Message-Id: <199306082106.AA23945@world.std.com>
From: Meredith_Warshaw@frankston.com
To: et-people%Athena.MIT.EDU%uucp@frankston.com
Subject: Re: Internet Access
Date: Tue, 8 Jun 1993 17:04 -0400

To:     Meredith Warshaw@Frankston@Frankston, Multiple recipients of list STAT-L 
<STAT-L%MCGILL1.BITNET@PSUVM.PSU.EDU>
cc:      
From:   "Karl L. Wuensch" <PSWUENSC%ECUVM1.BITNET@PSUVM.PSU.EDU> @ uucp @ 
FRANKSTON
Date:   06/07/93 10:59:24 PM
Subject:        Re: Internet Access


     Remember the scare letter about the FCC and Ma Bell threatening to
charge special rates for BBS's and individuals who use modems for
telecommunications?  Well, the recently posted message about a threat to
the Internet from within NSF seems to be of the same genre.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 1993 13:08:12 -0400
From: Interpersonal Computing and Technology <IPCT@guvax.bitnet>
To: Multiple recipients of list IPCT-L <IPCT-L@GUVM.CCF.GEORGETOWN.EDU>
Subject: Re: Threat to the Internet in America (incorrect scare message]

From: "Selden E. Ball, Jr." <SEB@LNS62.TN.CORNELL.EDU>

Gentle folk,

It is not appropriate to forward untrue scare messages like the
previous. I am appending the response posted by Steve Wolfe,
the person responsible for NSF network funding.

Selden E. Ball, Jr.

Cornell University                 Voice: +1-607-255-0688
Laboratory of Nuclear Studies        FAX: +1-607-255-8062
Wilson Synchrotron Lab            BITNET: SEB@CRNLNS
Judd Falls & Dryden Road        Internet: SEB@LNS61.TN.CORNELL.EDU
Ithaca, NY, USA 14853-8001   HEPnet/SPAN: LNS61::SEB = 44283::SEB
====================
From:   IN%"steve@cise.cise.nsf.gov"  "Stephen Wolff"  7-JUN-1993 07:47:20.15
To:     IN%"com-priv@psi.com"
CC:     IN%"davidc@iij.ad.jp"  "David Randolph Conrad"
Subj:   panic in the streets...
Original msg deleted.

Someone has evidently papered the world with "INTERNET FREE ACCESS
THREATENED" messages.  This is my response to the first one I saw.  -s


> In addition, I also suggest that we identify the office in the
> NSF which is responsible for INTERNET and register electronic
> protests with them.

This is the responsible office in the NSF, and I am the responsible person.

There is no "plan to limit free use of INTERNET..."

In the first place, there is no such thing as "free use of INTERNET".  Each
and every institution with Internet access pays a service provider real money
every year for the institution's connection.  Most institutions do not
however trickle those charges down to users, but pay for them out of general
operating funds.

Service providers, most of whom serve a limited geographical area, attain
national and international coverage via the NSFNET BackBone Service, which
has hitherto been centrally funded by an award to Merit, Inc. and provided
to the regional service providers at no charge.

Since the beginning of the current NSFNET Backbone Service in 1987, a lively
and competitive commercial market in Internet carriage has emerged, with
multiple vendors offering robust, nationwide, commodity-level services.
Continued centralized funding of a Backbone Service by the Foundation is no
longer justified, as it would place the Federal government in direct
competition with the private sector.

Awards made under the currently active solicitation will include awards to
regional networks to purchase backbone service on the open market.  That is,
the NSF will switch from supplier funding to user funding.

The NSF is committed to continuity of network service to the research and
education community; we will take whatever steps are necessary to assure it.