🚀 go-pugleaf

Samuel Lam wrote:
> 
> In article <4f6616$94q@wicked.cs.ubc.ca>, pphillip@cs.ubc.ca (Peter Phillips)
>  wrote:
> >In article <31167C1A.295C@netcom.ubc.ca>, Michael Hrybyk
> > <hrybyk@netcom.ubc.ca> wrote:
> >>UBC has no usage charge for ISDN Flash - it is flat rated.
> >
> >It is a flat fee, but there are still usage restrictions.
> >Take a look at the conditions & terms:
> >http://www.telecom.ubc.ca/isdn/isdn-term.html
> 
> The way I interpreted their fine prints is that the $X/month
> you pay reserves you up to Y units of usage monthly, after
> which they reserve the right to cut you off.  It's flat rate
> in that they won't sell you more units if you run out early
> in the month.
> 
> This is the equivalent of the one-size-fit-all one-style-only
> unisex T-shirt for the ISP industry.  (It's capacity planning
> friendly.)
> 
> BTW, discussion of an UBC internal service in bc.bcnet and
> bc.internet.general seems moot since most of us don't have
> access to the "blue bucks" needed to pay for that service.
> 
> ...Sam
> --
> <skl@ScalableNetwork.com> -- Scalable Network Systems Ltd.

Note that the usage limits are "average" utilization. The spirit
of the rule is to prevent *servers* from being set up on
the end of the line. If you set up such a server that keeps
the line nailed up most of the time, you will be asked to move 
to a different type of service. ISDN Flash is *not* a
LAN-interconnect service.

Since the timeouts are set aggressively, and most users (even
on LANs) are intermittently "connected" over some time quantum,
the limits are stated to ensure that user apps do not 
unnecessarily keep the line nailed up. Staying away from
pings every 30 seconds, etc., will easily allow one to keep
within the *average* usage limits.

This is a little different than buying x units for y dollars,
which is the typical ISP model. ISDN Flash says that if you
obey the usage guidelines, you can have the service. This, BTW,
is no different than the CCS that the phone company defines on
*any* switched line.

I realize there has been a great hue and cry re ID's flat
rated ("unlimited") service, but the UBC ISDN service is
quite a bit different, and usage guidelines are stated up front.

For the typical (even power) user, the service provides a
pseudo constant-connection. This is the way it should be, rather
than use of stupid modems that only encourage long call lengths
due to ungodly call setup times. Or it is the way it should be
until we get some true connectionless local loop technology
to the curbside (I will be retired by then :-)).

The UBC service and its definition might be instructive to other
suppliers and consumers desiring some such thing. The discussion
is therefore constructive, if newsgroup-misplaced.

Mike Hrybyk
Manager, BCnet and UBC Central Networking