In the actual BBS days, I don't recall that being a common point of confusion, oddly enough. I dialed up to local BBSs, and it was obvious where I was dialing b

In the actual BBS days, I don't recall that being a common point of confusion, oddly enough. I dialed up to local BBSs, and it was obvious where I was dialing because I actually entered the digits, and the modem audibly dialed them. Then sometimes I would correspond with people in other states or countries, through FidoNet echoes or mail. But it was clear that I wasn't dialing them to do so. I transmitted my message to my local BBS, and the BBS relayed my message onwards. I'm not sure at the time I entirely understood what mechanism the BBS used to do so, but I knew that I wasn't myself dialing Norway or Germany to do it, nor paying any kind of destination-based charge. I even played some multi-country multiplayer door games, all for free. So once I got an internet account, it didn't seem too magical!