IP: FCC News Release

[David Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

F
> > FYI
> >
> > > News Release --  March 27, 1997
> > >
> > > DIGITAL TORNADO:
> > > THE INTERNET AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY
> > >
> > > FCC Staff Working Paper on Internet Policy
> > >
> > >
> > >     The FCC's Office of Plans and Policy (OPP) today released a staff
> > > working paper analyzing the implications of the Internet for the
> > > FCC and telecommunications policy.  OPP Working Paper No. 29,
> > > "Digital Tornado: The Internet and Telecommunications Policy," was
> > > written by Kevin Werbach, Counsel for New Technology
> > > Policy.  OPP periodically issues working papers on emerging areas in
> > > communications; these papers represent individual views and are not an
> > > official statement by the FCC or any FCC commissioner.
> > >
> > >     "Digital Tornado" represents the first comprehensive assessment of
> > > the questions the Internet poses for traditional communications policy.
> > > A central theme running through the paper is that the FCC, and other
> > > government agencies, should seek to limit regulation of Internet
> > > services.  In framing his approach, Werbach states: "Because it is not
> > > tied to traditional models or regulatory environments, the Internet
> > > holds the potential to dramatically change the communications
> > > landscape.  The Internet creates new forms of competition, valuable
> > > services for end users, and benefits to the economy.  Government policy
> > > approaches toward the Internet should therefore start from two premises:
> > > avoid unnecessary regulation, and question the applicability of
> > > traditional rules."
> > >
> > >     After providing an analytical framework to understand the forces
> > > driving Internet growth, and describing the Internet's development and
> > > architecture, the paper addresses three primary areas:
> > >
> > >     CATEGORY DIFFICULTIES
> > >     Policy and legal questions arising from the fact that Internet-
> > >     based services do not fit easily into the existing classifications
> > >     for communications services under federal law or FCC
> > >     regulations.
> > >
> > >     PRICING AND USAGE
> > >     Policy questions arising from the economics of Internet
> > >     access, including assertions by local telephone companies that
> > >     current Internet pricing structures result in network
> > >     congestion, and arguments by Internet service providers that
> > >     telephone companies have not upgraded their networks to
> > >     facilitate efficient transport of data services.
> > >
> > >     AVAILABILITY OF BANDWIDTH
> > >     Regulatory and technical issues affecting the deployment of
> > >     technologies promising to enable high-speed Internet access to
> > >     the home and to businesses, including the implications for the
> > >     Internet of the FCC's role in promoting universal service.
> > >
> > >     The paper is available on the FCC World Wide Web site,
> > > <http://www.fcc.gov/>.  The file is available for online viewing in
> > > PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format at
> > > <http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/OPP/working_papers/oppwp29.pdf>, or for
> > > downloading in WordPerfect format at
> > > <http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/OPP/working_papers/oppwp29.wp>.
> > > Copies may also be purchased from International Transcription
> > > Services, Inc., 1919 M Street, NW, Room 246, Washington, DC
> > > 20554, (202) 857-3800.
> > >
> > >  -FCC-
> > >
> > >
> > > News media contact:   Meribeth McCarrick or David Fiske at 202/418-0500.
> > >
> > > Office of Plans and Policy contact:   Kevin Werbach at 202/418-1597.