Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!bu.edu!telecom-request From: john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Wanted: Recommendations For Small Key-System Message-ID: <74384@bu.edu.bu.edu> Date: 9 Feb 91 18:32:00 GMT Sender: news@bu.edu.bu.edu Reply-To: John Higdon Organization: Green Hills and Cows Lines: 34 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 106, Message 9 of 11 Daniel A Margolis writes: > [Author's Note: I fully expect a response from John Higdon on this one. > Please don't beat me up too badly. I know you're a Panasonic man.] I have not yet had the privelege of laying hands on a PARTNER, so I'll take your comments at face value for now. However, for you as an AT&T employee and others who may have short memories I have a reminder. Not long ago AT&T instigated a government action directed at Japanese manufacturers who made similar systems. AT&T claimed that it was impossible to produce these systems for sale at the prices charged and therefore insisted that dumping was taking place. (Never mind that Matsushita did not even sell an equivalent system in Japan.) The watchword was litigation rather than innovation. Apparently, AT&T has decided that it is indeed possible to produce a full featured system at reasonable prices. Of course, the Panasonic has had the ability to support anything from an ordinary single line phone to a full featured electronic display phone on the same port with no modifications for years. Perhaps AT&T was trying to buy time with its legal manuverings. Introduction of the PARTNER does create an interesting Catch-22 situation. Either the system has deficiencies that would remove it from serious consideration, or if it is as advertised, AT&T was blowing smoke with its trade litigation and claims of preditory pricing. So which is it? John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@zygot.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !