(Excerpts from a message dated 09-29-99, John Thompson to Murray Lesser)

Hi John--

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

JT>You can get a run-down on the AT&T Business Internet Services plans
  >at http://www.ibm.net/whatsnew/att_planinfo.html

    I didn't look at that one, but perhaps I should have.

JT>If I've comprehended The Announcement and the plan descriptions
  >properly, if you choose to go wth AT&T Business Services to continue
  >to use the ibm.net OS/2 dialer (hey, it really is a nice dialer,
  >IMHO), etc.

    I have had two correspondents (you may have noticed them) who
assured me that there was no such thing as an OS/2 dialer :-(.  I like
it, too.  I chose to not be put on WorldNet, and this morning (Oct 1) my
dialer (pointed at the same local ibm.net telephone number) connected to
what must be AT&T Business Net.  My User ID object was updated, telling
me that I now had an attglobal.net address, and giving me the server
addresses I needed to handle e-mail.  (I had enabled DIALTEXT.LOG just
to make sure I got all these addresses, in case User ID wasn't updated.)
Everything else worked fine, except that I will have to update my
off-line e-mail reader/writer (MR/2 ICE) before the year of automatic
forwarding runs out.  (This test showed that there is forwarding from
pop3 and smtp addresses, also.)

JT>        ... you will probably get the "Comprehensive" plan (assuming
  >you weren't using one of the ibm.net limited plans before)...

     I was using the BASIC plan: $4.95/month for 3 hours, which is
usually sufficient.  (I used 1.87 hours on the Internet last month, of
which 0.90 hours were connected to ibm.net through the 1-800 number (6
cents per 36 seconds, or fraction thereof).  I guess I didn't download
any software, but I did spend 22 minutes on the 29th getting frustrated
with the World Wide Wait while I was trying to refuse being sent to
WorldNet come the big changeover!)  Eventually, I will get up my courage
and tackle the Web again to get AT&T's "terms and conditions" stuff and
see what I am paying!

JT> ...This plan appears to be essentially the same as what ibm.net had
  >been offering; ie US$19.95/month, 6 email id's, no web space, US$9.00
  >surcharge for "global roaming" (it's not clear but I assume this only
  >applies outside your base area, eg outside North and South America
  >for USA customers, outside Europe/Africa for European customoers,
  >etc.  just like ibm.net has been for the last year or so).  Some good
  >changes are 150hrs/month instead of the current 100hrs/month with
  >ibm.net and 6MB email storage email ID vs 3MB under the present plan.

    I think the ibm.net "local" region was US and Canada, with South and
Central America being another region.  I haven't had to "roam" yet, but
only because I didn't bother connecting while I was in the Galapagos
last year (satellite telephone charges from the boat were more than I
felt it was worth to talk to you people!)

    Regards,

        --Murray

___
 * MR/2 2.25 #120 * Old engineering adage: there is more than one way to skin
a cat

--- Maximus/2 2.02