[Asterisk-Users] DID in the U.S.

[Rich Adamson]

> There is something I really don't get: As I ordered a PRI ISDN line in Germany 
> with DID, I had not to pay anything for a "DID number block", now I'm trying 
> to get a PRI ISDN in the U.S. (CA) and SBC wants to charge more than 200 
> USD/month for numbers. I mean, this has nothing to do with DID, where 
> everything that comes after the "base number" will be transmitted to the PBX 
> anyway. Wasn't DID invented to get rid of number blocks?

The different US telephone companies have many different ideas on how
to generate revenue, and how they do that varies dramatically between
the different companies. 

At one time, the State of Iowa had 600 "independent" telephone companies
and most likely hundreds of rates for the same thing/service. That
has obviously decreased, but there is nothing limiting each telephone
company from doing whatever they want for many different services.
Even basic isdn prices vary dramatically across the US.

Got to wonder how some ITSPs obain large blocks of numbers and 
essentially give them away, while others charge large amounts for
the same thing. I'm sure they've done their research. ;)