The National Science Foundation has been footing the bill for the Net
backbone, which is being turned over to a consortium of private trans-
nationals come either January or Spring, depending on who you read. It's
not hard to get a list of them. The backbone will develop in the US out
of four megasites as well, upgrading the equipment and increasing the
speed/bandwidth. Universities pay for Internet access, as do all servers;
these are, I believe, primarily for the leased lines. Rates are expected
to increase next year as a result of privatization.
Alan