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From: Matt=Carpenter%LAB%CON@nursing.con.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: 1-555-1212 for Local Directory Assistance?
Message-ID: <10560@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 7 Aug 90 16:22:03 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 548, Message 4 of 11


In TELECOM Digest #546 David Bernholdt mentioned his expereince when
trying to dial directory assistance (411) within Cincinnati.

As he found out, in Cincinnati, DA is 1-555-1212 *not* 411.  I grew up
in Cincinnati and it has always been 1-555-1212.

The explanation for this non-standard number may lie in the fact that
Cincinnati is serviced by Cincinnati Bell, Inc. and not any of the
RBOC's (Ameritech).  Cincinnati Bell was not owned in the majority by
AT&T during the breakup, so they were largely unaffected.  Cincinnati
Bell has probably done things their own way since the beginning and is
keeping it that way.

Which brings me to this - what about standards?  We seem to have
standards to specify what equipment I can hook up to the PSTN, but
there seems to be little on standards that the phone company should
live up to.  While reading this Digest, I can see all the differences
in dialing instructions and I'm afraid that when I move or travel, I
won't know how to use the phone!


Matt Carpenter
carpenterm@nursing.con.ohio-state.edu