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Technology Stocks : METRICOM - Wireless Data Communications
MCOM 0.0101-3.8%Dec 31 3:10 PM EST
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To: Dan Packer who wrote (560)12/11/1997 3:36:00 PM
From: Lewis Edinburg  Read Replies (2) of 3376
 
I've only been a subscriber for a month or so. I'll give some of my observations based on being a user rather than from the business side.

A key reason I use Ricochet is to have access to the WWW at work without tying up my phone line. Same reason at home. For a fixed price I can stay connected to the internet all day long, for mail retrieval and be connected to things like PointCaste.

I get frustrated at the slow throughput (approx same perf as a 14.4 modem) and if I do need to download large files I will switch to a 28.8 modem and use an account assigned to me at work with an ISP.

I truly believe that if Metricom could provide internet service at 56K today they would find lots more users. When their 128K service starts in a year I think they will be a real winner. A mobile user can't consider alternatives like cable modems or ISDN because they can't control what facilities they will have. Thus they must rely on modems over PSTN or cell phones.

Another aspect I plan to experiment with in the future is using ricochet modems talking to each other (ie not via the internet) to get dial in access to our corporate network. It is my understanding that the modems will work at 56K throughput in this mode. Another possibility, which I don't know if it will be supported or not, is that my company has an office in the Seattle area. Our corporate headquarters is in San Jose CA. I plan to see whether we can use ricochet modem to modem to go between these two locations.

So far I do not regret signing up for Ricochet service.
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