December 12, 2022
Dear editor;
Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.) can help the poor by repealing the federal access charge on land line phone bills. In simpler terms: Acccess robbery.
Today’s environment, COVID-19, make it far harder on the small business owner who has more than one line.
Prior to divestiture in 1984, there were two main phone companies, AT&T and GTE, with no access charges. Today, we are back to two phone companies, AT&T and Verizon.
What started as a $1.00 charge is now $6.50 per month for the resident consumer. These billions of dollars are gifts of millions of dollars to CEOs and many more top phone company executives. Back in 2007 the top two executives at AT&T were compensated $105,434,054.00. In 2006 Verizon’s top executive received $21,206,700.00
Phone companies Ameritech, Southwest Bell, Bell Atlantic, AT&T, Pacific Bell, GTE, Verizon, began merging back together in 1997. Neither the F.C.C, nor Congress (Communications Act of 1996) addressed the issue to repeal these federal access charges.
Congress or the F.C.C. should repeal federal access charges on phone bills to help the poor on Social Security, the rural poor, the city poor, and the small business owner.
Today’s top phone executives make more than $20 million. The American people deserve better:
Justice.
Thank you!
Jimmer Myers, North Aurora, Ill.