[2441] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Billing phillosophy
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jack Haverty)
Fri Feb 28 12:14:45 1992
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 92 08:57:13 PST
From: Jack Haverty <jhaverty@us.oracle.com>
To: redmiston@gte.com
Cc: com-priv@psi.com
In-Reply-To: redmiston@gte.com's message of Thu, 27 Feb 92 10:57:01 -0500 <9202271557.AA27029@bunny.gte.com>
Hi Dick -- good summary, I like the curve, although it feels to me more like a
linear spectrum - from 100% traffic based to 100% fixed rate. And there's lots
of room for vendor creativity, with things like capped monthly charges, off-peak
discounts, etc.
One other point I'd make - "traffic based" does not equate to traffic counting.
It should include other factors, like distance I would expect. Surely sending
traffic across a state should cost less than across a country which should cost
less than across an ocean. At least that's the user's (my) *perception*, so
that the actual pricing has to make me not think that I'm paying for something I
can't use or convince me that my perception is wrong.
There's been a lot of work in the last few years on Internet Accounting. Does
it now provide the technology to support these kinds of product pricing
structures? Are any of the commercial carriers (i.e., anyone who charges for
service; I know you're out there...) planning to implement anything they can
talk about?
Jack
