Blog-IT-o ergo sum

	1/19/2005

Regulated Free Speech (direct from my e-bill)

Detailed Statement of Regulated Charges

Monthly Service Charges                                  Amount
Monthly Service - Jan 14 thru Feb 13
Basic Services
    1. Federal Universal Service Charge                       .. .70
    2. Community Caller Plus Service - individual line ...14.55
    3. FCC Authorized Charge for Network Access       6.50
Total Basic Services ............................................       21.75
Total Monthly Service Charges ..........................         21.75

Taxes                                                                   Amount
Taxes on Regulated Services
    4. Federal Excise Tax ...................................               .65
    5. NC - State/Local Tax ...............................             1.26
Total Taxes on Regulated Services ........................         1.91

Total BellSouth Current Regulated Charges ...........        23.66

Quick calc:

$23.66 total bill for $14.55 of purchased phone service = $9.11 (help!) in taxes and regulations. This translates to a 38.5% tax and regulation rate on my desire to communicate.

(Note: The FCC Network Access Charge is a federally mandated charge that is collected by local phone companies on behalf of our central government. Funds collected under this charge along with the Universal Access Charge are paid into federal agencies. These agencies then redistribute the funds (less the handling fees of federal bureaucrats) back to affected phone companies who are required to maintain "affordable" phone service to rural and other low service density areas. Prior to 1992 the Network Access Charge component of these charges were assessed (under a previous federal law) to long distance and interstate data service providers. For customers like myself in a relatively high phone density area this charges amount to my subsidization of phone service to both my long tail neighbors in the mountains and to long distance and data service carriers who I may or may not be using. This situation is confusing as one would expect for a federally regulated monopoly system which attempts to balance "industrial policy" with the "right" of all people to affordable phone and data services -- even if they choose to live in the middle of nowhere.)

6:53:43 AM

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