gmw1@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu (Gabe M Wiener) (03/08/89)
Hello people. Columbia University has recently installed a new digital Rolm system to replace the old centrex. This changeover has raised furor in the hearts of many students because: the system is incompatible with modems and answering machines, and the university is using this option to charge "rental fees" for data-comm equipped telephones and extra space on the PhoneMail system above and beyond the 3 message limit. has blocked all access to 976 and 540 numbers simply because the billing software on their "state of the art" system is not able to track them. a $5 surcharge on every collect call received. the necessity to dial 9 digits (91+Personal Security Code) just to get an off-campus dialtone. a $100 limit on the Personal Security Code (PSC). i.e., if your account runs over $100, they turn your PSC off, even if it's in the middle of a billing cycle, and even if they didn't bother to let you know that your account was nearing $100. A billing system whereby you are billed for a call 45 seconds after you stop dialing **regardless of whether or not the call goes through.*** i.e., if you call long distance and let the phone ring more than a few times, you're billed for it even if the person doesn't answer. the local calls are now timed as opposed to the untimed trunks we used to have. there are only 400 trunks for over 8,000 phones. Re-orders are not uncommon. the phone-mail answering machine type service does not have enough channels. i.e, you could find the message-waiting light flashing on your station, but you might have to dial the message retrieve code 15 or 20 times becuase you can't get a circuit. Is there any FCC ruling that the university is violating by imposing these restrictions on us? Their attitude is more one of, "Well, that's just the way it is. If you don't like it, pay New York Telephone to draw wires into your room." Indeed, I have put in a private line. But there are a lot of people who just cannot afford to do that, and are being shafted right up to their tonsils. Any advice? Thanks, =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-\ --- /=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- BITNET: gmw1@cunixc \\*// Gabe Wiener INTERNET: gmw1@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu \|/ 1410 John Jay Hall COMPUSERVE: 72355,1226 />\ Columbia University WUI: 650-117-9118 / < \ New York, NY 10027 U.S.A. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-/ > \=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- *** Message from daemon@cunixd *** > | <"At times it wiser to remain silent Lo! The end of the world is nigh! >-----< and be considered a fool than to Please log off. > --- < speak and remove all doubt." -Shaw =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-> - <=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-