Is the UK government planning new Internet taxes?
While the UK government has already confirmed there will be a telephone tax introduced in the short term, with the heavy investment in Internet connectivity and the fibre-optic network put forward as a reason for the new tax, there would appear to be more on the way. It has now emerged that the UK government, in tandem with the Valuation Office Agency, is now looking to charge consumers and businesses for using wireless and optical fibre networks in the UK. So what does this mean?
Despite the fact that the likes of Starbucks have made many headlines with their award-winning free WiFi service, the UK government is looking to tax such services. While no official taxation level has been confirmed it is believed that the government is looking to charge around £100 per access point. This would mean the likes of Starbucks, and many other retailers around the UK, having to charge customers for using WiFi access simply to cover the tax which the government is looking to reduce.
On one hand the UK government is suggesting there needs to be a significant development of the UK Internet sector while on the other hand they seem prepared to tax users and businesses to the hilt. As ever, there is a feeling that consumers and businesses are being "mugged" by the UK government which have the go-ahead for the new fibre-optic network and also encouraged WiFi connectivity in the months and years gone by.
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