john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon) (10/16/89)
One of my clients has an ITT 3100 PBX whose routing tables I keep
updated. It is a lot of fun playing with a switch that has Automatic
Route Selection. Here are some examples of things that I have done
with their system.
Naturally, the customer wanted 976 blocking in their switch. No
problem. The switch intercepts all 976-XXXX and NXX-976-XXXX calls and
puts the caller through to a Pac*Bell number that returns the
following recording:
"The call you have made requires a twenty-cent deposit. Please hang
up, listen for dialtone, deposit twenty cents, and try your call
again."
This is better than just returning reorder or some such, since when a
person complains to management about how they get this recording "when
they try to place a call", management knows what's going on.
I have 611 routed to my home number. No one there is supposed to call
telco direct, so this little trick saves unnecessary expensive calls
to telco repair. For a while there was a joke line that did a satire
on the Pac*Bell automated repair that was hilarious and I had 611
routed there instead!
My cellular phone number is quite restricted since it can get rather
expensive if people call to chat. For a while I had my portable phone
number in their system speed dial, but when I changed my number
another idea came to mind. I set up the system to intercept my old
cellular number and translate it to my new one and put the call
through. Then I gave out my old (out of service) number to everyone at
that company. Had it printed on employee lists and everything.
The fun began when certain people started complaining that my cellular
phone had been disconnected. This could only mean that they were
calling my number from somewhere other than the office. My
explanation? "I'm sorry, my cellular phone can only be reached from
the office." No other comment was offered. The psuedo phone
knowledgeables still haven't figured that one out.
In our area, a "1" is optional for long distance. It is not required,
but won't interfere if used. The PBX however will send any long
distance call prefixed by a "1" to "It is not necessary to dial a one
for this call. Please hang up and try your call again." The amusement
comes from watching the people from out of the area using the lobby
phone.
The company has Sprint Advance Plus WATS, which are dedicated WATS
lines. However, when a user dials 0+ the system places the call on a
POTS line and prefixes it with "10288" to ensure that an AT&T path
will be taken. I don't trust default anymore.
Actually the list of possibilities is endless and implementation is
limited only by the amount of available free time. Fortunately, this
particular system is progammable remotely, so whenever the whim
strikes, so shall it be!
John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395
john@zygot.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !