> > Subject: Phone Company Attempt to add per minute charges
> >
> > PHONE COMPANIES FILE TO CHARGE PER MINUTE FOR
> > INTERNET SERVICE.
I don't intend to flame the poster but this is (a) off topic and (b) a
mutant version of a known hoax.
A quick web search finds the following:
</cgi-bin/exit-to?http://www.urbanlegends.com/classic/modem_tax.html>
The AFU and Urban Legend Archive
Classic
[Image] modem tax [Image]
[...]
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Common Carrier Bureau
Enforcement Division
Informal Complaints and Public Inquiries Branch
Suite 6202
Washington, D.C. 20554
Phone: (202) 632-7553
In Reply Refer To:
January 1990 63203
ICB-FS-036
RUMORS REGARDING A COMPUTER MODEM SURCHARGE
The FCC has received letters from a number of computer modem users expressing
concern about an alleged "proposal" before the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) that would result in a surcharge for the use of computer
modems on the telephone network.
There is _no_ proposal pending before the FCC that would result in the
application of a surcharge for the use of computer modems on the telephone
network.
The FCC has been informed that various computer bulletin board systems are
encouraging computer modem users to write to the FCC and to their congressional
representatives to oppose this alleged proposal. The FCC's Common Carrier
Bureau (Bureau) staff has contacted several bulletin board systems and
requested those systems to advise their users that there is no proposal before
the FCC at this time regarding a computer modem surcharge. Bureau staff is
continuing to investigate possible sources of the surcharge rumors and to
distribute correct information to computer modem users.
* FCC -
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
/cgi-bin/exit-to?http://www.urbanlegends.com/
Copyright Information
- - -
<http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/Factsheets/ispfact.html>
[...]
Q: Have local phone companies requested authority from the FCC to
charge per-minute rates to ISPs?
A: Since 1983, there has been an ongoing debate about whether enhanced
service providers should be required to pay access charges, based on
the contention that these companies use local networks in the same
manner as long-distance carriers. In June 1996, four local telephone
companies (Pacific Bell, Bell Atlantic, US West, and NYNEX) submitted
studies to the FCC concerning the effects of Internet usage on these
carriers' networks. The companies argued that the existing rate
structure did not reflect the costs imposed on local telephone
companies to support Internet access, and that Internet usage was
causing congestion in part of the local network. In connection with
these studies and other pleadings, several local phone companies have
asked the FCC for authority to charge interstate access charges to
ISPs, although they have not filed a formal petition for rulemaking.
Q: Is the FCC considering allowing local phone companies to impose
access charges on ISPs?
A: The FCC requested public comment in December 1996 on whether ISPs
should pay current access charges, and more generally on how Internet
and interstate information services that use local telephone networks
should be treated. The Commission concluded on May 7, 1997 that ISPs
should not be subject to interstate access charges. There is
currently no open comment period on this issue.
Q: Does the FCC currently have an ongoing proceeding on Internet and
interstate information services?
A: The FCC issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) in December 1996, at the
same time as it asked for comment on whether ISPs should be subject to
access charges. The NOI asked generally about how to create incentives
for companies to make the most efficient use of the telephone network
for Internet and other information services. The comment period for
the NOI is closed, but the FCC has stated that it plans to issue a
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) asking for comment on more
specific proposals based on the responses to the NOI. The NPRM will
consider actions other than imposition of per-minute access charges on
ISPs.
[...]
Q: Is the FCC considering taxes for use of the Internet or online
services?
A: No. The debate involves charges levied by local phone companies,
not government taxes.
Q: Is this the "FCC modem tax" that has been floating around the
Internet in various forms for several years?
A: The "modem tax" referred to a proposal in 1987 to require enhanced
service providers to pay interstate access charges, which at that time
were significantly higher than they are today. The 1987 proposal was
abandoned in 1988. The current Access Reform proceeding is entirely
separate.
- - -
The following are good places to look when you see one of these
bandwidth wasters in your mailbox:
Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory Capability at
http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html
Symantec Anti Virus Research Center at
/cgi-bin/exit-to?http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html
McAfee Associates Virus Hoax List at
/cgi-bin/exit-to?http://www.mcafee.com/support/hoax.html
Dr. Solomons Hoax Page at
/cgi-bin/exit-to?http://www.drsolomons.com/vircen/hoax.html
The Urban Legends Web Site at
/cgi-bin/exit-to?http://www.urbanlegends.com
Urban Legends Reference Pages at
/cgi-bin/exit-to?http://www.snopes.com
Datafellows Hoax Warnings at
/cgi-bin/exit-to?http://www.Europe.Datafellows.com/news/hoax.htm
Evaluating Internet Research Sources at
http://www.sccu.edu/faculty/R_Harris/evalu8it.htm
Evaluation of Information Sources at
http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm
Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources at
http://refserver.lib.vt.edu/libinst/critTHINK.HTM
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- - -
Please -- think and do a little research *before* you forward or post
one of these things.
Thanx.
spl
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