dattier@chinet.chi.il.us (David Tamkin) (12/18/89)
The insert that came with my latest bill from Central Telephone of Illinois included an article pushing the use of tone service. (Note: up until now they've used the term TouchCall; this is the first I have seen them call it Touchtone [even with the second T in lower case], but that point is peripheral.) The article begins as follows: "Technological advances in the telephone industry allow us easier, faster dialing than ever before. "Centel's state-of-the-art electronic switching combined with Touchtone calling create quick, reliable telephone connections. "This is because calls made on rotary models or phones not equipped for Touchtone service require extra processing time to convert the phone's pulse signals into electronic tone signals. Calls don't need to be converted with Touchtone service, so processing time is reduced." [The remainder touts the convenience and speed at the caller's end and access to audio-response services, for which, despite the implications of the article, one doesn't need tone dialing capability on the line, only in the telephone instrument itself.] If tone dialing saves processing time for them, why do they charge $1.45 per line per month for it? The contradiction has been discussed in the Digest before, but a telco's coming out and saying that tone dialing is preferable for them while continuing to charge extra for it is a new twist. David Tamkin P.O Box 813 Rosemont, Illinois 60018-0813 | BIX: dattier dattier@chinet.chi.il.us (708) 518-6769 (312) 693-0591 | GEnie: D.W.TAMKIN Everyone on Chinet has his or her own opinion about this.| CIS: 73720,1570