wmartin@ALMSA-1.ARPA (Will Martin -- AMXAL-RI) (01/25/89)
The Feb '89 issue of Travel-Holiday magazine has several telecom-related
news items in their "Travel Advisor" traveller's news section:
In the "Consumer Watch" column, p. 85:
"Q. Is it possible that my credit card [sic] number was stolen by
someone aboard the ship? I placed two satellite calls from my cabin
through the radio room, where I had left my credit card number. When I
returned home, I was informed by the telephone company that my number
had been used 75 times one day and 150 times the next.
A. It's possible that a passenger or crew member used your telephone
credit card number. However, considering the volume of calls made on
your number, it's more likely that your number was stolen by several
parties over the air. When your credit card number is given to the
overseas operator, it can be heard by anyone with a shortwave radio.
As a precaution, on your next trip, preregister your card number with
the telephone company. If you have an AT&T calling card, dial
1-800-SEACALL. Tell them your name, telephone credit card number, the
name of yur ship and your cruise dates. Onboard ship, inform the radio
room that you have preregistered your card with the phone company. Don't
give them your credit card number so that it won't be accidentally
transmitted when you call."
***End of item***
[Comments: Appropos to our current discussion as to the "creditcardness"
of Calling Cards, here's a good example of confusion between the two on
the part of the general public. Also, note the confusion between the
question's referral to calls by satellite, vs. the answer's reference
to ordinary shortwave-carried marine-operator ship-to-shore calls. If
the call had really been made via a satellite uplink from the ship, the
issue of shortwave would have never entered into the picture. Also, I
like the casual use of the traditional "the telephone company", when
there now are hundreds instead of just one... :-)]
And, in the same issue, p. 89:
FAX AND PHONE FACTS
"Just when you thought you were safe -- fax charges. After years of
pressure from guests upset over unreasonable telephone surcharges,
hotels have thought up another charge for your bill. Hundreds of hotels
now charge up to $10 when you *receive* a fax transmission. And it's
very likely that you won't even know about it until you check out.
Hotels say they use the fee to cover the cost of renting the equipment.
However, that may not always be true. Some fax-machine companies install
the machines in return for a percentage of the fees the hotels charge
their guests.
* * *
At Stouffer Hotels and Resorts you no longer have to pay the surcharges
on the credit-card, collect, and 800 number calls you make. You will,
however, still be billed $2 extra for long distance calls and 75 cents
for local, long distance and local directory and 950 number calls.
* * *
...In November, AT&T announcd the addition of three new countries to its
USADIRECT service. Now you can dial an access number from 51 countries
to directly reach an AT&T operator in the US. In some countries you can
dial from any residential, business, or public telephone. In others you
must use a dedicated telephone located in hotels, airports and seaports.
And you can use your AT&T card or make a collect call. There's no extra
charge for the service. For more information, call (800) 874-4000."
***End of item***
[Comments: I called the 800 number given and asked a couple questions.
The man at the other end said that "no extra charge" in the above means
that, though this service bypasses the foreign country's overseas
operators, you are billed at the regular overseas-call rate for your
call. It just saves you time and hassle to do it this way. They don't
split the call charge into separate overseas-to-US and internal-US
segments, charging separately for each, which is what I had first
envisioned.]
Anyway, hope the above is of interest!
Regards, Will Martin