🚀 go-pugleaf

Got this personal e-mail from Bell Atlantic in response to the postings I
made to his.internet.users and dc.general:
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Annie  --

I couldn't help writing after reading your message below, and I' hope
you'll post this note wherever you sent the one I saw.

First of all, Bell Atlantic is not proposing that ISPs pay the same access
fees as long distance companies pay now.  Indeed we think that would not
happen whether we proposed it or not.  What, if anything, ISPs should pay
is up to policy makers to decide.

However, we did do a study of the impact of ISP use of the network and that
study is posted on our web site (http://www.ba.com) for the Net community
to read.  We believe the study shows that (a) ISPs are responsible for )and
in fact make their money by) carrying a great increase in telephone network
traffic and (b) because of the fact that much of that traffic comes to them
from residential phones and because of current telephone tariffs, they pay
relatively little to use the telephone network.

Those are the facts.  We presented them to the FCC without recommendations
except that the issue be considered in the forthcoming access charge
proceeding.  As you may know, the Commission is expected to sharply cut the
access fees long distance carriers pay.

The Commission may decide that ISPs should continue to be exempt from
charges others pay.  That means the rest of us will continue to cover the
costs of the extra equipment and trunks needed to carry ISP traffic.  Or
the FCC could decided that ISPs are no long struggling start up businesses,
and it is now time to end the exemption they received in the early 1980s.

By the way, whatever the outcome, Bell Atlantic's ISP business will pay the
same rates and fees as everyone else -- just as it does today.

Eric
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Annie,                                        
Annandale, VA USA
keitz@his.com