Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!noao-gemini!noao!arizona!naucse!wew From: wew@naucse.UUCP (Bill Wilson) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Alert! Alert! Alert! Keywords: pc Message-ID: <1838@naucse.UUCP> Date: 9 Jan 90 20:59:11 GMT Organization: Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ Lines: 96 Please read the following announcement that was sent to me. It has grave implications for all users of remote systems and modems! Please read the following message forwarded from the Mac-Tonight BBS 313-9 95-8923 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I strongly urge you to respond to this as it wi ll affect anybody who uses a modem. Thanks. Chris Khoury <3XMQGAA@CMUVM.BITNET> Location>FCC Regulation level> 3 Posted at 12:44:27 AM 1/8/89 From: ricki ricardo #4 To: All Subject>This is important! Times read: 9 >From MEET:Nybblers Printed on Dec29/89 Item 323 11:40 Dec29/89 72 lines No responses Todd A. Bakal FCC moves to regulate modem usage Grabbed from Info-Apple. Pass it around if you're concerned... MOBILIZE! Two years ago the FCC tried and (with your help and letters of protest) failed to institute regulations that would impose additional costs on modem users for data communications. Now, they are at it again. A new regulation that the FCC is quietly working on will directly affect you as the user of a computer and modem. The FCC proposes that users of modems should pay extra charges for use of the public telephone network which carry their data. In addition, computer network services such as CompuServ, Tymnet, & Telenet would also be charged as much as $6.00 per hour per user for use of the public telephone network. These charges would very likely be passed on to the subscribers. The money is to be collected and given to the telephone company in an effort to raise funds lost to deregulation. 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. Here's what you should do (NOW!): 1- Pass this information on. Find other BBS's that are not carrying this information. Upload the ASCII text into a public message on the BBS, and also upload the file itself so others can easily get a copy to pass along. 2- Print out three copies of the letter which follows (or write your own) and send a signed copy to each of the following: Chairman of the FCC 1919 M Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 Chairman, Senate Communication Subcommittee SH-227 Hart Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Chairman, House Telecommunication Subcommittee B-331 Rayburn Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Here's the suggested text of the letter to send: Dear Sir, Please allow me to express my displeasure with the FCC proposal which would authorize a surcharge for the use of modems on the telephone network. This regulation is nothing less than an attempt to restrict the free exchange of information among the growing number of computer users. Calls placed using modems require no special telephone company equipment, and users of modems pay the phone company for use of the network in the form of a monthly bill. In short, a modem call is the same as a voice call and therefore should not be subject to any additional regulation. Sincerely, [your name, address and signature] It is important that you act now. The bureaucrats already have it in their heads 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 of the free exchage of information. -- Let sleeping dragons lie........ | The Bit Chaser ---------------------------------------------------------------- Bill Wilson (Bitnet: ucc2wew@nauvm | wilson@nauvax) Northern AZ Univ Flagstaff, AZ 86011