Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!ucsd!pacbell.com!pacbell!well!tenney
From: a577@mindlink.UUCP (Curt Sampson)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.news
Subject: Re: Some Questions
Message-ID: <20821@well.sf.ca.us>
Date: 20 Sep 90 17:16:13 GMT
Sender: tenney@well.sf.ca.us
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Lines: 14
Approved: comp-org-eff-news@well.sf.ca.us

> smo@pogo.ai.mit.edu writes:
> 
> Also, if I were to set up a BBS, is there any way I could gain common carrier
> access?  How did phone companies get their common carrier access?

I don't know what the situation is in the US, but you certainly don't want to
do this in Canada.  Unlicenced common carrier service has some quite severe
penalties, I belive, and many restrictions as well.  For example, a common
carrier is not allowed to examine the messages transfered.   There was a case
up here some time back where a telephone repairman working on some lines
overheard a conversation between two people planning a murder.  He reported it
to the police but the case was dismissed from court and he ended up loosing his
job.  You could conceiveably be tossed in jail for reading private messages on
your board if it were a common carrier.

        -cjs    ( Curt_Sampson@mindlink.UUCP )