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From FARNET Washington Update, 10/12/96 E-RATES CALL FOR FREE BASIC INTERNET SERVICE FOR K-12 AND LIBRARIES In virtually the same breath as the announcement about his Internet II initiative, President Clinton called on the FCC to institute an "E-rate" to give free basic Internet service to all k-12 schools and libraries in the country. This is not a new proposal. It has already been brought before the Federal-State Joint Board at the FCC, which is debating the discount rates for telecommunications for k-12 and libraries, by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) among others. The Joint Board's recommendation to the FCC on the issue is due November 8. The free service and second-tier discounts (for higher-speed access and applications) would be paid for out of the universal service fund which is the subject of the Joint Board's Nov. 8 recommendation. The E-rate proposal stems from the Snowe-Rockefeller-Kerry amendment to the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that mandated discounted telecommunications services for K-12, libraries and rural health institutions. The President's Oct. 10 speech addressing both issues above is at http://www.cg96.org/new/break/ and the press release about the administration's Internet II initiative is at http://www.cg96.org/new/break/backgrnd.htm The administration's filing to the FCC on E-rates is at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/fccfilings/cc96_45furthercom.htm |