cjp%megatek.UUCP@ucsd.edu (Christopher J. Pikus) (05/30/90)
It was only a few weeks ago we were discussing the "Cost versus price" of Touch tone service. I believe we generally agreed that while touch tone service cost practically nothing, the RBOCs charged for this "premium" feature based upon perceived value (one of them marketing terms :-)). Today in my phone bill was a little leaflet saying that they will be eliminating the charge for touch tone. The actual text is as follows: "--Most residential customers have Touch-Tone Service and pay $1.20 per month for it. The connection charge is $3. Those charges will be eliminated under the CPUC order, and all residential customer will receive Touch- Tone automatically. ....." "... Also we are proposing that business customers re- ceive Touch-Tone Service as part of their basic service. ...." I believe the CPUC document describing this is: "CPUC Decision D.89-10-031". Now I'm waiting for Pac Bell to charge a premium for using the pulse dialing "feature". :-) Regards, Christopher J. Pikus, Megatek Corp. INTERNET: cjp@megatek.uucp San Diego, CA UUCP: ...!uunet!megatek!cjp
john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) (05/31/90)
"Christopher J. Pikus" <cjp%megatek.UUCP@ucsd.edu> writes: > Now I'm waiting for Pac Bell to charge a premium for using the pulse > dialing "feature". :-) No, they have already filed their rate increase to cover, among other things, the loss of revenue from the elimination of touch tone charges. John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@bovine.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !
Wally Kramer <wallyk@tekfdi.fdi.tek.com> (06/01/90)
In article <8431@accuvax.nwu.edu> cjp%megatek.UUCP@ucsd.edu (Christopher J. Pikus) TELECOM Digest Volume 10, Issue 397, Message 8 of 12 writes: > Today in my phone bill was a little leaflet saying that they > will be eliminating the charge for touch tone. ... Perhaps the California PUC is afraid of catching the legal bug drifting down from Oregon. About 3 years ago our PUC ruled that then Pacific NorthWest Bell couldn't charge extra for touch tone service. For some reason Telephone Utilities still charged, I think, $0.55 per month. I, for one, was glad to get a retroactive credit for TouchTone service which extended back for a few months (4?--too bad it wasn't for all the touch tone service I ever paid for!). The glee I experienced was not one of "getting a premium feature for free" but freedom from the tyranny of being charged for something which wasn't eligible for real competition and obviously cost very little to provide. wallyk@tekfdi.fdi.tek.com (Wally Kramer) 503 627 2363 Contractor from Step Technology, Inc. 503 244 1239
finn@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Andy Behrens) (06/02/90)
Christopher J. Pikus <cjp@megatek.UUCP> writes: > Today in my phone bill was a little leaflet saying that they > will be eliminating the charge for touch tone. ... Today I got a little leaflet too. For its Vermont customers NYNEX is lowering the charge for 3-way calling and call forwarding, but *raising* the charge for touch tone!