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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!harvard!talcott!wjh12!biomed!lagasse
From: lagasse@biomed.UUCP (Robert C. Lagasse)
Newsgroups: net.analog
Subject: tel. long distance
Message-ID: <138@biomed.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 23-Oct-85 08:40:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: biomed.138
Posted: Wed Oct 23 08:40:33 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 25-Oct-85 07:26:58 EDT
Organization: Mass. Gen. Hosp. - Dept. Biomed. Engineering
Lines: 12


      Maybe I should have posted this to the telecom group. But, here
goes.........     Whenever you dial a long distance number yourself, such as
0-986-2345, and then wait a few seconds, you hear an eerie, fading,
boiiinnngggggg sound somewhat like an electronic gong, which makes it sound
like your call has just been transported light years away through a time
warp.  Then, either the operator comes on ("beeeeep...can I help you?") or a
recorded voice asks you to enter your calling card number.  Now, just what
is this eerie sound and why is it generated?  Does its tone actually do
something within the system, or is it generated for the sole purpose of
letting a caller know that they have entered long distance never-never land?
Thanks for any reply.  Bob Lagasse