FIBER OPTIC UPGRADES LAUDED FOR MISSOURI

Many Missourians are familiar with the term, "Information Superhighway."

The Bill Clinton/Al Gore administration has mentioned the proposed network of fiber optic cables that will enable people to interact with each other over long distances, and ConnectMissouri, a group of Missourians dedicated to bringing optic cables to all areas in Missouri, have been shouting their support for a Southwestern Bell proposal making its way through the state legislature.

Bell officials say their proposal, if passed, would lead to a new fiber optic network that could benefit the health care industry, education, economic development and quality of life throughout Missouri.

Southwestern Bell's proposal and ConnectMissouri's discussion of Senate Bill 808 were topics of a special "Missouri Information Superhighway" workshop Monday.

The two-hour session, held at Cape Girardeau's Drury Lodge, attracted a large number of area educators, businessmen, health-care professionals and others.

"The main point of the Bell proposal to the legislature is simple," said David Newburger, executive director of ConnectMissouri. "Under the bill, Bell would invest at least $200 million a year in the state's fiber optic network, with $25 million of that earmarked specifically for schools, hospitals and law enforcement."

Basic rates would be frozen, added Newburger. "Any attempt by Bell to raise local rates would be subject to the Public Service Commission approval, and the PSC would oversee the construction of the information superhighway to see that all guidelines are met."

The basic rates referred to are the Southwestern Bell rates of today.

There is a battle going on in the courts between Southwestern Bell and the PSC, following a PSC ruling that Bell should refund $84 million to its customers.

"If those refunds are approved, that would eliminate the proposal in the state legislature," said Harry Watts, Southwestern Bell District Manager for Eastern Missouri. "There's no way we could do the project then. The proposal is that the rates be frozen as they are today."

The bill has cleared committee in the state legislature. "But, it's number 48," said Newburger. "It may not come up during this legislative session. If not, that means I'll be back next year."

"We feel this plan is good for you, your children, the area, the state and the nation," said Watt. "And we want to build this superhighway. Fiber optic cables give us more clarity and quality than the regular cables of today."

Watt added that the fiber optic program nationally would create more than 1.4 million jobs, adding more than $100 billion to the gross national product.

"It can help in so many ways," he said. "Health care will improve immediately, teachers are already experimenting with ways it will help education, and overall, it will mean a better quality of life."

In explaining the need for the new fiber optics, Newburger cited one example.

"A physician in Sikeston can now send an X-ray to an expert in St. Louis via cables," he said. "But he can't show a mammogram the same way. The clarity is not such that it will show up clearly. With the new fiber optic cables, the mammogram can be shown."

Newburger said that more than 1,200 people had visited Jefferson City to express their support for the Bell proposal, and that another 75,000 had expressed their interest by letters and telephone calls.

The plan is not without opposition, points out Newburger. "Much of the opposition is from competitors," he said. "The AARP is also against the plan."

Newburger said ConnectMissouri has joined together with full support from Bell Telephone, and has three goals for the Bell plan:

-- Create an advanced, interactive network.

-- Make it available to everyone.

-- Build the network with no increase in taxes or basic local telephone rates.

Although the bill was presented by Bell, other local telephone competitors could join in to help build the network and even compete with Southwestern Bell, Newburger said.

"What is all narrows down to is that this is going to happen," he added. "But unless this bill passes, it's going to happen only in major metropolitan areas where big business and affluent neighborhoods are within easy reach."

Rural areas, some portions of large cities, small school districts and hospitals with small budgets will be left out, he said.