Connecticut Takes a Cautious First Step in Establishing a Statewide, Interactive, Distance Learning Cable Franchise Operator Interconnection.

Remote education has arrived in Connecticut and is promising to expand, as this discussion of its development, progress, and difficulties demonstrates. In June 1993, state legislation mandated a feasibility study of ways to bring about bidirectional educational programming among Connecticut's 26 cable-franchise operators. Cost allocation for the remote educational architecture remains an undefined area with the question of what franchisers and the state should pay, undecided. Another issue is that of the legal implications of local access. Connecticut has not yet adopted a regulatory stance for these issues but is suggesting a focus on community needs. Equipment provisioning is another area that is not yet defined, although 14 of the 26 operators have begun some distance-education efforts. Of additional interest are the role of national organizations and companies and questions of ensuring the quality of programming. Connecticut franchise operators are poised to fit into developing systems and are beginning to replace unidirectional coaxial cable with bidirectional fiber-optic cable to facilitate development. A map locates the state's cable operators. (SLD)