TELECOM Digest     Thu, 15 Sep 94 14:55:00 CDT    Volume 14 : Issue 366

Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    New Members of Ontario's Information Council (Joan McCalla)
    Colorado NPA 303 Split (Jim Hebbeln)
    Colorado Assigned New Area Code (Jeff Shaver)
    24-Hour Callback Lines Needed (Bruce Hahne)
    EDI Recommmondation (Phil Khan)
    Modem Handshake Between Canada and Chile (James Piercy)
    The Deep Jungle: PLUS, CIRRUS, etc. (Michael O'Brien)
    Singapore Reaches Digital Milestone! (Thomas Ho Inn Min)
    Block Local Calls to 800 Number (James Deibele)
    GTE Mobilnet Woes (Dave Rand)
    ADSL - What Does it Stand For (Ken Adler)
    Using Non-ISDN Modems and Fax Machines With ISDN? (Andrew E. Page)
    Re: Where Do I Pay my NYNEX Bill? (Carl Oppedahl)
    Re: Where Do I Pay my NYNEX Bill? (Stan Schwartz)
    Re: Where Do I Pay my NYNEX Bill? (Wes Leatherock)

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: mccallj@gov.on.ca (Joan McCalla)
Subject: New Members of Ontario's Information Council
Organization: Government of Ontario
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 14:06:49 GMT


            FOUR NEW MEMBERS EXPAND INFORMATION COUNCIL


TORONTO - Four new members have been appointed to the Council for an
Ontario Information Infrastructure, reflecting its expanded role to
include the computing sector, Economic Development and Trade Minister
Frances Lankin announced today.

"These new appointments will add a wide range of computing industry
expertise and knowledge to the council. This will link computing and
telecommunications to help build an information infrastructure for
Ontario's future economic and social well-being," she said.  

"Assisting these high tech industries is one of several initiatives we
have undertaken to foster the growth of various sectors of the economy
by helping them become more competitive and create the high skill, long-
term jobs of the future."

New members on the 20-member council are:

Jim Hayward, Vice-President, Consulting of CGI, Toronto 

Benjamin J. Mair, President and Founder of Quantum Leap Inc.,
Toronto

Ruth Songhurst, Vice-President of Marketing and Sales for Mortice Kern
Systems Inc., Waterloo

Jean-Pierre Soubli
Ottawa.

"We welcome these industry leaders to our council and look forward to
their valuable contributions to advancing Ontario's information
technology sector and the development of the province's information
infrastructure," said council chair Jim Coombs.

Representing a partnership between business, labour, and communities,
the council is an advisory body to the provincial government on
developing strategies to promote the development and use of information
technologies. 

The council recently released its first annual report, Full Speed Ahead,
linking telecommunications and computing. The council will also launch a
public awareness campaign about the importance of building on the
information infrastructure. 

Bios of the new members are attached

Contact:        Lucy Rybka-Becker
                Minister's Office 
                MEDT
                (416) 325-6909

                Martine Holmsen
                Marketing & Public Affairs
                Ministry of Economic Development and Trade
                (416) 325-6687

                Joan McCalla
                Information Infratrsucture Branch
                MEDT
                (416) 326-9627

                        New Members of the 

         Council for an Ontario Information Infrastructure


Jim Hayward 

With a background in engineering, psychology and management consulting,
Jim Hayward is Vice-President, Consulting of CGI in Toronto.

Jim served as Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Computing Sector
Strategy for Ontario and is Acting Director of Information Systems for
Spar Aerospace. He has worked on organizational development and training
in information systems for such companies as Noranda, Bramalea and
Ferranti-Packard as well as Canada's nuclear power industry. Jim is co-
founder of Gellman, Hayward & Partners and is active as a member of
several charitable boards and committees.


Benjamin J. Mair

Benjamin Mair is President and Founder of Quantum Leap Inc. of Toronto,
a leading interactive multimedia company serving the consumer and
professional markets.

Prior to 1989, he was a co-founder and Vice-President, Marketing for
Heritage Communications Inc. following extensive sales and engineering
experience with such companies as LSI Logic Corp., Intel and Litton
Systems of Canada. He is co-founder and Chair of the International
Multimedia Development Association. Benjamin served on the advisory
committees developing strategies for two Ontario sectors, the computing
and cultural industries, and is a member of an advisory committee to
Canada's Information Highway Advisory Council.

Ruth Songhurst

Ruth Songhurst is a principal and Vice-President of Marketing and Sales
for Mortice Kern Systems Inc., a high-profile Waterloo-based software
development firm.

Under her leadership, MKS launched Internet Anywhere, a mass market
software program to provide easy Windows access to Internet mail and
news. Ruth was active in forming a computer technology network in
Canada's "technology triangle" of Guelph, Cambridge and Kitchener-
Waterloo. Her firm, MKS, has been cited for three consecutive years by
Profit magazine as one of Canada's fastest-growing companies and by
Software magazine as one of the top 100 software companies to watch.

Jean-Pierre Soubli

Jean-Pierre Soubli
International in 1994 following a 17-year career with the company.
During this period he occupied a series of increasingly responsible
management positions.

Prior to joining SHL, he worked for Canada Post Corp., Carleton
University and Northern Telecom. Jean-Pierre is active in a wide range
of business, university and charitable organizations. He is on the Board
of the Canadian Advanced Technology Association, the Carleton Education
Network and the Ottawa-Carleton Development Corporation. He is also a
member of the Carleton University Presidential Advisory Council and
served as campaign chair of the United Way/Centraide Ottawa-Carleton in
1989-90.

Backgrounder:

The Council for an Ontario Information Infrastructure

An advisory committee to the Minister of Economic Development and
Trade on developing an information infrastructure (computing and
telecommunications);

Consists of 20 business, labour and community representatives;

Established in 1993; held inaugural meeting May 28, 1993;

Original mandate: to campaign for an Ontario information
infrastructure under the province's telecommunications strategy;

Mandate later broadened, on recommendation of the Computer Sector
Advisory Committee, to include computing sector strategy;

Issued first annual report, Full Speed Ahead, in July 1994.

New, broadened mandate:

Raise public awareness of information technology;   

Advise on development of Ontario's information infrastructure and
development of information technology industries;

Recommend new computing and telecommunications initiatives under the
government's Ontario Network Infrastructure Program, the Sector
Partnership Fund and similar programs;

Advise on the Ontario government's use of information technology; 

Four members from computing industry added to council in Sept. 1994 to
support new mandate.

      The Council for an Ontario Information Infrastructure

                          Membership List

Chair: Jim Coombs, former President and Chief Executive Officer
ofSaskatchewan Telecommunications (SaskTel).

Vice Chair: Don Tapscott, President of New Paradigm Learning
Corporation. 

Vice Chair: Sheelagh Whittaker, President of EDS Canada.

Members:

Andrew K. Bjerring, President and Chief Executive Officer of CANARIE
(Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research Industry and
Education).     

Dr. Barbara Cameron, Assistant Professor of Political Science at
Atkinson College in York University. 

Kim Cameron, a co-founder and the Vice-President of Technology of ZOOMIT
Corporation and BCH Information Systems Inc.   

Desmond Cunningham, Chairman of Gandalf Technologies Inc. and past
Chairman of the Canadian Advanced Technology Association.

Douglas Cunningham, Vice President and Director, Investment Banking of
Wood Gundy Inc. 

Brian Davey, a Deputy Grand Chief for the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation. 

Jim Hayward, Vice-President, Consulting of CGI.

Richard Long, Administrative Vice-President, Ontario Region of the
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP).  
     
John D. MacDonald, retired senior executive in information technology
with Bell Northern Research, Northern Telecom Canada Ltd and NT Limited. 

Benjamin Mair, President and Founder of Quantum Leap Inc. and Chair of
the International Multimedia Development Association. 

Janice M. Moyer, president and chief executive officer of the
Information Technology Association of Canada.

Hasan Y. Naqvi, President/owner of CM Inc. 

Rory O'Brien, Programme Manager at Nirv Community Resource Centre in
Toronto.  

Kirk Reiser, Manager of the Computer Braille Facility at the University
of Western Ontario.

Ruth Songhurst, a principal and Vice-President of Marketing and Sales
for Mortice Kern Systems Inc.

Jean-Pierre Soubli

Harriet Velasquez, Vice President, Delivery Program at the Canadian
Imperial Bank of Commerce. 

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 08:16:59
From: jim@Telcom.OTC.ColoState.EDU (Jim Hebbeln)
Subject: Colorado NPA 303 Split


U S West announced September 14, 1994, that Colorado Area Code 303
will be split into two NPAs 303 and 970.  Permissive dialing to NPA
970 will begin April 2, 1995.  Mandatory dialing of NPA 970 then
begins October 1, 1995.

NPA 303 will continue to serve the Denver Metro calling area, Boulder,
Longmont, Fort Lupton, and surrounding suburbs.  (Relative to the rest
of the state, this is a "little" circle about 80 miles across.)

New NPA 970 will serve Northern Colorado (Fort Collins, Loveland,
Greeley, Sterling) and the Western Slope (Grand Junction, Durango,
Aspen, Vail, Steamboat Springs).


Jim Hebbeln   303-491-1014    (970-491-1014!)
Colorado State University Telecommunications
Fort Collins, CO 80523

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 14 Sep 1994 22:37:34 -0600 (MDT)
From: Jeff Shaver <jshaver@panesu.esu14.k12.ne.us>
Subject: Colorado Assigned New Area Code


According to the late news on KCNC TV (Denver, Colorado) 9/14/94,
Colorado has been assigned an additional area code.

The map indicated that 303 will shrink to serve mainly the Denver
metro area.  Everything else that was previously served by 303 will be
switched to the new area code, 970 (basically all of northern and
western Colorado).  Area code 719 will not be affected.

The change is to take effect beginning April 2, 1995.

jshaver@panesu.esu14.k12.ne.us

------------------------------

From: hahne@netcom.com (Bruce Hahne)
Subject: 24-Hour Callback Lines Needed
Date: 15 Sep 1994 05:16:34 -0500
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway


I'm doing some investigation on behalf of a company which wants to
purchase two to four callback accounts (more in the future) which will
be used 24 hours a day to call from Japan to the U.S.  They want to
pay one flat monthly fee in exchange for the right to use the
call-back circuits continuously.  I'm aware of numerous companies
offering per-minute rates, but I don't yet know of anybody offering
the same at a per-month rate, hopefully with a sizable discount over
the standard per-minute rates.

If you work for a company which could offer such a flat rate for
callback accounts, please feel free to contact me.

Yes, I'm aware that normal human beings in this situation would go
talk to the phone company to get leased lines, but due to numerous
stupidities in Japanese telecommunications law, this needs to be done
via call-back technology or something very similar.

These lines will be used to bring Internet access into Japan, so if
you can offer this service you'll be helping us poor net-deprived
folks in Japan to get more connected.


Thanks,

Bruce Hahne    hahne@acm.org
Work: +81-3-5330-9380
Fax:  +81-3-5330-9381

------------------------------

Subject: EDI Recommmondation
From: phil.khan@uttsbbs.ness.com (Phil Khan)
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 94 08:59:00 -0800
Organization: The Transfer Station BBS, Danville, CA - 510-837-4610/837-5591
Reply-To: phil.khan@uttsbbs.ness.com (Phil Khan)


Hello All !

Does anyone know a good PC EDI package (under dos or windows) that can
be used to receive orders from other EDI packages "Directly"?


P.S. "Directly" <==>  Does not need to retrive them from third party EDI
mail box (IBM EDI info exchange for example).

Your recommendation is greatly appreciated.


The Transfer Station BBS (510) 837-4610 & 837-5591 (V.32bis both lines)
Danville, California, USA. 1.5 GIG Files & FREE public Internet Access 

------------------------------

From: jpiercy@nbnet.nb.ca (James Piercy)
Subject: Modem Handshake Between Canada and Chile
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 08:37:53 GMT
Organization: NB*Net


Here's a question that I am sure has a simple answer. One of our
computers is now in Chile. It has a 14400 Sportster modem (internal)
being controlled by PcAnywhere for Windows.  This hookup worked fine
here in Canada at 14400 V42.BIS.  The computer is now installed in
Chile and the modems will not handshake.  There was one exception when
we did manage a handshake and established a PcAnywhere session at 9600
BAUD (Modem speed set back from my end). The software worked flawlessly 
throughout this session.  Handshake did not sound normal on this
occassion however, but we did hear the "white noise" of the digital
communication. Have tried many times since with no "white noise" and
no joy.

Audio quality on the line is good. Answer tone sounds normal, but gets
cut off prematurely and is followed by a steady tone for 30 seconds or
so and then the dial tone on my end.

Oh yes, the Chileans have been able to dial into the modem from within
Chile, and get as far as the request for a password, so they are
definitely past the modem handshake. They report no problem to do
this.

I would really appreciate any input that I can get  on this.


Thanks,

Jim Piercy

------------------------------

From: obrien@aero.org (Michael O'Brien)
Subject: The Deep Jungle: PLUS, CIRRUS, etc.
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 13:57:05 GMT
Organization: The Aerospace Corporation


I recently took a trip up through Nevada and Utah and discovered a
highly unpleasant fact: Banks in that strip of territory have started
putting fees on their ATM machines up front.  In the past, fees for
ATM transactions have generally been levied by one's own home bank.
But with these banks, you can get hit up both at the front end AND the
back end.

I decided that a little consumer advocacy was called for, and called
my credit union to see if they wouldn't register a complaint with
Cirrus.  Not only wouldn't they do that, they wouldn't even give me
the phone number of the Cirrus network.  In fact, they didn't even
seem to see what my point was.  Their attitude was that banks could
join any network they pleased, and the notion that the network might
require certain things of these banks (like, no front-loaded fees) was
so completely alien to them that they didn't even know what I was
talking about.

That's when it occurred to me that the operations of networks like
PLUS, Cirrus, et al. are closed shops.  The public never sees them and
we never see them.  On this list we know that ATM machines are (or at
least used to be, last I heard) gussied-up 4270 terminals running the
old IBM polling protocol, but about Cirrus and the like, I've not
heard a word.

Anybody got the skinny on these nets?  Phone numbers?  Advocacy groups?  
Is there any oversight at all?


Mike O'Brien   obrien@aero.org

------------------------------

From: tho@iscs.nus.sg (Thomas Ho Inn Min)
Subject: Singapore Reaches Digital Milestone!
Date: 15 Sep 1994 01:06:26 GMT
Organization: National University of Singapore


 From a recent issue of {Straits Times}, Friday, Sept 2 1994, 
p. 2 (Life! section):

"Telecom goes 100 per cent digital"

Singapore's telecommunications system took another big step towards
the 21st century yesterday.

At a ceremony officiated by Mr. Mah Bow Tan, Minister for Communications 
and the Environment, Singapore Telecom commemorated the total digitalisation 
of its telephone network.

This makes the Republic one of the first countries to have such a
network.  Telecom's transmission network and all its 28 telephone
exchanges are now digital.


Dr. Thomas I. M. Ho WWW WWW http://biomed.nus.sg:80/people/tho.html WWW WWW
Senior Fellow   National University of Singapore
Department of Information Systems & Computer Science
Internet: tho@iscs.nus.sg

------------------------------

From: jamesd@teleport.com (James Deibele)
Subject: Block Local Calls to 800 Number
Date: 15 Sep 1994 15:32:41 -0700
Organization: Teleport - Portland's Public Access (503) 220-1016


We have been asked to submit a bid to a government agency that wants
to make information available all over the state.  We currently have
service in two major cities (well, as Oregon goes -- this ain't New
Yawk) and hope to be in others by the end of the year.

In the interests of cutting costs, we'd like to things up like so: we
publicize a voice 800 number.  The voice 800 number gives the Portland
number, the Salem number, and a data 800 number for people who don't
live in Portland or Salem.

So far so good.  The cost reduction comes (we hope) by not allowing
someone in Portland or Salem to use the data 800 number.  We supply
(if necessary) a list of prefixes that we don't want used to the phone
company providing the 800 data number.  If someone in Portland tries
to use the 800 number they get a recording or a busy signal or something.
They never get through.

There are a lot of advantages to having an 800 number -- a data line -- 
to promote.  But I'm afraid that it will be very expensive and a lot
of people who <could> call a local number either won't realize it or
just not care -- it's "free" right?

I'd appreciate hearing whether this is possible and who might be able
to deliver it.

I thank you and the taxpayers will thank you.  :-)


jamesd@teleport.com                   "7104 newsgroups & nothing on ..."  
Full internet (ftp, telnet, irc, ppp) available.   Voice: (503) 223-4245
Portland: (503) 220-1016 2400, N81.  Login as "new" to setup an account.
Vancouver: (206) 260-0330   Salem: (503) 364-2028    FAX: (503) 223-4372


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Restricted 800 numbers, available from 
only certain areas, are very common. This should provide no problem for
your local telco to implement. Callers not entitled to reach the number
usually get an intercept saying 'the 800 number you have called is not
dialable (or reachable) from your calling area.'    PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 15 Sep 94 06:04:00 PDT
From: dlr@daver.bungi.com (Dave Rand)
Subject: GTE Mobilnet Woes


I currently subscribe to Cellular One for my cellular telephone
service.  Recently, I purchased a new telephone for my wife, and (on
the advice of the dealer), signed a one year contract for GTE Mobilnet
service.

When I first started out using cellular telephones, about two years
ago, I used GTE.  I found at that time that they were charging two to
three TIMES the AT&T standard rate for intra-state calls, and also had
a significant markup on international calls.  I was told by GTE (then
as now) that GTE does not rate long distance calls, but simply passes
on the bill to the consumer from AT&T.  This is not true.  I was
finally able to convince a GTE supervisor to call AT&T to verify the
rates on a number of my calls, and they were very surprised to find
that I was correct, GTE was in fact billing several times the AT&T
rate.

The error was dismissed as having "an old billing tape loaded".  I was
issued a credit of over $100 -- for calls dating back at least ten
months.  Can you imagine a billing tape loaded incorrectly, for ten
months?  I then asked about correcting the bills of the thousands of
other customers affected by this "error", and I was told that it
would be too hard to do.

When I subscribed with GTE again, I was very suspicious.  I called
multiple times, and was given various conflicting information. Each
person that I spoke to was absolutely convinced that they were
correct.

 1.  We use AT&T for our long distance service, and you are
     billed by them - call AT&T for rate information.

 2.  You are billed your regular airtime rate, plus your
     regular airtime rate for long distance (ie: 0.75/min
     airtime plus 0.75/min LD for a call to Australia!).

 3.  We use AT&T or Sprint, whichever is cheaper for the
     call you make.  We look at the time of day, and the
     place that you are calling, and make the selection for
     you, based on the cost of the call.  (But they were
     unable to tell me how much any call in particular
     would cost -- the CSR got very upset when I pointed out
     that they could not route the call the cheapest way
     unless they knew how much it would cost).

 4.  You may select either AT&T or Sprint for your long
     distance service, and be billed directly by them.  You
     may also use a calling card.

 5.  We charge the AT&T business rate plus a 3% surcharge.

 6.  We buy time in bulk from AT&T and Sprint, and bill you
     for the time that you use.  But we don't know exactly
     how much we charge (the only correct answer).  This
     one was from a supervisor.

Since those conversations, I have asked for a copy of the rate tariff
that GTE uses to bill calls.  GTE Mobilnet sent me a copy of the
California intrastate portion of the tariff, and I have confirmed that
this agrees with the current AT&T rate information for calls within
California (rougly 0.15/0.14 day, 0.13/0.11 evening and 0.12/0.10
night).  They told me (verbally, and on the FAX) that they are not
required to file a tariff for interstate and international calls.  I
find this unlikely, but I do have it in writing.  They have still been
unable to tell me how much three sample calls that I have provided
will cost me.

I have confirmed that GTEM does resell long distance, and should be
able to provide long distance rate information.  Further, GTEM does
not offer Equal Access, and has no plans to do so.

If anyone else subscribes to GTE Mobilenet in the Bay Area, and uses
long distance services (including Follow-Me-Roaming), please get in
touch with me for the latest information.

------------------------------

From: ken@hk.net (Ken Adler)
Subject: ADSL - What Does it Stand For?
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 01:09:07
Organization: Penril Datability Networks (Asia/Pacific)


In the context of teleco network ... which is the proper translation
of this acronym:

asynchronous digital subscriber loop

asymetric digital subscriber line.

A short explanation of each would be appreciated.


Thanks,

Ken


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: This is just a reminder to readers that
the Telecom Archvies has several acronymn/glossary files available. If
you want them, you can use anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu to get them. When
logged in, cd telecom-archives/glossaries.  On the other hand you can
also use the Telecom Archives Email Information Service to request
individual entries from the glossary files. Your entry would look like
this:   mail to tel-archives@lcs.mit.edu.   The subject does not matter.

REPLY yourname@site    (this must be first)
GLOSSARY argument
GLOSSARY argument
END                    (this must be last)

'argument' is the acronymn you are searching for, as in this example:
GLOSSARY MFJ   or GLOSSARY ISDN. Do not use periods or spaces between
the letters. When your email hits the script at MIT which handles the
archives inquiries, several of the glossary files will be grepped looking
for what you want, and the answers returned in email to you, generally
within minutes or less.  Try it out for fun.  If you need a copy of the
help file showing how to use the Telecom Archives Email Information 
Service in general, just write me and ask for a copy. I will probably
print it here soon anyway.    PAT]

------------------------------

From: aep@world.std.com (Andrew E Page)
Subject: Using non-ISDN Modems and Fax Machines With ISDN?
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 16:57:10 GMT


    I am going to be adding a second phone line to my office.  I'm
considering ISDN since I've checked and it is available in my area.
However there are a couple of things that I need to know.

 Can exising(e.g. non-ISDN) modems (V.42bis etc) and fax
machines be used with ISDN voice channel?  Many of my online services,
clients and colleagues do not have ISDN.  In order to communicate with
them I would need to be able to use non-ISDN modems and faxes.


Andrew E. Page   (Warrior Poet) 
Mac Consultant   Macintosh and DSP Technology    

------------------------------

From: oppedahl@panix.com (Carl Oppedahl)
Subject: Re: Where Do I Pay my NYNEX Bill?
Date: 15 Sep 1994 07:40:35 -0400
Organization: Oppedahl & Larson


In <telecom14.360.5@eecs.nwu.edu> ulmo@panix.com (Bradley Allen) writes:

> Does anybody know where to send my payment for my NYNEX bill?  

> I have all this cash and a NYNEX account that's due around now, and I
> can't find an address to pay it.  I'm worried they're going to turn
> off my phone!

> The billing line, 212-890-2100, is busy every time I call.

> I called the administrative offices, and after holding for 25 minutes,
> they told me an address at 412 W. 36th St.  I went there and it was
> closed.

The Manhattan telephone directory has a place (pages 33 and 34) that
lists all the places you can go to pay your bill in person.


Carl Oppedahl AA2KW     Oppedahl & Larson (patent lawyers)
Yorktown Heights, NY    oppedahl@patents.com

------------------------------

From: stans@panix.com (Stan Schwartz)
Subject: Re: Where Do I Pay my NYNEX Bill?
Date: 15 Sep 1994 08:40:59 -0400
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I don't really believe some of the mail
> I get from one day to the next. This is a good example. I would suggest
> to our correspondent that you wait until NYNEX renders a bill for the
> service. There will be an envelope enclosed to be used for payment, and
> an address on the statement enclosed. I don't really think they are
> going to cut you if you wait until their bill arrives and then pay it
> in a timely way upon presentation. Is there something I am missing here
> somewhere?   PAT]

Pat:

Maybe this person has a past due bill.  I don't know how Ameritech works, 
but NYNEX has become fairly strict about due dates and service restrictions.  
They also no longer publish payment center locations in the local directory 
(they're usually stationery stores and supermarkets and they change very 
often).

Bradley: Call the NYNEX President's Help Line at 1-800-722-2300.  I'm sure
that someone there will have a location list for you.


Stan

------------------------------

From: wes.leatherock@oubbs.telecom.uoknor.edu
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 94 10:19:28 GMT 
Subject: Re: Where Do I Pay my NYNEX Bill?


     Have you looked in the telephone directory?  Many telephone
companies have a list of offices which accept payment and payment
agencies in the information pages at the front of the directory.
    
     Many telephone company business offices have a "night depository"
(but usually available day and night) where bills can be paid; often
there is such a depository at the administrative offices.  As a matter
of fact, probably the question most asked of the security desk at the
administrative office is "where can I pay my bill?"
    
     But of course Pat's correct; if they haven't even sent a bill
yet, and haven't called asking for advance payment because of high
toll, it's unlikely they're worried at all or planning to cut off your
service.  In any event, the Public Service Commission undoubtedly has
rules requiring notice to, probably in writing, before they can cut
off your service.
    

Wes Leatherock      wes.leatherock@oubbs.telecom.uoknor.edu 




(continued next message)

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Date: 09-15-94                         Msg # 538239 
  To: ELIOT GELWAN                     Conf: (700) email
From: TELECOM Digest (Patrick          Stat: Private
Subj: TELECOM Digest V14 #366          Read: No
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@FROM   :telecom@delta.eecs.nwu.edu)                                  
(Continued from last message)
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Around here, you can either go to one
of a couple actual telephone company offices to pay or you can pay at
an agency. Usually the agencies handle all utilities, not just phone.
A few are 'online' with the utilities, meaning as soon as you pay them
it is immediatly recorded at the telco business office. Most agents
however are 'manual' and they have to submit batch payments to the
utility companies each day. The trick, for an old deadbeat like me
is to pay at an online agency so the payment will be recorded immediatly
(thus avoiding a service cut) but the check does not get deposited until
it actually reaches telco sometimes a week later! 

I generally go to the Howard/Ridge Currency Exchange to pay my utility
bills. The agent there has an online terminal to IBT. I pay by check
and take my reciept over to the payphone to call the IBT collection
office to give them the payment advice, 'transaction XXX by agent YY
in the amount of $$$'. The IBT collector looks it up on his terminal
at the same time. That of course prevents the cut which was pending,
usually for the same or next day; or if I was cut it gets me turned
back on usually within an hour or two.  But Howard/Ridge *used to* only
batch the paperwork and checks twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday.
I'd pay on Tuesday just after the batch was cut so my check got held
over until Friday, with IBT actually getting it the following Tuesday.
If they were running behind in the remittance room, the check would
not hit my bank until a few days later. It took no effort at all to
get seven to ten working days 'float', meaning I paid my phone bill
whether the money was in the bank or not!  

Then one day Howard/Ridge had a sign posted on the wall: "No More
Stalling!"  with a smiley face drawn on the sign. It said henceforth
all checks in payment of Illinois Bell accounts would be deposited
*same day* direct to the Federal Reserve without recourse to Howard/
Ridge. Sure enough, I paid on Tuesday and the check *hit my account 
on Wednesday, with Illinois Bell getting the NSF condition on their
system on Thursday*.  Even though I made the check payable to IBT
(Howard/Ridge refuses to accept checks payable to themselves for
any of their utility clients) the agent had deposited it direct. The
endorsement on the back said 'pay to the order of the payee named,
Howard/Ridge as agents of payee, no recourse'. The federal reserve
endorsement was there as well. When IBT called me just two days later
to say my check had not cleared and I had until five that afternoon
to show up with cash in hand at the agency I was astounded. I went
with the money, but it happened to be one of the days each month when
the State of Illinois welfare checks are issued (Illinois Department
of Public Aid is also a client of Howard/Ridge) and even with four
agents on duty the line stretched out the door and down Howard Street
for half a block as the welfare mothers with their squalling brats and
the food stamp recipients waiting to get their money and rations for
the month stood in line with all the deadbeats waiting to get their phone
or gas/electric service turned back on. No more stalling, indeed!  PAT]

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End of TELECOM Digest V14 #366
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