ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION
1200 W. WASHINGTON
PHOENIX, AZ. 85007

COMMISSION OKAYS INTERNET AND
COMMUNICATIONS DISCOUNTS FOR SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES

Corporation Commissioners have approved a discount schedule that will allow Arizona schools and libraries to obtain discounts on Internet and telephone service that range from 20% to 90%. The more rural the school district or library service area, and the higher the percentage of low-income students, the greater the discounts. Income is measured by the proportion of students eligible for free school lunch programs. The commission decision makes it possible for Arizona schools and libraries to apply for part of $2.25 billion in universal service fund money that will become available January 1, 1998.

Chairman Carl Kunasek said, "This is an appropriate step toward making sure that school children in Arizona have access to modern technology". He added, "This decision puts the latest communications technology within the financial reach of the most remote schools and libraries in our state, which are often the institutions with the greatest need".

Schools will file a technology plan. Once approved, the school will be able to choose any commercially available telecommunications service. They will be billed at the discounted rate, and the service provider will collect the difference from the universal service fund administrator.