Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: ktl@wag240.caltech.edu (Kian-Tat Lim) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: PacTelesis Power Grab Message-ID: <1863@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 6 Dec 89 06:47:15 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 75 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 9, Issue 555, message 2 of 5 Pacific Telesis ran a full-page ad in today's Los Angeles Times. Here's the text (there is no copyright on the ad): [Big headline] Can you imagine living in a country that limits the flow of information to its students? [Big headline] You do. [Bold italic] If Naason Sanchez lived in Great Britain, his telephone line could connect him to a computerized information service that would help him learn to solve math problems and answer geography questions in an instant. But Naason lives in Los Angeles, California -- in the United States of America -- and he isn't that lucky. Here in America, the Bell telephone companies aren't allowed to work closely with educators to create and offer information services like these that can help students learn. Or for that matter, provide many other services that could improve the lives of American citizens in ways people in other countries take for granted. Nor are the Bell companies allowed to design and produce equipment which could make these services easier to use. [Headline] Why is the U.S. behind? In 1984, an agreement between AT&T and the U.S. Justice Department split up the nationwide Bell system, forming Pacific Telesis and six other regional holding companies. At that time, very narrow limits were imposed on the services that their phone company subsidiaries, like Pacific Bell, could offer. Today, students in many other countries can use their phone systems to reach special computerized tutoring services, or they can access data bases that can help them do the research necessary to complete their homework assignments. Meanwhile, here in America, it's a different story. These services are available, but only in limited locations, and at high cost. If the Bell companies could develop and provide these services, along with many others that people in other countries take for granted, they would become more widely available, and growth of this market would encourage more information providers to enter it. [Headline] There _is_ something you can do. Legislation that would lift restrictions on Pacific Bell has already been introduced in the U.S. Congress. But it's not too late for you to learn more about this issue, and help us do something about it. The education of Naason Sanchez and millions of other American kids is too important to put on hold. [Boxed] STOP PUTTING AMERICA ON HOLD [Logo of telephone handset with a pair of hands] For further information, call Pacific Telesis Group. 1-800-776-1636. [My comments: 1. I sincerely doubt that Pacific Telesis expects to make much money off of education-only information services. I would expect them to quickly take a back seat to more lucrative commercial services. 2. How many countries have telco-owned information services? Britain, France, and who else? 3. Lifting restrictions may be a bit more general than the ad implies. I plan to call to get the further information. 4. [Not telecom related] Is answering geography questions instantly, by reference to a computer database, really a good way to improve our educational system? Kian-Tat Lim (ktl@wagvax.caltech.edu, KTL @ CITCHEM.BITNET, GEnie: K.LIM1)