From: twb0@lehigh.edu (Thomas Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Integratel Forcing Charges Through
Date: 23 Jan 93 20:42:31 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 13, Issue 38, Message 4 of 11

Our room was recently billed for $90 worth of collect calls from
Integratel despite the fact that Lehigh University supposedly traps
collect calls to student rooms.  Lehigh claims that Integratel must
not subscribe to the database of phone exchanges not to allow collect
calls through.  Lehigh has been unable to figure out how to contact
Integratel and is, therefore, passing the charges on to us.  What can
I do to protect my rights in this case?  Is it lawful for a company to
bill me for something which I did not request or accept and not
provide me with information on how to contact the billing company to
dispute the bill?  Lehigh says that they just pay Bell of PA in one
lump sum and that Bell of PA passes on the money to the individual
long distance companies.  Bell of PA would not provide me with any
useful information on how to contact Integratel.

I have read several threads of discussion in the past on this
newsgroup regarding questionable billing practices and tactics by
Integratel and I wonder if anyone has come up with any more
information that I might use and/or pass on to the Deptartment of
Telecommunications at Lehigh.


Thanks much,

Thomas Brown, KA2UGQ          Internet: twb0@lehigh.edu
Lehigh University UC Box 855  UUCP: ..!uunet!lehigh.edu!twb0
Bethlehem, PA  18015          AX.25: ka2ugq@ka2ugq.nj.usa.na


[Moderator's Note: The telephone bill each month lists the charges
from each LD carrier on a page (or more) of its own. There should be a
page in the billing from telco entitled "Integratel", and a phone
number to reach that company for questions. Integratel can in turn
tell you the name/address/phone number for their client. Reaching that
client is not always an easy task, but it can be done. For starters,
your university telecom person should note the number for Integratel
from the page in the telephone billing where it appears. They should
then notify Integratel and the local telco that the charges are
disputed and will not be paid. They will get to fight with Integratel
for a couple months on this subject before the charges are finally
removed. Since you are not Bell of PA's customer (the university is),
Bell of PA need not discuss anything with you, but they might at least
have given you Integratel's phone number for customer service.
Integratel does maintain its own data base of numbers to which no
collect or third number calls should be billed and when you speak with
their representative, they'll add you to that data base on request. 

But let's face it; you, or someone with access to the phone in your
room did agree to accept collect charges, in all probability from an
'adult service', since that is the kind of thing Integratel's clients
deal in for the most part. It might have been from a COCOT, but $90
seems a bit steep for a regular long distance call. It seems a bit
steep for the other kind also, but who am I to decide what gets a
person off? :)  We all can sympathize with having to pay after the fun
is over though; that always has been the hard part of those late night
or early morning transactions.  By the way, the toll free number (how
else would you want to call them!) for Integratel is 800-736-7500.
Tell your complaint to the representative who answers. Your telecom
administrator might want to call and get all the school numbers blocked.
Yours won't be the first call Integratel has received from young men
who were similarly situated (or dirty old men for that matter), nor
will it be the last.  Next time, read the fine print closer in the ad
or listen to the message played out when you first call! :)   PAT]