Coming straight after the news of increased charges for its X25 Dataline service as from next year (CI No 1,320), British Telecommunications Plc has announced that dial-up users of its PSS managed data network are to be offered new data transmission speeds of up to 2,400bps – twice the present speed – greater error correction, and a series of other improvements from January 31 of 1990. The increased transmission speed of the new service, called PSS Dialplus, should lead to lower call charges by significantly reducing call duration, the sole factor on which charges are based: there is no data element in the tariff, and British Telecom says that over 90% of business-to-business dial-up users will be charged at the PSS local call rate – in other words 90% of users are within local call distance of a PSS node. Error correction over and above that provided automatically by X25 will conform to the Consultative Committee on Telephony & Telegraphy’s V42 Microcom Networking Protocol recommendation: this is available as an option for those that require it. The service is also claimed to be more user-friendly than before by offering a system administration facility allowing users to control facilities such as reverse charging and autocalling. Registration of a single PSS DialPlus password will cost UKP60, with a quarterly rental of UKP15. UK and Channel Island calls will cost UKP1.80 per hour; cheap and bulk rates are also available.
