mpd@anomaly.sbs.com (Michael P. Deignan) (01/02/91)
Paul.Schleck@iugate.unomaha.edu (Paul Schleck) writes: >That brings up an interesting point. Just how long does the phone >company wait before reassigning numbers? According to my mother, >calls for the previous subscriber *never* happened in the past (my >mother is 58). In recent years, when she moves and/or switches phone >numbers, she complains about receiving a significant number of calls >for the previous owner of the number. "Stupid phone company doesn't >give its numbers a chance to cool off anymore!" she complains. Is >this just my mother's imagination or has Ma Bell, in her hunger for >numbers to assign in populated areas, shortened the "cooling off" time >to less than ideal? A few years ago, I called NET to get a second line installed in my parent's home as a modem line. After going thru the process, and being informed that the line would be activated in a week, I called the number they assigned me. Lo and behold, a human voice answered. We had a nice little chat. Apparently, he was moving and was scheduled to have the phone disconnected on Friday. I, in turn, was scheduled to have the phone connected the following Wednesday. I guess it really depends on the particular exchange. This was in the city, where no doubt numbers are at a premium. In the middle of Nebraska, you probably wouldn't have to worry too much. Michael P. Deignan, President -- Small Business Systems, Inc. Domain: mpd@anomaly.sbs.com -- Box 17220, Esmond, RI 02917 UUCP: ...uunet!rayssd!anomaly!mpd -- Telebit: +1 401 455 0347 XENIX Archives: login: xxcp, password: xenix Index: ~/SOFTLIST
bill@gauss.eedsp.gatech.edu (bill) (01/03/91)
I just recently got a new unlisted phone number. The order-taker gave
me the "new" number while I waited. After we hung up, I tried the
number (even though it would be a week before it was to be connected).
I was surprised to be greeted by a real, live female voice when I
called. I asked the female voice if she had just gotten new phone
service and she replied that no, she'd had that number for a few
years. I told her that I had just ordered a "new" number and asked
her if her number was NXX-ABCD. She said it yes it is. So I called
Ma Bell right back and asked "What the hey?" They looked up my "new"
number again and told me that it was really NXX-ACBD. A simple matter
of transposed numbers made by a harried order-taker.
As yet, I have gotten one wrong number in about two weeks of service.
I don't know how long the number cooled off first, but it was not in
the phone database on Compuserve so maybe it was out of commission for
a while.
Bill Berbenich Georgia Tech, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp: ...!{backbones}!gatech!eedsp!bill Internet: bill@eedsp.gatech.edu