Re: [WISPA] Oh Great take from the poor and give to the rich!

[Jack Unger]

I see sending any kind of WISPA "release" as just election-year political gamesmanship that is likely to hurt us more than help us.  This so-called "tax" is just being shifted from voice to broadband. The FCC's job (as mandated by Congress) is to extend broadband to everyone. Further, I don't agree that the FCC is trying to put us out of business. The USF  tables have been heavily tilted against us because in the past (like 5 years ago) WISPs were not a "player" at the government level. We were not organized enough then to show up and make our voice heard. Now we are organized, our voice is being heard and we're making pretty decent headway. I'd say we stick to our business of advocating effectively to advance our industry and leave the "tax and spend" gamesmanship to the professional politicians. jack On 8/29/2012 11:24 AM, Forbes Mercy wrote: I wonder if it would benefit us to send a "New Tax Coming to a Constituent Near You" release where in this era of taxes being waged to pay off debt, a new tax is being proposed by the FCC to the broadband industry which will only serve to subsidize the telephone industry with broadband deriving zero benefit?  Instead of defensive it's a pro-active move where politicians running under a no new taxes platform will have to roll it in. I know the FCC wouldn't be thrilled with us but we've felt all along the USF to CAF conversion was just the FCC helping the Telco industry to do a hostile takeover of our broadband industry with government aid and we shouldn't be afraid to say it. Forbes On 8/28/2012 2:28 PM, Jack Unger wrote: Throw out that word "tax" and everyone gets all excited but this is really old news and not really any news at all. Just the transition of the USF program (subsidies to extend phone service to rural areas) into the CAF program where the subsidies will now go to extend broadband service to the boonies. WISPA has made a ton of FCC filings on this already. Most of them are defensive in nature (preventing WISPs from being overbuilt) but a few are offensive - trying to open up the possibilities for WISPs that want subsidies (most don't) to get them. jack On 8/28/2012 1:20 PM, Jim Patient wrote: http://www.ijreview.com/2012/08/13896-fcc-may-soon-tax-internet-service/   Jim Patient Link Technologies, Inc. 314-735-0270 x102 http://wlan1.com http://towercoverage.com http://www.linktechs.net   _______________________________________________ Wireless mailing list Wireless@wispa.org http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless -- Jack Unger - President, Ask-Wi.Com, Inc. Author (2003) - "Deploying License-Free Wireless Wide-Area Networks" Serving the WISP Community since 1993 www.ask-wi.com 760-678-5033 jun...@ask-wi.com _______________________________________________ Wireless mailing list Wireless@wispa.org http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.2197 / Virus Database: 2437/5231 - Release Date: 08/28/12 _______________________________________________ Wireless mailing list Wireless@wispa.org http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless -- Jack Unger - President, Ask-Wi.Com, Inc. Author (2003) - "Deploying License-Free Wireless Wide-Area Networks" Serving the WISP Community since 1993 www.ask-wi.com 760-678-5033 jun...@ask-wi.com

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