Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: Jack Winslade Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Calling Cellular From COCOT Message-ID: <11588@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 31 Aug 90 02:30:52 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Reply-To: Jack.Winslade@f666.n285.z1.fidonet.org Organization: DRBBS Technical BBS, Omaha, Ne. 402-896-3537 Lines: 39 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 612, Message 5 of 10 Yesterday afternoon I had to make a quick call to a friend who had a US West cellular phone. The only phone around was a COCOT, but what the heck, I needed a phone. Drop the quarter in, get a somewhat realistic phony dial tone, dial the number, long pause. Ring .... ring .... ring .... {with no answer} ... ring 'The mobile phone you are calling is not answering at this time, please {loud click, COCOT swallows quarter} try your call again later.' Now I know the far end did not supervise. I've done this on 'real' pay phones and they do not rip off the coins. I figure this COCOT only guessed at the loss of ringback tone and figured it had an answer. Maybe they should put the BOOOP-boop-beep tritones on the cellular 'no response' intercept. Good Day! JSW [1:285/666@fidonet] DRBBS Technical BBS, Omaha (1:285/666) --- Through FidoNet gateway node 1:16/390 Jack.Winslade@f666.n285.z1.fidonet.org [Moderator's Note: Do you ever call up the COCOT owner to complain and get a refund when a private payphone steals your money like that? I have done so, and they sent me a *check* for 25 cents! Illinois Bell at least sends little credit slips you can turn in when you pay your own phone bill. They used to send loose change to you in the mail, taped to a card which said 'sorry we were unable to refund your money on your call the other day ...' but they had to quit that because so many people were ripping them off. Maybe that is why the COCOT people send checks also. When AT&T sends out refunds for money lost in coin phones they send a check also, marked "Pay to the Order of The Telephone Company" and you can turn it in with your phone bill to them or the local telco, or whoever. PAT]