IP: Re: from TELECOM Digest Beginning Report from INET '96

[Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

To: Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>
From: rick () cra org (Rick Weingarten)


There are some misconceptions in the report from INET on the speech by
Blair Levin. Of course, not being there, I don't know what he said, but I
do know the following from being very actively involved in the American
Library Association filing on universal service.


1. The FCC is very much concerned with education and library access to
advanced communication services. However, nothing the FCC does will likely
provide the schools with computers, internal lans, educational software,
teacher training, or curriculum--all of which seem to be part of the whole
package and none of which is in the FCC purview.


2. There are many ways for the public to comment--I could find none
requiring 35 copies! The minimum fopr a formal comment is 1 original plus
four copies. Plus nine copies if you want your response circulated to the
commissioners. You can also comment informally by e-mail, though fewer
staff will see it. All this is described on the fcc home page
(www.fcc.gov).


3. NTIA has been very much involved in this proceeding and I believe either
is preparing a set of comments or has sent some in. As far as the record of
their hearings getting on file, part of the submission process is to send
in any reports or supplementary material the commenter feels are pertinent.
I know we at ALA included some of that material and I am sure others did,
too. The FCC staff has also been aggresively seeking document--reports,
articles, studies and the like to inform their work. (This proceeding is
very unlike those they typically handle.) If there is something along these
lines anyone thinks they ought to see, send it in.


4. Another point. We hear that another, follow-up NPRM (notice of proposed
rule-making) on universal service will be out on the street today asking
for more detailed comments on the various proposals put forth in the
comments. If so, there will be another opportunity to comment on universal
service. Based on my conversations with the FCC staff, their stated desire
for broader community comment is not just rhetorical, but real. Send your
views in. They will be read and taken into consideration.


Rick Weingarten