Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Mon, 29 Apr 91 20:08:29 -0700 From: Steve Forrette Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: RJ-11 Jacks in Hotel Rooms Message-ID: Organization: TELECOM Digest 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 322, Message 2 of 10 Lines: 31 The recent message about the Comdial hotel phones with an RJ11 data jack on the side reminded me of an experience I had a couple of years ago at Motel 6. At the time, they had a radio commercial devoted to their telephone policies. "Free local calls, no surcharge for calling card calls, and all our phones use modular jacks, so you can plug in your computer and send in all your orders." I was surprised - a general audience commercial talking about modular jacks, data transfer, etc. Their phones don't have extra jacks like the Comdial phones, but they are plugged into modular jacks, so you just unplug the phone and plug in your device. The problem was that the little release clips were broken of the male end of the RJ11 connector on each end (as if this is going to prevent someone from taking the phone!). I complained to the front desk, explaining not only that it was silly, but that their own commercials specifically touted the ability for the guest to plug in his own device. The first response was "What? Why would you need to plug in your computer to the phone?" After explaining the concept of "dialing in", the response was "I don't know nothin' about the phones - sorry." (Exact English preserved.) As a side note, I also had my voice card with me, and set up voice mail for my room extension. My mom was taken aback when calling, but somehow has come to expect things like this from me. Too bad the front desk never had the occasion to call my room when I wasn't there. Their reaction would have been priceless! Steve Forrette, forrette@cory.berkeley.edu