Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cornell!uw-beaver!rice!hypatia!phil From: phil@hypatia.rice.edu (William LeFebvre) Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle Subject: Re: Letter to NASA Message-ID: <2952@kalliope.rice.edu> Date: 27 Mar 89 22:00:49 GMT References: <4542@freja.diku.dk> Sender: usenet@rice.edu Reply-To: phil@hypatia.rice.edu (William LeFebvre) Organization: Rice University, Houston Lines: 25 In article <4542@freja.diku.dk> jall@freja.diku.dk (Mogens Jallberg) writes: >My problem is as follows: When Discovery was launched this time, I wanted to >use the dial-a-shuttle facility provided from NASA. Unfortunately the >phone number I obtained through an article in this newsgroup (NSS Hotline >Update) a few days ago, was unable to be dialed from overseas. The number >was 1 900 909 NASA. The operator (in Denmark) told me that it was possible >to fix a line, but it would be outrageously expensive. The 900 area code exchange is a very special beast. Any "1-900" number in the U.S. has an extra per minute charge associated with it. This charge is not the usual long distance charge, it is a charge fixed by the company establishing the number (not necessarily the phone company) and a portion of the charge goes back to that company. By contrast, the charges for a normal long distance number all go the phone companies. This special set up may be why you can't call it from overseas. Is it not also true that "1-800" numbers (which are toll-free to the caller) cannot be called from overseas? This would probably be the same kind of thing. And there's probably nothing that can be done about it---they probably cannot (or will not) afford to set up a "standard" phone line to provide this service. William LeFebvre Sun-Spots moderator Department of Computer Science Rice University