[11136] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: What is an "Internet reseller"?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Miles R Fidelman)
Tue Mar 22 10:56:49 1994
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 1994 08:16:02 -0500 (EST)
From: Miles R Fidelman <fidelman@civicnet.org>
To: com-priv@psi.com
In-Reply-To: <199403220155.RAA23843@netcom9.netcom.com>
On Mon, 21 Mar 1994, Glenn S. Tenney wrote:
> Let's take SLIP alone for a moment...
>
> If I want to offer a SLIP-only dedicated-line service, I need:
>
> * an incoming phone line with a modem
> * a port on a router
> * a connection to some net
>
> That's all.
>
> And note, that ALL of those resources that I have to purchase are already
> flat rated to me -- there are NO usage charges for ANY of them.
>
> Why then shouldn't I charge you a flat rate too?
>
Ahhh, but the price to me as a customer includes the per minute charges
of my local telco - no flat rate for business customers. Sort of
strange though, since they'll charge me $18/mo. for a phone line if I
don't make any outgoing calls.
This is what all the fuss is about unbundling local loop services. Seems
to me that you could REALLY offer flat rate service, and I could buy it,
if your equipment was colocated in the telco central office and if you
could directly connect to the local loop copper at a flat rate -- without
having to go through the central office switch (which, unlike the copper,
really is a congestible resource for which usage pricing is reasonable).
**************************************************************************
Miles R. Fidelman mfidelman@civicnet.org
Executive Director 91 Baldwin St. Charlestown MA 02129
The Center for Civic Networking 617-241-9205 fax: 617-241-5064
Check out our gopher server:
CCN - The Center for Civic Networking
on the list of all gopher servers in the world.
Information Infrastructure: Public Spaces for the 21st Century
Let's Start With: Internet Wall-Plugs Everywhere
Then We Can Worry About: "Switched, Interactive, Broadband Services"
**************************************************************************
