Why? How? WTF???
I can't see how to define a phone line if I tried.
I dread to think.
PSTN, OK, 1 line, 50p.
ISDN2 on copper. Is that one line (BT say "one line") or two channels to £1, or 10 numbers (say) so £5, or what?
ISDN30 on 3 copper pairs. Is that 1 line, 8 channels, 3 pairs, 1000 numbers or what?
ISDN30 on fibre. That is not anything taxable I hope, but not down to end user to say fibre or copper to BT when installed.
SDSL on a copper pair - does that count?
EFM on 4 pairs - is that 0, 50p or £2?
And then you have a few specifics.
1. A&A provide my phone service using a TA on ethernet in my loft on a fibre. The TA is A&As so I get "analogue phone service" from A&A who are a telco. The analogue line is maybe 10cm long and in my loft, but do I pay 50p tax on that? Logically it is no different to a normal BT line!
2. A&A provide phone lines for broadband to end users. But they are not used for calls. They cannot call numbers in the national dialling plan, so not PATS or POTS. Will they be taxable I wonder?
3. We provide a neighbouring office with phones, 6 phones via a cat5 which is 4 copper pairs but 10/100 so using only 2 pairs and I think 10 numbers. How many 50p's is that?
They will get the definition sooooo wrong it will be a joke.
And openreach will charge us the 50p I bet and we will cite the law and say NO and withold the 50p. I can see the arguments now.
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and what about mine? I have 3 "lines" only 1 of these allows out going calls, and that's to the bank for a credit card machine. All 3 provide ADSL, we have a PBX (Asterisk), this has 2 IAX2 pipes, 12 internal phones, and 10 external phones, oh and 5 numbers... I'm how much, if any of this will I be taxed on?
ReplyDeleteThen I have 10 Leased Lines (Copper) coming into the building, none are active, but they are there, and a pair of fibres too.
I guess we'll find out soon.
"The duty will be payable on all local loops that are made available for use by an owner
ReplyDeletewhether or not the lines are actually used. It will also be payable on all local loops regardless of
whether the loop consists of a copper pair, a co-axial cable or a fibre connection."
So they announce: consumer tax on “all fixed copper lines"
ReplyDeleteThen make it a tax on all lines for all purposes whether copper or fibre or coax and whether in use or not and whether consumer or business.
So, the tax applies to idle lines. Our favorite telco currently leave ceased lines connected and allow cheap and quick take over. But with a 50p/month tax on such un-used lines they will now expect to disconnect such lines I bet.
ReplyDeleteYou're forgetting "they will now expect to disconnect such lines I bet" and charge for it. AKA - more expensive for the customer.
ReplyDeleteDACS line... one or two 50p's?
ReplyDeleteIt should be £30 per month for every man, woman and child in the country.
ReplyDeleteThen I can have dual redundant 1Gb FTTC :-)
My worry about this new tax is that BTO will use it as an excuse not to replace ageing cables. My line is copper to the cabinet, then 1000 metres of aluminium back to the exchange. Little chance of getting it replaced before, but NO chance after the tax comes in. I can't see FTTC coming here in my lifetime. Can I argue that because my line is only 50% copper, I should only pay half the tax ?
ReplyDeleteThe draft bill would exclude aluminium lines, yes... That will be fun.
ReplyDelete