AT&T Wireless Retraction
Message Posted November 8, 2002
Many of you recently received a postcard from AT&T Wireless stating that
they would no longer be participating in the E-rate program as of Year 6 (at
least that's the year we think they meant to include on their postcard.)
We recently have had conversations with the Federal Communications
Commission regarding this issue, and have learned that AT&T Wireless will be
sending a letter to everyone who received a postcard to retract their
previous statement. They, in fact, will be participating and state this
very clearly in their letter.
But this issue has raised questions about who is required to participate in
the program and who can participate voluntarily. I can tell you that we're
researching this question with the FCC, but at first glance, it appears that
regulated telecom carriers (including AT&T Wireless) ARE required to
participate. ISPs and internal connections vendors are NOT required to
participate.
So before you enter into any agreements or contracts with vendors who are
not required to participate in the program, I would make sure they have a
SPIN and intend to participate through the length of your agreement.
Hope this helps... (and thanks to the several schools who scanned their
postcard and forwarded it to me!)
Julie Tritt Schell
jtschell@comcast.net
(717) 730.7133 (voice)
(717) 730.9060 (fax)
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