From: jim bell <jimbell@pacifier.com>
Date: Thu, 18 Apr 1996 07:47:04 +0800
To: "E. ALLEN SMITH" <cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: A possible problem with more regulation possible?
Message-ID: <m0u9bA6-0008xzC@pacifier.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 02:17 PM 4/16/96 EDT, E. ALLEN SMITH wrote:
>	This proposal would appear to increase vulnerability to regulation.
>	-Allen
>
>From:	IN%"educom@elanor.oit.unc.edu"  7-APR-1996 18:42:00.83
>
>>MORE ROUTERS = MORE INTERNET BROWNOUTS
>>As businesses and Internet operators keep adding routers to speed electronic
>>content on its way, the proliferation of routing devices actually begins to
>>slow traffic, causing Internet "brownouts" -- when the response time slows
>>to a crawl.  The solution could be an updated Internet, redesigned for
>>fewer, more powerful routers, so that data packets need fewer hops.  "The
>>U.S. Internet is about as reliable these days as the phone system in
>>Russia," says NetStar's VP for sales and marketing.  (Business Week 8 Apr 96
>>p82)


I'd like to hear of some estimates of the cost (total, and per-user) of 
installing the system, and running Internet on a daily basis.  They are 
spread out over a large number of entities, but I'd think they could be 
estimated with at least a factor-of-two precision.

What are the costs of laying fiber?  Switching equipment? etc.