aaron8301
I can't get myself to go away.
join:2005-01-03
Clarkston, WA
 ·CableOne
| Making the wrong point
Everyone here is stuck debating whether or not Vonage is a phone service, when WHAT they provide isn't really the point. It's HOW they provide it.
The USF is to help pay for the deployment of physical lines to rural areas. Vonage does not own or construct any lines, thus can and will never use the USF. And if they can never use it, why should they have to pay into it?
Saying Vonage should pay into the USF is like saying xBox or PS3 should have to pay into the USF, because they use the lines, too. I can make voice "calls" with Skype, MSN/Win Live, and Yahoo Messenger, too, so should they have to pay into the USF? No, and neither should Vonage.
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There comes a point in your life when you get tired of fixing everything and wiping everyone's ass. But it’s not giving up. It’s realizing that you don’t need certain people and the bullshit and drama they bring to your life. |
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EPS
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA | Hm? If you call me on Vonage, the call is going to go over regular phone lines at some point to reach me... the call may not start out on the telephone network, but it'll go there eventually if you're calling someone on POTS. |
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aaron8301
I can't get myself to go away.
join:2005-01-03
Clarkston, WA
·CableOne
| said by EPS  :Hm? If you call me on Vonage, the call is going to go over regular phone lines at some point to reach me... the call may not start out on the telephone network, but it'll go there eventually if you're calling someone on POTS. Yes, the call may go over POTS lines. Lines that Vonage does NOT own, and did NOT pay to install. Lines that a DIFFERENT company used the USF to deploy.
As I said, Vonage CANNOT use the USF, thus, they should not be required to pay into it. |
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zed260
join:2007-09-30
Cleveland, TN | well what if an isp decides they wanna offer voip also they could sell voip nationwide
but wait they would not be covered under usf even if it goes over there lines |
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ryobiguy
join:2002-06-22
Martinez, CA | reply to aaron8301
As I said, Vonage CANNOT use the USF, thus, they should not be required to pay into it.
I am forced to pay into Social Security, do you think it'll still be around in 30-40 years when I retire? |
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aaron8301
I can't get myself to go away.
join:2005-01-03
Clarkston, WA
·CableOne
| said by ryobiguy :As I said, Vonage CANNOT use the USF, thus, they should not be required to pay into it.
I am forced to pay into Social Security, do you think it'll still be around in 30-40 years when I retire? Apples to oranges. |
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xsiddalx
join:2005-03-11
Chicago, IL
 ·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
| reply to aaron8301
said by aaron8301 :said by EPS :Hm? If you call me on Vonage, the call is going to go over regular phone lines at some point to reach me... the call may not start out on the telephone network, but it'll go there eventually if you're calling someone on POTS. Yes, the call may go over POTS lines. Lines that Vonage does NOT own, and did NOT pay to install. Lines that a DIFFERENT company used the USF to deploy. As I said, Vonage CANNOT use the USF, thus, they should not be required to pay into it. Vonage can't cuz their fat and happy where they are.
The same argument was made at one time within the cellular companies... |
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xsiddalx
join:2005-03-11
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
| reply to aaron8301
Great point.
In the old days, our long distance should have been free.
ATT/MCI/Sprint oddly enough would have been charities, or would have been googles.
Ed Whitacre has argued the same point...bandwidth is subsidized. The Telco is not about selling voice, they are about bandwidth....figure it out. The cable companies are sitting in the same seat...
I do agree though....Vonage was a hope of separating the delivering from the content.
said by aaron8301 :Everyone here is stuck debating whether or not Vonage is a phone service, when WHAT they provide isn't really the point. It's HOW they provide it. The USF is to help pay for the deployment of physical lines to rural areas. Vonage does not own or construct any lines, thus can and will never use the USF. And if they can never use it, why should they have to pay into it? Saying Vonage should pay into the USF is like saying xBox or PS3 should have to pay into the USF, because they use the lines, too. I can make voice "calls" with Skype, MSN/Win Live, and Yahoo Messenger, too, so should they have to pay into the USF? No, and neither should Vonage. |
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