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Can somebody explain to me what the reclassification of internet from "information services" to "common carrier" accomplished (besides cellphone companies buyin

Can somebody explain to me what the reclassification of internet from "information services" to "common carrier" accomplished (besides cellphone companies buying consumer satellite tv companies)?

wayzel 10y ago
When VOIP and other communication services started to sprout in the 1990s the FCC let them coast without taxation for about a decade. They then reclassified all such services as common carriers so that they could be taxed as such. Common carriers must pay into various tax funds such as LNP (which funds citizens' rights to port their phone numbers between carriers), NANPA (which maintains the North American Numbering scheme), and USF (which subsidizes telephony buildout or services to areas that the private market would otherwise ignore). Most consumers see these as various charges as a roughly 20% up-charge on their bill.
- 1_2__3 10y ago
  You're referring to only one aspect of common carrier status. There's a whole host of regulations that apply - or not - if you're a common carrier. And I'm sorry are you honestly claiming that those cost 20% of an internet bill? Because of so you're gonna have to cite a source for that one. Between your selective choice for what you claim is CC status, combined with a claim that a $50 monthly bill is $10 attributable to CC, makes me think you're pushing an agenda rather than sharing facts.
  - wayzel 10y ago
    I should have been more clear: those taxes relate to communication services (VOIP) that interconnect with the public telecommunications network, e.g let you call phone numbers. They are not taxes for Internet access. And yes, there are a large number of other more restrictive regulations. Sources here: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-335228A1.pdf https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-335228A1.p... (warning - PDF)
rashkov 10y ago
Common carrier means that you treat the company more like a utility, which means that the company is subject to extra regulation. Telephone companies are regulated as title II, for example. It ensures that common carriers can’t “make any unjust or unreasonable discrimination in charges, practices, classifications, regulations, facilities, or services.” (Title II, the second subsection 202). Classifying these ISPs as title II / common carriers gives the FCC the ability to enforce net neutrality. Some further info, from wikipedia's entry on common carriers: A common carrier in common law countries (corresponding to a public carrier in civil law systems,[1] usually called simply a carrier) is a person or company that transports goods or people for any person or company and that is responsible for any possible loss of the goods during transport... A common carrier is distinguished from a contract carrier (also called a public carrier in UK English),[2] which is a carrier that transports goods for only a certain number of clients and that can refuse to transport goods for anyone else, and from a private carrier. A common carrier holds itself out to provide service to the general public without discrimination (to meet the needs of the regulator's quasi judicial role of impartiality toward the public's interest) for the "public convenience and necessity

Can somebody explain to me what the reclassification of internet from "information services" to "common carrier" accomplished (besides cellphone companies buying consumer satellite tv companies)?

wayzel 10y ago

When VOIP and other communication services started to sprout in the 1990s the FCC let them coast without taxation for about a decade. They then reclassified all such services as common carriers so that they could be taxed as such. Common carriers must pay into various tax funds such as LNP (which funds citizens' rights to port their phone numbers between carriers), NANPA (which maintains the North American Numbering scheme), and USF (which subsidizes telephony buildout or services to areas that the private market would otherwise ignore). Most consumers see these as various charges as a roughly 20% up-charge on their bill.

1_2__3 10y ago
You're referring to only one aspect of common carrier status. There's a whole host of regulations that apply - or not - if you're a common carrier. And I'm sorry are you honestly claiming that those cost 20% of an internet bill? Because of so you're gonna have to cite a source for that one. Between your selective choice for what you claim is CC status, combined with a claim that a $50 monthly bill is $10 attributable to CC, makes me think you're pushing an agenda rather than sharing facts.
- wayzel 10y ago
  I should have been more clear: those taxes relate to communication services (VOIP) that interconnect with the public telecommunications network, e.g let you call phone numbers. They are not taxes for Internet access. And yes, there are a large number of other more restrictive regulations. Sources here: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-335228A1.pdf https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-335228A1.p... (warning - PDF)

rashkov 10y ago

Common carrier means that you treat the company more like a utility, which means that the company is subject to extra regulation. Telephone companies are regulated as title II, for example. It ensures that common carriers can’t “make any unjust or unreasonable discrimination in charges, practices, classifications, regulations, facilities, or services.” (Title II, the second subsection 202). Classifying these ISPs as title II / common carriers gives the FCC the ability to enforce net neutrality. Some further info, from wikipedia's entry on common carriers: A common carrier in common law countries (corresponding to a public carrier in civil law systems,[1] usually called simply a carrier) is a person or company that transports goods or people for any person or company and that is responsible for any possible loss of the goods during transport... A common carrier is distinguished from a contract carrier (also called a public carrier in UK English),[2] which is a carrier that transports goods for only a certain number of clients and that can refuse to transport goods for anyone else, and from a private carrier. A common carrier holds itself out to provide service to the general public without discrimination (to meet the needs of the regulator's quasi judicial role of impartiality toward the public's interest) for the "public convenience and necessity