TELECOM Digest Editor noted:
Was life really simpler then, PAT? Or did you pay inflated costs because there was no compeditor to get your service(s) from?
The only time when there was real evolution of our telephone network was when competition entered the industry. My thanks to Bill McGowan (who, by the way, used to hold the elevator door for me at MCI 19th Street when my arms were heavily loaded with equipment I was taking to the terminal).
They told you you couldn't connect an answering machine to your service. They told you you couldn't connect any other equipment to your service (unless you were paying them to provide it) until along came the famous Carterfone decision and the courts changed things for them.
You really think the VOIP and cell phone companies are to blame for this situation? I don't.
To Mr. Hendley: That's an idea but it would need a lobby and it would have to pressure all of the VOIP and cell phone companies to allow these listings.
My point is: The incumbent telcos have been offering this service (foreign listings) for many years. So why don't their people know what they are, which department is responsible for it, and why those people don't know it is there responsibility and how to do it?
I actually had a Bellsouth rep call me (several years ago) to confirm that such a thing was possible (she was asking *me*) because someone down in Florida (whom she had told that foreign listings could not be done) had cited my listing as an example (precent?). I gave her my account number. She pulled it up and reviewed my account. She then said she'd get him his listing. I'm glad I was able to show someone at Bellsouth (now AT&T) how to do their job.
Regards,
Fred