Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!mimsy!chris From: chris@mimsy.UUCP (Chris Torek) Newsgroups: comp.sys.misc Subject: Re: Pending FCC ruling threat to modem users Message-ID: <4851@mimsy.UUCP> Date: Thu, 18-Dec-86 15:25:19 EST Article-I.D.: mimsy.4851 Posted: Thu Dec 18 15:25:19 1986 Date-Received: Fri, 19-Dec-86 01:39:24 EST References: <1575@brl-adm.ARPA> Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742 Lines: 23 In article <1575@brl-adm.ARPA> OCONNORDM@ge-crd.arpa (OCONNOR DENNIS MICHAEL) writes: >First: MODEM calls DO NOT cost the phone company the same amount as >other calls. They tend to be longer, and don't tolerate noise as well. >... If the phone company always charged for local service BY THE >MINUTE, well, no problem, but phone companies usually charge BY THE >CALL or BY THE MONTH. I may well be wrong---I am no expert on telephone systems---but as I understand it, in most areas there is a twisted pair of wires running from your telephone all the way to the local Central Office. When you make a local call that does not require routing between different COs, this ties up only the two twisted pairs and whatever it takes to cross-connect them. It is only when you use a long- distance trunk that you begin using a shared resource. (I am not at all certain that the connection at the CO is `free', though.) As for noise, I have never had a modem exhibit noise trouble unless there was quite audible line noise, which I, too, would not tolerate well. -- In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci Dept (+1 301 454 7690) UUCP: seismo!mimsy!chris ARPA/CSNet: chris@mimsy.umd.edu