A popular BBS may require substantial disk capacity to cope with the number of registered users and the volume of bulletins, files and system software. Most provide an electronic mail system with individual private mail boxes, and the addressing and directory functions. These systems are generally operated by individuals or a club, but sponsorship or actual operation by computer-related businesses is becoming increasingly common. Since most users tend to reside in the same town or city as the board, there are limited possibilities for electronic mail. There are important limitations to BBSs compared with large scale electronic mail systems.
Boards are single user systems, that is only one user can be connected at any given time.
A board's regular users will be confined to the local telephone district owing to the high cost of STD calls. Against these limitations, there are important advantages derived from the hobbyist origins. Bulletin boards offer very lost cost access, simple and user friendly operation, openness to all callers, and communication to a common interest group. Users of a BBS will require their own microcomputer installation with a simple modem and communications software. Each call to a BBS, if in the same telephone district, will cost only one local call fee.