23 May
2012
23 May
'12
12:19 p.m.
On 5/23/2012 12:44 PM, ben wrote:
On 5/23/2012 7:39 AM, Keith Monahan wrote:
My parents had luckily subscribed to the Bell Atlantic "metro" package
of calling. A large number of local exchanges could be called for an
unlimited number of minutes for a fixed price.
Compuserve had several dialups in each area code with the idea that it
would be a local call from most customers. I believe CompuServe used
TYMNET's dialups to access their service. You would call up, type a
command, and you would connect across the network to compuserve.
I became an expert at a young age of identifying which exchanges were
located in what areas, and if they were included as "free" calls.
Eventually, I knew most of the "core" area-codes for each major city in
the US.
During my busiest of times, I would call about 90 local BBS's A DAY. I
didn't have a private line in the house --- so my parents/siblings would
yell at me, and I'd logoff.
And then there were services like PC Pursuit(offered via TELENET (not
telnet) ) --- but there were others (the names escape me) where you
dialed into their service and then could make outbound dialout calls to
various area-codes/exchanges for a flat rate.
And then there was the phreaking/950's/allnet(was it?), but that's a
story for another time. :)
Keith
I had the CoCo II, and a 300-baud radio shack
"direct connect" modem
that I bought for $22.00 on clearance around 1982.
Well I am glad you got to use it.
I tried that and found every where was long distance. Back then you
did not have the 5 cent a minute plan. That killed my net access
till about 10 years ago, and then it was dial up @ 56k for the last
few years. I now have higher speed internet, but still limited by
long distance from the major hubs.
Ben.