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From: mayerk@linc.cis.upenn.edu (Kenneth Mayer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.ibm.pc,talk.rumors
Subject: Re: ATTENTION ALL MICRO USERS!!! FCC INFORMATION TAX AHEAD!!
Message-ID: <1361@super.upenn.edu.upenn.edu>
Date: Wed, 17-Jun-87 17:03:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: super.1361
Posted: Wed Jun 17 17:03:07 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Jun-87 10:27:57 EDT
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Reply-To: mayerk@linc.cis.upenn.edu.UUCP (Kenneth Mayer)
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Summary: Rumor control
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When last we saw our hero, keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle) ...
>In article <2288@husc6.UUCP> hadeishi@husc4.UUCP (mitsuharu hadeishi) writes:
>>	A terrible piece of news I just read about in the New York Times
>>this morning.  The FCC just voted 4-0 to impose a $4.50 - $5.50 an HOUR
>>tax on people who are using the phone system to transmit information
>>across state lines.

After seeing all of the various versions of this, I decided to contact
the FCC myself and get the facts straight:

In 1983, the FCC adopted an access charge plan where every secondary
user of local telephone services would be charged a tariff based on
the costs of the local exchange. Two groups were exempted from this
tariff -- resellers (those who buy telephone service in bulk and
resell it at reduced prices) and enhanced service providers (data
retrieval, manipulation, and transmission). This year, the resellers
were removed from exemption. 

In a couple of weeks, the FCC will announce a *notice*of*inquiry*. Not
a tariff, but a request for comments on a proposed rule change. The
proposal is to add enhanced service providers back into the access
charge plan. Although the local rates will vary, the national average
should be about $0.09/minute.

If you would like a copy of the notice of inquiry and instructions on
how to submit comments, contact International Transcription Services,
(202)857-3800. There will probably be a summary in the Federal
Register. If you would like to make a comment, you may also mail a
letter directly to the FCC, but I am unsure whether they will be
received or acknowledged. Send your letters to

	The Hon. Dennis Patrick, Chairman, FCC
	1919 M Street NW
	Washington, D.C. 20554

In your letter, state that this is in reference to docket number 87-215.
Also, send a copy to your elected representatives.

If you have further queries, you may contact the FCC at (202)632-4047.
Tell them that you have a query about docket number 87-215. 
Kenneth Mayer				mayerk@eniac.seas.upenn.edu
Teacher: "Two plus two equals..."	Student: "Four, but what's a two?"