Telecom%usc-eclb@brl-bmd.UUCP (08/08/83)
TELECOM Digest Sunday, 7 Aug 1983 Volume 3 : Issue 47
Today's Topics:
Deregulation/Networks & Modems
Rising Phone Costs
Information Terminal Rate
Recent Discussions Revisited
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Date: Wednesday, 3-Aug-83 01:18:19-PDT
From: Lauren Weinstein <vortex!lauren@LBL-CSAM>
Subject: Deregulation/Networks & Modems
I have to admit that I, for one, was not completely convinced by the
FCC's arguments concerning bypass of telco facilities by private
communications networks. Though I normally shudder at the thought of
government intervention in such matters, I feel that the current
Congressional actions, if implemented, will at least partially restore
an element of fairness for residential customers. As many of you
know, I am not convinced that the breakup of the Bell System is in the
best interests of the average telephone customer. Private concerns
applauding the "new era" of deregulation may have reason to alter
their opinions when public pressure forces the reimplementation of
many regulatory rules. These rules will almost certainly end up being
less strict than they were in the first place, but I don't believe
that the current "anything goes" philosophy, both in
telecommunications and other commercial arenas, will indefinitely
persevere.
---
The mention of the firm "Telectric" here in Los Angeles brought back
many fond memories. Back in the old days before the rise of the
"phone stores", Telectric was one of the few reliable local sources
for legit, decommissioned telephone equipment suitable for use in
private switching systems and the like. Telectric was mentioned in a
previous Telecom digest as a source for telephone "networks" for use
with modems. I should point out that connecting such a network to the
telephone system in the manner described is illegal. You may only
legally connect FCC approved devices in their original form (that is,
most user modifications de-certify the FCC registration). The sort of
networks that were discussed, as far as I know, would not be FCC
certified after being removed from a phone, even if the phone itself
was originally under FCC certification.
--Lauren--
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From: David.Anderson@CMU-CS-G.ARPA
Subject: rising phone costs
The NBC Evening News had a special segment tonight on where the Bell
System split is taking us. Here's a summary of interesting tidbits
for TELECOM readers:
o Those whose phone bills are now under $40/mo (80% of us)
are going to wind up with higher bills, and soon. The
typical $10 bill will be $20-$25 next year, unless
someone (Congress?) does something.
o Experts are predicting that 10-15% of current subscribers
will terminate their service -- the poor, elderly, small
businesses that don't really need a phone, ...
o MCI alone has now captured 3% of the long distance market,
which was worth $1 billion last year.
A question for TELECOM readers: is there any hope at all for
alternative LOCAL phone service? Cellular? or how about cable?
--david
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Date: Thu, 4 Aug 83 00:14:38 PDT
From: jlapsley%D.CC@Berkeley
Subject: Information Terminal Rate
Below is a file I picked up off of the Moraga, CA, RIBBS (Remote
CP/M bulletin board system).
--- Start of forwarded message ---
Downloaded from CompuServe CEM-SIG (Use GO CEM-450) by Edward Huang
(with much grief to my CIS/Visa bill!) Take this seriously although
Pacific Telephone has been nicer to us than the Central or Eastern
Bell companies but with the planned divesture,..... we hope for the
best.
-Ed
#: 11618 Sec. 0 - GENERAL
Sb: **WARNING**
16-Jun-83 18:17:22
Fm: Rich 74055,1540
To: *ALL*
--> Bell/MODEM cont. <-THIS FILE CONTAINS THE ENTIRE STORY ON
THE BELL/MODEMMER BATTLE. IT IS QUITE LONG. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAVE IT
IN YOUR BUFFER AND PLACE IT ON OTHER SYSTEMS THAT IS FINE. - SOMETIME
IN EARLY MAY, 1983 I REQUESTED THAT A TRACER BE PLACED ON THE BBS
LINE. I HAD TO EXPLAIN THE KINDS OF CALLS I WAS RECEIVING, WHICH MEANT
THAT I HAD TO EXPLAIN THAT I HAD A MODEM. BELL ALREADY KNEW I HAD A
MODEM, AS I REGISTERED IT WITH THEM WHEN I FIRST SET UP THE BBS. THEY
DIDN'T DO THE TRACER (AT FIRST) BUT THEY SAID THAT SINCE I USED A
MODEM, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE INFORMATION TERMINAL RATE, WHICH IS
ABOUT 500% HIGHER THAN THE NORMAL PHONE RATE. FOR SEVERAL WEEKS I
ARGUED WITH THE BUSINES OFFICE REPS, TELLING THEM THAT THE RATE IS
ONLY FOR HIGH-SPEED LINES. I COULDN'T BELEIVE THAT ANYONE COULD PASS
A TARIFF THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY OUTLAW NON-COMMERCIAL MODEM USE IN
OKLAHOMA. (WHO CAN AFFORD TO PAY A 500% HIGHER PHONE BILL??)
--> Bell/MODEM cont. <-WELL, IT TURNS OUT THAT THEY CAN AND
WILL CHARGE FOR MODEM USE. THEY DON'T CARE IF YOU USE THE MODEM
24-HOURS-A-DAY, ONCE A WEEK OR ONCE A MONTH. THE RATE IS $45.90.
TOUCH-TONE ALSO GOES UP, FROM $1.25/MONTH TO $3.50/MONTH. - THANKS TO
JOE PUGARELLI, KOCO-TV CHANNEL 5 WAS INTERESTED IN THE STORY, AND
BROUGHT A CAMERA CREW HERE TO MY APARTMENT. I WAS ON THE NEWS THAT
NIGHT AS THE REPORTERS GRIMLY TOLD THE AUDIENCE THAT THEIR PHONE RATE
WAS GOING UP IF THEY USED A MODEM. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE FROM BELL
IN THE STORY. HOWEVER, FIVE DAYS LATER THEY RE-RAN THE STORY, THIS
TIME WITH BELL REPRESENTATIVES CONFIRMING THE ADDITIONAL CHARGES FOR
MODEMS.
--> Bell/MODEM cont. <-IN THE MEANTIME, ABOUT 2 WEEKS PRIOR
TO ANY NEWS COVERAGE, AN INFORMAL FIRST MEETING OF THE OKLAHOMA MODEM
USERS GROUP (OMUG) MET IN A MCDONALDS RESTAURANT WHERE AMONG OTHER
THINGS, A PETITION WAS RELEASED FOR DUPLICATION AND CIRCULATION.
HOWEVER, THE PETITION TURNED OUT TO BE VAGUE, AND FROM A LEGAL
STANDPOINT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING. THEREFORE, A NEW PETITION IS BEING
DRAWN UP, WHICH WILL BE VERY SPECIFIC IN STATING THAT TELEPHONE
SERVICE BE CLASSIFIED AS EITHER "BUSINESS" OR "RESIDENTIAL," WITH NO
REFERENCES TO MODEM USE, AS MODEM USE DOES NOT NECESSARILY CONSTITUTE
A BUSINESS, AND MODEM USE USES THE PHONE LINES IN THE SAME MANNER AS
VOICE CONVERSATION. - NOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN NEWS COVERAGE BY LOCAL
TELEVISION, AND REPORTERS FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL HAVE CALLED THE
PHONE COMPANY (AND ME), JUDY MCREYNOLDS, MANAGER OF THE NORMAN
BUSINESS OFFICE IS SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL WHICH WOULD BE A "COMPROMISE"
BETWEEN THE RESIDENTIAL RATES AND THE "INFORMATION TERMINAL RATE."
THIS PLAN IS BETTER THAN PAYING A 500% INCREASE, BUT STILL INVOLVES A
150-200% INCREASE FOR THE SAME SERVICE, WITH NO LOGICAL REASON FOR ANY
INCREASE. THEREFORE, I INFORMED MS. MCREYNOLDS THAT HER EFFORTS WERE
APPRECIATED, BUT HER PROPOSAL (IF ACCEPTED) WOULD STILL BE
"UNACCEPTABLE."
--> Bell/MODEM cont. <-THE ONLY WAY FOR US TO OVERCOME THIS
CRIPPLING TARIFF IS FOR US TO UNITE IN AN INTELLIGENT AND ORGANIZED
MANNER. I URGE ALL MODEM OWNERS IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA TO JOIN THE
OKLAHOMA MODEM USERS GROUP (OMUG). ONCE WE ARE UNITED INTO ONE LARGE
GROUP, WE CAN ALL MAKE INTELLIGENT DECISIONS, UNDER THE ASSISTANCE &
SUPERVISION OF AN ATTORNEY WHO IS EXPERIENCED IN THE AREA (I ALREADY
HAVE ONE LINED-UP). IF NECESSARY, WE CAN INCORPORATE AND PROCED TO
FILE A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE OKLAHOMA CORPORATION
COMMISSION AND SOUTHWESTERN BELL. WE WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE
THIS ACTION IF CONVENTIAL METHODS (MEDIA ATTENTION, PETITIONS) FAIL. -
IF YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ISN'T ALREADY ON THE OMUG MAILING LIST,
CONTACT ROBERT BRAVER IMMEDIATELY AT 360-7462, OR LEAVE
[Some text deleted which violates the spirit of TELECOM. --JSol]
I imagine that this is Bells' way of "testing the waters". If
an insuffeceint number of peaple raise an objection then I think it
would be a resonable prediction to say the other states will be hit
with this also. It has been pointed out by one member of the BBS that
not only Comp-u-serve, The Source, and Infotex will be affected but
the MODEM manufactures and the retailers will suffer as sales drop as
a result of this.
C u in a BIT.
Rich ( The Dragonfly ) 74055,1540
--- End of forwarded message ---
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Date: 4 Aug 83 04:46:45 EDT
From: Hobbit <AWalker@RUTGERS.ARPA>
Subject: recent discussions revisited
Flick on blowers, slam all dampers open, turn on scrubbers, check
supply pressure, engage ignition system....
Somehow this ''access charge'' for long distance calling seems utterly
bogus. For one thing, has anyone considered how much equipment usage
is devoted to calls that wind up busy or no answer?? Regardless of
completion status, there is still ''usage'' to connect party X with
party Y's phone, or at least make an attempt. For interoffice
signaling, it would seem that the maximum bottleneck would be lots of
''Hey, connect line Q over *there*'' requests, and once the connection
is established, maintaining it is relatively easy. Of course for
long-haul digitally- switched stuff, it's all just more bits. I'd
like to see you get people to pay willingly to listen to busy signals!
If you make it so long-distance capability is optional, how is someone
who didn't bother to get it supposed to call the folks in Omaha when
Grand-dad just had a coronary? Borrow a neighbor's line? Go use a
public phone? In other words, it's another concept that sounds pretty
screwy and will be very difficult to live with. Seems that the
carrier services can reap quite enough profit by billing for actual
use, with compensations for the abovementioned non-connection cases.
Another nit: Why do people with modems necessarily run up more usage
than anyone else? I can talk to someone two towns over [still a local
call, thank clod] for three hours, and then call a *closer* number and
spend half an hour reading mail and bboards. I think *anyone* who is
getting screwed because they use a modem sometimes should put up
maximum resistance. Maybe they'll get the idea someday. It also does
seem to be a gross invasion of privacy for TPC to ferret out modem
carriers like that. I rent my line from the phone company for the
purpose of placing calls and exchanging audio signals in either
direction, and the content or type of those signals are none of their
bloody business. Furthermore, since I am *not* a business, and not
using the modem for any kind of profit, I should not *conceivably* be
charged their so-called ''business rates''.
Twist down feed valves, close dampers, drain float bowls, shake down
the ash pit...
_H*
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End of TELECOM Digest
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