Path: utzoo!telecom-request
Date: Thu, 16 May 91 16:07:19 EDT
From: dsac!bluemoon!sbrack (Steven S. Brack)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: It Doesn't Need to be a COCOT to Burn You
Message-ID: <telecom11.376.3@eecs.nwu.edu>
Organization: Blue Moon BBS ((614) 868-998[0][2][4])
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 376, Message 3 of 10
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I recently had an experience with an ATT-defaulted Ohio Bell payphone.
I was at work and received an urgent message to call home.  I live in
Columbus (614), but my "home" is in Toledo (419).  So, I pulled out my
trusty ATT nonsubscriber calling card (thanks for the tip, Pat),
dialed 0-419-XXX-YYYY, got the "AT&T" announcement, dialed my card
number, and got connected.  I talked only long enough to find out that
nothing terrible had happened, then hung up.

        Well, I got my ATT bill yesterday, and it showed a one minute
call (the call I just described) as costing $1.17!!  My "normal"
alling-card rate is $0.21 / minute.  I called ATT, and the rep I spoke
with told me that since it was an Intra-LATA call, Ohio Bell handled
it, and could charge up to $1.20 per minute.

        If the phone "says" AT&T to you when you place the call, isn't
it reasonable to assume that AT&T rates would be applied?  The system
already knew where I was calling from & what number I was dialing, so
it should have been able to tell me Ohio Bell was handling my call.

        I can't help but think that saying AT&T was handling the call,
then having Ohio Bell actually handle it is a little unfair to the
consumer, to say the least.

        Is what happened to me legal?


Steven S. Brack                                 | I don't speak for OSU.
InterNet: Steven.S.Brack@osu.edu                | (Bill Miller just can't 
  BitNet: Steven.S.Brack%osu.edu@ohstvmsa.bitnet|  understand that.)