Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: Jim Olsen Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Touchtone Fee Abolished in CA Message-ID: <9571@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 10 Jul 90 14:36:51 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA Lines: 22 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 472, Message 7 of 12 >Historical questions: when was the last date that AT&T sold switching >equipment _without_ 100 percent tone dialing coverage? >This is a relevant question for those of us who live with backwater >telephone service from NYNEX, as well as arteriosclerotic regulation >by the Mass. PUC. Don't put all the blame on the Mass. PUC. A some of the blame goes to Attorney General James Shannon. Shannon 'represents the public' before the PUC, and ensures that the rate structure remains 'fair'. The Honorable Mr. Shannon's idea of 'fair' rates means keeping residental rates as low as possible, and jacking up everything else (business rates, tone dialling, CLASS, 'long' distance [what a joke!]), irrespective of the actual costs involved. New England Telephone's new rate proposal, which attempts to more accurately reflect costs, is of course blatantly 'unfair' according to Shannon, since residential rates would rise. Ain't politics wonderful? (BTW, Shannon is up for re-election this year.)