[There will be no Headlines Mon & Tue 6/8-6/9. We'll be back Wed 6/10]
Universal Service
FCC May Suspend Internet Program (WP)
FCC Cancels Special Universal Service Meeting
But Still May Act (TelecomAM)
Mergers
Europe Official Cites Concern On Worldcom-MCI Merger
(NYT)
Privacy
White House Is Urged to Protect Privacy of Internet Users
(NYT)
** Universal Service **
Title: FCC May Suspend Internet Program
Source: Washington Post (D1)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/1998-06/05/051r-060598-idx.html
Author: Mike Mills
Issue: Universal Service
Description: The Federal Communications Commission may suspend the new
program to provide discounts on telecommunications services for schools and
libraries due to pressure from Congress. Long distance telephone service
companies are adding new fees to customers bills and this has angered
Members of Congress. The long distance carriers say they have to in order to
recoup money they are paying into the universal service fund. Most of these
monies go to lower phone bills for rural and low-income customers, not the
"e-rate" program. The FCC contends that the reduction in access charges
should offset the fees long distance carriers pay for universal service. The
agency "should immediately suspend further collection of funding for its
schools and libraries program," said a letter signed by some of the leading
lawmakers on telecommunications policy -- Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), Rep.
Thomas J. Bliley Jr. (R-VA), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Ernest F.
Hollings (D-SC). "We believe it is too late for the commission to rescue
itself merely by tinkering with a fundamentally flawed and legally suspect
program." [See also WSJ (B8) "Four Legislators Ask FCC To End Internet Program"]
Title: FCC Cancels Special Universal Service Meeting But Still May Act
Source: Telecom AM
http://www.telecommunications.com/am/
Issue: Universal Service
Description: The FCC has canceled its June 9 open meeting on universal
service -- most likely due to pressure from Members of Congress. Senate
Communications Subcommittee Chairman Conrad Burns (R-MT) will hold a hearing
June 10 on FCC reauthorization legislation. FCC commissioners may still act
to shift the collection of universal service fees from long distance
providers to local exchange carriers. In a joint letter, Rep. John D.
Dingell (D-MI), Rep. Thomas J. Bliley Jr. (R-VA), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)
and Sen. Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC) wrote that the Commission has "ignored
Congress's clear priorities with regard to universal service" of maintaining
local rates at affordable levels while giving discounted rates to schools
and libraries.
** Mergers **
Title: Europe Official Cites Concern On Worldcom-MCI Merger
Source: New York Times (C2)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/05mci.html
Author: Seth Schiesel
Issue: Mergers
Description: Karel van Miert, the European Union's competition commissioner,
says MCI's sale of part od its Internet service may not be enough to win
approval of the proposed merger with WorldCom. "I'm not sure that what has
been offered will be good enough," Van Miert said at a news conference in
Washington. "I even have some doubts." "Van Miert's comments today clearly
indicate that MCI's recent attempt to create the appearance of a divestiture
through partial sale of some minor Internet assets are not going to fool the
EC," said Bob Bishop, a GTE spokesman. GTE is trying to block the deal.
** Privacy **
Title: White House Is Urged to Protect Privacy of Internet Users
Source: New York Times (C2)
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/yr/mo/biztech/articles/05privacy.html
Author: Jeri Clausing
Issue: Privacy
Description: "It's clear that the Clinton administration policy has been an
abysmal failure," said Jeff Chester of the Center for Media Education.
Children's groups and civil liberties advocates are urging the
Administration to abandon its hands-off policy on online privacy regulation.
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Robert Pitofsky said, ""I still believe
that the best way to deal with this is self-regulation rather than
heavy-handed government." Clausing reports, "The FTC, which surveyed 1,400
Web sites in March, found that a year after the agency had warned businesses
of the need to adopt strong privacy guidelines to avoid government
regulation, 92 percent of all Web sites collected personal information from
users and only 14 percent of those sites disclosed how that information was
used." The Commerce Dept will hold an open meeting on privacy, see
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/press/priv604.htm]
*********
Traveling at three papers an hour...we are outta here. We'll see you
**Wednesday**!!