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From: werner@utastro.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: charging for uncompleted telephone calls - German system
Message-ID: <659@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 21-Sep-83 08:25:28 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.659
Posted: Wed Sep 21 08:25:28 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 23-Sep-83 09:21:03 EDT
References: <2045@yale-com.UUCP>
Organization: UTexas Astronomy Dept., Austin, Texas
Lines: 16

Yep, the German state monopoly on communications has its very
obnoxious parts, and you named only one of them.  Others are: No "free"
local calls , long waiting times for installations (often months, years), etc.

However, there are some nice aspects to their madness, also.

Calls are charged in toll units, which used to be 20 Pfennigs (~8 cents)
quite some years ago.  Local calls cost one toll unit, no matter how long.
(has probably been changed to measured service now)  Long distance calls
simply gave you a limited length of time per unit, indirectly proportional
to the distance.

Thus you can make an intercontinentel call to the US, say:  I am leaving
on the 8pm flite to NY, at a cost of a few cents.  Or:  Is John Doe there?
No? Would you tell him to call back?

No need for operators, for most people, anyway.