The State PUC will provide the Texas Department of Human Services the names of all local telephone providers. The Department of Human Services will identify customers who are eligible for the program and contact the telephone company directly with the information. The telephone company will automatically enroll the customers.

Lifeline service offers a discount on local telephone costs for telephone customers who are at or below 125 percent of Federal poverty guidelines. Customers receiving Medicaid, food stamps, Supplemental Security Income, low-income energy assistance (LIHEAP) or Federal public housing assistance automatically qualify for Lifeline. Lifeline service cannot be disconnected for non-payment of toll charges.

New customers meeting the eligibility requirements can also receive Link Up Service, which offers discounts on initial connections for local telephone service.

SRT Spokesman Tom Thomas said that the company’s success is due to the system’s reliability and by offering the largest number of "dial-up access ports" in the area, as well as a customer support department that is open seven days a week.

SRT broadband high-speed Internet service was deployed in July of 1998. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology is designed to allow the customer to use a single telephone line for both traditional telephone service and for high-speed Internet access simultaneously. DSL provides speeds from 320 kilobits up to 8 megabits per second. DSL is currently available in Minot, Minot Air Force Base, Burlington, Surrey, Granville, Lansford, Mohall, Towner and Westhope. SRT plans to offer DSL in several additional communities by the end of the year.

With the latest news, three seats will be open at the Commission. Since the five member agency can only have three commissioners from the same party, President Bush must nominate 2 Republicans and 1 Democrat.

The FCC has set a deadline of February 26, 2001 for comments on the MAG Plan.

Copps reportedly also has the backing of Senator Ernest Hollings, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee.

The most dramatic disparities, according to the study, of whether a family has Internet access are defined by income and age. The research noted that 82 percent of those living in households with more than $75,000 in income now have Internet access, compared to 38 percent of those households earning less than $30,000.

Age is also a determining factor. A full 75 percent of those between ages 18 and 29 have Internet access, compared to 15 percent of those 65 and over.

In some population segments, Internet penetration is getting quite high: 75 percent of those age 18-29 now have access; 82 percent of those with college or graduate degrees have access; 82 percent of those living in households with incomes over $75,000 have access; and almost two-thirds of parents with children living at home are hooked-up. The authors said it was noteworthy, however, that growth rates among those with high incomes and college educations were modest. This suggests that saturation penetration of the Internet even among those at the highest socioeconomic levels could still be several years away. The study says, "By comparison, 94 percent of U.S. households have telephones and 98 percent have televisions and the penetration of both technologies in the highest socioeconomic brackets approaches 100 percent."

Section 332 (c) of the Federal Telecommunications Act prohibits State regulation of commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers’ rates. The wireless industry in North Dakota has made the same claim when service standards or obligations of telecommunications providers is discussed.

The case began in 1998, according to State and Local Communications Report, when customers accused the carriers of false advertising, unfair business practices and breach of contract in connection with the cellular provider’s claim they had a "seamless calling area" throughout southern California.

NRRI is the research arm of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

According to the report, "There is little evidence of facilities- based local competition, with most new entrants providing service through interconnection and unbundled network elements."

"Balancing Competition and Universal Service: The Role of the Regulatory Five Years after the Telecommunications Act" examines several possible strategies for regulators trying to meet the twin goals of the Act. It concludes that it would be best for regulators to adopt "a two-phased approach that concentrates first on encouraging competition and then turns to matters of universal service expansion."

The author of the report offers a disclaimer by saying her views don’t necessarily reflect those of NRRI, NARUC or any of the NARUC-member commissions, such as the North Dakota Public Service Commission, but the Association is concerned this report is a "trial-balloon" to judge the intensity of the opposition.

Its President and CEO Robert Sachs said the name change reflected the transformation of its members’ offerings from a "one-way video service to a broad range of advanced, two- way services."

The ETC status is a requirement before a company can receive Federal "high-cost" universal service support. There is also a pending application by Western Wireless for ETC status for a reservation in Montana.

Comments and replies are due in the South Dakota case by March 12 and 26th, respectively.

In North Dakota, the House of Representatives defeated a House Concurrent Resolution directing the Legislative Council to study safety issues related to cellular phones and driving and to report its findings, along with recommendations to the next legislative Assembly.

The cellular industry in North Dakota said it was discriminatory to just study them and asked why the resolution did not also include those who were using the radio, cd’s, eating, drinking, or putting on make-up. Proponents cited a study suggesting that when a driver is on a cell phone conversation it has the same effect on driving as if the driver had a 008 blood alcohol content.

The measure was defeated on a voice vote in the House.

The program is a pilot project allowing students to explore basic telecommunications skills, learn how to effectively communicate technical information, explore various computer applications specific to telecommunications and gain insight to telecommunications in the State. Classroom activities will focus on hands-on, interactive activities designed to give students a greater understanding of the telecommunications industry in North Dakota.

The Academy is a pilot project being offered at 28 North Dakota schools and two high schools in Montana. It is being coordinated by the Telephone Apprenticeship Training and Safety, N.D. State Board for Vocational and Technical Education, SW Regional Tech Prep, Bismarck State College, Bismarck Public Schools and a number of local independent companies.

The purpose of the grants, according to a press release, is to extend the benefits of advanced telecommunications technologies to all Americans, especially those in inaccessible, rural and underserved urban communities.

The program has made grants for model projects demonstrating innovative uses of network technology. Recipients include State, local and tribal governments, health care providers, schools, libraries, police departments and community-based non-profit organizations. Since 1994, TOP has awarded 456 grants in all 50 States, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands totaling $150 million and leveraging $221 million in local matching funds.

Applications are due by March 22, 2001. Application kits can be accessed at www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/top/.

Commissioner Furchtgott-Roth spent considerable time with members of the North Dakota independent telephone industry, toured the service territory and headquarters of Reservation Telephone Cooperative and was hosted by members of the Souris River Telecommunications board of directors several years ago.

The association said that it would be creating a new non- voting category of membership called "Other Telecommunications Members," which will include Internet service providers, affiliates, cable television, wireless, IXC’s, video providers and competitive local exchange companies (CLECs).

OPASTCO said it asked its members what areas of telecommunications they expected to offer, OPASTCO was told:

*57 percent of OPASTCO members said they will offer voice over IP and more than half of their members plan to directly compete with their own LEC voice services;

*65 percent of their members said they have or will have wireless operations, including cellular, PCS, wireless local loop, LMDS, MMDS and Direct Broadcast Satellite;

*59 percent of OPASTCO members said they have or will have CLEC operations;

*62 percent say they have or will have cable television operations; and

*84 percent say they do or will offer broadband.

Darren Moser, general manager, said, "Even though many DRN customers will see a rate increase, the local service restructuring is revenue neutral and will not generate any additional revenue." Approximately 64 percent of those customers will see an increase on their telephone bill and 36 percent will see a decrease.

Customers in Ashley, Edgeley, Ellendale, Forman, Kulm, LaMoure and Oakes will see the new rate on their July 15th phone bill. The current rate for residential customers in DRC is $10.89, business is $26.73 and combination service is $17.51 per month. Following the restructuring, all rates will be $15.75 per month.

Customers in DRC will see adjustments to the Extended Area Service (EAS) rates as well. Those with current EAS to one exchange will have a rate of $1.70, while those with EAS to two or more exchanges will have a rate of $3.40.

The cable, which will parallel U.S. Highway 85 south of Watford City, will enable the company to stay current with industry standards and provide subscribers with more advanced services, a Forest Service employee says.

The amount each member of the cooperative receives will be calculated in accordance with the co-op’s bylaws and will depend on the length of membership and the amount of capital credits accrued.

The merger is contingent upon the approval of the cooperative’s membership and regulatory agencies. A special meeting of the cooperative members will be held in March or April for a vote on the proposed transaction.

Last year, a Alaska commercial company failed in its attempt to acquire Matanuska Telephone Association, a cooperative, when a insufficient number of members supported the sale.

In December, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed collecting $1.3 billion in universal service fees during the first quarter of 2001, up from $1.2 billion in the fourth quarter of 2000.

After 101 rounds, Verizon Wireless a joint venture of the Vodafone Group and Verizon Communications, spent $8.78 billion for 113 licenses.

Winners of the licenses were expected to use them to fill gaps in network coverage, improve service in congested markets and start new products like wireless data and Internet services.

Of the 15 markets that received the highest bids, according to Reuters News Service, Verizon Wireless won 9 of the licenses, bidding more than $4 billion for two licenses in New York, $513.5 million for one in Los Angeles, $398.8 million for one in San Francisco, $277.3 million for one in Philadelphia and $216.7 million for one covering Washington, D.C.

During the 106 Congress, the House and Senate repealed the Federal telecommunications excise tax. However, the legislative language was attached to an appropriations bill that President Bill Clinton vetoed, for reasons unrelated to the tax.

Unlike his predecessor, William Kennard, Powell has tended to take a hands-off approach to regulating the communications industry.

Chairman Powell was named to the FCC by President Clinton in 1997. Prior to his role at the FCC, he served as the Chief of Staff of the Antitrust Division in the Department of justice and in private practice.

The author, Jeffrey Eisenbach, says that government entry in the telecommunications industry has grown dramatically during the 1990s and suggests that governments that have entered the business have been saddled with financial losses and obsolete technologies. In the end, they do not achieve their desired goals of lower costs and more rapid deployment of efficient telecommunications systems.

The author cites:

*109 municipalities provide cable television service

*61 offer Internet services

*58 lease fiber installations to private companies

*32 offer high-speed data services

*18 provide local dial-tone telecom service

*10 provide long distance service.

ILEC Advisor, a industry publication, notes that payphones are a very difficult business right now and cites Davel Communications, which is one of the largest independent payphone providers with 85,000 phones in 43 States. Davel saw its revenues decline 24 percent last year and their stock lose 99.7 percent of its value since last March.

March 15:
  Red River Rural Telephone
  Annual Meeting
  Abercrombie, N.D.

March 18-21:
  Minn. Telephone Association
  Annual Meeting
  Minneapolis, MN

March 28-30:
  NTCA Legislative Conference
  Washington, D.C.9

June 14:
BEK Communications
Annual Meeting
Steele, N.D.

June 14:
Polar Communications
Annual Meeting
Park River, N.D.

June 19:
Northwest Communications
Annual Meeting
Ray, N.D.

June 28:
SRT Communications
Annual Meeting
Minot, N.D.

July 9-11:
NDATC Summer Conference
Medora Community Center
Medora, N.D.

July 13:
Reservation Telephone
50th Anniv. & Annual Meeting
Parshall, N.D.

July 25:
Co-op Day
State Fair
Minot, N.D.