From: Dallas Kostna[SMTP:info@bndinfo.com]

Sent: September 25, 2001 2:33 PM

To: procedure@crtc.gc.ca

Cc: reg.affairs@mts.mb.ca

Subject: Re: Price cap review and related issues / MTS

To whom it may concern,

Re: Price cap review and related issues / MTS's proposal for an upgraded

internet service for rural Manitobans.

I have been a loyal MTS customer for several years. I am also an

Information Technology professional. Just before MTS became a private

company, Manitobans were assured that the quality of service would not

drop and rates would not increase. After a few years of privatization,

MTS has not been able to keep either promise, particularly as far as

rates are concerned.

I realize that there are rural Manitobans without high-speed Internet

connections (or possibly any Internet connection). I'm sure these

citizens realized the implications of their relative geographical

location before they moved to their residences. MTS's proposal is to

spend $55 Million dollars over 10 years for 24,600 Manitobans. That's

roughly $2235.00 per rural Manitoban.

MTS's currently-offered technology involves DSL technology. This

technology is fine for static web browsing and e-mail, but clearly

inferior for dynamic content, mostly due to DSL's low upload speed.

Considering that dynamic content is growing much faster than static

content, DSL will be problematic at best in 2009. The notice we

received from MTS does not specify the technology they will be

employing, but if it's DSL, MTS is clearly wasting its customer's money.

I don't want to jump to conclusions, however. Will MTS be delivering a

technology that is fully ready for IP6 and Internet2? Both of these

technologies (or their successors) will be prevalent by 2009. Would

satellite technology not be better suited for the job?

If MTS wants to provide Internet access to rural customers, that's

great, however this should be done at MTS and the customer's expense.

Urban, employed citizens are tired of subsidizing everyone else. Not

only that, but we are entering a recession.

People near the poverty line need phones just as much as those well

above that line. There should be inexpensive phone service BEFORE rural

citizens have Internet access.

Sincerely,

Dallas J. Kostna, BEd.

President

B & D Information Services