Re: ISDN Re-Pricing Proposal (fwd)

[bob@larribeau.com (Bob Larribeau)]

  Pacific Bell was not able to get enough support for the settlement agreement
  to avoid hearings.  Intel, Compaq, AT&T, Turn, and UCAN opposed the
  settlement.  Yesterday morning Pacific Bell withdrew the settlement
  agreement and has gone back to their application as their position.
  
  The hearings will be going on over the next two weeks.
  
  Bob Larribeau
  California ISDN Users' Group
  
  
  At 12:47 PM 7/30/96 -0400, you wrote:
  >PacBell news release regarding development in California isdn case.
  >jl
  >
  >
  >> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
  >> July 26, 1996
  >> 
  >> FOR MORE INFORMATION:
  >> Scott E. Smith
  >> (415) 394-3624
  >> sesmith@legsf.pacbell.com
  >> 
  >> California Telecommuters, Net Surfers Can Look Forward ToAffordable
  >> High-speed Access
  >> 
  >> Communications industry & consumer groups, Pacific Bellpropose nation s
  >> most aggressive ISDN rate plan
  >> 
  >> San Francisco, July 26, 1996 -- Major communications industry and
  >> consumer groups, and Pacific Bell jointly issued a proposal today that
  >> ensures Californians continue to have ready, affordable access to a
  >> popular high-speed data communications service for telecommuting,
  >> surfing the Internet and other uses.
  >> 
  >> The joint proposal, which has been submitted to the California Public
  >> Utilities Commission (CPUC) for its consideration, is aimed at resolving
  >> key customer issues about Pacific Bell s plans to increase rates for its
  >> FasTrakSM ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network). The plan is
  >> subject to the approval of the CPUC, which is now considering Pacific
  >> Bell s rate request.
  >> 
  >> The plan, which the groups consider one of the most aggressive ISDN
  >> pricing plans in the nation, is good news for ISDN customers,
  >> particularly home users and part-time telecommuters. Submission of the
  >> proposal brings one step closer to conclusion weeks of diliberations
  >> among Pacific Bell, the communications industry and consumers. At the
  >> crux of the discussions has been the need to achieve a balance between
  >> the ability of Pacific Bell to provide a robust service and users need
  >> for affordable high-speed data transport to carry a myriad of new
  >> applications.
  >> 
  >> Those signing the proposal include the California ISDN Users Group
  >> (CIUG), California Cable Television Association, Jetstream
  >> Communications, Flowpoint, Siemens-Rolm and Pacific Bell.
  >> 
  >> Pacific Bell s FasTrak ISDN has 80,000 business and residential users in
  >> California, a market that is doubling in size annually. Because ISDN
  >> operates at speeds many times faster than traditional analog modems and
  >> is affordable, especially for home users, it has become a popular
  >> alternative to modems for such applications as telecommuting and
  >> accessing the Internet.
  >> 
  >> Prices Remain Affordable
  >> 
  >> Under one of the most significant elements in the proposal, Pacific Bell
  >> would increase the monthly charge of its Home ISDN from $24.50 monthly
  >> to $29.50 and include 200 free hours of off-peak usage. During peak
  >> periods and after customers use up their 200-hours, calls would be
  >> charged at normal voice rates. Daytime calls during the week are three
  >> cents for the first minute and one cent for each additional minute.
  >> Evening, weekend and holiday calls are even less.
  >> 
  >> Pacific Bell s most recent request was for a $32.50 monthly rate and 20
  >> hours of free calling. Some users were concerned that 20-hour allowance
  >> was insufficient for those that accessed the Internet for extended
  >> periods.
  >> 
  >> The plan allows for the needs of nearly all users who are using ISDN for
  >> a wide variety of applications, said Bob Larribeau, a director of the
  >> CIUG, the nation s largest ISDN users group and a bellwether
  >> organization in the industry. We re pleased that Pacific Bell was
  >> willing to work so hard with us to keep prices fair for all users and
  >> address important service issues.
  >> 
  >> We ve just introduced Front Desk, a telecommunications system
  >> specifically designed for home offices that makes extensive use of ISDN,
  >> providing sophisticated voice, fax and data capabilities all over a
  >> single line, said David Frankel, president of Jetstream Communications.
  >> Given California s leadership in telecommuting and Internet usage, we re
  >> anxious to have ISDN attractively priced and widely available in our
  >> home state. Start-up companies like ours need the cooperation of service
  >> providers, such as Pacific Bell, and regulators to bring innovative
  >> solutions to customer s. We know from our experience working with ISDN
  >> around the country that this proposal for California is particularly
  >> attractive.
  >> 
  >> Larribeau acknowledged that the plan was not unanimously approved by all
  >> participants in the discussions. He emphasized that the process is not
  >> completed, but now shifts to the CPUC for final resolution.
  >> 
  >> As proposed, the monthly rate for FasTrak ISDN, the business version of
  >> the service, and Centrex ISDN for Pacific Bell s premier business
  >> communications system would increase $8 to $32.84 and $39.75
  >> respectively.
  >> 
  >> The company also will resume charging for installation, which had been
  >> temporarily waived under a special promotion, but will allow customers
  >> to pay the charge in installments over six months.
  >> 
  >> Competition Benefits Consumers
  >> 
  >> The proposal also further opens the marketplace to competition by
  >> establishing discounts under which competitors of Pacific Bell can buy
  >> FasTrak ISDN from Pacific Bell and resell it. The discounts are
  >> comparable to those Pacific Bell has established for other
  >> communications services under rules that define the new competitive
  >> environment.
  >> 
  >> Competition will benefit consumers in the form of high quality service
  >> and competitive prices, said Larribeau.
  >> 
  >> We appreciate the enthusiastic assistance of all those involved in
  >> helping mold an affordable plan that can allow us to keep pace with the
  >> explosive demand for ISDN and fairly meet the needs of our diverse
  >> spectrum of users, said Tom Bayless, director of switched digital
  >> services for Pacific Bell. Everyone involved in this project has a
  >> single goal--to ensure that all users and applications could continue to
  >> flourish. Achieving this goal was only possible because of the
  >> widespread input we received from users and the single-minded
  >> determination of all of the consumer and industry groups that
  >> participated to help forge that input into a workable solution.
  >> 
  >> In addition, the joint plan establishes an ISDN consumer advisory
  >> committee to set service level targets for such elements as training
  >> skills, capacity levels and installation intervals.
  >> 
  >> Pacific Bell is a subsidiary of Pacific Telesis Group, a diversified
  >> telecommunications corporation based in San Francisco. # # #
  >
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   Bob Larribeau                           bob@larribeau.com 
   ISDN Consultant                         San Francisco