Comparison between CT/00119/860-604 and Philly/00008/215-287 Numbers: ===================================================================== Last Update: 4/12/98 KEY: System ID: the system ID where the tests where conducted Area name/state name: some systems (SIDs) cover large areas, some even cover to carriers (00119 covers BAMS-CT/W.Mass as well as ex-BAMS/Metro Mobile's RI system; 01487 is served by both Cell One/Boston and Cell One/VT, etc.) The area name is used to indicate what part of the system the tests were conducted in. 00XXX phone: which phone is being tested, ie, "00119 phone" means the BAMS CT-A 860-604 exchange phone, "00008" phone mean the BAMS Philly-B 215-287 exchange phone. Others may be added later. ------------- [] Caller ID: Tests of caller ID delivery by directly dialing the mobile number from a known ID-able number and via a roam port in a roaming market. "Unavail" is analogous to BOC caller ID "Out of Area" used on some CID displays to indicate that either the calling switch or some facility between the calling and receiving switch is unable to send/transport caller ID. Note that generally tests with the 00119/CT-A phone in most BAMS markets do show caller ID, the Philly 00008 rarely did. However, some additional tests done around 4/11/98 indicate that markets where CID worked with the CT/A 00119 phone on previous tests no longer work. KEY: "00119 phone works and number is shown, via roam port works", means that: -a BAMS CT-A SID 00119 860-604 phone is being tested -"caller ID works", ie, some information about the call other than "incoming call" is displayed -"is shown" means that calling numbers are shown, not just Unavailable. -"via roam port works" means that if the phone is the given local market and dialed via a local roam port, caller ID AND the correct calling number is displayed. 00022: NYC: 00119 Caller ID does NOT work (as of 4/12/98, used to work fine, for some reason stopped), via roam port works NYC: 00008 Caller ID works, via roam port works 00018: DC: 00119 Caller ID works, via roam port works 00008 Caller ID does NOT work, via roam port works 00028: Boston: 00119 phone works and number is shown, via roam port works Boston: 00008 phone does work but is Unavail, via roam port works 00088: CT: 00119 phone won't roam on CT-B, so not applicable CT: 00008 phone DOES work but is Unavail, via roam port works (Note: this is one the few cases where caller ID is sent to a roaming system which is owned by a different carrier, eg, SNET, even if it is still showing Unavail. It is interesting that it DOES show the number via SNET's (203) 631-0000 roam port.) 00119: CT: 00119 phone works, via roam port works CT: 00008 phone doesn't work (Unavail), via roam port works 00250: NJ Coast:00119 Caller ID works, via roam port works NJ Voast:00008 Caller ID does NOT work, via roam port does NOT work 00404: Orange: 00119 Caller ID does NOT work (used to, this is new as of 4/11/98), via roam port works. Orange: 00008 Caller ID works, via roam port works 00486: Pghkpsie:00119 Caller ID does NOT work (used to work, this is new as of 4/11/98), via roam port works Pghkpsie:00008 Caller ID works, via roam port works ----------------- [] Feature Codes: Tests of "standard" feature codes. (Due to some archaic scheme implemented in the early stages of the NACN, some carriers deviated from the more or less standard pre-NACN codes, resulting in a proliferation of codes which have not been stndardized and are not fully/properly followed from market to market. Here are some tests in various markets indicating which codes work and which don't. The NACN and other backbones should be able to support and deliver a feature code from a roaming market back to a home market, but this isn't always the case.) 1.Feature: *73 - Unforward Call Forwarding (all types) 00088: CT: -00119 phone can't roam on "B"-side in CT, so not applicable -00008 phone works (*70 does NOT work, gets error msg.) 00119: CT: -Doesn't work for 00119 phone (despite confirmation tones) (Also, *70 does what *73 is supposed to, but it doesn't work in most other BAMS or other markets). -Does work for 00008 phone (*70 does NOT, gets error msg.) ------------------ [] Other Features: 1. Redirects: A redirect occurs when a cellphone is either unavailable or does not answer the call, and the caller is then redirected to either voicemail, a No Answer Transfer (NAT) number, or a Busy Transfer (BT) number. A few years ago (pre-1994), redirects we severely restricted DOJ restrictions thanks to a few whiners at MCI who felt cheated out of some minimal toll revenue which could be gained by grabbing redirected roaming calls. So while redirects worked great in your home market, if you roamed and were on a B-carrier or B-owned carrier, if someone called you and you didn't answer they would not get your voicemail or NAT/BT number, but a "out of vehicle" recording from the visited cellular market, which tended to confuse callers who were used to getting voicemail or being directed to NAT/BT numbers. Fortunately, this nonsense is past, the restrictions lifted so redirects generally work well while roaming. (Although many cell carriers still charge customer for LD charges for call delivery to their OWN roaming markets when this may no longer be necessary under law; it's just a way to make extra money from the customers. This was required before the rule was lifted; I don't know of any legal/regulatory reason to continue it presently.) The only time a redirect may not work is if you are roaming and registered in a roaming market, and someone calls you right when you are in a fringe area. The phone begins to accept the call, but the call fails due to the poor reception. The calling party in SOME cases may hear a ROAMING (not home) carrier recording, ie, a Bell Atlantic/DC customer goes to LA and if the customer actually registers on Airtouch LA ;) and someone calls him but the call fails due to poor coverage (likely with either awful A/B LA system), the caller may hear an Airtouch LA recording rather than a BAMS recording or obtain voicemail or the proper NAT/BT number. Other instances, if any, will be itemized immediately below. -(none so far) 2. Call Fwd special ring: a special ring (generally one very long ring or two shorter rings indicating that call has come in but was immediately forwarded to another number via Unconditional Call Forwarding, generally *72. This is the same way which most landline switches notify a customer that call forwarding is in effect.) 00088: CT: 00119 N/A (can't use B-side in CT) CT: 00008 phone doesn't work 00119: CT: 00119 phone works CT: 00008 phone works 3. Voicemail Notification Display/Tone: When a voicemail is left by a caller, a tone is available to alert when you place or receive a call. A "V" is also displayed on the phone. 00088: CT: 00119 N/A (can't use B-side in CT) CT: 00008 phone has Display and Tone. 00119: CT: 00119 phone has Display and Tone. CT: 00008 phone has Display and Tone.