> So, while the smiling service rep was talking _you_ into purchasing a
>> few of the new features 'which we are now equipped to provide in your
>> calling area' the overall intent of ESS was a lot more nefarious. ...
> I don't agree with that at all. As mentioned, the ability to trace
> calls was _desired_ by the public as a result of severe prank and abuse > calls.
> The new calling features were not a nickel-dime thing, but a profit
> center. Nothing wrong with that. You want plain POTS, fine, continue
> paying $4/month. You want call waiting, an extra $3/month. Customer
> is happy with the new feature and the phone company is happy with the
> revenue. People in more affluent areas liked the new features, liked
> the status symbol of having call waiting and putting someone on hold,
> and didn't mind paying the money for it.
Not to mention the vast operational savings that ESS yielded. Picture a 10 story building in the geographic center of a large city. Picture crafts-people on all 10 stories maintaining the switch.
Now picture the ESS on one floor, serviced by a handful of techs and the other 9 floors being rented out as prime office real estate.