jhultman@takagi.helios.nd.edu (10/11/90)
AT&T took out a full page ad on the back of today's (Wed Sep 10 1990)
{Chicago Tribune} "Tempo" section. Imagine almost the full page in black
with little bits of white text, then the normal black-on-white at
bottom.
"I'm sorry ... We don't offer directory assistance for Europe."
"I'm sorry ... That's a country we don't fax to."
"I'M SORRY ... I DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO LOOK UP A NUMBER IN TOKYO."
"I'm sorry ... but I can't put you through to Leningrad."
"I'm sorry ... We don't handle calls to places like Madagascar."
"I'M SORRY ... WE DON'T HAVE DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE FOR LONDON."
"I'm sorry ... The only way you can call there is with AT&T."
"I'm sorry..."
"I'm sorry..."
It's true, with another international long distance service, you could
get more of some things.
Like excuses.
So before you make your next international call, call AT&T. 1
800 523-WORLD. With AT&T's quality and service, there's really no
excuse for using anyone else.
------------------
Now imagine me rolling on the ground, about to die laughing.
jhultman@takagi.helios.nd.eduwje@decwrl.dec.com> (10/15/90)
In <13243@accuvax.nwu.edu> jhultman@takagi.helios.nd.edu writes: >AT&T took out a full page ad on the back of today's (Wed Sep 10 1990) >{Chicago Tribune} "Tempo" section. Imagine almost the full page in black >with little bits of white text, then the normal black-on-white at >bottom. >"I'm sorry ... We don't offer directory assistance for Europe." . . . > So before you make your next international call, call AT&T. 1 >800 523-WORLD. With AT&T's quality and service, there's really no >excuse for using anyone else. I wonder just what AT&T is advertising? I distinctly remember a series of ads some months ago where AT&T strongly implied, if not outright stated, that one could easily get directory information for foreign countries. Well, one day I needed to find a number in Germany. After being transferred by various AT&T operators to various other AT&T operators, I finally ended up at 'international something-or-other', and was told: A) there were no such ads. B) there was no way to get foreign DA, except by calling an operator in the country in question. C) I couldn't call a foreign operator, anyway. D) thank you for using AT&T. I suppose all of this is actually good service; at least AT&T knows that there are other countries, unlike some of the competition (foreign country ... is that somewhere like Maine?). Bill Ezell Software Innovations, Inc. wje@siia.mv.com (603) 883-9300 [Moderator's Note: The above points are partly correct: (a) there were ads saying it was easy to do; (b) true; (c) again true, your local operator connects you in some cases, and passes the call to the international operators in Pittsburg in other cases from where the connection is made; (d) you're welcome, I'm sure! PAT]
ekrell@ulysses.att.com (10/19/90)
I've reached foreign DA by asking an AT&T operator to connect me to
one. I've never been denied nor charged for this service. In the last
year or so, I've used DA for London, UK and for several south american
countries.
Eduardo Krell AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ
UUCP: {att,decvax,ucbvax}!ulysses!ekrell Internet: ekrell@ulysses.att.com
[Moderator's Note: The only times I have been denied the service is
when I planned to place the call later and Pittsburg thought I was
trying to get free DA so I could then place the call on MCI. PAT]