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From: Miguel_Cruz@ub.cc.umich.edu
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Criticism of Call Forwarding
Message-ID: 
Date: 27 Sep 89 09:41:02 GMT
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X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 414, message 5 of 10

Two things about call forwarding:

A) Why on earth does it do that thing where the first time you try
forwarding, it actually places the call to the number, and if it's
busy or no answer, you have to do the whole forwarding sequence again?
Is there a single person on the planet for whom that's helpful or
convenient?

B) How difficult would it be to modify the system so that when one
placed a call to a forwarded number, they would first hear a short
tone signifying that the call was being bumped?  Unlike A), that would
actually be informative and helpful.

Miguel_Cruz@ub.cc.umich.edu

[Moderator's Note: Regards (A), if you actually reach the party to whom
you are forwarding, you are assured of dialing correctly. If you get a
busy or no answer, it might be because you dialed a wrong number. By doing
it a second time, telco is assured that your instructions match your
intentions. Without this repeat-dialing verification, you might accidentally
have forwarded to the wrong place. Regards (B), many people do not want
you to know they are not at home/office, etc. They'd prefer that you assume
they are wherever you dialed them at. And for residences, do you want to
let a burglar know you are not home, due a 'forwarding tone' which tells
him there is no one there to receive a call (or unauthorized visit)?  At
present, if you listen *closely* when dialing a centrex number with call
forwarding on no answer, after the third ring you will hear a slightly out
of synch ring the fourth time. PT]