Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Thu, 13 Jun 91 13:15:00 PDT From: "Ole J. Jacobsen" Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: What Was the Real Reason for Change in AT&T Cards? 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 457, Message 3 of 12 Lines: 36 I got my new AT&T calling card the other day. I immediately had to call AT&T to find out what line the card pertains to, since the new magic number bears no relation to the old scheme, and AT&T did not have the sense to print "This card is for use with your line 415-550-xxxx" in the printed advisory that follows the card. (I have five lines, some of which are "for business" so I do need to know what calls I am charging to what account). I mentioned the fact that I did not believe this new scheme had anything to do with "government regulations" and the AT&T person responded: "What people on the outside did not know is that AT&T has not been fully divested until now. The new calling card system is the final stage of divestiture as required by law.." I'm not convinced. I think there are two basic reasons for why they did this: 1. Old AT&T cards are now being accepted by other carriers. I have been billed by all sort of outfits from MCI to Joe Random carrier by simply using the good 'ol 10-digit + PIN scheme. AT&T obviously hates this and wants the new "proprietary cards" to secure their revenue. 2. As metioned in the Digest already, with the new cards, billing will be (I presume) handled by AT&T directly and thus no (costly) arrangements with the RBOCs need to be in place. Anybody know how much of a "grace period" they are going to give us with the old cards? Ole J Jacobsen, Editor & Publisher ConneXions--The Interoperability Report Interop, Inc., 480 San Antonio Road, Suite 100, Mountain View, CA 94040, Phone: (415) 941-3399 FAX: (415) 949-1779 Email: ole@csli.stanford.edu Direct: (415) 962-2515