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Why Should Broadband Get a Tax Break?

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  • 23-01-2002 7:29pm
    #1
    dahamsta
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,659 ✭✭✭✭


    This is me playing Devil's Advocate:

    http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/jan2002/nf20020123_6835.htm

    Actually, I'm not, because although I agree with this guy when it comes to the States, I do think that Ireland needs a kick start (it's already getting one to a degree) to get it going.

    adam


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    #2
    kamobe
    Registered Users Posts: 857 ✭✭✭kamobe


    Hate to be the pessimist....
    But this os probably were the government say they're gonna do something....
    And then never bother :)


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    #3
    NeilF
    Closed Accounts Posts: 136 ✭✭NeilF


    The government should be sorting the Irish broadband problem. However, I don't think throwing money at it is going to solve the problem. They've given out a lot of millions for broadband and it has had no appreciable effect on the services available to consumers. Force competition upon the industry. If it is made easy for upstart companies to offer the services we want then Eircom and other big OLOs will have to play ball.

    When the price is driven as low as it can be (and the market will determine that) then the government could consider perhaps subsidising install costs for people who couldn't otherwise afford to get on the net.

    This reminded me of this evening's Navan Man on the Last Word, which in turn was about the Eircom thing. Perhaps Fine Gael might give some financial assistance to those of us who pay huge Eircom bills, as well as those who gambled and lost on the stock market :D


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    #4
    SkepticOne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,718 ✭✭✭SkepticOne


    Originally posted by NeilF
    When the price is driven as low as it can be (and the market will determine that) then the government could consider perhaps subsidising install costs for people who couldn't otherwise afford to get on the net. :D
    Yes too much money has been spent in an untargetted way. Costs have been lowered but the monopolistic nature of the Irish market have meant that these savings have not been passed on.


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    #5
    Manic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 201 ✭✭Manic


    savings been passed on.

    (Eircom Leech) HUH! WHA ? Saveings being passed on ? WHO HAS DONE THIS ? SACK HIM QUICK!! This is Unheard of! What do people take us for ? How dare he! Quick Everyone in Eircom PANIC! Someone in Eircom has given something back to the public! LOL! :D


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    #6
    dahamsta
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 16,659 ✭✭✭✭dahamsta


    Another article on this topic:

    http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/01/25/BU77085.DTL

    adam


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    #7
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,392 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    HOMING PIGEON SUBSIDY? Why in the world should all taxpayers subsidize those who purchase one particular telecommunications service? Why not a subsidy for dialup? Or for an old-fashioned telephone? How about cable TV? Or people who raise homing pigeons?

    Excellent point!! Fair enough that backbone infrastructure services are assisted financially (not given free rein), but the local loop has to pay for itself.

    I think what industry 'people' are worried about is that NTL shares are now at US$0.40 from US$150 two years ago. People got greedy, people got burnt, people want government largesse.


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