The fedgov mandates that we all pay for free cellphones for the poor

[Ought Six]

https://www.safelinkwireless.com/Enr...blic/home.aspx

This is an unfunded federal mandate on the telecoms which no doubt gets passed right along to the rest of us cellphone customers are part of the cost of doing business.

https://www.safelinkwireless.com/Enr.../benefits.aspx

[leistb]

A picture of what should be the Obamaphone...

[Kassy]

But the second link says it's from the Reagan era?

[leistb]

Originally Posted by Kassy

But the second link says it's from the Reagan era?

Therefore it must continue?

[Potemkin]

http://www.factcheck.org/2009/10/the-obama-phone/

SafeLink Wireless, the program mentioned in the e-mail, does indeed offer a cell phone, about one hour’s worth of calling time per month, and other wireless services like voice mail to eligible low-income households. Applicants have to apply and prove that they are either receiving certain types of government benefits, such as Medicaid, or have household incomes at or below 135 percent of the poverty line. Using 2009 poverty guidelines, that’s $14,620 for an individual and a little under $30,000 for a family of four, with slightly higher amounts for Alaska and Hawaii.

[Twoolf]

I would have no problem with it if all it did was call 911.

[Ought Six]

It is a prepaid plan. The average price for prepaid minutes is around 25¢ per minute. So an hour would be $15, times 12 months would be $180 a year. There is also a usage fee that averages $2 a day for every day the phone is actually used. If the user made a lot of short calls on different days, that could really add up.

[Lars]

Originally Posted by Ought Six

It is a prepaid plan. The average price for prepaid minutes is around 25¢ per minute. So an hour would be $15, times 12 months would be $180 a year. There is also a usage fee that averages $2 a day for every day the phone is actually used. If the user made a lot of short calls on different days, that could really add up.

Dope pushers have to make a lot of short calls on different days; pimps not so many.

[Potemkin]

Originally Posted by Twoolf

I would have no problem with it if all it did was call 911.

Yes I know how you feel but you have to remember, this is probably the only phone they have.

They have to be able to accept calls when someone want to hire them and get them off the dole.

[Samen]

25¢ minute for pre paid sounds high.

7¢ € a minute and 7¢ € for a SMS here, no daily usage fees or inactivity fees, voice mail 1 € a month extra, no incoming call fee.
Start up for prepaid 7€ includes a sim card and 7€ worth of call time, no names asked pick up at any kiosk.
New Samsung phones for 19 € Nokias for 29 € no names asked.

[Ought Six]

The range here is from 10-33¢ per minute, with most plans on the higher side of the range.

[LvDemWings]

My prepaid (Virgin) is $0.25 a minute to talk and $0.10 per text. There is no daily use fee, monthly maintenance fee or activation fee but I must put at least $20 on the phone every 90 days for it to keep my phone number. All unused funds roll over. Its expensive to use if you want to chat with friends/family but since I have it primarily for emergencies and when I'm traveling I roll over funds almost every quarter.

[Potemkin]

Twitter and Internet/WWW for the poor.

http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/...ntProfile=1058

[Samen]

Giving stuff for free is always a bit of a hot potato, but as the poorest are on welfare, could one look at the phones as welfare?
As Potes above link showed having aces to the internet is pretty vital these days, and I C it as a vital part of being able to communicate in today's world, maybe it should be a right welfare covers instead of a phone.

Not that it interests many but its done pretty much below over here.
Finland being a pretty socialist country docent give phones, but for free or for the price of a cigarette pack one can obtain a used phone so that's not hard to save up on welfare, and no credit is needed to get prepaid working.
What is guarantied here is a 1 Mb internet connection if you are poor it is payed by the welfare agency, and a decent 5 year old computer with an Windows xp os. can be picked up from a recycling center for 50 € if one saves up to get one one respects it more. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10374831-2.html

[Ought Six]

S:

"Giving stuff for free is always a bit of a hot potato, but as the poorest are on welfare, could one look at the phones as welfare?"

Of course. It is a federally mandated social program, even if it is entirely administered by the private sector. So yes, it is just another form of welfare at the expense of us.

[dreadstalker]

Originally Posted by Twoolf

I would have no problem with it if all it did was call 911.

any cell phone that the batttery is charged up on will dial 911

[Samen]

Originally Posted by Ought Six

S:Of course. It is a federally mandated social program, even if it is entirely administered by the private sector. So yes, it is just another form of welfare at the expense of us.

OK. Google should chip in, they love to collect information, who, where, why and the FedGov must love it, being able to locate and observe the poor, as the rest are already under control.

[clutterbug]

I cannot begin to tell you how this really pisses me off: Once more, these people expect to live a middle class lifestyle while they are on welfare.

The tv commercials for this service show a mother saying she likes to keep in touch with her kid, she worries, blah blah blah so the phone is great cuz she can keep him safe. Now why the hell is this woman having kids if she can't afford to support them? And why do I have to pay so she doesn't have to worry about her kid (ya know: the one she shouldn't have had till she could support herself?) anyway.

If they want to talk to their families, get a job to pay for a phone. Like I did.

[Ought Six]

cb:

I cannot begin to tell you how this really pisses me off: Once more, these people expect to live a middle class lifestyle while they are on welfare.

The tv commercials for this service show a mother saying she likes to keep in touch with her kid, she worries, blah blah blah so the phone is great cuz she can keep him safe. Now why the hell is this woman having kids if she can't afford to support them? And why do I have to pay so she doesn't have to worry about her kid (ya know: the one she shouldn't have had till she could support herself?) anyway.

If they want to talk to their families, get a job to pay for a phone. Like I did.

^^^ THIS! ^^^

[Feather]

The phones I've seen people using at the pharmacy I go to is amazing. The pharmacy is part of the county hospital, I go because the choice is to go or drop over dead, I prefer life. I see people there with blackberries and those new droid ones. They sit there waiting to go in to see a dr and watch tv on their phones. They wait in line to get their meds, some of the women have the long salon nails and salon dyed hair, designer clothes and some of them even have grills. And they have the latest phones. Not the cheap ones, the high end ones. One gal came in, talking on her phone and bragging about how much she spent on it (over $200).

I don't deny that some do need a way of staying safe and a phone that can call 911 will help. That's why we donated the phones we had when my friend up-graded our service. I Know my limits and know I can't afford one but a friend insisted on giving me one on her family plan. She's afraid I'll have another heart attack or fall again and need to call for help.

[ob1]

People that couldn't afford phones used to use pay phones once upon a time.Maybe it would be cheaper to issue pay phone tokens.

[CanadaSue]

I see it here too. Does everybody in the world have a cell phone but us? We'd love to have one for two reasons: calling 911 if out of the house & for: "Honey, I missed the bus, I'll be an hour late, don't worry" or "I knew I forgot something on the grocery list - could you get a green pepper for the stir fry tonight?"

We can't afford it. I'd thought of saving for a cheap, (on sale), pay as you go phone, then discovered if you buy a card that loads say... $10 on your phone, you have to use it THAT MONTH! It doesn't roll over. Screw that - we'll remain phoneless.

[Cactus Az]

I had a cell once upon a time. I was working,could afford it. then I realized that I maybe used 5 minutes a month.
what a waste of money. so, when the contract ran out,I got rid of it.
I fail to see why you have to be in contact with everyone at all times.

My kids just shake their heads, and keep on using those droids.

Sigh..........

[Potemkin]

Originally Posted by ob1

People that couldn't afford phones used to use pay phones once upon a time.Maybe it would be cheaper to issue pay phone tokens.

Good luck with that.

Pay phone unplugged after costing Davison County $69 per call
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/news...cc4c03286.html

[ob1]

Originally Posted by Potemkin

Good luck with that.

Pay phone unplugged after costing Davison County $69 per call
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/news...cc4c03286.html

My hopes and dreams just up and vanished like a fart in the wind.