Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: "Paul S. R. Chisholm" Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: The Operator's Beep Message-ID: <2626@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 5 Jan 90 06:29:08 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 25 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 5 of 7 In article <2514@accuvax.nwu.edu>, gabe@sirius.ctr.columbia.edu (Gabe Wiener) writes: > Occasionally I'll call some AT&T number or directory assistance line > and hear that "beep" sounded by the operator before they get on the > line. I used to hear it on all operator calls pre-breakup, but it has > pretty much gone by the wayside for 0 and 00 calls. > Can anyone tell me its purpose? Moreover, why did they stop using it? I have no idea what it *used* to mean. Nowadays, it's generated any time you go through AT&T; if you don't hear it, you've got some other company. (And some other company's rates. My in-laws called collect from a payphone in Charleston just after the hurricane, to tell us their phones and power were out but they were okay. The five minute call went through an "Alternative Operator Service" company that charged me six dollars!) Paul S. R. Chisholm, AT&T Bell Laboratories att!pegasus!psrc, psrc@pegasus.att.com, AT&T Mail !psrchisholm Disclaimer: I do e-mail software for AT&T, not telephony; I'm not speaking for the company, I'm just speaking my mind.