In A Move That Will Surprise No One, AT&T And Verizon Trying To Get More Access To Non-Supervised Gov't Money

from the shocking dept

Mon, Mar 12th 2007 3:18am — Mike Masnick

For a while now we've covered how the Universal Service Fund (USF) has turned into something of a boondoggle for telcos, where they get money supposedly for expanding service into rural areas, but where there's almost no accounting for it. Others have noted that the USF actually holds back rural areas from getting more innovative services like VoIP. The whole thing is basically a scam allowing the telcos to charge you more. Even when they were allowed to reduce the fee, they pretended they still had to collect it so there would be even less oversight into what they did with the money. Now, Broadband Reports points out that AT&T and Verizon are trying to get more access to the USF slush fund. In the meantime, it's still never been clearly explained why this program is needed and why, if it's so important, there's so little oversight into how it's operated.

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10 Comments

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BulliTT, 12 Mar 2007 @ 5:15am

MORE!!
Isn't a clear yet that all big giant corporatiions want is more money?...But as u said.."In A Move That Will Surprise No One.."..figures

I want some government money too...how do i get in??!??

by the by...FIRST POST!
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Chronno S. Trigger, 12 Mar 2007 @ 5:23am

I don't like Verizon
Didn't the big telcos force VOIP services like Vonage to charge the USF where as they didn't have to any more? They got in trouble for that. Why the hell do they think they deserve it?
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Tin Ear, 12 Mar 2007 @ 7:31am

Show me a receipt.
If I were holding the purse strings for the USF funds, I would certainly ask for a receipt showing a charge for NEW lines and cable in areas that needed it, before releasing any more money.
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Overcast, 12 Mar 2007 @ 8:59am

I wish I got as much government assistance as the big corporations.

Hell, I can't even keep health coverage as a contractor. Yet the big telco's get to take more government money so I get taxed more?

Sure that's fair.

They say crime doesn't pay - but you know, it's getting to the point where being a contractor doesn't either.... lol
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vintagecoronado, 12 Mar 2007 @ 10:22am

govt money to telcos`
i got poopie pants
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Mar 2007 @ 10:39am

Rob the telcos.....phreak every payphone you can!
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Chris, 12 Mar 2007 @ 11:49am

Flashback of the '90s
Remeber when telcos got over $200billion to run fiber lines with HDTV and 40mbs to every home in america? Of course they're going to milk this fund for every cent they can, and they already know they can get away with it. They'll get more, and it will be as easy said, as done.
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Trouble Maker, 12 Mar 2007 @ 12:45pm

two cents worth
I sure would like to get my little grubbies on some of that Non-Supervised Goverment Money.

Who do you have to sleep with for that?
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seaowl, 12 Mar 2007 @ 3:33pm

Reform for the USF
Access to broadband is becoming as important as access to the telephone. The USF should be reformed to recognize this fact. True high speed access at an affordable price is needed for things like telemedicine and distance education.
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- Vincent Clement (profile), 12 Mar 2007 @ 6:10pm
  
  Re: Reform for the USF
  I have a better idea: eliminate the USF. It is an example of yet another government initiative that only helps a select few (in this case incumbent telcos). It's no different from agricultural subsidies, most of which go to large multinational agri-corps.
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