Re: FCC examines potential for e-mail charges!

["Linda B. Merims" <lbm@ici.net>]

On Sat, 17 Jan 1998, Mary Burgess wrote:

> Linda -
> 	I'm not sure this is so clear-cut.  Throughout rural (as most of it is)
> Montana, Universities, school systems and local governments are fighting
> this issue right now.  It's possible that urban centers have squelched the
> idea already, but it is deep doodoo for locals here, and perhaps the best
> approach is to ask your own server what the status of the issue is in your
> area.  Perhaps I am just an old jaded cynic, but I can tell you that I
> would not put anything past our local telephone company.  Mary

Mary;

Local phone companies throughout the US wish to have the FCC
permit them to bill Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for
time access charges.  They have petitioned the FCC on multiple
occasions for permission to do this.  The FCC held an open
comment period on this proposed rule change last spring
and, I repeat, decided to *not* allow local phone companies
to do this.

But why should you believe me?

Go to the FCC's own web page.  They are very well aware that
this chain-letter-urban-legend-virus is presently circulating
on the Internet and go to great lengths to try to explain
the past, present, and future state of this issue.  To
quote just part of their web page:

 "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 <isp@fcc.gov> by February 1998, be aware that this information is
  inaccurate."

To see the entire page, go to:

 http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/Factsheets/ispfact.html

You are correct that this is an issue that will keep coming up
and that people will need to watch for it and guard their interests.

However, at present there is no "wolf" at the door and we must all
be on guard against crying wolf until the wolf is really there.

None of which has anything to do with endurance riding.  To
mimic rec.equestrian's OBH (obligatory horse mention), here's
an OBE:  I'm going to the AERC convention in Lexington and
I hope to meet some of you there.  Will there be any way
to recognize a fellow Ridecamper?  Stephanie, will you be
having a booth there or something?  Will there be a BOF
(birds of a feather) get together?

Linda B. Merims
lbm@ici.net
Massachusetts, USA