[geeks] consumer internet service

[joshua d boyd]

On Mon, Aug 20, 2001 at 06:48:09PM +0100, David Cantrell wrote:
> >              It's just that the ISP would need to have a system in place
> > to quickly detect and deal with open relay abuse (perhaps have a volume
> > trigger that spools up a certain amount for manual review).
> 
> I take it you mean manual review of whether there's an open relay, not
> manual review of the message content!

Manual review of the content could be icky, but then, what if it was a
large amount of actuall non spam email?  You don't want to just chuck
that, but if it is spam, you don't want to pass it on.  I don't know which
I'd prefer.
 
> Or to charge for breaking the rules - by for instance running an open
> relay.  This is certainly an option if they only accept payment by
> credit card.

I can't stand it when companies only except payment by credit card.  A
company can bill me (one local computer store does that.  I walk out with
my merchandise, and the bill arrives in the mail a few days later), or
they can ask me to pay up front, but currently, I refuse to do business
with people who only except credit cards.

You still can't charge a penalty for an open mail relay.  If they don't
pay up, just cut off their service.
 
> Don't forget also that much monitoring can be automated.  For example,
> you can automate the probe for an open relay.

I have to confess, I'm not really sure of the intricacies of what an Open
Relay is.
 
> Is there a business tariff DSL you could go for?  

Sadly, nope.  I haven't been able to figure out what the differences are
between Verizon's business and residential services, other than price and
whom it is targeted to.  The Verizon TOS explicitely allows NATs on
residential service, so that isn't the difference between the two.

> The only problem I have
> had with getting business service is that they assume payment on account -
> that is, invoices payable within 30 days as opposed to billing by a
> standing order or by credit card.  So I got my employer to set it all up**,
> and later transferred the whole account to me personally***.  When it was
> transferred, the business billing came with it.  And eight months later,
> the ISP have had no cause to complain****.  I think I've paid late twice,
> usually I pay a couple of days before the due date, so I'm probably *much*
> better at paying than their 'real' business customers.

Personally, if I understand you correctly, I would prefer billing on
account.  

-- 
Joshua D. Boyd
http://www.cs.millersville.edu/~jdboyd/

IANAL: I am not a [lama|lawyer|luser|leper].