A DOV technical question

[mikebw@bilow.bilow.uu.ids.net (Mike Bilow)]

  Fred R. Goldstein wrote in a message to Mike Bilow:
  
  >BTW, Fred -- does NYNEX up there *also* charge the per-call "drop" (10.6
  >cents, here in NYC) for data calls, on *top* of the per-minute data charges?
  
   FRG> No. NYC's resi tariff is based on per-call charges.  The
   FRG> rest of NYNEX doesn't do that; we have real flat rates for
   FRG> resi subscribers.  (Measured is an option, but its
   FRG> availability is sometimes restricted.)  Data isn't a
   FRG> surcharge per se; rather, the measured rate applies to all
   FRG> data bearer calls, while you can elect a flat rate plan (we
   FRG> have several to choose from) for "voice" calls.
  
  Ooh!  That's interesting.  In neighboring RI, we have a "call set-up" charge.
  
  >The combination, here in NYC, makes demand-based throttling (where my
  >hardware could bring the lines up and down based on traffic) prohibitive...
  
   FRG> True.  Ameritech's the same way.  Per-call charges with no
   FRG> timing are counterproductive when duration's the issue. 
   FRG> These go back a *long* way. They're "message unit" tariffs
   FRG> dating back to the pre-dial days, when the operator punched
   FRG> a ticket for each local call.
  
  A "call set-up" charge is entirely reasonable when a human operator is
  involved, but we're a little past that now.  Perhaps NYNEX will eventually
  upgrade to Mabel v2.0.
   
  -- Mike
  
  
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