Re: ISDN vs POTS in Boston? Re: Arguments against BA...

[Doctor Who <drwho@l0pht.com>]

  On Wed, 24 Jul 1996, Fred R. Goldstein wrote:
  
  > 1SR Suburban - gets free calls to all Metro Boston exchanges EXCEPT Boston
  > Central.  Around $27.
  > 
  > 1ER Metropolitan - gets free calls to all Metro Boston.  Note that "outer
  > metro" is toll FROM Boston/Brigton but they can call inbound or each other
  > for free if they get Metro.  Around $30 and very popular.
  
  This is what everyone should get. DOn't depend on Nynex to tell you what 
  you need to get to a certain point for a flat rate, they are either 
  incompetent or dishonest. They stuck us on unlimited local, after I told 
  them that I wanted to be able to call bedford (for TIAC ISP access) and 
  incur no additional charges, and asked them to specifiy what service I'd 
  need. We've been getting $2500 per month phone bills, and, after months 
  and hours on the phone to various people at nynex, it isn't fixed. Don't 
  worry, it is being contested.
   
  > 
  > ISDN is now priced as a supplement to this.  For $8/month, ANY of the above
  > rate classes can be made digital (BRI).  You then get that flat rate calling
  > area.  However, flat rate ONLY applies to voice (speech/audio) bearers.
  > Data bearers are $5/month per channel ($10 to allow 2B data) are always at
  > the Measured rate (1.6-5.5 c/minute, no extended or metro calling areas).
  > So we resi ISDN users stick to "data over voice" calling at 56 kbps.  Any
  > competent ISDN gear and ISP will support it.  NYNEX cries in their beer but
  > then they asked for it.
  
  They don't like it at all. I think that they hate people using ISDN to 
  connect to their ISPs. Nynex wants to do the switching; they hate the 
  internet doing it.
   
  > The downside is that NYNEX flat-rate DOV only applies to ONE B channel.
  > They don't allow two voice calls at once on a flat-rate basis.  The
  > exception is on a DMS-100 since the DMS can't restrict; thus I pay Metro
  > POTS rate plus $13 for "1 voice, 1 data" and can make 2 voice, 2 data (and
  > pay? hah!), or 1+1 on my DMS line.  (I'm not sure what Brighton is; I can
  > tell you tomorrow when I'm back in the office but I'm replying by E-mail
  > over my ISDN line in flat-rate DOV mode!)
  
  OK, I am in Cambridge. I think it's a 5ESS. If someone could post which 
  towns have which switches, it would certainly effect my 
  choice of towns were I to start a business that uses the Internet!
   
  
   
  > The downside is that NYNEX is simply incompetent, can't meet delivery dates,
  > can't keep lines going, and can't walk and chew gum without suffocating.
  > Even worse here than in NY.  But that's a different story.
  
  Yes, they are nasty. I am reminded of stories of getting telephones in 
  the soviet union. 
  
  On a political note, I would like to see a total moratorium on large 
  corporations merging, starting with the prohibition of the BA-9X scam.
  
  --Dr. Who