[8269] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: FCC regulation of Internet service providers
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Gordon Cook)
Fri Nov 12 14:57:48 1993
From: cook@path.net (Gordon Cook)
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1993 19:56:33 GMT
Apparently-To: <com-priv@psi.com>
In an interview with me in March of 1991 Bob Pepper of the FCC explained
the enhanced services provision (ESP) to me and said that since compuserve,
prodigy and the internet were all data services under the esp point of
view that from the viewpoint of the law if service to the internet
suddenly became very expensive and people complained that they could no
longer afford it, the FCC couldn't do anything because there would be
OTHER ESP data services such as compuserve and prodigy available that
would presumably remain affordable. I thought that putting the Internet
on the same level as compuserve and prodigy was a bit ludicrous. Pepper
said it would take legislation from congress to change the FCC's view on
these matters.
Marvin, are my recollections of this position as expressed above
congruent with your understanding as to why the FCC is in a hands off
position on these matters?
