edell%garnet.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Richard Edell) (04/22/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0138m01@vector.dallas.tx.us> telecom@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM Moderator) writes: >If anyone gets specifics on this regards pricing and how it is installed, >etc, please write it up for publication here. Installation is similar to 800 service via dedicated access (leased T-1 or, not cost effective, leased voice grade lines). This service will not be available from every AT&T point-of-presence. It does appear (from the tariff) that they intend to include at least one point-of-presence in each LATA. Costs - *FROM TARIFF*: Non-Recurring Charges: Service Arrangement* (one 900 number) $1,200 900 Number Added or Changed 175/number Monthly Charges: Service Arrangement* 1,000 Each additional 900 number 125 Usage Charges: Initial Minute (or fraction) 0.30 Each Additional Minute (or fraction) 0.25 Note that these charges do not include the access arangement (T-1 or voice grade lines) which, here in Pacific Bell teritory, costs $400/month for a "local" (0 miles) connection. I don't know the current installation cost for a "local" connection. * Service Arrangement includes up to 960 access lines (this isn't mentioned in the tariff but is mentioned in the service description I mention below.) The tariff does not have specifics regarding "Premium Billing" but a service description sent to me in early February gives some details. Caller charges will be based upon the office code (NXX) of the 900 number as given in the following table: NXX 1st Min Addit Min --- ------- --------- 344 $0.00 $0.00 342 0.75 0.00 786 1.25 0.00 773 2.00 0.00 370 0.75 0.50 420 1.00 0.50 740 1.25 0.75 820 1.50 0.75 860 2.00 1.00 If the "sponsor" selects premium billing then AT&T will charge the sponsor a "Billing Service Charge" of 10% of the retail price (the amount the caller pays) in addition to all the tariffed charges mentioned above. >Multiquest, according to AT&T, is the first national, interactive 900 >service for businesses. Maybe they were very clever in how they worded this but Telesphere/Media 4 have been offering 900 service for about 2 years. Perhaps Telesphere doesn't cover every LATA for inbound service. It is worth noting that while 900 service is implemented in a fashion similar to 800 service (except for billing), the per minutes charges ($.30/.25) are about 150% higher. A general note about AT&T 900 services: MultiQuest is diferrent from Dial-It in that the program is supplied at the sponsors site, allowing interaction (if the sponsor wishes it). Dial-It 900 is a mass announcement service allowing only outgoing messages, all the same. -Richard J. Edell (edell@garnet.berkeley.edu) (415-882-7133)