RE: [smartBridges] Could not regain association

[paul]

Title: Message

So far this model has worked the best for me. I know my customers don't want to pay extra each month and my system takes people who hit a certain byte cap (2 GB) and then throttles them to 256 up and down. Previously they had 1mbps up and down. I see this model as scalable, as I add more bandwidth at the NOC i can then in turn increase byte caps and as I grow the connection gets better and better   The only dilemma was designing a system which would do this automatically for me. thank goodness for perl, cron, and ipfm! :)     cheers, Paul     ----- Paul C. Murdock [EMAIL PROTECTED] mobile/801.864.1024 - fax/801.446.0130 www.paulmurdock.com - for more info -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dennis Burgess Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2003 2:02 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [smartBridges] Could not regain association I agree, however, customers DO NOT like there bill going up due to transfers.  How about just saying, you hit your transfer level, and then drop there bandwitdth to 64k ..  When they call up to say that their intenret is slow you get them to upgrade to the bigger package!   Dennis   ----- Original Message ----- From: Mark Koskenmaki To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2003 2:11 PM Subject: Re: [smartBridges] Could not regain association Are you really expecting people to spend more for a commodity, just because they have more to spend?   I would not.   Instead of charging for the availability of bandwidth, charge for what they USE.   I'm going to charge $30 a month for a home.  Be it 1 machine or 5, I don't care, because I'll only give them 1 gig of transfer for that, and charge them $5 a gig for each additional.   OR, they can subscribe at $60 a month, and get 7 gigs of transfer and $3 a gig additional.    If you're determined to keep them limited by the machine, use PPPOE, with no route to the internet on the network.  Insist on installing on your own, and monitor what MAC logs in.    Still, this reminds me of the Steve Stroh posting about Speakeasy helping the end user share internet connections by offering billing and hotspot management service.    Do you want to whip your customers into following YOUR model, or is it that you intend to make your customer an integral part of your business?   Over the years, in the industry I came from, we followed "the customer is always right" when it came to providing service and tailoring our services to the customer's wants.      The question is this, do you wish to have an adversarial relationship to the customer?   The telcos are good at that, and so is the cable co.   Don't make thier mistakes.     NEOFAST.NET North East Oregon FAST Net mark(at)neofast.net       ----- Original Message ----- From: The Wirefree Network To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2003 9:15 AM Subject: RE: [smartBridges] Could not regain association Chris...You and I are in the same boat.  I, too, charge for small networks over single computers.  $39.95 for one computer and $69.95 for 2-6 computers (residential prices) with 1 Gig and 2 Gig transfers per months, respectively.   To tell you the absolute truth....I am freaking disgusted by my clients "cheapness".  <-- its a word.  Our homes range from $400k to $550k...so these people have money.   When I put an add on their doorstep, they call me up in almost tears (of joy)....saying..."FINALLY...FINALLY....HIGH-SPEED INTERNET WHERE WE LIVE...I WILL PAY ANYTHING."  My service is unthrottled 1.5 Meg up and down.  So...my prices are WAY lower than what I could be charging.  But...it is all part of my business plan.  I want to be around for the long haul.  Not just rape them for a few months...then DSL or cable modem access moves in and they all switch over.   So...back to my "cheap customers"...anyway....once it comes down to the actual selection of the service plan (39.95 or 69.95), they all turn into freaking cheapos.  URGGGHHHH...I hate it.  They will say stuff like, "Well, Yes... I have 5 computers in my home...but can I just pay $39.95 if I just use one at a time?"  Or...my favorite straight up lie, "I only need the $39.95 account because we will only use this one computer for Internet."  You know DAMN WELL that they are going to spoof that MAC into their router and be smiling like they made one over on me.   I am seriously thinking of installing VPN clients on each "PAID" computer that will only allow THAT computer Internet access.  But even then...I bet there is some easy way around it.  For example, using Windows XP "Share Internet Connection" option.   Anyone have a way to stop this?!??!?!   Sully   --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.497 / Virus Database: 296 - Release Date: 7/4/03