• Messages sorted by:[ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]

Sis Sarah wrote:
>
>isp@fcc.gov  This is the email address that you have to write to if you
>want
>to comment on additional fees.. this comment below was sent in by owr
>own
>Laurie Gibson from Florida... It would be great if all of you could
>write in
>too.
>
> 
>Hello,
>Below is a message I received from a friend. I hope this is NOT true
>because
>I would have to completely cancel my online service. Please don't
>charge per
>minute fees to ISPs!   It's really sad that large companies have to
>take
>advantage of us by squeezing every penny out of us in every place they
>possibly can.  I'm asking you to let this one go.  Please!!
>
><<   The FCC is looking at letting the phone companies charge per
>minute fees
> to ISPs for use of the phone lines.  If this happens, the charges will
>be
> passed to us users which will mean an increase of $20-$150 per month
>on top
> of your current charge.  Out of character for the FCC, they have
>created an
> email address for comments. >>  isp@fcc.g

This looks dangerously close to the *urban legend* that's circulated
for years about a modem tax of sorts.  It looks to be refurbished a
little.  Or maybe we should call it an *urban rumor*... heh, heh, heh...

At http://www.urbanlegends.com/classic/modem_tax.html you'll see
the following:

The Modem Tax surfaced on a local bboard here in Pittsburgh. An
enterprising fellow in our department (David Eckhardt) followed up with
a definitive rebuttal from the FCC. Clip-and-save! 

(Incidentally, the person who posted the MT business and subsequently
received massive flames followed up with the observation: 

I've received mail since then accusing me of posting an urban legend.
Well, I checked out the story with a folklorist, and it turns out that
it *doesn't* qualify as a real urban legend, but merely an incorrect
rumor. 

So there!) 

--Sean ``alt.incorrect.rumor'' Smith 

                  FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                  Common Carrier Bureau
                  Enforcement Division
                  Informal Complaints and Public Inquiries Branch
                  Suite 6202
                  Washington, D.C. 20554
                  Phone: (202) 632-7553

                                                       In Reply Refer
To:
 January 1990                                                      
63203
                                                              
ICB-FS-036

RUMORS REGARDING A COMPUTER MODEM SURCHARGE 

The FCC has received letters from a number of computer modem users
expressing 
concern about an alleged "proposal" before the Federal Communications
Commission 
(FCC) that would result in a surcharge for the use of computer modems on
the 
telephone network. 

There is _no_ proposal pending before the FCC that would result in the
application of a surcharge for the use of computer modems on the
telephone network. 

The FCC has been informed that various computer bulletin board systems
are 
encouraging computer modem users to write to the FCC and to their
congressional 
representatives to oppose this alleged proposal. The FCC's Common
Carrier Bureau 
(Bureau) staff has contacted several bulletin board systems and
requested those 
systems to advise their users that there is no proposal before the FCC
at this 
time regarding a computer modem surcharge. Bureau staff is continuing to

investigate possible sources of the surcharge rumors and to distribute
correct 
information to computer modem users. 

>
>