🚀 go-pugleaf

Hello All!

BBS operators AND users alike will be affected by the Tarrif
changes propsed by Telstra; from February 1, 1996, Telstra intends to 
charge ALL BBS operators commercial rates for line rental; currently,
the majority of BBSs are charged non-commericial rates.  This could mean
that BBSs which cannot afford the higher costs will close down.

Here are some numbers to ring to voice YOUR concerns / complaints about
the imposition of new tariffs for BBS operators:

-  Telstra: 1800-068-133 (ask for extension 4392); you will find that
   the operator answering your call may not be very helpful, so ASK
   for the supervisor.  If s/he is busy, then call back frequently

-  WRITE to Telstra:
    Telstra
    Customer Relations
    540 Springvale Road
    Glen Waverley VIC 3150
        (or the address you found on the top of your letter from
         Telstra)

-  Ring AUSTEL on (03) 9828-7300 (or 1-800 335 526) and speak to Mr. Bruce
   Matthews; 

-  Sign the electronic petition that is circulating (this has been organised
   by Lewin A.R.W. Edwards <100252.2077@compuserve.com>
   <Fidonet: 3:634/396> <P.O. Box 590 Toorak, VIC 3147>

---------
I spoke to a Telsta supervisor yesterday (14/12/95) and was told the
following by the 'supervisor':

-  The reason for tariff reviews comes from complaints from large, multi-
   line BBSs (ie 500+ lines), who apparently felt that it was not fair
   for them to be paying business rates, while smaller amateur BBSs were
   charged residential rates.

-  Telsta proposes to include _ALL_ BBS operators, regardless of size or
   purpose (i.e. business, hobby etc.), in one category, and one tariff

-  Complaints etc. should be posted to the address that appears on the
   top of the letter you recieved from Telsta regarding the tariff 
   changes
   
Now, I don't agree with these points at all, but unfortunately, the
1-800 number given by Telstra could not give me any satisfactory
responses to my dissenting arguments.  All I was told was that if I sent
in a letter to Telstra, than they would 'definitely' get back to me.
For mail to be the only (current) course of action for complaints to
be addressed by Telsta is unacceptable, given the sheer number of people
which will be affected by Telstra's decision.


BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

Here are some points which I think would be useful to raise in your
negotiations (!) with Telstra and/or Austel:

-  It is unfair for Telsta to consider _all_ BBS operators under a single
   tariff.  This, for example, means that Telsta equates a large, (say) 
   500 line BBS to a small, 2-line BBS.  Telstra's classification of
   a BBS is simply too broad; you cannot compare apples and oranges, which
   is what Telsta will do if the new tariffs go ahead.

-  Using the Australian BBS Listings as a basis for selecting so-called
   'commericial' BBSs is flawed.  While the listings may contain some 
   BBSs operated for profit, the majority are run on a non-profit, hobby
   basis.  It is wrong to automatically consider a BBS listed on the 
   listings to be a commerical BBS.

-  There has not been enough, if any, consultation with BBS operators and
   users.  It is unfair for Telstra to make decisions without adequate
   consultation and discussion with _all_ parties.

-  BBS operators have little use for the 'service enhancements' that 
   become available if you become a business customer, which include
   a 'commerical maintenance service', a free Yellow pages listing,
   a Freecall 1800 number for customer service.  Telstra describes
   these in the (now infamous) letter to sysops as 'real advantages to
   Bulletin Board Services'!  Other technical services
   such as Line Hunt are already available to non-commerical customers upon
   request.  

Here are some arguments put forward in the Telecommunications 
echo by Lewin Edwards:

<quote on>
1. Telstra recently offered a "half price line installation" special. Many BBS
operators took advantage of this, and had residential lines installed. The
implication was that they would be able to continue operating these lines as
residential services. Coming as it does on the heel of this special deal, the
new rule smacks of a planned marketing attack. It is not possible to obtain a
refund on the cost of installing the new line. Telstra may have defrauded its
customers.

2. Many BBSs are operated part-time on lines which are otherwise used only as
normal voice (home) residential lines. Telstra has provided no means for
pro-rating the line rental charge on the basis of stated BBS availability
times. The types of additional service which are available for business lines
are not appropriate for single-line home voice installations. Again, Telstra is
possibly defrauding its customers.

I will therefore request that AUSTEL require Telstra to :

1. Allow a full refund of line installation costs for persons affected by the
new rule, and

2. Provide a means of pro-rating the rental costs of a line which is only used
as a BBS intermittently.

<quote off>

You can think of more arguments, I'm sure.  But BE SURE TO VOICE YOUR
OPINIONS!  By opposing these changes WHICH AFFECT THE ENTIRE BBS 
COMMUNITY in numbers, we can get results.


Regards,

Yota Yoshimitsu
<yota@cloud.net.au>

 * Origin: Cloud Nine BBS, +61-3-9886-5195, Melbourne, Australia (3:632/552)