I received this from another list & it helped me understand the situation
better.  You might want to check this out too.
Linda cg Ben 69/5
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-----Original Message-----
From: Ron English <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, March 18, 1999 6:55 AM
Subject: Internet phone charges.


>YOU SHOULD SLEEP BETTER AFTER READING THIS LETTER I GOT FROMA FRIEND.
>
>>
>>Thank you for your e-mail regarding per-minute fees or taxes that are
>>reported to apply to local telephone calls to Internet Serivce Providers
>>(ISP's).  I have received thousands of e-mails and letters on this topic,
>>and I am grateful for the opportunity to respond.
>>
>>On Thursday, February 25 the Federal Communications Commission ruled on
the
>>very complicated issue of reciprocal compensation that, in their words,
>>"resolves a dispute among phone companies over how to compensate each
other
>>for Internet connections and to clarify the role of state and federal
>>regulators."   The ruling as it stands has has no effect on the rates that
>>consumers pay to connect to their ISP's.
>>
>>I was initially as concerned as you when I heard reports of this tax/fee,
>>and when I contacted the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on this
>>issue they referred me to their web page
>>http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/Factsheets/nominute.html
>>which explains the issue of reciprocal compensation, and clarifies that
>>there are no plans to impose per-minute taxes or fees on calls to ISP's.
>>Chairman Kennard also denied that there were any such plans to tax the
>>Internet in his 11/11/98 speech to the National Association of Regulatory
>>Utility Commissioners which can be read at
>>http://www.fcc.gov/Speeches/Kennard/spwek833.html (about halfway down).
>>Also, Chairman Kennard stated last week that "I want to say this as
clearly
>>as I can. . . . As long as I'm chairman of the Federal Communications
>>Commission this agency will not regulate the Internet".  Please see the
>>Washington Post article
>>http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-03/12/180l-031299-idx.
ht
>>ml
>>which gives more information and background about that pledge.  George
>>Vradenburg, a senior vice president at America Online, agreed that the
>>FCC decision will have "no effect on Internet charges."
>>
>>Other research has led me to believe that the issue of per-minute taxes or
>>fees to access to the Internet is little more than "netlore", a form of
>>urban legend.  The web pages
>>http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html#internetcharge
>>http://snopes.simplenet.com/spoons/faxlore/congress.htm and
>>http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa012099.htm
>>explain that over the years this story has taken on a life of its own, as
>>did the stories of kidneys being snatched from unsuspecting tourists, the
>>"good times" computer virus hoax, the "Clinton Body Count", the $250
>>Nieman-Marcus cookie recipie, Craig Shergold collecting business/get-well
>>cards, etc.
>>
>>It is interesting to note that the typical e-mail I receive on this issue
>>
>>>>CNN reported that in the next two weeks, Congress is going to vote on
>>>>allowing telephone companies to charge for Internet access. That means,
>>>>every time we make a long distance e-mail we will receive a long
distance
>>>>charge. This will get costly.
>>>>Please visit the following web site AND complain. Complain to your
>>>>Congressman. Don't allow this to pass. http://www.house.gov/writerep
>>>>All of us have an interest in this one. PLEASE FORWARD TO EVERYONE YOU
>>KNOW
>>>>TODAY BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!
>>
>>meets few of the 20 guidelines suggested by UCLA's Graduate School of
>>Education and Information Studies for effective action alerts, which
>can be
>>read at
>>http://dlis.gseis.ucla.edu/people/pagre/alerts.html
>>
>>In any event, there is no bill before either the House or the Senate that
>>would impose per-minute fees on local calls to Internet Service Providers.
>>Rest assured that in the future I will oppose any bill before Congress
that
>>would threaten the free flow of information on the Internet.
>>
>>Once again, thank you for taking the time to write, and please do not
>>hesitate to contact me with questions or comments in the future.
>>
>>Best regards,
>>
>>Tom Campbell
>>Member of Congress
>>http://www.house.gov/campbell
>