Lawmaker's bill would help poor with broadband costs

[The Straight Story]

Lawmaker's bill would help poor with broadband costs


New legislation in the U.S. Congress would expand a program that helps low-income people who get telephone service also get broadband service.

Representative Doris Matsui, a California Democrat, introduced the Broadband Affordability Act on Thursday. The bill would require the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to establish a broadband assistance program for low-income people by expanding the Universal Service Fund's (USF) Lifeline Assistance program.

The Lifeline Assistance program, which now provides discounts of up to US$10 a month for telephone service, has a budget of about $800 million a year. Matsui's proposal would add an additional $100 million, a spokeswoman for the congresswoman said.

"To fully close the digital divide we must address the affordability of broadband services for lower-income households," Matsui said in a statement. "Although these households may have some options for broadband access, they are underserved if none of these options are affordable."

http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=EDE5935F-1A64-67EA-E4A07FAB26CC82E5

[BlooInBloo]

1. Win.

Now poor folks can play eve with me! Woot!

[seabeckind]

2. More corporate welfare

When these guys look in their bag the only thing the see is another "take away from the taxpayer and give it to a provider". Another stupid f'ing idea.

Why not declare that broadband is part of the commons and should be available to all -- like electricity?

Then maybe we can look at cell phones and cable TV.

[msongs]

3. internet needs to be made a public utility for all nt

[TahitiNut]

4. Agreed. Municipal fiber-to-the-curb is wayyyy past due.

Broadband (for TV, internet, and telephone) access SHOULD be as ubiquitous as any other public utility such as water, electricity, sewage, natural gas, etc. It's a facility that requires an easement on private property and should, therefore, be provided as a municipal utility.