Politics & Government
Would You Pay Higher Cell Phone Fees to Benefit Schools?
An Obama administration plan is in the works that would add fees on cell phone bills to help expand high-speed Internet access in schools.
By Sharon McLoone
President Barack Obama is crafting a plan to expand high-speed Internet access in schools but wants to pay for it by raising mobile-phone fees, according to the Washington Post.
U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., told the Post: “Most consumers would balk at higher phone bills.”
President Barack Obama is crafting a plan to expand high-speed Internet access in schools but wants to pay for it by raising mobile-phone fees, according to the Washington Post.
U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., told the Post: “Most consumers would balk at higher phone bills.”
Upton chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees these types of issues.
The plan is expected to cost up to $6 billion, and the Obama administration said it would cost about $12 in fees for every cell phone user over three years.
Obama’s plan uses the ability of the Federal Communications Commission to charge consumers fees to fund specific priorities. Most cell phone users already pay a fee into one such fund that subsidizes phone service for the poor, for instance.
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Would you be willing to pay more on your cell phone bill to help expand technology in schools? Tell us in the comments below.
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