rfc1527.txt

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        8.    In its November 1, 1991 recommendations to the National
              Science Foundation, FARNET suggested that the NSF should
              consider the issuance of several separate solicitations
              for the development of software tools for end-user
              applications and network management and operations.  To
              emphasize its point it added:  "we believe that the lack
              of useful tools for information retrieval and display is
              one of the biggest impediments to the productive use of



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RFC 1527                Cook Report on Internet           September 1993


              the network and has impaired the credibility of the NREN
              in the eyes of the target user populations."  FARNET
              admonished the NSF to emphasize open architectures and
              standards in its solicitations, adding that "where
              standards are not adequately understood or developed, the
              NSF should support programs to test, evaluate and improve
              them."

              FARNET concluded by recommending

                   "that the NSF, working with the user community and
                   the providers, define and implement clear criteria
                   for the award of additional funding to mid-level and
                   campus networks . . . The new criteria should be
                   designed to further . . . goals such as the extension
                   of network services to new or underserved communities
                   (for ubiquity); the improvement of network
                   operations, procedures and tools (for reliability);
                   the enhancement of existing services through
                   development activities, upgrading of existing
                   connections to 'have not' institutions; leveraging of
                   state, local, and private funds (to maximize the
                   impact of Federal investment), and training and
                   support for end-users (in cooperation with national
                   and local programs)."

              If a CPN is created, it should be directly involved with
              working toward these important goals.  If implementation
              of the network is left to the National Science Foundation,
              Congress should emphasize the importance of the NSF's
              meeting these goals.

         9.   Finally, a strong and broad-based CPN might be able to
              make recommendations to Congress on the identification and
              resolution of problems of telecommunications policy
              engendered by the continued growth of this network
              technology.  It could perhaps play an educational role in
              advising state Public Utilities Commissions on the long
              term implications of their decisions.

Summary

   Policy makers must soon decide whether the National Research and
   Education Network is a public or a private good.  Although
   privatization appears to be proceeding apace, since the network
   backbone will be rebid, there should be time for some careful
   planning for the development and evolution of what can, within 10 to
   20 years, become an extraordinarily powerful system that is as



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   ubiquitous as the current telephone network and provides all
   Americans with access to information in much the same way as public
   libraries were created for a similar purpose a century ago.

   Congress must understand that the NREN is not just a new technology
   (indeed much is of it is old technology), but has the potential to
   become the most powerful means of access to information ever created.
   Within this context it must decide whom the NREN shall serve.  It
   must decide whom shall have access to the NREN.

   Once it has done this further options fall into four major areas:

              First:    Congress must decide degree of oversight
                        that is necessary to extend to the network. Such
                        oversight could range from legislating that the
                        FCC regulate the network, to strict reviews of
                        the NSF's actions, to vesting oversight powers
                        in a Corporation for Public Networking.

              Second:   It must decide whether the appropriate place to
                        subsidize technology transfer is within a
                        privatized operational NREN or within the
                        experimental gigabit testbeds.  Without a better
                        understanding both of how the technologies are
                        evolving in the commercial market place, and the
                        evolution of both the testbeds and the NREN, it
                        will be difficult to make make a wise decision.
                        In addition, we must expect that the nature of
                        its choice will be further influenced by its
                        decision on whom the network is to serve.

              Third:    It must decide whether to subsidize a backbone
                        for an NREN.  If it does subsidize such a
                        backbone, it must decide whether it shall be
                        built as a private network or as a part of the
                        PSTN.

              Fourth:   It must decide whether to subsidize additional
                        connectivity or broader use within connected
                        institutions or both.  In other words, should
                        more institutions be connected to the network,
                        or should the network be made easier to use by
                        the members of those institutions already
                        connected?

   To the extent that Congress chooses to pursue options three and four,
   it will want to explore the scenario for the Corporation for Public
   Networking discussed above.



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   Access to information is access to power.  The creation of a National
   Research and Education Network based on the NSFnet and the remainder
   of the american Internet will mean the creation of a national
   information access system of unprecedented power.  In its ability to
   affect the lives and well being of Americans, the NREN, if properly
   designed, will be just as significant as the national Interstate
   highway system and the national electric power grid.  The national
   highway, or the national power grid, or the national telephone system
   could serve as models for implementation.  The Federal Government
   provides a public but otherwise unregulated Interstate highway system
   with universal access available to all Americans.  Private industry
   provides our electric power.  However, it was allowed to do so only
   in return for submitting to Federal and state regulation designed to
   ensure affordable national access by all citizens. The national
   telephone system has been established under a similar "social
   contract".  If the nation is not to be dangerously split into
   information rich and information poor classes, policy makers have
   about five years in which to choose a Federally provided National
   network, or a privately provided but nationally regulated network.

   During the development and maturation of the national network, policy
   makers should also be very attentive to its impact on the public
   switched telephone network (PSTN). The technology involved and the
   speed with which it is changing will only increase the potentially
   serious impact from the freedom of unregulated components of the
   telecommunications industry to pursue market solutions that will keep
   regulated companies from becoming viable players.  We must realize
   that we are about to enter a power struggle for the control of the
   information resources of the 21st century that promises to be every
   bit as harsh and bruising as the power struggle for natural resources
   was at the end of the last century.

   While the intentions of most appear to be good, as this study has
   shown, the playing field is terribly confused. Gigabit technology (if
   properly understood) is desirable. Still we should take great care
   that its cost does not raise the price of low bandwidth or "low end"
   entry into the network.

   Lack of a specific definition of communities to be served, lack of an
   agreed upon plan for how they shall be served, and lack of funds to
   serve everyone have combined to create the present chaotic situation
   in which many of the players have been motivated primarily by a
   desire to increase their institutional role in order to get larger
   Federal allocations of funds.

   In the absence of both a well-thought-out plan agreed to by all
   parties and adequate monetary support, the grand push to accelerate
   both the speed and scope of the technology could have the ironic role



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   of weakening the entire foundation of the network.  Until the
   Congress provides more direction, the squabbling that has developed
   is likely to continue.  In the absence of such direction, at best
   large sums of public funds may be ineffectively spent, and at worst a
   picture of empire building could emerge that would make any Federal
   support for research or educational networking unlikely.

   Such an outcome should be avoided because the potential of a well
   designed and developed network to do great good in both policy arenas
   is very significant.  Unfortunately with the NSF under mounting
   criticism, ANS on the defensive and rumored to be financially
   weakened, and Congressional hearings scheduled for mid-March, the
   potential for a destructive free-for-all is very great.

Security Considerations

   Security issues are not discussed in this memo.

Author's Address

   Gordon Cook, Editor and Publisher
   COOK Report on Internet
   431 Greenway Ave
   Ewing, NJ 08618

   Phone: [phone]
   EMail: [e-mail]
























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