NEWS                                                         March 20, 1995

    CHAIRMAN HUNDT EMPHASIZES ROLE AND STAKE HIGHER EDUCATION HAS IN
                  BUILDING THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY

     In an address delivered today in Washington, DC, FCC Chairman Reed E. Hundt told
the American Association of Higher Education, "Communications over the information
highway is the key invention of our age."  

     He told his audience that institutions of higher education have a stake in ensuring
there is competition in the building of the information superhighway and in ensuring that it is
available to their future students. 

     "Competition is the first and most important factor in increasing access because it will
make communications affordable. But competition alone is not enough to connect the
classrooms. We must work together to ensure all of our children, and not just the lucky few,
have access to the tools of the communications revolution. "

     Chairman Hundt noted that many fine universities and private schools have or soon
will have access to the highway.  The challenge he put to his audience was to work for
universal access of all our schools so that the gap between the haves and the have nots will
be bridged and not widened. 

     "If we do not work to make this vision a reality, the information highway will become
a cutting wedge when it should be the cutting edge."

     "These goals are realistic.  Working together can make a difference.  . . .  I'm
challenging you to help address this issue wisely and creatively."

                                  - FCC -