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 ---------- 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]