Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!rutgers!texbell!vector!telecom-gateway From: William Berbenich (WBERBENI@gtri01.bitnet) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Caller ID Saves A Life! Message-ID: Date: 16 Oct 89 13:57:06 GMT Sender: news@vector.Dallas.TX.US Lines: 26 Approved: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 454, message 4 of 9 For those who wish to phone anonymously, most emergency services still maintain a regular CO line. Here in Atlanta, where 911 does not yet have full metropolitan area coverage, that option is still possible. Prior to my move to Atlanta from Mountain View, California, that option was possible . The way I was able to obtain the number was by calling Pac Bell and explaining that I wanted to program my autodialer with the number - the only trouble was that the autodialer would only accept either 7, 10, or 11 digits into its storage and I therefore needed the 7 digit number. Pac Bell gave it to me, I dutifully programmed it in, and the autodialer was ready to summon help for my household - however, were I able to call EMS but not able to speak, help would have been seriously delayed. wberbeni@gtri01.gatech.edu Georgia Inst. of Technology [Moderator's Note: If your autodialer's only objection is the lack of seven digits -- as opposed to the digits '911' themselves (for example, IBT speed dialing won't permit 911, 411 and certain others), -- then you can use filler digits of the form, '911-1111' or '911-####' to make the quota required. The network will start processing the call after the 911 is dialed, and the last four filler digits will have been given out long before the PD comes on the line anyway; no one will be offended by extra beeps in their ear. PT]