Re: SWBT Oklahoma ISDN tariff application

[James Love <love@tap.org>]

  On Thu, 13 Jun 1996, Josh Barrett wrote:
  > 2B+D
  > Monthly
  > 
  > $ 57.50 up to 600 minutes then $ .04 / min
  > $ 75.50 up to 4800 minutes then $ .02 / min
  > $ 104.50 unlimited
  > Should we argue for lower rates? Would we have a 
  > case?
  
     These rates are far too high.  It's just that rates are high in 
  several states, so some people forget that things might be different.  
  If the per mintue fees are for a single B channel, then they are about 
  the highest in the country, for the first 600 minutes, and still pretty 
  high thereafter.  
  
  You have to put this into perspective.  In cost studies by the RBOCs, it
  seems as though the company's incremental costs are pretty low.... below 5
  cents per HOUR (not minute) in some states.  In the Delaware case, it
  seemed as though the Commission staff thought that a nickel per day was
  enough to cover usage.  In Utah, US West wants to sell "call pack" 
  options with blocks of usage priced at 11 cents PER HOUR, for a single B.
  
  The $104 flat rate is about four times higher than it should be for any 
  type of mass market to develop.  In four Ameritech states the residential 
  flat rate is from $28 to $35 per month.  There are at least three other 
  states (california, Arkansas and Tenn) where you can get flat rate under 
  $30 per month, from the major RBOC (bell south) or smaller companies.  NM 
  approved a $40 flat rate recently, which is being appealed, but my guess 
  is that it will be sustained.  On the high side there are several $40 to 
  $63 flat rates available from GTE or some US West states.
  
  Most companies will sell ISDN voice centrex to businesses for about $30 
  to $40 per month, with per call (but no per minute) charges.  
  
  
     When are the deadlines for comment.  We'd love to file some thing with 
  the local commission.
  
  
    jamie
  
  > Josh Barrett
  > Shawnee, OK 
  > http://www.besa.com
  > 
  
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