[9139] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: The Buffalo Free-Net / NYSERNet / PSI problems
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Lars Poulsen)
Sat Dec 18 21:04:41 1993
Date: Sun, 19 Dec 93 01:09:59 +0100
From: lars@eskimo.cph.cmc.com (Lars Poulsen)
To: com-priv@psi.com
In-Reply-To: <199312181202.HAA08152@otter.cs.rochester.edu>
As I understood the issue, it was this: PSI has a number of dial-in
terminal access modem banks around the country, which can be used to
telnet to any PSI customer site. Buffalo Freenet had a number of users
that were not actually in Buffalo, NY, but just got the accounts there,
because "hey, it's a free account, and I can get to it by a local call".
These users were tying up ports on the dial-in access points, crowding
out the travelling NYSERNET (etc) users for whom the access was
intended. Putting in specific filters to prevent this, was a real
nuisance for PSI.
Sounds like a non-zero incremental cost to me; specific in nature to
serving a free-net. Freenet sites have strange geographic customer
distributions. I know people in California with accounts on Freenet
services in Canada, Ohio and Colorado. Maybe this will diminish, when
there are freenet sites everywhere, but I doubt it. These are the kind
of people who think nothing of using a remote access port for hours on
other people's money, but are too cheap to pay $10/month for an account
on the local almost-free-internet-access-site.
Much as I hate for the BFN people to get cut off, I can se why PSI may
have had no choice if they want to have reasonable relations with their
other customers.
--
/ Lars Poulsen Internet E-mail: lars@CMC.COM
CMC Network Products Phone: (011-) +45-31 49 81 08
Hvidovre Strandvej 72 B Telefax: +45-31 49 83 08
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