[2020] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Interconnectivity
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (drw@BOURBAKI.MIT.EDU)
Fri Jan 17 21:09:14 1992
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 92 21:07:18 EST
From: drw@BOURBAKI.MIT.EDU
To: com-priv@psi.com
In-Reply-To: <199201171839.AA28789@teal.csn.org> "daveh@csn.org"
From: Dave Hughes <daveh@csn.org>
No, I think we should think about what interoperability and connectivity
SHOULD evolve into. Which, for me, is simple. Total, global,
interoperability and connectivity - flat rate. Radical idea? I don't
think so.
I would like to second the idea of total interconnectivity. After
all, the world phone system does it, and does it fairly well, despite
the amazing number of different suppliers. They're also thinking of
having multiple local phone companies in some cities. (And you get to
keep your phone number when you switch dial-tone suppliers!)
Flat-rate, however, sounds considerably less likely. What winds up
happening is that some people wind up overpaying and some underpaying,
and then suppliers starts discriminating against customers on whom
they will likely lose money. (This sort of cream-skimming is causing
amazing problems in the insurance business.)
But is non-flat rate so bad? After all, we pay more for longer
long-distance calls, and we don't think that that's unfair.
But total interconnectivity is a necessity. We can live with choosing
our long-distance company, even on a call-by-call basis (since it's a
computer that's doing the work). But we can't live with "Oh, no, I've
got MCI and so I can't call Peoria!" Too much of that, and people
will continue to use the telephone system to move data.
Might I also suggest that the Internet has outgrown the need for a
government subsidy? It's pretty clear that commercial enterprises
believe that they can make money in the Internet business. (I can
think of at least three vendors myself.) "Well, if I call Peoria via
MCI I have to adhere to their AUP, but if I use AT&T, they will kick
back 50 cents to my local phone co, which might reduce the rates for
local phone service..." Bleah!
Dale Worley Dept. of Math., MIT drw@math.mit.edu
