Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!killer!vector!nobody From: black%ll-micro@ll-vlsi.arpa (Jerry Glomph Black) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: USA-Direct Message-ID: Date: 26 Jan 89 15:08:52 GMT Sender: chip@vector.UUCP Lines: 14 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 33, message 1 The USA Direct service doesn't save you money, but it does have advantages. I spent Sept-Nov last year in Australia, and used it frequently. Besides bypassing the hassle of dealing with foreign operators and byzantine phone systems (if you have MOUNTAINS of oversized Aussie coins, you theoretically could dial direct, at prices very similar to USA Direct). The idea of phone credit cards is not widespread. They had a few (10 in the whole country!) special phones at airports that could charge onto your VISA card, I wish these had been more widely available. But I digress. The main advantage of USA Direct was to pre-screen the overseas line quality. You called 0014-xxwhatever, and were rapidly connected to an AT&T operator over either a very good cable line (75% chance), or a really crappy satellite link with echoes, maddening delays, etc. Clearly, you hang up & try again in the latter circumstance, the experience costing nothing but the time to redial the toll-free number.