eickmeye%alcor.usc.edu@usc.edu (EvanBiff Henderson Eickmeyer) (03/01/90)
In article <4106@accuvax.nwu.edu> John Higdon <john@zygot.ati.com> writes: >Went to my local Tower Records this afternoon and there, lo and >behold, much to my dismay the old beat-up Pac*Bell pay phone in front >of the store had been replaced by a you-know-what. It's better than >average: wants $.25 for local (utility==$.20), passes 800, 950 without >charge, pad works after call is dialed. But it did not honor "10XXX". >"This is not a valid number..." I have had the same problem with COCOTs not accepting 10288 when I have wanted to use AT&T. I thought of a solution that works -- if the COCOT accepts incoming calls, and, unfortunately, many do not. If you are an AT&T customer, dial their residential customer service at 800-222-0300. Explain that you are at a COCOT and cannot reach an AT&T operator. Give them the telephone number you are at, and ask them to have an AT&T operator call you. They have always been polite, sympathetic, and understanding -- not to mention wanting my business. Hang up, and about 30 seconds later the phone will ring with an AT&T operator. Remind them that you are having trouble from a COCOT and you will not be charged for an operator assist. I assume that this will work with other long-distance companies that have 800 customer service numbers. "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do" -- Joe Walsh Evan "Biff Henderson" Eickmeyer University of Southern California eickmeye@alcor.usc.edu Los Angeles, California [Moderator's Note: Of course you are making an assumption that the no-good sleezebag of a COCOT owner doesn't disallow (or make a surcharge for) 800 calls. Some of them are such deadbeats they charge for that also. They would charge to call 911 (or cut it off) if the law did not make them give it for free. PT]
dattier@chinet.chi.il.us (David Tamkin) (03/02/90)
For in TELECOM Digest, Volume 10, Issue 132, Evan Eickmeyer wrote: | I thought of a solution that works -- if the | COCOT accepts incoming calls, and, unfortunately, many do not. If you | are an AT&T customer, dial their residential customer service at | 800-222-0300. | Explain that you are at a COCOT and cannot reach an AT&T operator. | Give them the telephone number you are at, and ask them to have an | AT&T operator call you. And lo, Patrick Townson did respond: | [Moderator's Note: Of course you are making an assumption that the | no-good sleezebag of a COCOT owner doesn't disallow (or make a | surcharge for) 800 calls. Some of them are such deadbeats they charge | for that also. They would charge to call 911 (or cut it off) if the | law did not make them give it for free. PT] Mr. Eickmeyer (or his alter ego, Mr. Henderson) is also making the assumption that the COCOT has its own telephone number on its face. Around Chicago that is the exception more than the rule. COCOT owners, being in general the no-good sleazebags as which Mr. Townson characterizes them, are so jealous of every second of the telephone's use that they do not want it tied up with incoming calls; however, most of them are too cheap in their cheapness to disable incoming calls or shut off the ringer; they simply remove the printed telephone number from the front of the phone and figure no one can get make a call to it. David Tamkin PO Box 813 Rosemont IL 60018-0813 708-518-6769 312-693-0591 dattier@chinet.chi.il.us BIX: dattier GEnie: D.W.TAMKIN CIS: 73720,1570
morris@jade.jpl.nasa.gov.jpl.nasa.gov (Mike Morris) (03/02/90)
>I have had the same problem with COCOTs not accepting 10288 when I >have wanted to use AT&T. I thought of a solution that works -- if the >COCOT accepts incoming calls, and, unfortunately, many do not. If you I've found out why - I think. When the local supermarket replaced their WeCo with a overpriced COCOT, I noticed the top of the dialing info card said: "This phone does not accept incoming calls". Well, I noted the number of the phone and called it from my house: answered on the 1st ring, but dead silence. Hmmmmm - I fired up my XT and called it with my 2400 baud modem in reverse mode (i.e. sending tones). Ring, Ring, <click> and the pay fone responded with tones! I got a handshake and 16 characters of 80h (128 decimal). I'm not that up on protocols, but I think that's a file transfer request in one of the popular protocols.... Maybe one of the more knowledgeable people will take this info and have some fun.... oops - I mean perform a public service and correct some of the mis-programmed phones - enable 800-, 10288-, etc... Mike Morris Internet: Morris@Jade.JPL.NASA.gov Misslenet: 34.12 N, 118.02 W #Include quote.cute.standard Bellnet: 818-447-7052 #Include disclaimer.standard Radionet: WA6ILQ
michael@uunet.uu.net (Michael Katzmann) (03/04/90)
In article <4608@accuvax.nwu.edu> morris@jade.jpl.nasa.gov.jpl.nasa.gov (Mike Morris) writes: X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 136, Message 2 of 7 ..... Calling up a COCOT (Customer Owned Coin Operated Telephone) from home >Hmmmmm - I fired up my XT and called >it with my 2400 baud modem in reverse mode (i.e. sending tones). >Ring, Ring, <click> and the pay fone responded with tones! I got a >handshake and 16 characters of 80h (128 decimal). I'm not that up on >protocols, but I think that's a file transfer request in one of the >popular protocols.... >Maybe one of the more knowledgeable people will take this info and >have some fun.... oops - I mean perform a public service and correct >some of the mis-programmed phones - enable 800-, 10288-, etc... Yes most of these things have a telemetry mode. The phone I have can do it in either voice (via a stored voice) or by a modem. In either case you need an correct access code. The phone will answer an incomming call by itself if no one answers the call after 5 rings (programmable). If the phone is programmed not to accept customer's incomming calls this value may, of course be one. By the way, the phone cam be programmed to call home if it's coin box is getting full, if no calls have been made for a period of time (indicating a fault) or if the phone is being vanalized (there are some switches inside the box).