Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!jarthur!uunet!pilchuck!ssc!tad
From: tad@ssc.UUCP (Tad Cook)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: modem tax
Summary: BOGUS!
	 computer urban legend
Message-ID: <902@ssc.UUCP>
Date: 5 Apr 91 19:14:25 GMT
References: <102@hdwr1.medar.com>
Distribution: usa
Organization: very little
Lines: 90

In article <102@hdwr1.medar.com>, jseymour@medar.com (James Seymour) writes:
> An associate of mine spotted this in news.sysadmin.  I find it hard to
> believe, but with some of the nonsense coming out of FCC these days, it's
> probably true.

No, it is not true.  This is only an example of "nonsense coming out of
(Fidonet) these days", not the FCC.

Where this rumor probably started was some years ago the FCC had
exempted data carriers from the line access charges that long distance
carriers pay to local telcos.  It was a temporary exemption, and when
it expired, they were ready to charged Tyment and others just like
long distance carriers.  But Compuserve, Tyment and other data carriers
got all of us modem users riled up, and now every local telephone
user in the USA subsidizes data carriers, because the data carriers
don't pay their fair share for access to the local telephone network.
There was such a huge reaction to these companies being charged access
fees like everyone else that the FCC dropped the idea, and is in
no mood to bring it up again.

At any rate, there was never any move to put a fee on modems.

 Jim Eason 
> | of KGO newstalk radio (San Francisco, Ca) commented on the proposal during his 
> | afternoon radio program during which, he said he learned of the new regulation 
> | in an article in the New York Times. Jim took the time to gather the addresses 
> | which are given below.


When this rumor was going around a couple of years ago, I found out that
Jim Eason had talked about this on his show several years before THAT.

> | What you should do:  First, take the time to download this message and the 
> | letter which follows.  Next find three or more other BBS systems which are not 
> | carrying this message and upload this text. 

And this is how this mis-information keeps circulating for years...through
a sort of chain letter effect.  Every time it gets brought up and discredited
again, eventually someone on a Fidonet BBS runs across an and downloads
an old file....usually titled something like MODEMTAX.ZIP.  And just
like the rumor that the FCC is about to ban religous broadcasting,
it keeps going round and round and round and....

 Finally, print three copies of the 
> | letter which follows (or write your own) and send a signed copy to the three 
> | addresses.  It is important that you act now.  The bureaucrats already have
> | it in there mind that modem users should subsidize the phone company and are
> | now listening to public comment. Please stand up and make it clear that we
> | will not stand for any government restriction on the free exchange of
> | information.
> | 
> | 
> | The three addresses to write to: (a letter to send follows)
> | Chairman of the FCC
> | 1919 M Street N.W.
> | Washington, D.C. 20554


Don't bother sending any comment on proposed rulemaking to the FCC
without an NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) number.  Otherwise
the clerks don't have a clue as to what rulemaking process to file
your comments with.

This is like the old story going around among fundmentalists for
the past 15 years that the FCC is about to ban religous broadcasting.
The FCC gets more mail on this issue than all other (real) issues
combined.  But it all gets trashed because it comes in without
an NPRM number.  There is no NPRM number because there is no
move to ban religous broadcasting.

> | 
> | Chairman, House Telecommunication Subcommittee
> | B-331 Rayburn Building
> | Washington, D.C. 20515


I contacted an aide on this committee a couple of years ago.  They
get LOTS of letters on this, all just like the sample in the
Fidonet file.



Tad Cook
Seattle, WA
Packet: KT7H @ N7ENT.#WWA.WA.USA.NA
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