I hate government

[Stringent]

Umm no, the prices primarily were lowered because someone finally noticed a loophole in the taxation laws that let them operate a business from the Channel Islands that meant they could offer cut price DVD's, games and music over the Internet. The high street stores were forced to lower their prices to compete, one price war later, couple of businesses went under and we were left saving a few quid per item that used to be spent running a store, paying staff, and so on.

Thats also true, but I suspect it played its part. Besides, they could have just plugged the hole and left prices where they were.

[Bugbait]

I'm frankly puzzled by this thread. Fifty pence a month is so insignificant I really don't know where to start. Yes, yes, another tax in principle but relative to other taxes and even cost of living price hikes (namely utilities and council tax) this is really irrelevant.

[Arthran]

No tax increase is irrelevant, even 1pence a month

[Geist]

Have I read this correctly that the money will go to companies like Sky and Virgin? Are they not paid to provide a service...

The companies should not be offering products they can't provide.

The 'up to' should be banned and they should work on a stable fast network rather than trying to make sure Scotland's most Northerly house has a 2meg download line.

[kalniel]

Have I read this correctly that the money will go to companies like Sky and Virgin? Are they not paid to provide a service...

Not by the people who they would have to provide a service to, no.

The companies should not be offering products they can't provide.

They're not - that's exactly the problem.

The 'up to' should be banned and they should work on a stable fast network rather than trying to make sure Scotland's most Northerly house has a 2meg download line.

Ensuring that the richer people have the best, fastest service while others go without any service at all is certainly one viewpoint. Another is that everyone should have access to broadband speeds, even if it's not gigabit at the moment. The govt. has chosen the latter, but I'm sure you could write to your MP demanding the former.

[G4Z]

I don't understand how you can say richer people have faster broadband and others go without any service. Its not about how rich you are, and often rich people do live in the country in the middle of nowhere, the poor people and wage slaves all tend to be in the inner cities.

To my mind this is a cost/benefit analysis and the simple fact of the matter is if your broadband sucks because of your location then you can always bloody move. I don't agree with this tax and I don't really think its a socialist policy at all, internet access is a luxury really more than a necessity. Besides which dial up modems are slow but perfectly usable alternatives for doing stuff like online banking or whatever. I don't even understand why this govt would implement it because they are pissing off a majority by imposing a levy so they can provide for a minority and they can hardly afford that kind of policy right now.

[kalniel]

To my mind this is a cost/benefit analysis and the simple fact of the matter is if your broadband sucks because of your location then you can always bloody move.

Only if you can afford to move

[Bugbait]

It's £6 a year, that's barely 2 pints of beer (in London anyway). That's less then what I normally leave as a tip when I go out for a meal. Perspective people! You can barely get a pack of cigarettes for that and remember, that's PER YEAR! Guessing no one here donates to charities either?

[shaithis]

Seems a bit odd to me.

Considering you can get broadband for around £7 per month, surely anyone who truley wants it, can afford it.

If you cannot afford that, how are you going to afford the PC that will utilise the connection?

[99Flake]

Seems a bit odd to me.

Considering you can get broadband for around £7 per month, surely anyone who truley wants it, can afford it.

If you cannot afford that, how are you going to afford the PC that will utilise the connection?

I don't think that is really an issue, I know many people that can't afford a PC but have one due to hand me downs from family etc. The amount of cheap/free computers around now that are 5+ years old is quite large and they are perfectly servicable for internet use.

[kalniel]

Seems a bit odd to me.

Considering you can get broadband for around £7 per month, surely anyone who truley wants it, can afford it.

If you cannot afford that, how are you going to afford the PC that will utilise the connection?

I agree it's a bit odd with the PC thing, but if you think about it you can get PCs pretty much for free if you go with an out of date one, and there are many charities that do provide free PCs. I also presume these are people without even decent fixed phone lines - or they'll be taxing themselves which is a bit counter productive.

[Georgy291]

my other point here

i think people who live in the country dont really need fast internet, think about it. why is the internet fastest in london or other towns?

Because it is needed there, people who live there use it to its full...where as people in the far out country would tend to be oldish people in farms, do they need fast2meg line? i dont think so. like its been said 56K + 5yr old computer is perfectly fine for what they would be using it for,

[kalniel]

my other point here

i think people who live in the country dont really need fast internet, think about it. why is the internet fastest in london or other towns?

Because it is needed there, people who live there use it to its full...where as people in the far out country would tend to be oldish people in farms,

I like that thought.

[pollaxe]

Yes, excellent. We in the countryside don't need broadband, we're all far too busy chasing sheep and discussing the price of butter to care.

[Steve A]

Guessing no one here donates to charities either?

yes everyone does, everytime they get taxed, or is that donating to bum's with no job? i cant quite remember

[kalniel]

Yes, excellent. We in the countryside don't need broadband, we're all far too busy chasing sheep and discussing the price of butter to care.

Did you see Sainsburys has an offer on that foreign stuff from Normandy? Granted it does taste rather nice with the rock salt, but they should be promoting British!