goldstein%delni.DEC@decwrl.dec.com (Fred R. Goldstein dtn226-7388) (02/02/89)
Time to set flame on. >From: Marvin Sirbu <ms6b+@andrew.cmu.edu> >Subject: Don't blame Judge Greene >Peter Pavlvcik complains about ITI providing misleading information regarding >pay telephone charges and service and the Moderator suggests Peter write to >Judge Greene. Don't waste your time. The outrageous charges are the result of policy decisions taken by the FCC prior to divestiture (e.g. deregulating >resale). If you want to complain to anyone, it should be to the FCC or to the >local PUC. I note that ITI has been banned from operating in Ohio by the Ohio >PUC because of the type of misleading practices Peter describes. Marvin knows what he's talking about! Unfortunately, a young whippersnapper who has nicely volunteered to moderate this newsgroup has totally confused cause & effect with the following gratuitous bash at his Honor, Judge Harold Greene: >[Moderator's Note: But it was Harold who opened the door to this kind of >abuse. Certainly the FCC played a role in it; but everyone, including the >FCC, took the lead from His Onery, Judge Greene. PT] Let's get the facts straight. The FCC ordered AT&T to remove its tariff prohibition against sharing and resale in the late 1970s. This led to the immediate elimination of Full Business Day WATS and (with some struggle) Telpak. The Department of Justice sued AT&T for antitrust violations in the 1950s. A 1956 Consent Decree forced Western Electric out of commercial markets but left the "Bell System" monopoly intact. AT&T was not happy with this as they wanted to sell 3B computers, etc. The DOJ reopened the AT&T case in the late 1970s because AT&T was still displaying questionable behavior vis a vis antitrust law. The Reagan administration, ideologically motivated, allowed AT&T to put on its "Bre'r Rabbit" hat and dictate the terms of its being thrown into the briar patch. AT&T got rid of the marginally-profitable (then) BOCs and was freed to sell all the 3Bs they could. (Turns out the briar patch was pretty dead, but that's justice.) Judge Greene changed the agreement to make it better for consumers. He allowed the BOCs to keep yellow pages. He allowed the BOCs to sell equipment. He made sure that the BOCs and consumers had a fighting chance. The BOCs were allowed to perform billing on behalf of long distance carriers, as they had done all along for their previous-parent, AT&T. In fairness, any LD carrier could pay for billing service. The FCC and NOT the Judge permitted totally unregulated resale. The FCC authorized AOSs. The FCC authorized COCOTs. Since COCOTS could use AOSs, and anybody could pay the Bells to bill (this was meant for MCI et al), unregulated AOSs put obscene charges on your phone bills. Some states prohibit BOCs from putting bills for unauthorized vendors on their bills. Complain to your state DPU/PUC/whatever. The FCC should put a stop to it, but they won't so long as the current regime is in control and there's no pressure. The Judge is the only defense we have. STOP BASHING HIM! fred (I speak for me.)