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From: carols@world.std.com (Carol Springs)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: 1 + 976 Telephone Programs
Message-ID: <16527@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 30 Jan 91 04:01:29 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 77, Message 15 of 16


New England Telephone in Massachusetts has an insert in its latest
round of bills entitled "Introducing 1 + 976 Telephone Programs":

   By dialing telephone numbers beginning with 1 + 976, you can 
   get in touch with a wide variety of information and 
   entertainment programs ... These programs are provided by 
   vendors known as Information Providers, who are *not* 
   affiliated with New England Telephone ... [NET] only
   provides the 1 + 976 telephone numbers, and bills the charges
   established by each Information Provider in your monthly
   telephone bill ... Calls to 1 + 976 can't be made from 
   outside of Massachusetts or via long distance carriers.  They 
   also can't be made from coin operated phones, WATS lines, or 
   certain cellular or other types of mobile telephones.  Also, 
   your calls to 1 + 976 programs can't be Collect, Bill to Third 
   Number, Credit Card, or Operator-handled calls.

Nowhere in the flier is it mentioned that 1 + 976 numbers act the same
as the old 976 numbers.  The main, unstated purpose of the insert
seems to be to alert customers to the fact that they must now dial 1
before 976.  And the "1" itself probably results from complaints of a
predictable type: "Hey, what's this funny charge on my bill?  It
looked like a regular number to me..."

I don't know whether there is an interim period in which unadorned 976
will still work, since I had 976 calls blocked on my lines long ago.
(I suspect dialing old-style will get you a "You must first dial 1..."
recording.)  Any other areas have 1 + 976, or is New England Telephone
leading the way?


Carol Springs                      carols@world.std.com