Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Mon, 18 Mar 1996 15:02:49 -0600 (CST)
From:      Joe Greco <jgreco@brasil.moneng.mei.com>
To:        dennis@etinc.com (dennis)
Cc:        isp@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Microsoft "Get ISDN"?
Message-ID:  <199603182102.PAA26269@brasil.moneng.mei.com>
In-Reply-To: <199603182025.PAA01382@etinc.com> from "dennis" at Mar 18, 96 03:25:38 pm

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
[ cc: list trimmed somewhat ]

> >>     People will always be doing this because the level of knowledge
> >> required to make intelligent hardware purchases is beyond the average
> >> consumer.  I agree with you, an ISP who sticks a bunch of high-speed
> >> serial ports connected to a bunch of Bitsurfrs to provide ISDN access
> >> is just asking for trouble.
> 
> There's nothing wrong with using bitsurfer....the issue that we were talking
> about
> was whether you run the data piece of the puzzle at 115,200 (minus the overhead)
> async or 128kbs sync. Same physical issues...just a different scenario.
> 
> If I thought that people would use them I think a $195. sync solution
> (paired with a 
> $265. bitsurfer would be a very efficient full 128kbs solution). But I don't
> think enough
> people would use it. Noone understands sync....and most isps wouldnt know how
> to sell it. Its amazing how many people pay lots extra for 28.8 modems but
> you cant
> convince them to pay (anything hardly) to get 30% more throughput.

Yes, this is very true.  I'd love to see folks selling sync ISDN
connections.

Perhaps part of the problem is that it isn't readily apparent to folks that
the difference isn't just between "115k" and "128k", which at first glance
seems to be a 13k (~1K/s) difference.  With async requiring 10 bits and sync
requiring 8 bits, it is more like a 4K/s difference, and the difference
between 10K/s and 14K/s is appreciable.

At that point, considering the cost of the communications equipment itself
is about $300, arguing an additional $200 for a sync serial card to gain
roughly 40% more (66% more cost for 40% return) bandwidth would not be 
totally out of line.  Arguing an additional $440 - the lowest currently
priced ET card, discounted, I could find - would be unreasonable, since it
would be adding 146% more cost for a 40% return...  at that point, it's
easier to buy a second TA and ISDN circuit for 230k bandwidth.

Other issues potentially include authentication questions (which are easy to
deal with via 'login')...  people don't like change.  :-)

... Joe

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joe Greco - Systems Administrator			      jgreco@ns.sol.net
Solaria Public Access UNIX - Milwaukee, WI			   414/546-7968



Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?199603182102.PAA26269>