tmallory@PARK-STREET.BBN.COM (04/26/88)
Before we sit back and let the new marketing department build us a tarif, we might want to look again at the type-of-service issues and how they ought to be included into the new scheme. Without belaboring an obvious point, it is clear that there are different types of network usage that could reasonably be charged at different rates if they were mapped onto appropriate types of service. The network would have to actually provide different services in order to charge for them, but it ought to cost more for high-reliability(an internet VC?), or guaranteed low delay, or high-bandwidth schedule to deadline (perhaps charged by bandwidth*connect-time). Given the current IP, provide a low basic rate for traffic with TOS=0 which will leave the existing situation unchanged: fight for your share of whatever is available. Then give better service for more money when someone wants it. There probably ought to be an option for even cheaper refusable service that could be used by most mailers(4th class/bulk rate), and for other time-insensitive file-transfers. 'Nuff said. Cheers, Tracy Mallory BBNCC