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AT&T Promises Huge Broadband Investment...If it Gets a Tax Break

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson this week made the media rounds after spending some time with the President. Speaking on CNBC, the CEO proclaimed that AT&T would invest $22 billion this year on broadband infrastructure -- but only if the President engaged in "tax reform" (read: lower AT&T's taxes). AT&T's no stranger to fiddling with its investment numbers to get government to do what it wants, with billions in what are often phantom numbers ebbing and flowing based on how willing government is to do AT&T's bidding.

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Stephenson was one of several major telecom CEOs that met with the Trump administration yesterday to demonstrate the potential wonders of fifth generation (5G) wireless.

Wonders, Stephenson hints, that won't fully materialize unless Trump reduces the company's overall tax burden (some of the money for AT&T's tax break will likely come from making cuts to Medicaid and other programs).

Trump lavished praise upon AT&T, insisting the company was "like two companies" -- "you started, then it was made different by government and now here you are again," adding that was "not easy to do."

Stephenson likewise heaped praise upon Trump for his regulatory policies in telecom, which so far have included gutting consumer privacy protections, starting to roll back net neutrality protections for consumers and small businesses, scuttling attempts to bring competition to the cable box, making it easier for prison telco monopolies to rip off inmate families, and gutting programs intended to bring broadband to the poor.

"It's been dizzying the pace that the regulatory playing field has been cleared and been made more clear for companies that invest like ours," proclaimed the CEO.

It's not a coincidence that Stephenson and an army of 100 lobbyists are busy trying to sell the Trump administration on its $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner -- a deal Trump promised to block on the campaign trail because of "too much concentration of power in the hands of too few" -- but now shows every indication of approving.

Most recommended from 62 comments



wdoa
join:2001-10-16
Spencer, MA

55 recommendations

wdoa

Member

I think I've seen this before


SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT

29 recommendations

SimbaSeven

Member

AT&T Promises Huge Broadband Investment...If it Gets a Tax Break

Yep.. Sure.. and of course, it won't actually happen. If "tax breaks" has taught us anything, all that money goes directly into bonuses for their executives and not actually improving their network.

battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000

24 recommendations

battleop

Member

The problem is...

If they don't live up to their end of the deal they will either just say too bad or if the government goes after them for the difference they will end up paying pennies on the dollar if that much.

I wouldn't have a problem with this if the deal is fair and they hold up their end of the deal. Given their track record of keeping their end of the bargain I doubt it will be a fair deal.
b10010011
Whats a Posting tag?
join:2004-09-07
united state

2 edits

22 recommendations

b10010011

Member

Lowering taxes does NOT lead to business investment or economic growth

The state of Kansas has proven this.

»www.kansas.com/news/poli ··· 802.html
»www.kansascity.com/opini ··· 286.html
»www.latimes.com/business ··· ory.html
»www.chicagotribune.com/n ··· umn.html
man00
join:2003-07-25
united state

11 recommendations

man00

Member

I promise

I promise to buy broadband if I can get a tax break.

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

11 recommendations

maartena

Premium Member

Reagan said....

....Reagan said these tax breaks to big corporations would "trickle down" to the middle class. I'm still waiting.

Meanwhile, the bonuses of CEO's have grown to the combined value of all houses in a small town.

If you really think that WITHOUT this tax reform they will stop investing in broadband, and that WITH this tax break they will keep their promises and actually invest 22 billion..... you may want to have your gullibility level examined, because I am sure it is quite high.
kherr
Premium Member
join:2000-09-04
Collinsville, IL

11 recommendations

kherr

Premium Member

Remember Pennsylvania .......

.... Verision got some $2B in tax breaks/insensitives to wire Penn. with fiber .... never happened ... never even started ... and Penn. let'm keep the cash
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

10 recommendations

Kearnstd

Premium Member

Get it in writing

Unless its on a contract with no holes for them to weasel through than its a total lie. Just like when Verizon promised FiOS to everybody in New Jersey in order to get their statewide franchise for video services and then wired up not even 1% of the state since they had weasel holes to get out of their promise.

So before offering any of these companies tax breaks to deploy make a contract and have it quadruple checked by lawyers for every bit of fine print, Hell bring it to DARPA for the super powerful microscopes to check for the dustmite print too.

When these companies promise deployment in exchange for something make sure they have no way to back out once the CEO inks the line.

Anon7d830
@pacswitch.com

9 recommendations

Anon7d830

Anon

American companies laying off and pocket tax cut money

AT&T can't even offer their post and prepaid wireless customers enough throttle speed for watching SD video(256-512 kbps). These american companies seem to be increasing layoffs. Not preparing for job growth or investments in the US.

I do not believe i'm exaggerating,the economy as it relates to job growth is getting worse now. The poor is getting poorer. And with the president's help,the rich is getting richer.

Eddy120876
join:2009-02-16
Bronx, NY

8 recommendations

Eddy120876

Member

This sounds familiar to me


Yup that's why it sounded familiar
ham3843
join:2015-01-15
USA

6 recommendations

ham3843

Member

They only get a tax break if........

They build out FTTH for 80% of their entire footprint in 6 years, if they do this AT&T gets a tax refund at that time, if they fail to meet that agreement they do not get anything.
quisp65
join:2003-05-03
San Diego, CA

6 recommendations

quisp65

Member

Rural broadband has a big economic hurdle

Rural broadband does have a big economic hurdle to overcome. If tax incentives were done correctly it could help spread broadband a bit more to some badly needed areas. However the problem with many well intended tax breaks is people find ways to use them in ways were they were not intended.

Anon2feba
@verizon.net

5 recommendations

Anon2feba

Anon

They are among the first to speak up

Trumpcare will be passed soon; then the Republicans will move on to the big goal with the initial hurdle out of the way. All of the companies will start to butter him up soon.

Anon3d140
@zscaler.com

4 recommendations

Anon3d140

Anon

Maybe Time for Anti-Trust Breakup of AT&T

How does this happen?

Are is it at&t?

Anon90e79
@2600:1005.x

4 recommendations

Anon90e79

Anon

You had me at

You had me at at&t promised. We're the lips moving?

Trump was right. Two companies. The one speaking to you and the one which will do what ever it wants and screw you. Forked tongue.

firephoto
Truth and reality matters
Premium Member
join:2003-03-18
Brewster, WA

3 recommendations

firephoto

Premium Member

Subsidies

The moocher class wanting handouts and free stuff as usual.
yzor
Premium Member
join:2003-01-03
Jacksonville, FL
Linksys WRT1900ACS
Netgear CM1000

3 recommendations

yzor

Premium Member

don't companies invest in infrastructure anyway?

So the last time I read a biz book, you have to build stuff(wigget) to sell it. That is if you have a product that is physical, you have to make it first. Is this not what biz do? why do they all need tax breaks?

capitalism is free markets, you are free to make something to sell if its legal. so compete and succeed or not. I just don't get it. it Seems all these co's are all babies that beg for money, but then claim they want free markets, etc and that jazz.

want to have it both ways and its frankly not fair to small biz. or the the public.