jdominey@bsga05.attmail.com (12/05/90)
Most readers have seen multiple articles here, from our Moderator and
others, about international calling card calls being blocked by AT&T
from certain pay phones. Pat, especially, has repeatedly said that
this blocking may constitute an illegal denial of credit. No one has
been able to get a definite answer from AT&T about the matter.
Being a conscientious AT&T employee, I made some inquiries, and here
is the response I received:
------------- Begin Attached Message -------------
To: bsga05!jdominey
From: attmail!walkerp (Paul A Walker )
Date: Mon Nov 26 04:52:57 GMT 1990
Subject: Card Blocking
Mr. Dominey,
I hope the following will clear up any confusion on calling card
blocking from payphones.
1. AT&T does, from time to time, block collect, calling card and third number
calls in an effort to control fraud.
2. The blocking of calls is a legal practice in that AT&T has an existing
tariff (TARIFF F.C.C. No. 1, 8th Revision of page 43, section 2.9.4)
which states:
In order to control fraud, the Company may refuse to accept
Collect Calling, Calling Card and/or Third Number Calling which
it determines to be invalid and/or may limit the use of these
billing options to or from certain countries or areas including
all or part of the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin
Islands.
Paul Walker
Int'l Card Product Mngt
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My own opinion: Blocking of this kind should be legal as long as the
LD company can demonstrate that blocking is the only means available
to stop a documented pattern of fraud.
Jack Dominey|AT&T Commercial Marketing|800 241-4285|AT&T Mail: !dominey
standard disclaimers apply
[Moderator's Note: Thank you very much for going to the trouble to get
this response for us. AT&T has not yet responded to my inquiries on
this however I had not made any recently. PAT]