nobody@nowhere.UUCP (warning - this is a bogus address) (08/16/89)
[Moderator's Note: John Covert kindly passed along this note he received, and the one following. PT] Please, PT, don't encourage readers to dial 700-555-1212 to find out which Default Carrier is in use on a line. I made that mistake once, and good old Ches. & Pot. billed me $.50 for a Directory Assistance call (yes, I know it doesn't exist, but tell that to their software). The correct number is 700-555- 4 1 4 1. Network? You mean that thing we use to send radio programs to our stations?
morris@jade.jpl.nasa.gov (Mike Morris) (08/18/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0300m05@vector.dallas.tx.us> you write: >X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 300, message 5 of 8 >X-Originally-From: Ed Jones, National Public Radio (via John R. Covert) >[Moderator's Note: John Covert kindly passed along this note he received, >and the one following. PT] >Please, PT, don't encourage readers to dial 700-555-1212 to find out which >Default Carrier is in use on a line. I made that mistake once, and good >old Ches. & Pot. billed me $.50 for a Directory Assistance call (yes, I >know it doesn't exist, but tell that to their software). > >The correct number is 700-555- 4 1 4 1. I did the same thing a while back, not knowing any better. I received a 50 cent charge on my bill and called the business office. The conversation went something like: me: <I protested 50 cent charge> her: Well, you called 700-information... me: Please put me on hold, and try that number. her: OK <wait><scratchy, off frequency music on hold> her: thats not information! me: then why was I charged? her: it's a computer error. me: sounds like a programming error to me. her: same thing. You got charged. I'm going to take it off the bill. me: Thanks. her: bye <click> I've not tried it recently to see if the data base has been fixed. I still feel that long distance information should be free to residential customers, and local should be charged _only if it is in the book_. WHy should I have to keep 4 feet of shelf space reserved for the LA phone books? ANd have to pay for the books out of my area as well? -- Mike Morris UUCP: Morris@Jade.JPL.NASA.gov #Include quote.cute.standard | The opinions above probably do not even come cat flames.all > /dev/null | close to those of my employer(s), if any.
john@apple.com (John Higdon) (08/21/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0308m08@vector.dallas.tx.us>, morris@jade.jpl.nasa.gov (Mike Morris) writes: > I still feel that long distance information should be free to residential > customers, and local should be charged _only if it is in the book_. > Why should I have to keep 4 feet of shelf space reserved for the LA phone > books? And have to pay for the books out of my area as well? I am the last person to stick up for "the Phone Company". But I'm sure you will agree that providing you with phone numbers via information (or even via directories) costs the provider money, right? There are some, myself included, who seldom require any directory assistance. We return calls from numbers provided by our callers. We remember our friends numbers (or write them down). We use private publications and directories (for marketing purposes). Only on rare occasions do I find it necessary to consult an out of town directory (or directory assistance) to get the number I wish to call. For those occasional events, I am more than willing to pay the fifty cents. Why is it fair for the costs of DA to be shared by everyone (which is what happens when it's "free") when not everyone prefaces every other call with a call to Directory Assistance? -- John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@zygot.uucp | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !