[net.general] desirable phone pheatures

plw@mgweed.UUCP (08/27/83)

	Persuant to the discussion of phone goodies that are desired by
some people, be it known that the consumer products division of AT&T 
(known by whatever name is currently in vogue) will be marketing a device
known as Telstar sometime in the near future.
	Telstar has a couple of features that seem to be in demand -
call screening and call forwarding. The call screening (CS) works like
this:
	contained in the Telstar is a 'directory' of names and numbers
	of people you are in contact with frequently. the directory is
	set up by you when you install your unit. some or all of these
	numbers may be flagged as ones you wish to answer right away.
	by turning on the CS feature, Telstar asks the caller to enter
	their number (via the touch-tone pad of their phone) and checks
	it against the numbers in its directory. if it is one you ind-
	icated you wanted to answer, Telstar rings your phone. if not,
	the caller is told no-one is available and their number has been
	recorded.
The call forwarding is really just an announcement of the number where
you can be reached. If call screening is on, the caller is asked to
enter their number, it is checked against those you flagged, and the
caller is given the number if they are one you wanted to talk to.
	Telstar can be set to answer your phone on from 1 to 16 rings.
if you do not pick up the phone, Telstar asks the caller to enter their
number and verify it. When you check your messages, the unit tells you
the number(s) that called and what date and time they called. Unfortun-
ately, no verbal messages are recorded.
	This isn't meant to be a commercial, so I won't go into the other
features. I don't know when it will be available, but I understand it is
being tested in a couple places in Florida and New Jersey. The last I
heard, it was to be available this fall and will retail for around $300.

				Pete Wilson
				...we13!mgweed!plw
				Western Electric
				Montgomery Works
				(we make the Telstar!)