New N.Y. Law Targets Hidden Net LD Tolls

Fri Aug 19 19:20:59 UTC 2005

Thus spake "Robert Bonomi" <bonomi at mail.r-bonomi.com>
[ attribution to me missing ]
>> That's why some states (e.g. Texas) require that all toll calls be
>> dialed as 1+ _regardless of area code_, and local calls cannot be
>> dialed as 1+.  If you dial a number wrong, you get a message telling
>> you how to do it properly (and why).
>
> In some places that "solution" is _not_practical_.  As in where the same
> three digit sequence is in use as a C.O. 'prefix', *and* as an areacode.
> (an where, in some 'perverse' situations, the foreign area-code is a
> 'non-toll' call, yet the bare prefix within the areacode is a toll call.

We don't have that problem because all nearby area codes are reserved as 
prefixes.  For instance, if 214 and 817 are nearby, there exist no 214-817 
or 817-214 numbers (or 214-214 or 817-817).  Duh?

That isn't even necessary, though; if 214-817 existed, there's no way of 
confusing it with 817-xxx because all calls are either 10D or 11D.  Such a 
tactic is only needed during the transition from 7D to 10D local dialing, 
which happened here a decade ago.

For the same reason, we no longer have an excuse for not using 0XX, 1XX, and 
X11 as prefixes.  We're already using [2-7]00 prefixes, but I'm not 
surprised we don't yet (AFAICT) have 800 and 900 prefixes.  We could 
probably drop an entire area code if they started assigning those "reserved" 
prefixes.

> It also becomes 'utterly meaningless', when _all_ calls incur a usage
> ("message units" or something similar) charge.

Our PUC would be thrown out on their heads if they suggested that was even 
an option; I'd suggest you look a little closer at your own and possibly do 
some lobbying.

The Dallas local (not "metro" or "extended") calling area is about 20mi in 
radius, covering several million people; Houston's is about the same.  Our 
monthly rates are just as low as the rest of the country (if not lower), yet 
the ILECs still rake in money like clockwork.

S

Stephen Sprunk      "Those people who think they know everything
CCIE #3723         are a great annoyance to those of us who do."
K5SSS                                             --Isaac Asimov 