Wireless on front burner in new Congress

WASHINGTON-The new, Democrat-led Congress got off to a fast start, with lawmakers introducing wireless and Internet tax moratorium bills, a universal service measure aimed at protecting rural states, and legislation to speed up federal funding for 911 upgrades.
Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) co-sponsored legislation to mandate a three-year moratorium on new discriminatory wireless taxes by states.
“Today, the average wireless user in America pays more than 14 percent of his or her monthly bill in taxes and fees. This is an indefensible level of taxation for most any product, let alone one that allows more than 225 million Americans to constantly stay connected and in-touch with the world around them,” said Steve Largent, president of cellphone industry association CTIA.
McCain also joined Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and John Sununu (R-N.H.) on a bill to make permanent a ban on multiple and discriminatory taxation on Internet access and online sales. Internet access is increasingly migrating to wireless devices. CTIA’s Largent and others applauded the Internet legislation.
“More than $100 billion a year changes hands over the Internet because retailers and consumers get a fair shake in cyberspace. Stacking the deck against e-commerce is stacking the deck against growth and prosperity,” said Phil Bond, president of the Information Technology Association of America. “America is struggling to keep pace with other nations in broadband deployment-now is not the time to dampen demand.”
Meantime, Senate Commerce Committee Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) introduced a bill to roll all communications technologies into the universal service program. The move is directed at protecting rural states, major beneficiaries of universal service fund subsidies.
“Through the years, our nation’s universal service program has ensured that rural Americans, including residents of Alaska, have access to basic telephone and cellphone service,” said Stevens. “The universal service program is essential to bringing broadband, distance learning, and telemedicine to rural Alaska, as well as the rest of our nation. The bill will ensure that schools, libraries and health clinics in rural Alaska and the rest of the nation continue to receive universal service funds on a timely basis.”
Stevens also introduced a measure to expedite the availability of previously authorized $43 million in funding for new 911 technological upgrades.