"Marc C. Poulin" <poulin@acsu.buffalo.edu> (09/29/90)
My very first experience with a COCOT today was indeed an interesting
one.
I wanted to call my bank, which is an 800 number. I dialed the
number, waited a bit, and then an operator came on the line and asked
me for the number I was calling from. No problem, I thought. Wrong.
There was no number on the phone at all. I told the operator this,
and she said she couldn't connect me without it, and suggested I dial
0.
Instead, I dialed 877-4000, which was the number printed on the phone
to call for service. The person who answered there told me that she
didn't have the information available. Fine.
I dialed 0, waited for the operator, explained the situation to him,
and asked him to give me the number of the phone I was calling from.
He told me he was "not authorized to give out that information." I
took a shot in the dark and told him that since there was no possible
way for me to connect to an 800 number, this phone was in violation of
state law. I was immediately transferred to a supervisor. I
explained the situation to him, and he told me that since the phone in
question didn't have incoming service, they didn't need to post a
number on it. I asked him how I could reach an 800 number, and he
didn't give me an answer. After mentioning the illegality of this to
him, he took my name and number and told me someone from their legal
department would get back to me.
Other relevant info:
The phone is owned by Buffalo Coin Phone
Their carrier is ITI.
The missing number on the phone was definitely NOT caused by
vandalism. It was simply blank where the number should be. Later,
I noticed the same thing on another phone on the premises.
My questions:
Was my claim that 800 access must be provided true?
If so, could someone point me to relevant sections of NYS law
so that I have firmer legal footing.
How about those Out-of-Order stickers mentioned recently?
If this isn't resolved, what is my next step?
Thanks very much for any relevant information. It's four hours later,
and I'm still incensed that I couldn't make my damn call!!!
Marc C. Poulin (I speak for myself only)
U: ...!{uunet!decuac|kddlab|mcnc|ucsd|watmath}!acsu.buffalo.edu!poulin
I: poulin@{acsu.buffalo.edu|softvax.radc.af.mil} v069hpms@ubvmsc.cc.buffalo.edu
B: v069hpms@ubvms.bitnet
[Moderator's Note: *Usually* the operator does not have to ask your
number when you call an 800 number ... my assumption is there may have
been a temporary equipment failure and the equipment failed to capture
your number. Try the call again from the same phone, and also from
regular payphones to see. Payphones *are* supposed to have the number
displayed on them -- this is required by tariff. So you might want to
invest a couple dollars in a roll of adhesive labels that you can
write on. Print the message "OUT OF ORDER - PROGRAMMING/TARIFF VIOLATIONS"
on the stickers and place them on the phone(s) so they cover the coin
slot and prevent money from being inserted accidentally by someone
else. Do it to each phone which responds in the same way, and continue
doing it frequently (the company which owns the COCOTS will no doubt
tear the sticker off) until the changes required by law are effected. PAT]segal@uunet.uu.net> (10/01/90)
I had an amusing experiance recently: I paged one of my co-workers who was at a seminar at a nearby hotel. When he called me back, it was from a COCOT. After he had kept dumping money in it, I asked if he wanted me to call back. He gave me the number, and told me that he would pick up the phone in about 30 seconds. I dialed, and the phone answered with a synthised voice that said something like "I'm sorry, this is not a billable number". After the message repeated three or four times, it went away and my co-worker was on the line. (What is even more intereseting is that when I called the number today, the voice said "Thank you" followed by some beeps.) He laughed, because he had heard the same message. Before he picked up the reciever, he heard a very brief chirp from the ringer. After the message finished, we were able to carry out our conversation without interuption. So, if you are on a COCOT, you *may* be able to accept incoming calls, if you pick up the reciever when you think you should, and the correct number is printed on the phone. Gary Segal ...!uunet!motcid!segal +1-708-632-2354 Motorola INC., 1501 W. Shure Drive, Arlington Heights IL, 60004 The opinions expressed above are those of the author, and do not consititue the opinions of Motorola INC.