I would like to clarify a couple issues Gens brought up regarding ISDN. I
should say up front that I am a GTE employee. My apologies for the portions of
this that sound like a commercial.
GTE's base rates do not include the cost of installing ISDN capabilities in the
central offices and, therefore, every telephone network subscriber has not
been paying for these improvements for the last decade.
ISDN has been available in Pullman for about 2 1/2 years and just recently
became available in Moscow. The Washington rates are as follows for BRI (Basic
Rate Interface, 2 B-channels + D-channel):
Residence: $38.70 per month for 25 hours of usage. The installation is
$93.50.
GTE also has an unlimited usage package for $76.70 per month, same
installation.
Business: $57.80 per month for 25 hours of usage. The installation is
$115.50.
Unfortunately, Idaho's pricing is not as attractive and is too complex to share
here. You can call 1-800-483-5100 for more information on ISDN. Or, check
out http://www.gte.com/ISDN/.
Also, remember that if you have ISDN at your home or business, you need someone
to talk to. Currently, I think GTE is the only internet service provider in
our area that has ISDN capability.
One service that GTE is looking to that we expect to alleviate some of the
problems with congestion is Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL). ADSL
is a new transmission technology that provides up 6 megabits/second downstream
(to your PC) and up to 576 kilobits/second upstream (to your ISP, for
isntance), all over the existing telephone lines. (Compare this to the 28.8 Kb
most of us use now.) ADSL also offers you the opportunity to receive data and
use your telephone, fax machine, or modem at the same time. Initial
commercial availability be probably provide 1.54 Mb downstream and 64Kb
upstream. For more information on ADSL check out
http://www.gte.com/Wcn/Prods/Switched/Docs/adsl.html.
Moscow/Pullman are fortunate to have two major anchors here (the universities)
that help to bring services to our area sooner than they might otherwise be
available. ISDN was available here before any other area in Idaho. I have
urged GTE to consider the Palouse for early deployment of ADSL.
Again, my apologies for the comercial aspects of this, But, I hope is helps
clarify some of these issues.
Rick Gerrard
Moscow
882-9330
> From: gens@moscow.com (Gens Johnson), on 2/23/97 9:13 AM:
> 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