Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Wed, 8 May 91 22:28 PDT From: John Higdon Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Why the Bong? Reply-To: John Higdon Message-ID: Organization: Green Hills and Cows 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 350, Message 10 of 10 Lines: 35 Bernard Fran Collins writes: > Is there a good reason why a > credit card call must contain a pause in the dialing in order to wait > for the bong? Why can't the card number be delivered to the LD > carrier without such a pause? This is because only the credit card number is given to the IEC directly by customer. When you dial '0+7D/10D', that part of your input goes to the LEC, not the long distance company. The local LEC switch connects to the appropriate IEC and then transmits that number to them. At that point the customer is connected directly to the IEC, which "Ka-Bongs" signifying a request for the calling card number via DTMF. The pause it necessary to allow the LEC to do the requisite switching and signaling of the IEC. > Is there a shortcut? No, you must wait for the switching to complete between the LEC and IEC before you input the card number. > What does the bong really do anyway? The leading edge of the bong is a '#' DTMF tone pair, the purpose of which is to disable any DTMF-Pulse converters that may be used by the LEC to complete the call so that they do not interfere with your credit card key-in. John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@zygot.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !