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AT&T desires the seven greatest and most worthwhile tech firms, namely Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla, to assist subsidize Web and phone entry within the U.S.
AT&T CEO John Stankey mentioned on Monday at a telecoms discussion board that massive tech firms needs to be required to contribute to the Universal Service Fund (USF), a federal program that spends $8 billion a yr on cellphone, Web, and different telecommunications companies.
The fund helps lower-income prospects, prospects who stay in rural areas, or those that reside in high-cost areas. It additionally brings web and cellphone service to eligible faculties and libraries.
“The seven largest and most worthwhile firms on this planet constructed their franchises on the web and the infrastructure we offer,” Stankey mentioned, per a Reuters report.
“Why should not they take part in guaranteeing reasonably priced and equitable entry to the companies of right now which might be simply as indispensable because the cellphone strains of yesteryear?” he added.
John Stankey, AT&T CEO. Credit score: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg through Getty Photos
As a telecommunications firm working within the U.S., AT&T is required to contribute to the USF.
The fund takes a percentage of AT&T’s revenues, beginning at 15.5%.
AT&T fees its prospects a Common Connectivity Cost primarily based on the USF share — so on the finish of the day, AT&T’s prospects pay a further price that goes in direction of the fund.
“Within the aggressive business we’re in, we can not afford to soak up the prices related to the USF which have been imposed on AT&T,” an organization webpage reads.
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Stankey is not the one AT&T government to lately name consideration to the USF payment. Earlier this month, AT&T government vp of federal regulatory relations Rhonda Johnson wrote that the corporate’s USF contribution share was now 34.4% — and had remained at above 30% for the previous 4 quarters.
Johnson wrote that Congress ought to broaden the USF’s sources of funding to “tech firms – like Meta and Google – that make the most of client broadband connections.”
These massive tech firms have profited from having Individuals on-line and must also contribute to a reformed fund, in response to Johnson.
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