Dear Andrew,
     Please see John Cleese's very funny show: "How to Irritate People." It says it all about phone companies, and nearly every other vexation about modern life.
    Sincerely,
    Paul Lockwood
5/9/02 11:47:00 AM, Andrew.Shand@north-bristol.swest.nhs.uk wrote:

>Having just spent far to long waiting for an answer from a hospital
>switchboard and being aware of the lousy response times from my own hospital
>I wondered if the same situation applies in the USA.  Do you have to wait
>inordinate amounts of time to speak to a human  on your telephone
>switchboard (exchanges or whatever you call them)?  In the UK the situation
>hasn't improved in 30 years!
>
>Andy Shand
>