Subject: Re: APT Section 706 Filing
Mary G Jones (mgjones@cqi.com)
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 09:11:20 -0400
Message-Id: <199806151214.IAA10608@raptor.cqi.com> From: "Mary G Jones" <mgjones@cqi.com> To: <roundtable@cni.org> Subject: Re: APT Section 706 Filing Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 09:11:20 -0400
On Fri, June 12, 1998, Chris Savage <csavage@crblaw.com> wrote:
>
> John Schwartz <schwartz@usa.net> wrote:
> >
> > I posted several follow-up questions to APT concerning its positions
> > as expressed in the Section 706 filing. I have yet to get a response,
> > either privately or via this list.
>
> Shouldn't APT be on this list?
Dear Chris Savage:
I am a co founder of APT and former president now an ex board member and
officer as my term expired. But I did want to reply to some of your
comments and those of some others who raised very important points.
As you may know, I am a long time exponenet of ensuring access to the
new advanced technologies (which I define as audio, text and two way
video capable) to evey household from their home. I am particularly
interested in bringing health care services to the home so that where
necessary you can see your Doc/nurse/physicial therapist etc on the box.
I have written a lot on this and could you send a repint if you are
interested in that angle.
This by way of background to my concerns which are: how to achieve
upgrading of the last mile network be it cable or telephone, the only
games in town that I can see right now. Satellite is too expensive and
wireless is not there yet.
Given this objective, I must say that I am not sanguine about
competition producing any significant upgrading. Although I am an
antitruster in my earlier days, my observation of deregulation to date
does not give me lmucyh comfort. Financial deregulation resulted in
small depositors being frozen out of hving a=bacnk accounts and paying
higher fees for every service; airline deregulation resulted i higher
fares and poorer service. Telephone deregulation seem well on its way
to doing the same ting. Instead of competition we get mergers and
higher prices and retreats by both cable and telephone from earlier
pronouncements of intent to wire up whoe states to the home with
advanced networks.
That leaves me with Sec 706 as the only leverage to try to prod, cajoce,
create incentives what have you to get these carriers to start deploying
their advanced networks to the home. without using concepts like the
social contract, conditions on merger approval and the like, I don't see
how we, the public, via FCC and state commissions, have a leg to stand
on to get them to install their advanced wires like ISDN, ADSL on the
public network. Dedicated wires just dont hack it withg the ordinary
household who cannot begin to fford that kind of technology. Even
neighborhood health centers will have difficulty being able to afford
using the discounts to isntall advanced wires.
That is why I support efforts to make 706 into a force for upgrading the
last mile network which even the administration does not talk about
verymuch. They are content to get it to the community but for health
care services that is not enough. It has to go the household. And
these last mile advanced networks will not just be used for health
services. They are essential if kids are to get the full vaue out of
these new technolgies and use video to express themselves rather than
print which is the lasss media they are comfortable with. They need to
be able to work on video homework assignments with their team mates and
fellow students (which was called cheating in my day and isnow
pedagogically recognized as superior way of learning). Perhpas the
realkiller application will be social interactions, families keeping in
touch by being able to see each other, show off the grandchildren etc.
Telecommkuintg while it doesn't yet use two way video is coming to that
very quickly and I dont want to see whole communities barred from jobs
because they cant telecommute via two way video.
So that is my rationale for using 706 now. Aggregating demand among
community organizations can perhpas help but we still the last mile
lnetwork and we have to find ways to move the carriers and cable
companies to deploying. Comparisons of wired communities where they are
putting their more advanced lines with other ocmmunites can be a great
public simulant etc.
Enjoyed the dialogue and am glad this issue is bing raised generally
within the public interest communiyt. Its vital for democracy.
Mary G. Jones
<mgjones@cqi.com>
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