Xref: utzoo comp.dcom.modems:3181 can.uucp:31
Path: utzoo!attcan!looking!brad
From: brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems,can.uucp
Subject: Re: PC Pursuit pricing amendment
Message-ID: <2602@looking.UUCP>
Date: 8 Jan 89 06:29:05 GMT
References: <8901050251.AA14569@nessus.telenet.com> <2384@isis.UUCP> <7400@chinet.chi.il.us> <2118@van-bc.UUCP>
Reply-To: brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton)
Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd.
Lines: 34

I am amazed at all the people who seem to think that GTE is a non-profit
organization duty-bound to find the nicest system for you.

People say, Telenet should just charge $1/hour over 30 hours.  Just
like AT&T's Reach Out America always bills by the minute, right?

Telenet is running a business.  They are selling bulk service in 30
hour units.  If you don't like it, go to another service, or start your
own.

If you really thing you could make more money than they do, they would
be glad (assuming they trust you) to sell you their whole net at night
for their current revenue figures, and let you resell it according
to your "superior" scheme.

People have to realize that unlimited use schemes are not, and never
were there because the vendors want everybody to make unlimited use.

They are there because it makes billing far easier and cheaper for both
the customer and the company; because most people are small users and
thus subsidize the heavy users and because in regulated areas, a monopoly
phone company can make more money that way.

But watch yourself.  In many areas, local calling is "unlimited use."
What if everybody just started making all-day-long local calls, running
networks over them, replacing leased lines and setting up permanent
intercoms.  Or if they chained them together to make long distance
calls or fake out FX service?

I can tell you right away the unlimited use would disappear.  Unlimited
use service is an admistrative convenience that only lasts when it
isn't abused.
-- 
Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd.  --  Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473