Telecom-Request%usc-eclc@brl-bmd.UUCP (Telecom-Request@usc-eclc) (11/05/83)
TELECOM Digest Saturday, 5 Nov 1983 Volume 3 : Issue 92
Today's Topics:
Requesting a phone number
MCI mail
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Date: Thursday, 3 Nov 83 16:28:53 PST
From: tekchips!wm.tektronix@Rand-Relay
Subject: Requesting a phone number
I just moved and I seem to be having a slight squabble with the local
phone company. I should mention that the company I am having problems
with is GTE, not that I have anything against them since I have never
done business with them before.
I called in to order service, and I asked if I could choose a phone
number. I've always asked if I could have a choice of numbers, and
while sometimes I've had problems talking them into it, I usually at
least gotten my choice of a few dozen free numbers.
Until now.
The first person I called said I could not choose my number. She said
that the computer assigned them and she could not alter that in any
way. The number the computer assigned me was attrocious. So I
canceled the order.
The second try got me someone who said she COULD give me a requested
number. We tried a couple until we found one that was free and not
reserved for business use.
So far so good. I got a number I wanted! When the Friday came when
my service was to begin, my phone did not work. The next Monday, I
called the business office, and they had no record of my order. After
talking to several people, including a supervisor, I was told that I
would have to start over and do a new order, AND (here comes the
interesting part) they said that I would have to take "whatever number
was assigned to me."
I had not mentioned to them that I wanted a specific number, so I
found it curious that they had "lost" my order, but somehow knew that
I had gotten a requested number. I refused to start a new order, and
requested to talk to a supervisor, since I now knew that it was
possible to request a number (it had been done for me). The operator
did not want to let me talk to a supervisor. In fact, through all
this I have never been able to talk to anyone above the first level
supervisors. Back in Texas, I've gotten as high as a vice president.
I finally talked to someone who magically knew all the people I had
talked to, and who also said that my order had been canceled because
that number was reserved for business use. I knew this was wrong, and
they changed their story to say that it was part of a block that was
reserved for incoming calls only. This person also told me that she
had talked to the lady who had taken my order originally and she had
canceled it and was supposed to contact me because that number was
reserved. When I tried to talk to the person who had taken my order,
they said she worked at another office. I called that office and they
said no, that she was, indeed, at the original office, but that she
was on vacation.
At this point I was getting perturbed at the number of different
stories I was getting. When I pointed out the discrepancies to them,
the representative I was talking to got all huffy like I was calling
her a liar. I assured her that I was not calling her a liar, but that
I had gotten at least three different stories and I just wanted to
know which was correct. To which she blithely said, "They're all
correct!"
I got a supervisor to admit that they could choose numbers, but that
it took too much time, and "if everyone did it...". Already they are
getting $30 just to throw a switch (I have my own phones, and there
was already service at the house), but I told them I would gladly pay
extra for the right to pick my number. I told them I would keep
placing orders and canceling until I got a number I liked, thinking
that would convice her that it would be cheaper just to give me a
number I want. She said they should charge me $20 every time I did
that. I asked them if they were tarriffed to do that.
That's only a brief symopsis. My complaints are: They are claiming I
cannot choose a number "because of the computer". I know this is a
lie. They also canceled my order, I assume because some supervisor
found out that one of the representatives had done something nice for
someone. They also keep lying to me.
I imagine I have no right to any specific number, in fact, I would
guess that the tarriffs say that they can change my number any time
they want to. Do I have any recourse? At this point, I am simply
doing without a phone, I'm so pissed off at them. Have they done
anything illegal? Why are all of the "good" numbers reserved for
businesses? I can understand blocks of numbers being reserved, but
this is rediculous.
I know this is probably hopeless, but can anyone out there help or
offer suggestions?
Up the creek without a phone,
Wm Leler
wm.Tektronix@Rand-relay
*!tektronix!tekchips!wm
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Date: Wed, Sept 28 1983
From: TIM%VPIVM2.BITNET@Berkeley (Ron Jarrell)
Reply-to: TIM@VPIVM2.BITNET@BERKELEY.ARPA
Subject: MCI mail
Got my welcome package. It weighed about 2 pounds. According to it,
the advanced mode, which allows you to use commands instead of menus,
also allows you to store message for 5 days, do bulk mail, and
maintaining mailing lists. Basic service only allows you 24 hour
storage. There is also a service that allows you to register your
letterhead or signature, which will then be digitized and stored for
their laser printer. Advanced service allows you to store multiple
ones and call them as needed. This costs $20 annually to maintain the
graphics. Advanced costs $10 monthly, to cover "storage allocated". I
have a pending question to find out if that is accurate, or if it
depends on usage.
According to my package, membership in MCI mail automatically gives
you an account on Dow Jones, and vice versa, though apparently they
haven't finished the connection, because using the dowjones command
reports "Command not implemented yet." I \did/ get a set of
information and instruction sheets on dowjones though.
Seems to be halfway decent. Only problem is that the phone numbers
are only in certain cities. Still waiting to see if they are keeping
the 800.
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End of TELECOM Digest
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