Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Wed, 5 Jun 91 17:03:08 EDT From: "John R. Levine" Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Mass DPU Agrees Second Unlisted Line is No Charge 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 431, Message 6 of 10 Lines: 44 A few months ago I called up New England Tel to get Ringmate, their distinctive ringing service, on my second phone line. Although NET for some reason cannot combine multiple residential lines on a single bill, it has always been the case that unlisting the second and subsequent phone numbers was free. My second number has always been unlisted, so I had the two new Ringmate numbers unlisted as well, since they were for data and fax modems. A week or so later I got a handwritten postcard from NET saying they'd been unable to contact me and I should call them. When I did, they said that if I wanted any of the numbers unlisted, even the number I already had, they would charge $1.81 per number, the usual unlisted rate. When I pressed them and pointed out that the unlisted number had always been free, they insisted that the tariff had changed. I told them to list them all under the name of T. H. Sophia who lives here but gets few phone calls because she's a dog. The next call was to the state Department of Public Utilities to complain, because this whole business sounded pretty bogus. They took my complaint and said they'd look into it. Nothing happened for several months. The DPU called back last week and said they agreed that I was right and NET was wrong, there is no charge for unlisting second and subsequent phone numbers and thank you for bringing it to their attention. Knowing NET, they won't tell anyone else. If you are a Massachusetts phone customer and have been charged for an unlisted second line or Ringmate number, you are presumably entitled to get your money back. For further info you can call Jack Warshall at the DPU, 617-727-3531. Regards, John Levine, johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us, {spdcc|ima|world}!iecc!johnl [Moderator's Note: I'm surprised you had this much trouble with NET. Illinois Bell has always maintained that non-pub listing was as good as a dozen in their records. They either give your number to the seeker, or advise it is non-pub. One transaction, one fee. Of course if you want more than one free listing per line, you do pay for the extra listings; i.e. two lines, two free listings. PAT]