Byron Dorgan: “The telecommunications bill is the first substantial change in telecommunications law since the 1930's. All of us know…”

“The telecommunications bill is the first substantial change in telecommunications law since the 1930's. All of us know what has happened in this country to communication since the 1930's. I mean, it is breathtaking the kinds of changes we have seen in the communications industry and for everybody in this country. So when this Congress sits down and decides to make changes to law--and we should and must--the question is, How will those changes affect our country? Who will they affect? What will they affect? One of the things I have been very concerned about is the issue of universal service for telephone service. You know, it is more costly to have telephone service in a town of 100 people in South Dakota, North Dakota, or Montana, than it is to have telephone service in New York City. Why is that? Well, because the fixed costs of providing telephone service in New York can be spread over millions of phone instruments, but in Grenora, ND, the fixed costs are spread over relatively few telephones. But is the telephone in Grenora, ND, or Regent, ND, any less important than the telephone in New York City? No. One is used to call the other. The absence of one makes the other less valuable.”