roundtable: Re: universal service and non profit amendments....

roundtable: Re: universal service and non profit amendments....

Re: universal service and non profit amendments....

Eric Rabe (rabe@ba.com)
Mon, 28 Mar 1994 15:05:45 -0500 (EST) 

Date: Mon, 28 Mar 1994 15:05:45 -0500 (EST)
From: Eric Rabe <rabe@ba.com>
Subject: Re: universal service and non profit amendments....
To: roundtable@cni.org
In-Reply-To: <Pine.3.85.9403262134.F1318-0100000@idi.net>
Message-Id: <Pine.3.85.9403281545.C26576-0100000@ba.com>


On Sun, 27 Mar 1994, Mary Gardiner Jones wrote:
> 
> I think you are right on with your comments.  But I think we have to 
> think about universal service to a highway which provides video in 
> and video out. After all most citizens do not have computers and will 
> not communiate as we are doing via typed messages. Consuemrs want 
> services- two way visual communciations to communicate with family 
> and friends, to "see" their health care professional on the box and 
> have an "office" visit or to telecommute using video conferencing with 
> their supervisors, fellow workers etc. So the Internet model so far as 
> contrent is conerned is not a good model. Afterall the INtenet is only 
> as good as my local last mile connection. Until that connection is 
> broadband I can't enjoy any of thes truly interactive two way services.


Couldn't agree with you more.  The questions is will those who can't 
afford a couple of thousand dollars worth of PC benefit from the 
information age?  The answer is only yes when easy and cheap access is 
available.  Using the TV (now in 98%+  of American homes) makes a lot of 
sense.  And the TV can be used when system intelligence is in the network 
and in a fairly inexpensive set top box.

Eric Rabe                Voice: (703) 974-3036  Fax: (703) 974-0591
Bell Atlantic				|   Internet:	rabe@ba.com
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