My Weblogs Inc. buddy Michael wrote the words "with good reason" in a post about the Universal Service Fund, and I just wanted to take a brief but opposing position on the USF. This fee, which was originally designed to tax the access lines of the cities in order to provide access for the rural areas, is supposed to apply to the LINES in service, not to the voice application itself. Otherwise, USF would have to be assessed on Yahoo Voice, Skype, Gizmo, and every other player that offers voice service--and for that matter, on long distance carriers, distributed PBX providers, and all kinds of the other firms that offer voice services without owning delivery lines. Still, it's being laid at the feet of Vonage and other phone replacement services because these are the services that MOST CLOSELY RESEMBLE the old-fashioned phone company. Still, the infrastructure isn't Vonage's; the delivery lines don't belong to Vonage. So why does Vonage get stuck with the bill?
Answer: Big Telecom has found a way to strongarm Vonage using the guise of good intentions, a la the USF.
Counterpoint: VoIP USF is Slippery Slope
Reader Comments
(Page 1)2. Ghostdoggy, I don't think you really understand the whole scope of the issue. Lawyers control everything and when your facing an endless barage of litigation it's easy to "forget" to force the issue. Vonage didn't care becuase they don't loose any money, you do. Do you really think Vonage will email all their users and ask them if they want this fee or not? Vonage is a coporation, and a corporations legal obligation is to make a profit regardless of ethics.
They may have realized that the ensuing legal battle which is sure to come, can be held off for awhile with this blackmail called USF. Its all about government corruption, and believe me when I say its ALL corrupt. This has to do with corruption 'Vonage doesn't put up a fight, and in return they don't have to deal with millions in unending court litigation'.
Posted at 1:42AM on Jul 9th 2006 by TheTruth
3. I think you all are missing the point... Vonage is a corporation, and as such, is free to do as it pleases. If you have an issue with this, contact your GOVERNMENT representative (in layman's terms, a REPRESENTATIVE, or a SENATOR)Bottom line is, they're the ones that voted for this, not the 'telecom' Vonage... Take the issue to the root and get it solved. Lawyers, make money off peoples' unrealistic dreams. Vonage, makes money off peoples' supposed problems... Political figures, make money off our paycheck. Make them earn it.
Posted at 11:36PM on Aug 16th 2006 by Matt
1. As long as there are cowsumers that will stand there and take th plunger to the skull like all good cows then why shouldn't they continue to be abused. Vonage could have fought this, claiming as the writing does, and asked all of its users to weigh in by suggesting they will cancel service, and effectively kill a business, but instead they took to passing the abuse onto their cowsumers who are use to abuse.
Posted at 1:04PM on Jul 1st 2006 by GhostDoggy