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From: eddy@jafus.mi.org (Eddy J. Gurney)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Telecom*USA 800 Service NOT Available
Message-ID: <16587@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 31 Jan 91 20:43:19 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 83, Message 4 of 11


Ahh ... the wonderful problems all these merger create ...

On Monday I called Telecom*USA and ordered Residential 800 service.
Or so I thought.  Apparently the representative with whom I talked was
not aware that they were no longer taking orders for that service, and
today I received a call from them telling me to contact MCI.  Gee, how
nice!

So I called MCI, and as I suspected, the so-called 800 number you are
issued is basically just a shared number among a large number of
customers.  (Anyone know how many?)  They say it is much like a
"calling card", where you dial an 800 number, and after the "bongggg",
enter a four digit code.  (This would allow at least 8000 people to use
the same number, even if they didn't offer codes like "0000", "1111",
etc.)  This is what I was trying to avoid by going with Telecom*USA.

I called Telecom*USA back, and they said there was nothing that could
be done.  The _very_ polite woman explained that that service has not
been available for some time, and said she was sorry that she was
unable to help resolve my problem.  I asked if her supervisor could
approve it, and she said no, that because Telecom*USA merged with MCI,
all requests for any type of service connection had to be routed to
MCI.

So it appears I'm out of luck, unless any readers know of other LDC's
that offer residential 800 service at reasonable rates?  (Preferably
without a shared 800 number.)

I figured it was too good to be true! 8-)


Eddy J. Gurney, N8FPW  --  eddy@jafus.mi.org  --  The Eccentricity Group


[Moderator's Note: That is really a shame. I guess I should consider
myself very lucky I got my numbers from Telecom*USA before they made
the changeover. I agree with you the idea of adding a code to the
number being dialed sounds pretty bogus. My two 800 numbers just ring
straight through to me. Even someone at a rotary dial payphone can use
them with ease. You might ask about 800 numbers from Cable and
Wireless. They offer user-programmable 800 numbers I believe.   PAT]