeadParrot]

Originally Posted by gerrythesnake

It better be a flip phone and not a smart phone

The free phones are quite basic by today's standards. Smart phones can be used, but would have to be purchased.

[jsvh]

This program is still. We need to stop trying to give people what politicians think they need. If we as a society decide we need to help then setup a guaranteed income and let people decide what they really need.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by jsvh

This program is still. We need to stop trying to give people what politicians think they need. If we as a society decide we need to help then setup a guaranteed income and let people decide what they really need.

Booze! Smokes!

[workaholics]

In before anybody mentioned Obamaphones.

This is actually a really good program. Mobile phones have become an essential these days and it's becomingly increasingly harder to get by without one. What would you do if you were in an emergency situation and didn't have access to a phone? Payphones are almost non existent now so having a cell really is a necessity. My tire blew out a few weeks ago around 10PM on a Sunday night off of 316. There was literally nothing around and if I didn't have a phone to call my parents, my friends and a towing service I don't know what I would have done. Everybody should have that in case of an emergency.