Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: peter@taronga.hackercorp.com (Peter da Silva)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: More on BBSs and Phone Rates
Message-ID: <15946@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 10 Jan 91 22:53:31 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: A corner of our bedroom
Lines: 32
Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 21, Message 6 of 7


Pat, I run a BBS from my bedroom. It's a Usenet node, and I'm dialled
into it right now posting this article. It's not a 16-line chat
system, or a for pay BBS, or anything. It's just a system I've set up
to let my friends get access to Usenet. That phone line is in use a
small fraction of the day ... mostly for my comp.dcom.telecom feed.

Why should I pay business rates? If BBSes are such a heavy load on the
system why was Southwestern Bell running the biggest BBS in Houston,
SourceLine, until they decided that you couldn't run a BBS for profit?
(and, I might add, it's apparent to most observors that SWBell decided
to crack down on BBSes to get rid of competition in advance before
putting SourceLine up ... I wonder what these other phone campanies
have waiting in the wings?)

As for measured rates, the marginal cost of a phone call is tiny. Why
should that marginal cost become the dominant part of cost recovery?
Particularly when SWBell's own advertisements and actions encourage
more calls? What do you get in the envelope with *your* bill? I got a
note saying they'd been overcharging and a credit on my bill.


(peter@taronga.uucp.ferranti.com)


[Moderator's Note:  I don't think you should pay business rates, and
unless you go to telco on your knees and beg, it is doubtful you ever
will pay business rates, provided your operation is what you say it
is. I assume your operation -- for friends only! -- is not advertised.
You do not encourage strangers to call. You do not run sixteen lines
and you do not have total strangers (to you) linked in chat with other
strangers.   PAT]