Verizon Urges Congress To Extend Internet Tax Moratorium

Congress should extend the Internet tax moratorium before Oct. 1, Verizon said. If not, about 10,000 state and local taxing authorities will be able to impose taxes on consumers’ broadband connections regardless of whether they are wireline or wireless -- a threat even more imminent in light of recent FCC reclassification of such services as Communications Act Title II telecom services, the ISP said in a blog post Wednesday. Access to the Internet has become too important to the economy and society to saddle it with new taxes, it said. "When we're attempting to close the digital divide, policy makers should be looking for ways to expand access to the Internet and grow the economy, not price this important resource out of reach for millions of Americans by allowing the ban on Internet access taxes to expire." It’s time for the Senate to approve the Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act to ensure the Internet remains a hub for innovation for the economy, as well as a resource for society’s needs in education, healthcare and entertainment, said the carrier.