‘Dial-It’ Calls Lose AT&T; Rebate

American Telephone & Telegraph Co. said today it will no longer rebate a fee to companies that place messages on its 900-number Dial-It service, saying the move is intended to discourage use of the service for sexually oriented messages.

“We’re especially troubled by reports that children can reach these messages,” AT&T; Vice Chairman Charles Marshall said, referring to adult-oriented messages from men’s magazines and other sponsors. Sponsors are charged an initial fee of $250 to place a message on the service and, until today, were reimbursed from 2 cents to 5 cents per call.