Universal Service
Gore and Administration Officials Rally Around
E-Rate Program (TelecomAM)
Schools Internet subsidy putting FCC in a crossfire
(ChiTrib)
Should We Wire Schools? (WP)
FCC to Hold Open Commission Meeting Thursday,
June 11, 1998 (FCC)
Libraries
Bits-per-Gallon: Bookmobiles Now Offer Internet Access
(CyberTimes)
Mergers
California Lawmakers Want Close Review of SBC-Ameritech Merger
(TelecomAM)
Antitrust Review May Scuttle MCI Deal (WSJ)
Old vs New Media
NBC Stakes Out An Entry Point Onto the Web (WSJ)
NBC Buying A Portal To the Internet (NYT)
Encryption
U.S. and Industry Discuss Data Encryption (NYT)
** Universal Service **
Title: Gore and Administration Officials Rally Around E-Rate Program
Source: Telecom AM
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Universal Service
Description: After hearing Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) say he would end the
program within two weeks, Vice President Gore and other Clinton
Administration officials are being to pressure the Federal Communications
Commission to protect the "e-rate" program. The Vice President said in a
statement that ending the e-rate would "close the door to our children's
future. This is something America cannot afford to do." In a letter to the
FCC, Education
Secretary Richard Riley, Commerce Secretary William Daley, Agriculture
Secretary
Daniel Glickman and Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala wrote
that the e-rate's
benefits are "profound. For the very first time, a child in the most
isolated inner city or rural town can have access to the same universe of
knowledge as a child in the most affluent suburb... To claim that America
cannot afford to make this investment is absurd." They added that its costs
have been "more than offset" by other reductions. Letters being circulated
by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL), Sen. Pat Murray (D-WA), and Sen. Ted Kennedy
(D-MA) are urging the President to come out in support of the e-rate and for
the FCC to protect the program. The Senate Communications Subcommittee will
hold a hearing on the e-rate June 10 at 9:30am.
Title: Schools Internet subsidy putting FCC in a crossfire
Source: Chicago Tribune (Sec 1 p. 14)
http://chicago.tribune.com/news/nationworld/article/0,1051,SAV-9806100234,0
0.html
Author: Matt Berger
Issue: Universal Service
Description: The FCC is being pulled in opposite directions as Members of
Congress on one hand and the Clinton Administration on the other battle over
the future of the e-rate program. Members of Congress are saying the program
should be scrapped; the Administration is trying to protect the new program
that has not dispersed any funds yet. Lynne Bradley of the American Library
Association said the telecommunication industry is pitting consumers against
their own children: "Kids shouldn't be held hostage and this program
shouldn't be held hostage. This is a price consumers are willing to pay."
FCC officials have to the end of the week to decide the fate of the program.
Title: Should We Wire Schools?
Source: Washington Post (A24)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1998-06/10/031l-061098-idx.html
Author: WP Editorial Staff
Issue: Universal Service
Description: The "e-rate" program to provide telecommunications discounts to
schools and libraries is coming under a great deal of pressure. Telephone
companies are adding information on customers' bills showing how much
consumers contribute to universal service fund. Although the fees consumers
pay goes mostly to keeping rural rates low (an old and popular program),
because it is new, the schools and libraries program is the one taking the
heat. "...spelling out a long-hidden subsidy also exposes it to political
debate. Such debate need not doom the e-rate, which pulls considerable
support in opinion polls, any more than it is likely to doom the popular
rural subsidies. Nor should it. Squelching it would be the real "stealth" move."
Title: FCC to Hold Open Commission Meeting Thursday, June 11, 1998
Source: FCC
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Miscellaneous/Public_Notices/Agenda/1998/ag98061
1.html
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Miscellaneous/Public_Notices/Agenda/1998/agb8061
1.html
Issue: Universal Service
Description: The Federal Communications Commission will hold an Open Meeting
on Thursday, June 11, 1998, which is scheduled to commence at 9:30 a.m. in
Room 856, at 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. Added to the agenda, the
Commission will consider action concerning proposals to ensure the accuracy
and completeness of billing disclosures made by telecommunications carriers.
The Commission will consider action concerning the collection levels for the
schools and libraries and rural health care universal service support
mechanisms for the third and fourth quarters of 1998. Finally, the
Commission will consider
action concerning issues related to local exchange carrier recovery of
universal service contribution obligations. The audio portion of the meeting
will be available at http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/.
** Libraries **
Title: Bits-per-Gallon: Bookmobiles Now Offer Internet Access
Source: New York Times (CyberTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/06/cyber/articles/10bookmobile.html
Author: Pamela Mendels
Issue: Libraries
Description: A small but growing number of bookmobiles, those
libraries-on-wheels, are starting to offer Internet access. "Essentially the
same sort of services provided in the library, bookmobiles are trying to
provide on the road," said Bernard F. Vavrek, a professor of library science
at Clarion University in Clarion, Pa., and director of the Center for the
Study of Rural Librarianship
http://vaxa.clarion.edu/~grads/csrl/csrlhom.htm. Approximately 900 library
systems around the country use bookmobiles to reach patrons; probably less
than 100 of them offer mobile Internet access. Providing the service
connects remote patrons with the catalog of the library and exposes them to
the global computer network.
** Mergers **
Title: California Lawmakers Want Close Review of SBC-Ameritech Merger
Source: Telecom AM
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Mergers
Description: In a letter from California state legislators to the Department
of Justice and the FCC, the lawmakers asked for a close review of the
proposed SBC-Ameritech merger because of "major increase in customer
complaints" since the SBC-PacTel merger and the state's Office of Ratepayer
Advocate "has reported aggressive efforts to charge consumers more for
services." "These reports raise concerns about the effects further mergers
may have on competition and on customer service."
Title: Antitrust Review May Scuttle MCI Deal
Source: Wall Street Journal, B10
http://wsj.com
Author: John J. Keller & Julie Wolf
Issue: Mergers
Description: The hard-line antitrust review of WorldCom Inc's $37 billion
purchase of MCI Communications Corp could scuttle the deal if WorldCom must
sell its Internet business, UUNet Technologies, to close the deal. A
European Union antitrust commission is concerned that the merged company
would have too strong a position in operating the Internet backbone (run by
UUNet). Apparently MCI's promise to sell its own Internet backbone service
may not be enough to assuage concerns. But WorldCom has no interest in
selling UUNet. "The deal's off in that case," according to an executive
close to both companies.
** Old vs New Media **
Title: NBC Stakes Out An Entry Point Onto the Web
Source: Wall Street Journal, B1, B8
http://wsj.com
Author: Kyle Pope & Kara Swisher
Issue: Old vs New Media
Description: Seeking a toe-hold in the battle to dominate the Web, NBC (a
unit of General Electric) is buying a stake in the online news company
CNET, Inc, intending to take control of its Snap! directory service in a
bid to compete with such sites as Yahoo! This marks the first time a
broadcast network has made a bet in the feverish race to create an
entry-point to the Web. NBC execs see this investment as the beginning of
what could be a massive Internet commitment for the network. "Over time,
the Internet and the computer and the television are going to come
together," said NBC executive VP Tom Rogers. NBC and CNet executives insist
that this deal is completely separate from NBC's relationship with the
NBC/Microsoft MSNBC cable news channel.
Title: NBC Buying A Portal To the Internet
Source: New York Times (C1)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/06/biztech/articles/10cnet.html
Author: Saul Hansell
Issue: Old vs New Media
Description: NBC announced it will buy a 5% controlling stake in Snap, a
Internet search and directory service. Portals like Snap are emerging as
profitable online services as they charge large fees to WWW sites that want
to be listed in the directories. The deal could be worth as much as $39
million and represents a broadcast network's first foray into this new commerce.
** Encryption **
Title: U.S. and Industry Discuss Data Encryption
Source: New York Times (C5)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/10encrypt.html
Author: Jeri Clausing
Issue: Encryption
Description: Leading computer executives -- including Bill Gates -- met with
Attorney General Janet Reno and the director of the FBI to discuss
disagreements about export restrictions on encryption technology. "The
presence of industry leaders encourages us now to redouble our efforts with
industry," said a White House official who spoke on the condition of
anonymity. "Without a solution, we risk losing our lead in this important
technology." Any agreement "must include further real relaxation in export
controls," the official said, adding: "We are still discussing exactly what
those relaxations should be. That's the $64,000 question."
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