Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!snorkelwacker!apple!bbn.com!wbe
From: wbe@bbn.com (Winston Edmond)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: Dial up access to Internet facilities
Summary: Proposal for accessing Internet via CompuServe
Message-ID: <56695@bbn.BBN.COM>
Date: 27 May 90 21:58:07 GMT
References: <9005231128.AA19114@ncri.cise.nsf.gov> <2936@ursa-major.SPDCC.COM> <90121@uunet.UU.NET>
Sender: news@bbn.com
Reply-To: wbe@BBN.COM (Winston Edmond)
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc., Cambridge, MA
Lines: 25

In article <90121@uunet.UU.NET> rick@uunet.UU.NET (Rick Adams) writes:
>UUNET plans to offer access to any Internet site from any Compuserve Dialup
>in the continental US.

>All access will require an individual login/password for accountability and
>authorization to use the Internet will be verified before the account is
>established.

>We plan to charge $5 per connect hour (in increments of 1 minute).

   Would UUNET be a CompuServe service provider, charging a $5/hr. surcharge,
or are you talking about using the CompuServe network and somehow bypassing
logging in to CompuServe itself?  Is the individual login/password the usual
CompuServe user number and password, or a UUNET login?

>We could start tomorrow if I could figure out how to bill for it.
>Its not worth sending out invoices for only $5.

   There are a number of CompuServe service providers that collect surcharges
directly from CompuServe -- the user gets a single bill, and CompuServe's
billing system keeps track of the surcharges in case the user has questions
about his bill.  This allows a service provider to charge small amounts, like
the $.02 stock quote charge, or the $.90 car profile charge, and still be
able to make money -- you don't have to bill the customer yourself.
 -WBE