goldstein@delni.dec.com.UUCP (06/20/87)
This really belongs in comp.dcom.telecom (where I've addressed it)
and not in any host-specific group, but there's been some misinformed
discussion on this net so I'll send in a quick clarification.
The FCC is not proposing to tax information or data per se. They
are proposing that the dial-in and dial-out lines used by packet
common carriers (Tymnet, Telenet, CompUServe, MCIMail, etc.) should
be treated the same as the dail-in and dial-out lines used by long
distance voice carriers (US Sprint, MCI, AT&T Long Distance, etc.).
Physically, the two are worlds apart: The LD lines (which now pay
about $5/hour to the locals for "access", quite legitemately) are
used on a 1:1 match interstate-local. That is, for every voice
channel on the backbone, you have one dial-in voice channel. Packet,
on the other hand, gets LOTS of local accesses per interstate channel.
They also (now) use the same facilities for interstate and intrastate
connections. The LD carriers separate interstate and intrastate
either physically or administratively.
The FCC proposal simply treats packet common carriers like voice
common carriers. It's idiotic, wrongheaded, and will pretty much
cripple the packet industry. But it won't affect USENET or private
dial-ins. Only "common carriers" are affected, and of course their
users who will pay the fee. It may not affect time-sharing companies
when you dial in to their processors directly. Just interstate
access lines.
Oh yes, the fee is split between "incoming" and "outgoing". The
"incoming" (dial-in) part is under 2c a minute now. The rest is for
"outgoing", which all LD calls but few packet calls make use of (since
you're going X.25 into most hosts, not dial). Thus the full $5/hour
will apply to (and kill, obviously) PC Pursuit.
fred