I thought this was worth passing on as it could certainly affect us who rely
on this means of communications
Stewart
-----Original Message-----
From: RBL <[log in to unmask]>
To: Recipient list suppressed <Recipient list suppressed>
Date: Thursday, February 25, 1999 9:16 PM
Subject: PCA: FCC RULES WEB SURFING = INTERSTATE CALL


-= via RBL's PC ALERT http://www.ComputerTalk.net

[x] News
[  ] PR
[  ] Op/Ed

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/cgi-bin/displayStory.pl?990225.enfccisp.htm

FCC rules ISP calls are long-distance in nature

By Nancy Weil
InfoWorld Electric

Posted at 10:58 AM PT, Feb 25, 1999
In a long-anticipated vote, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) on Thursday decided that dial-up Internet calls are interstate in
nature and not local.

The ruling overturns state decisions holding that dial-up calls to the
Internet are local. The decision also could mean that local phone companies
will be able to assess usage-sensitive access charges on ISPs, the FCC
suggested in a statement Thursday regarding its vote. Without the so-called
"Enhanced Service Provider Exemption," consumers might have to pay
per-minute fees for dialing into the Internet on local lines, however not
all Internet access calls necessarily will be charged at long distance
rates.

The matter has been under discussion for months by the FCC, which ruled in
October 1998 that high-speed Internet access provided by GTE is interstate
in nature because a certain percentage of Internet traffic originates in
one state and winds up in another.

In a statement regarding the ruling, the FCC said that Commissioner Harold
Furchtgott-Roth did not participate in the vote out of protest over what he
contends was the denial of his process rights.

The five FCC commissioners have, "for at least 25 years," been allowed to
put off by one month any action set for consideration at a commission
meeting. According to the statement, William Kennard, the FCC's chairman
denied Furchtgott-Roth's request to push back this decision for three weeks.

Furchtgott-Roth questioned whether it is in the public interest to risk
Internet access charges, according to the statement, which went on to say
that the decision had been delayed from January at the behest of Kennard.

The Federal Communications Commission, in Washington, can be reached at
www.fcc.gov.

Nancy Weil is a Boston correspondent for the IDG News Service, an InfoWorld
affiliate.

Copyright © 1999 InfoWorld Media Group Inc.

InfoWorld Electric is a member of IDG.net



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