--> Note: Forwarded (from: DFW) Originally from Bryny (1:124/4109.0) Original dated: Oct 23 '93, 18:36

The EPCA applies to Common Carriers. Thus it applies to Compuserve, MCI Mail, etc. It does not apply to bulletin boards unless they issue mail contracts.

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what are the actual legal requirements for claiming status as a Common Carrier?? (other than being in the USA ...)

signed written agreements?

Just about everything said about common carriers in these postings is wrong. ECPA is not limited to common carriers, for example. And it *does* apply to BBSs. Finally, one doesn't claim common carrier status, absent a legislative or regulatory grant of that status. For a brief period, thanks to some partial research I'd done in the subject, I was under the impression that there is such a thing as a "common-law common carrier," at least potentially. I now know that this is not the case. --Mike