Government 'to push through broadband tax'Wednesday, November 18th 2009 A minister has claimed the government will force through a new tax which will be used to fund fibre optic broadband networks across the UK. The government's Digital Britain minister has suggested that the proposed tax on fixed phone lines, which will be used to fund widespread fibre optic broadband access, is to be pushed through.
Stephen Timms has claimed that the new 50p-a-month rate will be introduced as part of a finance bill that will be introduced before next year's General Election, reports the Yorkshire Post.
Speaking at an event in Leeds, the minister stated that the move was essential.
"If we take the view, as I do, that this is crucial for the development of the UK economy, then we need to find the resources to extend next-generation nationwide," he explained.
"For a long time, purely market-led roll-out will not reach more than about two-thirds of the population. We cannot afford to leave a third of the population behind."
Charles Dunstone, the chief executive officer of TalkTalk, recently suggested that the tax would raise the cost of broadband to the point where at least 100,000 low-income homes would be forced to give up their access. |
| £15.00 for 3 months
then £28.00 | | | £5.00 for 3 months
then £12.50 | |
TVs are still the favoured method of watching programmes, Broadband TV News has claimed. Telecoms giant BT has included Nathan Stephens on the cover of one of its south Wales Phone Books. Neil Berkett of Virgin Media has argued that "urgent" changes need to be made to the way broadband speeds are advertised. | Fibrecity contractors have cut a number of Virgin Media's connections in Bournemouth. A new study has revealed that Brits are keen to see greater clarity regarding broadband advertising. A source from UK online centres has responded to a new publication revealing that more than nine million adults in the UK have never used the internet. |
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