eggplant writes:
How about...only paying for the initial investment of the phone program and hardware. No more costs to pay, get rid of long distance charges all-togther.
Two problems: 1- Chaum did not have the clue to pick up on this when two cypherpunks (who shall remain nameless...) pitched this and several other ideas to involve ISPs in jump-starting ecash almost two years ago, so why would he figure it out now? 2- The phone companies (actually ACTA, the telco lobby) petitioned the FCC on Monday to regulate the Internet phone software companies. IP phone systems themselves may need to move underground just to escape regulation. OTOH, there is nothing to prevent people from building their own systems once some free software is out there... On another related note the IRS is not getting someone what concerned about the opportunities the Internet offers people to avoid taxes according to the Treasury department's international-tax counsel. The government will "maintain toll booths on the information superhighway." (WSJ, 3/6/96) jim