Some senseless babbling from Murray Lesser to All
on 09-25-99  21:05 about It's not quite over...

 ML> Hi--

 ML> I have been a subscriber to IBM Internet Connection Services
 ML> (ibm.net) since Warp 3 was a pup.  As you may remember, IBM sold this
 ML> operation to AT&T last year for a mess of pottage and several other
 ML> considerations.  This morning, I downloaded an e-mail from ibm.net
 ML> discussing the changeover from my ibm.net account to an equivalent
 ML> AT&T account, which would take place starting Oct 1, this year. 
 ML> (Forwarding service will be available until Oct 1, 2000.)

 ML> It seems that ibm.net has classified me as a "consumer" customer
 ML> (which, in truth, I am), not as a "business" customer.  If I do
 ML> nothing about it, I will be transferred to AT&T's WorldNet services. 
 ML> The problem is that if I transfer to WorldNet, I can no longer have the
 ML> worldwide "roaming" capabilities I have enjoyed to date.  Worse, I can
 ML> not continue to use my IBM OS/2 dialer.  (Apparently, WorldNet
 ML> supplies dialers only for Windows and the Mac.)  According an excerpt
 ML> from the text of the message I received:

 ML> The AT&T WorldNet(r) Service does not offer an OS/2 dialer. If
 ML> you are an OS/2 customer, please click here
 ML> http://www.ibm.net/whatsnew/att_choose.html to remain a customer
 ML> of AT&T Business Internet Services and to continue to use your
 ML> OS/2 dialer.  [Note:  I have no idea as to whether or not Injoy
 ML> can access WorldNet, nor do I care very much.]

FWIW, InJoy can use WorldNet, which I have it doing right now in my current 
plight of slow Internet connectivity (had a cable modem for two years up 
until a few months ago).

AT&T also has information on how to get OS/2's DOIP dialer to access 
WorldNet.  When I checked, there were two different bits on using OS/2 with 
WorldNet in their FAQ.

 ML> It appears that the newly constituted AT&T Business Internet
 ML> Services will provide "the technology" (and services available) of the
 ML> former IBM Internet Connection Services (prices not quoted).  I gather
 ML> that I must point my browser to the page mentioned before Oct 1, or I
 ML> will be swept automatically into WorldNet, which I will be unable to
 ML> access :-(.  (I will post further reports after I get home and can
 ML> attach to the Internet without paying the $0.10/minute surcharge for
 ML> 800-number access to ibm.net that I use when traveling in the US.  It
 ML> is usually cheaper for me to pay the 30-40 cents surcharge to pick up
 ML> my morning Fido and other e-mail than it is to pay the hotel the usual
 ML> $0.75-1.00 "local call" charge, even if I am in a locality that has
 ML> ibm.net access--assuming I don't fool around with Web sites!)

 ML> Comments from other users of ibm.net would be appreciated.

I used Advantis when I was still using Warp 3 (I first used a local ISP 
that had severe reliability problems - he used WinNT), but ditched it when 
I got a cable modem.

I looked at Advantis after moving here (a temporary stay), but decided 
against it because there was no unlimited access plan (that I could find), 
and 100 hours a month doesn't cut it for the amount of data I transfer.

I looked at a couple dozen ISP's, and settled on AT&T WorldNet for the 
$22/month unlimited plan, since an ISP of this size is more likely to 
resolve problems in a timely manner than smaller local ones.

In terms of worldwide access, I can't say I know anything about it.

Mike Ruskai
thannymeister@yahoo.com


... Big Brother doesn't like encrypted mail.

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