Date: Thu, 14 Nov 1996 18:48:40 -0500 From: "Martin G. Bayerle" <bayerle@auidea.org> To: <isp@FreeBSD.org> Subject: Telcos Owe ISPs Big Refunds Message-ID: <199611142348.SAA22394@avalon.imagixx.net>
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Please forgive me if I previously posted to this list the following information (This is the only list I'm unsure about) . . . But it could be a nice early Christmas boost to all ISPs . . . _________________ 13 November 1996 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Telcos Cry Ouch as They Return Millions in Overcharges to ISPs Morgantown, WV - The Internet Development & Exchange Association (IDEA) announced today that they were pursuing the telephone companies for millions of dollars in overcharges collected from Internet Service Providers (ISP) nationwide. "We anticipate that the total overcharges which the RBOCs will return to the ISP industry will be somewhere between 4 and 30 million dollars, and the savings to ISPs, while the exemption remains in place, can be into the hundreds of millions of dollars in the future. Although the small to medium sized ISPs are exempt from certain tariffs - exemptions taken by AT&T, AOL, MSN and Compuserve and others - smaller ISPs are often not aware of their applicable exemptions," said Martin Bayerle, Executive Director of IDEA. In 1983, the U.S. government exempted companies who provide access to the national network of computers from certain fees imposed by the RBOCs. "Unfortunately, the telephone companies' business offices are often unaware of the exemption, and the smaller ISP, as a consequence, gets charged. The larger ISPs and their phalanx of lawyers know about the exemptions; the smaller ones often do not," Mr. Bayerle said. These overcharges came to light in May, when IDEA initiated its member audit program. IDEA has already retrieved thousands of dollars in refunds for its membership. IDEA is the Internet industry's trade association. Exemptions would be retroactive to 1983, with some ISPs collecting as much as $100,000 or more in refunds from the telcos. The Association will assist IDEA members in the refund process. _________ Contact: bayerle@auidea.org Martin G. Bayerle Executive Director IDEA 5006 Grand Central Station Drive Morgantown, WV 26505 Voice: 304 292-6736 Fax: 304 291-2577 For general information on IDEA, and its Audit Programs, visit http://www.auidea.org +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+ |_ _| _ \ __| \ Martin G. Bayerle, Executive Director | | | | | _| _ \ Internet Development & Exchange Association | |___|___/ ___|_/ _\ 5006 Grand Central Station Drive | | bayerle@auidea.org Morgantown, WV 26505 304 292-6736 | |PGP Fngrprnt = 8A 71 8B 59 1D DD 8D DB B5 AE 52 40 3B 20 28 87| +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
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