Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!decwrl!hayes.fai.alaska.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: tad@ssc.UUCP (Tad Cook)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: COCOT-in-Violation Label File
Message-ID: <13145@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 7 Oct 90 23:27:59 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: TELECOM Digest
Lines: 36
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 721, Message 5 of 6


> [Moderator's Note: Mark and Jeff, your suggestion is *excellent*. I
> think there should be two labels made up: the original, and one that
> says 'Emergency calls - no coins needed; dial _________'. Then when
> auditing the COCOT for compliance, the person affixing the sticker
> should detirmine if (a) emergency calls are allowed for free, as
> required by law, and that (b) no initial deposit is required. If this
> is the case, then put the second label on also.  PAT]

How does one determine this, without calling 9-1-1?  You could just
dial 9-1-1 and then hang up, but 9-1-1 PSAPs don't really like this.
In fact, the procedure at the ones I am familiar with is to call back
and determine what the problem is.  If no one answers, they often
assume an emergency where someone dialed 9-1-1 as they were being
assaulted, so they roll a police car to the address on the ANI/ALI
display to see what is happening.  Listening to Seattle Police on my
scanner, I hear cars dispatched all the time where the description
given by the dispatcher is "ANI-ALI hangup call."

Maybe you could dial 9-1-1 and say "oops ... wrong number!", or maybe
"Telephone Man!  Just checking the line!".


Tad Cook   Seattle, WA  Packet: KT7H @ N7HFZ.WA.USA.NA  Phone: 206/527-4089 
MCI Mail: 3288544       Telex: 6503288544 MCI UW  
USENET:...uw-beaver!sumax!amc-gw!ssc!tad    or, tad@ssc.UUCP


[Moderator's Note: I do not encourage you to imposter an employee of
the telephone company 'just checking the line'. If you must call, just
say you are checking to see if 911 is permitted on the line, and
vacate quickly. But, see earlier replies in this thread. Given the
physical condition of many/most COCOTs, this may be a moot point.
Also, the phone probably has a notice on it saying how to place
various calls. If the notice says 911 is permitted free, I'd take the
owner's word for it.  PAT]