[1415] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Volume-sensitive charging
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Martin Schoffstall)
Sun Sep 29 16:49:09 1991
In-Reply-To: <910928174153.70f8@SDG.DRA.COM>
Date: Sun, 29 Sep 91 15:25:24 -0400
To: "Sean Donelan" <SEAN@SDG.DRA.COM>
Cc: com-priv@psi.com
From: "Martin Schoffstall" <schoff@mail.psi.net>
Reply-To: schoff@psi.com
Some service providers such as PSI put contractural guarantees on
certain aspects of internetworking, provide backup capabilities etc..
However, many organizations are only interested in how many bps/$ they
get, and all other issues aren't even considered.
Marty
>DATE: Sat, 28 Sep 1991 17:41:53 CDT
>FROM: Sean Donelan <SEAN@SDG.DRA.COM>
>
>>who said the quote:" i remember when we spent time worrying that our packets
>>just got there, and now we worry about how they get there?"
>
>The problem isn't that bad when the packets get there. The harder problem
>is what happens when the packets don't get there.
>
>With the current Internet providers all you get for your flat rate pipe is
>the right to compete. If your packets don't get through, oh well. You pay
>the same rate whether or not your packets ever reach their destination. That
>flat rate can be real cheap if those packets make it, but how much is it worth
>if those packets don't.
>
>For a small college in New England that paid $$$ for a flat rate subscription
>to a database in St. Louis this turns into a PR nightmare when the network
>flames out every day. The database provider can try to be understanding, but
>they aren't getting any money to keep the network running. All they can tell
>the college is to try to get the people paid to run the network to fix it, or
>pay the database provider to manage their own line to St. Louis.
>
>No refunds for lost packets.
>--
>Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO
>Domain: sean@sdg.dra.com, Voice: (Work) +1 314-432-1100
>
