US/ND-1: Re: Reply
Re: Reply
Ronda Hauben (rh120@columbia.edu)
Sat, 31 Aug 1996 07:33:15 -0400 (EDT)
[Moderator's Note: I want to remind all posters of the etiquette that
has been requested of seminar participants. (See the section
labeled "Preliminaries" on the Universal Service/Network Democracy
home page:
http://www.info-ren.org/projects/universal-service/ ).
All seminar participants are here as individuals, not as official
representatives of their organizations. Hence, while Steve may be
able to respond to some of Ronda's questions about NYNEX, he
needn't feel obligated to do so. Next week I want to try to
steer the discussion back toward specifics of the Telecommunications
Act and its implementation. In this context it is important to
examine the material which has been submitted to the FCC and placed
on-line for the use of seminar participants. It would be very
useful for us all to learn what the various companies and organizations
are saying in their testimony - and whether the actions of these groups
actually match the positions they are taking. If, for example,
there is hyperbole with regard to the ability of some groups to
provide broad services at low cost without the force of federal
regulation, then it's important to point this out. This is what is
behind the assignment given to all seminar participants to prepare
summaries of some of the Comments and Reply Comments submitted to
the FCC. You will find the text of this material in the On-line
Repository for this seminar, a pointer to which can be found on
the home page cited above. I don't want to damp down individual
opinion and individual experience in this discussion, but if we are
going to have an impact, it has to be in the context of the current
proceedings.]
Responding to Steve Kohn (notes.skohn@nynex.com)
> I've tried to raise some of the questions your questions raise,
> and welcome others thoughts on all this.
>
> Ronda Hauben
> rh120@columbia.edu
>I think we are going to short change education if we think Universal Service
>for Libraries and Education is just access to the Internet. I imagine
>schools using voice messaging to keep parents involved in the child's
>education - not everyone has access to the Internet! I envision rural
>schools using distance learning to access "live" content they can't
>provide locally. I'm working on other projects that are
>very good for education, but outside the realm of the Internet.
But who is working on making Internet access, particularly access
to the worldwide communication that the Internet makes possible
available to everyone in the U.S.? That's why the concept of
POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) was so important as it provided
a minimum that would be available to everyone.
It seems once you start saying there is no need for a minimum
service, you can argue for all sorts of things, but the minimum
gets lost and therefore not available.
I've wondered why NYNEX hasn't helped there to be a free-net or
community network in NYC. NYC is a major city and yet it is
backward in what it offers its citizens. Several of us presented
talks at the NYPL (New York Public Library) about the important
communications that the Internet made possible. Many people came
to the talks. Several of those who came felt it was crucial
for NYC to have some form of community network that would provide
basic access to Usenet newsgroups and email and a text based
browser like the Freenets and community networks provide in
many other cities around the U.S. and in a number of cities in
Canada. The talks were announced in lots of the local
newspapers that announce events. Also, the talks were announced on
Usenet. I would have expected someone from NYNEX to have been
interested. However, no one got in contact with us or seemed
interested.
That's why it seems that there needs to be some government provision
identifying what is a minimum standard and providing the regulation
to provide for it. Otherwise it would seem that the teleco's would
determine what they think is needed, and citizens will be considered
"customers" rather than citizens.
Steve, is there some reason that NYNEX isn't in support of having
a Freenet or local community network like the Cleveland Free-Net in
New York City? Is there some reason that they haven't been encouraging
to have such a minimal set of access to Usenet newsgroups, email
and a text based browser made available to everyone at a low or
free cost so that people will have some minimal level of Internet
connection available as people in the U.S. in other cities like
Cleveland, and Youngstown, and Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, etc.
have available?
>Steve Kohn
>notes.skohn@nynex.com
Ronda
rh120@columbia.edu