Question for Americans, please. Oh yes, and a poll....

[thismaz]

Question for my American flisters. Please can you help?

If you need to make a collects call, what happens? I mean...

I guess you dial the operator. If it's a public phone box, what number do you dial?
What do you ask them? "I want to make a collect call to..." Is that it?
What would they say?
What happens when the phone at the other end rings?

ETA: I'm asking the question in the context of it being 1997. Sorry, I should have thought to say that.

That's it. Any advice, appreciated.

The other bit of this post is because for months, every time I logged on, LJ was asking me if I wanted to post a poll.

So why do I want to post this poll?
. - because I've never done one before.

What's it about?
. - Whether I should do a poll.
[Poll #929765]
*Wipes brow* It's taken me an hour and a half to do this post.

Comments

[thatotherperv.livejournal.com]

ok I chose the not-answering one cuz I enjoyed the irony :D

it's been a while since I've made a collect call, but as far as I remember, it goes like this. you call one of the 800 numbers you see advertised here...either 1800-collect, or 1800-call-att, and they give you a menu and one of the options is to make a collect call, so you press that number. then it asks for the number you're dialing and your name. you dial the number on the keypad and say your name out loud. then you basically listen in as the "operator" calls the number and tells the person that you're calling. it's all automated. so the machine says something like, "you are receiving a collect call from [your name in your own voice here]" and then you listen to what your mom (ha) has says (I think they either push 1 or 2 for yes or no), and then if they love you, you get put through and get to talk to them. before that, you're listening but you can't talk to them.

hope that was helpful :)

[mistress-tien.livejournal.com]

Yep, the last time I made a collect call it worked like this as well. No humans involved (other than the one making the call).

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much for answering. I do appreciate it.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

I chose the not-answering one cuz I enjoyed the irony.
*Grins and hugs you* I was hoping someone would.

That is really helpful, thank you - if only in telling me I should probably write around the whole thing *g* Too many chances of getting it wrong.

Your answer also made me realise that I had not framed the question very well. I should have said that I was asking about 1997. Goodness, that's 10 years ago *looks around to see if she can spot the flying years* I think Danna probably answered for that time period. Thank you so much for responding to my question. I really appreciate it. And for taking part in my very important and serious market research questionnaire.

Have a great week and thanks again.

[danna7000.livejournal.com]

eek! Based on the above comment, it's been a REALLY long time since I've made a collect call. I thought you just dialed zero for the operator, then said you wanted to make a collect call to whatever number, then the operator dialed it and talked to the answering party and said "you have a collect call from ----, do you want to accept it?" Then the other party says yes, and then the operator puts you through. But it makes sense that it's all automated now.

Very funny and cute poll!

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*eeks back at you* because what I forgot to say in my question, was that I was asking about 1997. I think your answer was probably right for then. Thank you very much. I do appreciate the help.
Have a good week.

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I think you should rein back on the caffeine intake, love....

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*pouts and whines* Do I haaave to?
This is serious market research.... honest *looks round doubtfully* Isn't it?

[mygothangel.livejournal.com]

*has no idea about collect - or any other - calls in US, but finds the poll really funny*

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*Grins* Thank you. Glad you enjoyed.

[grneyedwoman.livejournal.com]

You can call the operator. Tell them you need to make a collect call and they will send you to automated system. One time the automated system was not working and the operator did the connecting. The trick is finding a phone booth. In California they are open and hanging on a wall with a shelf for a phone book. The book is usually torn up and weather worn. Too many cell phones the phones booths are disappearing.
Cindy

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much.
I imagine they would exist in public places? Outside motel offices, maybe?
I've seen them in movies, so I think I know what they look like, but I hadn't considered the fact that the books would be weather worn, if there at all. I guess you would know to dial zero, though? Thanks again, I do appreciate you responding.

[grneyedwoman.livejournal.com]

Definitely would find one at a motel office. Phone booths are not the most pristine places.
Cindy

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Cindy. Do you mind if I bug you with one more question? If there weren't one in the motel office (or if it was broken) could there be one across the street, outside a diner? Is that the sort of place where the telephone company would put one? And if so, would it be on the wall outside, or would it be inside?
Many thanks. I don't really know why I'm worrying about this so much, but I do seem to be. Maybe it's a way of procrastinating, instead of writing. *g*

[grneyedwoman.livejournal.com]

You would find them at an convenience store. The kind that sells gas and coffee,sodas,beer,snacks, sometimes hot food. Not always at a straight gas station.A liquor store. Outside a diner like Denny's. They are usually outside at least here on the west coast. Man oh man haven't thought this much about phone booths since I let my phone go years ago for a few months when we couldn't pay the bill. Weirdly fun.
Cindy

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. I know I am making a great fuss for what may be one line, or may not even be there at all, but for some reason this really got hold of me. So I am very grateful to you for taking the trouble to answer.

[smwright.livejournal.com]

They still exist (see them all the time) and are often to be found at gas stations. Again, endorsing the idea of the absent telephone book. *g* Can't remember the last time I saw a phone book in a phone booth.

It used to be simple (e.g., when *I* was a teenager in the 80s). You'd pick up the receiver, dial 0 for the operator, and tell her you wanted to make a collect call. By the mid-90s, it was more complicated. There popped up on the phones these little directional signs. It became, 'to make a collect call, dial...[insert number here].' And then one would follow the electronic prompts and/or speak with an operator to make the call.

My suspicion is that you could use any combination of the above suggestions, and it would work, because there exists such a wide range of carriers in the US that protocol differs from area to area.

I hope a little bit of this helps anyway. Here's a pretty decent image of the 'modern' American public telephone. And here's a page with several vintage 'instruction' inserts that include instructions for collect calls. These would have all been good in the 80s and 90s (the ones w/instructions including carriers, etc.). Good luck!

[smwright.livejournal.com]

Actually, looking at that second link, if it's more than about $0.35, it's probably later than the 90s.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Wow. Those pages are great. I am speechless.... and did you ready the comments at the bottom of the second one? *laughing in amazement that such a page even exists* Just goes to show - there is a world rich with variety out there.
Thank you very much. That is really helpful - Now I just have to write it.

[smwright.livejournal.com]

Wasn't that hysterical?

Glad I could help. Now you have no excuses... pick up that pen... er, start typing, woman!

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*stands to attention, salutes smartly* Yes, Ma'am. *grins unrepentantly at you*