[SERKIT]

Wondering if anyone has tried to make the argument that a wireless broadband card for a laptop should NOT pay 9-1-1 taxes.

[BfloGuy]

Why are you complaining about the service providers? They’re only following the dictates of our Washington D.C. overlords. Call your congress-critter or your Senator.

[EGPWS]

Am I shoveling feces against the tide?

Yes.

Your mindful concern totes more weight by your vote at election time.

[socialismisinsidious]

I am afraid you are shoveling. I'm paying plenty in taxes that I will never use, never see the benefit of and will never access. sigh

Gotta love the taxes that have absolutely nothing to do with what the money is supposedly going to go for. Here in Pittsburgh there is a push for a 10% drink tax......so the money can be used to fund a failing mass transit system. It's laughable and asinine.

[BurbankKarl]

It is a phone line. You could make a VoiP call with it.

[Beagle8U]

If I still have to pay about $6 amonth on my phone bill for the war of 1812 you can pay a few pennys for 9/11.

[kingu]

My strongest suggestion would be to get a broadband enabled cell phone and tether it to your laptop through bluetooth and simply drop the broadband card. BUT I wouldn’t stop writing letters about the issue in any case.

[freekitty]

I agree.

[VeniVidiVici]

I’m on your side as the taxes on this stuff is outrageous. However, it is proabably because you are going over a cell tower to get to the broadband network.

As mentioned, I tether my cell to my laptop when WiFi is not available. Supposed to pay extra for this with Sprint but for some reason they haven’t charged me yet.

[steve86]

I think it’s justified in the government’s mind because the card utilizes the cell network, repeater facilities, etc., which are used when a cell device places a 911 call. Doesn’t necessarily justify the tax to me.

[spunkets]

Looks like Sprint’s MBA’s are just attempting to make money on a “mistake”. The taxes apply to the line connection, not any hardware.

[Auntie Mame]

I’ve come to the conclusion there’s a dirty little secret and that is a lot of the taxes you see on phone/internet bills are not always forwarded to the tax man. It’s a little moneymaker on the side for these companies.

I expect, if you want to devote a good portion of your time and life to this for the next five years, you might be able to make a difference.

So far you’ve probably only talked to the lower eschelon folks and will need to go way farther up the ladder to get satisfaction.

One of these days there will be a huge class action lawsuit against all these companies and once the dust settles, all of us who have been being scammed will be reimbursed a few pennies.

[bmwcyle]

I would be more pissed off about living in Illinois.

[George from New England]

You’ll waste 100 times the value of the rip-off and never get a resolution. Sprint and all the companies are a joke.

Only solution is to cheat on your taxes to get your money back.

[George from New England]

I’m getting ripped off since I moved across state lines.

I now get billed for CT and FL taxes and 911 stuff.

[SERKIT]

UPDATE!

Sprint is taking the 9-1-1 related taxes off my bill fpr the air-card and issuing me a $50 rebate for the wait and inconvenience. Go figure!