vision2020@moscow.com: Proposed Internet charges

Proposed Internet charges

Gens Johnson (gens@moscow.com)
Sun, 23 Feb 1997 09:13:37 -0800

What is really disturbing about the local telephone companies' tactics is
their whine that they aren't getting the revenues to build a network that
can support all the "connect time" that Interent use will potentially
generate. Starting over a decade ago both US West and GTE started
installing ISDN capabilities in their central switching offices, and
including these costs in their rate bases. They have been charging every
telephone network subscriber for these improvements for all these years,
but have been irresponsible in not developing a viable marketing plan for
ISDN. Even the most basic ISDN service would enable a residential customer
to use a packet switching connection for Internet connection, and provide
immediate relief for the "connect time" problem.

Have any of you tried to get residential ISDN service in Moscow or Pullman?
I have, and it is simply not available...even though the central switching
offices have been ISDN cabable for years (although I understand they need
to add line terminating equipment; a small investment compared to that
already made). The local telephone companies have the wherewithal to solve
much of the traffic problems that they are complaining about, and to
improve local services at the same time...

While I agree that land-use decisions will have an enormous impact on the
quality of life in our future, I also think that having telecommunications
capabilities that equal those available in Portland or Seattle is going to
become more and more important in "quality of life" scenarios...for
community and individual access to information, access to voice, and even
economic development.

Maybe Tom Trail can take this message to Boise, as well.

Gens Johnson


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