Phillip_M_Dampier@cup.portal.com (08/25/88)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, my south-of-the-Equator friend, you make the assumption that there is a standardised telephone system within the United States. Special services, (Call forwding, etc.) are available on a location-by-location basis, with several 'basic' services that are almost universally available. As to free local calling areas, this varies from state to state, and even city-to-city. Some states have free local calling for residence AND business customers (California -- depending on the city) and some states don't have ANY free local calling (New York). -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm not sure I agree with this. As far as basic services go, that can mean a dial tone and a rotary phone in some areas, and a touchtone phone and four custom calling features (call waiting, call forwarding, three-way calling and speed dialing). The remark about New York State customers not getting any free calling is not at all correct. Here in Rochester, we pay around $16.00 for a local calling area that extends into an adjacent area code (Sodus to the East Byron to the west, Lima to the south). NY City does not have the free calling plans available, but the state does. NYNEX has carved up most of New York into their own little fiefdom (NY Telephone). Here in Rochester, Rochester Telephone is one of the few big independents, and after looking at the ripoffs in Buffalo and Syracuse, we are plenty proud of our telco, for now.