Digital Britain. Is the Levy dead?

joglynne · 18-08-2009, 17:12

Will the General Election mean the death of the proposed 'Broadband Tax'

Quote:

The government looks ready to ditch controversial plans to tax phone lines to pay for next-generation broadband internet.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...britain-labour

If I have chosen the wrong forum for this thread could a passing Mod do the honours and move it please. Cheers.

Derek · 18-08-2009, 20:19

Announcing something to grab headlines then quietly shelving it when they realize it will never work? Doesn't sound like our government at all...

Stuart · 18-08-2009, 21:38

Apparently they are still going ahead, but not until election year is over..

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08...stephen_timms/

joglynne · 18-08-2009, 22:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C

Apparently they are still going ahead, but not until election year is over..

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08...stephen_timms/

However if the Conservatives gain power in the election.....

Quote:

The Tories are widely expected to oppose the 50p broadband levy being contained in the finance bill. So should they be elected to government next year, the Â£6 a year tax on fixed phone lines could indeed be ditched

Stuart · 19-08-2009, 21:43

True, I should have added "Assuming they win the election" to the end of my statement.

Of course, Unless the Tories really cock it up (and I've read a few things in the papers this week that suggest that there is a good chance the Tories could cock it up), they won't win the election.

23-09-2009, 15:02

Update on this.

Quote:

A controversial broadband tax "will be law before the next election", according to Minister for Digital Britain Stephen Timms.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8270772.stm

NoKnowledge · 23-09-2009, 15:39

Would I pay the fifty pence tax - I just get broadband no phone line

23-09-2009, 15:42

Not everyone is in the same position, I for one have a phone line because I can get only ADSL in my area.

Ravenheart · 23-09-2009, 16:12

Quote:

Stephen Timms, financial secretary, told the Financial Times that a 50p a month levy on copper phone lines would be included in the last finance bill before the election, which must be held by June 2010.

Stuart · 23-09-2009, 16:20

TBH, I am not sure I like the idea of this tax.

I can understand the need to pay taxes for things that are needed (School, local maintenance, housing, emergency services etc), but I do not class Broadband internet access as a need.

Sure, it is handy (especially as the government is busy placing everything it can online so that it can reduce it's own staffing levels), but is it necessary? No. Not IMO.

**Maggy** · 23-09-2009, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C

TBH, I am not sure I like the idea of this tax.

I can understand the need to pay taxes for things that are needed (School, local maintenance, housing, emergency services etc), but I do not class Broadband internet access as a need.

Sure, it is handy (especially as the government is busy placing everything it can online so that it can reduce it's own staffing levels), but is it necessary? No. Not IMO.

I think it's iniquitous.50p now but you can be absolutely certain it will rise and rise just like the car tax has.

I wonder what will happen if everyone gave up their landlines.Will they start on mobile phones next?

fultotop · 23-09-2009, 22:48

Question is which companies will recieve subsidy from this tax. As I believe is will be everybody in the uk with a phone line paying for this, so is this network going to be free or are we just going to be paying for infrastucture.

Many cable companies went to the wall in repaying debt for building infrastucture to pave the way for a digital future. I wonder if Mr Branson might be giving Brown a call as I'm sure the investors in Virgin Media would like a cut of this money.

I not surpised though if the public pay for this network and are then charged a fortune for using the so called latest technology. When all this technology has been around for quite some time.

alferret · 23-09-2009, 23:02

Why should my mum be taxed 50p a month for a service roll out that she will never use. PONSY LABOUR GOV SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF PEOPLE AGAIN!!!!

50p might not be much but just another Â£175million per year stealth tax.

Ignitionnet · 24-09-2009, 11:56

I have happily provided my thoughts on this issue to the BBC.

Along with some regret that they shrunk the size of the 50p piece. If I have to pay this I want to be able to ram the thing into a certain politician where the sun doesn't shine. I am sure that people would be queuing up to pay their 50p if they had this option.

---------- Post added at 10:53 ---------- Previous post was at 10:51 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by fultotop

Question is which companies will recieve subsidy from this tax. As I believe is will be everybody in the uk with a phone line paying for this, so is this network going to be free or are we just going to be paying for infrastucture.

Many cable companies went to the wall in repaying debt for building infrastucture to pave the way for a digital future. I wonder if Mr Branson might be giving Brown a call as I'm sure the investors in Virgin Media would like a cut of this money.

I not surpised though if the public pay for this network and are then charged a fortune for using the so called latest technology. When all this technology has been around for quite some time.

There will be bidders for the money and projects will be looked at impartially apparently.

Chances are of course BT will hoover most of it up due to their economies of scale and tax breaks, and whoever else is good at getting the panel drunk and laid will collect the rest.

We will receive nothing for this money as tax payers. The networks will be run as existing networks are, with the exception that they have to be open access networks. The existing VM network is closed access so that would have to change if Virgin built any of it.

BT are already sniffing after this cash though. They have made overtones that if the money is just sent straight to then they will increase their FTTN build out to include 90% of the UK population.

---------- Post added at 10:56 ---------- Previous post was at 10:53 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C

TBH, I am not sure I like the idea of this tax.

I can understand the need to pay taxes for things that are needed (School, local maintenance, housing, emergency services etc), but I do not class Broadband internet access as a need.

This tax is not to get people online, that will be done with existing funds.

This tax is to supply 'next generation' services to 90% of the UK.

Virgin Media and BT are expected to do a market-driven rollout to 55 - 60% of the UK population, this money is to supply >24Mbit services to another 30 - 35%.

So yes, everyone here who uses Virgin Media and has a phone line will be paying 50p / month to give HD goat porn to Farmer Piles.

AbyssUnderground · 24-09-2009, 12:01

I wouldn't object to a 50p tax, IF it provided future high speed broadband access possibilities and IF it did not get higher and higher like other taxes. If it was a fixed tax, and gives a better broadband future for everyone, I'd happily pay it. Otherwise, as above, I'd shove it up a certain politicians backside.