Someone just sent me an email saying the House of Rep., is going to vote in two weeks whether to allow the phone company to allow a long distance charge each time we access the Internet. Is this true? Call your Representative and let him know how you feel about this. I heard something about it on TV, but wasn't paying attention!

-- gilda jessie (jess@listbot.com), January 13, 1999

Answers

The free market will control it. Don't worry about it.

A massive industry has been built around the internet. E-commerce is getting bigger all the time. The last thing the government or anyone wants is to seriously hamper it.

Also, many companies are now offering unlimited long distance calls for about $20.00 a month. So even if they could charge, competition in the industry would offer the same type of low rates.

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), January 13, 1999.

Check it out at the U.S. House of Representatives web-site, gilda ...

http://www.house.gov/

The Legislative Process

The Legislative Process page provides access to a wealth of information about bills and resolutions being considered in the Congress, as well as current information about what's happening on the House floor. A summary of the categories of information is listed under Legislative Process Information. ...

http:// www.house.gov/house/Legproc.html

The Legislative Process - Tying it All Together (i.e. what they do and how they do it)

http:// www.house.gov/house/Tying_it_all.html

Search under Bill text using the strategy: internet, phone -- and a long list will appear. Youll need to look for what is going on at:

http:// thomas.loc.gov/home/c105query.html

Search full-text of the Congressional Record for the 106th Congress:

http:// thomas.loc.gov/home/r106query.html

Happy hunting!

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), January 13, 1999.

If they do go ahead with it, which I doubt, I'll sign off quicker than you can hang up on a telephone soliciter!

-- ed (edrider007@aol.com), January 13, 1999.

I think there is a thread about this on this forum. Look back a week or two. I wrote to my representative already.

-- Linda A. (adahi@muhlon.com), January 13, 1999.

Thanks everyone for links and help.

-- gilda jessie (jess@listbot.com), January 13, 1999.

Phone companies should be allowed to do whatever they like, charge whatever they like. It's their company, after all.

Whether they'll be able to do it and survive, is different. The free market conquers everything, and if my phone company did that, I'd quit in about three and a half seconds.

--Leo

-- Leo (lchampion@ozemail.com.au), January 13, 1999.

The problem with this issue is that most national governments derive tax revenues from regular, long-distance telephone services. They don't when people use Internet-phones for their long distance calls. This is especially true for international calls, probably the biggest Internet-phone segment.

Currently we have a situation where voice-over-the-Internet service is treated just like data, with no taxes. The proposed solution is to totally reverse the situation. And since precious potential tax revenues are being "lost" as selfish (and probably Y2K rumor- mongering) Internet users "take advantage of the system" you can bet which side the politicians are going to come down with.

Especially if one or two of the national evening news shows do a "Fleecing of America" segment crying about how many tax dollars Uncle is being "cheated" out of. And heaven help us if they find some large corporation using Internet-phones to hold down its phone bills. And heaven help us if it's Microsoft.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), January 13, 1999.

If so, will create a huge market for wireless (radio) connection.

-- erk (erk@erk.com), January 13, 1999.