mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) (09/21/83)
=============== The supposition that government phone cmpanies charge for uncompleted calls is not correct. Although most of the world's phone companies are government ownded, the only one that I am aware of that charges for busy's and no-answers is the Danish phone co, and it is privately owned Herman Silbiger =============== Assuming Herman is correct about charging for busy and no-answer, it is probably a side-effect of their algorithm that is good to users. In Denmark (at a pay phone, anyway) charging is by time, not just connect time. If you put in 1 krone for example, you can make as many calls as you want until it is used up. The money is used quickly if you are connected a long distance, and slowly if the call is local. If you are not connected at all, it is used even more slowly (whether your end is hung up or not). If you have no money and you want to make a phone call in Denmark, wait outside a phone booth until someone comes out, and then try dialling. There may well be enough time left on the previous caller's money to permit you to make your call. Martin Taylor