wmartin@ALMSA-1.ARPA (Will Martin -- AMXAL-RI) (11/19/86)
I know we've discussed the significance of the 3rd digit in 800 numbers
("N" in 800-xxN-xxxx) before (I think the consensus was that "2" there
means "intrastate 800 number", right?); I was wondering if there is any
particular geographical distribution on the prefixes themselves ("NNN"
in 800-NNN-xxxx)? This was inspired by hearing an IBM commercial that
told listeners to call "1-800-IBM-nnnn" (I forget the last 4 digits).
There are other special word-code 800 numbers like 1-800-USA-RAIL for
AMTRAK, of course.
Do firms that get these numbers have to set up answering or call-forwarding
services in any specific geographic areas to get the letter-coded numbers
they want? Or is the 800 service completely divorced from any geographic
constraints as far as number assignments go?
Other 800-related questions: If you have an Alternate Long-Distance
Service as your default outgoing LD service and you call an 800 number
by dialing 1-800-xxx-xxxx, what happens to that call? Does the ALDS
actually use its own facilities to route and transmit that call over to
AT&T, doing work for which they never will get any pay (or do they
charge the caller something even for an 800 call, or would AT&T pay them
something?), or does the local Central Office facility automatically
route all 800 calls to AT&T so that they never touch the ALDS carrier's
lines, or what?
(I've never had any service other than AT&T, so I never tried this back
before Equal Access when you called a local number to get to a LD
service like MCI -- when you did that and then called an 800 number
instead of a regular long distance number, would the call go through?
Would you be charged for the time for that 800 call? [Yes, I know it
would be a silly thing to do -- I just thought somebody might have tried
it as an experiment.])
Regards,
Will Martin
wmartin@ALMSA-1.ARPA (on USENET try ...!seismo!wmartin@ALMSA-1.ARPA )jsol%buita.bu.edu@RELAY.CS.NET (11/25/86)
800 service is no longer connected to geographical area. The 800-XX2-XXXX is still "reserved" for local operating companies, but if someone wants a number like that ATT can call the LOC and ask for authorization to use the line. The reverse is also true. Currently, if you have equal access on your line, 800 (toll free) and 900 (special charge) calls always route through ATT. The other carriers are also looking into offering 800 service (some already do in some sense of the word), but that won't be for a while. --jsol
ihm@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU@minnie.UUCP (12/01/86)
in <8611250934.AA27171@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, will martin writes: >I know we've discussed the significance of the 3rd digit in 800 numbers >("N" in 800-xxN-xxxx) before (I think the consensus was that "2" there >means "intrastate 800 number", right?); I was wondering if there is any >particular geographical distribution on the prefixes themselves ("NNN" >in 800-NNN-xxxx)? This was inspired by hearing an IBM commercial that >told listeners to call "1-800-IBM-nnnn" (I forget the last 4 digits). >There are other special word-code 800 numbers like 1-800-USA-RAIL for >AMTRAK, of course. > >Do firms that get these numbers have to set up answering or call-forwarding >services in any specific geographic areas to get the letter-coded numbers >they want? Or is the 800 service completely divorced from any geographic >constraints as far as number assignments go? > >Other 800-related questions: If you have an Alternate Long-Distance >Service as your default outgoing LD service and you call an 800 number >by dialing 1-800-xxx-xxxx, what happens to that call? Does the ALDS >actually use its own facilities to route and transmit that call over to >AT&T, doing work for which they never will get any pay (or do they >charge the caller something even for an 800 call, or would AT&T pay them >something?), or does the local Central Office facility automatically >route all 800 calls to AT&T so that they never touch the ALDS carrier's >lines, or what? > >(I've never had any service other than AT&T, so I never tried this back >before Equal Access when you called a local number to get to a LD >service like MCI -- when you did that and then called an 800 number >instead of a regular long distance number, would the call go through? >Would you be charged for the time for that 800 call? [Yes, I know it >would be a silly thing to do -- I just thought somebody might have tried >it as an experiment.]) > >Regards, >Will Martin >wmartin@ALMSA-1.ARPA (on USENET try ...!seismo!wmartin@ALMSA-1.ARPA ) Since the advent of the CCIS 800 service, the assignment of 800 numbers has changed to free-format. Some vestigial remnants of the old system survive today simply because it was neither practical nor necessary to just change every 800 number simply because they could. For a good explanation of the old INWATS and the current SPC 800 service, I suggest a special issue of the BSTJ (the date escapes me but it was within the last few years), called "The SPC Network", all about the implementation of Common Channel Interoffice Signalling (CCIS) and what it replaces. If you want me to check the issue number, please send me mail. Cheerz-- <>IHM<> -- uucp: ihnp4!nrcvax!ihm