>Timothy S. Hillebrand, Ph.D. wrote:
>>
>> Subject: Are you ready for the next Internet ISP tax, If so read on.
>> The following message came to me from a retired executive of Southern
>> Connecticut Bell Telephone Company. It seems that local phone companies
>> throughout the United States are supporting legislation that would impose
>> "per minute" charges for our connection to Internet Service Providers.
>> I am writing you this to inform you of a very important matter. Currently
>> under review by the FCC: Your local telephone company has filed a proposal
>> with the FCC to impose per minute charges for your internet service. They
>> contend that your usage has or will hinder the operation of the telephone
>> network. It is my belief that internet usage will diminish if users were
>> required to pay additional per minute charges. The FCC has created an email
>> box for your comments. Responses must be received by February 13, 1998.
>> Send your comments to <isp@fcc.gov> and tell them what you think. Every
>> phone company is in on this one, and they are trying to sneak it in just
>> under the wire for legislation. Let everyone you know hear about this one.
>> Get to the email address of everyone you can think of and ask them to
e-mail
>> to: <isp@fcc.gov>. I would appreciate any further information from any
>> of you regarding this matter.
>>
>> Tim
>
>Tim and other Visionaries:
>
>About a year ago this same subject floated through Vision2020. There
>was
>no basis in fact then, nor is there now. GTE has not recently
>petitioned
>the FCC on this matter. In fact, the FCC is not even considering the
>implementation of per minute Internet access fees at this time. This
>anonymous email is the same one circulated across the Internet in early
>1997 prior to the FCC's Notice of Inquiry on this subject to which they
>ultimately voted against in May 1997. Bottom line: There is no news
>to report concerning per minute Internet access charges.
>
>Rick Gerrard (a GTE employee)
>Moscow, Idaho
>208 882-9330
>
>
>