fred@dtix.ARPA (Fred Blonder) (06/10/89)
I'm hoping that someone can provide some useful advice regarding the following situation: I'm planning on getting my own phone line run in a house which I share with roommates. I've been told by the local phone company (Chesapeake & Potomac) that they will not allow the new line to hunt to the old "communal" line which I already share with my roommates, because it's listed under a different name. While they may have sound reasons for this policy, I don't see how they apply in this case. My question is: Does anyone have an idea of how high up the chain- of-command I'll need to go in order to get an exception granted? Has anyone done this, or something similar? Is this hopeless? ----- Fred Blonder <fred@dtix.arpa> David Taylor Research Center (202) 227-1428 [Moderator's Note: Why not order C&P's version of 'Starline', a residential centrex package which allows what you are asking plus a lot more, including intercom between your phones; pick up an incoming call from either line; transfer a call to any other line, etc. One feature in that package is 'forward on busy/no answer', which would seem to meet your request. All the phone lines get billed on one account, but you get directory listings as desired, and you do get separate breakdowns of long distance charges, etc. Illinois Bell calls it 'Starline'. I don't know C&P's name. PT]
morris@jade.jpl.nasa.gov (Mike Morris) (06/13/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0192m04@vector.dallas.tx.us> fred@dtix.ARPA (Fred Blonder) writes: >I'm hoping that someone can provide some useful advice regarding >the following situation: I'm planning on getting my own phone line >run in a house which I share with roommates. I've been told by the >local phone company (Chesapeake & Potomac) that they will not allow >the new line to hunt to the old "communal" line which I already >share with my roommates, because it's listed under a different name. >While they may have sound reasons for this policy, I don't see how >they apply in this case. >My question is: Does anyone have an idea of how high up the chain- >of-command I'll need to go in order to get an exception granted? >Has anyone done this, or something similar? Is this hopeless? Pacific Bell offers (or at least used to - a friend had it about '82) but it's expensive, and all lines must be in the same name. Why not get call forwarding, or call forwarding-no-answer? Another alternative is used by some friends of mine: there is one listed line, and each person has their own unlisted line. The answering machine on "pub" can be dumped remotely. The answering machine on the private line(s) are the individual's own responsibility. It is a large house (5 bedrooms) and a multi-line (1A2) key system services the house (complete with "head" phones). "Pub" rings everywhere, the private lines ring in the individual bedrooms and buzzes everywhere. US Snail: Mike Morris UUCP: Morris@Jade.JPL.NASA.gov P.O. Box 1130 Also: WA6ILQ Arcadia, Ca. 91006-1130 #Include disclaimer.standard | The opinions above probably do not even