ABSTRACT
The presence of 900 number services was so prevalent in American society by the late 1980s that few remembered its modest origins earlier in the decade. When AT&T first marketed 900 numbers in 1980, they were consigned to the periphery of the phone industry. A small Chicago long-distance carrier, instituted a national 900 service that for the first time permitted interaction by callers, whether through a line operator or via a computerized voice-playback system. In short order, the major long-distance players: AT&T, MC Communications and US Sprint Communications followed with interactive 900 Services. Almost from the beginning, large numbers of citizens complained to politicians and governmental regulators about the sleaziness and ubiquitousness of these services. With countless low profile entrepreneurs and professionals getting into the act of owning 900 lines, both long-distance and local phone companies began marketing the concept to the private sector.
