robertsn%iosg.DEC@src.dec.com (Nigel Roberts, (0860) (08/29/90)
On several trips around Europe recently I have noticed a credit card operated telephone at various airports operated by a company called CCC. After the education I've received here in the Digest, it pretty much screamed "Hello, I'm a COCOT" at me! (Thanks, folks!). The one I tried in Luxemburg a couple of months ago didn't work, and I couldn't even reach their problem reporting service. Servisair, an otherwise excellent and reputable company, which is a large ground handling agent, has recently installed one in their VIP lounge at Heathrow (presumably also at Stansted and other British airports). I've seen them elsewhere, too, though I can't remember where -- possibly in the British Airways Club lounge in Terminal 4. As I had a couple of hours to wait for my flight to Hamburg on Friday, I decided to check it out. The rates charged by this phone appear to be pretty COCOT-sized; 120 pence (about $2.35) per minute, if I understood the sign on the phone correctly. (A peak rate call to Germany on British Telecom costs approximate 84 pence/minute between 8:00-20:00, 68 pence /minute between 20:00-08:00) when made from a public call box -- this information from British Telecom International on 0800 272 172). So I just used the neighbouring coin-phone and my BT chargecard via 144 dialling to get BTIs normal dialled rates as above (plus 20p facility fee) to call my relatives to let them know of a flight delay. Oh yes, and of course the COCOT blocked 144 access! By the way, the public payphones at Heathrow are now pretty evenly split between British Telecom and Mercury. The Mercury ones don't take coins -- you have to use a pre-payment card, or a major credit card. But they aren't COCOTS -- you get normal Mercury payphone rates. Looks like it's all starting over here now. Nigel Roberts; Orichalk Ltd (on contract to DEC) Tel: +44 206 396610 & +44 860 578600 Fax: +44 206 393148