Yes, we do need a more competitive telecommunications industry. This can happen if Congress (1) creates incentives for all competitors to wire and connect schools, homes, and libraries with educational technology and products; and (2) encourages and permits all providers of telecommunications services to freely provide them. Of course, we need to monitor the process to see that our national objectives are being met by this market incentive approach.
Predictor: Kerrey, Bob
Prediction, in context:In a 1994 essay for Wired magazine, Sen. Bob Kerrey, D-Nebraska, and filmmaker George Lucas (“Star Wars”) discuss the importance of connecting schools and libraries in the new National Information Infrastructure. They write:”Yes, we do need a more competitive telecommunications industry. This can happen if Congress (1) creates incentives for all competitors to wire and connect schools, homes, and libraries with educational technology and products; and (2) encourages and permits all providers of telecommunications services to freely provide them. Of course, we need to monitor the process to see that our national objectives are being met by this market incentive approach. Congress is currently considering legislation addressing these goals. In June, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the National Communications Competition and Information Infrastructure Act of 1994, which calls for the FCC to promote the provision of advanced telecommunications services to schools, hospitals, and public libraries. The U.S. Senate will soon take up the Communications Act of 1994, which seeks to achieve many of these universal-service protection objectives. In particular, the bill would require all telecommunications carriers to contribute to preserving universal service. Importantly, the bill would require all telecommunications carriers to provide educational institutions – among other entities – interstate and intrastate access services at preferential rates. The FCC would establish rules to enforce this requirement. The bill also would require the FCC to ensure that all public elementary and secondary school classrooms and libraries have access to advanced telecommunications services. We fully support these efforts, and call upon all educators and parents to speak up for policies that will support universal access to today’s telecommunications services as well as to the interactive, broadband technologies of tomorrow. We must all work together to ensure that the information superhighway is the road to educational excellence in America.”
Biography:Bob Kerrey was a U.S. senator who made technology issues part of his political agenda in the 1990s. (Legislator/Politician/Lawyer.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1994
Topic of prediction: Getting, Sharing Information
Subtopic: E-learning
Name of publication: Wired
Title, headline, chapter name: Access to Education
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/2.09/access.ed_pr.html
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney