Get your Obama-phone

[callmeslick]

so, Ruggie, why ARE you repeating proven lies?

[HappyHappy]

"SafeLink Wireless is a government supported program
that provides a free cell phone and airtime each
month for income-eligible customers."

I can find nothing to support your claim that this is a lie Callmesick.
You are on the carpet Callmesick.

HH

[callmeslick]

"SafeLink Wireless is a government supported program
that provides a free cell phone and airtime each
month for income-eligible customers."

your quote is from where?

[callmeslick]

from the provider's website:

The federal "Lifeline" program was created during the Reagan Administration. Lifeline is a federal program created by the Reagan era Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1984. The program was enhanced under Telecommunications Act of 1996, which was supported on a broadly bipartisan basis in Congress. The FCC’s Low Income Program of the Universal Service Fund, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), is designed to ensure that quality telecommunications services are available to low-income customers at just, reasonable, and affordable rates. Lifeline support reduces eligible low-income consumers' monthly charges for basic telephone service.
Thanks to SafeLink, Lifeline support is now available for wireless phones. Traditionally, the Lifeline program was only available as a discount on a consumer’s landline telephone bill. SafeLink Wireless was created by TracFone Wireless, Inc. when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved the company to offer Lifeline -- a public assistance program that ensures telephone service is available and affordable for low-income subscribers. SafeLink Wireless applies the Universal Service Fund subsidy to an allotment of free airtime minutes and TracFone provides the wireless handset at the company’s expense


FWIW, there have been numerous complaints about TracFone sneaking extra, hidden charges on unsuspecting poor folks, so I wouldn't recommend any of you all to this option. But, the truth is the truth, this is NOT a program that has any link to the Obama administration whatsoever.

[Pudfark]

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/un ... rvice.html

Who Pays for Universal Service?

All telecommunications service providers and certain other providers of telecommunications must contribute to the federal USF based on a percentage of their interstate and international end-user telecommunications revenues. These companies include wireline phone companies, wireless phone companies, paging service companies, and certain Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers.

Some consumers may notice a “Universal Service” line item on their telephone bills. This line item appears when a company chooses to recover its USF contributions directly from its customers by billing them this charge. The FCC does not require this charge to be passed on to customers. Each company makes a business decision about whether and how to assess charges to recover its Universal Service costs. These charges usually appear as a percentage of the consumer’s phone bill. Companies that choose to collect Universal Service fees from their customers cannot collect an amount that exceeds their contribution to the USF. They also cannot collect any fees from a Lifeline program participant.

How Much Do Companies Contribute for Universal Service?

Companies contribute a certain percentage of the amount billed to their residential and business customers for interstate and international calls. The exact percentage that companies contribute is adjusted every quarter based on projected demand for Universal Service funding.


There is the link....there is the quote....The Fed's require the phone companies to pay for this....and they either pass the cost on directly to the customer (taypayer) or indirectly as a cost of doing business.... So, Slick, what the fuck is free about it to the rest of us....????

Old Pudfark sez: " It's just another tax...hidden, and called another name.... "

[Daiichidoku]

but you have the choice not to use providers that charge a universal service fee, caveat emptor

[Pudfark]

No Dizzy, read the article....all the companies pay it...and you pay the company.....you have no choice...hence, a tax...

[HappyHappy]

Seems the only exaggeration here is to call them "Obama Phones".
They are federal mandated phones that we the people pay for
with a hidden tax.

HH

[callmeslick]

Reagan phones! w00t!

[Dawg]

There is no "Obama phone" or other newly created federal program to provide free cell phones.

I got a notice in the mail about such a phone for certain incomes. Everyone in the area got that card, saying call (that was funny) email (funnier) or return the card with info to get a tracphone thing.
Its real, very real.
As is the push for free cable to lower income houses...you know...the ones too far away from a FREE library....