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Conservatives critical of 'misguided' broadband tax

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Posted at 3:19pm by

Broadband Speeds

Government plans to launch a new tax to fund the rollout of fibre optic broadband are "misguided", according to the Conservatives.

Jeremy Hunt, Shadow Culture Secretary, said that the proposed 50p-a-month rate would make broadband access unaffordable for many households, meaning Labour's plans to launch universal internet would be thrown into doubt.

According to Tory figures published by the Daily Telegraph, the added cost of the tax could mean over 200,000 people are forced to go offline.

"This makes a complete mockery of Gordon Brown's boasts about promoting universal access," he added.

"We will deliver nationwide super-fast broadband by 2017 without the burden of extra taxation but by deregulating the market."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown outlined Labour's plans to offer fibre-optic broadband to all homes in the UK by 2020 in a speech yesterday (March 22nd).

He said such a move would improve the government's public services and also help businesses to grow.

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5 comments

  • Dave M, 24th March 2010.

    £6 extra per year isn't going to drive anyone offline, is it though? Whether it's fair or not to make people pay is a different matter, tho'.

    Reply

  • Dan, 24th March 2010.

    Dave M--Totally agree, the majority of people who have an issue seem to be in either of these categories:

    A - Low income and will push them away from the internet. This should never be an issue as with the other government plan they're already gonna get a free laptop if they're on low income. Therefore if they get a free laptop and then have to spend £6 a year extra on broadband, I still see that as a £300+ saving for them.

    B - Will never use the internet so why should they pay. This group of people don't seem to see the knock-on benefits that they will get from this idea. Yes they may not directly use the internet, but services that they use will benefit from the high speed broadband and thus they are going to benefit. Healthcare will improve, public transport will improve, private businesses will improve etc etc

    Reply

  • Mr Angry, 24th March 2010.

    Fine £6 a year isnt that much, but the FACT is we shouldn't have to pay that extra £6 a year. The companies that have to upgrade from their antiquated copper lines should have done so many years ago.

    Here's another FACT: We are overcharged for what we get as it is. & they have more than enough money to sort this themselves (BT).

    They would have created more jobs in either laying the cables or making them or both and looked like heroes many years ago.

    Some places abroad have 1,000 Mb and look at us. 100 Mb coming to so few at fairly high prices. And even that will no doubt be capped for some reason past a certain time of day.

    And there are so many other reasons to be mad about this too.

    Reply

  • Dan, 24th March 2010.

    Mr angry---You state that BT should have to pay for all the upgrades. What about the dozen plus other ISP's that use BT lines to give broadband to the masses?

    If BT have to pay for all the upgrades & maintain the line all by themselves then the government shouldn't be allowed to step in and tell them timescales for improvements & force them to open there ducts and lines to competition. With all of this forced on them, it is only fair for them to ask for financial help.

    It is the demand of the public who want and need higher speed broadband that this is about. And if the current scale of improvements and investment by BT is not going to match that demand, or criteria set by the government, then surely something which will in no way price someone out of the market for broadband and meet the demands of the masses will be seen as the solution.

    Reply

  • Jimbo, 26th March 2010.

    the point is, ISPs want to make profit. to make profit, they need to offer a service. the better the service, the more customers they get and the more profit they make. BT could have upgraded the copper phone lines years ago, but chose to sit with their heads in the sand, raking in extortionet profits, hoping that no one would want to use fast internet. big mistake!! had they have had more forward thinking people in charge, they would have investment before profit, not the other way round. now all ISPs should be paying to get fibre optic, super fast broadband country-wide, not expecting the general public to pay for the infrastructure, so that companies can take the profit, because the price they charge will never be dropped to compensate for the public contribution! everyone knows that BT charge a monthly/quarterly line rental fee, but then charge £144ish if they have to fix a problem with your phone line! unbelievable!! fast broadband is only needed to download/upload big files such as music and movies. with the lack of availability of services providing them, coupled with when the DEB is implemented and the restrictions included to prop up an industry that wont change its own business practices to help itself, super fast broadband wont be needed. 2mps will be plenty fast enough to open a web site or an email. if we are not already, we are fast being the world wide broadband laughing stock.

    Reply

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