ilya@polya.stanford.edu (Ilya Goldberg) (07/08/89)
I have noticed the new explanation cards posted on Pacific Bell telephones specifying the default LD carrier's name as well as giving instructions on how to use an alternate carrier (i.e. 10XXX codes), but until now, the default carrier has always been AT&T. Well, today, I was using a Pac Bell payphone which specified that all coin calls default to AT&T while credit card, collect, and other operator-assited calls default to US Sprint. COCOT owners can choose any LD carrier they want. What about the local telephone companies who own the majority of payphones -- are they free to choose carriers or do they have to give some share of the 0+ calls made from payphones to every LD carrier which provides operator services? If the local phone company can choose any carrier, then why would they choose different carriers for different phones? -Ilya ilya@polya.stanford.edu
smb@ulysses.att.com (07/09/89)
Date: 8 Jul 89 02:01:46 GMT Reply-To: Ilya Goldberg <ilya@polya.stanford.edu> Organization: Stanford University Well, today, I was using a Pac Bell payphone which specified that all coin calls default to AT&T while credit card, collect, and other operator-assited calls default to US Sprint. Local newspaper articles a few months ago mentioned that it was technically very difficult to make coin calls default to some other carrier. They didn't say why. COCOT owners can choose any LD carrier they want. What about the local telephone companies who own the majority of payphones -- are they free to choose carriers or do they have to give some share The choice is made by the owner of the property on which the phone resides, up to and including the local municipality.