Obama's proposed 2010 budget juices carriers for more cash

There's no easy answer to erasing a staggering trillion-plus dollar deficit in a federal budget, but you've got to start somewhere -- and Obama's looking at the nation's wireless carriers as cash cows just waiting to be milked. The President's proposed budget for 2010 calls for an increase in spectrum license user fees from $50 million to $200 million, with further increases to $550 million over the course of the next decade, all of which would be on top of the billions carriers have already shelled out in spectrum auctions. A good way to bring in some extra cash? Yeah, probably, but considering that carriers will be more than happy to pass the increases on to consumers, let's just be straight: it's a tax.

[Via El Reg]

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 28th 2009 11:00AM]

Barak Osama has done it again. God if this is how he plans on turning the economy around then were in for a world of trouble, welcome back to the 1920's.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 28th 2009 11:02AM]

So much for the $99 unlimited plans. I can only imagine the domino effect this will cause. Am I naive to think the carriers will either charge us more for what we do have or give us less for what we're already paying?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 28th 2009 11:05AM]

the 1920s was an economic boom so.. yes welcome back 1920s...

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 28th 2009 11:41AM]

Obama is a moron. Why does it seem like everything he wants to do results in a tax for everybody? That is not the way to run a country when we're trying to get out of a recession. There goes my $30 unlimited "media net" plan.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 28th 2009 11:59AM]

What is up with this socialist asshole!!! How in the hell did people vote this guy in???!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 28th 2009 12:39PM]

I look forward to the day when the carriers will all have to merge and become just 'wireless' in order to pay for these outrageous fees. I didn't vote for this guy, Ron Paul all the way.