North American Network Operators Group
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Re: [Fwd: FCC to charge by minute for e-mail usage (fwd)

  • From: Daniel Reed
  • Date: Sat Jan 24 11:56:15 1998 
On Sat, 24 Jan 1998, NetSurfer wrote:
)  Your local telephone company has filed a proposal with the
)  FCC to impose per minute charges for your internet service.
)  They contend that your usage has or will hinder the operation of the
) 
) ---snip ---
) 
)  FCC E Mail address [email protected]
) 
)  This is really important. If we have to pay for e-mail , the cost is
)  going to skyrocket.
)  It's about the only thing now that is cost-effective.
)  Please make your opinions known to the FCC.
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/Factsheets/ispfact.html:
 [...]
  Please Note: There is no open comment period in this proceeding. If
   you have recently seen a message on the Internet stating that in
   response to a request from local telephone companies, the FCC is
   requesting comments to <[email protected]> by February 1998, be aware that
   this information is inaccurate.
 [...]
   Q: Is the FCC considering allowing local phone companies to impose
   access charges on ISPs?

   A: The FCC requested public comment in December 1996 on whether ISPs
   should pay current access charges, and more generally on how Internet
   and interstate information services that use local telephone networks
   should be treated. The Commission concluded on May 7, 1997 that ISPs
   should not be subject to interstate access charges. There is currently
   no open comment period on this issue.
 [...]
   Q: Is this the "FCC modem tax" that has been floating around the
   Internet in various forms for several years?

   A: The "modem tax" referred to a proposal in 1987 to require enhanced
   service providers to pay interstate access charges, which at that time
   were significantly higher than they are today. The 1987 proposal was
   abandoned in 1988. The current Access Reform proceeding is entirely
   separate.


--
Daniel Reed <[email protected]> (3CE060DD)
System administrator of narnia.n.ml.org (narnia.mhv.net [199.0.0.118])
Mitchell's Law of Committees: Any simple problem can be made insoluble if
 enough meetings are held to discuss it.