US/ND-1: Re: Tech Support and Long Term Funding

Re: Tech Support and Long Term Funding

Steve Kohn (NOTES.SKOHN@A50VM1.trg.nynex.COM)
28 Aug 1996 22:24:22 GMT 

> Message-ID: <3223D8AD.467F@seasurf.com>
> Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 22:27:16 -0700
> From: Link Shadley <lshadley@seasurf.com>
> Organization: Ecotrust - LANCE - Clatsop Community College
> Subject: Re: A teachers perspective initially
> References: <2.2.32.19960828035650.006c0cc0@socrates.spirit-lake.k12.ia.us>
> 
> Jan Bolluyt wrote:
> > 
> > When do "students" stop their "studenthood".  At what point do we deny
> > subsidized access.  College? Junior College? Early graduates? Adult
> > education?  GED students? "life-long" learners?
> > 
> > Jan
> 
> Excellent point.  If we subsidize educational instutions, does this mean
> only those within the bricks and mortar buildings, or does it apply to
> students doing homework, or home schooling, or teachers from home?  An
> interesting debate has been going on here in Oregon where a school
> consortium is building out an Internet access network for 'education
> only'.  In the urban areas, that works fine.  But in the rural and
> remote areas, their 'educational only' network is causing a real
> problem.  Many small communities in rural Oregon are working toward
> either funding a POP for local access or enticing an ISP to come in
> based upon some guaranteed number of accounts.  Along comes the school
> with their 'education only' network and insists the school connect
> through them.  That takes away potential accounts in the community,
> requires duplicate POP hardware and lines, and ends up taking away from
> community resources.
> 
> I prefer to view our communities as just that, communities.  In our
> region (northwest Oregon) we are promoting infrastructure, training and
> access across all facets of the community including schools, business,
> government, agencies, private citizens, libraries and organizations. 

The issue of how the prices for services associated with Universal Service 
are developed is very important to the concept of community networks.  If 
Universal Service prices are based on anything other than competitive 
bids, community networks loose.  If competitive bids are used, schools, 
business, government, agencies and such could aggregate demand - drive
prices down for all participants - and then schools and libraries would
get discounts from this price.  If prices were based on TELRIC or national
benchmarks - schools and libraries could not be added to the aggregated
numbers.

Steve

> ...
> 
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> *  In Balance,  Link Shadley                          *
> *  LANCE - Ecotrust - Clatsop Community College       *
> *  (503) 325-9657  lshadley@orednet.org               *
> *  lshadley@seasurf.com                               *
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