Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!cup.portal.COM!Kenneth_R_Jongsma From: Kenneth_R_Jongsma@cup.portal.COM Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: "Party Lines" Message-ID: <8805080903.1.124@cup.portal.com> Date: 7 May 88 12:35:52 GMT Sender: daemon@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 13 Approved: telecom@xx.lcs.mit.edu I think it's interesting the way the phone companies are selling something that used to be free. When I was in high school, it quickly became known when one of the local telco's recorded announcement machine was broken. Everyone would call{hGy a non-existant number and have a giant party line. Ther no charge of course and it was quite a bit of fun to see who you cv:ould get to give their number or school. Now the local telcos are charging .20 a minute? Along the same lines, it wasn't well known, but most telcos would give you a number if it wasn't in use. You did not have to take the one they assigned to you. Mountain Bell is now charging $50 for this!