[10912] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: The FCC strikes the Internet (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Glenn S. Tenney)
Mon Mar 14 08:06:06 1994
Date: Sun, 13 Mar 1994 23:50:53 -0800
To: com-priv@psi.com
From: tenney@netcom.com (Glenn S. Tenney)
At 9:02 PM 3/13/94 -0500, Miles R Fidelman wrote:
>Based on the last thread of messages, I think I'd better clarify something:
>
>Neither I, nor The Center for Civic Networking, have ever espoused a
>position in favor of mandated, flat-rate email service. I/we agree with
>those who point out that cheap email is already a reality.
>
>Rather, we have espoused a goal of universal, cheap, flat-rate IP service.
Then, Miles, could you please clarify the following statement from The
Center for Civic Networking re: the flat-rate email proposal from Jamie
Love (I included a few extra lines for context, but the last two sentences
are the key):
At 12:24 PM 2/25/94 -0500, Richard Civille wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Feb 1994, Johna Johnson wrote:
>> In other words, we're talking a regulated basic rate service offered by
>> some carriers, with additional services offered by any interested
>> carriers?
>This is close to our view. We believe not only that Internet email will
>become the model for a future basic service, we also believe that a
>flat-rate tariffed "pipeline" to government and public information
>disseminated over the Internet -- the precursor to the NII -- is very
>important to consider in the present legislative debates in Washington.
>What is important is that the flat-rate, capacity-based pricing principle
>of the Internet is preserved, when the net is accessed through a telco
>common carrier or a cable-based service. This is why we support the
>notion of a flat-rate basic Internet tariff. Whether such a tariff should
>be constrained only to email is another issue and I could imagine cases
>where it should be expanded.
The last sentence sure sounds as if The Center for Civic Networking *WAS*
supporting the flat-rate email initiative. Perhaps the problem is that
some people view access to the Internet to *BE* email rather than IP
service.
---
Glenn Tenney
tenney@netcom.com Amateur radio: AA6ER
(415) 574-3420 Fax: (415) 574-0546
