[comp.dcom.telecom] The So-Called Long-Distance Add-on

lmg@cbnewsh.att.com (05/24/90)

In article <7895@accuvax.nwu.edu> covert@covert.enet.dec.com (John R.
Covert 17-May-1990 1012) writes:

>There is _no_ long-distance add-on.  The only relationship that the
>access charge has to long distance is that it replaces the subsidy
>that AT&T used to pay local phone companies out of the old, higher,
>long distance rates.

Now that the Baby Bells have grown up, does anyone see a chance of the
access charge being repealed? 


Larry Geary: 74017.3065@compuserve.com 
	     lmg@mtqub.att.com         

macy@cwjcc.ins.cwru.edu (05/26/90)

>Now that the Baby Bells have grown up, does anyone see a chance of the
>access charge being repealed? 

You are really asking: will the LEC's willingly give up this source of
revenue?  One that they do not have to justify before the state PUC's.
one that they only have to calculate in the most cursory of manners to
the FCC?  One that the FCC has stipulated as fundemental to current
rate structures?  One that benefits the LEC's without creating any
controversy or negative publicity?

To put it mildly:  I think not.

IMHO, only a complete revamp of national telecommunications policy
accompanied by a redesign of mandated LEC accounting procedures would
ever allow this to happen.  Telecom policy is not a priority of anyone
in government, at least anyone I know of who might be able to make it
happen.  Mark me down as skeptical....


Macy M. Hallock, Jr.     macy@ncoast.org         uunet!aablue!fmsystm!macy
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