Approved-By:  Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS@UHUPVM1.BITNET>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pacs-l
Date:         Mon, 27 Jul 1992 11:38:08 CDT
From:         TURNER@UMDD.BITNET
Subject:      900-Number Survey Results

----------------------------Original message----------------------------


Thanks to all of you who responded so promptly to my question
about 900-number access on your campuses. I received 45 responses
-- nearly 30 within the first 24 hours!

Clearly anyone trying to serve Higher Education with a 900-number
service is doomed to failure. Of the 45 respondents, 40 said
their campuses blocked all access to 900 numbers. Three don't
block access, and two do to some lines and not others (I did
not include in this group an institution where only one line
has access to 900 numbers for some special service).

Below are some interesting comments from respondents.

   Again, many thanks.

   Judith Axler Turner
Comments:

All toll calls require entering an access code, which is keyed to billing.
The basic rule is that all tolls are charged back to a department account.
-----
Any campus phones in public areas are restricted to on-campus extentions
only. All other phones require a private PIN number assigned to each
particular person on a need basis that will allow calls to other than
local or toll-free numbers.
-----
It is virtually impossible to bill 900 calls back to the
user, because the first and subsequent minute charges can not be known
in advance.  Generally, any attempt to bill these calls will result in
a loss of revenue to the institution.

For the above reasons, ANY call that has the potential to generate an
unpredictable (and/or high) surcharge will blocked, since the PBX's
call tables cannot be programmed to recover the cost.

There are some unscrupulous vendors who are even charging for 800
calls.
-----
Access to 900 numbers is available as any other long distance call, i.e.
you must enter a pin number to get through.  Only faculty and full time
staff have been given pin numbers.

Before we had this system, 900 number were blocked from ALL phones
after the discovery that some evening employees were making calls
from faculty and administrative offices.
-----
900 numbers can be priced at an infinite number of possible
prices. Because of this we have to program in each 900
number uniquely.  The prices change and we can't keep up.
We strongly discourage the use of 900 numbers.  If someone
must call a 900 number we give them a special Class of
Service.
-----
Blocked for everyone's line.  We had abuse problems based on lack of
awareness of excessive charges from unscrupulous providers.
Interestingly, there have been no complaints from anyone about the
blocking.
-----
We block access to 900 and 976 numbers for administrative numbers and for
most students by means of a network class of service (NCOS).  The NCOS
defines what access a particular line has.  We do have an NCOS that permits
access to 900/976 numbers and any line can have the capability assigned to
it; we do require written authorization from the department/responsibility
center for this feature.

We are also investigating the possibility of permitting access to specific
900/976 numbers on a line by line basis, but do not yet have an answer on
that question.

In addition to blocking 900/976, administrative lines are also blocked from
third party calls and from dialing WE6-1212 (local weather).  The
University provides an internal, free weather service at 898-4CST.

Telephone lines may also be restricted from international dialing, domestic
long distance dialing, metropolitan area calls, local calls,
etc.  Each of these restrictions is controlled by the NCOS.
-----
Yes we block 900 calls.  We have to block them for all numbers.
We have our own PBX but it is the local carrier which blocks
these calls as well.
-----
1. We do block all access to 900 numbers on all lines.

2. We also block calls to certain area codes. (Those area codes where there are
a high number of fraudulent calls.)
-----
Are there other restrictions?  Yes--Some phones are limited to on
campus or local area calls.  Decision is based on the person whose
phone it is--their need to make long distance or other such calls
in the course of doing their job.
-----
We block 900 numbers at all campus phones, students, faculty and staff alike.
We also block 700 numbers which were previously used for call conferencing by
AT&T.  We're not sure if they are still used that way but we still block them.
-----
About 10% or 20% of our office phones are also restricted so that they cannot
make long distance calls.
-----
We also selectively block
any 800 numbers which involve a chargeback to the calling party.
-----
We haven't had any complaints from the
students and the parents seem happy that we have done this since it may
become ultimately their bill.  We have pay phones which students, faculty
and staff could use if they really want to make a 900 number call.
-----
(T)here is a tremendous stigma associated with 900 and
976 services (e.g. marketing scams, telephone pornography, etc) that must be
overcome before the state will make any efforts to move toward this type of
access.
-----
We tried
allowing them through our phone system for about 2 months and it was
a nightmare. We did not know at what rate to bill, and by the time we
got the bill from the 900 number service, many times the student had
left campus. For the faculty, some claimed that others had used their
phones and they refused to pay.
-----
We do not block 900 numbers at any phone.  The students pay for their own
phone service and are responsible for their own bills.  Administrative and
faculty calls are billed back to the department and restrictions from that
standpoint are left to the individual departments.  All public access
phones are restricted either to on campus only calls or to local and on
campus only calls.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU