Internet Tax

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

For me these paragraphs do not belong in the same post LP.

You realise that a tax once introduced only becomes more of a burden once its been accepted, yet agree that you will pay it, hence starting it on that path.

Not compatible statements in my book.

Its like saying the Westminster Bike Parking Tax is "ok cos its just £1/day and car drivers have to pay much more for parking AND they pay the congestion charge."

We all know that if Westminster get away with this, it will spread to ALL of London, and from there to all the major cities.

Then next year it will be £1.20/day, then £1.50 the next, but "it will still be cheaper than a car...."

I do realise the contradiction in my post. I also realise that by accepting it, I'm endorsing it, by endorsing it I tacitly allow successive governments to ramp up the charges. BUT (and this a bit new for me!) I agree with the aim to get BB access to all and therefore cannot oppose it just because it might cost me more in the future.

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

I do realise the contradiction in my post. I also realise that by accepting it, I'm endorsing it, by endorsing it I tacitly allow successive governments to ramp up the charges. BUT (and this a bit new for me!) I agree with the aim to get BB access to all and therefore cannot oppose it just because it might cost me more in the future.

So where did the £400 Million NET PROFIT BT made in the quarter ending Sept 2008 go?

Share holders saw their shares leap 9% on that day - why should I have to put money in their pockets (ok it more like not having them have to lose money from their pockets) just because I happen to chose to have a phone - a privilege I happen to already pay for in the monthly charge BT take from me?

EDIT - Just found this

Originally Posted by Teh Intarwebz

BT Group plc, the U.K.’s largest phone company said fourth quarter revenues rose 1% to £5.47 billion from £5.42 billion a year ago. Net loss for the quarter was £977 million or £12.6 per diluted share compared to net profit of £426 million or £5.3 per share a year ago.

BT Group plc, in the last one year traded as high as 239.75 pence in May 2008 and as low as 70.20 pence in March 2009. Based on the yesterday’s closing price of 92.60 pence the company has market cap of £7.17 billion. (from http://uk.123jump.com/market-update/...end-Cut/32876/)

So I guess this is just another Government Bailout after all, they just dont want to call it that....... and I guess there may be legal implications if they nationalised parts of it being that it was them that sold it in the 1st place......

[embee]

I use Virgin Media cable for landline, TV and b/b, it works fine thanks.

Will they plop this tax on me too? I damn well hope not, why should I pay for a private company to upgrade its infrastructure when I made the conscious decision not to use that company for my landline let alone b/b. Are the cable companies going to get their fair share of this tax so I get a better deal?

Buy a Ford and be charged a tax to subsidise Nissan? I don't think that would be tolerated.

I don't care what BT charges its b/b customers in order to fund the infrastructure upgrades, that's called free market economy. If it can't be made commercially viable then so be it. What other lame ducks do the government propose to splint and prop up? It'll be the Banks next...............