la063249@zach.fit.edu (Bill Huttig) (08/13/90)
>[Moderator's Note: My two lines are both BILLED on the first line. I >get one bill each month, with long distance charges from the second >line appended on a separate page. When I tried the ANI number just now >from the second line, it read me the second, or calling number. Maybe >'billing number' is a local matter, depending on how your local telco >chooses to handle it. Maybe in my case I have two 'billing numbers' >with both bills shown on one monthly statement. I think there are some >semantics used here to define 'billing' and 'calling' numbers. PAT] Here is Southern Bell Land ... There are two ways to have lines billed together.. The first way is that they set up two separate accounts and put a 'pointer' on the second line that says to print billing info with the first. This cause AT&T reachout billing to show up on only one line. The second is when you have one account with two numbers. This is how your account should be set up for calling plans to show up on both lines. It took Southern Bell and AT&T four months to figure this out. I assume this affect the ANI information ... not sure. Bill [Moderator's Note: I get the 'benefits' of Reach Out America on both lines for a single fee. All LD charges go through ROA even though they are shown on my bill as 'calls from xxx-xxxx' (meaning my second line). PAT]
Rich Sims <rich@pro-exchange.cts.com> (08/17/90)
In-Reply-To: message from la063249@zach.fit.edu >> [Moderator's Note: My two lines are both BILLED on the first line. I >> get one bill each month, with long distance charges from the second >> line appended on a separate page. > Here is Southern Bell Land ... There are two ways to have lines billed > together.. The first way is that they set up two separate accounts and > put a 'pointer' on the second line that says to print billing info > with the first. This cause AT&T reachout billing to show up on only > one line. > The second is when you have one account with two numbers. > [Moderator's Note: I get the 'benefits' of Reach Out America on both > lines for a single fee. All LD charges go through ROA .... I'm about as deep into "Southern Bell Land" as you can get (South Florida), and my billing operates precisely as described in the Moderator's Notes. I have two lines that are separate accounts, but BILLED to one line for convenience. When I started up ROA, I gave AT&T the second number (the non-billing one) but have the ROA rates on both lines. Each bill shows a full breakdown of all ROA-eligible calls, grouped by number, and a "total" ROA charge which includes all eligible calls made on either line. According to the folks at AT&T, the criteria is purely the "billing" arrangement. From discussions with them, it seems that I could apply the ROA rates to any number of lines for a single fee, as long as they are all BILLED to a single number. That obviously works out in my favor, but is a bit surprising, since the billing arrangements are not made with AT&T, but with the local telco. I did notice several occasions where calls made on the first line were charged at the standard rate, but I *always* received a "credit" on the next month's bill for the difference between the actual charge and the charge that should have been applied using ROA rates. At least, I assume it was the correct difference, I never bothered to figure it out. The impressive thing (to me) was that I got the correction and credit from AT&T automatically, I have NEVER had to call and question the bill! This hasn't happened for quite a long time now, though, so perhaps they have a different system for figuring it all out these days. My other lines are also billed to a single number, not the same as the first two I mentioned, and are not included in the ROA plan. In the summer months, this results in a monthly "reminder" from AT&T that I could be saving money by using ROA on those lines. I have never felt the need to do this, but I'm curious as to what happens if I simply call Southern Bell and arrange to have ALL the lines billed to the same number as the first two. I am fairly certain that's not EXACTLY what AT&T has in mind with those reminders, though! :-)
la063249@zach.fit.edu (Bill Huttig) (08/19/90)
Stuff from me and Moderator deleted. The Moderator must have both the numbers as part of the same ACCOUNT. >I have two lines that are separate accounts, but BILLED to one line >for convenience. When I started up ROA, I gave AT&T the second number >(the non-billing one) but have the ROA rates on both lines. Each bill >shows a full breakdown of all ROA-eligible calls, grouped by number, >and a "total" ROA charge which includes all eligible calls made on >either line. Are you sure they are separate accounts? >According to the folks at AT&T, the criteria is purely the "billing" >arrangement. From discussions with them, it seems that I could apply >the ROA rates to any number of lines for a single fee, as long as they >are all BILLED to a single number. That obviously works out in my >favor, but is a bit surprising, since the billing arrangements are not >made with AT&T, but with the local telco. Well as in all companies sometimes AT&T (The Atlanta GA offfice for sure) doesnt know what the H*LL they are talking about half of the time. THey usually give different answers to the same questions. Only if they are the SAME account!! As I stated in a previous posting. >I did notice several occasions where calls made on the first line were >charged at the standard rate, but I *always* received a "credit" on >the next month's bill for the difference between the actual charge and >the charge that should have been applied using ROA rates. At least, I >assume it was the correct difference, I never bothered to figure it >out. The impressive thing (to me) was that I got the correction and >credit from AT&T automatically, I have NEVER had to call and question >the bill! The reason you always received credit automatically is because a AT&T representative checked your charges monthly and submitted the credit manually. You state that calls on the first line use to be charged at regular rate and then credit the next moth. Well that was because the phone numbers where set up with separate accounts. For example my account number is 407 676 xxxx 321 while the first number is 407 676 xxxx and the second is 407 952 xxxx .. When they were separte accounts the 407 952 xxxx line was account # 407 952 xxxx 453. >This hasn't happened for quite a long time now, though, so perhaps >they have a different system for figuring it all out these days. Yeah because Southern Bell as transfered both numbers to ONE account. (In the month that things became okay did you have a lot of credits and charges on the Sothern Bell part? Things like credit for service removed month xx to month uu?) >the need to do this, but I'm curious as to what happens if I simply >call Southern Bell and arrange to have ALL the lines billed to the >same number as the first two. I am fairly certain that's not EXACTLY >what AT&T has in mind with those reminders, though! :-) Those calls will still be billed at regular rates and all your charges will be printed on the same bill. I will be happy to discuss this in email with anyone who would like. Bill Huttig la063249@zach.fit.edu
lars@spectrum.cmc.com (Lars Poulsen) (08/21/90)
[From PAT:] > >I have two lines that are separate accounts, but BILLED to one line > >for convenience. When I started up ROA, I gave AT&T the second number > >(the non-billing one) but have the ROA rates on both lines. Each bill > >shows a full breakdown of all ROA-eligible calls, grouped by number, > >and a "total" ROA charge which includes all eligible calls made on > >either line. In article <11043@accuvax.nwu.edu> Bill Huttig <la063249@zach.fit.edu> writes: >The Moderator must have both the numbers as part of the same ACCOUNT. >Are you sure they are separate accounts? I must confess to a lack of understanding; if the two lines are billed to the same number, and the charges appear together on one bill, how can that not be one account ? How do you define the word "account" ? In my use of the word "account", I would use the term to define a subscriber record, for which a bill is written, and for which a running total of amounts due is kept. I.e. you may have two accounts in the same name, with separate "customer" records in the accounting database, and for which separate bills are issued (probably on different billing cycles). Or you may have one combined account, aggregating the billing for several different lines, possibly with enough itemization to permit tracing each charge to the line from which it was incurred. Is there a defined use of the word "account" in telco contexts, that is different from this? Lars Poulsen, SMTS Software Engineer CMC Rockwell lars@CMC.COM
Bill Huttig <la063249@zach.fit.edu> (08/23/90)
In article <11113@accuvax.nwu.edu> lars@spectrum.cmc.com (Lars Poulsen) writes: [Stuff PAT and I wrote about his phone billing deleted.] >I must confess to a lack of understanding; if the two lines are billed >to the same number, and the charges appear together on one bill, how >can that not be one account ? How do you define the word "account" ? [Lars definition deleted] A account is a file on the BOC's computer giving a account # (which is the billing number plus three digits ... the three digits are the time the account was opened. (Don't ask me what they do between 10-1 :)) It also contains the address and other info about the customer. Associated with the account can be one or more phone numbers. Now if you have two or more accounts and recive one bill then the other accounts have a field that says 'take all charges and forward them to account NPA NNX XXXX xxx for billing ... it normally calculates the charges before the transfer of charges. (It appears to do that). I hope that clarifies things. Bill [Moderator's Note: Actually, the three digits are the RAO, or Regional Accounting Office code. At least they were prior to the tragedy. I can't imagine them being used now for 'the time the account was opened'. PAT]
la063249@zach.fit.edu (Bill Huttig) (08/24/90)
>[Moderator's Note: Actually, the three digits are the RAO, or >Regional Accounting Office code. At least they were prior to the >tragedy. I can't imagine them being used now for 'the time the account >was opened'. PAT] Nope they are time account was opened for years here at Southern Bell according to the lady that told me about it. There are actually more numbers ... For example my current account is 407-676-xxxx 321 3147 but on the payment part under the date is: CP 0514 R07 046267 The R07 is the RAO and the 3147 is the central office I think, but the 321 is the time the account was opened.