hpk@vax135.att.com (12/15/88)
I recently received a brochure from New Jersey Bell stating that the State Board of Public Utilities has given New Jersey Bell approval to offer CLASS Calling Service. The services offered are: Caller*ID Lets you know the telephone number of an incoming call to your home or business. The number will be displayed on a device that you must purchase from Bell Atlantic or another vendor. Repeat*Call Redials the last number you dialed--even if it is busy. Now you can continue with your daily routine instead of losing time dialing and redialing, only to keep hearing a busy signal. REPEAT*CALL will keep dialing for you for 30 minutes while your telephone line is still available to receive or make other calls. Call*Block Blocks calls from as many as six telephone numbers, which you can select. Annoyance calls can be easily blocked, whether you know the number or not! Calls may be blocked after an incoming call, or you may make a list in advance of as many as six telephone numbers. Return*Call Calls back the last person who called, whether you answered the ring or not. No need to rush to answer a call. When you are ready to return the call. When you are ready to return the call, just pick up the receiver, listen for dial tone, and use RETURN*CALL to call back the last party who was trying to reach you. If the number is busy, RETURN*CALL will keep dialing for you for 30 minutes, leaving your phone free for other calls. Priority*Call Alerts you with a special ring or special Call Waiting tone for as many as six telephone numbers that you select. If you are a subscriber to Call Waiting and you are on the phone, you will hear a special tone. When you're too busy to answer every call--you choose which calls you want to answer. Select*Forward Lets you choose as many as six telephone numbers to forward. No need to stay at home to wait for a specific call--just use SELECT*FORWARD and let that call come to where you are. Call*Trace Initiates a trace of the telephone number of the last call you received. If you have a serious problem with obscene, threatening, or harassing calls, you can now trace their source. The number will be retrieved by New Jersey Bell and held. New Jersey Bell will only release trace information to legally empowered authorities. For further action, just contact your local Residence or Business Service Center. (In an emergency, call your local law enforcement agency.) It also states that if you call someone who has Caller*ID, your number will, subject only to equipment limitations, be displayed on his/her display unit even if Caller*ID is not available yet in your area. The monthly cost is $4.00 for one feature plus $1.50 for each additional one. If one of the features is Caller*ID, add $2.50 to the monthly cost. There is a $1.00 charge for each Call*Trace. The Caller*ID display unit may be purchased for $67.55. More information is available (in New Jersey) at 1-800-772-2184.