Basic vs. Advanced Telecommunications Services

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Carole Teach raised a great issue when she asked what constituted 
"basic" services. This is something that education advocates and library 
supporters need to watch very carefully as the administrative rules are 
developed.

In Wisconsin the definition of basic vs. advanced telecommunications 
services was too much of a political "hot potatoe" for our Legislature 
to define in the telecommunications deregulation bill.  When the issue 
eventually went to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, education 
groups advocated for including things like 2-way distance learning 
services in the definition of basic as well as high speed internet 
access.

What we ended up with after the telecommunications industry lobbyied the 
Public Service Commission was far different. Under Wisconsin's 
administrative rules, basic service now includes such things as brining 
an end to multi-party telephone lines by the year 2001 (there is still a 
waiver process that will exist for the telco's that can't accomplish 
this by 2001).

Good luck!!

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