@ll-vlsi.ARPA:black@ll-micro (Jerry Glomph Black) (03/20/89)
In the midst of all the interesting and spirited debating of the last week on this subject, I think one issue has been slighted: the potential imbalance of those subscribers getting this service. I think the charge is on the order of 7 bucks/month, plus an $80 box which sits next to one phone in your house. This would more than double the basic monthly rate for residential customers in my state, and I really think few would sign up for the CLASS service. So you have a situation where the majority of home users are *forced* to dial in the 'anonymity code' every time they wish to call a business or other place that shouldn't get their number so easily. I hope they have 'anonymity default' settings for 'the rest of us' who will not be buying the service. The local companies overcharge for all these 'value added' services: recently they really made me guffaw when the local company itself telemarketed these useless services, especially "speed-calling", where they want $4.12 per month to do what any $20 cheapo phone can do: store 10 numbers. They also charge 58 cents/month for touch-tone (but in most exchanges in this area, TT phones work even for those who don't pay: not worth the bother of policing, I guess). Jerry G Black, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, 244 Wood St. C-120, Lexington MA 02173 Phone (617) 981-4721 Fax (617) 862-9057 black@micro@VLSI.LL.MIT.EDU