Skip Collins <collins@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu> (06/14/91)
Upon examining a PTC COCOT at a shopping center in Maryland, I noticed that the instruction card included some small print which said that in order to obtain the rate from that phone to any other number, one could dial *6. Upon doing so, I found that an automated system came online identifying itself as "Rate Star". It gave me several menu choices such as Calling Card rates, dial-1 rates, and collect rates. Then I keyed in a long-distance number and, voila, the nice computer lady told me that my call, from Laurel, Md. to Baltimore would cost $1.21 for the first minute and $.12 for each minute thereafter. This was for a credit card call. The long-distance carrier for the phone was also PTC. Interestingly, while the instruction card said that I had the legal right to use any carrier I wanted to use, no carrier access codes that I tried worked. I did not have the time to fool around much. Automated rate information seems like a service whose time has come. This could alleviate such annoyances as a $20 charge for a two minute call across town. If only all the telcos provided it. Skip Collins, collins@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu