Well as they say first the good news... INFORMATION SERVICES INDUSTRY WANTS RBOCs FREED The regional Bell companies should be free to compete in long distance services, cable television programming and equipment manufacturing, a new study of information services executives said. The study, released today by The Marx Group of Wellesley, Mass., also said the information industry will grow faster and better serve customers as a result of increasing merger activity. The survey was commissioned by The Marx Group, an information services industry consulting and law firm. "This survey proves that a clear majority of information services executives believe that our industry will benefit from Bell company entry into these lines of business," Marx Group chairman Peter Marx said. Marx praised Monday's Supreme Court action leaving in place the Bell companies' ability to offer information services as "good news" for the information services provider industry. This survey demonstrates that the information services business community looks forward to the capital and technology, partnership opportunities and mass marketing capabilities the Bell companies bring to the table." Information services companies rely heavily on long-distance services and are extremely concerned about long-distance rates, the study pointed out. Small businesses were especially emphatic in their desire for the competitive pricing they expect to accompany Bell entry into long distance service, the study said. The survey included telephone interviews with executives from more than 300 information services companies. Some of the results are: 1. 72 percent favored Bell company participation in information services in their own territories, 21 percent unfavorable, 7 percent neutral; 2. 66 percent favored Bell company entry into long distance, 21 percent unfavorable, 13 percent neutral; 3. 69 percent favored allowing Bell company entry into cable TV, 15 percent unfavorable, 16 percent neutral; 4. 67 percent favored Bell company participation in equipment manufacturing, 13 percent unfavorable, 20 percent without opinion. The Marx Group commissioned Arlen Communications, an industry research firm in Bethesda, Md., to conduct the survey. For more information, contact The Marx Group at (617) 576-5730 or Arlen Communications at (301) 656-7940. ### Now for the bad news....(bad idea!) SLATTERY INTRODUCES BILL TO LIFT MFJ MANUFACTURING BAN Rep. Jim Slattery (D-Kansas) Sunday introduced a bill (H.R. 3609) that would lift the Modified Final Judgment (MFJ) restriction for Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs).Staffers in Slattery's office said today the bill is virtually identical to H.R. 1527, which Slattery introduced in the 102nd Congress, with additional provisions concerning consumers with disabilities and joint network planning.The "Telecommunications Equipment Research and Manufacturing Competition Act of 1993" says that permitting the RBOCs, through their affiliates, to manufacture telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment (CPE), universal access to advanced telecommunications services, continued economic growth and international competitiveness will be advanced.The bill would all the design, development and fabrication of equipment, as well as research with respect to such equipment. The bill includes the following provisions: -- The RBOCs could engage in manufacturing through separate affiliates; -- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would prescribe regulations to ensure RBOC compliance; -- A manufacturing subsidiary would be required to maintain separate books, records and accounts; -- RBOCs could sell, advertise, install and maintain telecommunications equipment and CPE after acquiring the equipment from their affiliates; -- Manufacturing affiliates would be required to conduct manufacturing within the United States; -- Manufacturing affiliates would be required to use component parts manufactured in the United States, with the following exception. Affiliates could use components manufactured outside the U.S. if they first make "good faith" efforts" to obtain parts manufactured within the U.S. and if the foreign components do not exceed 40 percent of the sales revenue derived from the equipment; -- Manufacturing affiliates would be allowed to use intellectual property created outside the U.S.; -- Manufacturing affiliates would be required to make equipment available without discrimination to all regulated local telephone exchange carriers; -- An RBOC and its manufacturing affiliates would be allowed to engage in close collaboration with any manufacturer during design and development of hardware or software; -- The FCC would prescribe regulations necessary to ensure that network services advances are accessible and usable by individuals whose access might be impeded by a disability or functional limitation, unless the costs would result in an undue burden or adverse competitive impact; -- Each RBOC would be required to engage in joint network planning and design with other regulated local exchange carriers operating in the same area of interest, except no participant in such planning would be allowed to delay the introduction of new technology or the deployment of facilities to provide telecommunications services. ### I particularly like the anti-NAFTA "All American" clause...... Brian Williams Cypherpatriot Extropian "Free The RBOC'S" "Nuke The Whales"