Re: phone tax on a wifi

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Craig Partridge <craig () aland bbn com>
Date: May 22, 2009 9:42:59 AM EDT
To: Andrew C Burnette <acb () acb net>
Cc: dave () farber net, craig () aland bbn com
Subject: Re: [IP] phone tax on a wifi


Hi Andy:

Your argument here is completely correct if one starts with the  
premise that
the innards of the service matter.  My point was that from an external
perspective, I've purchased a WiFi device that is clearly not a consumer
handset (lacks handset or another other capacity to dial) and yet it is
being taxed as a phone.

Thanks!

Craig

PS: You seem to have taken my note as a implicit tax protest.  I don't  
have
any problem with E911 tax.  I simply point out it is a strange  
application of
said tax.

> Craig, Dave,
>
> I'll only mention in passing that E911 and their customers (PSAPs,
> police, fire, et al) are "broke" financially and is one tax that  
> usually
> gets spent as advertised.
>
> In reality, the issue is that EV-DO is still a CDMA "telephony"  
> product,
> uses another [dedicated] RF channel next to the several a particular
> provider uses for voice. It has a phone number, uses your number
> (xxx-555-abcd () vzw3g com) for entry and authentication into the  
> network.
> The data call is technically identical to a phone call with a voice
> switch circuit underneath.
>
> Thus, I doubt verizon would want to spend the time/money trying to opt
> out of the tax in front of so many state public utility commissions  
> (my
> SWAG).  (Vonage tried for years, and that's definitely a phone
> product!). Note that the argument falls flat in the other direction
> where many 3g phones also have EVDO capabilities for data.
>
> I spoke with a friend at Clear/Sprint/XOHM/Clearwire (name of the  
> week)
> and their WiMAX service doesn't carry the tax, as no telephony  
> services
> exist on it yet (yes, you can use skype, etc over WiMAX).
>
> Best regards,
> andy
> p.s. if you want a better spend of political capital and subsequently
> your E911 tax, how about pushing the PUC's to consolidate their PSAPs
> (public safety access points) and use network based services. The
> current systems in place across the country are designed for 1984,  
> not 2009.
>
> David Farber wrote:
> > Begin forwarded message:
> >
> > From: Craig Partridge <craig () aland bbn com>
> > Date: May 20, 2009 1:27:58 PM EDT
> > To: dave () farber net
> > Subject: phone tax on a wifi
> > Reply-To: Craig Partridge <craig () aland bbn com>
> >
> >
> > Hi Dave:
> >
> > An amusing moment in our rapidly changing world.
> >
> > I purchased a Verizon MiFi on Sunday (for those who don't know --  
> > MiFi is
> > a credit card sized portable WiFi hub that uses Verizon EVDO to  
> > connect
> > to the rest of the 'net -- happy to send a review of my experience
> > after a few weeks if folks are interested).
> >
> > As part of the sale process I received a breakdown of what I should  
> > expect
> > to see on my monthly bill.   It included local taxes for E911  
> > service.
> > That's a tax on a device from which I cannot make a phone call  
> > (unless,
> > of course, I connect a VOIP device via WiFi).
> >
> > In the locality's defense, the device does have a phone number. (I  
> > have
> > no idea what happens if someone tries to call it...).
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Craig
> >
> >
> >
> >
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********************
Craig Partridge
Chief Scientist, BBN Technologies
E-mail: craig () aland bbn com or craig () bbn com
Phone: +1 517 324 3425




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