🚀 go-pugleaf

cherniak@austin.ibm.com (Bruce Cherniak) says:

[stuff about charges deleted]

>How does this plan compare to other states which have already adopted
>Caller ID and what are the fees charged there?

Sounds about what NJ Bell charges for service

>Can this service really be that difficult/costly for the phone company to
>implement/maintain that they can justify charging users $4-$8 every month?!
>Is it that much more costly than, say, call return at about $3 bucks a
>month?

I doubt it.  Look at TouchTone service.  The phone company charges you extra
for it even though it saves the phone company money over pulse dialing.
But who ever claimed the local Board (Bored?) of Public Utilities really
did things in the interest of consumers the majority of the time.

>Should someone that doesn't want their number given out really have to
>pay to have it blocked?!

What about those with unlisted numbers?  NJ Bell charges you to keep your
number unlisted.  If you want someone with Caller ID to _not_ get your 
number, you must also pay to have it blocked--double whammy.

When Caller ID first came to NJ, Ted Koppel interviewed a spokesman for NJ Bell
on Nightline (ABC-TV).  Koppel asked the spokesman about double charging
those with unlisted numbers.  The spokesman should be a politician!  He was
just as smooth at giving a "non-answer".  Koppel pointed out on three tries
that the spokesman had not answered his question.  Finally, Koppel gave up
saying it was obvious that man had no intention of giving an honest answer.  
-- 
  Bob Billson, KC2WZ                          | internet: bob@kc2wz.bubble.org
                                              |           kc2wz@amsat.org
  $nail:  21 Bates Way,  Westfield, NJ 07090  | uucp:     ...!uunet!kc2wz!bob
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