Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!cica!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!wuarchive!texbell!vector!telecom-gateway From: zygot!john@apple.com (John Higdon) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Automatic Collect Calls Message-ID:Date: 17 Aug 89 01:52:32 GMT Organization: Green Hills and Cows Lines: 24 Approved: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 305, message 5 of 12 Got a chance to play with one of those automatic collect-call machines. I was surprised to discover that it is all done within the COCOT itself, and the machine allows you to hear all the action with a muted mouthpiece. When you dial "0+NXX+NXX-XXXX", the synthesized voice says to push 1 for a collect call and 3 for any other operator assisted call. After pushing 1, the voice prompt you for your name. The unit then dials the call (direct) and when it thinks the other end has answered it asks the called party, "Will you accept a collect call from [your recorded name]? If yes, press 1, otherwise press 0 now." It will repeat one time if there is no response and then disconnect. This raises some interesting questions. Where is the billing information stored for charging the called party? In the phone? By some special arrangement with whatever carrier they use for the call? What if the called party refuses the call? Does the COCOT owner pay for the one-minute refusal? It was a lot of fun playing with that phone. You would be surprised how many hotel and motel operators will refuse a call from Donald Duck. -- John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@zygot.uucp | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !