It's true in Germany as well. Indeed, since Deutsche Telekom have only
just been privatised, charges have still a way down to go. Nevertheless,
I am charged something like DM2.80 per hour for using the telephone to
connect, as well as about DM33.00 per month to the ISP. Deutsche
Telekom's T-Online is charged by the minute as well to log-on, not a
cheap option.
However, I think that the experience with the Augsburg shop is probably
to do with the newness of e-mail systems and the lack of experienced
staff to answer the mail. Shops in the UK are only starting now to
answer emails in the same week. Indeed, why should they tie themselves
to the computer when most people still want personal service - and
they're not sure that employing extra staff to answer e-mail queries is
worth the extra cost...
It's a tricky one, but I bet e-commerce will win in the end, to the
detriment of personal service.
OM query for someone more knowledgeable than I: if the split
screen/microprism focussing aid will not go to infinity by a slight
amount, should I keep or send back the little 21/3.5 that I have just
bought? I should be grateful for an opinion, and I hope that this wasn't
discussed ad nauseam while I was away (MC 50/1.8s anyone ;-))
Chris
~~~~~ John Hudson said:
>>This may have to do with the fact that most European countries have to pay
>>online charges per unit time, whereas here in the US, it's easy to get
>>unlimited access. At least this is what all the people across the pond
>>have been complaining about on USENET. Best,
>
>I think it more accurate to say that unlike in Canada and the US, local
>phone calls are billed per unit of time. ISP's might charge a flat rate per
>month for a specified or unlimited number of hours but the as the dial up
>is a local phone call the phone company is billing the telephone subscriber
>for using the telephone line. This is certainly the case in the UK.
>
>jh
>
>
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><> *** Chris Barker ***
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