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From: covert@covert.enet.dec.com (John R. Covert  26-Jun-1990 2110)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: 800 Surcharge
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Date: 27 Jun 90 01:06:42 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 457, Message 3 of 12


 From:  Greg Monti
 Date:  26 June 1990
 Subject: Re: 800 Surcharge
 
> Regarding hotels charging for 800 numbers...
 
Yes, hotels can get away with charging $0.25 to $1.00 or so for 800
calls because people just pay them.  It's small compared to the price
of the room, and most business travelers wouldn't complain much.

If you are dialing an 800 number to get to your LD company's switch,
the charge is a downright *bargain* compared to what the hotel's AOS
would charge you if you direct-dialed the call from your room!  The
AOS would inflate the price of each minute of the call by 200% or 300%
while the charge for the 800 call only inflates the price of the first
minute.
 
This brings up a related subject, that of COCOTs whose keypads are cut
off after dialing, thwarting you from using any long distance company
but the AOS which kicks back to the premises owner.  As long as this
number isn't itself blocked, there is exactly one reasonably-priced
long distance company *that I know of* which can always be accessed
from phones like this: US Sprint.

If you dial their FONcard access number (800 877-8000) and then do
nothing, the dial tone will expire after 15 or 20 seconds and you will
be connected to a Sprint operator.  Just say you're calling from a
rotary phone and give the numbers you're calling from and to and your
14-digit Sprint FONcard number.  Local operating company (and AT&T)
cards not accepted.  There's a premium operator-assistance charge of
around 50 cents (on top of the 75-cent FONcard charge) for the whole
call.  But it avoids the per-minute AOS inflation.  Handy.  Sprint
calls this "rotary access."

This could work with other LD companies *provided* they (1) offer
routine operator services and (2) they have an 800 number to reach
that operator.  MCI misses on item (1).  AT&T misses on item (2).


Greg Monti, Arlington, Virginia; work +1 202 822 2633