Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Tue, 23 Apr 91 16:10:30 -0400 From: Ronald Greenberg Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: 900 Discussion on CNN Message-ID: Organization: College of Engineering, Maryversity of Uniland, College Park Sender: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu 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 301, Message 6 of 10 Lines: 46 In article : > He said that the FCC had proposed a plan with two major goals: > 1) Require every 900 number to air a "preamble" including three things; > a brief discription of the nature of the service, a clear statement of > the cost or charges involved, and the opportunity to hang up without > incurring any charges. > 2) Require all telcos to provide free blocking to any customer on > request, and make parents of children who make calls to 900 numbers > not liable for the charges. The plan also includes a provision that the telco cannot cut off ordinary service for failure to pay 900 charges. They also ask for comment on whether their proposals should only apply to 900 numbers or should apply to any number that has extra charges for calling it. (There are certain local exchanges like this, e.g. 976 in DC, and I think 700 numbers, and apparently there is nothing to stop the telcos from giving 800 numbers to things that are not free in every way.) Unfortunately, as the plan is written now, it just applies to 900 numbers. Also, I'm pretty sure the FCC is only able to place restrictions on interstate calls. I found out all this when I called the FCC to complain about getting phone calls from machines asking me to call 900 numbers (and other telemarketing calls) and they sent me a copy of their proposal on 900 numbers. They say they are considering some other sorts of regulation on telemarketing calls, but again it would only apply to interstate calls, and they haven't actually decided to do anything so far. It would be nice if one could get copies of FCC proposals on-line. Also, I'm not really sure how members of the public are supposed to express their comments. There is some information about making comments in the material they sent me, but it seems to involve some annoying bureaucratic requirements, and they use some legal terms I'm not familiar with. I may try to get more information out of them on the phone some time, in which case I will post anything interesting that I learn, but if somebody already knows something, I'd be interested in hearing. Ron Greenberg rig@eng.umd.edu