US/ND-4: Re: Checking in re us-nd

Re: Checking in re us-nd

Eugene Stovall (estovall@ousd.k12.ca.us)
Tue, 17 Sep 96 18:21 PDT 

Greetings:

Jerry's comments are absolutely on target. He directs our attention to the
fact that discounts supported by the universal fund means asking consumers
to accept additional rate increases. Currently, the California Public
Utilities Commission is considering a 25% school discount which will be
funded through a mandated rate increase. The incumbent telco, Pacific Bell,
will be given another secure source of revenue without any competitive concern.

In addiiton, local telcos, LECs, are planning to use the Act to eliminate
CCLs, Common Carrier Line charges and increase SLCs (subscriber line
charges) to make up for the lost revenue. These rate increases will be used
to fund the local telco's entry into the long distance market. Such a move
will further deny new entrants the ability to compete and bring new
technologies into the marketplace.

The Telecommunictions Act of 1996 is designed to stimulate competition and
innovation. Discussions of educational discounts should examine how to avoid
subsidizing these discounts by passing the costs directly to the universal
fund. We run the risk that the public will blame insignificant school
discounts for the massive rate increases currently planned by the telcos.

Eugene Stovall
>>To:Laurie Maak <laurie@info-ren.pitt.edu>
>>From:jls@sdp2.philsch.k12.pa.us (Jerry Snyder)
>>Subject:Re: Checking in re us-nd
>>
>>Laurie,
>>
>>I recently sat thru a 2 day seminar entitled, the Telecommunucations Act of
>>1996: What It Means to Local Governments, sponsored by the National League of
>>Cities.  I was frankly hoping that this online seminar would have revealed
>>efforts of schools/districts, IU's, etc to put our case before the FCC and the
>>states' PUC's.  Discussions of wireless or pilots or small grants don't cut it
>>when the Act was to impact the entire K-12 infrastructure.  As was pointed out
>>at the NLC seminar, you can bet that every RBOC, as well as every other
>>carrier (common and otherwise) is appearing before these regulatory
>>commissions putting forth their case that K-12 ought to get some minor
>>discounted rate while they reap enormous profits from deregulation.
>>
>>Unless we get our act together, the promise of the "Act" will only come to
>>those who's PACs and lobbyists have sold the regulators with their one-sided
>>story.
>>
>>Jerry
>
>Jerrold L. Snyder
>School District of Philadelphia
>Network Systems and Telecommunications
>734 Schuylkill Ave.
>Philadelphia, PA 19146
>
>PH  (215)875-3789
>FAX (215)875-3787