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News from:
M V C o m m u n i c a t i o n s , I n c .
P.O. Box 4963
Manchester, NH 03108-4963
(603) 429-2223
June 1993
Note: text copies of all issues of the monthly newsletter can be found
on mv in the public archive; look in /pub/mv/inews. Also note, the
entire public archive is now under the path /pub; it was under
/news2/pub previously.
Our two year anniversary
On June 21, 1991, MV Communications was incorporated in New
Hampshire, and moved into our Litchfield offices. Our objective was
the same as when we founded the MV.COM domain back in 1987: to spread
reliable computer networking, helping to bring network access within
reach of everyone. Towards this objective we have enhanced our net-
work connectivity and expanded the ways we can deliver it to the end
user: via UUCP, TCP/IP dialup links, and interactive online accounts
on our Internet systems. Our goal remains making Internet access
affordable, practical, and productive for everyone, especially as get-
ting online becomes more and more important in everyday life.
One of the things we continue to look into is expanding coverage,
making it easier for you to reach the Internet in the most affordable
ways. There's an old saying about the last mile being the most diffi-
cult: that's often especially true in networking. A significant item
in your connection to the global Internet is the link between you and
MV. And while we're local to many locations in southern New
Hampshire, a long-distance call from outside a local calling area can
be much more expensive than our service. Local calls are not neces-
sarily cheap, either, especially for businesses or for communities in
which there is a cap on free local calling time. This newsletter
issue addresses a couple of the new things we have done, and some of
the other things we know about.
Our New Nashua Number
For some time we've had a number in Nashua NH, but it had a cou-
ple of problems: it cost money every time it was used, every minute of
its use, and only allowed a single caller. Through much discussion
with New England Telephone, we learned that connecting through a dif-
ferent Nashua telephone office would give us several advantages,
including no usage fees, and multiple caller capability.
MV Communications, Inc. June 1993
- 2 -
As a result, we now have a new telephone number in Nashua, (603)
888-NETS, capable of handling multiple callers, and giving local cal-
ling to more communities including Hollis, Salem, and Tyngsboro MA.
Calls to this number will connect to V.32/V.32bis-capable modems.
Please feel free to use it, but only if you need it to reach us from
an otherwise long-distance area. And if you experience trouble or
busy signals with this number, please let us know, as we have no
direct way of monitoring the congestion on it as we do with our Litch-
field numbers. Note that our 429 and 424 numbers are already local to
most of you in the Nashua and Manchester areas.
InfoPath Access
MV has signed up as a service provider on New England Telephone's
InfoPath network. InfoPath is a digital network spanning NH and
several surrounding states; you can call it via an 800 number (or, in
some areas, a local number), and once dialed into InfoPath, enter a
NET-assigned access code, then connect to MV. NET will itemize your
use of InfoPath on your telephone bill; because they charge mostly on
a per-packet basis, interactive use of MV over InfoPath can be sub-
stantially less expensive than a long-distance direct telephone call.
To use InfoPath, you first need to obtain an access code from
NET; NET charges a nominal fee (25 cents per month) to maintain this
access code. Alternatively, MV can provide you with a code that con-
nects you directly to us (and we'll cover this collect call as an item
in our rate schedule).
Our InfoPath access is scheduled to begin in early July.
Calling Plans
Expanded local coverage and InfoPath access are two steps that MV
has taken, so far, to make the last leg of Internet access more
affordable. Outside of these things, we think that it is a good idea
to investigate some of the discount dialing plans offered by telephone
companies. Just opening the NET phone book reveals a couple of
interesting options: the Call Around 603 Plan reduces long-distance
calls to about 10 cents per minute (down from 26 cents peak access),
and the Selective Calling Service option can give you 50% off your
long distance charges to areas that are within 22 miles of your local
area.
Other news on the telephone front: other companies are entering
the intra-LATA (that is, within an area code) arena, and while their
rate schedules are basically subject to the Public Utilities Commis-
sion tariffs, some of them can offer interesting discount plans.
Also, as we reported earlier, the PUC is still due to reexamine local
dialing areas, influenced by community and professional criteria.
NHNet pilot ending
MV Communications, Inc. June 1993
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For the last six months, MV has participated in a statewide net-
working experiment called the New Hampshire Net Pilot Project. This
project was suggested by former Governor Gregg and put together by
representatives from UNH, the state Department of Resource and
Economic Development, and NH businesses. With network connections
donated by New England Telephone, communications equipment loaned by
TeleGlobe, several service providers came on line to provide access to
several hundred people around the state. UNH (with aid of equipment
loaned by DEC) coordinated access to various state and university-
related information sources. The second information provider was the
Manchester Union Leader, which opened up its editorial database for
search by members of the pilot.
MV was a last-minute invitee to the project, after many of the
prospective users asked for Internet access. We leased some computer
equipment (thanks go to Shannon Computer in Alton), wrote custom
menus, and so forth, and provided a link between pilot members and the
Internet. Analysis of connection information has revealed that MV's
service was by far the most popular of anything in the pilot project.
The pilot project will shut down on June 30, and UNH is rumored
to be planning follow-on projects. Despite some of its flaws (the
main one being its lack of ordinary participants-- most of them were
students or representatives of government), it demonstrated that
Internet access was seen to be a valuable commodity, and we believe
that our experience as a provider was a not-insignificant part of that
result.
MV Communications, Inc. June 1993