Re: Pricing

Jacob Suter (jsuter@intrastar.net)
Fri, 6 Sep 1996 12:24:18 -0500

> > That means ISPs can purchase a 2 PRI box fully loaded with 46 modems
for
> > $16,364 ($355 per port). The way I got to 46 modems was with 3 x 10
port
> > cards, 2 x 8 port cards (remember each PRI is 23B + 1 D).
>
> Maybe I am lost here, see I was never great at math and maybe I was
dropped
> on my head a few more times than the rest of you, but how is $355 per
port a
> good price? I sat around my small little ISP and dug up my numbers on
what
> my p.p.c. was when I bought the PM2e30 & 30 USR 33.6 Sports. I scratched
my
> head, recalculated the figures, looked back at the $355 and had a good
laugh.

Hmm, my system is currently at the $260/port level too. I also got a
"customer bitch level" at about 80db...

> I re-evaluated my position and said to myself, well Brandon, those prices
> were 6 months ago, your cost would be much higher today. So I dusted off
> that ol' calculator again, got updated numbers from the marketplace, and
> guess what I found?
>
> With a PM2e30, 30 USR 33.6 sports, 30 modem cables, 30 phone cords, and
TAX
> (today) my per port cost was $272.41. Now am I missing something? My
> calculator must have failed me again, just as it used to in school. But I
> thought I remembered how to add...To all you out there that is $82.59
less.

Sounds about right to me.

> Will one of you please help me with this?

PRI can be a LOT cheaper an option to deliver than crappy POTS lines, ALL
DIGITAL NETWORK looks VERY good to customers. And when they connect 33.6k,
they won't bitch. I can gaurantee yer USR Sportster 33.6ks rarely connect
at 28.8k both ways. Also, if your delivery is cheaper, the box's price tag
seems to get smaller every day :)

Also, the handling of ISDN and V.34 on the same ports makes life easy. PRI
is about the best way to get good quality. I know in my area, delivering a
T1 (no ISDN availability here) to a channel bank ($EEEK!) then into modems
(Analog schtuff) is the best I can get...

Hope this helped.. I am no expert about PRI....
JS