TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Payphone Surcharges (was: Unanswered Cellphones)

Re: Payphone Surcharges (was: Unanswered Cellphones)

John Levine (johnl@iecc.com)
29 Dec 2005 21:07:09 -0000

> If I call an 800 (or 888?) number from a coin-operated payphone (e.g.,
> in an airport concourse), does the owner or operator of that 800
> number get charged 30 cents for each time I call (and they answer)?

Yes indeed.

> More specifically, does this apply to *all and every* 800 number
> owner? Or do some 800 number owners negotiate special (that is, much
> cheaper) deals?

It's billed through the carrier that provides the 800 number, so I
would be rather surprised. I suppose the payphone owner could rebate
part of the 30 cents to 800 number owners they like, but I don't know
why they would.

> And do some 800 number owners -- scumbag types, maybe -- just not pay
> these charges? And if so, do they perhaps get away with not paying?

Unlikely. It's part of the phone bill. I have a bunch of 800 numbers
on my ECG bill, and when someone calls from a payphone, the call costs
55 cents more than it would otherwise and there's an "a" next to the
line on the bill. I suppose there could be IXCs who don't pay their
payphone charges at all, but that would affect all of the company's
customers.

Regards,

John R. Levine, IECC, POB 727, Trumansburg NY 14886 +1 607 330 5711
johnl@iecc.com, Mayor, http://johnlevine.com,
Member, Provisional board, Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-mail

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Wait a minute ... either an 800 call is
a 'free call' to the caller or it is a chargeable call to the
caller. One or the other. If it costs me 35 cents, then it should be
referred to as a 'premium charge' call rather than a 'toll free' call
shouldn't it? How does the recipient of the call know that the call
is originating from a COCOT style phone instead of a 'regular' line?
How does that fact (COCOT instead of regular) make any difference
where what the carriage costs telco? Or is that 35 cents only to
appease the COCOT owner? PAT]

Post Followup Article Use your browser's quoting feature to quote article into reply
Go to Next message: Thomas Daniel Horne: "Re: Secret Court Modified Bush Wiretap Requests"
Go to Previous message: Michael D. Sullivan: "Re: Cell Phone Extenders?"
May be in reply to: Anthony Bellanga: "Payphone Surcharges (was: Unanswered Cellphones)"
Next in thread: Seth Breidbart: "Re: Payphone Surcharges (was: Unanswered Cellphones)"
TELECOM Digest: Home Page