From The March/April 1991 Issue Of Telecomputing Magazine Connect-USA Announces Low Cost BBS Service Connect-USA Communications Incorporated, of Albuquerque, New Mexico today announced that it is building a nationwide data communications network with emphasis on serving the growing community of Bulletin Board System callers. The network, based on X.25 fast packet switching technology, will become operational on July 15, 1991. The network will begin operations in Los Angeles, San Jose, Seattle, Chicago, Milwaukee, the Washington DC and northern Virginia area, Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, Dallas, Houston and Albuquerque. The network will offer the "Connect-USA Leisure Time Account" in the above cities beginning in May. This service will permit callers to use the network to make "dialout" calls from any of the initial twelve cities to any of the other same cities. The network customer is charged thirty dollars ($30) for up to thirty hours of network usage per month. Hours used over the initial thirty hours are billed at $3.00 per hour. Callers may use the network at any time, day or night. Connect-USA will support baud rates up to 14.4KBPS through the use of V.32bis/MNP and Compucom DIS modems. Lower BPS rates are also supported. According to Dean Kerl, vice president of operations, "The network will fill a void in dial up communications by being the first to support the fast spreading V.32bis standard." "Other services, including the Starlink service of our sister company, Galaxy Telecomm Corporation, are typically restricted to 2400BPS. With modem prices dropping, our Leisure Time service will allow new modem purchasers to use their high-speed modems economically." Kerl Said. "For those callers who do not need the high speed of V.32bis, we will also support the Compucom Speedmodem which uses a proprietary 9600 BPS 'standard'. A user will typically dial one of our access numbers that corresponds with his modem type. After entering his unique Network User Identification and password, he indicates the area code and telephone number he wishes to call. The network checks to see if a call can be placed to that number, and if so, completes the call with the same type of modem the user called the network with. It's a truly effortless process, unlike other services which require the use of complicated codes and network commands." "We feel that this service will be well received by experienced modem users as well as those who are just entering this exciting field of computer communications" Kerl continued. "The learning curve is remarkably short. A caller will be communicating in a matter of minutes instead of the hours previously required." The service is currently operational via the Compuserve Data Network in the cities of Albuquerque, Boston, Honolulu, Ft. Lauderdale and Milwaukee. The company plans to continue services to these cities through it's existing facilities. Plans have been made to extend the service to additional major cities later in the year. In addition to being able to dial remote computer systems through the dialout facility, callers may reach several major Bulletin Board Systems and Information providers who have signed on with Connect-USA, becoming directly connected to the network. Some of these major systems are: Exec-PC (Milwaukee, WI), Rusty 'N Edie's BBS (Youngstown, OH), Dragon Net BBS (Galveston, TX), Micro Mall (Tacoma, WA), Galaxy (Albuquerque, NM), Isles Of Shae (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), Channel 1 (Boston, MA), Atlanta Chatline (Atlanta, GA), Chicago Syslink (Chicago, IL), The Burbs (Los Angeles, CA), Cloud Nine (Houston, TX), Prostar (Seattle, WA) and Meganet (Tampa, FL). Callers residing in cities not yet equipped with Connect-USA facilities may utilize the service via Compuserve's dial up access numbers in over 800 cities. Callers are charged $3.00 per connect hour when using Compuserve's access numbers. For more information about Connect-USA and it's different calling plans, please contact: Connect-USA Communications, Inc., 2625 Pennsylvania NE Suite 225, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 505-881-6988 (voice), 505-881-2756 (FAX), 505-881-6964 (BBS). Copyright 1991, Telecomputing Magazine -- All rights reserved.