pkh%computer-science.nottingham.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk (Kevin Hopkins) (09/05/89)
(Originally sent on Wed, 30 Aug 89 17:17:28 +0100 but the UK gateway held it up for some reason - pkh) Cribbed from the Guardian, a UK quality paper know for its ability to incorrectly spell words like teh, of Tuesday 29th August. Of course it is taken without permission but I don't think they'd mind anyway. My comments are inside braces (). "BT EXPERIMENTS WITH INQUIRY LINKS by Daniel John British Telecom (BT) is experimenting with a plan which would allow companies and the telephone network's biggest users direct links into its computerised directory inquiry service. The intention is to cut the delays for both corporate and individual callers as well as earn extra revenue from the service. According to Computing magazine (UK trade mag), 237 companies are taking part in a trial which gives them access to the directory inquiry database through Telecom Gold (BT's email service), Prestel (an old Viewdata system) and direct dialling. Corporate cusomers are the largest users of the service and getting them to relieve part of the 200 million pounds annual cost of the service would help BT's case to introduce charges for all users. It has been part of BT's long term planning to target the full costs at users rather than spread the bill to all of its 24 million customers. Exemptions for call boxes and diabled people have already been agreed with the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel - the UK telecom version of PUC's) which also accepted the idea of payment in principle. *** But as yet there is no firm date for the introduction of charges for the service which currently answers 720 million calls a year. BT estimates that each customer contributes 2 pounds a quarter to its operation. +++ The service to corporate users goes by the name of Phonebase in which they will be able to buy direct access into the system. Users will be able to call up numbers on their own screens so clearing the existing 142 (London enquiries from within London) and 192 (all other directory enqiries) lines. Computing says BT, Oftel and the British Direct Marketing are looking at ways of preventing the system being abused with unsolicted sales calls and junk faxes. BT said earlier this month that it had yet to lay down a pricing regime with Oftel for calls to directory inquires. However, under the deal with Oftel, BT will not gain form any extra income from charges. ###" NOTES: *** The previous article I sent gives the reason for this point causing me to write to BT, my Member of Parliament and Oftel. If I am not given the information at hand I think it is immoral to charge for it. Give me free access to the database, as in France, and then I don't mind being charged for DA. +++ Normal quarterly line rental is 15 pounds including taxes, will BT reduce this to 13 pounds? Some chance. ### This has got to be a joke. BT make exorbitant profits, around 2 billion pounds a year. Don't tell me they will turn up a chance to earn a few more pounds. +--------------------------------------------+--------------------------------+ | K.Hopkins%cs.nott.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk | Kevin Hopkins, | | or ..!mcvax!ukc!nott-cs!K.Hopkins | Department of Computer Science,| | or in the UK: K.Hopkins@uk.ac.nott.cs | University of Nottingham, | | CHAT-LINE: +44 602 484848 x 3815 | Nottingham, ENGLAND, NG7 2RD | +--------------------------------------------+--------------------------------+