[comp.dcom.telecom] foreign exchange in a shopping mall

cmoore@BRL.ARPA (Carl Moore, VLD/VMB) (05/03/88)

I was in Security Square Mall, in a western suburb of Baltimore, Maryland,
yesterday.  I noticed, on a row of pay phones, 2 phones with a foreign
exchange (301-448, occurring in a nearby part of Baltimore city) next to
about 6 or 7 phones on 301-944 Woodlawn, a "correct" prefix for that area.
Why a neighboring prefix?  Both have Baltimore metro local service, and
the difference is only in the outer fringes (such as 301-877 in Fallston,
Harford County, way to the east of Baltimore city).  Also, since Baltimore
is big enough to have city as opposed to suburban prefixes, 911 would have
different meaning (Baltimore city is not a part of Baltimore county, which
includes Woodlawn area).
The only other cases I know of where a foreign exchange appears on a pay
phone both involve DC metro service from airports: 301-621 Laurel (Bowie-
Glenn Dale service) at BWI and 703-471 Herndon (Vienna service) at Dulles.

dmkdmk@UNCECS.EDU (David M. Kurtiak) (05/03/88)

In article <8805021714.aa21738@ADM.BRL.ARPA>, cmoore@BRL.ARPA (Carl Moore, VLD/VMB) writes:
> I was in Security Square Mall, in a western suburb of Baltimore, Maryland,
> yesterday.  I noticed, on a row of pay phones, 2 phones with a foreign
> exchange...  [Rest of article deleted...]
 
The first time I ever noticed this was at the Greensboro/High Point/
Winston-Salem airport in North Carolina.  The airport is partially in
the Greensboro serving area, but also borders the High Point service
zone.  Even though High Point is only about 10 miles away (city to
city), they are *VERY* toll calls.  (NC's in-state rates are 
outragous!).  While Greensboro has Southern Bell for a local provider,
High Point has North State Telephone (a mom&pop telco).  I suppose you
can also look at it as 'competition' then, huh?  A So. Bell local call
costs $.25, while N. State is $.10...  What a selection nowadays -
there are AT&T calling card phones, So. Bell phones, and N. State.,
not to mention those dreaded COCOTS all in one location, right next to
each other.  *sigh*  "ONE Bell System - it may work again." :-)
 
----
David M. Kurtiak
UNC - Greensboro
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