0003829147@mcimail.com (Sander J. Rabinowitz) (08/25/90)
In the 24 August 1990 issue, the Moderator wrote the following in reply to what I thought was the first non-tollfree 800 number: >[Moderator's Note: I think you will find the billing is on a credit >card number which you must punch in when you first connect. You will >NOT be billed by telco for the 800 call, but you WILL be billed by the >University (or some affiliated organization handling university sports >promotions, etc) via the credit card you authorize on the touch pad.] Well, that is a relief. Unfortunately, I had already dashed off that letter to my congressman ... but when it comes to 900 service, I scare kind of easy. =) Is it too much to ask to make it mandatory for the most expensive of the 900/976 services to require credit card billing? True, it won't prevent a really determined kid from "borrowing" his parent's Visa card, and perhaps 900/976 blocking may be needed anyway ... but my primary concern is this: What if you want to access a desired service (say, the "Weather Line" for example), and you accidentally dial "The Car Loan Connection"? The first service costs 25 cents, while the second costs $35.00 per call! (Now I don't know what the telephone numbers are, but I assure you the charges are NOT hypothetical.) Alternatively, there should be a warning for every 900 and 976 service that's out there that should give the caller the option of aborting the call without charge if the caller selected the wrong service or if it's too expensive and the caller changes his mind. Something like this: [Computer:] "You have reached a number that will result in a $______ charge (per minute) on your telephone bill. If you wish to proceed, press 1-2-3 on your touch-tone telephone, or wait 30 seconds. Otherwise, please hang up. Thank you." With that in mind, there could be three levels of 900/976 service, where everyone starts off at Level #2 (all services get the above computer message). Then, the subscriber can either go up to Level #1 (unlimited access to 900/976 services without the computer message), or down to level #3 (no access to 900/976 whatsoever). If the above is feasible, it can may 900 and 976 work to the advantage of everyone involved. If the service can be made more flexible for meeting the caller's needs, then the number of customers who are dialing the lines may increase. There would be less accidental dialing, so some of the burden would be lifted off the phone companies. Above all, the customer would be more satisfied. * * * Sander J. Rabinowitz 0003829147@mcimail.com * * *
john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) (08/26/90)
"Sander J. Rabinowitz" <0003829147@mcimail.com> writes: > Alternatively, there should be a warning for every 900 and 976 service > that's out there that should give the caller the option of aborting > the call without charge if the caller selected the wrong service or if > it's too expensive and the caller changes his mind. Something like > this: Funny you should mention this. This is exactly what many 900 service packages provide. Through a strange quirk of fate, I happen to know that both Telesphere and Pac*Bell 900 allow about twenty seconds of 900 supervision before the billing clock begins. IPs are admonished to provide a "chicken exit" on their recorded intros so that inadvertant callers can bail. In a previous Digest there was an article by someone who was worried that by simply dialing a 900 number and then instantly hanging up a charge would appear on the bill. Even if there is no "chicken exit", a 900 call must supervise just like any other for billing to begin. John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@bovine.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o ! [Moderator's Note: But if, as you pointed out earlier, the LEC is not involved at all, with the 900 guys putting a dish on your roof, etc, then *when* does the supervision take place? Who does it? PAT]
john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) (08/28/90)
On Aug 26 at 16:05, TELECOM Moderator writes: > [Moderator's Note: John, are you positive 900's are never translated > into POTS at the final destination? In California I'm about 99% sure. > [Moderator's Note: But if, as you pointed out earlier, the LEC is not > involved at all, with the 900 guys putting a dish on your roof, etc, > then *when* does the supervision take place? Who does it? PAT] When the IXC provides 900 service directly with, as you point out, a dish on your roof, it is fundamentally the same as if it came in as pairs from the LEC. T1 comes in from the short-haul microwave, is sent to Rockwell or Newbridge channel banks and comes out as tip and ring. When a call comes in, ring voltage supplied by the channel bank is put on the line. The answering equipment goes off-hook and the supervision is sent back towards the IXC's switch which in turn relays it on to the originating LEC. The only thing left out of the path is an LEC switch at the terminating end. The twenty-second chicken exit period begins when the answering machine goes off-hook. (Some newer equipment can accept the T-span directly, but the process is the same. Only the channel banks are eliminated.) John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@bovine.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !
koverzin@ntmtv.uucp (Raymond Koverzin) (09/07/90)
From article <11331@accuvax.nwu.edu>, by 0003829147@mcimail.com (Sander J. Rabinowitz): > [Computer:] "You have reached a number that will result in a $______ > charge (per minute) on your telephone bill. If you wish to proceed, > press 1-2-3 on your touch-tone telephone, or wait 30 seconds. Otherwise, > please hang up. Thank you." > If the above is feasible, it can may 900 and 976 work to the advantage > of everyone involved. If the service can be made more flexible for > meeting the caller's needs, then the number of customers who are dialing > the lines may increase. There would be less accidental dialing, so > some of the burden would be lifted off the phone companies. Above > all, the customer would be more satisfied. PACBELL does this. Every service provider must first tell the caller that: a) they must be over 18 years old or have permission to from their parents to use the service, b) describe what the service is, c) that the caller has up to 18 seconds, I think, to hang up before they begin charging for the call. Subcribers can have the charges removed from their bill ONCE if they stated that they did not want or authorize calls to that service. After that, they are expected to pay for the services. Plus, service providers can only charge up to a maximum of $20 per call. It is up to the service provider to terminate the call if caller exceeds that limit otherwise the caller will only be billed $20 while the service provider will be charged for the total line charges. The reasoning, I guess, is that it limits the charges to the subcriber but still allows the call to continue as an "800" number after the maximum charges. The application for this scheme is for the immediate charging of customer support calls from clients. Callers may be charged $10 for the first minute and $0 afterwards to be able to talk to a support person regarding a problem. Therefore, the caller gets dinged once but can stay on the line for as is necessary to solve his/her problem. However, IMHO, customer support calls should always be free. 8^).