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From: early@tonto.DEC (the higher we climb, the better the view)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: re:*3 Long distance
Message-ID: <601@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Date: Tue, 21-Jan-86 09:11:22 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.601
Posted: Tue Jan 21 09:11:22 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 23-Jan-86 20:35:35 EST
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Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
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Path: decwrl!decvax!tektronix!hplabs!qantel!lll-crg!seismo!rochester!ritcv!rocksvax!rocksanne!sunybcs!kitty!larry
Subject: Re: Re: Long Distance
 
>> never makes mistakes any more than I do that the bank never makes an error

There is  a device invented by Northeast Electronics, (now called 
Northern  Telecom),  which   when  connected  to  central  office 
telephone equipment, will produce,  as  a  result of your call, a 
printed (or digitized ) record of:

	When you called (Date/Time (Hour, minute, second))
	What number you called from  (and/or what extension)
	Length of call.
	Which  Trunks  (lines were used,  watts,  Long  distance, 
	private carrier, etc).

The existence of this product ,  though,  doesn't mean your phone 
company has it.  It was developed  about  1971,  and it first use 
was to identify after hour corporate phone abusers.

>> on my checking account. On the other hand I am forced to trust the gas,
>> water, and electric companies.

Not necessarily so.  The meters are required  in  many  states to 
pass local inspection.  You can demand if you wish, to verify the 
meters  credibility,  by the operating company.  Power meters can 
be checked by some electricians.

>	Most telephone companies will log local calls for a given month or
>two FOLLOWING a complaint about message unit charges, and furnish the
>subscriber with the details.  However, this is after the fact.  Telephone
In some  areas, if you keep a logbook, showing when, and time you 
called, and can  produce  these records, and they differ from the 
phone company.  the  phone  company  is  required to either prove 
their allegations, or refund your money.  I had an attorney in NH 
tell me, that a bill for  ANYthing  is not legal or binding until 
ordered so by a court !   Whether or not its worth going to court 
is up to the victim.

>>    2. Some people use their phones almost exclusively as an input device.
>> (airline res lines for example) They pay only the basic charge for the phone
>> but keep their line busy literally 24 hours a day.  This seems a bit unfair

In New Hampshire, I was told by a phone company rep, that any use 
of  telephone  other  than an  "average"  home  use,  constitutes 
business usse, and they not only  can  hit  you  with  a business 
phone charge, but also get reasonable past use fees as well.I got 
into this because I wanted to know if  I  could  get  a dedicated 
line  for  my  modem, and ANY modem use constiutes  business  use 
because  of  the  inherent  LONG  access  generally  taken by the 
computer/modem.

			bob early
(Dec E-Net)	TONTO::EARLY)
(UUCP)		decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!tonto!early