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From: riddle@hoss.unl.edu (Michael H. Riddle)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: GTE and Court Agrees: BBS' a Business
Message-ID: <15658@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 23 Dec 90 18:35:53 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 903, Message 3 of 10


The following cross-posted information is extracted from alt.cosuard.
Can anyone in Indiana or a closely neighboring state provide any
details on this?

>From: BILL BLOMGREN - Sysop: St. Pete Programmers Exchange RIME: PETEX
 
Well ... thought I would pass this tidbit of bad news along ...  GTE
Indiana prevailed against the BBS systems there ... ALL BBS's in GTE's
area there are now at BUSINESS RATES. Which means $50 per month base
rates, plus MUCH higher long distance charges.
 
Indiana Bell ... has filed the same tariff with the PUC (Public
Utilities Commission) there, making it state wide.
 
Needless to say, GTE has a history of going after the little guy, so
you can expect it here in the REAL near future!  I expect it nation-
wide in the near future.  In Indiana, they decided that THE PHONE
COMPANY can decide that your residence is a business, and charge high
rates to all service incoming.
 
Unfortunately, the courts agreed with them.
 
Ain't Monopolies Nice???
       
                              -----

  Not a nice situation huh?  We didn't need a precedent to be set like
this ... now this paves the way for other companies to follow suit.
It'll be interesting to watch the nodelist to see if the nets in
Indiana (201 in Lafayette, 227 in South Bend, 230 in the Gary Area,
231 in Indy, 236 in Ft. Wayne/NE IN and 2230 in Terre Haute and 11/15
in Evansville) start shrinking.
 

Paul

UUCP: crash!pro-lep!shiva
ARPA: crash!pro-lep!shiva@nosc.mil
INET: shiva@pro-lep.cts.com

                  --- End of Cross Posting ---

            <<<< insert standard disclaimer here >>>>
riddle@hoss.unl.edu                  |   University of Nebraska 
postmaster%inns@iugate.unomaha.edu   |   College of Law
mike.riddle@f27.n285.z1.fidonet.org  |   Lincoln, Nebraska, USA