Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Tue, 30 Apr 91 22:28:00 PST From: Dave Leibold Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Whither the AT&T News Line? Reply-to: dleibold@attmail.com 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 331, Message 2 of 10 Lines: 39 Thanks for a number of responses with respect to the AT&T daily news report... rborow@bcm1a09.attmail.com replies: > In answer to Dave Leibold's wondering what happened to the AT&T > Newsline: it was discontinued via its 800 number. It now can be > reached via a normal (meaning YOU pay) POTS number. Why the change? > From what we were told, it was due to cost-cutting measures. So what > else is new? I'm not sure if the cost savings rationale is as simple as it sounds ... wouldn't AT&T people just have to start dialing long distance or WATS to get their news? Also, if AT&T had the 800 network, would they not have had the capability to connect the newsline directly to their network? The new POTS number would seem to entail extra dealings with a local telco. But I'm neither an accountant nor technician for AT&T, so perhaps someone out there has a better idea of the situation. Perhaps cutting the volume of calls to the news line is one motivation for this change. Bill Huttig wrote: > The newsline discontinued its 800 number. The correct number now is > 908-221-NEWS. (I don't see why they want to make people pay for it.) Why, so that MCI and Sprint can now make some coin off the deal :-) Presumably, the news line number isn't eligible for MCI's Friends and Family program. David Leibold dleibold@attmail.com disclaimer: just wondering about the nuances of the situation.... Dave Leibold - via IMEx node 89:681/1 Dave.Leibold@f135.n82.z89.onebdos.UUCP