Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!sdd.hp.com!ucsd!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: Jim.Redelfs@iugate.unomaha.edu (Jim Redelfs) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Slammed by AT&T Message-ID: Date: 17 Feb 91 00:51:32 GMT Sender: news@casbah.acns.nwu.edu Reply-To: jim.redelfs@iugate.unomaha.edu Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 53 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 125, Message 9 of 9 Dave_johnston%01%srjc@od wrote: > I hate to bring up slamming again. I think Pat squelched the topic > some time ago after it started getting crazy... I don't remember that, sooooooooo... (is that a good enough excuse for another such story?) I am the "friendly, neighborhood phoneman" in Elkhorn, NE - an Omaha CDO. In my immediate area is a service station the does all the service on my company van, as well as sell me the bulk of the gas it uses. Although we've "gone cellular", the performace of my particular setup is such that I occasionally use their drive-up coin station. This particular phone is like a breath of fresh air: It is U S WEST Communications owned (and locally served) and has AT&T for its PIC. Some months ago, I used the station to place a toll call and was "thanked" for using "Acme Long Distance A-Go-Go" (or something)! The information plate on the set still indicated "AT&T" and, knowing that the station owner's wife WORKED FOR AT&T, I was very concerned - as was Howard, the owner! I made a BUNCH of calls (all in the name of good P.R., right?) and the bottom line was that "someone" had placed the order, but that it would be cancelled. The rep at "Acme" couldn't tell me WHO placed the order, nor could U S WEST Communications (my employer). I believe that long distance useage is the most costly consumer service (right up there with credit cards, etc) that can be manipulated with a mere telephone call - frequently (apparently) by most ANYONE! Can you imagine CitiBank slamming VISA accounts from other banks? Although I rarely am in favor of additional, PUC-induced requirements on the industry, I think it is about time the local companies be required voice-verify all PIC changes before implementing them. The cost of this requirement could be recoverd by appropriately raising the Service Order Charge - which is frequently "covered" by the enticing toll company. Failing this, I think the net cost increase would be very minimal, once the slamming stops. Billing Error repairs probably cost the system as much (or more) than half the physical plant repairs that *I* make. Jim Redelfs Copernicus V1.02 Elkhorn, NE [200:5010/666.14] (200:5010/2.14)