by Maybe someone could explain the rationale behind this one? I can't
figure out any. To make this even more ironic I discovered the problem
when calling a Nynex number ...
Earlier today I paid my (home) Nynex bill at an authorized payment
location. (These are "outsourced" by Nynex, which has very, very, few
of their own offices, or employees, anymore).
After getting my receipt I called Nynex's automated accounting system to
let it know I had paid. This involves a 1-800 number, then punching in
the billing number, a code, etc.
About two thirds of the way through the menu sequences I got a synthesized
voice announcement which said something like "no additional digits may
be dialed at this time".
And sure enough, anytime I hit a touch tone key I heard the tone, then
got the same msg.
I suspect that the tone I heard was _not_ sent over the link, and that
the voice I heard was generated by the payphone itself, but I can't
readily verify this.
Anyway, I've been scratching my head to come up with a reason why a
"genuine Nynex payphone" (i.e., not a cocot) would have any use for such a
limit, and can't come up with any that warrant the disruption and
annoyance such a "feature" provides.
Oh, I'll be sending off a PSC complaint a bit later today, as I can
easily see this blocking my access to other voicemail systems as well as
my long distance carrier.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Hint ... it has something to do with
drug dealers using payphones and the other nemesis of society, toll
fraud. PAT]