California Scraps Controversial Plan To Levy Tax On Texts
California regulators are nixing a plan to tax mobile phone messaging following a ruling by federal telecommunications regulators.
The controversial "text tax," which drew opposition from wireless providers and business groups, had originally been introduced as a means to fund programs that make phone service accessible to low-income residents.
The Federal Communications Commission last week classified messaging as an information service rather than a telecommunications service. California Public Utilities Commissioner Carla Peterman withdrew the plan "in light of the FCC's action" on Dec. 12, regulators said Friday.
