Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!STL-HOST1.ARPA!SNELSON From: SNELSON@STL-HOST1.ARPA.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: FCC proposal again threatens modem users Message-ID: Date: Fri, 12-Jun-87 09:28:00 EDT Article-I.D.: SIMTEL20.KPETERSEN.12310006325.BABYL Posted: Fri Jun 12 09:28:00 1987 Date-Received: Mon, 15-Jun-87 05:36:18 EDT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Distribution: world Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 24 Approved: telecom@buit1.bu.edu In Missouri Southwestern Bell has had a 175% of the cost of a flat rate business line surcharge in effect for 10 years for dial up lines terminating in a computer. We (the Army) challenged this in 1977 through the legal troops. What had really frosted us was that we had 24 dial-up lines terminating in 3 muxes riding an AT&T 209A modem and link to the Wright-Patterson TIP. We paid! It seems the very simple way the tariff was written made anything in Missouri that is directly connected/attached to a computer port gets charged. We have 52 dial in modems and the cost per month isn't cheap. What isn't clear is whether both ends of connection are billed $5 per hour per session or $5 an hour per line regardless of use? How will they differentiate between data and voice as a lot of companies use them alternatively for voice during the day and for data during the low rate periods at night. Take a major programming change for the ESSs to track incoming calls not to mention the billing programs. Some of the older switches are pretty dumb and couldn't even do that. I wonder if the pork barrellers (congress) has EMAIL? Regards Steve