forrette@cory.berkeley.edu (Steve Forrette) (01/09/91)
Regarding long distance sent-paid calls from payphones (prepaid with coins): I had a talk with my Pacific Bell friend a few weeks ago, and just this subject came up. Apparently, the issue is somewhat a technical one. For the past few years, each carrier has been given equal access to the technology to service sent-paid calls. However, it requires that the IXC have a point-of-presence at the payphone's CO - no tandems allowed here. So, for example, to service sent-paid calls in California, a point-of-presence would be required at every CO in the state that has payphones attached to it. As we all know, there's only one carrier that has gone to that trouble (they shall remain nameless, but their initials are AT&T). But the fact remains, that there is indeed "equal access" to the technology for each carrier. One of the reasons that the "other guys" aren't jumping to get into this segment of the market is that it is a declining one. However, this may change soon. My friend was involved in a trial in Reno of some new technology that would allow control of the payphone's coin mechanism through a tandem. It would possibly require some extra equipment on the IXC's end, but not a POP in each exchange. So, in the future, we may actually have a choice for sent-paid calls. As for what the Moderator said about having competition in this area in Chicago, has he actually tried this? In Northern California at least, there is a variety of carriers on Bell payphones, but only for operator-assisted or calling card calls. Sent-paid calls go over AT&T always, regardless of the equal access default for that phone. Another problem with sent-paid, particularly with international calls, is that the totalizer in the payphones can only handle $3 or so. For some international calls, the initial rate may be more than this. So, what do you do? If collect into the coin box after $3, then keep counting until the initial rate is deposited, what do you do if the call doesn't complete? You can't return the first three dollars! But, the only other option is to allow the call to complete with less than the initial rate deposited. Then, if the caller doesn't deposit the rest, what can the carrier do? I tried to call a number in Europe somewhere, and apparently sent-paid international calls are always handled by the operator - no automated coin collection here. I was told that I had to deposit $3, then they would dial the call. If it wasn't answered, my $3 would be returned. If it completed, the other party would be asked to hold while I deposited the remainder of the initial rate, at which time the operator would let the call complete. [Moderator's Note: With a couple of cell phones, calling cards from Illinois Bell/AT&T and Sprint, and an 800 number attached to my home line, I've had no need to deposit coins in the slot for years. I have to admit to only reading instruction cards -- not actually following the instructions. When the initial rate is more than the table will hold then the operators here place the call, and on successful connection they tell the called party to stand by; split the connection, collect their money and reconnect the caller. PAT]