msb@sq.com (Mark Brader) (09/17/90)
An insert in the current Bell Canada phone bill introduces a new restricted Calling Card, called the Call-Me Card. Calls made on the Call-Me Card can be made to one number only, to which (I presume) the calls are then billed. In other words, it's automatic collect calling, but processed like Calling Card calls. The charge for use is the same as for Calling Card calls, thus cheaper than collect calls. It can be used for calls from Canada and the U.S. and "many Caribbean islands" and through Canada Direct. Obtaining the card is free. The examples given of who might want to use this card refer to family members. The subtext, not quite stated, is: family members who couldn't be trusted not to run up your long-distance bill if you gave them your Calling Card number. Mark Brader, SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, utzoo!sq!msb, msb@sq.com
lfd@lcuxlq.att.com (Leland F Derbenwick) (09/20/90)
In article <12290@accuvax.nwu.edu>, msb@sq.com (Mark Brader) writes: > The examples given of who might want to use this card refer to family > members. The subtext, not quite stated, is: family members who > couldn't be trusted not to run up your long-distance bill if you gave > them your Calling Card number. Or ones whose roommates can't be trusted not to steal a peek and give copies to their friends, etc., etc., etc. This has been available in the U.S. (from AT&T, at least) for a few years. (I would imagine that all the long-distance carriers have it by now.) Speaking strictly for myself, Lee Derbenwick, AT&T Bell Laboratories, Warren, NJ lfd@cbnewsm.ATT.COM or <wherever>!att!cbnewsm!lfd
lars@spectrum.cmc.com (Lars Poulsen) (09/21/90)
In article <12290@accuvax.nwu.edu> msb@sq.com (Mark Brader) writes: >An insert in the current Bell Canada phone bill introduces a new >restricted Calling Card, called the Call-Me Card. >The examples given of who might want to use this card refer to family >members. The subtext, not quite stated, is: family members who >couldn't be trusted not to run up your long-distance bill if you gave >them your Calling Card number. AT&T has been issuing these for a while; several of my friends with kids at college have been giving these to their kids; it's colloquially referred to at an "E.T." card (after the little guy who needed to "phone home"). Lars Poulsen, SMTS Software Engineer CMC Rockwell lars@CMC.COM
dattier@ddsw1.mcs.com (David Tamkin) (09/22/90)
Mark Brader wrote in volume 10, issue 655: | The examples given of who might want to use this card refer to family | members. The subtext, not quite stated, is: family members who | couldn't be trusted not to run up your long-distance bill if you gave | them your Calling Card number. The subtext I gather is this: the Call-Me Card (I've also heard it named a "Call Home Card" and simply a "restricted calling card") was implemented for businesses to issue to employees who couldn't be trusted not to make personal calls on a company telephone credit card; with the restricted card, the employee could dial only to the designated receiving number. With the software in place, there was no overhead other than the advertising to encourage its use for additional calls home by college students and the like and thus additional IEC or LEC revenue. David Tamkin Box 7002 Des Plaines IL 60018-7002 708 518 6769 312 693 0591 MCI Mail: 426-1818 GEnie: D.W.TAMKIN CIS: 73720,1570 dattier@ddsw1.mcs.com
Jim Riddle <Jim.Riddle@f27.n285.z1.fidonet.org> (09/24/90)
The Call-Me Card has been available in the States for some time. I have four of them, one for each of my children who is old enough to use the phone. Not only is it usable ONLY to call home, it also ensures that they won't forget the number to call home (I know that sounds almost trivial, but there are situations in which anyone can forget anything). I told my daughter at college and my daughter on her own miles away just to respect the hours of billing and try to call daytime as little as possible. Since we are almost always around, they can get us without having to do a collect call or call and call back. Moreover, the advantage over collect is that we do get Reach Out America on these calls, as I have ROA applied to my calling card. Yeah, I could PROBABLY save $7 a month by doing collect calls and direct-dial backs, and even more if I used a free-message collect call (see other mail in the journal area) which I personally refuse to do, but I also find that my kids are more willing to call with the Call Me. Remembering how hard it was for my folks to get hold of me at these ages, I appreciate how much my kids DO call home. Ybbat (DRBBS) 8.9 v. 3.11 r.4 [1:285/27@fidonet] Neb. Inns of Court 402/593-1192 (1:285/27.0) --- Through FidoNet gateway node 1:16/390 Jim.Riddle@f27.n285.z1.fidonet.org
dave@westmark.westmark.com (Dave Levenson) (09/26/90)
In article <12516@accuvax.nwu.edu>, Jim.Riddle@f27.n285.z1.fidonet.org (Jim Riddle) writes: > The Call-Me Card has been available in the States for some time. I > have four of them, one for each of my children who is old enough to > use the phone. Not only is it usable ONLY to call home, it also > ensures that they won't forget the number to call home (I know that > sounds almost trivial, but there are situations in which anyone can > forget anything). Be careful with the assumptions here ... The call-me card is only restricted if they happen to call via AT&T. The AT&T card is accepted by numerous other LD carriers, but they impose no restrictions on its use, and it can be used to call anywhere. Dave Levenson Internet: dave@westmark.com Westmark, Inc. UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave Warren, NJ, USA AT&T Mail: !westmark!dave [The Man in the Mooney] Voice: 908 647 0900 Fax: 908 647 6857 [Moderator's Note: But my assumption is if you received a bill from some OCC -- probably as part of your regular telco bill -- you would just automatically refuse payment for that portion, citing the restricted nature of the media used for billing, and the failure of the OCC to verify it before accepting it. PAT]