| The Internet is a unique form of wire communication. It is a
resource whose benefits are still being explored and whose value
is not fully realized. Its capacity is not, however, infinite.
The misuse of the Internet as a way to bypass the traditional
means of obtaining long distance service could result in a
significant reduction of the Internets ability to handle the
customary types of Internet traffic.
.. |
|
Some of the internet encoding algorithms work very well. But it depends on
how much theyre trying to collapse the data. Consider: your original
signal is a bit over 1.5 megabit per second (you said 48k s/r and stereo).
Youre crunching it through a real-time Zephyr down to 128
kilobits/second, and it probably still sounds great at the receiving
end... even though youre throwing away more than 90% of the audio data to
squeeze it through ISDN. |
| Permitting long distance service to be given away is not in
the public interest. Therefore, ACTA urges the Federal Communi-
cations Commission (the Commission) to exercise its jurisdic-
tion in this matter and: issue a declaratory ruling establishing
its authority over interstate and international telecommuni-
cations services using the Internet; grant special relief to
maintain the status quo by immediately stop the sale of this
software; and institute rulemaking proceedings defining permissi-
ble communications over the Internet.
------- |
|
Anyone involved in, or contemplating the transmission of digitized audio
between computers over the Internet for such purposes as telemedicine,
distance CME, and audio/video conferencing/consultation may wish to
become familiar with a March 4th petition by the Americas Carriers
Telecommunication Association (ACTA) to the FCC regarding Internet
telecommunications. This petition appears to broadly define all Internet
real-time audio communications between computer users as telephone calls
and seeks their prohibition. The FCC Common Carrier Bureau responded March
8th with Public Notice Report #2124 requesting comments on the petitioned
Rulemaking No. 8775 with an April 8th deadline. International
communications would appear to be affected only if passing through or
terminating in the US. Excerpted supplemental information follows:
=======================================================================
[ Url: http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/WWW/hottopic.html#acta ] |
| Federal Communications Commission
Common Carrier Bureau
RECENT ACTIONS
Comment Sought on ACTA Internet Phone Petition (March 1996)
+ The Commission has issued a public notice inviting comment on
the petition filed by Americas Carriers Telecommunication
Association (ACTA) seeking a declaratory ruling, special
relief, and institution of a rulemaking proceeding dealing
with Internet telephony and with FCC regulation of the
Internet. Comments are due April 8, 1996, and reply comments
are due April 23, 1996.
=========================================================================
[ Full text of this petition is at http://www.freetel.com/fccpet.htm ] |
