kent@wsl.dec.com (12/03/88)
Three weeks ago, we moved. We moved a total of about 10 blocks; we're in the same service area (415-641, Pacific Bell), and kept the same number. Of course, I expected to be billed for the "change in service". I halfway expected to lose the pre-programmed speed dialing numbers (we did). What I didn't expect was that my calling card would stop working. Seems that any change in service causes them to cancel the current card. If you're lucky, they'll automagically order you a new one (with a different PIN) -- but usually you have to notice that your card is not working and request a new one. Of course, we found out that it wasn't working while on a trip. And there's apparently nothing that can be done in real time to re-enable the damn thing. Ten working days, indeed. Is this common to all operating companies? chris
bob@stl.olivetti.com (Bob Weissman) (12/08/88)
In article <telecom-v08i0192m06@vector.UUCP>, kent@wsl.dec.com writes:
- Three weeks ago, we moved. We moved a total of about 10 blocks; we're
- in the same service area (415-641, Pacific Bell), and kept the same
- number.
-
- What I didn't expect was that my calling card would stop working. Seems
- that any change in service causes them to cancel the current card. If
- you're lucky, they'll automagically order you a new one (with a
- different PIN) -- but usually you have to notice that your card is not
- working and request a new one.
This is interesting. I also recently moved within my service area
(415-967) and kept the same number, and my Pacific Bell calling card
still works fine, as does my AT&T card with the same number. Sounds
like someone simply screwed up.
Of course, I only moved about six blocks...
--
Bob Weissman bob@stl.olivetti.com
Routed UUCP: bob@oli-stl.uucp
UUCP: ...!{ ames | decwrl | oliveb | pyramid }!oli-stl!bob
Arpanet: bob%oli-stl.uucp@ames.arc.nasa.govchaney@E.MS.UKY.EDU (Dan Chaney) (12/08/88)
I've moved several times in the past few years (the joys of student life) but I
have had phone service at each new place. Sometimes it has been a transfer of
service, other times I have discontinued service and requested service at the
new address. (The difference, explained to me, was due to moving outside of my
service area.) Each time, regardless whether the actual number changed or not,
the 4-digit extension (aka PIN) stayed the same. The same PIN used 4 years ago
is the one I currently use.
What I found most interesting about this was that even when I changed my long
distance carrier (Advantage network - ask me about *them* in EMail, heh heh),
my calling card still worked and still used the same old PIN number.
--- And now, for something related but completely different ---
The on campus phone system here at UK has, as best I can tell, two types of
phones, restricted and not restricted. They have recently switched to Americall
and have allowed credit-card calling from non-restricted phones by dialing 6-0
+ area code-phone number. If you dont include the area code, it defaults to 606
(KY AC) and you get a tone and the nice lady that always asks politely for your
number and then says thank you (I think she is sweet on me.) However, if you
try a different area code (this won't happen if you include 606), you get an
Americall operator - not the nice-lady tone system.
Now for the crux of this. If I dial a number within my area code, get the
tone, enter that and press #, the nice lady comes back and says I can enter a
different number, which I do, and it can be a different area code and she just
says thank you and everything is funky dory (local terminaologists equate that
to fine.)
Question: It seems to me that if dialing 6-0-ac<>606-xxx-xxxx puts me to a
human and not a computer, then there is some computer link that isnt there, and
if that is the case, what if the billing information isn't passed back?!?!
Horrors!!!)
OK, there is my two cents worth on card-numbers and another log onto the fire
of the calling-card silliness.
--
Dan Chaney
{uunet and the like}!ukma!chaney chaney@ms.uky.edu EXT698@UKCC.BITNET
"As often as I have been amongst men, I have returned less a man" - Seneca