ALAWON v6n60 (July 24, 1997) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alawon/alawon-v6n60 ================================================================= ALAWON Volume 6, Number 60 ISSN 1069-7799 July 24, 1997 American Library Association Washington Office Newsline In this issue: (152 lines) DISCOUNTS FOR LIBRARIES AND SCHOOLS UPDATE: ACTION NEEDED STATUS OF SBC LAWSUIT FCC RECONSIDERATION OF MAY 7 REPORT AND ORDER RELEASE OF 97-21: THE NECA AUTHORIZATION ORDER OITP UPDATES DISCOUNT PROGRAM WEB PAGES _________________________________________________________________ STATUS OF SBC LAWSUIT ON DISCOUNTS FOR LIBRARIES/SCHOOLS On July 3 Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, Pacific Bell, and Nevada Bell (all of which are owned by SBC Communications, Inc.) filed a Joint Petition asking for a stay of universal service implementation, pending the outcome of their lawsuit against the FCC. This stay, if granted, would stop all implementation activities, making the January 1, 1998 deadline for beginning the program virtually unattainable. ALA has filed comments with the FCC in opposition to the request -- both individually and as part of the EdLiNC coalition. If the FCC denies SBC's request for a stay, SBC will likely appeal the decision to the courts. The SBC filing claims that since SBC lawsuit will likely succeed in preventing the program from continuing, the FCC should stop all implementation activities. The request also alleges that libraries and schools will not be harmed by the delay of the universal service program. ACTION NEEDED: While the deadline for formal comments was Friday, July 18 (see ALAWON v6, n53) libraries and other parties are encouraged to send letters to the FCC Commissioners and to SBC expressing their support for the program and giving concrete examples of how delaying implementation of the program will hurt libraries and schools. Please send letters to: Chairman Reed Hundt, Commissioner Rachelle Chong, Commissioner Susan Ness and Commissioner James Quello Federal Communications Commission 1919 M. Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20554 Phone: 202/418-1000 Fax: 202/418-2801 General Phone: 888/225-5322 (CALL-FCC) Edward E. Whitacre Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer SBC Communications 175 E. Houston San Antonio, Texas 78205-2233 Telephone Number 210/821-4105 Fax: 210/351-3553 Thomas M. Barry Senior Vice President - Federal Relations SBC Communications, Inc. 1401 I Street, NW Suite 1100 Washington, D.C. 20005 Phone: 202/326-8800 Fax: 202/408-4796 _________________________________________________________________ RELEASE OF FCC RECONSIDERATION OF MAY 7 REPORT AND ORDER The FCC released its reconsideration of the May 7 Report and Order on July 10, 1997. The document, available from the FCC at: http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/Orders/1997/ fcc97246.txt, clarifies a number of questions on existing contracts. Contracts on eligible signed after the November 8, 1996 ruling but before the administrator has the website available will be eligible for discounts, but only through the end of the 1998 calendar year. Hence, long term contracts signed since November 8, 1996 will need to be renegotiated before December 31, 1998 in order for libraries to continue to receive discounted rates. The Commission also clarified that services received prior to January 1, 1998 will not be eligible for support. _________________________________________________________________ RELEASE OF 97-21: THE NECA AUTHORIZATION ORDER On July 18 the FCC released the long-awaited 97-21 order, authorizing NECA to begin work on the implementation of the universal service order (see ALAWON v6, n32). This order also creates two new independent companies to administer universal service, a Schools and Libraries Corporate and Rural Health Care Corporation. These corporations will deal with the processing of applications, setting up the web site, and other administrative concerns, while NECA will collect and disburse the funds for the program. With the release of this order, NECA is beginning work to incorporate the two new companies, assemble a board of directors, begin hiring staff, and otherwise lay the foundation necessary for the companies to begin administering the program. _________________________________________________________________ OITP UPDATES DISCOUNT PROGRAM WEB PAGES ALA's Office for Information Technology Policy has made a number of changes to its website in the last few weeks, with the goal of making additional information available to libraries interested in preparing for the discount program. NEW ADDITIONS INCLUDE: AN UPDATED ANALYSIS OF THE RULE (http://www.ala.org/oitp/ analysis.html)--reflecting the latest orders mentioned above. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THE STATES (http://www.ala.org/ oitp/1st_step.html)--a guide for implementing universal service at the state level. THE TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT AND THE TECHNOLOGY PLAN (http://www. ala.org/oitp/techplan.html)--information from the Order on what information libraries will need to include in their technology plans and assessments in order to be eligible for discounts. STATE TELECOM POLICIES AND PROGRAMS (http://www.ala.org/ oitp/stategrid.html) -- this page has been updated to show which states have already adopted universal service programs, which states are expected to do so, and which states have coalitions of library and education groups working with the public utilities commission or public service commission on the implementation of universal service. If you have updates or additional information to add to this chart, please send them to oitp@alawash.org or call 800/941-8478. _________________________________________________________________ ALAWON is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. To subscribe, send the message: subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname] to listproc @ala.org. To unsubscribe, send the message: unsubscribe ala-wo to listproc@ala.org. ALAWON archives at http://www.ala.org/ washoff/alawon. Visit our Web site at http://www.alawash.org. ALA Washington Office 202.628.8410 (V) 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, #403 202.628.8419 (F) Washington, DC 20004-1701 800.941.8478 (V) Lynne E. Bradley, Editor Deirdre Herman, Managing Editor Contributors: Aleck Johnson Andrew Magpantay All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. =================================================================