On Sun, 23 Feb 1997, Gens Johnson wrote:
> 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
>
>
>