mgrant@GYMBLE.UMD.EDU (Michael A. Grant) (11/19/85)
Instead of an FX line, have you considered forwarding chains? i.e. renting a few phone lines in overlapping lata and forwarding them down a chain to the destination. JSOL@MIT-XX Um yeah, forwarding chains are a neat idea, but realistially speaking, after 3 or more they start to lose in terms of voice quality. ------- [This is the third message in a row on such a topic. Call forwarding chains require that you have friends in the appropriate exchanges. I had one in LA inward to my number from certain areas which I got alot of calls from (My number was in PacTel and the forwarder was in GTE and most of my calls came from a PacTel area outside my local calling area). They are not as versatile as FX lines (because you can't use them both ways), but if someone has a data line in an ESS exchange, you might be able to convince them to let you use their incoming number in exchange for sharing the costs of the line and installing and paying for the call forwarding service. The telephone companies offer this without physical lines, but they generally only do it when the forwarded number incurs a toll charge (i.e. not to extend your incoming local calling area). --JSol]
SWG.ELMO@USC-ISIB.ARPA (Eliot Moore) (12/18/85)
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 85 20:48:10 est
From: Michael A. Grant <mgrant@gymble.umd.edu>
Instead of an FX line, have you considered forwarding chains? i.e. renting
a few phone lines in overlapping lata and forwarding them down a chain to
the destination.
Could be very feasible. I understand Texas' calling areas are
{naturally} BIG, so it might be only a couple hops.
...
The telephone companies offer this without physical lines, but they
generally only do it when the forwarded number incurs a toll charge (i.e.
not to extend your incoming local calling area). --JSol]
Untrue Jon! Pacific Bell and General Telephone are quite willing to
sell RCF's to extend your inward calling area, local or not, or to
jump across area-code boundaries, and promote the same. The climate
has changed over the last few years. I find the administration of
non-telco RCF's can be troublesome, and the mere $6.00 installation
charge appealing. The usage charges (I do about 2500 minutes/month)
are reasonable when compared to base FX. GTE will "get ya" by
disallowing evening & night discount periods.
Regards,
Elmo
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