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From: ruck@sphere.UUCP (John R Ruckstuhl Jr)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: time accuracy in telephone service billing
Message-ID: <287@sphere.UUCP>
Date: 27 May 90 01:53:18 GMT
References: <285@sphere.UUCP> <1021@gold.GVG.TEK.COM> <7560@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM>
Organization: Private; Colorado Springs, CO
Lines: 20

In article <7560@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM>, arnief@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM (Arnie Frisch) writes:
> What's worse is that some start charges about 30 seconds after you've
> completed dialing -
> 
> IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER OR NOT YOUR CALL WAS COMPLETED!

I've heard it alleged that MCI does this, so I asked an MCI customer
service representative, who explained that has not been true for 10
years -- the switching equipment now in use allows them to begin
charging when the call is answered.

So I wonder (with no disrespect intended) whether this might be an urban
myth based on obsolete information.  Does anyone know a long-distance
service which (still) does this?

And, my original question, how does a telephone service provider
maintain time-accuracy for billing, and how accurate is that time?
-- 
John R Ruckstuhl, Jr	UUCP: sphere!ruck (or hplabs!hp-lsd!sphere!ruck)
			DOMAIN: ruck%sphere@hp-lsd.cos.hp.com