Someinternetcompaniestocutflatrates

by Paul Monte news editor

Time is running out for internet users who meander for hours without worrying about the bill.

In an associated press article, it was reported that flat-price plans allow on line lingering that leaves others with long waits for connections.

For some, particularly businesses that rely on e-mail, the tie-ups are intolerable.

Flat rates have already come and gone. Instead, internet access companies are charging more, even by the hour, but promising reliable connections.

Netcom Online Communications Service Inc. of San Jose, Calif., a pioneer of the flat-rate price, plans to announce a return to hourly rates next month.

Others, while still allowing unlimited usage, are charging double the going rate to keep lines open.

Consultants at the Gartner Group predict that in three years the meter wilf be running for three-fourths of all internet service.

America Online (AOL), with 6.5 million members, just a month ago started offering a flat-rate, a step some blame for the current log jam.

The company says the pricing has been popular with its customers and that the company is upgrading its systems to handle the crush.

Still, a top executive at the Microsoft Network (MSN), which has about two million members, isn't making any long term promises.

MSN currently sees flatrates to continue to exist now and into the future, meaning about one year.

The manager of Northcutt Productions, a video and multimedia production company in Sausalito, Calif., likes using AOL for her business. But she has gotten so frustrated with delays that she plans to open a second account with an internetonly provider.

Netcom is looking for busi-

Bill Clinton will propose nearly $100 billion in tax cuts this week to Congress. The proposed cuts will occur over a six-year period. The proposed cuts will hopefully appease the Republican tax cut demand. The tax cut will be a compromise proposal on Clinton's part. The president will unveil his new tax plan later this week.

02/3

Arafat and Netanyahu continue talks.

The talks continue to escalate between Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Switzerland this week.

The talks aim to help resolve the problems in the Middle East that have been around for decades. There is a positive future in sight and both sides are hopeful for Middle East.

Both sides plan to compromise on the issues and come to an agreement.

0 2/3

Japan and Peru meet to discuss hostage crisis.

Prime Minister of Japan Ryutaro Hachimoto and Peruvian President Alberto Fujimorei are convening in Toronto, Canada, to discuss the hostage crisis in Lima, Peru. The rebel followers of Tupac Arnaru have held captive 72 hostages inside the Japanese ambassador building located in Lima for 45 days.

02/5 ness owners like Northcutt.

Simpson found liable.

O.J. Simpson was found liable by a Santa Monica civil jury for the wrongful death civil lawsuit brought about by the families of the murder victims, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. The jury awarded the Goldman family $8.5 million in compensatory damages.

A spokesman for Netcom says that the company wants to service the small to mid-sized business user who cannot afford to not get their e-mail, who cannot afford not to get on the net and those who are willing to pay a premium price to ensure access to their accounts.

Zilker Internet Park, an Austin, Texas based internet service provider, offers its customers a flat-rate monthly fee, but at $39.95 instead of $19.95.

Expensive, but at that price the company can ensure customers that they will get more than a busy signal.

Flat rates can easily be a money loser for on line companies. At a cost of between 90 cents and $1.80 an hour to connect a user, internet providers who charge no more than $19 .95 a month start losing money after as little as 11 hours, according to an analyst at the Gartner Group.

The analyst said the average user is on line about 16 to 18 hours a month.

Complltet ~, iti Philadelphia areahavebeentar• geting suburban office complex• es and industrial parks in recent months, netting $800,000 in losses and contributing to a national trend. authorities .said.

The 18 burglariesappearto be a subUrbanphenQmenonand ~• of a trend that costs' U.S. cpmpanies$8 biUiona year, to w_liceand insuranceindustty stati&tics.

Anytime you have an item as easily resold, and as in demand as a laptop. or a PC. u's \l'ely JQOrative,''Upper Merion To~p Police Lt. Robert t)uber~. • •

Laptbp·theft in ~arhas ~, _sl»np)y.Robed2'isesS3il:t;. bf the StolenComputer. · Registryin 11volk~.Y In 1991. acc<>Nfflgto Zises. lapto:ps;,e_p-: 1deilted 10 percenl of aBstobt ~eis, and .m •1994, they madeup 40 permt-Of'a1JCOOl• puldtdtef'b.

But for corporate • the theft. equipment loss part of the proble hreplaceable company data can also be lost.

Further ci.:,mplicad.agmatters. ~&aid. is tbe fact that few computer rodl~ have their own identification numbers. and that even those that do can be hard to trace.

Microchip pm:essors are so1t1alops~.cq~in the so-called •~-.tnarlcet," or resale ind'1$tt)'.

Th'atllllUk is m&deup of indeped1if brokets wbo &rade in bulk. or bUyequipment at low pncesand sell high.

Sol1lec~s arefighting back;AA"' a string of t'®berles at •• ~:two Cqip. ()f s· factures: the~ ~or. begaaWOl'~ serlat numbm wto ia chipsin1 tead