Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: "David A. Cantor 05-Jan-1990 1220" Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: One-armed Bandits Message-ID: <2624@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 5 Jan 90 05:31:27 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 22 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 8, message 3 of 7 In TELECOM Digest, Volume 10, Issue 3, Steve Forrette () writes: >These one-armed bandits [COCOTs] seem eager to eat your money at the drop of a >hat, and overcharge you when they do work. > - Blatant tariff violations, such as requiring local call deposit > for 950 numbers charging long distance for "special" prefixes (such > as to cellular phones) that are local from a real payphone. >And I thought one-armed bandits were only allowed in Nevada and Atlantic City. That last whimsical statement has more truth to it than the author realizes. Two weeks ago, I was in Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) and tried to use a payphone for a 950 call. I dialled 950-1022 (MCI) and the phone said "Please deposit NINE DOLLARS AND NINETY-FIVE CENTS." (emphasis is mine). I used MCI's 800 number instead. Dave C.