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The Telecom Digest for June 9, 2013
Volume 32 : Issue 124 : "text" Format
====== 31 years of TELECOM Digest -- Founded August 21, 1981 ======
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Date: Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:40:47 -0500
From: Frank Stearns <franks.pacifier.com@pacifier.net>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: Cellco cheating with Prepaid?
Message-ID: <L_SdnQ6oM9Siqi_MnZ2dnUVZ_uKdnZ2d@posted.palinacquisition>
Sun, 2 Jun 2013 08:33:12 -0700 (PDT) Mark Smith wrote:
> I think Tracfone does whole minute increments, so if you go a
> second over it costs a minute.
Thanks for all the replies on this.
I have been aware of the end-to-end and whole-minute billings; this
has been factored into the my sense of "something is rotten."
(Remember the good old days when 6 second interval billing was a sales
point?)
So today I noticed that in the space of a week 30 minutes has gone
missing from the Tracfone. It does not get used; it is only a
placeholder for an old land line! I have another cell and VOIP line
for all my regular calling.
Only a few random inbound calls appear on the Tracfone, and as 0:00
calls at that -- not more than 3-4 calls like that. So where did the
time go??
wrote to Tracfone CS today, requesting an itemized call log. Wow! What
an amazing set of requirements they demand to obtain such a list, even
though my old cell carriers and LD carriers provided that as a matter
of course. These extra hoops (and no online way to view the logs) adds
to the smell factor a bit.
But I am going to keep digging; this is all very odd.
Hmmmm. In wonder now if faked or empty caller ID calls from the
"robo-Rachels" of the world are connecting and burning time, but
because of the bad ID don't show up in the handset's log... hmmm.
Frank
--
.
Date: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 15:13:20 -0700
From: Jon Danniken <jonSPAMdanniken@yaSMPAhoo.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: Cellco cheating with Prepaid?
Message-ID: <kp0aa1$57f$1@speranza.aioe.org>
On 06/07/2013 12:40 PM, Frank Stearns wrote:
> Sun, 2 Jun 2013 08:33:12 -0700 (PDT) Mark Smith wrote:
>
>> I think Tracfone does whole minute increments, so if you go a
>> second over it costs a minute.
>
> Thanks for all the replies on this.
>
> I have been aware of the end-to-end and whole-minute billings; this
> has been factored into the my sense of "something is rotten."
> (Remember the good old days when 6 second interval billing was a sales
> point?)
>
> So today I noticed that in the space of a week 30 minutes has gone
> missing from the Tracfone. It does not get used; it is only a
> placeholder for an old land line! I have another cell and VOIP line
> for all my regular calling.
>
> Only a few random inbound calls appear on the Tracfone, and as 0:00
> calls at that -- not more than 3-4 calls like that. So where did the
> time go??
>
> wrote to Tracfone CS today, requesting an itemized call log. Wow! What
> an amazing set of requirements they demand to obtain such a list, even
> though my old cell carriers and LD carriers provided that as a matter
> of course. These extra hoops (and no online way to view the logs) adds
> to the smell factor a bit.
You're lucky you got that far from their email support. Most times I
have contacted them by email, I am told that I need to call customer
service, which can end up being a five to 30 minute waiting time, all of
it billed, of course.
Jon
Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 12:40:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: HAncock4 <withheld@invalid.telecom-digest.org>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Penna area code 570 to get overlay 272
Message-ID: <cd744e1a-c9d3-4e29-9688-65fdab4df1d3@c3g2000yqj.googlegroups.com>
Verizon-PA has reported that 570 (Williamsport-Scranton) will get an
overlay, 272, and everyone will have to dial 10 digits. From their
website:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Area Code Updates
To ensure a continuing supply of telephone numbers, the new 272 area
code will be added to the area served by 570. This is known as an area
code overlay. Get ready to change the way you dial your calls!
What's an area code overlay?
An overlay adds another area code (272) to the same geographic region
as an existing area code (570). An overlay does not require customers
to change their existing area code.
Who is affected?
The 570 area code covers the northeastern portion of the state serving
communities such as Scranton, Williamsport and Wilkes-Barre.
What is the new dialing procedure?
To complete local calls within the home area code, you must dial the
area code + telephone number. This means that all calls in the 570
area code that are currently dialed with seven digits will need to be
dialed using area code + telephone number, for example, 570-555-1212.
When does the change begin?
Effective immediately you can begin using 10 digits whenever you place
a local call from the 570 area code. If you forget and dial just seven
digits, your call will be completed until September 21, 2013.
Starting September 21, 2013 you must use 10-digit calling for your
call to complete. If you don't, your call won't be completed and a
recording will instruct you to hang up and dial again.
As of October 21, 2013, new customers in the 570 geographical area may
be assigned telephone numbers with the 272 area code. What is a local
call now will remain a local call regardless of the number of digits
dialed and whether area code is 272 or 570.
What do I need to do?
In addition to changing your dialing procedure, reprogram your
automatic dialing equipment, such as, life safety systems, telephone
sets, PBXs, fax machines, alarm and security systems, gates, speed
dialers, call forwarding settings, voicemail services to 10-digit
dialing from 7-digit. Revise your business stationery or advertising
materials to ensure the area code is included.
What will remain the same?
* Your telephone number, including the current area code.
* Your price for your calls, coverage area, and other rates and
services. What is a local call now will remain a local call
regardless of the number of digits dialed.
* You will continue to dial 1+ area code + telephone number for local
and long distance calls made outside the home area codes of 272 and
570.
* Emergency service remains just three digits, 911.
* If 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 or 811 are currently available in
your community, you can still use these codes with just three
digits.
Who may you contact with questions?
For more information regarding the Pennsylvania 570/272 Area Code
Overlay, please visit
http://www.puc.state.pa.us/consumer_info/telecommunications/area_codes.aspx
.
If you have any questions regarding information provided in this
notice, contact your Verizon Service Representative at 1-800-VERIZON
(1-800-837-4966).
Date: Sat, 8 Jun 2013 19:02:47 -0700 (PDT)
From: Neal McLain <nmclain.remove-this@and-this-too.annsgarden.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Houston gets new area code to keep from running out of phone numbers
Message-ID: <d4c5f3f6-3227-4d16-852f-5fbe8e7c6ed8@m8g2000yqf.googlegroups.com>
By Craig Hlavaty, Houston Chronicle | May 9, 2013 | Updated: May 10,
2013
Houston is adding an additional area code, with 346 overlaying
existing area codes 713, 281 and 832 in Harris, Fort Bend, Waller,
Austin, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Liberty, Chambers, Galveston and
Brazoria counties.
With great growth comes change, and soon Houston will be getting
another area code to accommodate telecommunications. Say hello to 346.
The Public Utility Commission announced the addition today: "The 346
area code will overlay existing area codes 713, 281 and 832 in Harris,
Fort Bend, Waller, Austin, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Liberty, Chambers,
Galveston and Brazoria counties," said a release from the PUC.
A projection that the existing area codes would run out of numbers by
September 2014 was what lead to 346 being added to the Houston area.
Starting July 1, 2014, new phone numbers can get the 346 area code.
Source:
http://tinyurl.com/kqvlec4
Obviously, "existing area codes would run out of numbers by September
2014" should have been "running out of Central Office codes." But I
guess newspaper writers don't understand such things.
Southeast Texas originally had one area code, 713. Brazoria, where I
live (50 miles south of Houston), was part of 713. The first split
was 409, a doughnut-shaped area surrounding the Houston metro area,
which kept 713. Predictably, 713 needed to be split again, so the PSC
created a doughnut-within-a-doughnut for 281. The next time around,
the PSC finally gave up, dissolved the 713/281 line, overlaid 832 on
top, and mandated 10D dialing throughout. The new code 346 will be
overlaid over the same area, presumably with little opposition. Bus
some of the comments following the article still oppose 10D dialing.
Meanwhile, the outer doughnut (409) has been split into three pieces.
Galveston retained 409; the northern chunk got 936, and the southern
and western areas got 979.
Neal McLain
Writing from 979 formerly 409 formerly 713
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