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From: jxh@attain.uucp (Jim Hickstein)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: What's the Deal With NET and Directory Listings?
Message-ID: <14245@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 31 Oct 90 13:06:26 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 782, Message 9 of 10


When I recently added another line to my business for the express
purpose of putting a modem on it, Pac*Bell asked me whether this, too,
would be a "modem line."  I was nonplussed.  How did they know that my
other lines were "modem lines" and why did they care?  The answer to
the first question is that my predecessor evidently told them this
much about the existing lines.  Their response to the second was that
they flag these somehow in their computer so that a line that has no
signal on it will not be reassigned accidentally.

What?  You mean if I'm not on the blower 24 hours a day they might
just yank me out of the wall whenever they feel like it?  Doesn't the
mere fact that the number is assigned show up on their "computer"?
What would make them think to check the computer more often when they
don't even know before doing so that it will give them interesting
results?  Or do they check it when there is trouble and they can't
raise a human by ringing the line?  Again, the computer should tell
them where to call with no special knowledge of the use of that
secondary line.

Sounds like a commie plot to start charging for erlangs.  I went along
with it, but I'm starting to feel nervous about it.

"Figures don't lie, but liars can figure."


Jim Hickstein, Teradyne/Attain, San Jose CA, (408) 434-0822 FAX -0252
jxh%attain.teradyne.com@apple.com ...!{amdcad!teda,sun!teda,apple}!attain!jxh