From: gerg@netcom.com (Greg Andrews)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Re: Telebit T1000 in Japan
Date: 17 Nov 92 07:43:46 GMT
Article-I.D.: netcom.1992Nov17.074346.16866
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)

davidg@aegis.or.jp (Dave McLane) writes:
>gerg@netcom.com (Greg Andrews) writes:
>
>>In article <3169@aegis.or.jp> davidg@aegis.or.jp (Dave McLane) writes:
>>>gerg@netcom.com (Greg Andrews) writes:
>>>>
>>>>While the Telebit modems available in Japan are more expensive than
>>>>their U.S. equivalents, they've been approved by the Japanese telephone
>>>>authorities and are supported by the local dealer.
>>>>
>>>A few years ago, a T2500 from Swire (see below) cost 248,000 yen
>>>(US$2,000). A friend of mine is sysadmining a UNIX system under a
>>>Mombusho grant (National Education Ministry) and they got two
>>>approved T2500s, paid the full price and could get no support from
>>>the distributer. From what he has told me the distributor is just
>>>that, a distributor. Support?  Uhhh.... That's what c.d.m. is for,
>>>isn't it? :-)
>
>>Really?  The dealer would not support the product?  I've been told by the
>>higher-ups that dealers don't get the contract until they agree to support
>>the product.  Any other arrangement isn't practical for Telebit or the
>>customer unless Telebit opens offices in every country where the modems
>>are approved.
>
>In case you haven't been here what is said ('tatemae') and what is
>really meant or really happens ('honne') have almost no relationship
>in Japan. In this case, according to what my friend said (and he
>shall always remain nameless as social harmony is perhaps the most
>important thing here) it's not that they wouldn't, it was more that
>they knew less about the product than he did. 
>

It's not just Japan where what was said doesn't match reality.  Ask nearly
any technical support rep.

>
>>I'll pass your comments to the folks who know what's supposed to be
>>happening with our overseas dealers.  I don't want to leave our Japan
>>customers hanging without any support.
>
>Where have you been? Did you miss a bunch of traffic in this
>newsgroup? 
>

No, Dave, I read just about everything in this group that has to do
with Telebit, Hayes, USR, and the like.  Unless someone starts
discussing Telebit support issues under the subject line "Supra
MNP probs", I'm not going to miss it.

I'm simply aware of the difference between tatemae and honne in this
newsgroup, as your two articles demonstrated.  What people say isn't
always what really happens.

>
>Telebit has only a limited number of modems approved for Japan, the
>prices from its sole authorized distributer are more than double
>what the equivalent goes for in the U.S., and support is minimal to
>non-existant. From what I've read in c.d.m. it's the same in the
>U.K. and perhaps other countries as well. 
>

I've seen posts about other brands of modems.  It's not just Telebits
that carry higher price tags for approved modems.  I've seen the very
same complaints about approved USRs and Hayes'.

>
>In the case of Japan, some organizations need Telebits for the PEP
>so they pay the freight and deal with the problems themselves.  In
>the case of other modem like USRobotics, they aren't approved, and
>can't be purchased here (tatemae): Yet if you dial around the
>country you find <gasp> that many BBSs are running USRobotics (honne). 
>

What sort of support do they have from USR?  

>
>So don't worry about Telebit's support. Everything is OK. Quoting
>what your higher-ups say is fine (tatemae) :-)
>

I'm surprised at this response.  Are you telling me you DON'T want
Telebit to improve their support for products overseas?  I noticed
your other message mentioning you now resell Digicom modems.
Congratulations!


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