Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Thu, 6 Jun 91 23:43:13 -0700 From: Steve Forrette Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Cellular One Dialing Procedures Message-ID: Organization: University of California, Berkeley 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 436, Message 1 of 11 Lines: 49 In article Ole J Jacobson writes: > I am trying to convince Cellular One here in the Bay Area that they > need to start accepting "canonical numbers" from cellular phones in > order to be in compliance with generally accepted industry standards. > (I've heard that there is even an IEA recommendation for this.) If you > can help me put forward my case I'd be grateful. > By "canonical numbers" I mean 10 digit numbers of the form: > <10 digits without a preceeding 1> > I am trying to get them to accept canonical dialling *AS WELL AS* > their current silly scheme, but so far I have not had much luck > finding anyone who even understands what I am talking about. Some of > the answers I have received so far include: "All our calls are > routed through Pac*Bell, so we have to follow Pac*Bell's dialling > procedures!" This has long been a sore point for me as well. When did the most recent change occur? Eleven-digit dialing for local calls worked for me until I moved form the Bay Area just two weeks ago. I had made several attempts to find out why ten digit dialing was not allowed for long distance calls, and got nowhere each time. They would mostly compare it to regular phones, and say it works just like them, so why should I complain? "Pacific Bell requires it, so that's why!" I would offer that Pacific Bell does not allow ten digit dialing of local calls, but it worked on their system, so the MTSO had to be capable of reformatting numbers before handing them off to Pacific Bell. Additionally, I brought up the fact that all the other cellular systems in California (and elsewhere) allow ten digit dialing, even though the local companies that serve them require eleven digits. Of course, I got nowhere. They either didn't understand those points, or just ignored them, going back to the "Pacific Bell requires it" argument. The thing that really annoys me is not that the reps don't know much about the technology, but rather that they can't reason things out based on evidence presented to them. So, I would say that you'll just have to live with it. Part of the reason may be that Pacific Bell owns a substantial minority of Cellular One of SF, and doesn't want anybody getting fancy ideas about ten digit long distance (or, heaven forbid, LOCAL) dialing. Steve Forrette, forrette@cory.berkeley.edu