[comp.dcom.telecom] Local Telco and Credit Cards

MYERSTON@KL.SRI.COM (HECTOR MYERSTON) (10/05/88)

	Patrick_A-Townson@cup.portal.com.uucp provides a very clear and
erudite theory on credit cards and PINs.  Unfortunately it is also about
100% inaccurate.  There is no such thing as a "universal data base" of
credit cards and PINs, in fact there is an incredible mumbo-jumbo of
numbers, carriers, verification systems and access methods.
	For example, the card numbers issued by the LEC and AT&T are
often (up to to now) the same.  This means that if you punch the numbers
in or pass verbally to the operator they are interchangeable.  HOWEVER,
the mag strips on the back are neither the same nor universally accepted.
	Also the international card number is no longer provided on the
cards issued in California by PacBell.  If you want both you must go to
AT&T.
	This whole area is one of casualties of the breakup.  One of the
biggest irritants to any one who travels or provides the service to others.

hom

peter@hpqtdla.HP.COM (Peter Locke) (10/17/88)

>The PIN is assigned and maintained at the local telephone company level,
>regardless of the issuing carrier. How else could the local switch process
>your calls?

My understanding of the US network is that currently everyone pays AT&T
to handle this. When such a call comes to a local exchange, a message
is sent to an AT&T Control Point in the network which returns whether
valid and how to bill etc. This is one of the reasons for the SS#7
Common Channel Signalling push in the Operating Companies. With their
own SS#7 networks thay can easily provide this themselves with their
own SCPs and hence make even more profit as they won't have to pat
AT&T for the service, other than when it's an out of area call and I
pity all you poor subscribers when they decide how they're gonna
rip you off for that feature.

PS: 1-800 numbers likewise is currently serviced by AT&T, lots of
  money their and SS#7 will enable the Operating Companies to make
  even more profits on it and offer whizzier services like free-phone
  numbers for just a small geographic area for one day.