cross-posted from: https://vlemmy.net/post/152995
Alternative published title: AT&T/Verizon lobby group pushes for payments from Big Tech
I’m not from the states so I don’t have no skin in the game, but correct me if I’m wrong, weren’t ISPs responsible for upgrading the country’s network, given a large amount of money, and just sat on their asses or something? I remember something to that effect.
You’re completely correct, and they have been continually given money every year since the 90’s.
Yes, they got almost half a TRILLION dollars from tax payers in various forms to roll out nationwide fiber, but did not roll out nationwide fiber. Never mind the absolutely ludicrous prices they charge along with crazy bullshit like data caps, throttling, and lying about advertised speeds.
We already paid the ISPs to do this many times over, but they kept the money for profits instead of using it to build out infrastructure like they were supposed to.
I maintain this is an absurd idea. Everyone pays for their internet access. Presumably smart business people would build into that price some funding for upgrades over time.
This type of logic only makes sense in the case of public utilities, not privately owned companies.
What do they think we’re paying for? I don’t see how the non-amortized costs (ie, non-infrastructure-buildout costs) could ever approach the amount they pull in revenue. This also ignores the fact that the telcos have gotten somewhere in the double-digit billions of dollars (iirc, around $40B) in taxpayer money to build out fiber infrastructure, that they never delivered on. What are they using this money for? What are they using their subscription revenue for?
You are mistaken: It’s not over 40 billion, it’s closer to half a trillion.
Thanks for the correction, I almost wish I didn’t know how bad it was!
Yeah, it’s kinda mind blowing unfortunately. Regulatory capture really undermines the public services that our taxes are supposed to be paying for.
