riddle@hoss.unl.edu (Michael H. Riddle) (12/24/90)
The following cross-posted information is extracted from alt.cosuard.
Can anyone in Indiana or a closely neighboring state provide any
details on this?
>From: BILL BLOMGREN - Sysop: St. Pete Programmers Exchange RIME: PETEX
Well ... thought I would pass this tidbit of bad news along ... GTE
Indiana prevailed against the BBS systems there ... ALL BBS's in GTE's
area there are now at BUSINESS RATES. Which means $50 per month base
rates, plus MUCH higher long distance charges.
Indiana Bell ... has filed the same tariff with the PUC (Public
Utilities Commission) there, making it state wide.
Needless to say, GTE has a history of going after the little guy, so
you can expect it here in the REAL near future! I expect it nation-
wide in the near future. In Indiana, they decided that THE PHONE
COMPANY can decide that your residence is a business, and charge high
rates to all service incoming.
Unfortunately, the courts agreed with them.
Ain't Monopolies Nice???
-----
Not a nice situation huh? We didn't need a precedent to be set like
this ... now this paves the way for other companies to follow suit.
It'll be interesting to watch the nodelist to see if the nets in
Indiana (201 in Lafayette, 227 in South Bend, 230 in the Gary Area,
231 in Indy, 236 in Ft. Wayne/NE IN and 2230 in Terre Haute and 11/15
in Evansville) start shrinking.
Paul
UUCP: crash!pro-lep!shiva
ARPA: crash!pro-lep!shiva@nosc.mil
INET: shiva@pro-lep.cts.com
--- End of Cross Posting ---
<<<< insert standard disclaimer here >>>>
riddle@hoss.unl.edu | University of Nebraska
postmaster%inns@iugate.unomaha.edu | College of Law
mike.riddle@f27.n285.z1.fidonet.org | Lincoln, Nebraska, USAJack.Winslade@iugate.unomaha.edu (Jack Winslade) (01/04/91)
>The following cross-posted information is extracted from alt.cosuard. I'm not gonna say that the ENTIRE article was bovine doo-doo, but ... >area there are now at BUSINESS RATES. Which means $50 per month base >rates, plus MUCH higher long distance charges. The last clause of the last sentence definitely reeks, and this should be obvious to readers of this conference. Businesses often pay LESS than residence users for some services, and long distance charges are one area in which they can save, if they are large enough to negotiate rates or if they get a few points off through an aggregator. (Yes, I know, most business calls are during the day. So what. ;-) Another area where businesses pay less than 'civilians' is cellular services. Corporate accounts (directly) with the carrier are often substantially less than the extortive rates given with that <quote> FREE <end quote> cellular phone with four new tires from Midnight Auto Supply. But again, back to my point. {mounting high horse} I am getting sick of this endless-loop 'the sky is falling' {modem tax | business rate | BBS law} rumor that keeps playing ad nauseam. In 1985 there was supposed to be this New Federal Law coming Real Soon Now that would put all kinds of clamps on BBS systems. When the text of the bill surfaced, it was nothing more than a well-intentioned kiddie-porn law that included digitized video among the media with movie film, videotape, and mimeograph on paper towels. Since then, the same story, altered slightly each iteration, keeps coming back regularly. This (Indiana) affair may be a REAL concern of the BBS community, but they (the ubiquitous 'they') have cried 'wolf' so many times that people are thinking that all stories along the line are caca, especially when they include a genuine road-apple like the 'higher long-distance rates'. {dismounting from high horse} Any ideas ?? Good Day! JSW
Mike.Riddle@iugate.unomaha.edu (Mike Riddle) (01/09/91)
In a previous post, Mr. Winslade discusses the allegations recently that reclassification of BBSes as "businesses" for ratemaking purposes would result in higher long distance charges as "bovine doo-doo." Perhaps, but what exactly are the differences in the "FCC mandated line access charges" between residences and businesses? I may be wrong, but thought that I heard, way back when this good-intentioned but poorly-thought-out access charge business started, that businesses got hit harder. Anyone know? Ybbat (DRBBS) 8.9 v. 3.12 r.5 [1:285/27@fidonet] Neb. Inns of Court 402/593-1192 (1:285/27.0)
Jim.Redelfs@iugate.unomaha.edu (Jim Redelfs) (01/12/91)
> Perhaps, but what exactly are the differences in the "FCC mandated line > access charges" between residences and businesses? I may be wrong, but > thought that I heard, way back when this good-intentioned but > poorly-thought-out access charge business started, that businesses got > hit harder. > Anyone know? A quick call to the Business (as opposed to Residence) Business Office (I forgot this week's acronym!) reveals that the Federal Access Charge for a 1FB (flat-rate Business line) just went down this week from $4.82 to $4.71 - a reduction? I'm impressed! Currently, the RESIDENTIAL charge, per line, is $3.50. God bless Harold Greene. JR Copernicus V1.02 Elkhorn, NE [200:5010/666.14] (200:5010/2.14)