AT&T - Smart choice to drop 900 numbers

When telephone numbers starting with the prefix 900 first came on the scene, their potential was viewed as a boon to businesses that wanted to offer services for which consumers would pay through phone charges.

As is happening with the Internet, a new communications tool intended for legitimate purposes was quickly taken over by shadier profiteers, mainly related to raw sex or psychic bamboozling.

Thus, while 900 numbers continue to provide useful services -- from weather reports to crossword-puzzle answers -- their reputation has tilted to the shameful side.

And it has become a nightmare for phone companies to collect from customers who, embarrassed when they get their bills, claim they never made those calls to phone-sex or psychic numbers.

As a result, AT&T is getting out of the 900-number business for the most part. Good. Other companies continue to offer the pay-for-service numbers, but a big dent now exists.

Like all businesses, phone companies can decide who they want for customers. Let's hope those that continue 900 numbers will be a bit more selective.