wrf@mab.ecse.rpi.edu (Wm Randolph Franklin) (01/24/91)
According to the {Albany Times Union} 1-23-90, since Friday it is now the law in New York that COCOTS with AOSs must: - identify the carrier, - provide a free number for reaching him, - allow, and give instructions for, reaching alternative long distance carriers. However they are not required to post rates, possibly because of the length of the rate tables. The penalty for not identifying themselves is $500, and a customer who mistakenly places a call because of a lack of id can sue to $2000. (I'm not sure what this means. Can you sue for $2000, or the cost of your overpriced call, possibly times 3, up to $2000, or what? Where do you sue?) Also, awhile ago NYS got a big judgement against a 900 and 540 ripoff artist advertising a "gold card" if you called his $50 number. I'll post details later. Q: what percentage of the public is even aware of 900 numbers? I'd guess randomly about 25%, even among "educated" professionals. Wm. Randolph Franklin Internet: wrf@ecse.rpi.edu (or @cs.rpi.edu) Bitnet: Wrfrankl@Rpitsmts Telephone: (518) 276-6077; Telex: 6716050 RPI TROU; Fax: (518) 276-6261 Paper: ECSE Dept., 6026 JEC, Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst, Troy NY, 12180