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New phone services allow more control By DAVID PRESZLER The days of interrupted dinners and late-night calls to and from teenagers' friends may be over for US West customers. The phone company, which services Jackson County, has announced three new services to help customers take control of phone use at home or at work. The three services -- Do Not Disturb, Dial Lock and CallCurfew -- block calls to and from the customer's phone in different ways. Do Not Disturb allows customers to block incoming calls whenever they choose to avoid interruptions. Customers can allow calls from certain numbers to be sent through so important calls won't be missed. DialLock allows customers to block all outgoing calls -- except for 911 calls -- so they can prevent unwanted use of their phone, either by teens or guests. Customers can choose to block long-distance calls, local calls, operator-assisted calls and toll-free calls. Customers can override the block with a special code. CallCurfew will block both incoming and outgoing calls -- except 911 calls -- during set periods of time. Calls from selected numbers will be allowed through, again to insure that important calls aren't missed. Callers who try to call the home while CallCurfew or Do Not Disturb services are in effect will get a recorded message saying the number dialed is not receiving calls at this time. The three services are available separately for $3.95 each per month. No additional equipment or setup is required and customers who order before Dec. 31 will get free activation. Residential customers can call 1-800-244-1111 to order, while businesses should call 1-800-603-6000. Sprint, which provides local service to White City and other upper Rogue River communities, doesn't offer a similar service, although a spokesman said the company is testing it in some markets. Sprint does sell a phone that offers similar features and works with caller ID. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA