Path: utzoo!attcan!cmtl01!matrox!uvm-gen!uunet!lll-winken!ames!netsys!vector!nobody From: gast@CS.UCLA.EDU (David Gast) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Pacific Bell Calling Card Blunder Message-ID: Date: 24 Jan 89 01:54:09 GMT Sender: chip@vector.UUCP Lines: 36 Approved: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-Submissions-To: telecom@bu-cs.bu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 26, message 4 > I have a few comments on the question of PINs on calling cards, > In addition, since card reader phones are quite rare, and the vast > majority of calling card use is not card reader use, there's > practically no purpose to a calling card without a PIN printed on it. No, the PIN can be on a separate sheet, which you have to memorize. Do you want your computer to print out your password after you type your login name? Further, the card reader phones are just as big of a security problem if you do not have to type the PIN. And they cost more, which raises telephone rates. > > As I have already destroyed the offending card and plan to cancel it > > (I have been using it regularly for AT&T long distance; it seemed to > > work just fine) and replace it with an AT&T card, can someone explain > > what the practical differences, if any, are between the AT&T card and > > a calling card issued by a telco? > And, finally, the AT&T card DOES print the PIN on the card, as do all > other long distance carrier cards I've seen. Allnet does not issue a standard looking credit card so the PIN is not on it. On the other hand, I seem to remember that it is about 10 digits long, so you probably have to write it down, unless you can figure out a good acronym for your random number. Also, they change the number frequently and expire the number if you do not use it for a month or two or so. And they have 2 different numbers depending on whether you are dialing their 950 number or their 800 number. David Gast gast@cs.ucla.edu {uunet,ucbvax,rutgers}!{ucla-cs,cs.ucla.edu}!gast