>
>
>
> Please voice your opposition to this proposal.  It is discriminatory  
> against those of us who cannot use and/or are concerned about the  
> health effects of cell phones.  This is also a terrible precedent to  
> set for our children in light of the overwhelming research that  
> substantiates the health effects of wireless radiation.  If you don't  
> object on the grounds of removal of free choice for yourself, please  
> consider doing so for the sake of the next generation and for those of  
> us who suffer adverse health effects from this technology.  Feel free  
> to forward.
> Thank you,
> Mary Adkins, M.Ed.
> Rhode Island Regional Director
> Citizens for Safe Technology
> www.citizensforsafetechnology.org
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: FCC proposes to eliminate landlines. Comments due April 18.
> Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:14:42 -0700
> From: bearstar@...
> To: bearstar@...
>
>
>
> To all interested parties:
>
> The FCC is proposing to take the first specific steps toward the  
> elimination of landline telephones. Comments from the public are due  
> on or before April 18, 2011.
>
> Below is a summary of what is being proposed. If you wish to send  
> comments, the easiest way is to send them electronically by going to www.regulations.gov
> . Click on "submit a comment." Then enter "FCC-2011-0078-0001" into  
> the "Enter Keyword or ID" field and click on "Search." When the next  
> screen appears, click on "Submit a Comment" next to the result. The  
> result will be titled "Developing a Unified Intercarrier Compensation."
>
> You can type a simple comment of up to 2000 words, or you can attach  
> any documents you wish. Attached word documents should be double spaced.
>
> Summary
>
> The complete FCC proposal can be found at http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0209/FCC-11-13A1.pdf 
> .
>
> Briefly, the FCC believes that the switched telephone network (i.e.  
> telephone lines and switching centers) is obsolete and should be  
> dismantled. Therefore FCC's policy is to phase out telephone lines  
> during the coming years and replace them with broadband service. In  
> other words, the FCC wants ordinary telephones to be entirely replaced  
> with cell phones and computers (voice over Internet). The first step  
> is to take money that is now being used to subsidize rural telephone  
> service and subsidize broadband (i.e. Internet) services instead.
>
> The Universal Service Fund is a federal fund paid for by a surcharge  
> on everyone's long distance telephone bill. Until now, the fund has  
> been used to subsidize telephone service in rural areas, as well as  
> telephone service to people with low incomes, to make sure all  
> Americans have access to a telephone.
>
> This proposal by the FCC would eliminate some subsidies for ordinary  
> telephone services within two years and reallocate Universal Service  
> Fund money to pay for fixed and wireless broadband instead. This is  
> the first step in eliminating the Universal Service Fund itself and  
> creating a "Connect America Fund," which could only be used to  
> subsidize fixed and wireless broadband.
>
> In addition, the FCC is proposing to reduce the allowable per-minute  
> rate for long distance phone calls, which will make it less profitable  
> for companies to operate landlines.
>
> The most important thing the FCC needs to hear from you is that the  
> switched telephone network must be maintained. The Architectural and  
> Transportation Barriers Compliance Board ("the Access Board"), is the  
> federal agency that administers the Americans with Disabilities Act.  
> According to the Access Board, an estimated 3% of the population, or  
> almost 10 million Americans, have electromagnetic sensitivities (http://www.access-board.gov/research/ieq/intro.cfm 
> ). They cannot use wireless technology and have difficulty using  
> computers. They depend on the switched telephone network for voice  
> communication. "Universal Service" is not universal if it excludes 10  
> million people. Eliminating landlines will leave millions of Americans  
> without even basic telephone service.
>
> If you are a person who depends on landlines for your communication  
> needs, please send in your comments and tell that to the FCC.
>
> Arthur Firstenberg, President
> Cellular Phone Task Force
> PO Box 6216
> Santa Fe, NM 87502
> (505) 471-0129
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>