IP: for all those ISPs who jumped out the windows -- I wonder

[Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

AT&T INTERNET SERVICE IS NOT-READY-FOR-PRIMETIME


After announcing with great fanfare its intention to offer Internet service
to the masses, AT&T now is saying its technical system still needs some
work.  The long-distance giant still needs local computer nodes to collect
data traffic and is lacking Internet software for Mac and Windows 95
operating systems.  The service now probably won't be available until
mid-April or May, putting AT&T at a disadvantage with regard to competitors
MCI and Sprint, which are proceeding with their own Internet marketing
plans.  Even when it gets its technical systems operation, AT&T will still
have a long way to go in developing expertise in technical customer support,
says an industry editor, who notes it's a lot harder to answer a computer
inquiry than it is to service a phone bill complaint.  (Wall Street Journal
1 Mar 96 B2)