Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: Darren Griffiths Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Make Sprint Put it in Writing! Message-ID: <11506@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 30 Aug 90 02:13:40 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca. Lines: 53 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 607, Message 2 of 11 In article <11386@accuvax.nwu.edu> John Higdon writes: X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 598, Message 8 of 12 >Darren Griffiths writes: >> One of my sources within Pacific Bell tells me that US Sprint is going >> to come through on their promise to put it in writing. Pacific Bell >> does the billing for Sprint and they are currently working on software >> to distribute a "contract" along with bills. >Er -- excuse me. My Sprint bill, which includes all calls made on all >of my lines, plus all calls made with my F(O)ON card appears to be >laser-printed on Sprint letterhead, is sent from an out-of-state >address and bears no mention of Pacific Bell. In addition, the bill >envelope is usually stuffed with slick Sprint promotional stuff -- and >again no mention of Pacific Bell. >Are you SURE Pac*Bell does the billing for Sprint? I have received a >bill directly from Sprint since my account was absorbed from US >Telecom, previous to which time I received a bill directly from THEM. >The only Sprint calls I am aware of that are billed by Pac*Bell are >those made by customers who don't have a Sprint account. I don't subscribe to Sprint but I do know that my AT&T bills come along with my local phone bill and, if I've used any other long distance company, they are included in the same envelope. Basically each long distance company has a seperate sheet of paper with the logo printed on the top, however, I'm looking at them as we speak and all the papers are the same and the logo is printed on the page, presumable with the same printer that does the billing info. I send one check to Pacific Bell and it pays my local calls, my long distance (AT&T, Sprint, MCI etc) and my AT&T calling card. Perhaps you have a different type of service that Sprint prefers to bill direct or that Pacific Bell doesn't have the capability to bill for. The Pacific Bell billing software is still somewhat limited. The software that is currently being worked on is supposed to send two different letters to subscribers. I believe people who already have Sprint will get one letter saying that they now have a contract, and people that don't have Sprint will get another letter explaining that Sprint is going to "put it in writing". In addition the letters will be customized with the person's name etc. It's not a terribly difficult program to write, but I can see why Pacific Bell would want to make changes in the billing system slowly, which is natural when using IBM's and COBOL (ick.) Cheers, darren