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FCC is trying to bust up BBSes AGAIN!
NOTICE: TO ALL CONCERNED Certain text files and messages contained on this site deal with activities and devices which would be in violation of various Federal, State, and local laws if actually carried out or constructed. The webmasters of this site do not advocate the breaking of any law. Our text files and message bases are for informational purposes only. We recommend that you contact your local law enforcement officials before undertaking any project based upon any information obtained from this or any other web site. We do not guarantee that any of the information contained on this system is correct, workable, or factual. We are not responsible for, nor do we assume any liability for, damages resulting from the use of any information on this site.
(The following information was supplied by RANDOM ACCESS
INFORMATION NETWORK, Portland OR, and the Valley Computer Club
Newsletter.)
Two years ago the FCC tried and (with your help and letters of
protest) failed to institute regulations that would impose additional
cost on modemusers for data communications.
Now they are at it again. A new regulation that the FCC is
quietly working on will directly affect you as the user of a computer
modem. The FCC proposes that users of modems should pay extra charges
for use of the public telephone network which carrys their data. In
addition, computer network services, such as COMPUSERV, TYMNET, and
TELENET would also be charged as much as $6.00 per hour per user for use
of the public telephone network.
These charges would very likely be passed on to the subscribers.
The money is to be collected and given to the telephone company in an
effort to raise funds lost to regulation.
Jim Eason of KGO newstalk radio (San Francisco, CA) commented on
the proposal during his afternoon radio program during which, he said he
learned of the new regulation in an article in the New York Times. Jim
took the time to gather the addresses which are given below.
HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO (NOW!!!!!):
1- Pass the information on. Capture the information which
contains the text you are now reading. Find other BBS's that are not
carrying this information. Upload the ASCII text into a public message
on the BBS and Also upload the file itself, so others can easily get a
copy to pass along.
2- Print out three copies of the letter which follows (or better
yet, write your own), and send a copy to each of the following:
Chairman of the FCC
1919 M Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
Chairman, Senate Communication Subcommittee
SH-227 Hart Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Chairman, House Telecommunication Subcommitte
B-331 Rayburn Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Here's the text of the suggested letter:
Dear Sir,
Please allow me to express my displeasure with the FCC proposal
which would authorize a surcharge for the use of modems on the telephone
network.
This regulation appears to be an attempt to restrict the free
exchange of information among the growing number of computer users.
Calls placed using modems require no special telephone company
equipment and users of modems pay the phone company for use of the
network in the form of a monthly bill.
In short, a modem call is the same as a voice call and therefore
should not be subject to any additional regulations.
Sincerely,
[your name, address, and signature]
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