mje@ddsw1.mcs.com (Mark J Elkins) (09/04/90)
Whilst browsing through this group - I read... (From... <11623@accuvax.nwu.edu> - Frank ) >I have long wanted to get a "computer readable" version of my phone >bill from the phone company. >I have an idea for a fairly inexpensive piece of equipment... What I'm looking for is something that can be connected to the phone system and be able to read the numbers dialled. All my equiptment is tone-dial. I'm also looking for either some way to monitor/count the metering pulses - or - measure the time taken on the call. Knowing when the call was, the number dialled, and the length of the call - I can work out the 'units' used - hence the call cost. Oh - I then feed the info via RS232 into my computer.. Most commercial switchboards provide this info - but I'm trying to measure the costs on my modems ... (and also for my private line - no modem or switchboard). Can anyone help me at all? I guess I'm looking for some sort of circuit diagram that I can build into a working model. The local Telecom does not do Itemised Billing - I've aske d..- or - I think the story is - they won't until they can provide the service to the majority of subscribers. You can hire 'meter pulse counters' - but they are only acumulative. Olivetti Systems & Networks, Unix Support - Africa UUCP: {uunet,olgb1,olnl1}!olsa99!mje (Mark Elkins) mje@olsa99.UUCP (Postmaster) Tel: +27 11 339 9093
BRUCE@ccavax.camb.com (Barton F. Bruce) (09/09/90)
Radio Shack has a cheap thing that prints a list of calls for one line.
dhk@uunet.uu.net (Don H Kemp) (09/10/90)
There is a kuldge called "TRACE" available from NYNEX operating companies that does what the original poster wanted, but not at much of a cost savings. TRACE is essentially the contents of the standard billing tape, on diskette, in dBase III format. There is a rudimentary application included with the procuct, but to say that it is _extreeeemly_ limited is to be too generous. The cost is ~$70.00/mo. If you want to write your own reports, and you haven't a 9 track tape drive, I suppose it's worth it but ... Don H Kemp B B & K Associates, Inc. Rutland, VT uunet!uvm-gen!teletech!dhk