Also sprach Patrick W. Gilmore
The telco world is completely different. *EVERY* call has an "origination" and a "termination", and *EVERY* termination is *PAID*.
Although, at least BellSouth (maybe other ILECs) are trying to fight this notion.
So when it goes from you (user) to AT&T to MCI to Telstra to friend (user), you pay AT&T, AT&T pays MCI, and MCI pays Telstra. (I made that sequence up. I doubt a call would be routed like that, but you get the point.)
So, if there is a problem inside MCI, AT&T will hound them about it. Even though no "user" is paying MCI, AT&T *is* paying them, and has every right to get upset if quality is not up to par.
I tried that very argument with a BellSouth call center once to try to get them to look into a problem with calls originating on BellSouth and terminating on ICG...I ended up literally yelling at the woman on the phone...how BellSouth get those J.D. Powers customer service awards, I'll never figure out.
If the call does not get through, they may say "MCI is having a problem", but they will work on it for you.
Theoretically. -- Jeff McAdams Email: jeffm@iglou.com Head Network Administrator Voice: (502) 966-3848 IgLou Internet Services (800) 436-4456