Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!stargate!stargate From: stargate@stargate.UUCP Newsgroups: news.stargate Subject: Re: Stargate Message-ID: <110@stargate.UUCP> Date: Sun, 7-Jun-87 16:13:41 EDT Article-I.D.: stargate.110 Posted: Sun Jun 7 16:13:41 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 7-Jun-87 23:47:51 EDT Lines: 56 The one constant in the world of telecommunications is change. In the worlds of data communications, satellite TV, packet data networks, and the myriad other "high-tech" communications-oriented fields, all sorts of changes and evolutions occur over time. At the current time, there are a variety of proposed laws, regulations, and ideas that could either positively or negatively affect satellite "superstations," packet data networks, telephone rates, and a variety of other services. Whether the overall end effects on particular sorts of services will be postive or negative is impossible to predict. In the particular case of WTBS, it is true that, as a "superstation," it could be affected by various Congressional legislation or FCC proposals--some of which, if enacted, might enhance the position of all superstations, and others, if enacted, might damage the position of such stations. As mentioned above, there are a range of proposals that could affect other communications systems (such as packet data networks) in similar positive or negative fashions. And of course, all commercial communications facilities are subject to impact from the larger world of business decisions which influence everything from our home telephone bills to commercial television advertising rates. Thusly, the possibility of changes in the status of WTBS, as with all other superstations and all other communications networks, does exist. However, we make the most effort possible to stay abreast of the events in this area, and we are in direct contact with the powers-that-be relating to WTBS's satellite service. It appears unlikely at this time that any dramatic shift in WTBS's operations will occur in the near term at least, but there are no absolutes, either with WTBS or with other communications systems. If by chance any anti-superstation events do occur down the line, it is likely that a substantial "grandfather" clause would prevent any sudden surprises, and the carrier involved has a number of alternatives available to it in such situations, which, while not necessarily as attractive as WTBS in terms of number of cable subscribers served, still provides considerable room for maneuvering. It should be rememberd that superstations are used for different sorts of data and subsidiary audio services by a substantial number of large organizations, so any changes would affect large numbers of people and would probably need to be phased in slowly to avoid disrupting all sorts of important services. But all speculation about if, how, or why superstations would change is really just that--speculation. Nobody really knows what the future of satellite TV, superstations, or cable TV is from any of the legislative, nor FCC, nor business standpoints. Things can change rapidly--but such is life at the leading edge. We are doing our upmost to stay abreast of developments in the area, and we are talking directly to the entities involved (i.e. we do not rely on the rumor columns in "TV Guide"...) If any changes that are relevant to Stargate become known to us, we will certainly act to keep our subscribers and the Usenet community at large informed. To not accept the possibility of change is to stagnate or never get anything done. The possibility of changes affecting satellite systems, packet data network users, and a variety of other technologies (for good or ill) certainly exists. All one can do is try to keep informed and to address the various issues and changes as they may occur.