Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: birchall@pilot.njin.net (D. Birchall)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Inexpensive Way to Increase Calling Area Needed
Message-ID: <12683@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 25 Sep 90 17:01:30 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 685, Message 3 of 10


Due to my tendency to incur huge dialin-related bills, my family has
become increasingly interested in finding new and novel ways to extend
our calling ability.  Our NXX is not local to, and cannot (in theory)
'scope' to the nearest dialin.  The _next_ NXX, however, is totally
local (no 'scope' needed) to it.

Since a 'scope' would only give me 20 hours a month for the flat rate,
which is far less time than I spend on line, we were considering
getting the data line (line two, as we call it) moved to the next NXX,
in a manner of speaking.  (The only modifications needed would be in
the telco's own computers).
  
My mother contacted the telco, and was told that yes, they would do
that, and that it would only cost us $400, PLUS mileage. (About nine
miles from one CO to the other).

$400+ a month is more than the bills that we are trying to cut down
on.  $400+ a month is enough to LIVE (with a phone) in the next NXX.

Is it just me, or does the telco here have a couple screws loose?  Can
someone familiar with NJ Bell explain the reasoning behind this, or
(better yet) suggest some kind of possible alternative, for someone
who spends about 80-100 hours per month on the computer and would like
to do it for less than $300?


Dan

Birchall@Pilot.NJIN.net


[Moderator's Note: My experience with FX, or Foreign Exchange lines,
which is what you want to accomplish, is that it is very rare they
ever pay off from casual use. Large businesses can keep their FX and
other special circuits loaded all the time. You probably can't. If
you were to use Line 2, (configured for the next town away) for maybe
12-15 hours per day, one call after another, preferably lots and lots
of one and two minute calls and very few longer than that, then you
would probably break even or profit slightly from an FX. But without
the call volume -- in terms of lots of very short calls, one after
another -- you are better off simply placing regular toll calls and
paying for them.   PAT]