[10511] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Flat-rate pricing and the telephone system
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Johna Johnson)
Fri Feb 25 21:33:22 1994
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 94 10:15 EST
From: Johna Johnson <0004143837@mcimail.com>
To: com-priv <com-priv@psi.com>
Paul Rarey says:
>There is if you don't like the way the phone system works today ...
POint taken!
But the reason the telephone "utilities" were regulated in the first
place was to be sure that everyone could get access.
You've got to admit that regulation worked in that respect.
I hear a lot of talk about how the Internet will one day be used to
provide education or vital information to geographically remote
places, or even to allow people in them to vote. Before that can happen,
there has to be some way to ensure that everyone gets some sort of access.
The system in place to day is not good enough for this; despite loud
and frequent comments to the contrary, Internet access in places
outside the big city can be both expensive and cumbersome.
Is flat-rate pricing the answer? Maybe not. But unless and until
one comes along, certain uses of the net will remain impossible.
