velu@ra.src.umd.edu (Velu Sinha) (02/01/90)
C&P has recently created numbers within 301-950 for reaching the MD State Motor Vehicle Administration ... I set out this morning to reach the MVA, and found that I was unable to reach the number (a fast busy when dialing 7 digits, and a "Your call cannot be completed as dialed" message when dialing 1+10 digits). I checked with the operator and she told me that the number was flagged in their system as being some sort of virtual number, and that apparently lots of people were having trouble reaching the exchange. The operator could not dial the call for me, as all 950 numbers dialed from her console flag into different access codes (?)! She said that she had standing instruction to connect me to repair ... she did, and they've started looking into the problem ... but they don't seem to know that a 950 even exists! I called up the DA people again (the folks who I got the number from in the first place!), and told them that the number they gave me was unreachable, could I please get MVA old 800 number (which use to be valid state wide) ... she refused, saying that they only had one listing for MVA now, and it was valid all over the state ... the 950 number! Anyway, if anyone wants to see if they can reach the number from out-of-state, it is 301-950-1682. If you get through, perhaps you can ask them how I get a replacement registration card for my car (;-) !! These folks really should check the numbers before they give them to the DA folks to give out! The DA folks are rarely particularly swift, and at tens of cents per call, regardless if the number they give you is correct or not, the charges add up! - Velu ps. Anyone know what this 950 service for MVA really does?
ken@cup.portal.com (02/02/90)
I can't believe a telco would use 950 for anything! 950 was a pseudo exchange used prior to Dial 1 access to Long Distance carriers other than AT&T. Ken
"Fred R. Goldstein" <goldstein@carafe.enet.dec.com> (02/02/90)
In article <3456@accuvax.nwu.edu>, velu@ra.src.umd.edu (Velu Sinha) writes... >C&P has recently created numbers within 301-950 for reaching the MD >State Motor Vehicle Administration ... I set out this morning to reach >the MVA, and found that I was unable to reach the number (a fast busy >when dialing 7 digits, and a "Your call cannot be completed as dialed" >message when dialing 1+10 digits).... >Anyway, if anyone wants to see if they can reach the number from >out-of-state, it is 301-950-1682. If you get through, perhaps you can >ask them how I get a replacement registration card for my car (;-) !! >ps. Anyone know what this 950 service for MVA really does? Very strange. 950, of course, is the access code for "Feature Group B" carrier facilities. MCI's 950-1022 is probably the best known in these parts (the Digest). And each 950 number indeed translates to a different access code, since it points to a carrier just as 10xxx does. 950-1MVA thus implies that MVA got a Feature Group B access arrangement from C&P. That requires special trunks, etc. Why would they do this? (Remember, too, that 950 numbers are unique nationwide.) I can only speculate that in-state 800 Service may have cost more per minute than FGB access calls. So MVA may have declared itself to be a "carrier", its telephone agents to be "operators", and now they have the same arrangement as real telephone carriers' operators. They thus have toll-free dialing for a fraction of the price of an 800 number. (If I recall, FGB usage is under a nickel a minute.) That's my guess. Anyone know the real story? BTW, if it's true, we're due to exhaust carrier access codes VERY quickly. Fred R. Goldstein goldstein@carafe.enet.dec.com or goldstein@delni.enet.dec.com voice: +1 508 486 7388
Chris Johnson <chris@com2serv.c2s.mn.org> (02/03/90)
In article <3456@accuvax.nwu.edu> velu@ra.src.umd.edu (Velu Sinha) writes: >X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 70, message 10 of 10 >C&P has recently created numbers within 301-950 for reaching the MD >State Motor Vehicle Administration ... I set out this morning to reach >the MVA, and found that I was unable to reach the number (a fast busy >when dialing 7 digits, and a "Your call cannot be completed as dialed" >message when dialing 1+10 digits). >Anyway, if anyone wants to see if they can reach the number from >out-of-state, it is 301-950-1682. If you get through, perhaps you can >ask them how I get a replacement registration card for my car (;-) !! I tried this just now for fun. It rang twice, then I got a recorded message saying "my call could not be completed as dial, please check the number and dial again, or call 800-888-1800 for assistance. Two-Eee-Dee". The 800 number is for MCI customer service. My long distance carrier is MCI, obviously. I called them, and they said the "950-1682" number was invalid for area code 301. Chris Johnson DOMAIN: chris@c2s.mn.org Com Squared Systems, Inc. ATT: +1 612 452 9522 Mendota Heights, MN USA FAX: +1 612 452 3607
c186aj@cory.berkeley.edu (Steve Forrette) (02/04/90)
Regarding the recent postings about 950 prefix numbers, I don't think that they are for the exclusive use of long distance carriers. Here in California, Citibank has a 950 number for their credit card customer service. This just started sometime in 1989. It must be substantially cheaper than the 800 service it replaced, otherwise they probably wouldn't have gone to the trouble to install the dedicated trunks. The customer service center that answers the call is located near Las Vegas, and I don't know how the calls get to there from their point of presence here. Also, I don't believe that it's valid to dial a 950 number from outside its area code on any carrier. The numbers are also "magic" in the sense that they don't run up message units for those with measured service, and they are free from a payphone.