Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: David Dyer-Bennet Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Billing and Answer Supervision Message-ID: <5415@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 20 Mar 90 22:52:25 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Reply-To: David Dyer-Bennet Organization: Terrabit Software Lines: 28 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 189, Message 2 of 10 In article <5265@accuvax.nwu.edu> tanner@ki4pv.uucp writes: :Further, I can verify the readings on the meters for the power, gas, :and water by examining my meters. I can, if it pleases me, go out and :watch the dials turn and verify that they are turning at the right :rate. I can install my own meter (after the company's meter) if it :pleases me. You can not, in principle, do this with the phone. In England, which uses non-itemized message-unit billing, it is possible (though not normal) to get phones with a "message unit" meter right on them. I've run into them in short-term rental situations, where the people staying in a house want phone service, but it's different people each week. With this setup, the landlord can come by and check the phone meter and add your phone bill into the total when you leave. This is not meant to refute your basic point at all, particularly since it's not the normal setup and most likely costs extra. But, *in principle*, you can do most of this (not connecting your own meter) with the phone system. David Dyer-Bennet, ddb@terrabit.fidonet.org or ddb@network.com or Fidonet 1:282/341.0, (612) 721-8967 9600hst/2400/1200/300 or terrabit!ddb@Lynx.MN.Org, ...{amdahl,hpda}!bungia!viper!terrabit!ddb