Re: Verizon Public Policy on Netflix

[Miles Fidelman <mfidelman () meetinghouse net>]

William Herrin wrote:
> On Fri, Jul 11, 2014 at 11:38 AM, Miles Fidelman
> <mfidelman () meetinghouse net> wrote:
> > Then again, I've often argued that the "universal service fund" used to
> > subsidize rural carriers - which the large telcos always scream about - is
> > legitimate, because when we pick up the phone and "dial," we're paying for
> > the ability to reach people, not just empty dial-tone.
> The USF worked great until the Clinton administration re-purposed it
> to buy computers for rural schools. Now it's just another tax.
>
> Before that, the basic idea was that every phone line paid in a fixed
> amount every month and then when a phone company installed an
> expensive rural line, they recovered the excess cost from the fund.
> This made high-density urban lines cost neutral compared to low
> density rural lines, making rural service desirable for the service
> provider.

Agree - a better idea in theory than practice.

--
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.
In practice, there is.   .... Yogi Berra