Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!PIC.UCLA.EDU!jimmy From: jimmy@PIC.UCLA.EDU Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Mass 550 numbers Summary: The scoop on N.Y. (900) numbers Message-ID: <12497@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU> Date: 21 May 88 04:17:49 GMT References: <8805192151.AA29742@BLOOM-BEACON.MIT.EDU.MIT.EDU> Sender: daemon@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU Reply-To: jimmy@pic.ucla.edu (Jim Gottlieb) Organization: UCLA Program In Computing Lines: 66 Approved: telecom@xx.lcs.mit.edu In article <8805192151.AA29742@BLOOM-BEACON.MIT.EDU.MIT.EDU> DREUBEN@EAGLE.WESLEYAN.EDU (Douglas Scott Reuben) writes: > > 900 Svc- These are the hardest to understand. I though[t] 900 numbers > were national numbers, which any caller in the U.S. or > Canada could access for a specific fee, usually $.50 for > first minute, and $.35 cents for each additional. (Certain > services were blocked from Canada, and other Premium services > tended to cost more, but overall 900's fit the above pattern). > > Now, in New York and New Jersey, there are two 900 > "exchanges", 909 and 999 which offer REGIONALIZED conference > (chat) services, at about $.85 per minute. Callers from I run three of the (900) numbers in New York (and Chicago), so let me explain. The (900) prefixes, like those of the (800) area code have been allocated to telcos and long-distance companies. This is a temporary fix in the (800) arena until the BOCs have SS7 going full blast. I don't know what the eventual plan is for (900). The traditional (900) numbers that you speak of are those provided through AT&T. Currently, AT&T only offers vote-counting and mass announcement service on (900). There is an option whereby a small percentage of calls placed to one of these numbers can be routed to a live person (this is what they do on David Letterman), but there is no way to route all calls to a normal, analog telephone line. The 321 and 999 prefixes are assigned to Telesphere International, a long-distance company that primarily serves the lodging and shared-tenant markets. (909 is an AT&T prefix.) Right now, the only area served from their New York switch is the NYC LATA. Philadelphia can not currently access it. Within a few months though we will be adding equipment in Philly which will also serve South Jersey, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and D.C. eventually. About the middle of next month, Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo, and Boston will be backhauled into the New York switch. Telesphere's plan is to reach 60%-65% of the U.S. television households by the end of the year. The other big players have really blown it on this one. Since AT&T can serve the entire country right now, they are in the perfect position to capture this market. Likewise, MCI and Splint currently cover most of the country. But all three keep delaying their (900) offerings, and when queried at the ICA show this week report nothing will be done this year. Re. pricing: We are able to set any price (within reason) for the first minute and for additional minutes. We are paid by Telesphere about 4 months after the calls take place, placing a severe cash flow problem on many vendors right now. > Some of these servies even charge you a "toll" if you are > near them. IE, if you are calling from certain sections No. There are no toll charges to call (900) numbers. If you have seen this mentioned in ads, it is only vendor stupidity. > ...Otherwise, we would have these silly TV > ads on at 2AM for the 900 services...You really have to > see them to believe them! They are INCREDIBLY idiotic! Ours included, I'm sure. or