bill%gauss@gatech.edu (bill) (02/20/91)
Sometime between approximately 12:10 A.M. this morning (Feb. 17) and
7:32 A.M., Southern Bell completed my order for Caller*ID service.
After Nightline, I went to the trusty cellular and called my home
number to see if the service had cut-in at midnight - this was not the
case. But bright and early this morning at 7:32, I got a call while I
was getting ready for work (which I was unable to answer at the time).
When I headed out the door for work, I saw that the caller's number
was beaming forth from my Slimlite 64 (tm) CLID box. It was not a
number I recognized, so I called it back once I was at work. I was
quite surprised (and so was the "callee") when I reached a
telemarketing firm. At 7:32 in the morning, why would a telemarketer
call anyone, I asked myself. And this guy wanted to know how I got
_HIS_ number. Fancy that, a telemarketer wanting to know where I got
_HIS_ phone number! What odd coincidence that this would be my first
call under Caller*ID.
Before I drove off for work, I called from both my "A" and "B" carrier
cellular accounts ("B" is getting ready to get the axe, by the way -
they cost more and have less features and flexibility in my case).
Anyhow, calls from both showed up as "Out-of-area." Not surprising as
I could neither Block nor Return*Call either one of them before.
I further plan to at least discontinue the Call*Return and possibly
also Call*Block (great for squelching local numbers which call to play
a recording touting 900 numbers and the local telemarketers). I see
no need for Call*Return _and_ Caller*ID. I never did see much
practical use for Call Return anyway. Sure it's helpful if you want
to unnerve a bothersome caller, but to pay $4.00 a month just to get
some jollies from that ... :-)
So, despite some fits and starts, it looks like metro Atlanta is
finally on-line with Caller ID. I invite others here in Atlanta to
share their experiences with me (and possibly this list?).
Bill Berbenich Georgia Tech, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp: ...!{backbones}!gatech!eedsp!bill Internet: bill@eedsp.gatech.edu