Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Distinctive Ringing Recognition Message-ID: <8238@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 25 May 90 03:27:09 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Reply-To: John Higdon Organization: Green Hills and Cows Lines: 39 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 383, Message 4 of 9 "VAXB::DBURKE" writes: > The tone pattern is standard ring for my regular line, and two longs > for the kiddie line. > [Moderator's Note: Illinois Bell, among other Bell telcos, offers this > service in a limited number of areas. Our version allows two or three > other numbers to be camped on the main line. This is one of the things (along with Centrex, pagers, answering services, and other heavy DID customers) that is responsible for the depletion of our NPAs. CLASS could eliminate much of the waste. For instance, answering services would see which customer was forwarding to their *one* number and answer accordingly. No DID required. Distinctive ringing could function based on the number of the caller, not the number called. Granted, the functionality would be slightly different, but would be a good, efficient alternative. For some reason (probably the availability of cheap DID), vast blocks of numbers have been assigned for the use of what can best be described as "signaling" services. This is exactly what distinctive ringing is: two numbers are assigned just so the phone will ring differently, signaling the called party what number the caller dialed. What a waste. John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@bovine.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o ! [Moderator's Note: One of the Illinois Bell CLASS features does just what you propose: It allows the callee to designate up to ten callers whose calls will generate a different sounding ring. Unfortunatly, there is only one 'different sound' -- up to ten numbers you designate will have this characteristic. And of course, until they are likewise in an office properly equipped, merely designating them on your end does not make them behave that way. PT]