ulmo@ssyx.ucsc.edu (Brad Allen) (06/10/89)
[copied without permission from Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 9, 1989, Section B] SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Pacific Bell said Thursday it hopes to compete with the popularity of television by offering people easy access to computerized libraries, bulletin boards and the use of electronic mail. PacBell's California Online -- which will be available to anybody with a personal computer, telephone and calling card -- will be among the first in the nation to use a graphic-based system that simplifies procedures so only a rudimentary familiarity with computers is needed. "It's going to offer our customers a supplement to their current leisure activities ... and among other things we've seen (in trials) a lot of people who got away from the TV," said Roger P. Conrad, director of Videotex Gateway Services. "We feel this is a more productive way for people to spend their lives and we think a lot of users are going to agree," he added. Users will pay "info-entrepreneurs" fees based on the time they use various services and will be billed on their monthly telephone statements. Unlike some online information services, users do not have to subscribe ahead of time. Conrad said the types of services are limited only by vendors' imaginations. PacBell will make money by selling telecommunication line use to the companies. ====================================== I would like to know the point of contact for more information, since this is precisely my current field of interest (even though it has been my major pastime for the last five years already). Also on the same page right next to it is an article titled "Digital Revolution promises social, financial upheavals" By Michael W. Miller, The Wall Street Journal [12 paragraphs] (which I know from the title must be correct in gist).
elg@killer.dallas.tx.us (Eric Green) (06/11/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0193m02@vector.dallas.tx.us>, ulmo@ssyx.ucsc.edu (Brad Allen) says: > PacBell's California Online -- which will be available to anybody with a > personal computer, telephone and calling card -- will be among the first in > the nation to use a graphic-based system that simplifies procedures so only > a rudimentary familiarity with computers is needed. Hmmm. I wonder if PacBell will do what SW Bell did when they signed a contract with some company for introducing a teletext service using modified MiniTel equipment. It's interesting that in both Texas and Oklahoma, they subsequently re-classified all "free" public access BBS's as "businesses" (though it is being fought in the PUC of both states). And a telephone installer here noted that South Central Bell has ordered them to report any computer equipment they see while installing new lines... signs of future BBS pogroms? And some people want to deregulate the "Baby Bells" even further? Sheesh. -- Eric Lee Green P.O. Box 92191, Lafayette, LA 70509 ..!{ames,decwrl,mit-eddie,osu-cis}!killer!elg (318)989-9849 "I have seen or heard 'designer of the 68000' attached to so many names that I can only guess that the 68000 was produced by Cecil B. DeMille." -- Bcase
erict@flatline.uucp (J. Eric Townsend) (06/12/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0193m02@vector.dallas.tx.us> ulmo@ssyx.ucsc.edu (Brad Allen) writes: [about PacBell's new data info service] Here in Houston, SWB and U.S. Videotel have been importing Minitel terminals and software to set up a service that sounds exactly like the one that PacBell is offering. A word of warning: at the same time, SWB is trying to charge all BBS operators business rates regardless of whether the BBS operator charges for the service. Whether it was an ill-timed move, or a diabolical plot is unknown. BBS operators have filed suit. People in PacBell's area should keep an eye out, just in case. If you're interested, there is a FIDO echo (called "fightbell", I think) and a usenet newsgroup for Texas (tx.cosuard, named after the coalition that has filed suit against SWB). -- Grep sed "awk! man cut grep, edit banner false! get help!" Man disable grep, split banner, join prof admin. Grep mount eqn, find path. Grep echo spell. False cat kill admin, man. Grep find banner, make true message. J. Eric Townsend-flatline!erict EastEnders Maillist: eastender@flatline.UUCP
edell%garnet.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Richard Edell) (06/13/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0193m02@vector.dallas.tx.us> ulmo@ssyx.ucsc.edu (Brad Allen) writes: >[copied without permission from Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 9, 1989, Section B] >SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Pacific Bell said Thursday it hopes to compete with >the popularity of television by offering people easy access to computerized >libraries, bulletin boards and the use of electronic mail. > PacBell's California Online -- which will be available to anybody with a >personal computer, telephone and calling card -- will be among the first in >the nation to use a graphic-based system that simplifies procedures so only >a rudimentary familiarity with computers is needed. > "It's going to offer our customers a supplement to their current leisure >activities ... and among other things we've seen (in trials) a lot of >people who got away from the TV," said Roger P. Conrad, director of >Videotex Gateway Services. > "We feel this is a more productive way for people to spend their lives >and we think a lot of users are going to agree," he added. > Users will pay "info-entrepreneurs" fees based on the time they use >various services and will be billed on their monthly telephone statements. >Unlike some online information services, users do not have to subscribe >ahead of time. > Conrad said the types of services are limited only by vendors' >imaginations. PacBell will make money by selling telecommunication line >use to the companies. I believe Pacific Bell is talking about their recently approved 900 ICS (Information Calling Services). Pacific Bell 900 ICS is an intra-LATA service only (i.e. to cover all of California would require telephone lines (and equipment) in all 10 California LATAs, furthermore calls from outside of California would not be permitted). If I were thinking about becoming a Videotex Information Provider I would seriously consider the 900 services available through the long distance companies (AT&T, MCI, Sprint, Telesphere, et. al.). The per minute charges for 900 via IEC (long distance company) are greater but the simplicity of ONE set of phone lines in ONE location outweigh the increased per minute costs. If you were interested in Pacific Bell's Videotex services I would call the Mr. Conrad mentioned in the AP story you lifted -- a starting point would be to call 811-4976 (CA only, otherwise (213) 975-4976). -Richard Edell (edell@garnet.berkeley.edu) (UCB EECS student and 976 Information Provider) The above opinions are my own (but not exclusively mine).
peter@uunet.uu.net (06/13/89)
Eric Lee Green writes: > Hmmm. I wonder if PacBell will do what SW Bell did when they signed a > contract with some company for introducing a teletext service using > modified MiniTel equipment. It's interesting that in both Texas and > Oklahoma, they subsequently re-classified all "free" public access > BBS's as "businesses"... I suspect that their decision to base their new service on incompatible V.23 (I think: 1200/75 baud) modems is a fallback position. That is, even if they lose they can claim they're opening up a new market rather than entering an old one... so they don't have to provide equal access or anything like it. -- Peter da Silva, Xenix Support, Ferranti International Controls Corporation. Business: uunet.uu.net!ficc!peter, peter@ficc.uu.net, +1 713 274 5180. Personal: ...!texbell!sugar!peter, peter@sugar.hackercorp.com.
hart@cp1.cp.bell-atl.com (Rod Hart - Director Minicomputer Tech. Support) (06/14/89)
Gateway Services are not that earth shattering around here. Bell Atlantic Companies have been trialing them for quite some time. The key is how to provide it and cover cost within Judge Greene's rules. -- Signed by: Rod Hart (WA3MEZ) Minicomputer Technical Support District Chesapeake & Potomac Tel. Co. - A Bell Atlantic Company
rhc@pacbell.com (Robert Cohen) (06/20/89)
Brad (and others),
I'll pass along the telephone numbers for more info our marketing people
are putting out. I'm not in that area so I know nothing about planned
offerings.
For more information, contact:
Information Services Group sales center on 811-7704 or the product
manager on 415/867-7046. Out-of-state customers may call collect
on 415/867-7704.
Hope this helps!
--
Robert Cohen San Ramon, California {att,bellcore,sun,ames,pyramid}!pacbell!rhc
415-823-1460 rhc@PacBell.COM