macy@fmsystm.uucp (Macy Hallock) (10/31/90)
In article <14112@accuvax.nwu.edu>:
[Discussion of problems with Ohio Bell permitting two lines with
different types of service in the same house with different apartments]
Having gone through this with Ohio Bell on behalf of a friend, I am
aware of their policies:
In order for a premises to be considered a separate residence, a
separate street address or apartment number must be on the door,
mailbox or exterior surface for each unit. There are exceptions
allowed for hotel, dormitory and health care facilities.
This is specified in their tariff, and administrative policy fills in
the gaps in interpretations.
If the premises is not in Ohio Bell's computer listing of street maps,
things get interesting. The installer will adhere to these rules and
check.
Now, for the fun part:
There a several classes of service in Ohio for residences: flat rate,
measured and economy. You cannot mix classes in single residence. A
flat rate line for voice and measured for a fax/modem is not allowed.
In Ohio Bell territory, only measured lines are available for business
use. If you have a business line in your home, your residence line
must also be measured. (This is Ohio Bell way of preventing cheating
on message units on business lines, I guess.) Residence lines cannot
be installed into a business address without proof of residence (a bed
and cooking facilities must exist). This is to prevent the
installation of a flat rate residence line into a business.
On residence service, rotary line hunting is free. Touch tone costs
about $1. You may split your 1+ carriers on multi-line residential
installations. Directory listing of additional lines is optional, and
sublistings such as "fax line" or "children's line" are no charge.
OBT does charge for unlisted service, of course. Listing to a
different name is permitted, but often questioned by the business
office representative. (I always use the "wife's maiden name"
explanation.)
Residential centrex is only available with measured service, not flat
or economy. TT is free, but they soak you for everything else. Not a
great deal, unless you have a detached barn or a garage down the road,
then it is pretty useful (saves the cost of cable to link the locations).
We'll report on GTE Ohio's ideas of residential assignment later ;-(
Macy M. Hallock, Jr. macy@NCoast.ORG uunet!aablue!fmsystm!macy