Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 24, 1994 TAG: 9404250124
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Mark Wright wants an outfit like SprintNet or TymeNet to establish a local access node in this area, and is collecting signatures on petitions requesting one. ``It's basically a local telephone number that redirects the call to the appropriate [computer network] company,'' he said.
The area is served by Sprint/United Telephone, but antitrust regulations prevent the telephone company from setting up such a node.
Still, the company recognizes that such demands will be coming down the information highway soon.
``The demand for the services is coming from the grass roots,'' Stephen Laek, distance learning manager with Sprint/United, told the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission at its annual spring meeting this month.
The Southwest Virginia Education and Training Network pushed by Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, is starting in Lee County with an effort aimed at tying all high schools, community colleges and four-year colleges and universities in the region together with video, voice and data. The New River Valley is doing an electronic magistrate arrangement program. The Southwest Virginia Mental Health Institute is looking at ways to analyze patients over distances rather than have them all come to Marion, he said.
``Similar things are popping up everywhere. How they all tie together will have to be a federal issue, of course, a state and a federal issue,'' he said. ``I think, for the most part, local emphasis is going to force these networks to grow first on a regional basis and then on a state and national basis.''
Wright has talked to the telephone company, a member of Boucher`s staff and other agencies in what was first an effort to cut his own computer long-distance costs. He has five hours a month with America Online before the charges begin, and it does not take long for them to accumulate.
As he talked to more people, he found local companies spending hundreds of dollars a month for dedicated telephone lines that could be eliminated with an access node. It could be a drawing card for new businesses that look at what communications facilities are available in communities, he said.
``I don't have anything personally to gain from this other than losing my long-distance charges, but it'll help the community a lot,'' particularly students, he said.
``Even if they don't have a computer, it will help the school system,'' he said. ``Educationally, it's pretty important to give the students a jump on this now. If they have experience with it, it'll give them an advantage.''
Wright grew up and worked on a farm in Ironto until a series of heart operations and other problems left him disabled. ``I do all right for a day or two, and then I'm no good for a week,'' he said. He now lives in Wytheville.
He has found a lot of forums for the disabled on his network, one of many available to computer users with modems, but long-distance charges stop many who could use the information from taking advantage of them, he said.
``We're not the end of the world up here,'' said Dennis Houseman of Rural Retreat, who has muscular dystrophy and has found helpful information in an MS support group in a computer network. ``You can talk to people all over the country,'' he said.
``There is just tons and tons of stuff,'' agreed Wright, from a homework hotline where students can get assistance , to up-to-date stock market reports. ``People just don't realize what's here. They don't know. I've been inviting some people over here to the house to show them.''
A quick demonstration of the groups and subject areas of America Online makes his point.
``There is so much stuff here that, after a year, if you had an access node, you still wouldn't know all that's here,'' he said. It is necessary for the user to direct his or her interests in cruising the information highway, he said, ``like, when you go to the library, you can't pull all the books out.''
People interested in learning more or signing Wright's petition can call him at 228-7027.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***