bernhold@qtp.ufl.edu (David E. Bernholdt) (03/24/89)
I've noted many mentions in the discussions of calling line ID that 911 get the number anyway. Of course that's only true if the 911 equipment can handle CLID. Here in Alachua County, Florida, they've recently upgraded their 911 equipment so that it can handle CLID -- and every subscriber in the county gets an item like "E911 Upgrade" on their local service billing to pay for it (at $0.50/month). We're all familiar with the local BOC acting as a billing agent for the long-distance carriers and the like, but is there any limit to what (whom) a BOC can collect for? Just out of curiousity, does anyone know of other cases where the BOC is collecting "taxes" for a local government? -- David Bernholdt bernhold@qtp.ufl.edu Quantum Theory Project bernhold@ufpine.bitnet University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611 904/392 6365
ron@ron.rutgers.edu (Ron Natalie) (03/30/89)
I wouldn't come down too heavily on the BOC's for the Enhanced 911 surcharge. The phone company and the local Public Utilities companies participate in a very complicated dance about what they can and can not charge for and how much. It's not a free market. Since they are forced to hold some services as an artificially low rate, they have to make up for it on other things like charging for touch tones and other "software" options in modern phone switches. -Ron
dave@rutgers.edu (Dave Levenson) (03/31/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0107m04@vector.UUCP>, bernhold@qtp.ufl.edu (David E. Bernholdt) writes: > ... Just out of curiousity, does > anyone know of other cases where the BOC is collecting "taxes" for a > local government? No, but I know a local government who is collecting money for the telephone company: In New Jersey, telephones have been exempt from the 6% state sales tax for as many years as telephones have been for sale retail. Now, all of a sudden, the exemption is ended. If you buy a telephone (or a key system, a PBX, or whatever) you now pay sales tax, just as you do for anything else that isn't food or clothing... The state is using the additional revenue to pay for state-wide implementation of 911 service, by New Jersey Bell and the several "independent" telephone companies in the state. I even had to pay sales tax when I bought my Caller*Id display unit! -- Dave Levenson Westmark, Inc. The Man in the Mooney Warren, NJ USA {rutgers | att}!westmark!dave
e118-ak@euler.berkeley.edu (e118 student) (04/03/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0107m04@vector.UUCP> David Bernholdt writes: > >... -- and every subscriber in the county gets an item like "E911 >Upgrade" on their local service billing to pay for it (at $0.50/month). > >... Just out of curiousity, does anyone know of other cases where the >BOC is collecting "taxes" for a local government? Here in Berkeley, California, we have several "taxes" and taxes that the BOC collects. We have a state excise tax on all telephone charges except out-of-state toll calls. We also have a *municipal* excise tax applied to the same charges. We also have a 0.5% tax applied specifi- cally to pay for enhanced 911 service. We also have a tax applied to pay for TDD's (Telephone Devices for the Deaf). When I was living in San Jose, California, the mayor (Tom McEnery) had a *bright* idea -- why not apply the municipal phone tax on *all* calls, including interstate? Regrettably, he talked to his legal staff *after* telling the press. By the way, the total of all taxes I pay on in-state charges is about 11%, including the 3% federal. --Linc Madison = e118-ak@euler.berkeley.edu
tanner@ki4pv.uucp (04/10/89)
You're right; it is not right to come down too hard on the local BOC
for excessive 911 charges. Since the charge here is set by the county,
and goes from the BOC to the county gov't, it is probably best to not
blame the local BOC at all.
Still, I wonder how much use my modem lines get from the "service"
for which they are charged (it's not called a tax -- there's an extra
10% tax on the lines but it doesn't get you anything).
Dr. T. Andrews, Systems
CompuData, Inc. DeLand
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...!bikini.cis.ufl.edu!ki4pv!tanner ...!bpa!cdin-1!cdis-1!ki4pv!tanner
or... {allegra killer gatech!uflorida decvax!ucf-cs}!ki4pv!tannerron@ron.rutgers.edu (Ron Natalie) (04/10/89)
Everytime I think about telephone company price gouging I snicker about the 30 cents, indoor wire maintenance plan, I am paying on my lines (they snuck it in on me when I moved). Someday I'm going to have to have them come out and take a look at my wiring (I've got 25 pair cable running to each room of the house with 66 blocks on each end). _Ron