LA>    Yes, the "P" Clamp does indeed cause problems at times,
LA>especially in areas where there are squirrels!  I first was a Tech in
LA>Southern Cal, no squirrels in the residential areas, then we moved up
LA>here to Northern Cal and I started having at least 1 case of trouble
LA>a week where the squirrels had chewed through the "drop" and it seems
LA>to be more rampant right at the clamp.
        I have four (likely more) squirrels that I see using the phone 
        and cable lines for highways on a daily basis (in Portland, OR
        there are documented cases of squirrels living several years
        w/o touching the ground (tree to wire, wire to tree, ....)).
        
LA> PM>         I have not seen that in years (never the whole
LA> PM>         I thing...but do remember the truck picking up the phone
LA> PM>         booth with the poor guy still inside)...good old TPC.
LA> PM>         (Of course it is  still common to have 5+ dollars
LA> PM>         charged for someone to toggle a service code to enable a
LA> PM>         feature that the TPC switch could have given for free
LA> PM>         (it has to be supported in the switch to begin
LA> PM>         with)...and then charge for the setting being active on
LA> PM>         a monthly basis.  (Caller ID is a wonderful case of 
this.)
LA>    Ah, but you answered your own question...it is all set up to
LA>where "someone" has to toggle the code, thus the charge for the
LA>service, also, the phone company is in this whole business to make a
LA>profit by "providing Service."  If you have "more" service than the
LA>guy next door who uses his phone only on Sunday to call his grown son
LA>to see how he is, shouldn't you pay more?  If I have a modem that
LA>runs 28.8, I expect to pay more for it than one that only will run
LA>14.4, I am getting more service by decreasing my online time and my
LA>phone bill (if it is a long distance call.)
        I'm still less than happy with pricing.  (I understand the
        long LD income many regional telcos have to deal with, but
        it would seem some things are still priced insanely here...
        68.00 per month for ISDN service).
LA>   Contrary to what some people may believe, Telco employees do not
LA>get free phone service.  What we do get is 1/2 off the BASIC rate,
LA>this amounts to about $5 a month.  Everything else we have to pay the
LA>same rates as everyone else....hmmmmm, I wonder if I can get
LA>concession on an ISDN line, that costs more per month therefore the
LA>concession would be greater....hmmmmm..nah, probably not.
        Never thought Telco employee's had FREE service.  Discounts
        I assumed where normal (they are in most industries).
LA>   BTW, has Supra come out with and ISDN TA product yet?
        Yes, there is a ISDN product shipping.
-Patrick Moore
 Sysop of Supra BBS 
CMPQwk1.42 331ūSupra is now the COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION of DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA
--- FLAME v1.1
---------------