FCC Says E-Mail on Net-Access Fees Is a Hoax

An e-mail circulating on the Internet that says the Federal Communications Commission is seeking comments on a proposal that would allow local phone companies to impose per-minute access charges on Internet service providers is a hoax, the agency says. Federal regulators chose not to require ISPs to pay such access charges in May 1997. The message has appeared on numerous e-mail mailing lists and news groups in the last few weeks, leading to confusion about whether or not the FCC is again considering this issue. Several publications have picked up the message and reported that the issue is under consideration by the FCC. Officials believe someone obtained a copy of an e-mail the FCC sent in December 1996 seeking comment and changed the dates to make the request appear current.