From: tdarcos@attmail.com
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Alternate to AT&T Mail Delivery
Date: 7 Jan 93 16:48:28 GMT
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 13, Issue 14, Message 12 of 14

In TELECOM Digest 13-9, Tom Lahey - toml!batfish@attmail.com says:

> I've recently started getting telecom off the Internet via AT&T
> mail. (currently my only access to the Internet).

To quote one of their own ads, "You're not dealing with AT&T."  Your
message is coming through some X.400 server (BATFISH) that is
connected to AT&T Mail.  You are probably being charged by the X.400
provider whoever that is.  If you were a direct AT&T Mail customer you
would have an account like TOML@ATTMAIL.COM just as much as this one
is TDARCOS@ATTMAIL.COM.

Neither AT&T Mail nor MCI Mail charges anything to receive messages.
You should take the service directly from them, as AT&T Mail will only
charge you (1) if you send a message (2) if you compose the message on
line, there is a surcharge.  (MCI does not charge extra for messages
composed while on-line.)

> Does anyone know how I can get an Internet feed via dial-up? (with
> something less than a $0.95 for the first 3000 characters and .05 per
> 1000 after that?)

I have accounts on both AT&T Mail and MCI Mail.  It's no coincidence
that I have the account name (TDARCOS) as the same on both systems.  I
would have tried an account on Sprintmail, but I came across the same
thing as you are complaining about: they *CHARGE* to *RECEIVE* mail,
at 5c/K, at the same rate as I pay to *send* messages!

MCI Mail charges $35 a year to subscribe.  AT&T Charges $3 a month and
you can use their terminals at airports free.  The only cost on either
should be a one-time charge of 50c to send a message to
"telecom-request@delta.eecs.nwu.edu" to start the subscription.  If
you want to send messages, they will cost you 50c for the first 500
bytes, then 10c for each 1K up to 10K, then 5c/K above 10K.  MCI
offers a plan which gives you the first 40 message units (of 5K each)
for $10 a month, or the first 250 message units for $25 a month.
Message units also include 1/2 page domestic facsimile transmissions.

MCI Mail and AT&T Mail are accessible through direct 800 numbers which
do not charge you for connect time.  AT&T Mail is also accessible via
950-1ATT (950-1288) in many areas.  AT&T is only accessible at 2400
baud via their regular 800 number; MCI has 1200, 2400 and 9600 baud
800 numbers.  Neither makes any charge to receive mail (AT&T will
charge you if you accept a message from another AT&T subscriber that
was sent to you /COD).  AT&T Mail allows messages to be downloaded
using cheapo xmodem7.  MCI Mail allows messages to be downloaded using
ZMODEM or KERMIT.  AT&T does a *much* better job of keeping Internet
RFC841 headers on incoming messages, especially those from BITNET
Listservers where the originator is often eradicated by MCI Mail and
other services.  MCI Mail provides a better interface for sending
messages.  Your account number on MCI Mail is also a free incoming
telex number; AT&T charges $25 a month for an incoming telex number.

AT&T Mail can be reached by voice at 1-800-MAIL-672 (624-5672)
                         MCI Mail at 1-800-444-MAIL (444-6245)


Paul Robinson    TDARCOS@ATTMAIL.COM   {and}   TDARCOS@MCIMAIL.COM