Customers can see their mobile and internet telephone bills under a Federal Communications Commission proposal. According to this proposal, companies have to subsidize the telephone services in poor and rural part of the country. This proposal still has to get approval by five-member committee.



The aim of this commission is to ensure that government is raising enough money to finance Federal Universal Fund. This project is approximately about $7.3 this year. This commission goes to subsidize phone services in high-cost areas of the country to provide phone services for more than 7 million low-income customers.



To reduce the telecommunication & Internet rates, the commission is going to subsidize these services in schools and libraries also. This fund is financed approx 10.9 percent as Contribution factor for interstate and international telephone calls.



According to FCC officials, wireless companies have to assess up to 28.5 per cent to 37.1 per cent. Currently VoIP providers are not required to pay into the Universal Service Fund, now have to contribute up to 64.9 per cent.



As we know VoIP companies are using low prices to establish themselves against standard phone services. If the proposal gets through, VoIP operators might not have any options but to raise call rates.



The proposal might have some merits, but I still think it requires some serious thinking on this.



Via : Washington Post