Taxing VoIP?

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Your friends in the government are suggesting you pay twice into the Universal Access Fund -- the pot that subsidizes rural telecommunications -- by forcing companies like Vonage to pay into the fund, despite the fact that they're already paying those fees to their telco providers.

Look, I get it. I understand that there needs to be reasonable access to telecommunication services in sparsely populated areas, but not on the backs of taxpayers tens states away; ultimately, people choose where they live.

With companies like ExtremeSat, a community, a county or a coop group can provide universal access to broadband and telecommunications services. It may cost a bit more, but isn't that to be expected if you live in the boonies?

Here's an easy answer to the tax: if the FCC wants to tax net phone calls for anyone with a telephone number, then don't have a telephone number. There are plenty of free examples of free VoIP applications that only require both ends to have broadband and a user ID.

Ultimately, I think the free market should be the decider in such cases, not pseudo-authorities like the FCC.

New taxes could slam Net phone users | CNET News.com

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