Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!bu.edu!telecom-request From: scott@blueeyes.kines.uiuc.edu (scott) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: More on BBSs and Phone Rates Message-ID: <72155@bu.edu.bu.edu> Date: 12 Jan 91 15:58:49 GMT Sender: news@bu.edu.bu.edu Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana Lines: 75 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 30, Message 3 of 10 I wrote: >Why do you think BBS sysops are so special that they should be singled >out among all other hobbyists for higher phone rates? Why can't we pay >the same phone rates as everyone else who has a hobby? >Tell me, do you feel that people who dial out using modems should be >charged business rates? After all, they're doing the exact same thing the >sysop is doing Pat responds: >[Moderator's Note: I do not think that *any* telephone user should be >charged business rates based on the media used. Voice, fax or computer >should all be treated alike *for casual, non-committed* use of the >phone. If 'business' rates are to be charged, they should be charged >to users who indicate the service is for business use, i.e. directory >listings using a 'business-like' name or phrase ** and to users who >specifically solicit the public to call them **. Ah, so your entire argument comes down to this: phone rates should not be proportional to actual use of telco resources, but rather to some arbitrary definition of what a "business" is. Specifically, your definition includes an explicit "solicitation for the public to call [the BBS] telephone." Thus, a BBS-addict who installs a second line for use specifically to make outgoing calls to BBSi should not pay business rates, despite the fact that a) it makes heavy use of telco resources and b) is a *non-casual, committed* use of that phone line. You believe this to be fair? >To answer your question 'why should BBS sysops be singled out for >higher rates instead of paying what other people pay for their >hobbies', the answer is that your hobby by definition involves heavy >use of the telephone, and the solicitation of the public to call your >telephone. There are other hobbies which make heavy use of the telephone (BBSing and running a point system as described earlier). Some BBSers spend more time on the phone than many BBSs, yet you do not think they should pay business rates because they don't "solicit the public to call" them. What is so magical about this "solicit the public to call" idea that it alone should double someone's phone rates? Scott Coleman tmkk@uiuc.edu [Moderator's Note: If there are going to be two sets of rates, one for 'residential' and the other for 'business' users, then there has to be some starting point to decide what falls in which category. I thought the 'do you solicit the public' question was one way of deciding who should go where. It was not intended as the last word or final test. To answer your question about how much use is made of the service, I do not think a personal/business use distinction should be made based on the amount of time a line is engaged. Certainly the one who uses more of the service should pay more *per use*, but I don't think they should have an overall higher monthly rate merely because they use it more. The BBS-addict you described is placing a call on his telephone just like a person calling voice is using the phone. He should pay for what he uses, but his is residential use, because it is a casual call, placed at his discretion, lasting whatever time he wishes to be connected. Short of shutting down the board, the sysop does not make these choices: He responds when the phone rings, provides the information or service demmanded of him by the caller and in fact encourages others to call and utilize his service through his advertising. There is a difference between specifically prompting others to call you and providing them some service -- even chat -- when they call and the person who casually uses his phone at his convenience to place such calls. PAT]