John Higdon <john@zygot.ati.com> (08/04/90)
Pac*Bell bill insert:
After August 5, 1990, all pay telephones will be required to provide:
* Basic local calls costing 20 cents
* Free access to:
- 9-1-1 emergency service
- 411 information service
- "0" operator service
- "00" long-distance operator service
- 800 services
- 950 dialing (long-distance company code dialing)
- repair service
* Clear, easy-to-read signs that explain:
- dialing instructions
- cost and any time limits that apply
- company indentification
Local phone companies and independent private providers of pay phones
may charge 25 cents extra for completing calls that do not require
coins, such as Calling Card and collect calls.
The agreement sets limits on pricing and establishes guidelines for
enforcing those limits. It is designed to benefit both the consumer
and those in the pay telephone industry.
***End of quote from Bill Insert***
Well, what do we have here? August 6 is on Monday -- this should be
interesting.
"...local calls...20 cents"
There are MANY COCOTs still out there charging 25 cents. Do you
suppose they will all be changed in four days?
"..."0" operator service"
That's a good one. The call comes up on Pac*Bell's TOPS board as a
COCOT. The operator can do NOTHING for you.
"...'00' long-distance operator service"
Oooh, that's wonderful. ITI or NTS will be most happy to complete your
call (and drain your wallet).
"...800 services"
But you had better hope that you don't reach any interactive device --
remember the TT pad goes dead.
"...950 dialing..."
Now that's a real hoot. All 950 LD calling requires the use of a TT
pad. I guess everyone will have to own and carry with him a pocket
dialer.
"This agreement ... establishes quidelines for enforcing..."
HaHaHaHa ... etc. I'll tell you what enforcement would be. Announce
via the media that on Monday, Aug. 6, any member of the public who
finds a COCOT that is not in compliance with these rules may deface,
smash, or otherwise destroy the offending instrument without fear of
civil or criminal penalties. That's enforcement!
Anyone want to join me for a "phone inspection cruise" on Monday?
John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395
john@zygot.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !David Pletcher <dpletche@jarthur.claremont.edu> (08/05/90)
In article <10411@accuvax.nwu.edu> John Higdon <john@zygot.ati.com> writes: >Pac*Bell bill insert: >After August 5, 1990, all pay telephones will be required to provide: >* Free access to: > - 800 services > - 950 dialing (long-distance company code dialing) >***End of quote from Bill Insert*** Has anyone else noticed that 10XXX LD carrier selection is conspicuously absent from this list of goodies, so that there is no way to reach any worthwhile long-distance carrier (i.e. AT&T)? I just spent about a half hour on the phone today talking to several levels of AT&T supervisors in various places, asking them why they did not have any 950 access code or an 800 number to get to AT&T long distance. I tried to explain the new California PUC ruling, and the fact that many potential AT&T customers would still be unable to reach AT&T from the omnipresent COCOTs in California. The people I talked to seemed somewhat surprised by this, and said they would mention it to their bosses. None of the people I spoke to had ever heard anyone mention this problem before, so is it possible that AT&T is just totally unaware that their customers can't reach them from 75% of the payphones in California? If you are worried about this like I am, I urge you all to call AT&T and let them know that you want them to do something about this problem, like providing 950 or 800 access numbers or leaning on the PUC to allow 10XXX access from COCOTs. >"This agreement ... establishes quidelines for enforcing..." >HaHaHaHa ... etc. I'll tell you what enforcement would be. Announce >via the media that on Monday, Aug. 6, any member of the public who >finds a COCOT that is not in compliance with these rules may deface, >smash, or otherwise destroy the offending instrument without fear of >civil or criminal penalties. That's enforcement! >Anyone want to join me for a "phone inspection cruise" on Monday? Well, I've rounded up about five of my friends and we are going to start searching out the offending COCOTs in Sacramento on Monday morning. We haven't decided exactly what to do yet, but our tentative plan is to call the phone's repair service, post a notice explaining that the phone is out of order and should be used for emergency calls only, and then compile a list and send it to the PUC. Happy hunting! David Pletcher dpletche@jarthur.claremont.edu [Moderator's Note: When the phone is marked Out of Order, put a gummy label sticker over the coin slot to reinforce your message. PT]