Path: utzoo!telecom-request Date: Mon, 17 Jun 91 12:05:37 EDT From: andys@ulysses.att.com 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 464, Message 7 of 9 Lines: 53 In article is written: > 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. Please note that it is not just a matter of securing our revenues. Consider this: every time a customer thinks they are using an "AT&T Card" and gets billed by an AOS it creates a customer relations problem for AT&T with "brand loyal" customers. Many of these customers have a hard time understanding that use of the LEC issued billing number is not under AT&T's control, even though the number appears on a credit card with the AT&T logo on it. The best way to deal with that is to issue card numbers that AT&T *does* control. There has been overwhelming customer unhappiness with the old calling card scheme that left them with big charges from companies with whom they had no intention of doing business. Yes the new system is good for AT&T. It is also good for most customers. > 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. The new calling cards (other than Universal Cards) do *not* change the method of billing. Billing methods are determined by the ultimate billing telphone number for your AT&T account. In most LATAs residence billing is still handled by sending call detail back to the LEC to bill. Changes to the billing system are a separate issue. What *does* change is the customer-supplier relationship for card verification services. Instead of buying verification from the LEC for use of their card numbers on long distance calls, for the new cards AT&T will sell verification for it's card numbers when used for local calls. Yes, this is a cost saving. This is bad? |> Anybody know how much of a "grace period" they are going to give us |> with the old cards? I assume that a valid LEC card number will always be accepted, but I have no good information on this. Andy Sherman/AT&T Bell Laboratories/Murray Hill, NJ AUDIBLE: (908) 582-5928 READABLE: andys@ulysses.att.com or att!ulysses!andys What? Me speak for AT&T? You must be joking!