DREUBEN@eagle.wesleyan.edu) (DOUGLAS SCOTT REUBEN) (03/24/89)
Hello! A few days ago, I was making a calling card call from a rotary (Bell) payphone, and when I asked the operator for the lower rate since I couldn't Touch-Tone the calling card number in myself, she said she allready knew and was billing me at the lower rate. This makes me wonder: How do the operators (Bell and AT&T) know that it's a rotary phone? Does the equipment detect a rotary call and signal the operator? Or is there just a large database of payphones that tell the operator that it's a rotary? The reason I'm asking is that at a Touch-Tone phone they seem to know that I can dial it in myself, and ask me if there is any problem as they will have to charge me the higher rate if there isn't a problem. Thanks, -Doug DREUBEN%Eagle.Weslyn@Wesleyan.Bitnet DREUBEN@Eagle.Wesleyan.EDU
dave@rutgers.edu (Dave Levenson) (03/25/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0105m07@vector.UUCP>, DREUBEN@eagle.wesleyan.edu) (DOUGLAS SCOTT REUBEN) writes: > A few days ago, I was making a calling card call from a rotary (Bell) > payphone, and when I asked the operator for the lower rate since I > couldn't Touch-Tone the calling card number in myself, she said she > allready knew and was billing me at the lower rate. > > This makes me wonder: How do the operators (Bell and AT&T) know that > it's a rotary phone? ... The CCIS database has information provided by the local operating company indicating which directory numbers are supposed to have touch tone service. While the information is not entirely up-to-date, the intent is that if you dial a 0+ call from a rotary phone, your call should be routed directly to the operator. If the same call is dialed from a line which is on record as having touch tone service, you'll get the MCCS Logo (Bong!) tone first. This same database is supposed to indicate the existence of a calling-card for every authorized user, to provide card-number validation. It also contains the translation of 800 numbers into their POTS equivalent numbers for routing toll-free calls. It indicates which numbers are coin telephones (which are invalid destinations for collect calls). -- Dave Levenson Westmark, Inc. The Man in the Mooney Warren, NJ USA {rutgers | att}!westmark!dave