daemon@ucbvax.UUCP (08/29/84)
From @MIT-MC:Telecom-Request@MIT-MC Tue Aug 28 14:51:34 1984
TELECOM Digest Tuesday, 28 Aug 1984 Volume 4 : Issue 75
Today's Topics:
Alternate carrier quality
Re: TELECOM Digest V4 #74
MCI Service
TELECOM Digest V4 #74
long distance service quality
Re: long distance service quality
headsets
long distance service
SBS Skyline service
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Date: Mon, 27 Aug 84 19:02:40 pdt
From: (Mike O'Dell[x-csam]) mo@lbl-csam
Subject: Alternate carrier quality
The latest issue of Data Communications has a very long and detailed
article describing some actual MEASUREMENTS they did of the various
long-distance carriers. Their measurements were biased toward how
well the circuit would carry data, but this generally reflects overall
circuit quality. The best was Allnet, I believe, with SBS Skyline a
very close second, with AT&T a not-quite-as-close third. The big
advantage AT&T had was with circuit set-up time and the average number
of calls per sucessful connection. Skyline would have done as well in
the calls per connection category, but their circuits are noticeably
slower to set up.
The tests seem to have been quite well thought out. They used very
sophisticated analog and digital test gear at each end of a New York/
San Fransisco call placed from the SFO end each time. They ran the
tests at various times between 0800 and 2200 Pacific time to get a
good sample of backbone loads, and they ran them repeatedly over a two
or three week period. They ran the analog loop measurements first
(all kinds of bandpass tests, phase distorsion, group delay
characteristics, etc.) with an automated test system on each end and
then kick in the digital circuit tester which included a set of
standard modems. They then ran bit error tests, block error tests,
burst length tests, and long message tests with traffic going one
direction at a time, and then with full-duplex traffic.
Anyway, this is worth looking up because it is the first real test I
have seen not conducted by the seat of the pants. I strongly suspect
they really wanted to have the results air-tight in case of legal
hassles. Anyway, I recommend the article to you.
Personal note: Since January, I have consistantly gotten better
circuits on with my SBS Skyline service than with AT&T (I regularly
A/B them), and my phone bill is dramatically lower. (No, I don't save
Green Stamps.)
-Mike O'Dell
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Date: Mon, 27-Aug-84 19:04:01 PDT
From: Lauren Weinstein <vortex!lauren@RAND-UNIX.ARPA>
Subject: Re: TELECOM Digest V4 #74
When it comes to technical issues, "Comsumer Reports" can be trusted
about as far as you can throw their building. They are real good when
it comes to conventional consumer products, but they are out of their
league when technical issues become involved.
--Lauren--
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Date: Mon, 27 Aug 84 22:25:12 pdt
From: <hplabs!intelca!cem@Berkeley>
Subject: MCI Service
I heard through the rumor mill at Central Telephone, (ie working
relative) that MCI has purchased easement rights on some undisclosed
rail line that runs through the country and plan on setting up optical
fibers for high bandwidth time multiplexed voice communication. Any
one have any further info?
--Chuck
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Date: 28 August 1984 13:05-EDT
From: "Marvin A. Sirbu, Jr." <SIRBU @ MIT-MC>
Subject: TELECOM Digest V4 #74
I wouldn't be surprised if personnel locator service is not in part a
casualty of divestiture. There has been a major battle before Judge
Greene over whether the CCIS Service Access Points (databases) belong
only to AT&T or whether the BOCs should have the right to use them
too. I wouldn't be surprised if this debate were delaying personal
locator service.
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Date: Tue, 28 Aug 84 10:32:56 PDT
From: "Theodore N. Vail" <vail@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA>
Subject: long distance service quality
Lauren Weinsten writes that the quality of AT&T long-distance service
is much higher than its competitors and goes on to state: "In a
couple of years, once the access issues settle down, the artificial
price differentials will vanish and AT&T should be as cheap, if not
cheaper, than the other services. At which point, anybody who hassles
with the "toy" carriers is getting what he or she deserves."
He is, of course, correct. However the competitive services (e.g.
sprint) offer billing services not matched by AT&T. Moreover AT&T's
closest approach is quite expensive.
When I am at a friend's home (or at a business telephone) I can use
sprint service without paying a surcharge (for operator assistance or
use of credit card) and without having to reimburse my friend for the
cost of the call.
I realize that this flexible billing was essentially "forced" on the
competitive services. However it is the reason I use sprint when not
at my home or my office. Until AT&T provides an equivalent service at
the equivalent price, there will be a major niche for competitive
services
-- even if the quality of the connection is much lower.
ted
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Date: Tue, 28 Aug 84 08:14:34 PDT
From: David Alpern <ALPERN%ibm-sj.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa>
Subject: Re: long distance service quality
Lauren,
I agree with you completely. But in some areas AT&T isn't any better.
From Boston to Chicago, for example, AT&T sounds like you're next
door. From Sunnyvale to Chicago, it might as well be the moon --
Sprint gives consistently better connections, with less background
noise and less echo.
My father just picked up service with SPS. WOW! AT&T is no
comparison for clearness of the line, although we don't have enough
experience yet to tell if lost connections and other such occurences
are a problem.
- Dave
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Date: 28 Aug 84 1427 EDT (Tuesday)
From: Richard H. Gumpertz <Rick.Gumpertz@CMU-CS-A.ARPA>
Subject: headsets
Anybody know anything about Nady Systems, Inc. at 1145 65th Street,
Oakland, CA 94608, phone (415) 652-7632? They offer "EasyTalk"
headsets, models TH-15H (full headband) and TH-15E (over the ear) for
$29.95 and $27.95 respectively. These prices include a line-powered
amplifire which plugs in series with the regular handset. UPS
delivery is also included.
They also market various wireless microphones, two way 49MHz
communicators, etc., all at fairly low prices.
Is the stuff any good?
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Date: 27 Aug 84 23:53:05 PDT (Mon)
From: Jeff Dean <jeff@aids-unix>
Subject: long distance service
I agree with Lauren that the alternative carriers are often useless
for conducting serious business. I too use AT&T when I have
"important" calls to make. However, I don't share his view of the
future. For those of use who have used the alternative carriers over
the past few years (my particular experiences were with Sprint and
MCI), it is obvious that they have improved their services
dramatically (and they appear to be continuing in that direction. On
the other hand, I think that AT&T service has already started to
deteriorate, and I'll bet that the financial woes of AT&T will
eventually result in further deteriorization of service.
AT&T is a very different company now. It is a mistake to assume that
their future products and services will bear any semblance to what
they have done in the past.
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Date: Tue 28 Aug 84 17:30:40-EDT
From: Jon Solomon <M.JSOL@MIT-EECS>
Subject: SBS Skyline service
I've used them for about the past year and have found that their
quality is not a match for AT&T. Most of the time the volume of the
connection is quite low, lower than SPC or MCI even, and occasionaly,
we get a line which has a delayed response time. You almost have to
think you have a simplex (half duplex) line. Ugh, I thought we gave up
half duplex back in the '60s.
In addition, BBN has direct lines to MCI's toll switch, and the
quality is quite good, which leads me to believe that they will be the
quality leader when equal access comes to town.
The only thing SBS Skyline service has that AT&T doesn't have is cost
effectiveness. SBS charges are quite good, the best in the industry
(except if you are calling one of Allnet's best trunks).
Oh, one more thing. I just picked up AT&T's Reach out America service.
You get 50% off on evening calls (50% off the daytime rate, that is -
35% normal, plus an additional 15% for belonging to the plan), and
night/weekend calls cost $11.30 for the first hour, and $8.50 for each
additional hour. If you make all your calls at night, and on weekends,
you can save more money than using SBS Skyline service, *or* Allnet.
Not as good as I had hoped, but still the best you can do.
Cheers,
--JSol
p.s. it's going to be very interesting to note the next year or two as
"equal access" becomes the norm.
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End of TELECOM Digest
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