And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Saturday, January 30, 1999
Tribes Feel Disconnected
FCC Officials Pledge Better Phone Service
http://www.abqjournal.com/biz/1biz01-30.htm
By Tom McGhee
Journal Staff Writer
Federal regulators promised to seek ways to
improve telephone service on Native American
lands, Federal Communications Commission
Chairman William Kennard and FCC member
Gloria Tristani said Friday.
The percentage of non-Indian households with
phones is 94 percent, said Kennard, but only 45 to
50 percent of Indian homes have phones. In many
Indian communities, the percentage is far lower
than that, tribal officials said.
"This population is one that's in danger of being
left in the dark ages," said Kennard.
The rural locations of most tribal lands,
difficulties faced by phone companies in attaining
right-of-way on Indian property and other
conditions contribute to the problem.
Telephone companies like U S West have said
they are reluctant to invest in lines and switches
needed to serve areas where populations are widely
scattered.
The FCC commissioners came to Albuquerque
on Friday to hold a public hearing on the problem.
They heard from tribal and phone company
representatives as well as from state regulators and
consumer advocates.
Raymond Gachupin, governor of Jemez Pueblo,
said he once was unable to call for emergency help
for a young man who had been shot because no
phone was available. "Unfortunately, the young
man didn't make it," he said.
Also, most reservation residents have little
money to pay for phone service, several tribal
officials said. And when they do have phones, they
must pay long-distance charges to call hospitals or
government agencies.
There is a universal service fund generated by
collections from telephone customers designed to
defray costs in poor and rural areas and assure that
everyone has affordable service. "I don't
understand why this subsidy isn't working in Indian
communities," said Kennard.
Edward Lopez, vice president Regulatory
Affairs, U S West New Mexico, said deregulating
the communications industry in the state would
bring competition and lower prices. "Tear down
the barriers to investment," he said.
Assistant Attorney General Richard Weiner,
however, blamed U S West for not anticipating
growth in many rural areas. As a consequence, it
often takes far longer to get a phone than it should
and in some cases people have to pay the cost of
installing infrastructure needed for their own
service.
It can take more than three years to get a phone,
he said.
A survey of one group of U S West delayed
service orders showed that one-half were for
service on Indian land, Weiner said.
He also said he knows of "dozens of cases" on
reservations where U S West has refused to
reinforce existing lines to increase service.
specifically for tribes. <<END EXCERPT
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
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