telecom@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM Moderator) (07/03/89)
In a conversation with jsol on Sunday, we discussed the merits of speed dialing. As all TELECOM readers probably know, you can get 'speed dialing' (sometimes known as convenience dialing) from the telco, as programmed in the central office switch, or you can purchase a variety of equipment which maintains the speed dialing repretoire at your own premises. Which is better, if either? Is it purely a matter of personal taste, or can you suggest reasons why providing it for yourself might be preferable to that version sold by the telco and maintained in the CO? Just wondering. We came to the conclusion it was purely an individual choice, with no apparent advantages to either; certainly not as long as the CO version can be programmed with ease from your own phone. Opinions, anyone? (And do have a safe and happy Independence Day holiday! Driving, drinking, firecrackers, all usual admonitions apply.) Patrick Townson
edg@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Edward Greenberg) (07/04/89)
I use Telco Speed Dialing (8 numbers). I like it because I don't have to get expensive feature phones style sets around the house. Rather, I can use older more reliable Bell System Style sets (with real networks. :-) Basically 8 numbers does it for me. I had thirty numbers in a previous life, and found that I was using about ten of them and had forgotten what the other twenty were used for. I tried to allocate them in groups, like 20-30 are for family, 30-40 are her friends, 40-49 are my friends, etc., but it never took. Since then, I've learned to live with 8 and saved a buck or two. Actually, I remember why I needed more. Way back then, I used several of them for 950-xxxx. Now that Grandma is in a home, I expect that I could reprogram #3. Maybe Dominos Pizza :-) callous youth... forget the pizza, call your granny.
eli@eecs.nwu.edu (07/05/89)
My bet is that the speed dialing that the CO provides allows you to dial calls in more rapid succession than any telephone's repeat dial features... this is handy if you are trying to get through to a group long distance (or other) trunks which are very busy... -- Steve Elias -- eli@spdcc.com, eli@chipcom.com [mail to chipcom.chipcom.com bounces!] -- voice mail: 617 859 1389 -- work phone: 617 890 6844
epsilon@ames.arc.nasa.gov (07/06/89)
When I was living in 818, one of my favorite vices was playing radio station contests. Nearly all of these calls were to 213 or 714. Speed-8 wins--especially when used in conjunction with premises equipment. (It doesn't make that big a difference, but it more than pays for itself.) -=EPS=- P.S. the "dead phone for several minutes" syndrome described by another contributor wasn't that uncommon when 213-520 and 714-977 were taking a serious pounding...
levin@bbn.com (Joel B Levin) (07/06/89)
I use CO speed dialling for two reasons: (a) I have two extensions at
present, both vanilla. Speed dialling works from both. (b) If I had
two phones with speed dialling I would have to be careful to keep the
programming identical in both (required by the nature of the users
around the house). Of course, the on-premises solution which would
satisfy these is a separate box on the line to do the speed-dialling.
I have never looked into the cost of this option.
Steve Elias mentioned the rapidity. I hadn't thought of that; but
it's true. When I speed-dial a number on one of the local ESS
exchanges, the call is placed _instantly_ (e.g., if it is busy, I get
the signal with no delay after keying #). This is not one of the
reasons I have it, though.
/JBL
UUCP: levin@bbn.com (new) or {backbone}!bbn!levin (old)
INTERNET: levin@bbn.com POTS: (617) 873-3463
"Earn more sessions by sleeving."stanwyc@mtfmi.att.com (D. Stanwyck) (07/06/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0221m07@vector.dallas.tx.us>, telecom@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM Moderator) says: > In a conversation with jsol on Sunday, we discussed the merits of speed > dialing. As all TELECOM readers probably know, you can get 'speed dialing' > (sometimes known as convenience dialing) from the telco, as programmed in > the central office switch, or you can purchase a variety of equipment which > maintains the speed dialing repretoire at your own premises. > > Which is better, if either? Is it purely a matter of personal taste, or > can you suggest reasons why providing it for yourself might be preferable > to that version sold by the telco and maintained in the CO? > > Just wondering. We came to the conclusion it was purely an individual > choice, with no apparent advantages to either; certainly not as long > as the CO version can be programmed with ease from your own phone. Opinions, > anyone? The reason why (at my last residence) we chose to use the USWest supplied CO-based speed calling feature was the presence of several (>5) separate telephones in the house. Some telephones had memories - 1 lost memory everytime there was a commercial power flux. Some did not have memories. Some were pulse only, others were tone-dial. The only solution that allowed the user to use a short-dial sequence from any phone in the house was to use the CO-based solution. The alternative was several new phones, and economically that didn't seem workable. Also - the one telephone that couldn't be replaced was a combination phone/speakerphone/AM-FM radio/alarm clock/desk lamp that my wife kept on her nightstand. It was also the one that lost memory everytime the commercial power blinked. Since it was too much trouble to re-enter the numbers several times a week, we choose the above solution. -- Don Stanwyck o o 201-957-6693 AT&T-Bell Labs || mtfmi!stanwyc Middletown, NJ USA \__/ Education Center
dileo@brl.mil (07/06/89)
Pat-- In article <telecom-v09i0221m07@vector.dallas.tx.us> you write: > >In a conversation with jsol on Sunday, we discussed the merits of speed >dialing. > >Which is better, if either? Is it purely a matter of personal taste, or >can you suggest reasons why providing it for yourself might be preferable >to that version sold by the telco and maintained in the CO? > My response to this question is that the personally owned equipment beats the CO maintained system far and away on price and convenience. In Maryland (C&P country), the charge for 8 number speed calling is $1.50 per month and $4.00 per month for a 30 number list. Approximately 30 months ago, I purchased a 40 number memory feature phone for $80.00 (LCD Display, speaker, hold, redial, etc.). Thus, on speed dialing alone, I've already saved $40.00. The convenience aspect comes into play when it's time to dial one of these numbers. My phone has 20 buttons and a shift button, so no number requires more than two keystrokes to dial. To dial from a regular Touch-Tone phone to a CO maintained list requires that you 1)Remember a CODE for the number you want to dial and 2)Press a three key sequence (two if you don't press '#' and are willing to wait..). Oh yeah, programming the feature phone is easier, too. Just in case you're wondering, I did have the CO maintained speed calling way back when. I just decided, for the reasons outlined above that it was more worthwhile to buy a feature phone (my decision was aided by the premature death of my standard desk phone at the hands of my cat). --John DiLeo-Lopez dileo@amsaa-seer.brl.mil
julian@bongo.uucp (julian macassey) (07/10/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0225m06@vector.dallas.tx.us>, stanwyc@mtfmi.att.com (D. Stanwyck) writes: > In article <telecom-v09i0221m07@vector.dallas.tx.us>, telecom@eecs.nwu.edu > (TELECOM Moderator) says: > > The reason why (at my last residence) we chose to use the > USWest supplied CO-based speed calling feature was the presence > of several (>5) separate telephones in the house. Some telephones > had memories - 1 lost memory everytime there was a commercial > power flux. Some did not have memories. Some were pulse only, > others were tone-dial. The only solution that allowed the user > to use a short-dial sequence from any phone in the house was to use > the CO-based solution. The alternative was several new phones, and > economically that didn't seem workable. Did you consider the Demon Dialer by Zoom Telephonics? If you put one of their diallers by the protector, every phone in the house can use the same dialler which is controlled by the Touch Tone pad or Hook Switch flashes. Plus it comes with a supercap that keeps the memory alive for 7 hours if there is a power outage. Not only can any phone in the house dial via a short sequence, you can store numbers that are dialled via built in account codes i.e. selected common carriers or phone credit card numbers that can be accessed during a call. Plus it will "Demon Dial", redial a busy number. Great for calling houses with teenagers. And yes, you can store over 100 numbers in a Demon Dialer. Yours -- Julian Macassey, n6are julian@bongo ucla-an!denwa!bongo!julian n6are@k6iyk (Packet Radio) n6are.ampr.org [44.16.0.81] voice (213) 653-4495
GREEN@wharton.upenn.edu (Scott D. Green) (07/10/89)
The DEMON DIALER not only gives you access to the same codes from every phone in the house, but also adds features like continuous auto redial for busies and no answers. I think its about $100, but I don't know from where. (Radio Schlock used to carry it). -scott