On Wednesday, 14 August 2019 09:33:34 AEST Tom Worthington wrote: >> Maybe there should be a free low speed plan available ... > > Subsidizing Internet access would reduce the welfare budget available for > other purposes, and so would not be "free".
Subsidised access at a "basic" bandwidth (TBA) for a carefully-defined class of disadvantaged users (TBA) would not impact on the budget if ~all~ service providers were required to fund it from profits before tax, etc. Alternatively, basic Internet assess should be free, with users paying for additional added value. Developing inequality is inherent in largely unregulated capitalism which has little or no social responsibility. The U.S. is well ahead of Australia & Europe in this regard as some documentaries have shown (e.g. the employed who can only afford to live in their cars). It's interesting to speculate on the progress of such increasing disadvantage, but history shows us it usually ends with a guillotine or a civil war. Perhaps there should be a general requirement on providers of "basic" services to cater for the whole of society? Dear me, was I just dreaming? David L. _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
