Re: Welcome to Universal Service/Network Democracy

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Just some opening thoughts.
I have read about half of the inital postings and my current thoughts are based
on some of the postings therein.
I don't assume that large Telco's have the first clue as to what to do to
support learning activities through telecommunication facilities. Educators
need to be in strategic positions of influence to make any sense out of
universal access. There are plenty of voices, as demonstrated through the
participants here, with plenty of good ideas. Typically most companies have
to be dragged to the table and negotiated into reasonably good services. That
takes alot of time and effort, usually on the part of a few good souls who
are technical and pedogocially strong enough to make a strong case.
One thing Telco's are good at is basic infrastructure. If you want to get
a fiber bundle from point A to point B, they have the skill and talent and
resources to do that. I have always felt that infrastructure buildout is
something companies can do, and probably do well. Wiring the schools is
an enormous national challenge, one that volunteer net days will only
scratch the surface of. Wiring infrastructure is also one of the major impedi-
ments to getting kids online. I take the "build and they will come" attitude
with this. It happened with voice service, it happened with the internet, it
happened with roads, I think it will happen with universal access.
While I am at it, I would encourage us all to think out of the box. Lets not
be digital zealots. There is voice, video and data to contend with here.
Imagine what are schools could be with a creative application of voice
mail for registration, homework, school updates etc. That would be
truly transformative in most communities today...it certainly would be
in mine. Hosting voice mail facilities is a nobrainer for a NYNEX. It is
something they can do. With a little thought, a small team of educators
could whip up a great service. Mom and dad and junior (btw...almost everyone
has a phone at home) would suddenly be able to link and communicate with
the local school district.
More thoughts later. Happy reading....hope your eyes hold out!

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