mike@turing.cs.unm.edu (Michael I. Bushnell) (02/09/89)
Our glorious University of Nothing Much has its own phone exchange.
Put simply, for non-campus calls, there are 5 types of phones. Class
0 is allowed to only dial on-campus numbers. Class
1 is allowed to dial only local calls with 9+XXX-XXXX. Hitting 8
results in a "no service" tone--an indication from the UNM phone
exchange that you are trying to do somethings you're not allowed to
do. Class 2 can also make operator assisted long distance calls by
dialing 8-0-(long distance number). The operator is the UNM operator,
and will only allow card calling or collect calls. Class 3 is allowed
to dial long distance in the country by dialing
8-XXXXXX-1-XXX-XXX-XXXX where the first XXXXXX is a UNM account
number. Class 4 is like class three, but is additionally allowed
international calls (there are state laws regulating who can
call/travel outside the country on state funds).
Most public phones and the like are class 0 or 1. Class 2 phones
aren't even allowed to make 800 number calls, but that's not too bad.
Where I work, we have a few class 1 phones and a few class 3 phones
(and we have an account number for long distance calling).
Occasionally we want to make long distance calls from the lab of a
personal nature. Naturally, it is illegitimate to charge these to
UNM, so we would like to get an operator. This is fine: if we dial
8-XXXXXX-0 from a class 3 phone, we get a UNM operator who will
transfer us to an AT&T operator (if we cheat and just make a normal
OAC, UNM has an account number to bill). The AT&T operator nicely
places the call.
Unfortunately, the UNM operators only work 8-5 M-F. SIGH! Off hours
we would like to get to an AT&T operator to make collect or calling
card calls. But there is *no*way* to get a UNM operator, or make ANY
operator assisted call off hours. We tried 9-0, 8-XXXXXX-0, etc.
None of it worked. Immediate "failure tone" from the UNM system when
we try (since the operators aren't at work).
Questions:
1: is there an 800 number that can connect us to a long distance
operator who will place a call for collect or calling card calling?
2: is there a sneaky fashion (for anyone who has a similar phone
"system") for evading the stupid restriction that we have to go
through a UNM operator?
Michael I. Bushnell \ This above all; to thine own self be true
GIG! \ And it must follow, as the night the day,
mike@turing.cs..unm.edu /\ Thou canst not be false to any man.
Hmmmm.............. / \ Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!map@gaak.lcs.mit.edu (Michael A. Patton) (02/14/89)
(Michael I. Bushnell asks about operator access at UNM) Although it doesn't solve your problem directly, MIT has a system that gets around these requirements. The MIT phone switch has a trunk group that appears to TSPS systems to be Charge-A-Call phones. There is an access code that almost any (except a class more restrictive than your class 0) extension can dial and become an AT&T Charge-A-Call phone to place such calls. In fact this is the normal way to place long distance operator assisted calls. You can also use it to place any FREE calls and to access ALDCs and such. Since it's tariffed exactly like a Charge-A-Call where there is no way to charge back, AT&T handles all the control and billing.