June 1, 2000

Joyce Purnick Metro Matters column discusses Daniel Gross, whose brother Matthew was shot on top of Empire State Building three years ago; Daniel Gross discusses how shooting changed his life and his becoming public advocate for gun control; photo (M)

Peter H Lewis (State of the Art) article says despite claims by wireless telephone giants Nokia of Finland and Ericsson of Sweden that third generation of Internet-based mobile phone applications are on the horizon, the so-called 3G phones are still several years away for most of the world, according to Swedish researchers and and wireless services developers; says when 3G devices are available they may not even be recognized as phones because voice conversations will be just one of their many capabilities; says researchers believe 3G devices will replace cell phones, allowing people to access an almost seemingly endless array of personal services (M)

Federal Communications Commission and many leading phone companies agree on plan to cut long distance rates to pass along to consumers benefits of $3.2 billion cut in access fees companies pay local phone companies; FCC hails plan as largest rate cut ever; plan calls for biggest savings for less-affluent consumers, with less-significant cuts for other consumers and businesses; could ultimately lead to flat rate for long-distance service; consumer groups and analysts note government cannot force companies to pass savings on to consumers and question whether they will do so; photo (M)

Game industry experts say picture of online gamer as a young incipient sociopath is inaccurate and that today's Internet gamers are more likely to be be interested in playing classic games such as hearts, bridge and checkers; says about 50 percent of Web site gamers are over age 30; Bruce Ryon, executive with new-media group at Media Metrix, says much of appeal of these games is their simplicity; says people want games that 'don't require a great learning curve'; photos; chart on Internet game sites (M)

U.S. and Phone Companies Agree to Some Rate Cuts The federal government and many of the nation's telephone companies agreed to a reshuffling of phone rates that would reduce the bills of tens of millions of less affluent consumers and lead to less significant cuts for other consumers and businesses. Officials said the reductions, part of an agreement and an order by the Federal Communications Commission, amounted to the largest rate cut in the history of federal telephone regulation. [Page A1.]