On Tue, Apr 11, 2000 at 18:33 +1200, Frank March wrote:
Last year I circulated some information to NZNOG about an APEC TEL study on Internet costs, especially the costs of connection across the Pacific (the concern being that non-US Internet users and ISPs are subsidising US users and ISPs). This is stated to be because, unlike telephone charging, where the costs are taken up by the teleco whose subscriber originates the call, non-US ISPs have to rent circuits and thus pay for all traffic irrespective of origin.
My gut feel is the concept is wrong. I haven't thought it all through, but some bullet points: 1. Asymmetric traffic Say we get an agreement a la the old toll refiling arrangements from the antedeluvian ITU days, the asymmetry of the traffic would surely mean non-US connectors would still pay the lions share? Or was it intended to be flat 50% each? 2. At What Level Does This Stop What about a client of an ISP that serves and browses, will ISP's pay me if I serve more than I browse? 3. 3% 'nuff said? 4. What Is The Problem? Uptake has not been slow in some countries under the current regime, as noted by Frank, perhaps it's just easier for some ETLA quango to point at the big nasty imperialist Yankee as the culprit and whine for subsidy. 5. What Subsidy? When I pay for my connection to an ISP, am I subsidising, or am I paying for a service? 6. Beware Interconnect As our own little imbroglio illustrates, interconnect is a dangerous weapon to wield. They are not well developed arguments, but I think there is a rather abstract conceptual approach being taken to give a veneer of authority to what is essentially some countries whining that there sluggishness is not their fault, when I would suggest, the 90% attribution to local access is no-brainer issue to address, and it can be locally without recourse to expensive international quango's. Hamish. -- You may not be able to change the whole world, but at least you can embarrass the guilty. -- Katha Pollitt --------- To unsubscribe from nznog, send email to majordomo(a)list.waikato.ac.nz where the body of your message reads: unsubscribe nznog