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From: zippy@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Patrick Tufts)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: On Who You Owe When Slammed
Message-ID: <15453@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 17 Dec 90 15:48:10 GMT
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In article <15416@accuvax.nwu.edu> telecom@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM
Moderator) writes:

> This is only partly correct. There is a third party involved who
> actually caused the misdelivery, i.e. your local telco.

   [local telco as employee analogy]

> When you get the bill from Pat, you can't refuse to pay because your
> employee/agent took the package to the wrong place. Get it straight
> with your agent/employee instead ... the interstate delivery service
> did as instructed.

The problem with this analogy is that the local carrier is _not_ your
employee - you are not responsible for its mistakes.  If the long
distance carrier slammed you without your consent, you owe them
nothing.  If the local telco switched your carrier without your
consent, _they_ should foot the bill.

If you ask for carrier X to handle your LD calls, you want the rates
and the _service_ of that carrier.  Just because Y got the job done
does not matter.  You wanted X, asked for X, and expected X.


Pat