Telecom/1996-04-telecom-walnutcreek.iso/back.issues/1994.volume.14/vol14.iss051-100

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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #51

TELECOM Digest     Sun, 30 Jan 94 09:33:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 51

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Modems to Merlins (Steven Warner)
    Re: Modems to Merlins (Walter Syrek)
    Re: Modems to Merlins (Charlie Mingo)
    Re: "Anonymous Call Rejection" - Could be Dangerous (Robert Endicott)
    Re: "Anonymous Call Rejection" - Could be Dangerous (Randy Gellens)
    Re: Are LATA Maps Available? ([e-mail])
    Re: Are LATA Maps Available? (David Esan)
    Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK? (Laurence Chiu)
    Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK? (Linc Madison)
    Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK? (Arthur Rubin)
    Re: Unmetered Local Service (Charles Reichley)
    Re: Unmetered Local Service (Chaim Frenkel)
    Re: Unmetered Local Service (J. D. McDonald)
    Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones (Martin McCormick)
    Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones (Jerry Leichter)
    Re: Distinctive Ringing and Ring Detectors (Dan Lanciani)
    Re: Distinctive Ringing and Ring Detectors (Charles Roberson)
    Telephone Nunbers in France (Earle Robinson)
    GSM Radio Interface Security ([e-mail])
    Nine Pin Jack Into Cellular Phone - Connect to Computer? (John Hardin)
    Problems With French Telephone in Canada (Michel Brunet)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
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The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
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long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
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should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Steven Warner <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Modems to Merlins
Organization: RTFM / beachSystems, Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 05:08:25 GMT


(Cliff Sharp) writes:

>   1.  The primary reason I want the modem there is so that I can call
> their machine and use some sort of remote-access software to figure
> out what they're doing to their poor machine when they break it.  The
> Merlin "solution" sounds to me as though I would never be able to get
> to their modem (or that the modem would answer any call that came in,
> not just mine).  Yes?  No?

Using a BTMI or a GPA (as you stated) will work.  More below.

>   2.  For some incredibly silly reason I can't talk them out of, they
> demand that the first line(s) of their hunt group remain open at all
> times possible and unused by outbound calls.  (Explaining hunting to
> them is very like teaching the proverbial pig to sing.)  From what I
> understand, the adapter either seizes the first open line or has to be
> manually routed.  How does it really work?

The GPA is plugged into a merlin set.  It picks up whatever line the
merlin phone would pick up, if you raised the handset.  The GPA must
plug into the expansion connector in the back of the phone.  It will
NOT plug directly into the switch.

The BTMI (Basic telephone and modem interface) plugs directly between
the switch and a modem, elimininating the need for a Merlin voice
terminal. The BTMI can be programed to pick up any or all lines, and
can be programed to select outgoing lines in a selection sequence much
like that of a regular set.

There are two versions of BTMI.  The BTMI-1 has a problem that if the
modem is using the line, and another line rings (that the BTMI would
normally seize), camp-on tones are fed to the modem.  This can cause a
few problems.  Modems plugged into a BTMI-1 also must dial '9' to get
outside lines.

The BTMI-2 has modes that disallow the camp-on tones, and even a mode
that will present outside lines to the modem without dialing 9.

>   3.  This whole thing sounds as though they're going to have to plug
> the adapter into a phone and route RJ-11 cable all over the office.
> Friend likes the idea now, but he's gonna change his mind when he sees
> it.  Is there any other way to do it so we can run 4-pair to the modem
> location?

See BTMI above.

>    ANY ideas are welcome, including how to explain to a wall that a
> dedicated line is his best solution.

It may or may not be. a properly connected modem interface will allow
quite functional sharing of the line.  Be aware that 9600 baud is
about as good as you will do thru this thing.


Steven Warner  (34W 36L)  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Modems to Merlins
From: [e-mail] (Walter Syrek)
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 08:39:00 -0600
Organization: C-9 Communications


I have an AT&T Merlin set on my desk at the office. It has two plugs
on the bottom, one for the line cord, one marked "other". Does anybody
know if I can plug a modem into the "other" socket?  It's a strange
size, not the same as the standard modular phone jack.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Charlie Mingo)
Subject: Re: Modems to Merlins
Date: 30 Jan 1994 01:41:21 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC


In article <[e-mail]>, Cliff Sharp <clifto@indep1.
uucp> wrote:

>   A friend is part owner of a small business using a Merlin Plus
> system.  He wants to add a modem to his coterie of computer equipment
> (and I've been trying to get him to do it for the longest time!).
> However, for some reason he feels that a dedicated line is too
> expensive and wants to hook it into his Merlin system.

>   Now, a little research turned up a general-purpose adapter that
> AT&T sells for just such use; it plugs into one of the telephones and
> provides a POTS look-alike that somehow can use any line.

While we're on that subject, my brother is trying to do exactly this
with a Northern Telecom PBX dating from the mid-1980's.

Does anyone know if Northern Telecom sells a similar POTS-line
adaptor?  Any idea how much it would be or where one would find it?

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Robert Endicott)
Subject: Re: "Anonymous Call Rejection" - Could be Dangerous
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 05:22:47 GMT


Mark Crispin ([e-mail]) wrote:

> I just saw in an electronics toy catalog (Danmark or one of those) a
> Caller ID box that implements something like Anonymous Call Rejection
> as its own feature.  If you enable it, it automatically answers the
> call and plays a refusal message, than hangs up.

> What I see as different between this box and the telco's feature:

> 1) You don't have to beg the ACLU for this feature, after having begged them
>    for CNID.
> 2) No monthly charge beyond the CNID.
> 3) You need to wire the box in series with all your extensions, otherwise
>    you won't get the ring suppression on the other ones.
> 4) I doubt that it interacts well with Call Waiting.
> 5) The ability to set the refusal message (I don't know if this particular
>    box has it, but doubtless others will).  Big win.

I have solved the problem by putting a computer with a telephone
interface board on the line. It answers the phone line and sounds just
like an answering machine, and takes a message if the caller leaves
one.

HOWEVER, anyone I want to be able to get through. I tell them to
touchtone a code during the outgoing message and it will interrupt the
message and ring my phone.  NOONE I don't know, ever knows that there
is a way to get through.  If the call is valid, I return the call.

Since I've programmed it myself, I can have as many codes as I want.


Robert Endicott

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: 30 JAN 1994 11:01 GMT
Subject: Re: "Anonymous Call Rejection" - Could be Dangerous


[e-mail] writes:

> Also note that telco can elect to turn on supervision when
> connecting to the ACR announcement, so the call will be considered
>"completed" for billing purposes.

Do any telcos do this?  How appalling.  It violates the basic assumption
of intercepts.


Randall Gellens           [e-mail]|
A Series System Software
Unisys Corporation        [Please forward bounce messages|
Mission Viejo, CA.        to: [e-mail]]|


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Not really. Intercepts assume no useful
information was passed to the caller, where with anonymous call rejection
the information being passed tells the caller that the called party does
not wish to speak with them since the caller is not known to them. It
might be looked at as a way of saying 'I do not speak to strangers'.
Unlike no such number, no circuit or out of order intercepts where the
lack of communication is not the fault of the caller or called party,
in this instance the called party is plainly saying that he refuses to
communicate. Telco's posture seems to be they do not wish to be in the
middle of a possible dispute between the parties, etc.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 09:52:21 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Are Lata Maps Available?
Organization: AT&T


I received a National Lata Map at a trade show two years ago (believe
it was COMNET)

Anyway the company name and address on the bottom of the map is:

CCMI
Suite 1100
11300 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852-3030
Phone [phone] ext 835.

I don't know if they are still in business but it might be worth a try
if you're still looking for a lata map.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Esan)
Subject: Re: Are LATA Maps Available?
Date: 30 Jan 94 05:13:44 GMT
Organization: Moscom Corporation, Pittsford NY


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

> in most states there is only one LATA.

Not true.  Most states (and provinces) have more than one LATA.
Attached are a list of states/provinces and the number of LATAs
associated with them.

AK 1        VT 1    NJ 4        MI 6    LA 8        OH 10
DC 1        CT 2    NM 4        MS 6    NE 8        TN 10
DE 1        NS 2    NV 4        PR 6    NY 8        FL 11
HI 1        ON 2    WA 4        UT 6    SC 8        IN 11
MB 1        AB 3    WV 4        KS 7    AL 9        NC 12
ME 1        BC 3    AZ 5        KY 7    IA 9        PA 12
NB 1        MA 3    ID 5        MT 7    SD 9        VA 12
NF 1        PQ 3    OR 5        OK 7    WI 9        CA 14
NH 1        MD 4    WY 5        CO 8    MN 10        IL 18
RI 1        ND 4    AR 6        GA 8    MO 10        TX 20
SK 1

The LATAs in NY, where I live, include:

132 - NYC
133 - Hudson Valley
134 - Albany
136 - Syracuse
138 - Binghamton
140 - Buffalo
921 - Fisher's Island (Independant)
974 - Rochester Telephone (Independant)

The names associated with these places are just the large city in
those LATAs.  LATA 140 includes all of Western NY from Rochester (but
not including Rochester) to the west, and three exchanges in Pennsylvania.


David Esan      [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Laurence Chiu)
Subject: Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK?
Date: 29 Jan 1994 23:10:42 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access, California
Reply-To: [e-mail]


In article <[e-mail]>, John R. Grout wrote:

> 1.  How would 800 Directory Assistance (which, for the benefit of
> readers outside North America, is 800-555-1212), handle calls coming
> through USA Direct?  I can imagine an AT&T operator asking such a
> person "what area code are you calling from?", as they often do here,
> and the conversation taking a turn for the worse.

I don't know about 800 Directory assistance but on the few occasions I
used USA Direct to make calls when I didn't know the number, I would
hang on and wait for an operator. They knew what country I was calling
from based on the line I guess. When I asked for directory assistance
they would call that area's DA and identify themselves as AT&T and get
the number for me and then connect me.


Laurence Chiu          Walnut Creek, California
Tel: [phone](wk)  Internet: [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Linc Madison)
Subject: Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK?
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 09:06:37 GMT


Another point to mention is that (although every PTT in the world will
deny it until they're blue in the face) the fact is, from many places
you can simply dial +1-800-whatever, and the call *will* go through,
at normal international rates.  It isn't supposed to work, they don't
want you to think it will work, but I have done it myself.  I remember
slugging Australian dollars into a callbox in the middle of the Outback.


Linc Madison  *  Oakland, California  *  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK?
From: [e-mail] (Arthur Rubin)
Date: 30 Jan 94 03:12:56 GMT
Organization: Beckman Instruments, Inc.


In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John R.
Grout) writes:

> 1.  How would 800 Directory Assistance (which, for the benefit of
> readers outside North America, is 800-555-1212), handle calls coming
> through USA Direct?  I can imagine an AT&T operator asking such a
> person "what area code are you calling from?", as they often do here,
> and the conversation taking a turn for the worse.

Correct answer (to what area code are you calling from?): How should I
know?  (I once called 800 information from a SkyPhone (TM).)


Arthur L. Rubin: [e-mail] (work) Beckman Instruments/Brea
[e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail] (personal)

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 08:59:03 EST
From: Charles Reichley <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Unmetered Local Service
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: IBM Federal Systems Company (for now)- Manassas, VA USA


For MOST things in this world, we all pay the same price regardless of
how much we use it.  I will pay the same for a TV as you, even if you
watch your TV eight hours a day and I only watch mine for an hour a
day.  The only things which we pay for use are things that are
actually USED UP.  We pay for each gallon of heating oil, for each
gallon of water, for each kilowatt of electricity (Electricity is a
grey area -- while I can't use the same kilowatt as someone else, it
is also the case that for many generating stations, there is a minimum
output that exists and is 'wasted' if nobody uses it.  But even in
this case, the power is put somewhere and is lost).

SO the question is, is phone service something you 'use up' by the
minute, or something that is a fixed item.  Cable TV is a lot like
phone service, and I don't pay per minute for cable (well I don't have
cable, but if I did I wouldn't be paying per use).  It does cost the
cable company more if there are more people on the line, as they have
to boost the signal.  But once the signal boosters are in place, it
makes no difference whether I watch the cable or not.  In the same
way, if more people make phone calls, the phone company has to install
additional switches/lines/equipment.  But once the equipment is in
place, the cost for the phone company is the same whether I make a
phone call or not.  Maybe phone usage should be billed on a split-system,
where people are charged by the minute during times when the usage is
over 80%, but not charged when the usage is less than that.


Charles W. Reichley,   Loral/FSC???, Manassas, Va.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: How would people know which condition
was in effect at the time? Many folks would gladly wait until overall
usage dropped below a certain point in order to use the service 'for
free' if they knew what the usage was. How would you convey that?   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Chaim Frenkel)
Subject: Re: Unmetered Local Service
Date: 30 Jan 94 05:40:22 GMT
Organization: Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Lars
Poulsen) writes:

> Hahahaha hahaha ha ha ... he ho hummmm ...  Here in Denmark, local
> calls have been metered for many, many years -- by the pulse method.
> Itemized billing is NOT available, and there would be an uproar from
> office workers -- on privacy grounds -- if the telco were to start
> itemizing bills. Itemized billing, like flat rate local calling -- is
> a feature of the American telephone system; it has ended up that way
> mostly by accident. Certainly there is no logic that says subscribers
> have the right to an itemized bill. (There may, however, in many
> jurisdictions be a PUC regulation saying so.)

I would argue that the customer has every right to an itemized bill.
Consider an order placed with a mail order outfit, (or as they do in
my neighborhood, place large phone orders with the local grocery store
for delivery): would you accept only a total?

If I would have a meter at my end that would independently corrobrate
the phone company's numbers/total, you might have an argument. But as
it is you have only the phone company's word as to the correct amount.
There is no easy way to determine if the phone company is being honest
(ie design error / built-in bias :-) or whether your phone line is
being hacked/abused.


Chaim Frenkel            On contract at:
[e-mail]            [e-mail]
Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.   Bear Stearns & Co., Inc.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (J. D. McDonald)
Subject: Re: Unmetered Local Service
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 06:26:53 GMT
Organization: UIUC SCS


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Bill Pfeiffer) writes:

>> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The thing Jack Decker and other pro-
>> ponents of flat rate billing seem to forget or ignore is that in most
>> instances of measured billing, the majority of telephone subscribers
>> actually pay LESS for service than with flat rate.  A small minority
>> of the users -- mainly people with telephone intensive lifestyles such
>> as modem users -- pay more.

> Please, Pat.  That is not at all true.

I live in downstate Ill., in Champaign. At one time we had the choice
of measured or flat rates. The measured rate was clearly cheaper for
me, in fact I seem to remember $6 monthly phone bills.

Then they did away with the flat rate entirely ... everybody now has
measured rates. At the same time they raised the minimum one paid for
no calls at all, so as to be almost equal to what the previous flat
rate was. So (almost) everybody lost.


Doug McDonald

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Martin McCormick)
Subject: Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones
Organization: Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 07:58:58 GMT


    The technology to remove the DTMF tones is definitely here.
The amateur radio magazine "QST" had an introductory series of
articles, last year, about digital signal processing.  The series
featured a Texas Instruments DSP chip programmed to remove steady
tones from an audio channel.  The program simulated a filter which was
capable of removing complex, but repetitive wave forms so it could
remove several tones occurring at once from an audio signal.  The
article described what it was like to use the filter and mentioned
that it occasionally produced very strange effects when it would
mistakenly eat part of a human voice, but it generally did the job in
removing heterodynes from voice signals without effecting the voice.
Such a filter would gobble up DTMF signals without leaving anything
behind but a click.


Martin McCormick WB5AGZ   Stillwater, OK
O.S.U. Computer Center Data Communications Group

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 08:19:36 EDT
From: Jerry Leichter <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones


You know, some of the ancient Greeks would have loved this mailing
list (and the net general).  It's populated by people who, like them,
believe that sheer logic is enough to understand the world -- you don't
need any "dirty" observation.

"Everyone knows" (by simple reasoning) that replacing touchtone phones
with rotary phones won't help because "the bad guys" will just go to
Radio Shack and buy tone dialers.  "Everyone knows" (by simple
reasoning) that this whole approach just won't do anything.

Well, the {New York Times} article that reported on the change
contained information explicitly addressing both of these points.  I
don't have the article in front of me so don't recall exactly who was
quoted, but I think it was a Nynex spokesman who mentioned tone
dialers but also said that *as a matter of observed fact* few drug
dealers bother to buy or use them.  Why?  Go ask them; but they don't.

Further, in neighborhoods where rotary phones have been installed --
and remember, we are no longer just applying "pure reason", there have
been such neighborhoods for a couple of years now -- it's a matter of
*observed fact* that those phones tend not to be used as "offices" for
drug dealers.  Why?  Again, go ask the drug dealers.

Sometimes little things can have a disproportionate impact. Explaining
*why* may be very difficult, but doesn't change the result -- the world
works the way it does despite our lack of understanding of it.  I
don't know about you, but while I'm very willing to listen to reason,
I'm even more willing to look at facts.


Jerry


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Jerry, what you say makes very good sense.
We have known for years that drug dealers are not usually the smartest
people in the world (I am speaking now of the street corner salepeople,
not the wholesalers and importers). You are quite correct that time and
again in Chicago at least, when payphones have been converted to (a) one
way outgoing service; (b) calling card/collect/third party billing only
 -- no coin -- during overnight hours; and/or (c) rotary dial service the
drug dealers have simply moved elsewhere -- to phones which DO still
have unrestricted service -- to conduct business. And for most people
in the neighborhood, that's all they want is for the drug dealers to
*go somewhere else*.

I think often times people on Usenet (and some of that may rub off on
the people who participate in this group) assume all the people in the
world are of the same level of sophistication as themselves. I've
caught myself falling into that rut. From my recent observations at a
local Radio Shack store, I've noticed how many people have no idea
even how to hook a modular cord into the back of the phone on one end
and into the wall jack on the other end without it being done for them
or shown to them in detail. Smart Radio Shack salesmakers (as Tandy
likes to call them) make extra money going to customer's homes outside
of business hours as a separate thing and installing what the customer
bought that day in the store. Drug dealers do not read the {New York
Times} and they certainly do not participate in Usenet newsgroups. Drug
dealers are not too bright. *That* is probably the reason the rotary
dial/outgoing service only combo works so well in the 'war on drugs'.
The neighbors don't care who sells drugs; they just don't want the
traffic around their area. You are right ... it works!  Of course the
neighbors are not much smarter and they can't see why touch tone is
needed either so they are not inconvenienced for the most part even
if the rest of us are.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 00:10:02 EST
From: [e-mail] (Dan Lanciani)
Subject: Re: Distinctive Ringing and Ring Detectors


[e-mail] wrote:

> I also use AT&T's switch box (pressing #1 transfer to yet ANOTHER
> 'fake' line -- good for modems, faxes, multi answering machines, etc)
> and the multi-ring box with this little toy did not work together
> nicely (ie: MAJOR voltage problems ON the phone line).

> Just so you know the one I have is called "Ring Decipher" by Command
> Communications, Inc (Aurora, CO).

The main problem with CCI's product is that it puts out a piddling 18V
to simulate an on-hook condition.  If you connect anything that
monitors line voltage to determine on/off hook status to the CCI box,
that device will likely be confused.  I talked to CCI about this and
they claim that most devices are happy with 18V to indicate on-hook.
However, every device that *I* tried (including an AT&T answering
machine, switch box (for similar additional fake line effect), fax
machine, and phone) interpreted 18V as off-hook.

Beware that other ring decoders have similar problems.  Beware further
that several other brands are simply re-labeled CCI boxes (e.g., Black
Box).  The only unit that I could find which put out a respectable 48V
is the one sold in AT&T phone centers.  (I think it is made by
Multilink or somesuch.)  Even this device required modifications
(additional capacitors in the voltage trippler) to put out reasonable
current at 48V.


Dan Lanciani   ddl@harvard.*

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Charles "Chip" Roberson)
Subject: Re: Distinctive Ringing and Ring Detectors
Date: 29 Jan 1994 16:42:39 GMT
Organization: Alcatel Network Systems, Inc., Raleigh, NC


> Just saw an ad for a gizmo that will decipher the unique ringing cadence
> for up to four lines and route them to a specified telephone device.

I borrowed a friend's Viking PDF-2 (Phone/Data/Fax switch with
Distinctive Ringing) and it doesn't want to work with my AT&T
Answering System 1332.  According to Mike at Viking Electronic's tech.
support, AT&T doesn't like their ring signal.  (The PDF-2 answers the
line on the first ring and then generates the 'ring' back to the user
as it rings the appropriate port.)  Mike said get a new answering
machine or try their FastPath switch which provides a clear channel to
the phone port (which is where the normal ring is directed) so the
answering machine will receive the CO ring signal.  I guess the
FastPath answers the other cadences.  This apparently runs about $100.
(The PDF is about $150).

Hello Direct has a simple, four-port Ring Decipher for $89 which I'm
considering as an alternative.  Does anybody know of any other `well
behaved' devices that are reasonably (read "less expensively") priced?

Is there a dinstinctive ringing switch that can pass the CO ringing
straight through on any port?  In other words, can they just switch
the line without answering the call (going off hook) to the CO?

What about one that gives a each port a ringing signal that is similar
in quality to the CO's for a simple cadence?

Any reviews out there?


Thanks,

Chip
Alcatel Network Systems  *  2912 Wake Forest Road  *  Raleigh, NC 27609
Phone: [phone]                         FAX: [phone]
DoD #1161                [e-mail]                  o&>o

------------------------------

Date: 29 Jan 94 22:21:30 EST
From: Earle Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Telephone Nunbers in France


Richard D G Cox said that the change in French phone numbers is put
off due to complaints from users.  This I doubt, since almost no one
in France is aware of any impending change.  There is almost complete
ignorance of such questions in France, in part due to the few people
who have access to Internet.  Anyway, France Telecom does what it
wants.  There's no competition and the French just bow and obey.


 -er

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: GSM Radio Interface Security
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 09:11:16 GMT
Organization: Defence Science and Technology Organisation


Can anyone direct me to any information that quantitatively analyses
the risk of interception and spoofing on the GSM radio interface?

I am interested in any work which anybody has done to somehow quantify
how hard it would be and what resources it would take (time,
computing, equipment etc) to reverse calculate the relevant inputs of
the cryptographic algorithms (A3,A8,A5) in GSM from there outputs.

Cheers.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Hardin)
Subject: Nine Pin Jack Into Cellular Phone - Connect to Computer?
Organization: Tyrell Corp.
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 18:11:47 GMT


Hi there -

There's a port on my cellular phone that looks like a parallel port
for a computer. Is it possible to connect my computer to this port and
reprogram my phone or do some good hacks on it?


Thanks,

John

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 22:23:19 -0500
From: [e-mail] (Michel Brunet)
Subject: Problems With French Telephone in Canada
Reply-To: [e-mail]


Recently I returned from France and brought back an Alcatel telephone
with me. The telephone has a built in answering machine. After
connecting the telephone I tested some of the features. Everything
that has to do with making a call with the telephone works just fine.
However, to receive a call all I get from the telephone is a semi
ring. I'm hoping someone could explain to me why it is doing this. If
not, I would appreciate any information that anyone has on the ring
voltage used here in Canada and the ring voltage used in France.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Merci!


Michel Brunet   Ottawa (Canada)   E-Mail [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #51
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #51

TELECOM Digest     Sun, 30 Jan 94 09:33:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 51

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Modems to Merlins (Steven Warner)
    Re: Modems to Merlins (Walter Syrek)
    Re: Modems to Merlins (Charlie Mingo)
    Re: "Anonymous Call Rejection" - Could be Dangerous (Robert Endicott)
    Re: "Anonymous Call Rejection" - Could be Dangerous (Randy Gellens)
    Re: Are LATA Maps Available? ([e-mail])
    Re: Are LATA Maps Available? (David Esan)
    Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK? (Laurence Chiu)
    Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK? (Linc Madison)
    Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK? (Arthur Rubin)
    Re: Unmetered Local Service (Charles Reichley)
    Re: Unmetered Local Service (Chaim Frenkel)
    Re: Unmetered Local Service (J. D. McDonald)
    Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones (Martin McCormick)
    Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones (Jerry Leichter)
    Re: Distinctive Ringing and Ring Detectors (Dan Lanciani)
    Re: Distinctive Ringing and Ring Detectors (Charles Roberson)
    Telephone Nunbers in France (Earle Robinson)
    GSM Radio Interface Security ([e-mail])
    Nine Pin Jack Into Cellular Phone - Connect to Computer? (John Hardin)
    Problems With French Telephone in Canada (Michel Brunet)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Steven Warner <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Modems to Merlins
Organization: RTFM / beachSystems, Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 05:08:25 GMT


(Cliff Sharp) writes:

>   1.  The primary reason I want the modem there is so that I can call
> their machine and use some sort of remote-access software to figure
> out what they're doing to their poor machine when they break it.  The
> Merlin "solution" sounds to me as though I would never be able to get
> to their modem (or that the modem would answer any call that came in,
> not just mine).  Yes?  No?

Using a BTMI or a GPA (as you stated) will work.  More below.

>   2.  For some incredibly silly reason I can't talk them out of, they
> demand that the first line(s) of their hunt group remain open at all
> times possible and unused by outbound calls.  (Explaining hunting to
> them is very like teaching the proverbial pig to sing.)  From what I
> understand, the adapter either seizes the first open line or has to be
> manually routed.  How does it really work?

The GPA is plugged into a merlin set.  It picks up whatever line the
merlin phone would pick up, if you raised the handset.  The GPA must
plug into the expansion connector in the back of the phone.  It will
NOT plug directly into the switch.

The BTMI (Basic telephone and modem interface) plugs directly between
the switch and a modem, elimininating the need for a Merlin voice
terminal. The BTMI can be programed to pick up any or all lines, and
can be programed to select outgoing lines in a selection sequence much
like that of a regular set.

There are two versions of BTMI.  The BTMI-1 has a problem that if the
modem is using the line, and another line rings (that the BTMI would
normally seize), camp-on tones are fed to the modem.  This can cause a
few problems.  Modems plugged into a BTMI-1 also must dial '9' to get
outside lines.

The BTMI-2 has modes that disallow the camp-on tones, and even a mode
that will present outside lines to the modem without dialing 9.

>   3.  This whole thing sounds as though they're going to have to plug
> the adapter into a phone and route RJ-11 cable all over the office.
> Friend likes the idea now, but he's gonna change his mind when he sees
> it.  Is there any other way to do it so we can run 4-pair to the modem
> location?

See BTMI above.

>    ANY ideas are welcome, including how to explain to a wall that a
> dedicated line is his best solution.

It may or may not be. a properly connected modem interface will allow
quite functional sharing of the line.  Be aware that 9600 baud is
about as good as you will do thru this thing.


Steven Warner  (34W 36L)  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Modems to Merlins
From: [e-mail] (Walter Syrek)
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 08:39:00 -0600
Organization: C-9 Communications


I have an AT&T Merlin set on my desk at the office. It has two plugs
on the bottom, one for the line cord, one marked "other". Does anybody
know if I can plug a modem into the "other" socket?  It's a strange
size, not the same as the standard modular phone jack.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Charlie Mingo)
Subject: Re: Modems to Merlins
Date: 30 Jan 1994 01:41:21 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC


In article <[e-mail]>, Cliff Sharp <clifto@indep1.
uucp> wrote:

>   A friend is part owner of a small business using a Merlin Plus
> system.  He wants to add a modem to his coterie of computer equipment
> (and I've been trying to get him to do it for the longest time!).
> However, for some reason he feels that a dedicated line is too
> expensive and wants to hook it into his Merlin system.

>   Now, a little research turned up a general-purpose adapter that
> AT&T sells for just such use; it plugs into one of the telephones and
> provides a POTS look-alike that somehow can use any line.

While we're on that subject, my brother is trying to do exactly this
with a Northern Telecom PBX dating from the mid-1980's.

Does anyone know if Northern Telecom sells a similar POTS-line
adaptor?  Any idea how much it would be or where one would find it?

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Robert Endicott)
Subject: Re: "Anonymous Call Rejection" - Could be Dangerous
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 05:22:47 GMT


Mark Crispin ([e-mail]) wrote:

> I just saw in an electronics toy catalog (Danmark or one of those) a
> Caller ID box that implements something like Anonymous Call Rejection
> as its own feature.  If you enable it, it automatically answers the
> call and plays a refusal message, than hangs up.

> What I see as different between this box and the telco's feature:

> 1) You don't have to beg the ACLU for this feature, after having begged them
>    for CNID.
> 2) No monthly charge beyond the CNID.
> 3) You need to wire the box in series with all your extensions, otherwise
>    you won't get the ring suppression on the other ones.
> 4) I doubt that it interacts well with Call Waiting.
> 5) The ability to set the refusal message (I don't know if this particular
>    box has it, but doubtless others will).  Big win.

I have solved the problem by putting a computer with a telephone
interface board on the line. It answers the phone line and sounds just
like an answering machine, and takes a message if the caller leaves
one.

HOWEVER, anyone I want to be able to get through. I tell them to
touchtone a code during the outgoing message and it will interrupt the
message and ring my phone.  NOONE I don't know, ever knows that there
is a way to get through.  If the call is valid, I return the call.

Since I've programmed it myself, I can have as many codes as I want.


Robert Endicott

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: 30 JAN 1994 11:01 GMT
Subject: Re: "Anonymous Call Rejection" - Could be Dangerous


[e-mail] writes:

> Also note that telco can elect to turn on supervision when
> connecting to the ACR announcement, so the call will be considered
>"completed" for billing purposes.

Do any telcos do this?  How appalling.  It violates the basic assumption
of intercepts.


Randall Gellens           [e-mail]|
A Series System Software
Unisys Corporation        [Please forward bounce messages|
Mission Viejo, CA.        to: [e-mail]]|


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Not really. Intercepts assume no useful
information was passed to the caller, where with anonymous call rejection
the information being passed tells the caller that the called party does
not wish to speak with them since the caller is not known to them. It
might be looked at as a way of saying 'I do not speak to strangers'.
Unlike no such number, no circuit or out of order intercepts where the
lack of communication is not the fault of the caller or called party,
in this instance the called party is plainly saying that he refuses to
communicate. Telco's posture seems to be they do not wish to be in the
middle of a possible dispute between the parties, etc.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 09:52:21 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Are Lata Maps Available?
Organization: AT&T


I received a National Lata Map at a trade show two years ago (believe
it was COMNET)

Anyway the company name and address on the bottom of the map is:

CCMI
Suite 1100
11300 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852-3030
Phone [phone] ext 835.

I don't know if they are still in business but it might be worth a try
if you're still looking for a lata map.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Esan)
Subject: Re: Are LATA Maps Available?
Date: 30 Jan 94 05:13:44 GMT
Organization: Moscom Corporation, Pittsford NY


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

> in most states there is only one LATA.

Not true.  Most states (and provinces) have more than one LATA.
Attached are a list of states/provinces and the number of LATAs
associated with them.

AK 1        VT 1    NJ 4        MI 6    LA 8        OH 10
DC 1        CT 2    NM 4        MS 6    NE 8        TN 10
DE 1        NS 2    NV 4        PR 6    NY 8        FL 11
HI 1        ON 2    WA 4        UT 6    SC 8        IN 11
MB 1        AB 3    WV 4        KS 7    AL 9        NC 12
ME 1        BC 3    AZ 5        KY 7    IA 9        PA 12
NB 1        MA 3    ID 5        MT 7    SD 9        VA 12
NF 1        PQ 3    OR 5        OK 7    WI 9        CA 14
NH 1        MD 4    WY 5        CO 8    MN 10        IL 18
RI 1        ND 4    AR 6        GA 8    MO 10        TX 20
SK 1

The LATAs in NY, where I live, include:

132 - NYC
133 - Hudson Valley
134 - Albany
136 - Syracuse
138 - Binghamton
140 - Buffalo
921 - Fisher's Island (Independant)
974 - Rochester Telephone (Independant)

The names associated with these places are just the large city in
those LATAs.  LATA 140 includes all of Western NY from Rochester (but
not including Rochester) to the west, and three exchanges in Pennsylvania.


David Esan      [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Laurence Chiu)
Subject: Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK?
Date: 29 Jan 1994 23:10:42 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access, California
Reply-To: [e-mail]


In article <[e-mail]>, John R. Grout wrote:

> 1.  How would 800 Directory Assistance (which, for the benefit of
> readers outside North America, is 800-555-1212), handle calls coming
> through USA Direct?  I can imagine an AT&T operator asking such a
> person "what area code are you calling from?", as they often do here,
> and the conversation taking a turn for the worse.

I don't know about 800 Directory assistance but on the few occasions I
used USA Direct to make calls when I didn't know the number, I would
hang on and wait for an operator. They knew what country I was calling
from based on the line I guess. When I asked for directory assistance
they would call that area's DA and identify themselves as AT&T and get
the number for me and then connect me.


Laurence Chiu          Walnut Creek, California
Tel: [phone](wk)  Internet: [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Linc Madison)
Subject: Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK?
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 09:06:37 GMT


Another point to mention is that (although every PTT in the world will
deny it until they're blue in the face) the fact is, from many places
you can simply dial +1-800-whatever, and the call *will* go through,
at normal international rates.  It isn't supposed to work, they don't
want you to think it will work, but I have done it myself.  I remember
slugging Australian dollars into a callbox in the middle of the Outback.


Linc Madison  *  Oakland, California  *  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: How to Phone US 0800 Numbers From the UK?
From: [e-mail] (Arthur Rubin)
Date: 30 Jan 94 03:12:56 GMT
Organization: Beckman Instruments, Inc.


In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John R.
Grout) writes:

> 1.  How would 800 Directory Assistance (which, for the benefit of
> readers outside North America, is 800-555-1212), handle calls coming
> through USA Direct?  I can imagine an AT&T operator asking such a
> person "what area code are you calling from?", as they often do here,
> and the conversation taking a turn for the worse.

Correct answer (to what area code are you calling from?): How should I
know?  (I once called 800 information from a SkyPhone (TM).)


Arthur L. Rubin: [e-mail] (work) Beckman Instruments/Brea
[e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail] (personal)

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 08:59:03 EST
From: Charles Reichley <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Unmetered Local Service
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: IBM Federal Systems Company (for now)- Manassas, VA USA


For MOST things in this world, we all pay the same price regardless of
how much we use it.  I will pay the same for a TV as you, even if you
watch your TV eight hours a day and I only watch mine for an hour a
day.  The only things which we pay for use are things that are
actually USED UP.  We pay for each gallon of heating oil, for each
gallon of water, for each kilowatt of electricity (Electricity is a
grey area -- while I can't use the same kilowatt as someone else, it
is also the case that for many generating stations, there is a minimum
output that exists and is 'wasted' if nobody uses it.  But even in
this case, the power is put somewhere and is lost).

SO the question is, is phone service something you 'use up' by the
minute, or something that is a fixed item.  Cable TV is a lot like
phone service, and I don't pay per minute for cable (well I don't have
cable, but if I did I wouldn't be paying per use).  It does cost the
cable company more if there are more people on the line, as they have
to boost the signal.  But once the signal boosters are in place, it
makes no difference whether I watch the cable or not.  In the same
way, if more people make phone calls, the phone company has to install
additional switches/lines/equipment.  But once the equipment is in
place, the cost for the phone company is the same whether I make a
phone call or not.  Maybe phone usage should be billed on a split-system,
where people are charged by the minute during times when the usage is
over 80%, but not charged when the usage is less than that.


Charles W. Reichley,   Loral/FSC???, Manassas, Va.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: How would people know which condition
was in effect at the time? Many folks would gladly wait until overall
usage dropped below a certain point in order to use the service 'for
free' if they knew what the usage was. How would you convey that?   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Chaim Frenkel)
Subject: Re: Unmetered Local Service
Date: 30 Jan 94 05:40:22 GMT
Organization: Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Lars
Poulsen) writes:

> Hahahaha hahaha ha ha ... he ho hummmm ...  Here in Denmark, local
> calls have been metered for many, many years -- by the pulse method.
> Itemized billing is NOT available, and there would be an uproar from
> office workers -- on privacy grounds -- if the telco were to start
> itemizing bills. Itemized billing, like flat rate local calling -- is
> a feature of the American telephone system; it has ended up that way
> mostly by accident. Certainly there is no logic that says subscribers
> have the right to an itemized bill. (There may, however, in many
> jurisdictions be a PUC regulation saying so.)

I would argue that the customer has every right to an itemized bill.
Consider an order placed with a mail order outfit, (or as they do in
my neighborhood, place large phone orders with the local grocery store
for delivery): would you accept only a total?

If I would have a meter at my end that would independently corrobrate
the phone company's numbers/total, you might have an argument. But as
it is you have only the phone company's word as to the correct amount.
There is no easy way to determine if the phone company is being honest
(ie design error / built-in bias :-) or whether your phone line is
being hacked/abused.


Chaim Frenkel            On contract at:
[e-mail]            [e-mail]
Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.   Bear Stearns & Co., Inc.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (J. D. McDonald)
Subject: Re: Unmetered Local Service
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 06:26:53 GMT
Organization: UIUC SCS


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Bill Pfeiffer) writes:

>> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The thing Jack Decker and other pro-
>> ponents of flat rate billing seem to forget or ignore is that in most
>> instances of measured billing, the majority of telephone subscribers
>> actually pay LESS for service than with flat rate.  A small minority
>> of the users -- mainly people with telephone intensive lifestyles such
>> as modem users -- pay more.

> Please, Pat.  That is not at all true.

I live in downstate Ill., in Champaign. At one time we had the choice
of measured or flat rates. The measured rate was clearly cheaper for
me, in fact I seem to remember $6 monthly phone bills.

Then they did away with the flat rate entirely ... everybody now has
measured rates. At the same time they raised the minimum one paid for
no calls at all, so as to be almost equal to what the previous flat
rate was. So (almost) everybody lost.


Doug McDonald

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Martin McCormick)
Subject: Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones
Organization: Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 07:58:58 GMT


    The technology to remove the DTMF tones is definitely here.
The amateur radio magazine "QST" had an introductory series of
articles, last year, about digital signal processing.  The series
featured a Texas Instruments DSP chip programmed to remove steady
tones from an audio channel.  The program simulated a filter which was
capable of removing complex, but repetitive wave forms so it could
remove several tones occurring at once from an audio signal.  The
article described what it was like to use the filter and mentioned
that it occasionally produced very strange effects when it would
mistakenly eat part of a human voice, but it generally did the job in
removing heterodynes from voice signals without effecting the voice.
Such a filter would gobble up DTMF signals without leaving anything
behind but a click.


Martin McCormick WB5AGZ   Stillwater, OK
O.S.U. Computer Center Data Communications Group

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 08:19:36 EDT
From: Jerry Leichter <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones


You know, some of the ancient Greeks would have loved this mailing
list (and the net general).  It's populated by people who, like them,
believe that sheer logic is enough to understand the world -- you don't
need any "dirty" observation.

"Everyone knows" (by simple reasoning) that replacing touchtone phones
with rotary phones won't help because "the bad guys" will just go to
Radio Shack and buy tone dialers.  "Everyone knows" (by simple
reasoning) that this whole approach just won't do anything.

Well, the {New York Times} article that reported on the change
contained information explicitly addressing both of these points.  I
don't have the article in front of me so don't recall exactly who was
quoted, but I think it was a Nynex spokesman who mentioned tone
dialers but also said that *as a matter of observed fact* few drug
dealers bother to buy or use them.  Why?  Go ask them; but they don't.

Further, in neighborhoods where rotary phones have been installed --
and remember, we are no longer just applying "pure reason", there have
been such neighborhoods for a couple of years now -- it's a matter of
*observed fact* that those phones tend not to be used as "offices" for
drug dealers.  Why?  Again, go ask the drug dealers.

Sometimes little things can have a disproportionate impact. Explaining
*why* may be very difficult, but doesn't change the result -- the world
works the way it does despite our lack of understanding of it.  I
don't know about you, but while I'm very willing to listen to reason,
I'm even more willing to look at facts.


Jerry


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Jerry, what you say makes very good sense.
We have known for years that drug dealers are not usually the smartest
people in the world (I am speaking now of the street corner salepeople,
not the wholesalers and importers). You are quite correct that time and
again in Chicago at least, when payphones have been converted to (a) one
way outgoing service; (b) calling card/collect/third party billing only
 -- no coin -- during overnight hours; and/or (c) rotary dial service the
drug dealers have simply moved elsewhere -- to phones which DO still
have unrestricted service -- to conduct business. And for most people
in the neighborhood, that's all they want is for the drug dealers to
*go somewhere else*.

I think often times people on Usenet (and some of that may rub off on
the people who participate in this group) assume all the people in the
world are of the same level of sophistication as themselves. I've
caught myself falling into that rut. From my recent observations at a
local Radio Shack store, I've noticed how many people have no idea
even how to hook a modular cord into the back of the phone on one end
and into the wall jack on the other end without it being done for them
or shown to them in detail. Smart Radio Shack salesmakers (as Tandy
likes to call them) make extra money going to customer's homes outside
of business hours as a separate thing and installing what the customer
bought that day in the store. Drug dealers do not read the {New York
Times} and they certainly do not participate in Usenet newsgroups. Drug
dealers are not too bright. *That* is probably the reason the rotary
dial/outgoing service only combo works so well in the 'war on drugs'.
The neighbors don't care who sells drugs; they just don't want the
traffic around their area. You are right ... it works!  Of course the
neighbors are not much smarter and they can't see why touch tone is
needed either so they are not inconvenienced for the most part even
if the rest of us are.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 94 00:10:02 EST
From: [e-mail] (Dan Lanciani)
Subject: Re: Distinctive Ringing and Ring Detectors


[e-mail] wrote:

> I also use AT&T's switch box (pressing #1 transfer to yet ANOTHER
> 'fake' line -- good for modems, faxes, multi answering machines, etc)
> and the multi-ring box with this little toy did not work together
> nicely (ie: MAJOR voltage problems ON the phone line).

> Just so you know the one I have is called "Ring Decipher" by Command
> Communications, Inc (Aurora, CO).

The main problem with CCI's product is that it puts out a piddling 18V
to simulate an on-hook condition.  If you connect anything that
monitors line voltage to determine on/off hook status to the CCI box,
that device will likely be confused.  I talked to CCI about this and
they claim that most devices are happy with 18V to indicate on-hook.
However, every device that *I* tried (including an AT&T answering
machine, switch box (for similar additional fake line effect), fax
machine, and phone) interpreted 18V as off-hook.

Beware that other ring decoders have similar problems.  Beware further
that several other brands are simply re-labeled CCI boxes (e.g., Black
Box).  The only unit that I could find which put out a respectable 48V
is the one sold in AT&T phone centers.  (I think it is made by
Multilink or somesuch.)  Even this device required modifications
(additional capacitors in the voltage trippler) to put out reasonable
current at 48V.


Dan Lanciani   ddl@harvard.*

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Charles "Chip" Roberson)
Subject: Re: Distinctive Ringing and Ring Detectors
Date: 29 Jan 1994 16:42:39 GMT
Organization: Alcatel Network Systems, Inc., Raleigh, NC


> Just saw an ad for a gizmo that will decipher the unique ringing cadence
> for up to four lines and route them to a specified telephone device.

I borrowed a friend's Viking PDF-2 (Phone/Data/Fax switch with
Distinctive Ringing) and it doesn't want to work with my AT&T
Answering System 1332.  According to Mike at Viking Electronic's tech.
support, AT&T doesn't like their ring signal.  (The PDF-2 answers the
line on the first ring and then generates the 'ring' back to the user
as it rings the appropriate port.)  Mike said get a new answering
machine or try their FastPath switch which provides a clear channel to
the phone port (which is where the normal ring is directed) so the
answering machine will receive the CO ring signal.  I guess the
FastPath answers the other cadences.  This apparently runs about $100.
(The PDF is about $150).

Hello Direct has a simple, four-port Ring Decipher for $89 which I'm
considering as an alternative.  Does anybody know of any other `well
behaved' devices that are reasonably (read "less expensively") priced?

Is there a dinstinctive ringing switch that can pass the CO ringing
straight through on any port?  In other words, can they just switch
the line without answering the call (going off hook) to the CO?

What about one that gives a each port a ringing signal that is similar
in quality to the CO's for a simple cadence?

Any reviews out there?


Thanks,

Chip
Alcatel Network Systems  *  2912 Wake Forest Road  *  Raleigh, NC 27609
Phone: [phone]                         FAX: [phone]
DoD #1161                [e-mail]                  o&>o

------------------------------

Date: 29 Jan 94 22:21:30 EST
From: Earle Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Telephone Nunbers in France


Richard D G Cox said that the change in French phone numbers is put
off due to complaints from users.  This I doubt, since almost no one
in France is aware of any impending change.  There is almost complete
ignorance of such questions in France, in part due to the few people
who have access to Internet.  Anyway, France Telecom does what it
wants.  There's no competition and the French just bow and obey.


 -er

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: GSM Radio Interface Security
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 09:11:16 GMT
Organization: Defence Science and Technology Organisation


Can anyone direct me to any information that quantitatively analyses
the risk of interception and spoofing on the GSM radio interface?

I am interested in any work which anybody has done to somehow quantify
how hard it would be and what resources it would take (time,
computing, equipment etc) to reverse calculate the relevant inputs of
the cryptographic algorithms (A3,A8,A5) in GSM from there outputs.

Cheers.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Hardin)
Subject: Nine Pin Jack Into Cellular Phone - Connect to Computer?
Organization: Tyrell Corp.
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 18:11:47 GMT


Hi there -

There's a port on my cellular phone that looks like a parallel port
for a computer. Is it possible to connect my computer to this port and
reprogram my phone or do some good hacks on it?


Thanks,

John

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 22:23:19 -0500
From: [e-mail] (Michel Brunet)
Subject: Problems With French Telephone in Canada
Reply-To: [e-mail]


Recently I returned from France and brought back an Alcatel telephone
with me. The telephone has a built in answering machine. After
connecting the telephone I tested some of the features. Everything
that has to do with making a call with the telephone works just fine.
However, to receive a call all I get from the telephone is a semi
ring. I'm hoping someone could explain to me why it is doing this. If
not, I would appreciate any information that anyone has on the ring
voltage used here in Canada and the ring voltage used in France.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Merci!


Michel Brunet   Ottawa (Canada)   E-Mail [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #51
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #52

TELECOM Digest     Sun, 30 Jan 94 10:27:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 52

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Cellular Billing of Third Party, etc. (John R Levine)
    Re: ITU-TS (CCITT) Automated Mail Interface (Dan L. Dale)
    Re: INTERNET Connections: What's Involved? (Peter M. Weiss)
    Re: ISDN NT1 Power Source (David le Comte)
    Re: New Area Code 360 in Washington State (David Breneman)
    Re: All Wire Isn't The Same (Larry Jones)
    Re: All Wire Isn't The Same (Todd Inch)
    Re: Real Time Audio Compression (Les Reeves)
    Re: Real Time Audio Compression (David Breneman)
    Re: Shannon's Law ([e-mail])
    Re: Shannon's Law (was Re: Hayes' New Modem) (Ken Leonard)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 17:39 EST
From: [e-mail] (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: Cellular Billing of Third Party, etc.
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


> Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems in St. Louis was unable, for
> whatever reason, to bill (900) numbers, collect calls, and third-party
> billed long distance calls to cellular phones, IF the call went
> through a long-distance carrier.

> my assumption is that ANI just doesn't work on some (all?) cellular
> systems.

It is my understanding that cellular exchanges connect to the rest of
the phone network like PBXes.  Some look like large PBXes, e.g. my
Boston NYNEX number which is in 617-645, where the entire prefix is
cellular, and others look like small PBXes, e.g. my Vermont Atlantic
Cellular number which is in 802-296, a prefix which is mostly normal
wireline customers in White River Junction.  In the latter case, I
expect there are just a bunch of DID trunks into the local switch,
with a modest block of numbers assigned to the cellular carrier.

For the Boston number, ANI works to some extent, because they have
equal access long distance.  My long distance calls appear on a
separate Sprint bill.  (Actually, long distance calls made through
NYNEX appear on the Sprint bill, even if I make them while roaming
somewhere else, while those made from other places appear on the NYNEX
bill.)  Sprint has no trouble figuring out what number I'm calling
from, although on the bill they give no direct indication where each
call was made from, and if I care I have to match them up with the
NYNEX local bill.

I expect that NYNEX has direct trunks to the long distance carriers
for toll calls, and pass only intra-LATA calls to the local exchange.
900 calls are a particular pain, because you have to translate them to
know what the appropriate carrier is, so that the cellular switch
would have to interface to the 900 lookup system, which would be
expensive, and even worse, who knows what they'd do if the number were
handled by a carrier with which they don't have a billing arrangement.
800 requires the same lookup, but they can pass them to the local
telco via the PBX interface, even though it doesn't pass correct ANI,
since they can get away without precisely identifying the calling
number.  That's why 800 calls from cell phones tend to report a random
trunk belonging to the cellular carrier.

But I expect that another reason that you can't bill anything other
than a direct dialed call to a cellular phone is that the cellular
phone companies don't have billing arrangements with the IXCs.
Certainly, if I were a cellular carrier, I wouldn't make such arrange-
ments unless the regulators forced me to, since the small amount the
IXCs pay for billing would be unlikely to pay for grief of customer
complaints about them.

On a related note, it appears that only cellular carriers controlled
by RBOCs (and probably GTE) have to offer equal access toll calling,
due to the MFJ.  Is this true?  And are there plans to require other
cell carriers to go to equal access and/or to require that they handle
arbitrary IXC billing any time?


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 18:36 EST
From: Dan L. Dale <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: ITU-TS (CCITT) Automated Mail Interface


Thanks John ... I have used both the Gopher and direct-dial method
with success.  Would you happen to know if the IEEE or ANSI has a
similar mailserver for pulling down standards? So far so good ... I've
got RFC's, FYI's and ITU's, but no IEEE's or ANSI's. Pointers Gladly
Accepted.


Regards,

Dan Dale   [e-mail]


Forwarded Message

Date:     Sat Jan 29, 1994  3:14 pm  PDT
Source-Date: Sat, 29 Jan 94 17:07 EST
From:     John R Levine
          EMS: INTERNET / MCI ID: 376-5414
          MBX: [e-mail]

TO:     * Dan L. Dale / MCI ID: 551-7538
TO:       telecom
          EMS: INTERNET / MCI ID: 376-5414
          MBX: [e-mail]
Subject:  Re: ITU-TS (CCITT) Automated Mail Interface
Message-Id: 80940129221408/0003765414NA1EM
Source-Msg-Id: <[e-mail]>


Users directly on the Internet should note that there are easier ways
to get ITU documents than the e-mail interface.  In particular,
they're all available via gopher.  If you have a local gopher program,
gopher to info.itu.ch, at the usual gopher port number 70.

If you don't have a local gopher client program, you can telnet to
either ties.itu.ch (a VMS system) or info.itu.ch (an OSF/1 system) and
log in as gopher.  Both attempt to adapt to your terminal type; if you
have a type they don't understand they give up and log you out.
Generally you can fake them out by setting your TERM variable to ansi
or vt100.

You can get to all of the documents via gopher menus.  Once you've
found the document you want, type D for download, and it'll give you a
large menu of choices.  If you're dialed in from a PC, you'll probably
want to use zmodem or kermit to retrieve documents to your local disk.
If you're telnetted directly from a workstation, you can e-mail
documents to yourself, and, on TIES only, give it a host, login, and
password and it will FTP you the document.

For people without a direct Internet connection, e-mail to the mail
server is usually the best option.  If you don't pay your own phone
bill (or you happen to be a local phone call from Geneva) their
dial-in number is [phone], and their X.25 address is
#228468111112.

The documentation suggests that documents are available by FTP, but at
this point anonymous FTP to ties and info doesn't work.  You can use
the FTP option on their gopher server to receive files by FTP.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 09:07:17 EST
From: Peter M. Weiss <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: INTERNET Connections: What's Involved?
Organization: Penn State University


I believe you want the PDIAL document.  Here is info on how to get
it (abstracted from itself) --

From: PDIAL -07-
Subject: How People Can Get The PDIAL (This List)

EMAIL:

  From the Information Deli archive server (most up-to-date):
    To receive the current edition of the PDIAL, send email containing
    the phrase "Send PDIAL" to "[e-mail]".

    To be put on a list of people who receive future editions as they
    are published, send email containing the phrase "Subscribe PDIAL"
    to "[e-mail]".

    To receive both the most recent and future editions, send both
    messages.

    From time to time, I'll also be sending out news and happenings
    that relate to the PDIAL or The Information Deli.  To receive
    the Info Deli News automatically, send email containing the
    phrase "Subscribe Info-Deli-News" to "[e-mail]".

  From the news.answers FAQ archive:
    Send email with the message "send usenet/news.answers/pdial" to
    "[e-mail]".  For help, send the message "help" to
    "[e-mail]".

USENET:

  The PDIAL list is posted semi-regularly to alt.internet.access.wanted,
  alt.bbs.lists, alt.online-service, ba.internet, and news.answers.

FTP ARCHIVE SITES (PDIAL and other useful information):

  Information Deli FTP site:
    ftp.netcom.com:/pub/info-deli/public-access/pdial [192.100.81.100]

  As part of a collection of public access lists:
    VFL.Paramax.COM:/pub/pubnet/pdial [128.126.220.104]
    (used to be GVL.Unisys.COM)

  From the Merit Network Information Center Internet information archive:
    nic.merit.edu:/internet/providers/pdial [35.1.1.48]

  As part of an Internet access compilation file:
    liberty.uc.wlu.edu:/pub/lawlib/internet.access [137.113.10.35]

  As part of the news.answers FAQ archive:
    rtfm.mit.edu:/pub/usenet/news.answers/pdial [18.70.0.209]


([e-mail])
Peter M. Weiss         "The 'NET' never naps"             [phone]
31 Shields Bldg. -- Penn State Univ -- University Park, PA 16802-1202 USA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David le Comte)
Subject: Re: ISDN NT1 Power Source
Organization: Information Services, Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 21:16:30 GMT


[e-mail] (sohl,william h) writes:

> In article <[e-mail]>, Paul D. Guthrie
> <[e-mail]> wrote:

>> I'm looking for a couple of answers about some ISDN questions that
>> experience and Stalling's ISDN book have both left me unclear on.

>> First, a CPE can be line powered (the AT&T 7506 e.g.), but my
>> experience with NT1's are that they must be DC powered (but I've only
>> dealt with rack mounted units).  Can NT1's be line powered?

> I am unaware of any "line powering" of ISDN CPE in the USA.  Perhaps
> what is meant by "line powering" of the AT&T 7506 is that the NT-1 and
> associated power supply is located in a telephone equipment closet
> somewhere at a customer location and that is the power supply for the
> 7506.

This is quite surprising.  The standards were arranged around some
(limited) power feeding at 60V.  This power is(was) intended to supply
sufficient power to drive one (and only one) TA attached to the "S"
bus of the NT1 (2B1Q to "S" Bus interface).  The power for this
"special" device is supplied by an extra pair on the S bus reserved
for it, or by reversing the polarity of the normal power feed supplied
in Cailho fashion on the Rx and Tx pais of the "S" bus.  In this
manner, an ISDN telephone for, instance, would draw power from the
normal Cailho feed and the reserved pair, or by use of a bridge from a
reversed polarity Cailho feed.

Are you sure that a 60V feed (max current of about 20-30ma) is not
provided bu US Telcos, not even to power repeaters (if required)?
Excuse me for being scheptical, but I'm not convinced, but then I am
an Australian so "what would I know?".


David le Comte   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Breneman)
Subject: Re: New Area Code 360 in Washington State
Date: 29 Jan 1994 20:29:47 GMT
Organization: Digital Systems International, Redmond WA


[e-mail] wrote:

> I have not yet seen a map that shows exactly where the boundary
> will lie, but scuttlebutt is that the northern boundary of 206 should
> be somewhere between the King/Snohomish county line and the city of
> Everett, and the southern boundary just south of Tacoma.  The eastern
> boundary should enclose the suburbs of Seattle that are currently
> dialed toll-free from the city, but will not go all the way to the
> boundary with 509 at the crest of the Cascade mountains.  The western
> boundary should be in Puget Sound, with islands that are currently
> within the Seattle toll-free dialing area (Vashon, Bainbridge) to
> remain in 206.

I would assume therefore that islands and parts of the Peninsula that
are part of the Tacoma toll-free dialing area will be included as
well.  This would make the western boundary somewhere near North Bay
and the northern boundary roughly equivalent to the Pierce/Kitsap
county line.

Hiro Sugawara ([e-mail]) wrote:

> Just curious. I heard that all area codes have either 0 or 1 as the
> second digit and so do all special numbers such as 911 and 411. Is
> "360" possible?

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In the past, what you said was correct.

> about thirty years ago, the three digit prefixes were letters of the
                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> alphabet rather than numbers and those letters were the first three
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> letters of words. As the usable supply of those became in short supply
> exchange names were ditched in lieu of using all numbers. Time marches
> on. Who knows what our phone numbers will look like a decade from now.  PAT]

In PNB country, the rule was two letters an a number.  So, you had
BRoadway2 (tacoma) EMerson5 (seattle) ULysses8 (Gig Harbor), etc.
(although Gig Harbor was not PNB - it was the Island Empire Telephone
Company).


David Breneman                        Email: [e-mail]
System Administrator,                 Voice: 206 881-7544  Fax: [phone]
Product Development Platforms
Digital Systems International, Inc.        Redmond, Washington,  U. S. o' A.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well, I gave a hasty rendition of the
history. We went from 3L/4D to 2L/5D about 1950 or so; then about 1960
we began seeing 7D in the phone book and as the only way things were
being assigned. We had a mix of 2L/5D and 7D in the phone book from
about 1960 through the middle 1970's at which point the few remaining
(on paper only, in the directory) 2L/5D listings were expressed only as
7D.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Larry Jones)
Subject: Re: All Wire Isn't The Same
Date: 29 Jan 1994 23:11:41 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Carl
Oppedahl) writes:

> Let's define four colors - R G Y B - and with that, here is a typical
> so-called "quad" wire.

>    R  G

>    Y  B

> This is Bad Wire For Two-Line Use.  It is the cloverleaf type wire
> mentioned above.  Many Readers Have Reported Cross-Talk With Such
> Wire.

If your quad wire looks like this, it is indeed bad for two line use.
The good kind of quad wire, in addition to the cloverleaf jacket that
keeps the wires accurately positioned relative to each other, has the
wires arranged like so:

   R  B

   Y  G

(note that the yellow and black wires are reversed if you're looking
at the other end of the wire).  Arranging the wires in this
configuration prevents crosstalk as well as twisted pair does.  Since
the yellow and black wires are equidistant from the red and green
wires, any signal induced by the current running through the red wire
is exactly canceled by the signal induced by the equal but opposite
current running through the green wire and vice versa.  If you're
having a crosstalk problem with quad that has the good cloverleaf
jacket but has the pairs side by side rather than opposite, you can
fix it by ignoring the traditional color code and using opposite wires
for each pair.

Although good quad is as effective as twisted pair in preventing
crosstalk, it is more susceptible to external interference, which can
still cause problems in some cases.


Larry Jones, SDRC, 2000 Eastman Dr., Milford, OH 45150-2789
513-576-2070   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: Todd Inch <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: All Wire Isn't The Same
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 13:26:50 PST


After reading everyone's thoughts on this exciting topic, I thought
I'd better add my own.  (Read: straighten you guys out :-)

I USED to think that the solid-colored 22 AWG stuff (Red, Green,
Yellow, Black) was not twisted pairs and that the striped 24 AWG stuff
(White/Blue, Blue/White, etc.) was twisted, which is GENERALLY true,
but I've since seen quite a few exceptions.

Lots of the solid colored six-conductor stuff GTE installs (outdoor 22
AWG) is actually paired, as is some four-color underground drop cable.

Then I recently bought some cross-connect cable (no outer sheath --
for jumpering between punch blocks in phone closets) which has a
blue/white and orange/white "pair" but is actually four unpaired
conductors.  I ASKED for two-pair, but the label on the spool says "4
cond." and the pairs aren't individually twisted.

So, now I strip off a few feet of sheath from "unknown" cable and
determine for myself if the pairs are twisted or not.  The pairs
should be independantly twisted in twisted-pair cable.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 11:47:38 GMT
From: Les Reeves <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Real Time Audio Compression
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access  [phone]  [login: guest]


In article <[e-mail]>:

> I am just wondering if there is any device/algorithm which may
> compress audio in real time, and let say use e.g. 4 kHz bandwidth for
> an original audio bandwidth of 8 kHz, or likewise for higher
> bandwidth?

> To my knowledge there are such devices which compress audio signals
> and then transmitt it in digital form over a digital (radio, satellite
> or cable) link, but I never heard if that could be done over an audio
> channel itself.

I dunno about bandwidth compression via *analog* channels.

There are many different ITU recommendations regarding digital audio.
Many of these are available from the ITU's TIES (Telecom Information
Exchange Services) automated document server.

To get info on using it, send a message with the line "help" in the
message body to: [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: daveb@jaws (David Breneman)
Subject: Re: Real Time Audio Compression
Date: 29 Jan 1994 20:37:28 GMT
Organization: Digital Systems International, Redmond WA


Alfredo E. Cotroneo ([e-mail]) wrote:

> I am just wondering if there is any device/algorithm which may
> compress audio in real time, and let say use e.g. 4 kHz bandwidth for
> an original audio bandwidth of 8 kHz, or likewise for higher
> bandwidth?

There is something akin to analog audio compression - the dbx noise
reduction system.  It raises the level of audio during periods of low
volume, and reduces the level as volume builds.  In this way, you can
cram a greater dynamic range onto gawdawful recording media like
cassette tapes.  Still, there is no way to "compress" analog audio to
get a greater frequency response than the wire it's travelling down.
You have to get into the digital domain to do that.  There are types
of remote broadcast encoders used by radio stations that can split and
frequency-shift a 15 kHz audio signal and feed it down four "voice
grade" telephone lines, to be reassembled back at the station, but
substituting four lines for one isn't exactly compression!


David Breneman                        Email: [e-mail]
System Administrator,                 Voice: 206 881-7544  Fax: [phone]
Product Development Platforms
Digital Systems International, Inc.        Redmond, Washington,  U. S. o' A.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 05:58:38 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Shannon's Law


> I'm the one who originally posted this question, for those who don't
> know. It's nice to know what Shannon's law says -- if you assume a 30
> dB SNR and 3100 Hz bandwidth, the law above works out to about 31
> kilobits per second. If you happened to get a quiet channel, say, 40
> dB SNR, the equation returns about 41.2 kilobits per second. However,
> this is still quite a ways off from a full-duplex, 28.8 kbps link, or
> 57.6 kbps total transfer rate. So my question still stands: How do
> they do it? Are they assuming a particularly quiet channel? Are they
> assuming more than the standard 3100 Hz of bandwidth is available?

   Yet another statement of S's Law:  C = W.log(1 + (P/(WN)), where
W = bandwidth;  P = transmitter power;  N = noise power;  C = capacity in
bits/s.

   The important points are:

   1:   S's law is for the additive white Gaussian noise channel, not for
        any other model, so multiplicative noise, for example, is not
        taken into account.

   2:   S's law gives the capacity for arbitrarily small error rates.  That
        is, up to the Shannon rate, we can transmit with as small an error
        as we please (by increaing the power, or the bandwidth).  If we accept
        a non-zero probability of error, the Shannon rate can be exceeded.

   3:   In duplex transmission, you cannot add the rates in the two directions.
        S's law is monodirectional.

   4:   Efficient modulation and coding, can give up to 6dB extra S/N
        (e.g. high level QAM with adaptive trellis coding).

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ken Leonard)
Subject: Re: Shannon's Law (was Re: Hayes' New Modem)
Organization: GE Aerospace - VF
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 14:27:54 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Charles
Randall Yates) writes:

> I'm the one who originally posted this question, for those who don't
> know. It's nice to know what Shannon's law says -- if you assume a
> 30 dB SNR and 3100 Hz bandwidth, the law above works out to about 31
> kilobits per second. If you happened to get a quiet channel, say, 40
> dB SNR, the equation returns about 41.2 kilobits per second.

> However, this is still quite a ways off from a full-duplex, 28.8
> kbps link, or 57.6 kbps total transfer rate. So my question still
> stands: How do they do it? Are they assuming a particularly quiet
> channel? Are they assuming more than the standard 3100 Hz of
> bandwidth is available? The 57,600 bps is _not_ the bit rate on the
> telephone line -- it is the bit rate between the computer and the modem.

The bit rate on the telephone line is only 14,400 bps.

The 4:1 compression is the _maximum_ that can be achieved by the (MNP)
compression protocol.  And that maximum compression can be achieved
only for data having sufficient statistical redundancy -- compression
happens by essentially removing redundant bits and recoding the
remainder to eliminate ambiguity.

A (nearly) truly (statistically) random data stream (like an .zip or
.arc or .Z file already compressed) is usually not usefully
compressible, and the computer-to-modem useful data rate will drop to
the line rate.


Ken

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #52
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #53

TELECOM Digest     Mon, 31 Jan 94 14:45:30 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 53

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: INTERNET Connections: What's Involved? (Lars Poulsen)
    Re: Real Time Audio Compression (Ketil Albertsen)
    Re: ISDN NT1 Power Source (Bob Larribeau)
    Re: Informing Ourselves to Death (Tom Horsley)
    _Technopoly_ by Neil Postman ([e-mail])
    Brendan Update and His "Thanks" (CuD via Monty Solomon)
    How to Make a Sun Send Messages to a Pager or a GSM Phone (Jurgen Debedts)
    DID Questions (Thomas Tengdin)
    Data Over Power Lines (Stewart Fist)
    Cheap PBX For Home - Where? (Frank Keeney)
    Internet E-Mail Access in Mexico (Jeremie Kass)
    ISDN and Caller-ID (Will Martin)
    Pac Bell and the Earthquake (The Network Group)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Lars Poulsen)
Subject: Re: INTERNET Connections: What's Involved?
Organization: CMC Networ.|k Products, Copenhagen DENMARK
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 08:04:52 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail].
ca (J. Guitard) writes:

> I would like some info on what's involved in connecting to the
> Internet. At first I thought the only way to connect was through a T1
> line, but now I hear you can connect with a 9600 baud line. Someone
> told me they were connected through their local internet provider. Who
> are these local internet providers? What are the costs for these
> lines and monthly fees, etc?  Email me or post here.

Since you are posting from the computer science department of a
Canadian University, I presume that you already are Internet connected
at school, and your question is directed more towards "How can a
person get a personal Internet connection that does not depend on
Government sponsored privileges". The answer is that there are a
variety of multi-user systems with Internet access on which you can
get accounts.

At the low end, there are bulletin boards, such as FIDONET systems
that are often operated on a free volunteer basis, although the owners
will be happy to accept a small donation to offset their costs.  These
systems tend to have only electronic mail connections to the Internet.
You can connect to these systems using modems from 1200 bps to 14400
bps.

In a way, the large North American BBS systems, like CompuServe,
Genie, America Online or Prodigy represent the same idea taken to the
utmost. While these systems have local access numbers, even in middle-
sized cities, they tend to have more information available but at a
higher cost. Typically, at least USD 5 / hour. They also have
email-only connections to the Internet, although this is slowly
beginning to change.

The next step up, tends to be community organized Unix systems. Often
these will give you a full unix shell, and many of them have full
Internet connections.  You can connect to these systems using modems
from 1200 bps to 14400 bps. A widely circulated list of these systems
is known as the PDIAL list.  In the larger cities, it is not unusual
to be able to get an account that allows you 20 hours of connect time
for USD 20 per month or USD 75 for unlimited access. On the other
hand, if it takes a long distance call to connect to it, the telephone
charges will cost much more than the service. Indeed, some systems are
totally funded on kickbacks from long distance carriers.

In both of the above examples, your connection would be a plain
terminal connection. The Internet service extends only to the access
node, and after FTP-ing a file to the access node, you would have to
download it to your own PC or Mac using the file transfer features of
your terminal program (Kermit, Zmodem etc). For a bit more money, your
could have your own machine become a real Internet node while you are
online, using a link protocol such as SLIP or PPP. This will allow you
to use the newer "Information Navigators" such as Mosaic, and also to
FTP directly to your hard disk. Unless your connection is full-time,
you will still need to keep your mailbox on the (unix) access host,
although you can use a nicer client (such as Eudora) to download it
transparently when you connect up. These connections are generally at
14400 bps. Because the service provider needs to install more
equipment and usually ends up needing to give more support to these
users, this service is more expensive than login service. Typical
rates would be $200 per month for unlimited access. (If you can get to
the access port with a "free" local call from home, this is a very
economical way to become a "real" network node.)

Finally, you can attach a whole cluster of systems on a local area
network (LAN) to the Internet, either in dial-on-demand mode, or on a
full-time leased line. Such access can be at any speed from 9600 bps
to T-3 depending on your needs and budget. This class of service is
generally of interest to businesses. Service on a 56kbps access line
is generally available for USD 1000 per month at any long distance
carrier's point of presence (POP); i.e. you have to add the cost of a
leased line to that point.

There is a whole industry of network service providers, ranging from
the above mentioned FIDOnet amateurs to specialized carriers with
annual sales of tens of millions of dollars. Some of them are local
co-operatives, often affiliated with local colleges. Some are regional
carriers, originally founded as groups of colleges banding together to
link up the schools to NSF-net, and later opening up membership to
businesses and individuals. Some of these have expanded to offer
service anywhere in the US. And some are spin-offs from telephone
companies.

Since there are literally hundreds of vendors, I can only mention a
few of the large ones:

   PSI.COM - Performance Systems International, in Troy, NY
    and with a sales office in Tyson's Corner, VA
   ALTER.NET - UUNET Technologies, in VA
    and with a Canadian branch in Ontario
   ANS.NET - Advanced Networks and Services, in Elmsford, NY

Both PSI and ALTERnet offer everything from dialup-login to leased
line packet service. ANS tends to go after the very large customers.


Lars Poulsen            Internet E-mail: [e-mail]
CMC Network Products        Phone: (011-) [phone]
Hvidovre Strandvej 72 B    Telefax:      [phone]
DK-2650 Hvidovre, DENMARK    Internets: designed and built while you wait

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ketil Albertsen,TIH)
Subject: Re: Real Time Audio Compression
Organization: T I H / T I S I P
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 09:33:00 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, daveb@jaws (David Breneman)
writes:

> [...]  Still, there is no way to "compress" analog audio to
> get a greater frequency response than the wire it's travelling down.

Quite a few years ago, I read about experiments done in Eastern
Europe: They have (had?) almost exclusively AM broadcast transmitters.
Researchers were investigating alternatives for obtaining better sound
quality in a cheaper way than building up an all-new FM transmitter
network.

The research showed that the human ear is surprisingly insensitive to
small frequency variations in the higher harmonics -- any frequency in
the approximately correct range will be subjectively perceived as
overtones.

Also, while US AM broadcasts have a 9 kHz bandwidth, European ones
have only a 6 kHz bandwidth (Are these figures correct? I believe so,
but this is really too far away from my field of expertize!). This
applies to the consumer (and studio) equipment, though -- the
transmission equipment is "international", capable of handling 9 kHz.

So the following solution was tried: Anything below 5.5 kHz was
transmitted as before. Frequencies from 6.5 to 20 kHz was split into a
dozen frequency bands. The *total* energy in each band steered the
level of a *pure tone* transmitted in 6.5-9 kHz range, like the stereo
pilot tone, but each band had its pilot tone. Obviously, the pilot
tones where more closely spaced than the bands, in order to fit into
2.5 kHz!

An old 6 kHz receiver would filter the pilot tones away. A new HiFi
receiver would contain a dozen of white noise generators (with a
frequency range limited to the corresponding frequency band) whose
intensity was directly steered by the pilot tone for that band.
Listening tests indicated that the perceived music reproduction
quality was, although not quite as good as FM, dramatically improved.

I never heard of this system being put into use, though. At time of
writing it was not yet clear whether a sufficiently high percentage of
consumer receivers in use actually did filter away everything above 6
kHz - if not, the listeners would be hearing a lot of high pitched
noise, making it unacceptable. It could also be that the filters and
white noise generators necessary in new HiFi receivers to exploit the
higher quality sound turned out to be too expensive to be acceptable.
Or it could be that the AM sensitivity to environment noise made it
less interresting, after all.

Yet, these experiments did show one (more or less) viable approach,
from a technical point of view, to analog sound compression to lower
bandwidth requirements.

------------------------------

From: Bob Larribeau <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: ISDN NT1 Power Source
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 11:14:05 -0800


> [e-mail] (sohl,william h) writes:

>> In article <[e-mail]>, Paul D. Guthrie
>> <[e-mail]> wrote:

>>> I'm looking for a couple of answers about some ISDN questions that
>>> experience and Stalling's ISDN book have both left me unclear on.
>
>>> First, a CPE can be line powered (the AT&T 7506 e.g.), but my
>>> experience with NT1's are that they must be DC powered (but I've only
>>> dealt with rack mounted units).  Can NT1's be line powered?

>> I am unaware of any "line powering" of ISDN CPE in the USA.  Perhaps
>> what is meant by "line powering" of the AT&T 7506 is that the NT-1 and
>> associated power supply is located in a telephone equipment closet
>> somewhere at a customer location and that is the power supply for the
>> 7506.

> This is quite surprising.  The standards were arranged around some
> (limited) power feeding at 60V.  This power is(was) intended to supply
> sufficient power to drive one (and only one) TA attached to the "S"
> bus of the NT1 (2B1Q to "S" Bus interface).  The power for this
> "special" device is supplied by an extra pair on the S bus reserved
> for it, or by reversing the polarity of the normal power feed supplied
> in Cailho fashion on the Rx and Tx pais of the "S" bus.  In this
> manner, an ISDN telephone for, instance, would draw power from the
> normal Cailho feed and the reserved pair, or by use of a bridge from a
> reversed polarity Cailho feed.

> Are you sure that a 60V feed (max current of about 20-30ma) is not
> provided bu US Telcos, not even to power repeaters (if required)?
> Excuse me for being scheptical, but I'm not convinced, but then I am
> an Australian so "what would I know?".

I am going to finally give in to temptation and jump into this one.
You must remember that in the U.S. we use the U-interface, which is a
two-wire local loop interface.  The U-interface, as implemented in the
U.S., does not provide power from the network.  Powering is the
customer's responsibility.

There are various options that customers in the U.S. can use for
providing power to the T-interface.  T-interface ISDN telephones in
the U.S. commonly use this customer provided line power as their power
source.  Many ISDN data terminal do not use the T-interface line power
but use a separate power receptacle.

Hope this helps.  I understand that from your perspective we always
get things upside down:-)


Bob

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tom Horsley)
Subject: Re: Informing Ourselves to Death
Date: 31 Jan 1994 13:39:39 GMT
Organization: Harris Computer Systems Division


I am glad to see this response by George Gilder, he said it better
than I could.

When I read Postman's comments, I was reminded of a character
described in Arthur C. Clarke's book "The Fountains of Paradise". He
was talking about some 18th century professional quack (who's name I
forget), who went around opposing things like trains with a bunch of
psuedo science babble about how the breathtaking speed would be bound
to psycologically damage the travellers.


domain: [e-mail]       USMail: Tom Horsley
                                               511 Kingbird Circle
                                               Delray Beach, FL  33444


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I did not get quite the same impression
of Postman's speech that you and Gilder recieved. I do not think
Postman said computers were dangerous, only that they could be misused
and too much reliance could be placed in them. At least one other person
enjoyed Postman's meditation, as the next letter in this issue will
reveal.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: _Technopoly_ by Neil Postman
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 15:20:08 EST
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean VA 22102


For those of you who liked Neil Postman's "Informing Ourselves to
Death" you might like to know that it is revised and included as a
chapter in his book _Technopoly, The Surrender of Culture to
Technology_ published in 1993 by Vintage/Random House, ISBN
0-679-74540-8 in paperback.  I found it to be a relatively quick and
enjoyable read. Your mileage may vary.


DW

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 01:43:27 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: Brendan Update and his "Thanks"


FYI.  Excerpt from Cu Digest #6.11

  Date: Sat, 29 Jan 94 21:09:22 PST
  From: [e-mail](Sun Ming Lieu)
  Subject: File 1--Brendan Update and his "thanks"

((MODERATORS' NOTE: The following update on Brendan Kehoe, author of
ZEN AND THE ART OF THE INTERNET, CuD ftp archmeister, and
cyberdenizen, is great news. We've also received two posts from him,
and he sends along "THANKS" for all the posts.  We mailed off the
collection of e-wishes this week, and thanks to all those who
contributed)).

Brendan continues to make phenomenal progress in the last few days.
His neurologist says that she has not seen a case like this in 12
years of practice.

The hospital is letting Brendan out on extended passes, and so he has
been visiting the hotel where his mother and brother are staying,
eating out, and other outings.  He will be moving to the Spaulding
Center at Mass General in Boston on Tuesday (Feb 1).  The injury to
his ear was not as serious as originally expected - he can hear from
it and it is okay for him to fly.

I talked with Brendan for about 10 minutes by phone today.  He and
Jeff sprung it on me when Jeff called and was I surprised!  Brendan
just came on the line saying "This friend of mine who is working in
California thinks you would like to talk to me" and started to talk up
a storm.  He's been reading his mail and kept talking about how much
g++ traffic there has been and how eager he is to go back to work.  He
sounded happy and excited.  We talked about the weather in
Philadelphia, flying first class, living closer to the office so he
wouldn't have to commute from Santa Cruz, the earthquake in Southern
California, and so on ...

Brendan wants to be done with the 2-3 weeks in Spaulding and be back
in California as soon as possible -- he says end of February, although
everyone is telling him to hold his horses and not count on it quite
so soon.  Does he know something we don't?


Sun Ming

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jurgen Debedts)
Subject: How to Make a Sun Send Messages to a Pager or a GSM Telephone
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: B.I.M.
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 08:16:28 GMT


I'm looking for something quite special:

We would want to have our Sun, (which is running critical
applications), dial-out to a semascript pager to tell the sysadmin
something is wrong. Typically, we have some sort of contool, which
send a certain fixed message for a certain error-situation. This
messages would then in fact be send to a modem that dials up a
semascript pager, and passes on the error.

In our dreams we would like to go even further, and have the Sun dial
up a GSM telephone, and have the Sun speak to the sysadmin saying that
there is a problem. (pre-recorded fixed messages). In this case, we
thought of have a modem that directly dials up a GSM mobile telphone.
But there are some problems to be solve with this: for example, a GSM
will not give a Carrier Detect, only a connect signal. Anybody delt
with this kind of problems before?

Does anybody out there know of software that does one of these two
things, or does anybody have some tips, or thoughts he or she would
like to share with me?  (Like which modems could we use, etc)
The software may be commercial or public domain.

I would greatly appreciate any feedback.

Thanks in advance.


Regards,

Debedts Jurgen
e-mail : [e-mail] (or uunet!mcsun!ub4b!sunbim!jdb)
BIM sa-nv   Kwikstraat, 4   B-3078 Everberg Belgium

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 23:34:33 -0800
From: Thomas Tengdin <[e-mail]>
Subject: DID Questions


Can anyone tell me how DID lines pass the number down the trunk?

Either an explanation or a pointer to an old issue of the Digest would
be great.


Tnanks,

T3

------------------------------

Date: 31 Jan 94 07:37:08 EST
From: Stewart Fist <[e-mail]>
Subject: Data Over Power Lines


Thomson, under the RCA brand, has just released a product that allows
you to plug a telephone into the power lines and use it as an
extension line within a house or building.  This should allow data
over power lines between two PCs.

The product is called Intelejack.  The master control unit costs about
US$150, and the extender about half as much.  The phone/modem plugs
into this extender using a normal RJ11 plug.  You can have any number
of extenders for voice use.  You could probably connect Macs over this
system using PhoneNet, if it isn't too noisy.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Frank Keeney)
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 10:26:08 -0800
Subject: Cheap PBX For Home - Where?
Organization: Calcom Communications, [phone]


I'm looking for an inexpensive PBX system for my home. Something that
will work with two or more CO lines and more than five extensions.

Anybody know where I can find something like this?


Frank Keeney                   | E-mail  [e-mail]
115 W. California Blvd., #411  | Fidonet 1:102/645
Pasadena, CA 91105-1509 USA    | UUCP    hatch!calcom!frank
                               | FAX     [phone]
                               | Voice Mail [phone] x402
* Origin: yume no naka ni... (1:102/645)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jeremie Kass)
Subject: Internet E-mail Access in Mexico
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 8:41:31 EST


Does anyone know if it's possible to get access either via a radio
modem or some other way to Internet e-mail.  This is just temporarily,
while I'll be vacationing for a week.  I believe the resort is on the
western (Pacific) coast.

Thanks a lot,


Jeremie

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 12:40:16 CST
From: Will Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: ISDN and Caller-ID


Exactly how does ISDN interact with the legal issues surrounding
Caller-ID?

It is my understanding that making an ISDN connection involves setting
up a header packet or some such initial-connection datastream in which
both the destination and the originator are identified, and that this
identification can have several levels of detail, ranging from nothing
more than the bare phone numbers to a more elaborate chunk of data
that includes free-form text such as a name. If this is true, the
following questions arise:

1) Is the content of this datastream totally under the control of the
caller, or does the telco switch insert its own identifier of the
caller in there somewhere?

2) Can the caller put in false data to make the recipient believe that
the call is coming from somewhere other than it is really originating,
or does the callee use that originator data to establish the return
path, and so providing false data would do nothing but make the
complete ISDN circuit un-creatable? That is, the caller is calling
from site "x", but falsifies the data to say he's calling from site
"y". The callee then tries to respond to site "y" but they're not even
up and on-line, so no connection ever gets established. (What would
happen if site "y" WAS up and on-line, but already communicating with
somebody else? Is there an ISDN equivalent of a busy signal that would
be presented to him?)

3) In states where caller-ID is illegal, is any of this changed? Or
does the telco providing ISDN ignore that or claim that this ISDN data
does not meet the definition of "Caller-ID" as far as the law is
concerned?

I have a basic ignorance of ISDN details, so if all of this is
nonsense as far as real ISDN is concerned, please set me straight! :-)


Regards,

Will      If header address doesn't work, try:
[e-mail] OR [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 14:22:00 EST
From: The Network Group <[e-mail]>
Subject: Pac Bell and the Earthquake


A few days after the CA earthquake, Pac Bell started running full page
ad's in the {L.A. Times} offering assistance to displaced businesses
and promoting free installation of business service in homes of
employees to promote telecommuting.

 They offer *FREE* install of Centrex, Business Voice Mail, Call
Forwarding, ISDN and Switched 56. Hummm. I called their 800 number
1800-303-0309 for more information and spoke with a very knowledgable
data specialist re DDs56 & IS DN.

Apparently for $29.95 + tax per month you can get an ISDN line that is
Basic Rate Interface (2B+D). He quoted the maximum price that includes
to B 56Kbps channels + the 9.6 Packet channel on the D. I believe that
the normal installation was somewhere around $800!

I am tempted to go for it, but a little short this week in coming up
with 400 bucks for the ISDN phone.

I asked the technician if Feature Group A Special Access circuits were
also included in the promotion and he said no.

For those that are interested, this promotion is good for orders
placed on or before 2/17/94 in area codes 818 and surrounding codes --
Northern CA does not apply, nor does San Diego.

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #53
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
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To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #54

TELECOM Digest     Tue, 1 Feb 94 09:37:30 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 54

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    FCC $crews Pac Bell in PCS Race (Van Hefner)
    More Information on CSInt'l Dial-Back Service (Wolf Paul)
    What is Datex-M? (Dave Pattison)
    Business Phone System Questions (Daniel Neil Roberts)
    BBS Getting Internet Mail (Marcus Blankenship)
    NT-Meridian vs AT&T (Jeff Bennington)
    Audio Compression -> apt-X (Lauren Weinstein)
    Telephone Service During the Quake (Lauren Weinstein)
    Clipper Petition  (Dave Banisar)
    Discount Long-Distance Digest (Van Hefner)
    Administrivia: Mail to the Digest (TELECOM Digest Editor)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 94 03:35:41 EST
Subject: FCC $crews Pac Bell in PCS Race


Pacific Telesis May Be Unplugged from New Market
By Clint Swett,  {The Sacramento Bee}, Calif.
Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News

Jan. 31 -- A little known decision issued last month by the Federal
Communications Commission has enraged Pacific Telesis and could hobble
the company in its bid to become a major player in what promises to be
the next generation of wireless communications.

The FCC is expected to formalize a decision today to award a free
license to Cox Enterprises to serve the lucrative Southern California
market with Personal Communications Services (PCS).

Two other companies also were awarded free licenses -- one to serve New
York, which is considered the most lucrative franchise in the nation,
and the other to serve Washington, D.C.

PCS, a type of cellular phone technology, involves low-power wireless
communications that some experts say will cost about half of what
cellular does today yet offer more features. They predict that PCS
technology could in a few years make wireless phones as common as
standard phones are today.

Cox, a media conglomerate based in Atlanta, was handed one of two
licenses to be awarded in Southern California -- considered one of the
crown jewels of the wireless communications market. The other will be
sold at an auction scheduled for May.

All the heavyweights in the communications industry -- including AT&T,
the regional Bells and MCI -- are expected to join the bidding,
driving the price for the remaining license toward $1 billion.

What irks Pacific Telesis Group officials is that while it slugs it
out for the lone remaining Southern California license, Cox paid
nothing for its franchise.

"It's not just unfair to us, it's unfair to any other competitor,"
said PacTel spokesman Michael Runzler.

He said that by receiving a free license, Cox gains a huge advantage
over its potential competitors, who must recoup the hundreds of
millions they will spend on buying one of the coveted licenses.

In addition, Cox gets a head start in deploying its PCS network
because it already knows it has won a license, while other companies
must wait for the May auction.

Cox's windfall came as a result of an FCC rule called "Pioneer
Preference."  Under that rule, companies were invited to demonstrate
innovative technologies that would further the advance of PCS. Of the
50 that applied, three were chosen and awarded lucrative licenses.
PacTel was among the 47 that lost out.

Cox, which owns cable television systems in San Diego, Bakersfield,
Santa Barbara and Eureka, demonstrated a technology in which wireless
phone conversations could be sent to and from devices attached to
their cable lines. The signals would be routed through the lines to
phone switching equipment and then out to the phone network.

"I think we deserve that leg up based on the testing (and development)
we did, " said David Andersen, Cox's vice president of corporate
affairs. "Our device allows us to use infrastructure of existing cable
TV systems to provide service in a cost-efficient and expeditious
way."

He said Cox has not determined when it will deploy its PCS technology.
More than 2,000 smaller, less powerful licenses remain to be awarded
throughout the country. But only two licenses for the 30 megahertz
blocks of the radio spectrum -- which can carry the most information
and handle the most customers -- will be issued for each of 49 major
metropolitan areas. And Cox has one of four for California already
sewn up.

Winning 30 megahertz licenses in Southern California and Northern
California is especially important for PacTel, said Michael Killen, a
telecommunications consultant in Palo Alto.

With one of the four licenses for those areas already gone, its
chances have decreased, he said.

Killen, who advises companies on strategies to follow when bidding for
PCS licenses, said since PacTel has avoided branching into other
geographic areas, it must retain leadership in its backyard.

"The next growth area in the telephone business, the next generation
of phone service, will be PCS," Killen predicted. "If they don't win
that license they will be prohibited from competing for the next
generation of growth business."

In fact, when PacTel decided to spin off its cellular business into a
separate company, one of the factors driving that decision was that
cellular companies will be prohibited from getting the coveted 30
megahertz licenses in areas they already serve with cellular.

"That 30 megahertz has so much spectrum and covers such a big area,
whoever gets the 30 has incredible advantage over its competitors,"
Killen said.

Runzler of PacTel wouldn't go that far, but did allow, "The 30
megahertz frequencies are what we're most interested in."

The pioneer preference awards could face court challenges, industry
experts predict. PacTel already has written a letter to the FCC,
disputing the decision on the basis that the winners allegedly made
improper contact with FCC commissioners.

"Challenges could occur," predicted PacTel's Runzler, who said the company
would await the FCC's final decision before making any further decisions.

Another PacTel complaint centers on the loss of revenue to the federal
government that comes from handing out licenses that could be auctioned
off for more than $2 billion.

"It's unfair to taxpayers who have a right to think that the deficit
is going to go down," Runzler said. He said PacTel's pioneer preference
application included a provision that all winners pay a basic price for
the frequencies they receive.

But Rodney Small, an economist at the FCC's division of frequency
allocation, said the recent federal budget bill directed the FCC to
award the pioneer preferences according to merit, and without regard
to potentially lost revenue.

                       -----------------

(Geez, what a rip-off! We are serviced by Cox Cable here in Eureka, CA
and I'm pretty sure Cox isn't the least bit interested in serving US
with PCS!  We're also served by Pac Bell here as well, and I'm sure
our area isn't 'lucrative' enough for them either. Why is it these
'pioneers' are being given the most financially lucrative cities to
operate in? It's not like those areas really NEED improved, and
expanded services. Great, my tax dollars are going to be spent on
subsidizing a poor company like Cox Cable to provide state-of-the-art
expanded communications services to a bunch of 'communications
spoiled' areas like New York, L.A., and D.C.  Meanwhile I get
sub-standard, overpriced CATV service from Cox, and Pac Bell says that
POSSIBLY we'll have ISDN service available in my area in late 1996!
And their target dates are are always a bit on the optimistic side! Oh
well, just another collapsed overpass on country's information
superhighway).


Van Hefner   Vantek Communications   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Wolf Paul)
Subject: More Information on CSInt'l Dial-Back Service
Organization: Alcatel Austria Research Centre
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 13:00:49 GMT


After Pat commented that the service he represents (Telepassport) has
a monthly minimum usage charge, I sent a query to Michael D. Beatty of
Communication Services International. Here is part of my query and his
reply:

Me:  > 1. Your information file does not say whether there is some setup
Me:  > charge for an account with you, or some fixed monthly charge or
Me:  > monthly minimum usage charge. Pat Townsend pointed out that the
Me:  > US Fibercom TelePassport service he sells has a monthly minimum charge
Me:  > of $25, "use it or lose it"; does your service have such charges?

MDB:   Comments:  there is no charge to set up an account, and a charge of
MDB:   $27.50 minimum per month for usage and to encourage such.

I also pointed out to him, and will point out in this forum that in
many countries a consumer would get charged for the initial call to
the dial-back provider, even though there would never be a connection
established.

To use Austria as an example, only the newer digital switches have
call supervision, on the older switches you get charged for a local
call from the time you pick up the receiver, and for the long distance
call from the time you finish dialling. Since you'd get charged for at
least one full minute for such a call, using a dial-back service for
individual short calls seems to be rather uneconomical. As Pat said,
it's not for small-time users.

Similarly, BTW, it is no longer cheaper to call the US from Austria
using USA-Direct (at least the AT&T variety) than calling at PTT
rates.  (But at least there is no monthly minimum charge on an AT&T
card).


Regards,

Wolf N. Paul, Computer Center      [e-mail]
Alcatel Austria Research Center  [phone] (w)
Ruthnergasse 1-7                   [phone] (fax)
A-1210 Vienna-Austria/Europe        [phone] (h)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dave)
Subject: What is Datex-M?
Date: 1 Feb 1994 12:38:34 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Dave)


Can anyone tell me anything about Datex-M?

I know it's something developed by Deutsche Bundespost Telekom, and
that it is ATM-based, but I'd like more information, such as for
instance service details, AVAILABILITY and pricing.


Thanks,

Dave Pattison   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Daniel Neil Roberts)
Subject: Business Phone System Questions
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 00:31:06 GMT


I have been suddenly put in charge of finding a phone system for one
of our offices in Florida and hoped that I could get some advice from
this group about evaluating systems. In general, I want the following:

 -About 30 extensions and 16 incoming lines with capacity to grow at
least double.

 -Hands free operation on all extension phones, display on about 12 of
them.

 -All of what I take to be the standard goodies such as call groups,
follow-me forwarding, a good operator console, smart "holds", etc.

I won't bore you with the details of my requirements as dictated to
me, but I was wondering if any readers here could reccomend particular
vendors or models or tell me which ones to avoid.

For reference, they have apparently been given a quote for a TelRad
digital key pbx and a digital Legend (Merlin) AT&T system, both
including voice mail.  Both of the quotes were delivered without any
formal requirements analysis that I am aware of, and both of them are
in the $23k to $25k range. I don't know if these prices are even
within a mile of reasonable yet ...

Any advice will be appreciated, email is fine.


D. Neil Roberts   [e-mail]  CI$:17051,1073   [e-mail]
Child Health Systems,Inc. 1909 S. Highland #100C Lombard, IL 60148

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 16:26:22 PST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: BBS Getting Internet Mail


A friend and I are looking into setting up a BBS that we would like to
have access to Internet e-mail.  Just something where once/twice a day
we connect to a host and send/get messages out the gate.  Is this
possible/available/done anywhere else?

If this is not, just how much overhead is required to hook up with a full
connection? Leased line?


Marcus Blankenship        Alpha-Telcom Inc
Payphone Tech.            Grants Pass, OR


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: No leased or other special lines are
needed. There are BBS software packages available -- many for free --
which have a UUCP-style interface built into them which allows the
BBS to call and exchange mail/news with some other site. Waffle is
one such program, and there is a newsgroup devoted to it.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jeff Bennington)
Subject: NT-Meridian vs AT&T
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Jeff Bennington)
Organization: Mellon Capital Management Corp., San Francisco
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 04:42:41 GMT


My company is about to choose either an AT&T Generic 3i or a Northern
Telecom Meridian-1/Option 11 PBX as a replacement for our Isotek/228
switch.

If you have personal experience with either PBX (ups, downs, gotchas,
etc.) and/or integration experience with an Octel ASPEN (Branch XL) or
VMX-200 voice messaging platform with either of these PBXs please let
me know.

Also, if you've worked with PacTel/Meridian, or AT&T and can comment
on their service/support, please let me know.

Please reply via email:  [e-mail]


Many thanks!

Jeff Bennington, Systems Administrator    [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 19:03:00 PST
From: [e-mail] (Lauren Weinstein)
Subject: Audio Compression -> apt-X


A realtime (hardware-based) digital audio compression system that has
seen considerable acceptance in pro-audio applications (especially due
to its comparative tolerance to multiple encode/decode cycles) is the
"apt-X" system from Audio Processing Technology (APT).  They have a
wide line of related products including Mac/PC-based cards.

Some of their products have already been used to allow, for example, a
BBC music program presenter to operate from his home on a regular
basis over ISDN circuits.  APT can be reached at [phone].


 --Lauren--

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 29 Jan 94 23:53:00 PST
From: [e-mail] (Lauren Weinstein)
Subject: Telephone Service During the Quake


It's worth noting that most telephone service during the L.A. quake
was amazingly stable.  At no point were either GTE nor PacBell
services with which I have to work disrupted on any of many lines,
except for circuit overload conditions on both companies' switches
(and such overload could hardly be unexpected under the
circumstances).

Getting dialtone took patience, and the PacBell Canoga Park CO service
area (just a few miles from the epicenter) required multiple attempts
to complete even local calls during some periods, especially the
morning of the day *after* the quake when, apparently, everyone in the
area (including me) was attempting to reach every manner of plumber,
electrician, and the like.

So, while power failed for most of the day, and water was severely
disrupted in some areas, phone service by both companies was, overall,
a bright spot.

HOWEVER, it is about time that the telcos start informing the public
the proper manner to get dialtone in load situations.  Yes, during an
emergency, the best policy is to stay off the phone unless you really
need it.  But often the people who DO need it *think* their phones are
"broken" because they don't get an immediate dialtone when they pick
up the handset.  They keep picking it up and hanging up, losing their
place in the queue each time.

It needs to become general knowledge that in the vast majority of
cases, if your line is still hooked up at all (and that can be
determined by the presence of sidetone) you may need to *wait* for
dialtone.  Maybe it'll take 30 seconds.  Maybe it'll take a minute or
two or even longer.  But most of the people who thought they were
unable to place calls due to "broken phones" simply didn't know that
they needed to wait.


 --Lauren--

------------------------------

Organization: CPSR Washington Office
From: Dave Banisar <[e-mail]>
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 15:59:20 EST
Subject: Clipper Petition


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: My thanks to Monty Solomon and others who
sent this identical message from other places where they saw it. We'll
just go with the original instead.   PAT]


                Electronic Petition to Oppose Clipper
                      Please Distribute Widely

On January 24, many of the nation's leading experts in cryptography
and computer security wrote President Clinton and asked him to
withdraw the Clipper proposal.

The public response to the letter has been extremely favorable,
including coverage in the {New York Times} and numerous computer and
security trade magazines.

Many people have expressed interest in adding their names to the
letter.  In response to these requests, CPSR is organizing an Internet
petition drive to oppose the Clipper proposal.  We will deliver the
signed petition to the White House, complete with the names of all the
people who oppose Clipper.

To sign on to the letter, send a message to:

     [e-mail]

with the message "I oppose Clipper" (no quotes)

You will receive a return message confirming your vote.

Please distribute this announcement so that others may also express
their opposition to the Clipper proposal.

CPSR is a membership-based public interest organization.  For
membership information, please email [e-mail].  For more
information about Clipper, please consult the CPSR Internet Library -
FTP/WAIS/Gopher CPSR.ORG /cpsr/privacy/crypto/clipper

=====================================================================

The President
The White House
Washington, DC  20500

Dear Mr. President:

     We are writing to you regarding the "Clipper" escrowed encryption
proposal now under consideration by the White House.  We wish to
express our concern about this plan and similar technical standards
that may be proposed for the nation's communications infrastructure.

     The current proposal was developed in secret by federal agencies
primarily concerned about electronic surveillance, not privacy
protection.  Critical aspects of the plan remain classified and thus
beyond public review.

     The private sector and the public have expressed nearly unanimous
opposition to Clipper.  In the formal request for comments conducted
by the Department of Commerce last year, less than a handful of
respondents supported the plan.  Several hundred opposed it.

     If the plan goes forward, commercial firms that hope to develop
new products will face extensive government obstacles. Cryptographers
who wish to develop new privacy enhancing technologies will be
discouraged.  Citizens who anticipate that the progress of technology
will enhance personal privacy will find their expectations
unfulfilled.

     Some have proposed that Clipper be adopted on a voluntary basis
and suggest that other technical approaches will remain viable.  The
government, however, exerts enormous influence in the marketplace, and
the likelihood that competing standards would survive is small.  Few
in the user community believe that the proposal would be truly
voluntary.

     The Clipper proposal should not be adopted.  We believe that if
this proposal and the associated standards go forward, even on a
voluntary basis, privacy protection will be diminished, innovation
will be slowed, government accountability will be lessened, and the
openness necessary to ensure the successful development of the
nation's communications infrastructure will be threatened.

     We respectfully ask the White House to withdraw the Clipper
proposal.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 94 01:14:47 EST
Subject: Discount Long-Distance Digest


DISCOUNT LONG-DISTANCE DIGEST is a weekly moderated internet mailing
list available to all individuals involved in, or interested in
becoming involved in, the discount (reseller) long-distance industry.
The Digest mostly focuses on different companies which are resellers,
wholesalers, or aggregators of long-distance services supplied by
other companies (AT&T, Sprint, MCI, WilTel, ITT, Etc...).

    It is mostly geared towards people who are independent agents of
these companies, or are still looking for a company to become an agent
for. This is a growing industry that is picking up rapid speed as of
late.

    To subscribe to DISCOUNT LONG-DISTANCE DIGEST just send you name
and internet address to: [e-mail]. In the 'SUBJECT:' field of
your e-mail print: 'SUBSCRIBE DIGEST' to be added to the list, or:
'UNSUBSCRIBE DIGEST' to cancel your subscription. Submissions to the
Digest can be sent to the same internet address. Each issue is sent
out Late sunday night/early monday morning. Upon recipt of your
request for addition to the list you will be sent our FAQ, which
includes a list of many resellers, aggregators, wholesalers, etc.. and
info on their sales programs, prices, and how to become an agent for
them.

    This list has been running on AOL for a couple of months now, and
I am just starting to make it available via internet. Please excuse
the slowness of our mail system, since America Online has numerous
outages, interruptions in service, duplicated mailings, lost mail, and
many other problems that I will not get into. This Digest is NOT
available as a USENET Newsgroup.

    I, myself, am an independent agent for Business Network
Communications, a reseller of AT&T, WilTel, and MCI services. BNC
agents are especially welcome, and I'd like to see the list act as a
support vehicle for BNC agents as well as provide non-biased news on
other vendors. I have no personal axe to grind and only wish to share
information on this industry with other internet users. I personally
was helped a great deal by other internet users and would like to help
others looking to get into this industry.

    BTW, I would like to thank Pat for the great job he does with
TELECOM Digest. It's helped me a great deal. I couldn't start to
duplicate the kind of job he does here.


Van Hefner   Vantek Communications


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thanks very much for your kind words of
encouragement. Like Avis, the rental-car people, I try harder. Best
wishes for the success of your Digest.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 1 Feb 94 08:44:22 CST
From: [e-mail] (TELECOM Digest Editor)
Subject: Administrivia: Mail to the Digest


As most of you know, some changes were made around here about a week
ago, and a new computer is now installed in place of the old machine
which served us well for a few years. The trouble is, the new one
required lots of minor, somewhat obscure, long-forgotten scripts to
be slightly re-written. A few such scripts were those used by telecom
for filtering and sorting incoming mail, issuing the autoreply message
and similar matters.

Well, nothing goes right the first time. The only thing you can count
on for sure in conversions like this is trouble, and I have seen my
share. It became obvious several days ago that I was losing a certain
amount of incoming mail due to the way the new machine 'thinks' about
certain instructions pertaining to 'awk' and other things in the
scripts used. On a daily basis, the sysadmin here has been working with
me to debug things and it appears the mailer is just about back to
normal in terms of volume of mail received. Last week I suspect I was
getting only 15-25 percent of the mail (based on historical data as
to what I usually receive) with the remainder vanishing in the stream
as it made its way through the incoming filters and into the files
where it belongs. As bugs were exterminated, that percentage increased
but new bugs took the place of the old ones, etc ... now this morning
when I woke up and connected to the site, the incoming queue was
stuffed once again.

If you did not get the usual autoreply message to something you sent
last week, it is quite likely your mail was not received *by me* even
though it may well have (and probably did) reach the site. Please bear
in mind the volume of mail has become so heavy (I am not complaining;
I am actually very gratified) that there is *no way* I can tell what
got here and what did not unless I actually read it and see it myself.
If it were not for the filters in place to handle daemons, subscription
requests and other stuff, the mail would be even slower getting into
print than it is already some days. Had we removed the filters for
several days while the debugging was underway, then I would have gotten
all the mail, but the mistakes would have taken much longer to find.

So it is the old 'rock and hard place' analogy. I am certain dozens
of letters were lost in transit over a period of a few days and extend
my apologies, but there was (and still is, as the work goes on) no
other way to correct the problems than to watch them as they occur.
Gradually things are getting back to normal here.


PAT

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #54
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #55

TELECOM Digest     Tue, 1 Feb 94 11:11:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 55

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Telecom Like the Airlines? (Russ McGuire)
    E-Mail Spying By Employers (Van Hefner)
    Advertising by New York Telephone (James Joseph)
    Internet Connection via Satellite ([e-mail])
    Re: ISDN and Caller-ID (Al Varney)
    Re: ISDN and Caller-ID (Fred R. Goldstein)
    Re: ISDN and Caller-ID (Ketil Albertsen)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Russ McGuire <[e-mail]>
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 94 08:48:52 -0600
Subject: Telecom Like the Airlines?


The Travel Agency that serves The Williams Companies (the corporate
parent of WilTel) had an interesting and humorous article ("Us, Do
Business Like the Airlines?") in the most recent issue of their
_Wings_ newsletter.  I have modified it slightly to convert any
pipeline references to telecom references ...

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
NOTE:  THIS IS SATIRE AND NOT AT ALL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WAY THAT
WILTEL REALLY DOES BUSINESS...
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

What if The Williams Companies sold gas transmission service or
capacity on our telecommunications network the way airlines sell seats
on their planes?  Here's how a business deal might go.

Customer:  I need to move 500Mb of data from Los Angeles to Kansas
City on Thursday.

Us: Just one way?  It'll cost you.

Customer:  OK, price it one-way and round-trip, please.

Us: Let's see, I'm showing that all of our free, less-than-half price
rates, and other discounted fares are sold out.

Customer:  Hey, I'm a big customer.  What about a volume discount or
some other consideration?

Us: I'm sorry, you'll have to pay full price, which hardly anybody
does -- except those people who really need to get their data somewhere.
If you can wait until Saturday to ship your data, I've got discounted
rates available at that time.

Customer:  No, I can't wait until Saturday.

Us: So, should I go ahead and book you for Thursday at our full fare
rate?

Customer: OK.

Us: Now, let me tell you what the restrictions are on this data
transfer.  You must pay us in advance.  We may or may not get your
data there on time, depending on a number of factors.  If the fiber's
not very full that day, we may cancel your data transfer because of
unscheduled maintenance.  In the interim, we would put your data in a
nearby data repository.  But rest assured, we are committed to getting
your data where it's going as soon as it's practical.  Well, your
reservations are all made.  Can I help you with any other data
transfer plans today?

Customer:  No, I may start stringing up some tin cans for communications.

Us: Thank you for using America's best data network -- where our
customers are number one!

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
AGAIN NOTE:  THIS IS SATIRE AND NOT AT ALL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WAY
WILTEL DOES BUSINESS (although I can't speak for any other
carriers...)
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

I couldn't help posting this after my trip home from ComNet.  TWA
cancelled my flight.  Delta got me as far as Dallas, but wouldn't hold
my connecting Tulsa flight for five minutes after their DC-Dallas
flight was delayed by an hour by ground control.  After spending the
night in Dallas, American finally got me back to Tulsa ...

In reality, WilTel provides high quality services across our
nationwide fiber optic network.  We highly value our customers and
work closely with them to provide solutions that meet their needs.
For the scenario described above, our WilBand (T-1 or Fractional T-1
bandwidth on command) or WilBand 3 (T-3 bandwidth on command) products
may be excellent solutions.  Reservations can be made up to a year in
advance and are non-preemptable.  At ComNet last week we also
demonstrated a dialable wideband capability that we will be offering
in the near future.  This service will provide bandwidth in any
increment of 64k up to T-1 on demand.  Currently, none of our services
(including 1+ long distance) have more expensive rates during weekdays
than nights or weekends, providing excellent solutions for the
business customers we serve.


Russ McGuire   Manager, Product Development
WilTel, Inc.   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 94 03:36:30 EST
Subject: E-Mail Spying By Employers


When You Use E-Mail at Work the Boss May Be Looking In
By James McNair, {The Miami Herald}
Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News


Jan. 30 -- AMID the sterile drudgery of office work, a computer screen
beckons your wandering mind with the chance to escape. You send a
message to a friend elsewhere in the building. It could signal a
fleeting thought: After-work plans, an interesting new employee or a
dumb decision by a boss. Or it could open up a more riveting subject:
a smear campaign against the boss, a moonlighting venture on company
time, or stealing customer lists.

Whatever you drop into the electronic mailbox, it could come back to
haunt you. In many companies, what seems to be a private communications
network -- protected by passwords, no less -- is equipped with a back
door in the computer room.

In other words, your plots, your off-color barbs and your work-unrelated
digressions might be camped on a computer disk somewhere, waiting to be
read.

"It's pretty much on every network," said Edward Gomez, a consultant
for Byte Computers in Miami. "There are utilities that tell you what
people are doing, what files are opening up and how much time people
are spending on the computer."

Sounds like an invitation to employee rebellion, but corporations
insist they restrain themselves from systematic E-mail peeping. When
they do play back the disks, it's for legitimate business reasons,
such as investigating crimes, tracing security breaches or intercepting
customer inquiries when an employee is absent.

"Some people may say it's offensive and violates their privacy, but
the employer just wants to ensure that its interests are protected,"
said Mike Losey, president of the Society for Human Resource
Management.

For now, employers are having their way. The 1986 Electronic
Communications Privacy Act shields E-mail messages over public
telephone lines, but not the inter-office variety. In privacy-invasion
lawsuits across the country, courts have predominantly ruled in favor
of employers.

The false belief in E-mail privacy is so great that Congress is
considering a law requiring employers to post policies, spelling out
their E-mail access rights. Some South Florida companies such as
Blockbuster Entertainment Corp., Barnett Banks and First Union Corp.
have already taken this step.

Nearly 27 million U.S. workers will have an E-mail password in 1994,
up from 19 million in 1993, according to WorkGroup Technologies Inc.,
a research firm in Hampton, N.H. Given how E-mail is flourishing, the
conflict between employee right to privacy and employer right to
access was inevitable.

Technology gets the brunt of the blame. Ever since desktop computer
networks started popping up as a mainstream business tool ten years
ago, computers have become alarmingly more powerful. The delivery
speed of E-mail in a typical IBM-compatible or Macintosh network has
made intracompany phone calls an absurd waste of time, handwritten
memos a relic of the past.

But what turned sealed letters into open books on the E-mail system is
the new breed of networking software built into or added to computers.
Professional computer installers say the network's ability to call up
employee messages is now standard equipment.

"They never ask for it," said Tim White, a consultant for Technology
Solutions in Fort Lauderdale. "It's always something companies
discover after it's there." But maybe not.

According to a survey of 301 companies by Macworld magazine last July,
six percent said they read employees' in-house messages. One of five
companies said electronic monitoring is a good way to verify an act of
wrongdoing. Two of three don't bother warning their employees.

Alana Shoars, former E-mail manager at Epson America in Torrance,
Calif., was one of those who told employees that their messages were
secret. Then one day in 1990, she stumbled upon a supervisor's printer
cranking out every message sent on the network. She complained and was
fired.

Shoars and 170 employees sued for invasion of privacy, but lost the
case. Six months after leaving Epson, Warner Bros. hired her to run a
3,500-user E- mail system in which privacy would be guaranteed.

The same Los Angeles court that ruled in favor of Epson also sided
with Nissan Motor Co. in its defense of a privacy-invasion lawsuit
filed by two employees whose messages had been read by managers they
criticized.

Mentor Graphics of Wilsonville, Ore., settled a similar lawsuit filed
by two employees, even though it said the E-mail trail showed that the
employees had been stealing trade secrets.

Occasionally, corporations are the first to go to court. Last year,
Borland International of Scotts Valley, Calif., pressed charges
against a vice president who had been sending marketing plans and
product-release dates to the president of a cross-town rival. Both men
were indicted, but they defended themselves by accusing Borland of
violating the Electronic Communications Privacy Act ban on tapping
messages sent on commercial E-mail lines.

The charges and a related lawsuit filed by Borland are still pending.
Lawsuits are repulsive ways to settle differences, but they have
served a good purpose in fomenting a spirited debate between employee
and employer rights on the E-mail network. Privacy advocates take the
side of the Bill of Rights. On the other side is a well-entrenched
business lobby fighting for the plain right to use its equipment as it
sees fit.

Lewis Maltby, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's
Workplace Rights Project, said corporate E-mail systems should allow
for some, if not full privacy.

As it is, he said, the issuance of passwords and their suggestion of
confidentiality gives employees a false impression of privacy.

"Employers should think twice about reading messages because employees
will clam up," Maltby said. "No one's going to be candid if they know
someone's looking over their shoulder all the time."

Some companies actually share employees' desire for E-mail privacy.
Among those in South Florida, IBM Corp., Motorola, Siemens and the law
firm Greenberg Traurig all say they can't read or recall employees'
messages.

Companies that can tap the E-mail system say they do so with
restraint.  "Managers don't have the ability to say, 'Print me out a
report of all the E-mail communications that went out of my group last
month,"' said Ken Smalling, a spokesman for Electronic Data Systems,
which has about 300 employees at its System One airline reservations
unit in Miramar.

Others ducked questions about their E-mail monitoring powers. "No
one's comfortable with saying something publicly," said Ryder System
spokeswoman Terri Kopec. "We don't want our employees reading about it
in the paper."

"We'll take a pass on this one," said W.R. Grace spokesman Fred Bona.
Government E-mail users have the least privacy of all -- even in the
Oval Office. Last year, a federal judge ruled that millions of E-mail
messages stored during the Reagan and Bush years must be preserved
under the same guidelines as paper communications.

In Broward County, all E-mail notes are public records. In Metro Dade,
the issue is moot because the computer system isn't capable of
recalling E- mail.

While lawmakers and courts have upheld employers' full access to
E-mail content, bills winding through Congress would ensure that
employees are explicitly warned. Sponsored by Sen. Paul Simon, D-Ill.,
and Rep. Pat Williams, D-Mont., it would require companies to post
E-mail policy statements in the workplace.

Many companies -- partly at the urging of their attorneys -- are ahead
of the law, including First Union, Barnett Banks and Blockbuster
Entertainment.  First Union's policy, released last August, lists when
the bank can rifle through E-mail files.

"We saw a need to put a policy into place so that everybody knew
exactly what we could and couldn't do," said First Union spokesman
Monty Hagler. "It's a big issue when you have 18,000 users. You don't
want to wait for trouble."

                     -----------------

Van Hefner  Vantek Communications  [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: This topic has come up here in the past.
My personal belief is that employees should have no expectation of
privacy where their employer's communications equipment -- of any sort,
email, telephone, paper mail -- is concerned. You have every right to
privacy when you contract for the above services on your own time with
your own money and equipment, but not where someone else's equipment
is concerned. Obviously, if you are a subscriber on a 'free BBS' with
email, then whether or not you have an expectation of privacy depends
on how the system is operated, although a courteous thing would be to
tell users what to expect, even in an employee/employer relationship.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 16:13:39 -0500
From: [e-mail] (James Joseph)
Subject: Advertising by New York Telephone


New York Telephone has been spending truck loads of money advertising
that they are changing their name to NYNEX.  These include:

1. A full page advertisement in the local paper ({The Times
   Union}).  I have to assume that they advertised in all
   the newspapers in their service area, and possibly more
   than once in each paper.

2. A barrage of TV advertisements, including at least two
   during the superbowl.  The frequency of advertisements
   has been so substantial that, even a person like me who
   spends very little time watching TV has seen their commercials
   several times.

As a subscriber am *I* paying for these commercials?  Or is it coming
out of their profits? (Yeah, get real, James!!)  Why are they doing
it?  Who cares what their name is?  Couldn't they just have included
an insert in the monthly phone bills?  If indeed I am paying for it,
what would be the best way to get them to be a little less extravagent
with my money?


james joseph   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Internet Connection via Satellite
Date: 31 Jan 94 18:49:31 PST
Organization: DAVID Systems Inc, Sunnyvale CA


What is the best way to connect to Internet from a location (in Asia)
where there is no phone? A friend of mine is trying to setup via
satellite but he has no idea of anything that involves in this
connection. He is doing some research, and I am going to pass any
information I get.

Thanks to anyone who can give me any information.


Jey    [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 16:42:19 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: ISDN and Caller-ID
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> Will Martin <wmartin@STL-06SIMA.
ARMY.MIL> writes:

> Exactly how does ISDN interact with the legal issues surrounding
> Caller-ID?

ISDN doesn't know anything about legal issues.

> It is my understanding that making an ISDN connection involves setting
> up a header packet or some such initial-connection datastream in which
> both the destination and the originator are identified, and that this
> identification can have several levels of detail, ranging from nothing
> more than the bare phone numbers to a more elaborate chunk of data
> that includes free-form text such as a name. If this is true, the
> following questions arise:

> 1) Is the content of this datastream totally under the control of the
> caller, or does the telco switch insert its own identifier of the
> caller in there somewhere?

   The caller can send almost anything -- the switch will dispose of
total junk, and kill the line if it persists.  Slipping in a false
number is handled by the switch, which has a list of "valid" numbers
that can be used by the line.  Anything other than a valid number
results in a valid number being substituted (and the invalid number
may also be sent in another paramerter) or the call may be killed or
 ... (many options).

> 2) Can the caller put in false data to make the recipient believe that
> the call is coming from somewhere other than it is really originating,
> or does the callee use that originator data to establish the return
> path,

See above -- false caller/billing data doesn't leave the CO.

> 3) In states where caller-ID is illegal, is any of this changed? Or
> does the telco providing ISDN ignore that or claim that this ISDN data
> does not meet the definition of "Caller-ID" as far as the law is
> concerned?

   Caller-ID via ISDN is usually tariffed differently than over analog
lines (because it does have other capabilities).  But "calling number
delivery legal restrictions" (usually) apply to all forms of such
delivery, perhaps including having an Operator tell you the caller's
telephone number.  COs exchange calling-party information in the same
manner regardless of whether the caller is ISDN or not.

   Some areas permit intra-Centrex Caller-ID even if "outside" calls
can't be identified.  This is probably viewed by PBX vendors as yet
another unfair form of competition.

   In our area, we got intra-group ISDN Caller-ID (and calling names,
too) long before Illinois Bell won the Caller-ID argument.  The day
after the announced beginning of Caller-ID, we started seeing
"outside" numbers on ISDN display sets.


Al Varney - just my opinion

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Fred R. Goldstein)
Subject: Re: ISDN and Caller-ID
Date: 1 Feb 1994 05:21:49 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corp., Littleton MA USA


In article <[e-mail]> Will Martin <wmartin@STL-06SIMA.
ARMY.MIL> writes:

> Exactly how does ISDN interact with the legal issues surrounding
> Caller-ID?

The incoming SETUP message (switch-TE) includes a Calling Party ID field
if the user requests ANI or Caller ID service.

> 1) Is the content of this datastream totally under the control of the
> caller, or does the telco switch insert its own identifier of the
> caller in there somewhere?

I'm not sure what current generics implement.  The standards are
pretty flexible.  The data can come from the network or from the user.
If the user is a PBX, for instance, the PBX could insert the
originating extension number.

> 2) Can the caller put in false data to make the recipient believe that
> the call is coming from somewhere other than it is really originating,
> or does the callee use that originator data to establish the return
> path, and so providing false data would do nothing but make the
> complete ISDN circuit un-creatable? That is, the caller is calling
> from site "x", but falsifies the data to say he's calling from site
> "y". The callee then tries to respond to site "y" but they're not even
> up and on-line, so no connection ever gets established. (What would
> happen if site "y" WAS up and on-line, but already communicating with
> somebody else? Is there an ISDN equivalent of a busy signal that would
> be presented to him?)

They thought of this.  There are screening indicators in the message.
The network can screen the user-provided message and validate it
against numbers that the user owns.  It can pass it along and say it's
invalid.  Or the network can insert a number by itself, instead of
relying on the customer.  It is basically fraud-proof if everyone
follows the rules; you can say anything but the network will not
necessarily say it's valid.

> 3) In states where caller-ID is illegal, is any of this changed? Or
> does the telco providing ISDN ignore that or claim that this ISDN data
> does not meet the definition of "Caller-ID" as far as the law is
> concerned?

Without caller ID, the information just isn't delivered.


Fred R. Goldstein  k1io  [e-mail]
Opinions are mine alone; sharing requires permission

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ketil Albertsen,TIH)
Subject: Re: ISDN and Caller-ID
Organization: T I H / T I S I P
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 11:03:06 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, Will Martin <wmartin@STL-06SIMA.
ARMY.MIL> writes:

> It is my understanding that making an ISDN connection involves setting
> up a header packet or some such initial-connection datastream in which
> both the destination and the originator are identified, and that this
> identification can have several levels of detail, ranging from nothing
> more than the bare phone numbers to a more elaborate chunk of data
> that includes free-form text such as a name.

Essentially correct, but the "free format" data field is for arbitrary
use; it does not inherently serve any *identifying* function (it is
very similar to the "user data" field of almost all computer network
connection establishment procedures).

> 1) Is the content of this datastream totally under the control of the
> caller, or does the telco switch insert its own identifier of the
> caller in there somewhere?

Not totally. The format rules must of course be honored, and some of
the fields are supplied by the network. The caller ID field may be
supplied by you, but there is another field over which you have no
control: The indicator whether the caller ID is "network supplied",
"user supplied and verified by the network" or "user supplied, not
verified".

An ISDN number may have an optional "subaddress" field, which by
definition is outside the scope of the switch/network, so it cannot be
supplied or verified by the network but must be given by the
subscriber.

The telco switch does not insert its own ID in the message to the
reciving phone (it might be that it is present in the SS7 messages
between the switches -- I don't know SS7 very much). In principle, the
local office of the caller may be deduced from the caller ID, as long
as that info is reliable, but it might be very indirect (eg. if
subscribers are allowed to move their phone number to their vacation
home during summer it could change from one day to the next). And if
the caller ID is verified, there is no reason why you would want the
switch ID, is there?

> 2) Can the caller put in false data

If you try to forge your ID, the receiver will see it as "user
supplied, not verified", so he should be warned. I suppose that your
switch is also permitted to simply ignore your forged info, either
supplying its own knowledge, marked as "network supplied", or leaving
all caller ID info out. The caller ID info is not used for any sort of
callback-like mechanism; you still have to implement that yourself if
you need it.

If you run a PABX with direct dial-in, there is no way that the
network can supply the full caller ID. Eg. our college has 300
direct-dial lines, 300 subscriber numbers, all connected via the PABX
to the telco switch by a 30B+D PRI. Our PABX generates a caller ID for
outgoing calls, based on which of the 300 local lines originates the
call. That is a private PABX (an NT2, in ISDN terms) which we control
100% ourselves, so it cannot generate "network verified" IDs. The
telco switch can verify that the user supplied ID is one of the 300
subscriber numbers assigned to that PRI, but not which one of them. I
don't know if it marks the ID as "network verified" when it *might* be
the right one -- I would guess that the telco is responsible for
identifying the *subscriber* (which is our college), and so confirm
the ID. After all, even on a one-subscriber-number BRI, there may be
eight phones and the switch cannot distinguish between them -- the PABX
is just a scaled-up version of that situation.

> What would happen if site "y" WAS up and on-line, but already
> communicating with somebody else? Is there an ISDN equivalent of a
> busy signal that would be presented to him?

The Setup message arrives on the D channel in any case. "y" may then
decide to ignore it, it may open another B channel (if one is
available), it may disconnect an ongoing connection, or it may "park"
the ongoing connection temporarily, without disconnecting it.

Since there may be multiple devices (phones) on an ISDN interface, one
of them (usually) may not on its own return a "busy" signal- one of
the other devices may be willing to take the request. Even if all B
channels are busy, the Setup message is offered to all (relevant)
devices, so that they may disconnect to take the new call. However, I
believe that there is also a "reject - all resources busy" answer that
*may* be returned, but I left my Q.931 (there's the reference, if you
want to know the details!) at home so I don't have the exact formats
and names available here and now.  Some calls do not use any B
channel, but exchange packets on the D channel, and there is no "busy"
concept at all (just like in IP).

> 3) In states where caller-ID is illegal, is any of this changed? Or
> does the telco providing ISDN ignore that or claim that this ISDN data
> does not meet the definition of "Caller-ID" as far as the law is
> concerned?

The caller ID is always (?) exchanged between switches in the network
(assuming that SS7 is used, which will be the case in an ISDN
network), *but* there is also a "non-disclosure" flag that prohibits
disclosure of the ID to the called party. The caller may set this flag
(and the network is obliged to honor it), or the switch may set it.
For now, the latter is the more common in this country (Norway) - a
user with an ISDN phone will see the caller ID of even POTS callers,
but since a POTS customer doesn't have any mechanism for setting the
non-disclosure flag (there isn't any official dialing sequence for
that, although rumours are that not all switches have disabled what
came with the US develped software...), the only way to obtain similar
privacy is to request the telco to *always* set the non-disclosure
flag for your phone.

Even if I did know something about legal implications in this country,
it sure wouldn't apply in the USA. From a technical point of view, the
ISDN caller ID is at least as "strong" as any POTS caller ID.

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #55
*****************************


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Date: Tue, 1 Feb 94 12:21:02 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #56

TELECOM Digest     Tue, 1 Feb 94 12:21:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 56

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me (John R. Levine)
    Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me (Thomas Lapp)
    Re: Sprint (Dvorak) Modem Offer (Joe Lynn)
    Re: Cutover Dates For New Area Codes (Carl Moore)
    Re: Wiretapping Problems (Gary Breuckman)
    Re: Telecommuting Centers in LA (Shuang Deng)
    Re: Broadcast Paging on Merlin 3070 System (Steve Cogorno)
    Re: Hello Direct Noise Filter Worth Getting? (Dale Worley)
    Re: Pager Software Wanted (Ron Stone)
    Re: How to Make a Sun Send Messages to a Pager or a GSM Phone (M. Cullen)
    Re: Small Cellular Phones With Data Capability (Lars Nohling)
    Re: Phone Line Simulator Wanted (Ben Burch)
    Re: Phone Number History (Steve Schlesinger)
    Re: EMI Filter for Phone Line (Michael Jacobs)
    Re: Data over Power Lines (Michael Jacobs)
    Re: Caller ID in Software ([e-mail])
    Re: DID Questions (Jay Hennigan)
    Re: DID Questions (Mike King)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
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TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
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should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 19:44 EST
From: [e-mail] (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


> -- the local lightbulb manufacturer GTE

Actually, GTE sold Sylvania several years ago.  If you look at a
Sylvania box, you'll see the company name is now Sylvania/Osram.
Osram is an old Hungarian lightbulb company that GTE hooked up with as
the cold war ended; I don't know the financial details of the Sylvania
spinout.

Since GTE has also sold off their central office equipment business to
AT&T, this means that they have, in keeping with the latest in trendy
management theories, divested business units that distract them from
their primary mission: to provide the worst phone service in the known
universe.

Along sort of the same lines, I note that after buying Contel, they
quickly sold off a lot of the Contel properties.  In Vermont, for
example, Contel Cellular was sold to NYNEX, and Contel's wireline
properties were sold to Waitsfield Tel, a small but aggressive family
owned independent telco.  GTE's apparently sold off many of the Contel
California high desert properties as well.  Indeed, it looks like by
next year they'll have sold off all of Contel.  Given the relative
quality of service offered by GTE and the outfits they've been selling
to, the customers must be very relieved, but why did they buy it in
the first place?  Arbitrage?


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 1 Feb 94 07:38:18 EST
From: Thomas Lapp <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me


> Anyway, my printing of things published as internal communications at
> the lightbulb factory has gotten *some people* very, very upset and
> bothered, especially since they can't figure out who is sending me
> those bulletins.

I could see how this could happen.  I think it is just a matter of
timing.  Even though GTE is a regulated monopoly, they are still a
business with a public image as well as bottom line for shareholders.

I think that I would get a little miffed as well if I saw my internal
memos appear in a public forum within hours of their being created.
While I agree that the media pipe from them might not have all the
details that you get, it may also be true that the media office isn't
getting fed that info either.  So, if you didn't get detail, it might
not be intentional on their part.

It might be curious to see what information you could get two to four
weeks after the event.  Journals like IEEE Spectrum seem to get access
to a lot of info when doing stories on things like failure of the NYC
power grid.  Who knows, maybe the media office could even help you get
post-event internal information.


internet     mvac23![e-mail]  or  [e-mail] (home)
             [e-mail] (work)
OSI          C=US/A=MCI/S=LAPP/D=ID=4398613
uucp         {ucbvax,mcvax,uunet}!udel!mvac23!thomas
Location     Newark, DE, USA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Joe Lynn)
Subject: Re: Sprint (Dvorak) Modem Offer
Date: 01 Feb 1994 10:30:40 -0600
Organization: Macro Computer Solutions, Inc.


[e-mail] writes:

> I called Sprint in September to sign up for the offer (and was also
> assured it was a 9600 baud external modem).  My line was switched to
> Sprint.  I never received the modem, and every time I called I was
> told something different.  For a few months, I was told the modem

For what it's worth, I signed up for the Dvorak offer in mid-September
and completely forgot about the modem (too many things going on, I
suppose): it showed up two weeks ago.

It's a 9600 baud fax/2400 baud data internal modem.  It's not
elaborate, and I haven't taken the time to install it, but it's here,
at least.

Now MCI is offering me free AAdvantage miles if I switch over to them.
We'll see.. :-)


[e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: AT&T's thing now is frequent flyer miles
on several participating airlines also.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 01 Feb 94 13:31:59 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Cutover Dates For New Area Codes


> I am aware that there are at present three new area codes scheduled
> for 1995: 334 in Alabama, 260 in Arizona, and 360 in Washington.

That is 520 (to be formed by splitting 602) in Arizona, and the only
information I have for its startup so far is March 1995.

Please refer to the history file in the archives or to a slightly-later
version available directly from me (I do mail it out on request).
How do you arrive at the 8 Jan 1995 permissive date for 334 in
Alabama?  (I have 15 Jan 1995, one week later.)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Gary Breuckman)
Subject: Re: Wiretapping Problems
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 1994 02:53:59 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Disini SW, Emmanuel Disini,CST) writes:

> I am a bit concerned that my phone could be tapped (I am located in
> Manila, where wire-tapping laws are not enforced all that well). Is
> there some way I can tell that my phone has been tapped?  My guess is
> that there should be some drop in ambient voltage (on one of the RJ-11
> leads- TIP? RING?) if a tap is placed on your phone. However if the
> wiretap is already in place and I look at the voltage after the tap
> has been installed, I would not be able to detect it, right?  Pls cc
> your responses to [e-mail], as I don't get this
> newsgroup.

If you are concerned about someone bridging your line and using it to
make calls, that should be easy to detect.  If you are worried about
someone listening in, that's real hard to protect against since many
high-impedance taps will not cause any voltage drop on the line.
Equipment does exist to measure such things, but you would normally
want to do that from the office end so the cable could be disconnected
from their equipment.  There is also a device (TDR, time-domain-
reflectometer) that will bounce a signal down the line and give you a
visual indication of bridge taps or irregularities in impedance along
the circuit.  You can usually see any splice or terminal box.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Shuang Deng)
Subject: Re: Telecommuting Centers in LA
Organization: GTE Laboratories, Waltham, MA
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 1994 18:11:16 GMT


I remember seeing a news release somewhere mentioning that GTE set up
a telecommuting center for its employees in LA area.  I seem to recall
that it's a joint effort between GTE, PacTel and some other companies
and government agencies.  That's all I can recall now.

I agree there are business opportunities to provide telecommuting
services now in that area.  By the time roads are back to the normal
(say in a year), the users will probably keep using the service, for
they have realized the benifits of telecommuting and worked out the
solutions to management and other social issues.


Shuang Deng            |  Email:   [e-mail]
GTE Laboratories       |     or     [e-mail]
40 Sylvan Road         |  Phone: [phone]
Waltham, MA 02254, USA |  Fax  : [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steve Cogorno)
Subject: Re: Broadcast Paging on Merlin 3070 System
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 1994 13:22:58 PST


Said by: Brian Nunes

> Does anyone know how to simultaneously page all stations using a
> Merlin 3070 system?  One of the people in my office did it by mistake
> once but couldn't remember what she did.  When I called AT&T, they
> told me it couldn't be done, but I know it's possible.  Maybe it's
> undocumented?  Does anyone know?

On a Merlin Plus the Page codes are 70, 71 and 72.  (70 being all,
71-group 1, 72 group 2)

I know that the control codes are somtimes different, but I would
assume that these might work because 3070s have a max of 70 extensions.


Steve  [e-mail]
#608 Merrill * 200 McLaughlin Drive * Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1015

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dale Worley)
Subject: Re: Hello Direct Noise Filter Worth Getting?
Date: 1 Feb 1994 11:58:53 GMT
Organization: Village of Cambridge, Public-Access Internet


Michael Rosen ([e-mail]) wrote:

> I'm looking at the EMI noise filter in the Hello Direct catalog.  I
> currently only have a surge suppressor from Rent-A-Shack on my phone
> line.  How do I know if I truly need a noise filter?  Could it make
> improvements even though I currently don't notice many problems?

I found an EMI filter to be useful.  It turns out that my phone line
was picking up a local radio station.  This didn't cause a problem on
voice calls, presumably because my phone and the CO are insensitive to
RF.  But when my modem went off-hook, it proceeded to rectify the RF
into audio, and put it back on the line!  So while the modem was
dialing and attempting to connect, I could listen to the radio for
free!  After a number of calls, I managed to hear the callsign.
Putting in an EMI filter fixed the problem.


Dale

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ron Stone)
Subject: Re: Pager Software Wanted
Organization: Carleton University
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 07:29:48 -0500


In <[e-mail]> Sean Slattery <Slattery+acyberspace%
[e-mail]> writes:

> I am considering getting a pager to alert me of problems on my
> network, i.e. server down, WAN down etc.  The software offered by the
> major paging company's seems geared to use by a human and doesn't seem
> to have a machine interface.

> Does anyone know of a software package designed to monitor Netware or
> Unix (perferably both) networks and send alpha messages to a pager if
> certain events occur (or don't occur)?  Alternatively a package with
> an interface to which I could add my own scripts/batch files?

The company I work for (Caravelle Networks Corp.) has a product for
the PC called NetWORKS/PC, which does the type of thing you are asking
about. It is designed as a multi protocol LAN Management tool with the
ability to inform the administrator of problems in a variety of local
or remote ways, including paging. You can set calanders of the times
you will or will not be paged, so that for instance, a page will not
wake you up at 3am on a Saturday if something goes down, but will wake
you at 6am on a Monday. NetWORKS/PC also supports detailed statistics
gathering about Netware servers and SNMP devices. Usings these stats,
you can decide at what threshold you wish to be alerted about a given
parameter.

It is also available for the Mac.

Our phone number is 1-800-363-5292.

PS: I am sorry if this sounds to anyone reading like a commercial
plug. I am replying because it sounds as though this product is the
type of software you were asking about, and from what I know, its the
only software with this combination of multi-protocol support and
remote notifications.

Ron Stone    [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Ah, don't worry about commercializing
'the net'. I do it all the time. Take it from me, Patrick "Make Money
Fast!" Townson, before I started commercializing the net with my products,
I was riding around in an old 1981 Chevy Cavalier. Well, within a month
of sending out my first mass-mailing for the Orange Card, my car had
been reposessed for late payments by the used car dealer who had sold it
to me, and I started paying my phone bills three months late instead of
two months late like I always had to do before. Like Ron Doaks or Joe
Blokes or whatever his name is who posts his messages with evangelistic
fervor in news.groups (it used to be every couple months, now lately
there is a new one every few days), I am really starting to live in the
style to which I am accustomed.  :)   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Martin Cullen)
Subject: Re: How to Make a Sun Send Messages to a Pager or a GSM Telephone
Organization: Devteq Ltd
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 13:00:32 GMT


[e-mail] (Jurgen Debedts) writes:

> I'm looking for something quite special:

> We would want to have our Sun, (which is running critical
> applications), dial-out to a semascript pager to tell the sysadmin
> something is wrong. Typically, we have some sort of contool, which
> send a certain fixed message for a certain error-situation. This
> messages would then in fact be send to a modem that dials up a
> semascript pager, and passes on the error.

> In our dreams we would like to go even further, and have the Sun dial
> up a GSM telephone, and have the Sun speak to the sysadmin saying that
> there is a problem. (pre-recorded fixed messages). In this case, we
> thought of have a modem that directly dials up a GSM mobile telphone.
> But there are some problems to be solve with this: for example, a GSM
> will not give a Carrier Detect, only a connect signal. Anybody delt
> with this kind of problems before?

> Does anybody out there know of software that does one of these two
> things, or does anybody have some tips, or thoughts he or she would
> like to share with me?  (Like which modems could we use, etc)
> The software may be commercial or public domain.

There are a couple of things you could do but it will all be dependant
on what facilities are supplied by you're network operator.

You cannot use a modem as what you are describing above is a voice
call, not a data call, if tried to do this then the network would
treat the voice as modem tonals everything would fall apart. What you
need to do is to get the SUN to establish a voice call to mobile,
possibly using the modem to establish the connection but when this is
done, take the modem out of the loop and send the voice. I don't know
how easy / possible this is but if you manage it then let me know.

Another thing you could use is the Short message capability of the
mobile phone. I would think that you network operator should offer
dial in access to their short message center then you could send short
messages in a similar way that you are currently using the pager.

Hope this helps.


Martin Cullen

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 13:31 EST
From: Lars Nohling <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Small Cellular Phones With Data Capability


The only direct connection between phone and modem that I know is
shipping is the Nokia Portable phone + AT&T's Keep in Touch PCMCIA
modem.

Motorola has announced a direct connect PCMCIA modem for the flip
phone but it has not started shipping yet. You can buy the "Cellular
Data Adapter" from Motorola that will provide an RJ11 jack for the
flip phones. It works fine but an extra black box + cables is a
hassle.

Megahertz has announced a PCMCIA modem the will direct connect to NEC
and several other phones.

In the next six months the market should be full of options.

If you can't find these things in you area I work for a reseller who
has a group the specializes in selling "Mobile Office" solutions,
laptops, modems, cell phones and pagers.


Lars Nohling  Business Systems Solutions, inc.   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: Ben Burch <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Phone Line Simulator Wanted
Organization: Motorola, Inc
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 20:39:30 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> ssatchell on BIX, ssatchell@
BIX.com writes:

> The cheapest I'm aware of is the PTT 5101, if you can find one
> used.  They are located in Huntsville, AL and you can call (205)
> 971-8001 for more information.

I've used both the 5101 and 5102 machines.  They work quite well, and
are very flexible.


Ben Burch   Motorola Wireless Data Group
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 16:47:30 PST
From: Steve Schlesinger <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Organization: NCR (Torrey Pines Development Center)


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well, I gave a hasty rendition of the
> history. We went from 3L/4D to 2L/5D about 1950 or so; then about 1960
> we began seeing 7D in the phone book and as the only way things were
> being assigned. We had a mix of 2L/5D and 7D in the phone book from
> about 1960 through the middle 1970's at which point the few remaining
> (on paper only, in the directory) 2L/5D listings were expressed only as
> 7D.   PAT]

Before 3L/4D wasn't there 2L/4D?


Steve Schlesinger, NCR/Decision Enabling Systems Division          619-485-3528
16550 West Bernardo Dr. San Diego, CA 92127               ucsd.edu!sv001!steves
NCR VoicePlus 440-3528                     [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Not that I know of. Before name/number
combinations (which existed almost from the beginning in big cities)
there were just numbers. In small towns, one to four digit numbers were
common and that was it. If a town had only one exchange, or switchboard,
its name was usually the name of the town where it was located, and
reciting it as part of the number was redundant. When things expanded
to include names, some towns got to keep their (town) name as the phone
exchange name; i.e. Atlantic City, NJ still has the exchange name
ATlantic City, although 285-xxxx is the way it is expressed now. Where
conflicts occurred, they made up other names for conflicting exchanges.
When a community went from manual service to dial service, in order to
fill out the dialing string to seven digits zeros were prepended to the
shorter numbers. For example, the Walgreen's Drugstore in Whiting, IN
had the old number (Whiting) 72 for upteen years. With the conversion
to dial, WHIting was unavailable since at that time one could dial a
Chicago number (WHItehall-xxxx) without area codes, so Whiting (which
cut to dial about 1962 after 'all number dialing' was already the
rule) got '659'. The drugstore went overnight from 'Whiting 72' (or
just plain '72' when asking the operator for the number) to the
new format: 659-0072.

The Amoco Oil Refinery which makes up about ninety percent of the
physical space in Whiting oddly enough had a dial PBX system in place
for a few years before Whiting went from manual to dial service. When
you dialed '9' from the PBX instead of getting a new dialtone you
simply sat there a couple seconds and the 'number please?' lady came
on the line. Their switchboard number was (Whiting) 2111 and it of
course became 659-2111, although under the old system no one actually
asked the operator for 2111, they merely would say 'Refinery' or
'Standard Oil' (as it was known in those days), and the operator would
immediatly plug them into one of a dozen or so lines going into the
company PBX. Hunt groups in those days consisted of the operator
looking up at the several jacks all going to the same company and
selecting one which did not already have a plug in it.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 01 Feb 94 00:02:41 EDT
From: Michael Jacobs <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: EMI Filter for Phone Line


In TD V14 #49, the question was asked about benefits of an EMI filter
and relevance to being unable to make dial-up connections at speeds
greater than 9.6 kbps.

1) An EMI (ElectroMagnetic Interference) filter is designed to reduce
the effects of induced Radio Frequency energy onto a telephone line.
If you are not having RFI problems (ie-you do not hear an AM radio
station or Ham or CB operator on the line), it will be a waste of
money, as it will not reduce metallic or impulse noise.

2) Noise on the line is not the only determinant of data transmission
speed.  Depending on the circuit makeup (loaded or non-loaded, pair
gain or copper, and length/number of bridge taps), and overall
distance from the CO, a voice-grade telephone line may not be able to
carry speeds over 1200 baud.  Most telcos do not guarrantee that you
can send data at all!  A voice line is just that, for voice.
Conditioned dial-up data circuits are available from most telephone
companies; there may or may not be an additional charge to improve
the line transmission to accommodate your required data rate.


Michael W. Jacobs <[e-mail]>
Service Technician Bell Atlantic-Pennsylvania

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 01 Feb 94 00:29:57 EDT
From: Michael Jacobs <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Data over Power Lines


I have become concerned lately by the proliferation of technical
devices of dubious efficacy which propose complicated alternative
solutions to simple problems.  In this case, I refer to those devices
which allow the telephone user in need of an extension telephone jack
to use a simple device which plugs into the house electrical wiringand
then gives you a jack at any outlet.

The prices I have seen for these devices are substantially higher than
the cost for having a permanent jack installed by the telephone
company (or other vendor).  For $150 for the base transmitter and $60
for the remote unit, or a total of $210 you can have a professional
Bell Atlantic technician (like me!) give you 2 1/2 hours of premise
work.  For comparison, the time it takes an experienced technician to
install a jack can be as short as fifteen minutes, and probably rarely
exceeds an hour.  For situations where one does not expect to
frequently relocate a jack, a permanent installation is, IMHO, better
than these devices.

Also, as a technician working on telephone lines daily, I have some
serious reservations about the safety of these devices and the
potential that in the event of a component failure they could backfeed
house current onto the telephone line, resulting in fire, injury, or
worse to both the homeowner and telephone workmen.

Other devices of questionable economic value include those devices
which interface fax machines and modems to electronic key telephone
equipment.  Customers should consider the cost of these devices, not
only installation, but operating inconveniences and maintenance also
when making a decision.  It is usually much simpler and more efficient
to install a dedicated line and jack for these devices, as it
eliminates the frustration of conflicting uses of a line, particularly
on incoming calls.


Michael W. Jacobs <[e-mail]>
Service Technician Bell Atlantic-Pennsylvania

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Caller ID in Software
Organization: KAIWAN Internet Access Service
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 23:54:15 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, Chris Farrar wrote:

> [e-mail] said something along the lines of the following:

>> is a good question.  I also have such a modem, and I've been looking
>> for a utility like this ever since I got Caller ID (New England
>> Telephone calls it PhoneSmart).  It would be even better if it had an
>> automatic logging capability.  Anyone seen something like this?

> ICON CS Canada Inc. sells a hardware board for a PC that will capture
> CLID info, maintain a log, and even route the call to a specific port
> (port 1, 2, or 3, or NUL) so you can decide who you want connecting.

> Write [e-mail] for more info

Try ZyXEL modems with their free ZFAX 3.02eb(PC only) program.  You
can get ZFAX 3.01 free from anonymous FTP kaiwan.com. and test run it,
but you need a ZyXEL modem to make it work.

ZFAX Specifications:

FAX:
      Send faxes
      View fax files
      Print fax files
      Polling fax from remote fax
      Ability to receive faxes manually
      Convert document files to TIFF, PCX, FAX, or PRN
      Capture printouts from other applications and send them out as faxes
Voice:
      Send voice files to a remote telephone number
      Record voices from a telephone set or external microphone
      Play voice files to a telephone set, internal speaker or SoundBlaster
      Convert voice format to AD2 (2-ADPCM), AD3 (3-ADPCM), or VOC (Sound-
      Blaster)
Data:
      External terminal program
      ZFAX internal terminal program
      Send data files to a remote modem using ZMODEM protocol
      Receive data files from a remote modem using ZMODEM protocol
Voice Mail:
      Up to 1000 mail boxes
      Greeting message management
      FaxBack document management, 10 files
      Voice announcement management, 10 files
      Phone transfer for small PBX
      Page operator
Tx/Rx Log Reports:
      Fax in
      Fax out
      Voice messages
      Outgoing FaxBack documents
Utilities:
      Manual answer
      Dial any remote fax number
      Execute external editor program of your choice
      Phone book management (grouping is also supported)
      Schedule management: voice, fax and data calls (uploading files)
Setup Configurations:
      General hardware
      RS-232 and modem
      Fax configuration
      Distinctive ring feature
      Voice mail configuration
      Cover page configuration
      Printer capture configuration
      ZFAX and related programs' paths

Caller ID and Distinctive Ring:
      Logs Caller ID information and displays it on the screen
      Allows different Actions to be taken for different Rings

      Supported actions:
            1. Ignore
            2. Fax only
            3. Voice Mail System
            4. Data handshake and file transfer
            5. Data handshake and shell to external program
            6. Detect ringing and shell to external program


[e-mail],Anonymous FTP,Telnet kaiwan.com(192.215.30.2)FAX#[phone]
Data Lines# [phone],452-9166, [phone], [phone],756-0180
ZyXEL U-1496E 16.8K: $279.00, U-1496E+ 19.2K: $389.00 Voice/FAX/Data Modems

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jay Hennigan)
Subject: Re: DID Questions
Date: 31 Jan 1994 20:13:56 -0800
Organization: Regional Access Information Network (RAIN)


In article <[e-mail]> Thomas Tengdin <teto@mbari.
org> writes:

> Can anyone tell me how DID lines pass the number down the trunk?

The answer is, "It depends."

DID signaling options are specified when service is ordered, and vary
by the customer and telco.  Generally, the customer provides battery
and ground on a two-wire DID trunk.  When a call comes in, the CO seizes
the trunk by drawing loop current.  At this point, there are three
choices: Immediate, delay dial, and wink.  Immediate means that the CO
will transmit the number immediately.  Immediate trunks virtually
always use dial pulse signalling.  It is assumed that the customer's
equipment is always ready to receive the information.  DTMF is not
used for immediate signalling as most PBX systems dynamically assign
DTMF receivers, and one may not be "immediately" available.

Delay dial means that after a preset interval the CO will transmit the
number.  Dial pulse signalling is the method of choice here also.  10
or 20 PPS can be used, as specified by the customer when the order is
placed, if available from the telco.  Wink signalling is most commonly
used, especially with DTMF.  When the CO seizes the trunk, the
customer will detect the loop current and breifly interrupt battery or
reverse polarity.  The CO sends the information at the end of the
"wink".  So, the wink acts as a "ready to receive" signal from the
customer to the CO.  The CO then outputs the digits either in DTMF or
pulse.  An option on some PBX systems is to supply dial tone when
ready to receive, but I'm not aware if "dial tone" is an option
supported by any local exchange carriers.

Another important factor in DID trunk usage is the return of answer
supervision from the customer to the CO.  When the called party
answers, the PBX will reverse the polarity on the loop.  This reversal
is used by the CO to start timing the call for billing purposes.  All
of the above examples are for simple analog 2-wire DID circuits.
T-carrier systems still typically use DTMF or pulse transmission, but
the A and B signalling bits are used for supervision.

The number of digits sent and any translations from what is dialed to
what is sent are also specified on the order and subject to agreement
by the serving telco.


Jay Hennigan    [e-mail]  Santa Barbara CA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mike King)
Subject: Re: DID Questions
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 09:23:17 PST


In TELECOM Digest, V14 #53, Thomas Tengdin <[e-mail]> asks

> Can anyone tell me how DID lines pass the number down the trunk?

Sure.  There is a set of trunks from the CO to the PBX.  When a call
arrives at the CO that is in the group of numbers "belonging" to the
PBX, the CO will select one of the DID trunks and, in effect, take the
trunk off-hook.  The PBX provides battery to the trunk pair in the
same manner the CO provides battery to a normal two-way trunk.

When the PBX recognizes the CO has "seized" the trunk, it will signal
to the CO to send the identification of the dialed number.  The PBX
does this by momentarily removing battery current; a "wink" condition.
When the CO detects the wink, it will then begin pulsing the dialed
extension to the PBX.  This number may be two to five digits.  The PBX
is then responsible for completing the call to the extension, and
returning ring signal or busy.  If the dialed number does not exist,
the PBX is required to provide some sort of intercept.  Also, the PBX
will return supervision to the CO when the call is answered.

Newer PBXes can receive the extension indication via DTMF.  This is
known as DID-II.


Mike King    [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #56
*****************************


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Date: Tue, 1 Feb 94 14:55:02 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #57

TELECOM Digest     Tue, 1 Feb 94 14:55:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 57

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    The IIA "Free" Internet Account (Paul Robinson)
    Modems For 3002 Circuits Wanted (Javier Henderson)
    Re: INTERNET Connections: What's Involved? (Gordon Torrie)
    Re: INTERNET Connections: What's Involved? (John R. Levine)
    Increasing Cordless Range? (Bill Leeke)
    Re: Snail Mail Newsgroup (Nigel Allen)
    Re: How Can I Get Around a Pair Shortage Problem? (Carl Oppedahl)
    Re: Multi-line BBS's (John DuBois)
    Re: Telephone Nunbers in France ([e-mail])
    Re: International Dialback Long Distance Calling (Carl Moore)
    Re: International Dialback Long Distance Calling ([e-mail])
    Re: Unmetered Local Service (Steve Cogorno)
    Re: Phone Line Simulator Wanted (Lars Poulsen)
    Re: Landlines Pay Airtime To Call Some Cellular Phones (Kriston J. Rehberg)
    Re: Case History of a Phone Rip-Off (Part 1) (Carl Oppedahl)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 13:00:36 EST
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: The IIA "Free" Internet Account
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


Awhile back there was talk here of a "free" account from the IIA
(International Internet Association).  One of the comments was that
they required a credit card for people outside the local area who
might use their 800 number so the company could bill them at 25c a
minute.

I personally coined the term for this: "The Nevada Plan".  That's
where a company provides a service in which they pay for the service
via charges based on telephone calls into the service.  A talk line in
Nevada started this in which you dialed a specific 702 number and were
connected.  The kicker was that you had to call long distance via
AT&T.  AT&T gave them the 2c/minute fee for the connection.

At least one other company has ticked off a similar deal with Sprint
and with MCI for another service.

For those of you going to one of the various convetions who would like
to be able to contact your home computer, there is already a full
internet service which is accessible as real "Nevada Plan" service --
all it costs is a call over AT&T to the provider's number -- and
doesn't have additional charges larded onto it the way this 800 number
thingy does.  (They assess the charges via the credit card supplied to
them.)

The service is called Speedway, and the number -- which has to be
called via AT&T -- is (10288) 1-503-520-2222.  I have no connection
with that company other than as someone who has used their service.

The provider of speedway offers shell access to a Unix system, and
includes full internet connectivity, including E-Mail, almost all
national newsgroups, and the usual internet tools including whois,
ping, nslookup, etc. The company also offers slip connections, and
will act as a DNS receiver for DNS forwarded mail for those wanting
their own domain name.  All at no cost above the AT&T 12c a minute
rates at night or higher during days.

At my own request, they have added a gateway for outgoing SMTP mail,
which is accessed via the command SMTP at the login: prompt.  This is
quite useful for a system that has an incoming mail gateway that wants
a means to post mail which is possibly less expensive.

Since the rate per minute is whatever AT&T charges -- which is
probably less than 25c a minute except during daylight prime time and
may be less if you have a calling plan -- this option is a suitable
alternative to using IIAs overpriced "free" service (unless you happen
to be in the local area of their service).


Paul Robinson - [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Modems for 3002 circuits
Date: 1 Feb 94 09:13:06 PST
Organization: Medical Laboratory Network; Ventura, CA


Can anyone recommend a pair of modems, in the 9600bps range, that will
work on 3002 circuits?


Thanks,

Javier Henderson    [e-mail]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: INTERNET Connections: What's Involved?
From: [e-mail] (Gordon Torrie)
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 14:22:24 -0500
Organization: Torrie Communications Services


[e-mail] (J. Guitard) writes:

> I would like some info on what's involved in connecting to the
> Internet. At first I thought the only way to connect was through a T1
> line, but now I hear you can connect with a 9600 baud line. Someone
> told me they were connected through their local internet provider. Who
> are these local internet providers? What are the costs for these
> lines and monthly fees, etc?  Email me or post here.

There is a file called the Public Dialup Internet List (PDIAL) that
lists Internet service providers, the local calling areas each serves,
the services they offer and outlines their rates.  It lists many
providers in North America and a few that are eleswhere in the world.
Look for PDIAL015.ZIP on a local BBS.


Gord Torrie

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 20:32 EST
From: [e-mail] (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: INTERNET Connections: What's Involved?
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


> I would like some info on what's involved in connecting to the
> Internet.

A good source is Susan Estrada's "Connecting to the Internet",
O'Reilly, ISBN 1-56592-061-9.  It describes the various ways to hook
up, pros and cons, and has a lot of providers listed, in the U.S.,
Canada, and elsewhere.

For a general introduction to the Internet, including a fair amount of
discussion of how you hook up using a PC or a Mac, try "The Internet
for Dummies", IDG Books, ISDN 1-56884-024-1.  I think it's one of the
most superb books ever written in the English language, but since I
wrote it, I may be biased.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Leeke)
Subject: Increasing Cordless Range
Date: 1 Feb 1994 17:31:33 GMT
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston IL USA


I would like to increase the range of my cordless phone. Does anyone
know if there is an easy way to do this? i.e. clip/screw a few
resistors ...

Would it be possible to put a linear amp on the base? Could you also
increase the gain of the base antenna?

Any suggestions welcome.

BTW: Im only interested in the technical aspects of doing this.


[e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Remember that whatever you do, you also
need to increase th handset's range accordingly. It is pointless to have
the base be able to talk for a mile if the handset is not strong enough
to get back to it. Remember also that the more distance you are able to
cover with your cordless, the more others will be able to get back to
your dialtone also, especially if you have an older style cordless.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 01 Feb 1994 02:28:04 -0500
From: [e-mail] (Nigel Allen)
Subject: Re: Snail Mail Newsgroup
Organization: The National Capital FreeNet, Ottawa, Canada
Reply-To: [e-mail]


In a previous article, [e-mail] (Nigel Roberts) says:

> Some time ago there was an announcement of a mailing list or newsgroup
> (I can't remember which) which covered the topic of the world's postal
> services (a.k.a `snail mail').

The newsgroup is named alt.snail-mail, and has had some lively
discussions recently about postal operations and policies.  Most of
the messages deal with the U.S. Postal Service, but private courier
companies and the postal administrations of other countries have also
been discussed.

Stamp collectors will find rec.collecting.stamps more interesting.


Nigel Allen     [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thanks also to Peter Weiss for the same
answer.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Carl Oppedahl)
Subject: Re: How Can I Get Around a Pair Shortage Problem?
Date: 31 Jan 1994 12:26:24 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC


In <[e-mail]> Barry Lustig <[e-mail]> writes:

> A friend of mine lives in a coop apartment in New York City.  He has a
> run of four wire non-twisted pair running from the demarc in the
> basement to his apartment.  He would like to be able to run more than
> two phone circuits to his apartment (modem, fax, phone, etc), but the
> coop won't let him run any additional wire.  Is there anyway to get
> more that two phone circuits running over the four wires?

Or perhaps BRI ISDN on one of the pairs and normal loop-start on the
other ...

Or perhaps BRI ISDN twice -- once on each of two pairs.


Carl Oppedahl AA2KW    Oppedahl & Larson (patent lawyers)
Yorktown Heights, NY   voice 212-777-1330

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John DuBois)
Subject: Re: Multi-line BBS's
Organization: The Armory
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 1994 04:14:38 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, Fred R. Goldstein
<[e-mail]> wrote:

> In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
> (Dannie Gregoire) writes:

>> I'll direct this question to you if possible, as you are the true
>> phone system guru.  I asked it in the newsgroup a couple of months
>> back with no useful response.  I would like to know how some of these
>> bulletin boards have 60-100 lines running into them (eg EXEC-PC).  Do
>> they simply have that many individual lines run or is there a nifty
>> service that the TELCO offers through a PBX?  I apologize if this is
>> a stupid question, but it is one that has baffled me, and I gotta know
>> the answer.  Thanks for any help ...

     As a data point ... the systems here currently have 12 data
lines.  All but one (our ISDN line for IP connectivity) are analog
lines, and cost $8.50/mo.  ($3 of that for undesired "network access
for interstate calling" which I'm told I can't skip), since they're
measured rate, which makes sense for our purposes since they're dialin
only.  Pac Bell just pulls another five-pair cable each time we run
out, and wires it up to another six-position network interface, which
now are arranged in a nice row along the outside of the house.

     When we had used up the third set of lines (we have five voice
lines too), I expected them to pull out the five-pair cables and
replace them with a 25-pair cable, but they somehow managed to get not
just one but (for a change) two more five-pair cables through the
conduit.  I doubt we'll need more than 25 pairs, so I don't get to see
what they'd do next :)

     The data lines are connected to a motley assortment of modems
which are on multiport boards.


John DuBois    [e-mail]    KC6QKZ

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mark)
Subject: Re: Telephone Nunbers in France
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: MCIL
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 1994 15:07:37 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
writes:

> [e-mail] (Erik Thomas Mueller) said:

>>>  By the way, note that the current numbering plan in France is scheduled
>>>  to be replaced in 1995 by the uniform NPA + 8D where NPA =
>>>      1 Ile-de-France (Paris, ...)
>>>      2 Northeast France
>>>      3 Southeast France
>>>      4 Southwest France
>>>      5 Northwest France

> Oddly enough, France has roughly the same number of telephones as the
> UK; but the UK is about to change from a 10 digit scheme to an 11
> digit scheme.  I somehow doubt if the North West France zone will be
> given code "5"; because that would entail callers dialling 05 to call
> NW France.  At the moment 05 is the French toll-free code, the
> equivalent of 1-800 and 0800, which they call "numberos verts" - green
> numbers.  The French 05 will, I am told, in due course change to 0800.
> A separate code (06?) has been allocated for mobiles.

Speaking about adding a digit, is there any plan in the USA to add a
digit when the system runs out of valid area codes? Or will they buy
time by changing the N0X N1X requirement?


Mark


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: We *have* run out of area codes and 'they'
have abandoned the N0X/N1X requirement. New area codes will be almost any
three digit number.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 01 Feb 94 01:14:41 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: International Dialback Long Distance Calling


Who'd use 011 to call INTO country code 1?  Try +1 (instead of 011-1
or 1) in front of the 719 area code.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (D.C.)
Subject: Re: International Dialback Long Distance Calling
Date: 01 Feb 1994 13:02:32 -0500
Organization: UMIACS, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742


I once saw somebody selling this type of dialback equipment on the
Usenet.  Does anybody have the information? Can you point to me where
I can find such an equipment?

Thanks.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steve Cogorno)
Subject: Re: Unmetered Local Service
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 1994 11:42:18 PST


> Correct me if I am wrong but local call costs are very usage
> insensitive (the costs of running a local telephone exchange will be
> virtually the same if we are calling all the time or if we never use
> our telephones).

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: There are costs involved with the
> common equipment and the amount of it in place which to large extent
> detirmined by how much the phone is used. Even so, why shouldn't
> telco get paid for the value of the service?   PAT]

THe telco SHOULD get paid for the value of its service -- via the
monthly service charge.


Steve   [e-mail]
#608 Merrill * 200 McLaughlin Drive * Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1015

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Lars Poulsen)
Subject: Re: Phone Line Simulator Wanted
Organization: CMC Network Products, Copenhagen DENMARK
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 19:20:13 GMT


[e-mail] (David Jones) writes:

>> I am in need of a phone line simulator.  It will be used to verify the
>> functionality of modems for a large computing network.

In article <[e-mail]> Proctor & Associates
<[e-mail]> writes:

> Any of the Proctor Telephone Demonstrators will do this.  There are
> three models, from two to four lines, and the newest one will also do
> Caller ID and CENTREX emulation.

In the last couple of years, I have been using various such devices,
ranging from simple ringdown boxes to small PBXes, for exactly this
application. I have found a great variety in the quality of these
units.  Here are some issues:

(1) Some ringdown boxes burn out, if they have to supply dial tone to
    both sides at once. I experienced this problem with some very
    inexpensive (USD 106 at Graybar!!) ringdowns. That made them
    unusable for my purpose, but they would work fine for one-way
    ringdown applications, and could indeed be strapped for one-way.

(2) The TelTone TLS-3, considered by my colleagues in the voice-mail
    industry to be the Cadillac of line simulators has shown many
    problems on my bench: Weak ring signals (won't reliably trigger my
    ZyXEL modems), lots of glare (because it is slow to recognize a
    hangup; like many Centrex lines I have seen). This can sometimes
    be a nuisance when stress testing two-way dial-on-demand routers.
    (I wonder how the Proctor units compare in this respect.)

(3) The Panasonics KX-T308 and 616 series have been great for this
    application, but they have a limited number of talk paths. For
    example, the 308 allows four simultaneous calls, the 616 allows
    8, I think. So if you are using any trunk side connections, you
    may experience blocking on local calls. This is not well
    documented. (Actually, I think you can have blocking even if you
    don't have trunkside connections. I've moved away from the lab
    with the KX-T's - anyone care to test and report ?)

Lars Poulsen            Internet E-mail: [e-mail]
CMC Network Products        Phone: (011-) [phone]
Hvidovre Strandvej 72 B        Telefax:      [phone]
DK-2650 Hvidovre, DENMARK    Internets: designed and built while you wait

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Landlines Pay Airtime To Call Some Cellular Phones
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 94 14:07:28 EST
From: [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The 'New York pager scam' involved this
guy who took out a very expensive (to call) phone line on the 540 (?)
exchange in New York City. That exchange *only when calling from the
LATA (212/708/914/516?)* charges the callers in the same way that 900
or 976 service works elsewhere. This guy had a line which cost the calling
party something like $20-30 each time they dialed it and he sent page
messages to (apparently) thousands of pagers in the area asking them
to call him back on his expensive number ... they responded by the
thousands and he got a nice commission from telco -- just like you
would get if you ran a 900/976 service. The people who called got very
large charges on their phone bill, and the guy made a mint from it.  PAT]

NYNEX has created a new area code 917 for pager, cellular, and
"certain other services", in addition to their 212 and 718 numbers.
In an area where almost every tall office building has at least one
PBX with direct-dial extensions, NYC is a pure example of the
so-called "phone number shortage" myth.  They just keep adding NPA's.
If someone can explain how there could possibly be a phone number
shortage, especially with the elimination of both 1 + 7D and the
recent expansion of area code second-digit assignments please send me
E-mail or post here to the Digest.  I have always believed this to be
an urban legend, especially in light of the elimination of 1 + 7D in
the past ten years and the more recent second-digit area code allowance.

Back to the original thought of the post, I always thought that the
only pay exchanges in all of the NYC area codes was 976.  This has
nothing to do with 1-900, by the way.

By the way, I don't see area code 708 in NYC.  You probably meant 718
(Queens/Bronx/Bkln).


Kriston J. Rehberg                  Internet External :[e-mail]
Associate Programmer/Analyst        FSC Internal RSCS :V2ENA81 AT OWEGO
ENSCO, Incorporated                 FSC Internal AFS  :[e-mail]
Loral Federal Systems Co, Owego, NY Tel: [phone] :Tieline: 662-2180


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yes, that was a typographical error. I
meant to say 718, not 708.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Carl Oppedahl)
Subject: Re: Case History of a Phone Rip-Off (Part 1)
Date: 01 Feb 1994 10:29:35 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC


In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (David L
Kindred ) writes:

> for a minute, she realized that she was the only person in the office,
> and that the lines couldn't be in use.  At this point she picks up the
> line, and "This is the Credit Union, may I help you?".  One of the
> people on the line mumbles something like "isn't so-and-so there?" and
> hangs up.  My mother then hung-up and was able to use the line to make
> her call.  The next day, she reported this event to NJ Bell.  A day or
> two after that, one of the phone lines went dead, and again NJ Bell
> was involved.

> As you might expect, the next phone bill was quadruple the normal.
> Most of the "mystery" calls were to Manilla (sp?), and a few to
> Panama.

> This is where things stand for the moment.  I'll report further on
> whether NJ Bell/AT&T give her a hassle about the bogus charges, and
> how long it takes to clear the "unexpected" connections.

[deletia]

> There have been numerous reports here about unscrupulous persons
> making their own connections to other people's phone lines.  The
> person (or persons) involved here seem to have known that the lines
> they "borrowed" were from a business, and what the normal working
> hours for the business were.  Only a few late nights led to the
> discovery of the problem before the first bill showed up.  Is there a
> way a small business can protect themselves from this, or do we all
> have to rely on the phone company straightening things out afterwards?

This is a problem, and is going to be more and more prevalent as the
years go on.  Indeed how can a telephone customer protect himself/herself?
Here in no particular order are a few thoughts.

1.  If you get ISDN you will virtually eliminate this problem.  The
ne'er-do-wells who tap onto phone lines these days use very
inexpensive conventional telephone equipment in their efforts, and
cannot accomplish anything with an ISDN line (other than generating
synch errors).  It will be many years (perhaps a decade) before
equipment to permit seamlessly connecting to an ISDN line becomes
commonly available.

2.  Before moving into a premises, do a security survey of the
incoming utilities.  Ideally the cable from telco passes underground,
directly into your building.  Ideally within your building the cable
then goes straight to a room that nobody gets into without a key
(ideally your key).  Etc. Etc.

3.  One bad situation is if your building is multi-tenant, and if the
telephone wiring is in places that lots of people can get at (some
public hallway in the basement, say).

4.  Another bad situation is if there is a connection box outdoors,
where anybody can get at it, with your non-ISDN dial tone ripe for the
plucking.  It is probably "locked" with a hex bolt that can only be
"unlocked" by people who have such rare tools as socket wrenches.

The key is to think about this *before* you move in.  It is generally
impossible to get the telephone company interested in the situation
once you are there.  "Yes, New Jersey Bell, that is *exactly* what I
want you to do!  Now get out here with that backhoe and put that line
underground right now!"

It is also generally impossible to get a landlord to do anything about
this *after* you move in.


Carl Oppedahl AA2KW   Oppedahl & Larson (patent lawyers)
Yorktown Heights, NY  voice 212-777-1330

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #57
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #58

TELECOM Digest     Thu, 3 Feb 94 09:56:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 58

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Book Review: "The Internet Guide for New Users" by Dern (Rob Slade)
    The Dawn of A New Age (Stephen Goodman)
    New Area Code 281 for Houston (Richard R. Guadajardo)
    Terrible Net Lag - Information Rquested (Robert Zawalski)
    Lowest Rates in the Long Distance Industry! (Dan Dindinger)
    GSDN Programming Question (Jerry Aguirre)
    Lebanon Telephone Infrastructure (Alex Cena)
    Best Low-Price Cordless Phone (Darby Holliman)
    Internet Access in Germany (Michael Weir)
    U.S.A. - Cuba Telecommunications ([e-mail])
    I Want Your War Stories! (Jeff Kagan)
    Dialogic Help Please? (Rich Padula)
    PC Anywhere Disconnect in Windows? ([e-mail])
    Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing (Robb Topolski)
    That Illusive Program: swIXO (Marcus Blankenship)
    The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right (Paul Robinson)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 02 Feb 1994 09:53:45 MDT
From: Rob Slade ([e-mail])
Subject: Book Review: "The Internet Guide for New Users" by Dern


BKTIGFNU.RVW  931229

McGraw-Hill Ryerson/Osborne
300 Water Street
Whitby, Ontario  L1N 9B6
905-430-5000  905-430-5047 Rita Bisram, Marketing
fax: [phone]
or
2600 Tenth St.
Berkeley, CA   94710   USA
510-548-2805   800-227-0900
or
1221 Avenue of th NY   10020
"The Internet Guide for New Users", Dern, 1994, 0-07-016511-4, U$27.95
[e-mail]

In the Preface, Dern expands on the title, explaining the audience and
purpose of the book.  He emphasizes users, stating that the book is
not about protocols or administration.  I would second that, and note
the other boundary condition: the book is not for dabblers.  This is
for people who are serious about using the resources of the Internet.
Dern also stresses "new", proposing that the book could be for those
who have never used a computer or a modem before.

This may be stretching things a bit. There certainly is not sufficient
background here for someone who has just bought a PC to get communications
software and hardware up and running.  (Dern does suggest that you
find at least a BBS buddy to get started.)  On the other hand, no
prior knowledge is assumed: there is even a section on "Enough UNIX to
Survive," which goes so far as to explain what an operating system is.

Part one has four chapters explaining Internet history and background,
getting connected, Internet addressing and the aforementioned UNIX
overview.  This survey describes the "tools" of email, Usenet, remote
login and file transfer (ftp).  I would query the status of Usenet
here; new users generally have a function oriented approach and it
might more generally be seen as a part of the concept of discussion
groups, and refer to mailing and distribution lists.

Part three explains tools to aid in finding and accessing information;
chapter nine, in conceptual terms, and chapter ten, describing the
specific individual programs and systems.  Part four discusses
Internet "citizenship" in terms of etiquette and culture (chapter
eleven) and in getting help and assistance (chapter twelve).  Part
five is a miscellany, looking at special sites, mailing and distribution.

This book will very likely be seen as a successor to Krol's "Whole
InternUser's Guide and Catalog" (cf BKKROL.RVW).  The two share a very
common history, size and UNIX bias.  Dern's work is larger and more
complete, in many respects, and has the advantage, in this very
rapidly changing arena, of more recent information.  (Being up to
date, however, has a very emphemeral value in the Internet world.)
Dern also shows less reliance on the navigating tools of gopher and
WAIS which are still not accessible to even a majority of users.  On
the other hand, Krol's "Catalog" is a lot of fun, although far from
exhaustive. (Both major internet guides have this UNIX flavour.  Dern
does give a credible explanation of why this is so, and also tends to
use the UNIX examples in a more useful fashion.  If you are using ftp
and telnet extensively, then you should know the examples.)

I am happy to see the emphasis on netiquette and online culture. Given
both the personal nature and the importance of the topic, I would
prefer to see somewhat less discussion of this area.  Dern also provides
useful lists of "common mistakes."

I am also pleased to see some prominence given to the use of various
functions via email.  Literally millions of online service users have
access to the Internet via email gateways -- and don't know it.  This
section could use some expansion; even with references to other
sections of the book, the examples are quit true of the Internet. This
work deserves serious consideration.


copyright Robert M. Slade, 1993   BKTIGFNU.RVW  931229

======================
DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters
Editor and/or reviewer [e-mail], [e-mail], Rob Slade at 1:153/733
DECUS Symposium '94, Vancouver, BC, Mar 1-3, 1994, contact: [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 1 Feb 94 16:48 EST
From: Stephen Goodman <[e-mail]>
Subject: The Dawn of A New Age


Here is what the future could bring!!!

TCI, the nation's largest cable television company, is in talks to
launch a unique pilot project in conjunction with Pacific Gas and
Electric Co. and Microsoft Corporation to design a "smart home".  The
home automation industry is expected to triple in size, from $1.7
billion this year to more than $5.1 billion by the year 2000.

Here is the diary of a future homeowner!

                        ================

November 28, 1995

Moved in at last. Finally, we live in the smartest house in the
neighborhood.  Everything's networked.  The cable TV is connected to
our phone, which is connected to my PC, which is connected to the
power lines, all the appliances and the security system.  Everything
runs off a universal remote with the friendliest interface I've ever
used. Programming is a snap. I'm, like, totally wired.

November 30

Hot stuff! Programmed my VCR from the office, turned up the thermostat
and switched on the lights with the car phone, remotely tweaked the
oven a few degrees for my pizza. Everything nice and cozy when I
arrived. Maybe I should get the the universal remote surgically
attached.

December 3

Yesterday, the kitchen crashed. Freak event. As I opened the
refigerator door, the light bulb blew. Immediately, everything else
electrical shut down -- lights, microwave, coffee maker -- everything!
Carefully, I unplugged and replugged all the appliances. Nothing.
Called the cable company (but not from the kitchen phone). They refer
me to the utility company. The utility insists the problem was in the
software. So the software company runs some remote telediagnostics via
my house processor.

Their expert system claims it has to be the utility's fault.  I don't
care, I just weant my kitchen back. More phone calls.  More remote
diagnostics.

Turns out the problem was "unanticipated failure mode" -- the network
had never seen a refrigerator bulb failure while the door was open. So
the fuzzy logic interpreted the burnout as a power surge and shut down
the entire kitchen. But because sensor memory confirmed that there
hadn't actually been a power surge, the kitchen's logic sequence was
confused so it couldn't do a standard restart.

The utility guy swears this was the first time this has ever happened.
Rebooting the kitchen took over an hour.

December 7

The police are not happy. Our house keeps calling them for help.  We
discover that whenever we play the TV or stereo above 25 decibels, it
creates patterns of micro-vibrations that get amplified when they hit
the window. When these vibrations mix with a gust of wind, the
security sensors are actuated and the police computer concludes that
someone is trying to break in.  Go figure ...

Another glitch: whenever the basement is in self-diagnostic mode, the
universal remote won't let me change the channels on my TV. That means
I actually have to get up off the couch and change the channels by
hand. The software and the utility people say this flaw will be fixed
in the next upgrade -- SmartHouse 2.1, but it's not ready yet.

December 12

This is a nightmare.  There's a virus in the house. My personal
computer caught it while browsing on the public access network. I come
home and the livingroom is a sauna, the bedroom windows are covered
with ice, the refrigerator has defrosted, the washing machine has
flooded the basement, the garage door is cycling up and down and the
TV is stuck on the Home Shopping channel. Throughout the house, lights
flicker like stroboscopes until they explode from the strain.  Broken
glass is everywhere. Of course, the security sensors detect nothing.

I look at a message slowly throbbing on my PC screen: "Welcome to
HomeWrecker!!! Now the FUN begins ... (be it ever so humble, there's no
virus like HomeWrecker ...)". I get out of the house. Fast.

December 18

They think I've digitally desinfected the house but the place is a
shambles.  Pipes have burst and we're not completely sure we've got
the part of the virus that attacks toilets. Nevertheless, The
Exorcists (as the anti-virus SWAT members like to call themselves) are
confident the worst is over.  "HomeWrecker is pretty bad," one tells
me, "but consider yourself lucky you did'nt get Poltergeist. That one
is really evil".

December 19

Apparently, our house isn't insured for viruses. "Fires and mudslides
yes," says the claims adjuster, "viruses, no."

My agreement with the SmartHouse people explicitly states that all
claims and warranties are null and void if any appliance or computer
in my house networks in any way, shape or form with a noncertified
on-line service.  Everybody's very, very sorry but they can't be
expected to anticipate every virus that may be created.

We call our lawyer.  He laughs.  He's excited.

December 21

I get a call from a SmartHouse sales rep.  As a special holiday offer,
we get the free opportunity to become a beta site for the company's
new SmartHouse 2.1 upgrade.  He says I'll be able to meet the programmers
personally.  "Sure, I tell him"...

To Be Continued ...

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 03 Feb 1994 02:31:42 CST
From: "RICHARD R. GUAJARDO" <[e-mail]>
Subject: New Area Code 281 for Houston


Houston, Tex. will be getting a new area code, probably 281, in 1995.

The {Houston Chronicle} in an article by Dwight Silverman (Jan. 21,
1994) states than a number of ways to implement the new code are
currently being studied.  More details were expected in about two
months.  Area code 713 currently serves the Houston metro area (Harris
County and small parts of adjoining counties)

According to the news article the following options were being considered
for the new area code:

    1)    an overlay of 713, assigning 281 to new installations
        (neighbors would have different area codes)
    2)    an overlay of 713, assigning 281 to all pagers
        and cellular phones
    3)    a split of 713, half of Houston in 281 and the remaining
        half in 713

Previously 713 was split to create 409 for East Texas (1983).


Richard Guajardo   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Robert Zawalski)
Subject: Terrible Net Lag - Information Requested
Date: 3 Feb 1994 00:45:17 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access


In the last two weeks I'm experiencing terrible net-lag at the
Canadian servers. Running a version of "traceroute", and running a
"ping" script that returns a summary of transfer times leads me to
conclude that something is quite broken along the path.

I'd like to learn about the implementation details of network
connections before being the four-thousandth person to call sys-admin's
at the problem sites. Yes I know the net is always slow in Canada, but
until a few weeks ago, this was moot. It was easily fast enough for my
fingers and modem :')

Please email suggested information to read etc. if this topic is
outside the usual scope of discussions among this group.


Thanks,

Bob Zawalski  [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (UtiliComm Consultants)
Subject: Lowest Rates in the Long Distance Industry!
Date: 3 Feb 94 08:42:35 GMT
Organization: UtiliComm Consultants


QUALITY & SERVICE FROM $0.0895/min TO $0.1495/min

I need to inform you of a company out of San Francisco called Phoenix
Network.  Phoenix (NASDAQ Symbol: PHXN) has been in business since
1987, with 1993 revenues surpassing $30 million.  Phoenix is in
business because it can save small to medium sized businesses money on
their long distance phone charges.

Phoenix offers a range of rates starting from $0.0895/min up to
$0.1495/min.  These rates are flat rates, which means they are good
anytime/anywhere throughout the U.S.  Phoenix also offers
International rates which are discounted 50% off that of major
carriers.  (The rates that are basically the same for outgoing calls
and for incoming 1-800#'s.)

WHAT ABOUT QUALITY?

You can be assured of the highest quality transmission, as your actual
service will continue to be with the major carriers (ATT, MCI &
Sprint) but at a huge discount.  Phoenix is a re-biller which
purchases large volumes of long distance service, and is able to offer
your business the lowest rates possible.  Phoenix also offers a
customer service center with over 60 employees ready to help.

Phoenix can offer your company a customized long distance service to
match your exact needs -- PLUS it will save you money.  There is no
fee to sign up, so give me a call at [phone] for a demonstration
of how much you can save.


Dan Dindinger   UtiliComm Consultants
Voice: [phone]   Fax: [phone]

P.S. This offer is only available to businesses that use over $200/month in
long distance telephone service.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Ah, I see -- just skimming the cream from
the better business customers; smart thinking!  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jerry Aguirre)
Subject: GSDN Programming Question
Date: 3 Feb 1994 06:56:25 GMT
Organization: Olivetti ATC; Cupertino, CA; USA


We, along with other locations of our company, are members of GSDN.
Our lines to AT&T come in on a T1 to a system 75 Generic 1 switch.
When promoting GSDN the sales people said that calls to other sites
that were part of GSDN would automatically get billed as GSDN calls.
(Explaination by hand waving!)

Now that we see the bills it is obvious that the only way calls route
as GSDN is if we manually dial the trunk access code, GSDN code, and
extension at the other end.

Now one method is to tell everyone about the new method of calling the
other offices; And then hope enough of them use it to achieve better
rates.  Does anyone have any suggestions on a more transparrent, or at
least easier to dial, method?

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 03 Feb 94 08:12:48 EST
From: Alex Cena <[e-mail]>
Subject: Lebanon Telephone Infrastructure


The Lebanese government has approved contracts to buy one million
telephone lines from Alcatel Alsthom NV, Siemens AG and AB L.M.
Ericsson.  How the work will be divided between the three vendors will
share the work still has not been decided.  Can someone tell me what
role if any wireless technology, especially cellular, may play in this
project?

Thanks in advance,


Alex M. Cena, Lehman Brothers, [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 3 Feb 1994 08:56:00 +0000
From: Darby Holliman <[e-mail]>
Subject: Best Low-Price Cordless Phone


Which of the lower priced cordless phones has the best reception.
I've heard Panasonic makes a good phone for the price.


Darby Holliman  Northern Telecom
[e-mail]  [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (michael weir)
Subject: Internet Access in Germany
Date: 3 Feb 1994 03:15:17 GMT
Organization: Umich


I am searching for Internet access for a friend of mine who lives in
Wiesbaden Germany.  There are three different types of access that I
am interested and they are as follows: (in order of preference)

1) My friend is an Opel employee and the first option would be to
obtain an account through Opel.  Does anyone have a contact within
Opel or know what Opel's procedure is?

2)  The second type of access would be through a local Freenet.  Does
anyone have any information regarding Freenets in the Wiesbaden area?

3)  Third and finally would be pay access.  This would preferably be
a last resort but if that is all that's available that's fine.

Any help on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Raymond Luxury Yacht)
Subject: U.S.A. - Cuba Telecommunications
Organization: nbnet
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 1994 23:37:02 GMT


Is there anybody out there who knows anything about the present Cuba --
USA telecommunications regulation situation or even anything about
telephony in Cuba? Specifically, I would be interested in knowing
anything you can tell me about:

- Is it possible to call from the USA to Cuba today? I understand the
old Florida City radio link was wrecked during Hurricane Andrew. Is it
illegal under the embargo, or are there just no facilities? If it is
possible, do you have any idea of the aproximate cost/min?

- What is the penetration of telephones in Cuba? How many phones are
installed and where are they?

Also, any general info about the state of telecom in Cuba and between
Cuba and the USA would be appreciated.

No need to post unless someone else shows interest -- just email me.

TIA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: I Want Your War Stories!
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 94 21:02:35 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


I am participating in an article on phone company overcharging and
gouging, etc. I know there are a million stories in the naked city (as
Joe Friday of Dragnet used to say).

Let me hear yours!


Jeffrey Kagan   Tele Choice Consulting
Atlanta         [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Wed, 02 Feb 94 21:37:18 EST
Subject: Dialogic Help Please?


SOS!

I am trying to write a program for the Dialogic D/40B in QuickC. I
thought things were OK, but I've found that when a user holds down a
DTMF keypress, my program skips though many states, as if the long
DTMF is being seen as many DTMF presses.

If anyone out there has any helpful hints, could we discuss in e-mail?

BTW, QuickC = V2.0, D/4X driver = V2.98


Thanks,

rich

------------------------------

From: mailrus!samsung!ulowell!aspen.uml.edu![e-mail]
Subject: PC Anywhere Disconnect in Windows?
Date: 4 Feb 94 00:28:50 -0500
Organization: University of Massachusetts Lowell


Anyone know any reason why Norton PC Anywhere (v 4.5) disconnects
after it paints the opening screen in Windows?  It disconnects, then,
when I dial back in, Windows runs fine the rest of the time.

Please EMail, I don't follow this group much.

Thanks in advance!


Pete   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Robb Topolski)
Subject: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing
Organization: KJ6YT
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 1994 20:53:11 GMT


Just so there's no confusion, in my area:

Remote Call Fowarding is a seven-digit number that exists in the CO
only that your callers call to be connected with another (usually
distant) number.

Distinctive Ringing is a feature on your telephone that provides a
distinctive ring (short-long-short) when a call originating from a
particular number is received.  You create this list by inputting the
number or by pressing *61 immediately following a call from a number
you want added to the list.

QUESTION:  If a caller (from 555-1133) dials my Remote Call Forwarding
number (555-9922) which is forwarded to my home, which number is
evaluated by Distinctive Ringing?


Robb Topolski KJ6YT   [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 2 Feb 1994 10:04:58 PST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: That Illusive Program: swIXO


While reading through the archives trying to find shareware/PD
software that sends text messages to Motorola Advisor pagers via the
IXO protocal I found a message that refered to a free program called
swIXO.  The message even contained a portion of the README.TXT file
that came with the program.  Unfortuantly, it did _not_ tell where the
program could be retrieved from.  If someone know where/who has this
please e-mail to my address.  Any ftp sites or shareware companies
would be appreciated.


Marcus Blankenship    Alpha-Telcom Inc.  Payphone Tech.

------------------------------

Reply-To: [e-mail]
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 1994  01:36:58 EST
Subject:  The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right ...
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring MD USA


Today we had a problem with one of the employees that wanted to call
the University of California at Davis, in that he said that the main
number - 752-1011 - wasn't working, and he was unable to get through.

He told me he had tried calling the number, and even Directory
Assistance in area code 707 had given him the same number.  So I tried
calling that number both via the government FTS network and as a
commercial call.  <SIT TONE> and an announcement that the number was
bad occurred in both cases.

I called 707-555-1212 on the FTS network and asked for the main number
of U.C. Davis.  The computer read off the *same* number: 752-1011.
Still didn't work.  I called the FTS trouble hotline and they got the
same recording and directory assistance in 707 gave them the same
number.

If it was "Joe's Bar" I could understand that it could be out of
service, but the main number for a State University?  (This is in
Central California, far outside the earthquake zone.)

Then we discovered the problem.  Davis is in the *916* areacode, *NOT*
in 707.  And the funny thing was, living in the Washington, DC area,
I'm used to hearing the local DA recording give the area code before a
number.  Later tonight, in repeating the experiment, I called 707
information.  The first Directory Assistance operator informed me that
the area code for Davis is 916, and to dial 916-555-1212 to get
Directory Assistance there.  The second call to 707 DA gave me the
752-1011 number without mentioning the area code.


Paul Robinson - [e-mail] / [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The way it works is that a lot of DA
Bureaus are handled from the same location by the same operators and
they are *supposed* to pay attention to what lines the incoming calls
arrive on, but they do not always do that. You'd think it would be
just as simple to ignore the identity of the incoming trunk and just
always recite the response with an area code on the front to avoid
this kind of confusion, but the answer to that is that since most
people do in fact call the correct area code (plus 555-1212) to obtain
the desired number, the recital of the area code at the start of the
number would confuse people (the local people) into thinking *they*
had to dial the area code first also.  PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #58
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #59

TELECOM Digest     Thu, 3 Feb 94 11:44:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 59

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    V&H Report - 15 January 1994 (David Esan)
    Book Review: "Navigating the Internet" by Gibbs/Smith (Rob Slade)
    Data-Communication on Voice Lines in Bell Atlantic Territory (S. Davidson)
    20GHz Wireless is the Future? (S. L. Lee)
    Need Information About POLYCOM Soundstation (Markolf Gudjons)
    Moriarity Fax Number, -Maybe- (Ken Staggers, misc.legal via Danny Burstein)
    Can Anybody Tell Me About: V.26 Modems, Signalling System 6? (David Myers)
    Is Shortened BCH Code a Shortened Cyclic Code? (G.R. Pradeep)
    Caller ID/CNAM (Michael G. Godwin)
    Inmarsat-B ([e-mail])
    Question on Trunks and T1's (Steven L. Spak)
    Looking For Videoconferencing Newsgroups ([e-mail])
    Brussels Student Needs Information on Israel Telco (Severine Burgers)
    Cancellation of VSI94 (A. Padgett Peterson)
    Last Laugh: Tayna Harding Uses Talk Tickets to Avoid Detection (S Forrette)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Esan)
Subject: V&H Report - 15 January 1994
Date: 2 Feb 94 20:30:29 GMT
Organization: Moscom Corporation, Pittsford NY


Once a quarter I USED to receive the BellCore V&H tape.  Using this
information I could total the number of exchanges in each area code.
The twenty most populous area codes are listed below.  After the
written text of this article I have included the count for each of the
area codes.

This is no longer our procedure.  The information in FCC #10 is now
detailed enough that we no longer need to order the tape from BellCore
and are using FCC #10 for our V&H information.  There will be some
changes during the changeover, FCC #10 is more current, and some
exchanges due for addition and included in the tape may not yet be in
FCC #10.

We have used pages issued prior to January 15, 1994.  I am not
responsible for the information supplied in FCC #10.

I have not included the following in my counts of exchanges:

  - NXX's that are not dialable by a standard user (ie nxx's that begin
    with a 1 or 0).

  - Mexican exchanges in the 52? series of area codes.  I've got them,
    you can dial them with 011, but they're not really NPAs.

  - Exchanges that are non-dialable in the 88? series of area codes.  I've
    got those also, but you can't dial them, so I'm not including them.

    Numbers that begin with 88 are nondialable stations in the US, Canada and
    Mexico.  They are ranches in the middle of the Nevada or Texas desert,
    or isolated outpost of civilization (always wanted to use that phrase) in
    the tundra of Canada.  I find place names like the Bar J Ranch, Double B
    Ranch, and JD Dye, Texas, Amargosa, Corncreek and Reese Valley, NV, and
    Chick Lake, Redknife and Taglu, NT.  I gather they are ringdown stations,
    or radio-telephone stations.  [It has been noted in c.d.t. that at least
    two of these numbers are for a bordello on the NV-CA border.]

  - This list includes three new area codes: 905, 810, and 910.  I have not
    yet received information on 610.

The fields are:
                        ------------ rank last in October, 1993
          213: 736 (1, 7)
  area code --^^^  ^^^     ^------- number of new exchanges
                    |-------------- total number of exchanges

919: 723 ( 1, 12)  206: 682 ( 7, 12)    212: 639 (12,  2)   615: 601 (18,  9)
313: 722 ( 2, 16)  602: 676 ( 9, 14)    604: 617 (14,  8)   303: 601 (19, 13)
205: 716 ( 3, 10)  708: 675 ( 8,  8)    403: 617 (13,  2)   503: 597 (16,  3)
416: 699 ( 4,  7)  713: 663 (10, 10)    216: 604 (15,  5)   813: 592 (21, 15)
215: 696 ( 6, 15)  703: 645 (11,  5)    803: 602 (17, 10)   404: 590 (20,  7)


1. 919 - split is in progress.  Number should be reduced by split.
2. 313 - split is in progress.  Number should be reduced by split.
3. 205 - split is planned.  Number should be reduced by split.
4. 416 - split is in progress.  Number should be reduced by split.
5. 215 - split is in progress.  Number should be reduced by split.
6. 206 - split is planned.  Number should be reduced by split.
7. 602 - split is planned.  Number should be reduced by split.

->  The NPA that is largest and is not splitting nor has plans, at this time,
    to split, is 708.  [PAT - keep your ears open for the impending split!]

->   The 3 smallest NPA's were 302, 906, 807.  They are now:

      302: 134 - Delaware (+1 exchanges)
      906: 117 - Michigan's Upper Peninsula (no change)
      807: 106 - Western Ontario (no change)


->   The NPAs with the greatest growth rates are:

     NPA   % growth

         917    4.35
         314    3.01
         909    2.75
         406    2.70
         813    2.60
         310    2.55
         305    2.49
         504    2.47
         214    2.45
         817    2.44

->   The 10 NPAs with the least growth rates are:

     NPA   % growth
         714    -39.57 *Decline due to deletion of NXXs now in 909.*
         512     -8.71 *Decline due to deletion of NXXs now in 210.*
         218      0
         306      0
         316      0
         319      0
         413      0
         418      0
         506      0
         517      0


All the NPAs and the number of nxx's in each are listed below:

919: 723  612: 581  201: 466  316: 390    408: 357  208: 315  709: 264
313: 722  314: 581  412: 461  219: 389    204: 357  613: 309  806: 263
205: 716  809: 577  913: 454  213: 386    318: 356  706: 308  608: 259
416: 699  305: 577  306: 454  704: 384    207: 356  918: 307  509: 258
215: 696  501: 567  614: 447  406: 380    304: 349  218: 302  603: 251
206: 682  904: 561  818: 443  914: 379    512: 346  909: 299  901: 244
602: 676  203: 561  407: 443  910: 379    419: 345  202: 296  308: 216
708: 675  619: 560  210: 443  502: 375    517: 343  903: 291  417: 214
713: 663  817: 545  410: 441  217: 375    319: 342  808: 291  707: 205
703: 645  405: 545  515: 440  801: 374    505: 340  606: 291  506: 186
212: 639  804: 534  601: 437  504: 373    618: 339  610: 290  719: 184
604: 617  310: 523  617: 435  908: 372    702: 333  712: 288  802: 183
403: 617  717: 521  415: 434  301: 371    805: 331  812: 287  307: 181
216: 604  312: 517  402: 426  418: 370    915: 324  518: 279  607: 178
803: 602  414: 514  516: 421  510: 368    715: 321  507: 279  917: 168
615: 601  514: 509  714: 417  701: 364    815: 319  902: 278  401: 146
303: 601  718: 508  907: 411  605: 360    409: 318  705: 275  413: 135
503: 597  816: 486  716: 410  912: 359    819: 317  814: 271  302: 134
813: 592  513: 484  508: 410  519: 359    905: 315  315: 270  906: 117
404: 590  317: 481  616: 408  810: 358    609: 315  309: 268  807: 106
214: 585  916: 471  209: 396


David Esan      [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 03 Feb 1994 05:41:50 MDT
From: Rob Slade <[e-mail]>
Subject: Book Review: "Navigating the Internet" by Gibbs/Smith


This happens to be (not *entirely* by my own choice :-) the textbook
to be used in two upcoming seminars that I will be giving.  If you are
in the area of Vancouver, BC on Feb. 19th and Feb. 24, 25th, you might
contact Cyberstore at 604-526-3373 or [e-mail].  They are
the ones organizing the seminars.  (The one day course is the first
day of the two day seminar.)

BKNAVINT.RVW   940110

Prentice Hall/SAMS Publishing
11711 N. College Avenue, Suite 140
Carmel, IN 46032
1-800-428-5331  Fax: [phone]
"Navigating the Internet", Gibbs/Smith, 0-672-30362-0, U$24.95/C$31.95
[e-mail]  [e-mail] [e-mail]

With this title, one would expect an emphasis less on introduction and
more on the search tools of the Internet.  This is not the case; what
we have here, is, again, another introductory guide to the Internet.
The book leans quite heavily on the "Internet as ocean" metaphor in
the first chapter, but thereafter abandons it.

The choice and organization of individual chapters is reasonable, but
tends to be application specific rather than function specific.  The
discussion of LISTSERV mailing lists gets a chapter of its own rather
than being combined with either email, which is how you use them, or
Usenet news, to deal generically with conferencing or discussion type
activities.  The organization within chapters is somewhat
discontinuous, with topics being discussed in two or three places
within a chapter, but most chapters are short enough that this should
not be a problem.  Coverage is not exhaustive; the topic on finding
people does not list the extremely useful MIT "usenet-addresses" mail
server; but should be enough to get a novice started.

The tone is very light, at times flippant.  (The computer humour
literate will immediately recognize a description of a FORTRAN specific
ftp site as coming from the "Rambo Guide to Real Programmers".)  This
should not prove too much of a problem as most of the asides are
clearly that, and could not be mistaken for directions.  Indeed, one
story by Mark Gibbs about carelessly reading a message and confusing
"resent" (as in taking offense) for "re-sent" (as in forwarding of a
message) is a fine object lesson in the importance of thoughtful
reading of email.  (I am glad to see the extended coverage given to
network etiquette.)

One bad fault is in the proofreading, confusing ".ed" for ".edu" as
the educational domain, and calling the "rn" newsreader "nr".  The
UNIX bias is even more deeply embedded than with Krol (cf. BKKROL.RVW)
or Dern (cf.  BKTIGFNU.RVW) and assumes that everyone is on a UNIX
system with Elm and rn.  Strangely, though, there seems to be an
underlying BITNET bias as well.  One example is the insistence that
domain names can be shortened as long as a unique version remains.  In
the Internet this would very much depend upon the (possibly multiple)
domain name servers between the user and the target system.  In
BITNET, however, all sites have unique machine names, and so the
.BITNET domain can be dropped.  The LISTSERV program discussed is also
limited to the BITNET version, with no discussion of the general
differences between it and the Internet version, and no mention of the
JANET (UK) MAILBASE system.  Finally, there seems to be an odd
confusion between BITNET and Usenet, referring to BITNET "newsgroups"
and to Usenet as if it were an actual network.

Nonetheless, the book is a handy introduction.  Appendix B is a
command reference for archie, elm, ftp, gopher, LISTSERVE, rn, telnet,
WAIS and World Wide Web (WWW).  There is also a tear-out reference
card for common mail gateways, ftp, telnet and gopher.

Appendix E, the Internet Navigator's Gazetteer, is a resource guide.
It is a nice counterpoint to Krol's Catalogue.  Where Krol goes
overboard on WAIS, WWW and gopher, this Gazetteer is almost
exclusively mailing lists (most of them BITNET).  Many are outdated.
The listings are by no means complete.  A complete list, of course,
would be an enormous task, and one which would be out of date before
it ever saw print.  Nevertheless, in my own searching I could find no
entries for computer communications, data communications, or telecomm-
unications, nor did I find any for computer security.  I looked in vain
for a general listing on ecology, although I did find an ecology list
under another topic.  Part of the difficulty lies in the practice of
major headings with subdivisions.  The subheads can go on for pages,
and the major topics are not "carried forward" to following pages.

(I found a subheading of "Viruses" under the "Computer" topic.  I
noted two listings for VIRUS-L one of which had an obsolete address,
and VALERT-L list, a list I'd never heard of which didn't seem to have
much to do with the topic, three listings for the cert.org ftp site,
and one for the VTC site at the University of Hamburg.  And there, at
the end of the subsection on Page 350, is your humble scribe's Quick
Reference Antiviral Review Chart.  Fame!)

A substantial number of people will have access through UNIX systems,
and will have elm and rn available.  Even for those who do not, this
work is a good guide.  The errors are not major, and the included
resources may be a very handy start.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994   BKNAVINT.RVW   940110


DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters
Editor and/or reviewer [e-mail], [e-mail], Rob Slade at 1:153/733
DECUS Symposium '94, Vancouver, BC, Mar 1-3, 1994, contact: [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 03 Feb 1994 01:35:25 -0400
From: DAVIDSON <[e-mail]>
Subject: Data-Communication on Voice Lines in Bell Atlantic Territory


In issue #56 Michael W. Jacobs, Service Technician Bell Atlantic-
Pennsylvania wrote:

> 2) Noise on the line is not the only determinant of data transmission
> speed.  Depending on the circuit makeup (loaded or non-loaded, pair
> gain or copper, and length/number of bridge taps), and overall
> distance from the CO, a voice-grade telephone line may not be able to
> carry speeds over 1200 baud.  Most telcos do not guarrantee that you
> can send data at all!  A voice line is just that, for voice.
> Conditioned dial-up data circuits are available from most telephone
> companies; there may or may not be an additional charge to improve
> the line transmission to accommodate your required data rate.

I don't question the data provided here, but I suggest the "plug" for
a conditioned line may be overstated.  I have found now at two
locations that a trouble call to 611 has resulted in a visit from a
repairman who in both instances swapped pairs until he found me a
quieter one.  In one case, this was an internal job at my business
location and required tracing lines through 4-5 junction boxes in a
70+ year old three story building.  The repairman came back twice.  In
the other case, it was at my temporary residence, the repairman took
10-15 minutes to find a quieter pair and even set-up a new demarc for
it.  I paid nothing in either case to assure reliable 14.4Kbps connections.


Steven J. Davidson, MD, MBA, FACEP | [e-mail]
Division of Emergency Medical Services | [e-mail] 3426
Conrad Street, Phila. PA 19129-1651 | 215.843.3001/3029 voice/fax

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (S. L. Lee)
Subject: 20GHz Wireless is the Future?
Date: 3 Feb 1994 07:08:57 -0500
Organization: Central Ohio Internet Link  (614-538-8294  login: guest)


I heard that a technology is available (or becoming available) that
can transmit voice, data, fax, video, two-way and simultaneous and
automatically routed. I posted a msg but might have misposted.

I would like to see professional evaluation of its feasibility.  I
have the following questions:

1. Would there be any health hazard?
2. Can the technology be implemented internationally, if not, what are the
   barriers?
3. How long has this idea been around? Why didn't anybody look at it?

I would like to see discussion on various aspects of this technology.


SL

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Markolf Gudjons)
Subject: Need Information About POLYCOM Soundstation
Date: 2 Feb 1994 18:33:37 GMT
Organization: Lehrstuhl fuer Betriebssysteme, RWTH Aachen, Germany


Hi,

I need information concerning a telephone named "POLYCOM Soundstation",
produced by POLYCOM, USA. We need to buy one and cannot find it locally.
No one here seems to have heard of it.

I would like to know whether it is a current product, how expensive it
is, and where we can buy one (mail order or shop outlets in Europe).
The address of POLYCOM Corp. would be nice as well.

Answers by email please, I'll summarize to the group. Thank you.


Markolf Gudjons, Lehrstuhl fuer Betriebssysteme
RWTH Aachen, Kopernikusstr. 16, D-52056 Aachen
Tel.   :  [phone]  |  Fax :  [phone]
e-Mail :  [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (danny burstein)
Subject: Moriarity Fax Number, -Maybe-
Date: 3 Feb 1994 01:51:37 -0500


I found the attached note in misc.legal, in which the author states
taht the actor Michael Moriarity (now in a -big- dispute with Janet
Reno over TV censorship), has set up a fax line with an '800' number.

I -don't- know if this is really his, or if someone is spoofing, but I
figure people in the telecom group are smart enough to understand the
deal ...

(Now why doesn't someone set up a 1-800 number to fax stuff to teh
White House??)

                       ================

  From misc.legal Thu Feb  3 01:45:49 1994
  From: [e-mail] (Ken Staggers)
  Subject: L&O: Moriarty sets up 800 number for fans
  Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 20:12:20 GMT
  Followup-To: rec.arts.tv

On the Howard Stern Show, Michael Moriarty gave out an 800 number so
that fans can FAX him letters of support.  The number is
1-800-890-3195.  I tried it this morning, but I havent used the fax
part of my modem very often, so I am not sure if it actually worked (I
sent it three times. I would have tried more, but this guy is paying
$$$ for my mistakes via the 800 number, so I stopped at three). I told
him to take his message to the Internet.  I hope he has access.

The thing I find very interesting is that he said (if I heard him
correctly this morning) he put full page ads in {Variety} and the
{Hollywood Reporter} and got no support except for the Cagney & Lacey
producer.  He said that he will be placing another ad, costing him
$52,000 in another paper soon.  I wasn't sure if he said the {New York
Times}, the {Washington Post}, or {USA Today}.  Does anyone know?

Where is Mike getting all this money?  If I heard him correctly, he
has already spent between $100,000 to $150,000 on ads.  He has not
only set up a fax number for fans to show their support, he is ALSO
paying for the calls.  Now you know once this number is propagated
thru the net, he is going to get a TON of FAX calls, and he has to pay
for each of them.  And of course, this man has no job.  What is he
thinking?


Ken

                        -------------------

[e-mail] (or [e-mail])  (10288) 0-700-864-3242

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Myers)
Subject: Can Anybody Tell Me About: V.26 Modems, Signalling System 6?
Date: 3 Feb 1994 15:56:47 GMT
Organization: U. of Maryland @ College Park, Astronomy


My company is evaluating a project calling for the interfacing of
billing data collection systems to Alcatel 10C switches, a
semi-digital switch of approximately 20 years ago. These switches
output data over V.26 modems using Signalling System 6 protocol.  V.26
is apparently a synchronous modem standard operating at 2400 bps.
SS6, I would suppose, is the precursor to SS7, but I can't guess much
else.  Can anybody point me to technical info on these, or to
companies that have these products?

Thanks for any help.  Please respond by e-mail, as I don't often read
these groups.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Pradeep G R)
Subject: Is Shortened BCH Code a Shortened Cyclic Code?
Organization: Motorola India
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 1994 07:05:40 GMT


I am working on an error correction scheme that uses a shortened
version of the (63,51) BCH code primitive. I have read that BCH codes
are cyclic in nature. I have read about implementations of shortened
cyclic codes being similar to that of ordinary cyclic codes.

Can a shortened cyclic code encoder be used as an encoder for these
BCH codes?  The polynomial I have for the code generates a shortened
linear systematic block code with a minimum distance of 5.

Thanks in advance.


Pradeep                                     Email: [e-mail]
No.1 St.Marks Road Bangalore India 560 001  Voice: (091)-80-2213175 x318

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Michael G. Godwin)
Subject: Caller ID/CNAM
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 1994 12:07:09
Organization: BDM International, Inc.


I recently purchased a Caller-ID box that will not only receive the
calling party's number, but the name the number is registered (billed)
to.  So I hook this thing up and call my phone company to sign up for
Caller-ID.  While I'm on the phone, I ask if they offer the CNAM
(caller name) service, and much to my surprise, the rep says she's
never heard of it!  Now I'd have been less surprised if this were in
Hicksville, USA, but I'm in Metropolitan Washington D.C.!  Anyway, the
box works great, I just don't get the name (and it sure would come in
handy for those numbers I don't recognize).  Now to my question: Does
anyone know if, and where, CNAM is currently up and running?  I'd
imagine SOMEONE should be using it if the boxes support it.


Mike   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Inmarsat-B
Date: 2 Feb 1994 12:13:30 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway


Hi,

I saw your query about INMARSAT in comp.dcom.telecom. For my knowledge,
INMARSAT uses digital transmission. Burst modems are used as it works
on DAMA mode.  Security is not a problem because the data is encrypted.

We are searching for INMARSAT - B service providers. Could you please
give some guidance? We are intending to purchase ViaSat LYNXX
INMARSAT-B Terminal.  It is a portable earth station with eight
telephone channels, one FAX and one compressed video channel. Do you
know any suitable service provider( space segment)?


Sooriyajeevan

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steven L. Spak)
Subject: Re: Question on Trunks and T1's
Date: 03 Feb 1994 02:02:57 GMT
Organization: George Washington University


I'm fairly certain that it's really the telco's choice as to how to
provide transport for your T1s.  If the fiber isn't nearby and copper
is in sufficient quantity, why pull a cable in and place a terminal
that could run $30k?  A neat idea would be to tariff "Fiber T1s" and
charge a bit more for the CLEANER pipe.


Steven Spak    [e-mail]  Transmission Engineer
Tel: [phone]   Fax: [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (cthurrot@pearl)
Subject: Looking For Videoconferencing Newsgroups
Organization: Tufts University - Medford, MA
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 1994 02:51:10 GMT


Hi all,

I was just wondering if anyone knows of a newsgroup that discusses
videoconferencing technology and usage.  I figured this group was
pretty clsoe but that there may be something more specific out there.
If anyone has any ideas, please e-mail me.


Chris___][e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (BURGERS SEVERINE)
Subject: Brussels Student Needs Information on Israel Telco
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 94 10:51:35 MET


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Here is a note I got in the mail
recently. Can anyone help this student with his assignment?  PAT]


Mister P. Townson,

The reason of my writing is that I have to ask a few questions about
telecommunication and I hope that you can answer them.  I'm studying
communication sciences at Brussels Free University in Belgium and at
this moment I'm working on a paper about telecommunication in the
occupied territories in Israel. But I don't know the name of the
national telecommunication operator of Israel, nor the actual
telecommunication situation in the occupied territories. And, of
course, this is of great importance for my paper.  I should be very
grateful if you can send me the name and the adress of the
telecommunication authorithy.

Thanks in advance and greetings from Brussels,

Severine Burgers,   [e-mail]
[e-mail] (BURGERS SEVERINE)
Student Communicatiewetenschappen
Vrije Universiteit Brussel

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 3 Feb 94 11:48:42 -0500
From: [e-mail] (A. Padgett Peterson)
Subject: Cancellation of VSI94


Unfortunately it has become necessary to cancel the anti-virus
conference scheduled for 28-29 March in Philadelphia (aka VSI 94),
there was just insufficient interest.


A. Padgett Peterson, P.E.   Program Chairman

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 3 Feb 94 14:24:45 -0800
From: Steve Forrette <[e-mail]>
Subject: Last Laugh: Tayna Harding Uses Talk Tickets to Avoid Detection


During this afternoon's press conference, an attorney stated that the
FBI had surveilled Tanya Harding and her cohorts using "Talk and Toss"
long distance calling cards from payphones in order to avoid toll
records that were associated with them from being generated.  I guess
this method doesn't work too well when you're under surveillance.  So,
Pat, is Tanya one of *your* customers?  :-)


Steve Forrette, [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I hereby use my Fifth Amendment to the
USA Constitution rights to refuse to answer, on the grounds that my
answer may tend to commercialize the net, and we all know what happens
to people like that when they get a life sentence in Usenet, forced to
read news.groups. The other inmates don't like people who engage in
intellectual intercourse with small minds.

I guess you've read the latest proposal for a 'news group': (I am
being serious now) ... its name is 'zoophile', and it, uh, has to do
with people who uh, like sex with Fido, Garfield and J. Fred Muggs. I
don't know if this is the result of a schism in the existing
alt.sex.bestiality group or what.  (Yes, I am still being serious) ...
Following the discussion, there will be one of the infamous 'Usenet
votes' after which the results will be completely ignored and some
decision reached by the person in charge of those things. Sysadmins
everywhere will rush to be first to newgroup the new forum in their
haste to prove they are more tolerant and liberal than the others.
Those who don't carry the group will be called 'zoo-phobes', and over
all, it should be an exciting month on Abusenet, the place where
anything goes, and usually does.   :)    PAT

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #59
*****************************


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Date: Thu, 3 Feb 94 14:30:34 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #60

TELECOM Digest     Thu, 3 Feb 94 14:29:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 60

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Digital Sound and Unisys Agreement; Other News (Randall Gellens)
    Recommendations on Small Cellular Phones Wanted (Steve Lawrence)
    Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones (Yang Yu-shuang)
    Data Over Power Lines: a Newbie Question (David Anthony Ruppel)
    Looking For Inexpensive/Simple Analog PBX (Sam Lipson)
    Wanted: Fortran VCR+ Program / Eight Digit Decode (David Roberts)
    Re: Informing Ourselves to Death (David Hough)
    Re: Informing Ourselves to Death (Christopher M. Wolf)
    Re: Informing Ourselves to Death (Carl Moore)
    Re: Informing Ourselves to Death (Timothy Finin)
    Re: DID Questions (David Devereaux-Weber)
    Re: Phone Number History (Rich Greenberg)
    Re: Phone Number History (Al Varney)
    Re: Phone Number History (Carl Moore)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: 03 FEB 94 09:11:00 GMT
Subject: Digital Sound and Unisys Agreement


Agreement Extends Message Processing Solution to New Markets Worldwide

Digital Sound and Unisys yesterday announced an agreement to offer
midrange message-processing solutions to telephone companies
worldwide.  Under this agreement Unisys will market the Digital Sound
VoiceServer 3110 message-processing system as part of its voice-
messaging architecture.

Partnering with Digital Sound will enable Unisys to economically
provide enhanced services to the more remote serving areas of larger
telephone companies, communicating voice, fax and text messages
between the VoiceServer 3110 and Unisys own Network Application
Platform (NAP) message-processing system over data communications
facilities.

The Digital Sound open systems platform already interoperates with NAP,
and together the two platforms combine into a distributed architecture
to offer a total solution to telecommunications service providers.

Additionally, the VoiceServer 3110, Digital Sound's largest-capacity
message-processing system will scale the NAP capabilities downward
allowing smaller telecommunications companies to benefit from
distributed voice processing and mixed-media services.

"We believe the partnership with Unisys will allow us to reach new
customers and new markets, especially overseas," said Robert Knight,
president of Digital Sound.

Eight of America's ten largest phone companies call on Unisys to
execute millions of mission-critical transactions daily.  Thirty-five
of the world's largest telecommunications companies also rely on
Unisys to deliver innovative new sources of revenue.  Unisys NAP
provides cost-effective solutions for the rapid introduction of voice
messaging, fax mail, enhanced 911 capability, and other
market-sensitive offerings.

Digital Sound is a leading supplier of high-capacity network-based
message processing systems.  It makes and markets the VoiceServer
family of products which integrate voice, fax, e-mail and other
messaging technologies on a single, open systems platform that links
to both telephony and computer networks.

A CONSORTIUM OF CANADIAN COMPANIES is developing interactive cable
television in Quebec (AP, 1/24/94).  During the next three years, the
companies plan to spend $200 million to begin offering movies on
demand, shopping, banking and advertising services.  Recently, Hearst
Corp. has joined the consortium, investing $20 million.  It will
provide business listing and advertising services on the cable system,
called UBI (Universal Bidirectional Interactivity).  The system is an
attempt to move some of the services traditionally available through
personal computers to television, said Frank Bennack Jr., Hearst's
president and chief executive.  Other consortium members include Le
Group Videotron, National Bank of Canada, Hydro-Quebec, Canada Post
Corp., Videoway Communications and Loto-Quebec.

HEWLETT-PACKARD AND PACIFIC TELESIS GROUP will develop an interactive
video-on-demand service for the California market later this year (AP,
1/24/94).  Pacific Telesis Video Services will use HP computers to
store and transmit movies to regions where it is upgrading its wires,
including Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego and the Silicon Valley.


Randall Gellens           [e-mail]|
A Series System Software
Unisys Corporation        [Please forward bounce messages|
Mission Viejo, CA          to: [e-mail]]|

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steve Lawrence)
Subject: Recommendations on Small Cellular Phones Wanted
Date: 3 Feb 94 02:30:10 GMT
Organization: Prentice Centre, University of Queensland


I am looking for information on which is the best of the really
compact cellular phones. I have heard that the Audiovox Mini-vox lite
is prone to the case falling apart. Thanks for any information.


Steve

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Yang Yu-shuang)
Subject: Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones
Organization: Computer Science, University of Melbourne, Australia
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 1994 05:06:08 GMT


Hi Net Friends,

I am a new mobile phone user. In general, it is an useful toy.
However, it also has some potential problems. The biggest problem is
with the battery life. It is a bit of pain to carry a heavy battery
and to re-charge it everyday. Most of the battery power is consumed
during the stand-by time.  People can't afford to talk to long.

The problem could be solved if the mobile phones are designed
differently.  For instance, it could have an internal switch which
turned the receiver circuit on and off periodically for a short interval
to monitor the incoming calls. Off because it should be on during the
conversation.  For instance, turn it on for 0.01 seconds every second
would not miss an incoming call but could increase the stand-by time
by a factor of 100. We all know that a pager consumes very little power
and many cordless phones do this to save battery power.


Any comments?

YSY   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Anthony Ruppel)
Subject: Data Over Power Lines: a Newbie Question
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 18:49:26 -0500
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada


I am interested in finding information related to devices such as the
'plug'n'power' units available at Radio Shack and similar units.

Any information or reference would be greatly appreciated.

Please reply via e-mail to: [e-mail]

Thanks in advance.


D. Ruppel

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Sam Lipson)
Subject: Looking For Inexpensive/Simple Analog PBX
Organization: I-Kinetics, Inc., Cambridge, MA USA
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 22:34:36 GMT


We're looking for a simple, or at least inexpensive PBX to use for
connecting data and or FAX modems to outside phone lines.

What we have in mind is two to four outside phone lines, and say, six
to twelve internal "ports".  A modem, or FAX machine, dials out (perhaps
with 9+ number), and gets connected to one of the free outside lines,
if one is available.  An inbound call would get connected to one of
two designated devices.

We have absolutely no need to call between "extensions", and in fact
could skip the inbound calling capability if it significantly lowers
the price.

I've been pointed towards the AT&T Partner system, but in the two
line, six extension configuration it prices out at $1K (list?).


Sam

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Roberts)
Subject: Wanted: Fortran VCR+ Program / Eight Digit Decode
Date: 2 Feb 1994 19:15:57 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems Inc., Mountain View, CA


Recently, someone posted a Fortran version of the vcrplus decoder to
either rec.video or comp.dcom. I'd like a copy.

I've looked for an archive of rec.video, but can't find one, is there
one?

I'm also looking for vcr+ software that handles eight digit codes.
(the standard C one only does six digits) Does anyone have this?


Thanks,

DaveR

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Hough)
Subject: Re: Informing Ourselves to Death
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 1994 07:08:51 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Tom Horsley) writes:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I did not get quite the same impression
> of Postman's speech that you and Gilder recieved. I do not think
> Postman said computers were dangerous, only that they could be misused
> and too much reliance could be placed in them. At least one other person
> enjoyed Postman's meditation, as the next letter in this issue will
> reveal.  PAT]

Is this an apt place for the quote 'To err is human, but to really
foul it up you need a computer'?


Dave
G4WRW @ GB7WRW.#41.GBR.EU AX25
[e-mail]  Internet
[e-mail]      Amprnet


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: A sign I had hanging on the wall for a
few years said, "Our computer is so human that when it makes a mistake
it blames it on another computer."  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Christopher M. Wolf)
Subject: Re: Informing Ourselves to Death
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 1994 07:49:39 EST


I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the article "Informing
Ourselves to Death" that you mailed.  I re-mailed it to several
people.  As an Electrical Engineer and a Computer Scientist, I think
it was a good article to keep in mind in the future.


Christopher Wolf  [e-mail]  Electrical Engineer/Computer Scientist


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The reactions have been mixed. You
probably read what George Gilder said here the next day; I guess it
must have pushed his buttons the wrong way.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 03 Feb 94 06:45:53 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Informing Ourselves to Death


[e-mail] writes:

> He was talking about some 18th century professional quack (who's
> name I forget), who went around opposing things like trains with a
> bunch of psuedo science babble about how the breathtaking speed would
> be bound to psycologically damage the travellers.

How do you arrive at 18th century (the 1700s)?  Trains came in the
19th century, and I remember reading someplace that 30 miles per hour
was considered fast back then.  (In some old "Highlights for Children"
magazine of about 30 years ago, I recall some composer being held back
in some studying out of fear of "hurting the brain".)

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 2 Feb 1994 21:07:30 -0500
From: Timothy Finin <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Informing Ourselves to Death
Organization: Computer Science, University of Maryland Baltimore County


I found the comments by Neil Postman to be quite interesting but
paradoxical, or at least ironic.  The real point of this speech (for
me) seems to me to be expressed in the following passages:

> The tie between information and action has been severed. Information
> is now a commodity that can be bought and sold, or used as a form of
> entertainment, or worn like a garment to enhance one's status. It
> comes indiscriminately, directed at no one in particular, disconnected
> from usefulness; we are glutted with information, drowning in
> information, have no control over it, don't know what to do with it.

> And there are two reasons we do not know what to do with it. First, as
> I have said, we no longer have a coherent conception of ourselves, and
> our universe, and our relation to one another and our world. ...
> Second, we  have directed all of our energies and intelligence to inventing
> machinery that does nothing but increase the supply of information.
  ...

> Or, let us come down to a more personal level: If you and your spouse
> are unhappy together, and end your marriage in divorce, will it happen
> because of a lack of information? If your children misbehave and bring
> shame to your family, does it happen because of a lack of information?
> If someone in your family has a mental breakdown, will it happen
> because of a lack of information?

> I believe you will have to concede that what ails us, what causes us the
> most misery and pain - at both cultural and personal levels - has nothing
> to do with the sort of information  made accessible by computers. The
> computer and its information cannot answer any of the fundamental quest-
> ions we need to address to make our lives more meaningful and humane.

 ...  and is a comment on the *content* of the information which is
being conveyed by the new medium.  What I found ironic is that I was
only reading this interesting and thought-provoking essay *by virtue
of the new medium*.  And what's more, there are probably tens of
thousands of people like me who would never have read and thought
about Postman's ideas if it were not for the Internet, newsgroups and
email.  And what's even more, the article has generated dozens or
maybe hundreds of interactions and conversations among people arguing
over these ideas and the underlying philosophical notions. To me, this
was evidence that the strong reading of his essay is not true.


Tim Finin                                               Phone: [phone]
Computer Science Department                               Fax: [phone]
University of Maryland Baltimore County            Email: [e-mail]
5401 Wilkens Ave., Baltimore MD 21228      Home: 410-783-2625, 215-386-1749

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 3 Feb 94 08:27:14 CST
From: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: DID Questions


On Sun, 30 Jan 1994 23:34:33 -0800 Thomas Tengdin <[e-mail]>
wrote:

> Can anyone tell me how DID lines pass the number down the trunk?

The DID trunks I have used in the past have used pulse or DTMF.


David Devereaux-Weber, P.E.             [e-mail] (Internet)
The University of Wisconsin - Madison   [phone] (voice)
DoIT - MACC Communications; B263        [phone] (FAX)
1210 W Dayton St.   Madison, WI 53706

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Rich Greenberg)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 1994 22:02:35 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> TELECOM Digest Editor noted in
response to Steve Schlesinger <[e-mail]>:

> The Amoco Oil Refinery which makes up about ninety percent of the
> physical space in Whiting oddly enough had a dial PBX system in place
> for a few years before Whiting went from manual to dial service. When
> you dialed '9' from the PBX instead of getting a new dialtone you
> simply sat there a couple seconds and the 'number please?' lady came
> on the line. Their switchboard number was (Whiting) 2111 and it of
> course became 659-2111, although under the old system no one actually
> asked the operator for 2111, they merely would say 'Refinery' or
> 'Standard Oil' (as it was known in those days), and the operator would
> immediatly plug them into one of a dozen or so lines going into the
> company PBX. Hunt groups in those days consisted of the operator

Pat, what happened after the operator plugged into the refinery's
"hunt group"?  Did the outside caller get an Amoco operator who then
connected them to the desired extension?  Were the dial capabilities
of the PBX only usable within Amoco?


Rich Greenberg            Work: ETi Solutions, Oceanside & L.A. CA 310-348-7677
N6LRT   TinselTown, USA   Play: [e-mail]                  310-649-0238
GMT-8    I speak for myself and my dogs only.       Canines: Chinook & Husky


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In those days there was a network called
'Stan-O-Tel' which stood for 'Standard Oil Telecom'. All Amoco (but then
its name was Standard Oil of Indiana) facilities around the USA were
connected through Stan-O-Tel. All the refineries had tie-lines to each
other and the headquarters in Chicago via SOT. Each local facility as
well as the Chicago headquarters dialed 9 to get an 'outside line' in
their local community. I think they dialed 8 to get the telecom switch
at the headquarters in Chicago (followed by a four digit extension at
someone's desk at headquarters). I think they dialed 7 followed by three
digit codes to connect with the tie lines to other facilties followed
by the extension at the local facility which depending on the local
equipment might be two, three or four digits. I think Whiting Refinery
also had some code you could dial which got you a 'Chicago dial tone'
on a FX line. I know Whiting Refinery had a Chicago number in addition
to the Whiting number 2111. I think it was 'SOuth Chicago-8 2000' but
my memory fades out on that. All PBXs in those days were one-way things.
You had internal extension-to-extension dialing and 9 for outside lines.
Incoming calls went to the PBX operator who extended them, usually on
a cord board. When my grandfather worked there he was one of the managers
and he had a six-button, five line phone on his desk. The phone had
two refinery extensions, plus an FX line with a Chicago number and his
own private local number, Whiting 372. His home number was Whiting 6159,
and a school I went to there sometimes was 3200. The payphone in the
school cafeteria was 9567. *Those* numbers I do remember.

I seem to recall them putting in the 'new automatic switchboard' at
Amoco about 1955 or so. Prior to that, intra-refinery calls were
handled by an operator at a switchboard within the complex along with
all the incoming and outgoing calls. Whiting was the last place in the
Chicago area to 'convert to dial service', and that was about 1962.
From everywhere else we had dial service, but if you wanted to call
someone in Whiting we dialed '711' and it would click ... from five
seconds to a minute later a woman (during the day; they had some guy
at night) would answer by saying "Whiting!" and you'd tell 'em the
number you wanted. When it was announced Whiting was 'cutting to dial
service' on a certain date at 2:00 AM, I stayed at my grandparent's
house (in Whiting) that night to see how it was done.

Starting about 1:55 AM I went off hook and the guy said 'number
please?'. I asked for '1234' which was the number for the recorded
message giving showtimes at the Hoosier Theatre downtown. I did it
again at 1:59 AM and the man connected me again. At about ten seconds
after 2:00 AM I went off hook and got nothing. At 2:01 AM I went off
hook and there was dial tone. No more 'number please', however dialing
659-1234 got me the theatre announcement. The phones originally had
blank fronts with no dial but for about three months before the cutover
the installers had gone to every phone in town and retrofitted the
instruments with a rotary dial and a little tag which said 'dial is
not in operation until xx/xx/xx at 2:00 AM.' (I think it was 1959-60).

A curious thing the day before: From a phone in *Chicago* the 711/wait
for operator/give number worked as always. But I tried dialing (a day
prematurely) 659-1234 and it rang!  The theatre box office answered
but within a few seconds the Whiting operator came on the line asking
'number please?' The way she saw it, the theatre phone had gone off
hook to make an outgoing call when in reality they had gone off hook
to answer me. I guess it was all wired in parallel at that point
pending the cutover, and at the time, they saw no reason for anyone in
Whiting to go off hook unless the Whiting operator was handling the
call.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Thu,  3 Feb 94 07:53:56 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]>, PAT says:

>> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well, I gave a hasty rendition of the
>> history. We went from 3L/4D to 2L/5D about 1950 or so; then about 1960
>> we began seeing 7D in the phone book and as the only way things were
>> being assigned.

  And Steve Schlesinger <[e-mail]> asks:

> Before 3L/4D wasn't there 2L/4D?

  PAT responds, in part, with:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Not that I know of. Before name/number
> combinations (which existed almost from the beginning in big cities)
> there were just numbers. In small towns, one to four digit numbers were
> common and that was it. If a town had only one exchange, or switchboard,
> its name was usually the name of the town where it was located, and
> reciting it as part of the number was redundant. When things expanded
> to include names, some towns got to keep their (town) name as the phone
> exchange name; i.e. Atlantic City, NJ still has the exchange name
> ATlantic City, although 285-xxxx is the way it is expressed now. Where
> conflicts occurred, they made up other names for conflicting exchanges.

   Exchanges never had conflicting names because telephone companies
always had to name the building containing the exchange.  In most
cases, the town name WAS the exchange name and was also the name
customers were told to use for calling purposes.  In advertising, this
permitted such phrases as "Springfield Lumber Co., Telephone 37".  (I
have exactly this text -- for another town -- on a wooden yard-stick
from the 40s.)  Of course, after customer dialing became common, the
exchange names were chosen for their ease of dialing/spelling in the
local area.  But regional differences made such names as "KArl" vs.
"CArl" a source of operator dialing errors, so the Bell System created
an "approved list" of exchange names.

   The oft-referenced BSTJ article from September, 1952, "Nationwide
Numbering Plan", indicates there were then about 20,000 COs in the USA
and Canada.  Eleven different numbering plans were in use within the
Bell System.  By then, the three-letter exchange names had "officially"
been eliminated; for example, PENnsylvania in New York was changed to
PEnnsylvania-6 (of course, the customer still dialed the same 636
code).

   These 11 plans were (page 854 of above BSTJ volume):

  Referred to as      Listed as          Dialed as      Place
----------------    -----------------    ----------  -----------------
Two-five            LOcust 4-5678        LO 4-5678   Philadelphia, PA
Two-four            MArket 6789          MA 6789     Indianapolis, IN
1 letter, 4 or      Franklin 9-2345      F 9-2345    San Diego, CA
   5 digit          Franklin 6789        F 6789
Five digit          2-5678               2-5678      Binghamton, NY
Four digit          3456                 3456        Winchester, VA
Three digit         325                  325         Jamesport, NY

Combined 5 &        4-1234               4-1234      Des Moines, IA
  6 digit           62-2345              62-2345

 The remaining plans were combinations of the above:

   Combined two-four and two-five       Los Angeles, CA
   Combined two-five and five digit     El Paso, TX
   Combined four and five digit         Manchester, CT
   Combined three and four digit        Ayer, MA

    It would appear there was no instance of a single "6 digit" area.
And exchanges still have names -- however, the names are not used for
dialing purposes.  Interestingly, there are very few LEC records that
use NPA-NXX for identification of an exchange.  The name (or a
shorthand) is used instead.


Al Varney


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: What you point out is true here in
the Chicago area. None of the IBT facilities are known as 312-whatever
where conversation among telco employees is concerned. They are all
known by the name of some one exchange within the building which was
there from fifty years ago, i.e. 'Irving' or 'Merrimac' or 'Newcastle'.
"What office do you work in?" ... "I'm in the Lakeview CO ..."   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 3 Feb 94 14:40:21 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Phone Number History


This responds to the Moderator's Note.

I don't have the information in front of me, but I do NOT think
Atlantic City, NJ uses prefixes of the form 28x.  There ARE prefixes
there of form 34x.  (It's in area 609, which arrived in late 1950s[?].
There is a 201-285 nowadays in Morristown, NJ, but I don't know how
old it is.)  There are several exchanges which retained the place
name, with many of them in the NYC area.

I have never before heard of 7D calling across the state line between
Illinois and Indiana at Chicago; I take it this is very old.  (I did
see 7D calling in a Wilmington [Del.] call guide from some Wilmington
prefixes to metro Philadelphia area, although the flate rate area was
only in Delaware.  I think it was later when local calling from
Wilmington was extended into Pennsylvania, and such is still 7D today;
rest of Phila. metro area requires 1+NPA+7D to reach from Delaware,
and there has been a 328 at Swarthmore, PA for years, duplicating 328
at New Castle, Delaware.)


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well Atlantic City *did* have "ATLantic
City" exchanges a long time ago. Regards 7D between Hammond/Whiting/East
Chicago, Indiana and Chicago, Illinois, yes, this is quite old.
Hammond had dial service beginning about 1956 or so; Chicago numbers
were just dialed 7D, and vice-versa. Whiting subscribers asked the
operator for the seven digit number (no reference needed to 'Chicago')
or the seven digit number in Hammond and the Whiting operator *touchtoned*
the number. I remember being amazed at how fast the beep-beep-bloop tones
went out. From Chicago we could dial Hammond numbers as 7D but we were not
to ask the local operator for Whiting numbers. We could do that, but the
policy was to dial 711 and talk to the Whiting operator direct. Or maybe
not ... maybe we were to call the local operator and *she* dialed 711 to
place the call, thus the phraseology 'Whiting' when the distant operator
answered; it is more likely operators would say this to each other rather
than to the subscriber. All of northern Indiana used to be under Illinois
Bell rather than Indiana Bell until about twenty years ago. A historian
who has written quite a bit about northern Indiana and Standard Oil's
relationship to the area has reminded me that until sometime in the
1920's (when Illinois Bell was created out of the old Chicago Telephone
Company) that phone service in Whiting was handled by Standard Oil at
the refinery switchboard. Whiting always was a 'company town' just like
Gary, Indiana. The Whiting Refinery has been around since 1890. When
Whiting had its own phone directory (it has been merged into one for
northern Indiana for several years) the entire directory was all of
seven or eight pages with the listings for Standard Oil taking up about
half the book. They've had centrex now for a few years on their own
exchange with the rest of Whiting keeping the old 659 numbers.   PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #60
*****************************


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Date: Fri, 4 Feb 94 01:46:20 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #61

TELECOM Digest     Fri, 4 Feb 94 01:46:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 61

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Clock Slip and { Once More (Mike Long)
    610/215 Split - Now I Can't Call 1-800- (David Horvath)
    Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area (John Galloway)
    Cable Modem Manufacturers Wanted (Tom Simonds)
    SW56 Tutorial Wanted (J. Beatson)
    Hybrid (Wired and Wireless) Article Wanted (Jae-Soo Kim)
    Sources for Caller-ID Boxes (John Iacoletti)
    An Alternative to a Modem (Steve Waller)
    Caller ID Answering Machines Summary and Saga (Chris Garrigues)
    Re: Are Lata Maps Available? (Fred Heald)
    Help With 28 kpbs Test Number (Serge Burjak)
    Re: Are Lata Maps Available? (Tony Harminc)
    Caller-ID in UK? (Steven Cooper)
    Re: Cellular Phone (Analog) With Modem FAQ? (John R. Levine)
    Re: Telecommuting Centers in LA (Bob Schwartz)
    Re: Unmetered Local Service (Martin McCormick)
    Re: FCC $crews Pac Bell in PCS Race (Erik Ramberg)
    Re: Telephone Nunbers in France (Jean-Noel Marchalot)
    Re: Wiretapping Problems (Pawel Dobrowolski)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mike Long)
Subject: Clock Slip and { Once More
Organization: HPC Consulting
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 1994 03:52:40 GMT


About two years ago I first ran into the clock slip problem and seeing
{{{{ on my screen. The problem finally cleared up after a lot of
hassle with Pacific Bell. Now I'm at a different location and I have
just starting seeing it again with a slight twist.

Now I see ^?{ combination rather than {{{{ plus a few interspersed
random characters.

Now my question is this: what is it about clock slip that causes a {
character or 01111011 to appear on my screen? Now it is possible that
I saw ^?{ before but I only remember the {{{.

I know what to do about it, I'd just like to understand what is going
on. I was told before that the clock at the central office could be
slipping or was left in the wrong mode after a maintenance call.
Given that, how does the { get to my screen and why { and not some
other character?

Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks in advance.


Mike Long         J M Long & Associates
HPC Consultant    467-628 Saratoga Ave.
[phone]    San Jose, CA 95129

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Horvath)
Subject: 610/215 Split - Now I Can't Call 1-800-
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 94 21:35:27 EST


With all the advertising about the 610/215 area code split, you'd
think they'd get it right -- I'm now in 610 (even my new cellular
phone reports 610).  But I can't make a lot of 1-800 calls.  I have
AT&T on one line and Sprint (remember the modem offer) on the other.
Same problem on both.

My wife was trying to order a video tape from a particular nationally
syndicated radio shock-jock but couldn't.  I tried it.  I tried it on
both lines.  The error messages were slightly different, but the
general message was that they don't take calls from our area.  Gee,
they took calls from us back in December.

A call to 611 ultimately resulted in a call back that it was AT&T's
problem and has been reported to them.  Now what?


David Horvath


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The trouble is, the long distance
carriers think you are in Canada (which is where 610 used to be) and
operating a TWX machine (which is what 610 used to be assigned for
in Canada.) It *is* the carriers' fault; all your local telco does
in the case of 800 numbers is detirmine which carrier handles the
traffic and give the call to them with a record of your calling number.
Very few 800 numbers in the USA are reachable from Canada which is
why 'calls are not accepted from your area'. Your telco may have
reported the problem to the carriers, but then again maybe they did
not do so, only saying that to appease you when you called. Try calling
the carriers yourself. Don't just complain to the first rep who answers
because you'll be wasting your time and your words. Instead, ask to
be connected to whichever department handles 800 numbers. If asked why,
don't say you have a complaint or you 'cannot get through on calls'
because you'll not be connected with anyone who can help you'; you'll
be told it is the problem of your local telco 'and we have reported it'
and you'll be written off as just another crank caller.

What you tell the first person, if asked, is that you want to inquire
about getting 800 service. That way, you will get connected to the
carrier's sales department and someone who knows about 800 service.
Tell *that person* about the problem which seems to me to be that the
carrier does not have its tables correctly installed, and refuses to
accept calls from 610 as a valid USA area code. And you know what
else? I'll betcha those folks with 800 numbers who *do* accept calls
from Canada are getting calls from your area okay -- but billed at
Canadian rates. Its a shame when customers have to run the repair
department and repair clerks act like subscribers, but that's the way
things are these days. Sprint is not alone; even Mother has got a
bunch of dingbats working for her also.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Galloway)
Subject: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area
Organization: Galloway Research
Date: Fri, 4 Feb 1994 01:15:47 GMT


When I call 911 on my cellular (having seen an accident just happen)
it appears that I get forwarded to a fixed site that just dispatches
the call to the proper 911 officem i.e. the first person answers "911
emergency" but just asks where you are, and then the phone rings a
second time and you get another "911 emergency".  This seems silly
since obviously the provider has the necessary info about where you
are to do this automatically.  I have not ever called 911 when out of
my area. Would I still get the same (Northern CA) based dispatch
operator who would then have to send me to (e.g.) Austin Texas 911???
(I am using Cellular-One).


jrg
internet    [e-mail]  John R. Galloway, Jr  795 Beaver Creek Way
applelink   D3413                  CEO...receptionist    San Jose, CA   95133
                                   Galloway Research     [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tom Simonds)
Subject: Cable Modem Manufacturers Wanted
Date: 3 Feb 1994 14:15:09 -0600
Organization: The second InterAccess INN server


Does anyone know the names of any cable modem manufacturers?
city/state and phone number information would be helpful, too.

Please email to [e-mail].

Thanks in advance,

Tom Simonds    InterAccess
[e-mail]   708-671-0112

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: SW56 Tutorial
Organization: Motorola Codex Corporation
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 1994 22:02:14 GMT


Does anyone know of any telecom publication that discusses the
operation of SW56 services?  I'm looking for a tutorial type of
article that discusses SW56 call establishment. i.e. "How it works?"

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jae-Soo Kim)
Subject: Hybrid (Wired and Wireless) Article Wanted
Organization: UB
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 1994 18:24:45 GMT


Hello,

Does anyone know if there is any paper, article or standards for the
resource allocation or protocols in hybrid ( (fiber)wired and
wireless) networks?  If there is any ftp site for this, it would be
much better.

Please send e-mail to me; I will post the result if there is enough
interest.


Thanks,

Jae Kim     [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Iacoletti)
Subject: Sources For Caller-ID Boxes
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 1994 19:03:03 GMT
Organization: IBM RISC System/6000 Division, Austin, TX


I figured this would be an FAQ, but I didn't find anything at the FAQ
site.

Is there a list of sources anywhere for Caller-ID display units?  SW
Bell has an arrangement with a vendor called Cidco, which will provide
a box for $59.95 + tax + $6.95 shipping.  This has a 60 number memory,
and an alphanumeric display which will support the "Calling Party
Name" service which will be offered next year.  I figure I can get a
better price elsewhere.  Any ideas?


John Iacoletti     IBM RISC System/6000 Division     [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steve Waller)
Subject: An Alternative to a Modem
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 1994 16:01:00 GMT
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: TransAlta Utilities


I am currently developing an application that runs on an Apple
Macintosh.  This application will basically pull the caller id off of
a phone call then hang-up, there is no data transfered. I will have
three separate phone lines, so I need to distinguish which phone line
the call was received. I would need three modems capable of retrieving
the caller id. This seems like over kill to me.  Is there a way to do
this without modems. The company supplying the auto- dialer suggests I
order a "TYPE 1 interface, 4 Wire E & M trunk circuit.  The phone
company will install an E & M circuit card with 4 inputs and 6
outputs. The trunk is configured as follows:

standard feature group D protocol MF.

Now my questions:

What does the output look like? Do I need one or three modems, or do I
need a call processing card in my Mac capable of getting the caller's
telephone number?

Does a call processing card exist for Macintosh computers?

The cheapest solution is preferred. Please respond by e-mail.

Thanks for any help.


Steve    [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Chris Garrigues)
Subject: Caller ID Answering Machines Summary and Saga
Organization: MCC
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 1994 16:35:59 GMT


Last week I posted a query about answering machines which support Caller ID.

I got a total of three replies.

David Jones <[e-mail]> suggested getting an Amiga with a
ZyXEL modem and ZVM software (or alternately, there must be similar
software for the PC).  This seemed like overkill for my home and
besides I'm a Unix hacker by profession and a Mac user at home.

Both Jim Ray <[e-mail]> and Bill Berbenich <[e-mail]>
mentioned the PhoneMate 8900 and Bill mentioned that J&R Music World
in New York City carried it for $99.  This was the ad that I'd noticed
months ago in the {New York Times.}  Bill also relayed the following:

> If you call around looking for this machine,
> be sure that they know that it is the Phone Mate 8900, and not the
> Phone Mate 9800.  So many places that I called said "Oh yeah, we've got
> it," then when I questioned them about it ("Are you sure it is the
> 8900"?) they'd say something like "Oh, I thought you meant 9800."  I
> learned to ask after I went and waited in line at Circuit City for
> 20 minutes only to find out that they just had the 9800 and had never
> carried the 8900.

To find a local dealer, I tried calling PhoneMate directly.  1-800
directory assistance did not have a listing for them.  My old machine
was a PhoneMate, so I determined from my old literature that they're
located in Torrance, CA.  I called Torrance Directory assistance got
their main number.  Phone Mate sent me to a marketing company in
Dallas who sent me to a distributor in 800-land who told me that they
didn't carry this model.  I called the folks in Dallas again who
promised to call me back yesterday and haven't done so yet.  They also
asked if I'd tried OfficeMax or Circuit City.

Based on Bill's story above, I didn't try Circuit City, but I work
near OfficeMax, so I stopped by there after work yesterday.  No luck.
Office Max is next door to Best Buy, so I wandered in there as well.
They had exactly one and it was in a damaged box and marked down from
$97 to $89.  After inspecting it, I bought it from a salesman who
insisted that Caller ID wasn't available in Austin anyway.  (I don't
know how many salescritters have told me that in this past week.)

My next task is to call Southwestern Bell and assure that it will be
enabled on my line when Caller ID becomes real on February 7.


Chris Garrigues                            [e-mail]
Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation    [phone]
3500 West Balcones Center Drive                Fax [phone]
Austin, TX  78759-6509  USA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Fred Heald)
Subject: Re: Are LATA Maps Available?
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 1994 05:39:35 GMT


By the way, trivia question: are there LATAs that are in more than one
state?

Answer: Yes.  And surprisingly many, especially those with just one or
two exchanges in the 'other' state, but also (in the Dakotas, I
believe) covering large areas of two states.  I used to have a neat
color map but I forgot to steal it from my last job.

[e-mail] wrote:

> CCMI

> I don't know if they are still in business but it might be worth a try
> if you're still looking for a lata map.

I sure hope they're still in business, we depend on them for V+H files
once a month, for which we pay a handsome sum indeed.

They compile and sell all sorts of Bellcore and other data, including
rates and calling areas online (Qtel-1000).


Fred Heald   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Serge Burjak)
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 94 22:16:52 +1000
Organization: SYSTECH (Australia)
Subject: Help With 28Kbps Modem Test Number


Hello Pat,

Have you not received my posts about looking for a test number for a
28000bps modem that I have on Beta test? This is the third try.

If it has gone into the bit bucket can you arrange for the following note
to go into an aritcle.

BEGIN

Subject: Looking for 28000bps test number

Looking for test number to do interoperability testing over a satellite
link on a 28000 bps modem.

Any info greatly appreciated.


Serge Burjak    [e-mail]

END


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: It looks like the problems here as a
result of the computer conversion a week ago are finally corrected. I
*know* a great deal of mail over the past several days was lost in
processing. All the scripts used here by telecom to filter and sort
incoming mail had to be re-written to suit the new hardware, and it
was a mess for a few days. My thanks go to the sysadmin here for his
all-day efforts on a couple of occassions when I reported a massive
leakage of mail. Probably 200-300 letters from over the last weekend
never reached me because they were destroyed in the delivery process
by the bugs in my scripts. At the rate the mail pours in here (literally
about a letter every 10-15 minutes day and night) I had to sit here
sort of helplessly and watch it vanish in the ether as the sysadmin
and myself kept diddling with the scripts trying to find out what the
new hardware did not like about 'awk' and 'sed' according to the way
the old hardware dealt with those things. To top it off -- to add a
little icing to the cake -- some obscure changes in sendmail (as it
is run here) and an *older* version of mail than what we had been
using before fixed things so no issues of the Digest got out over
that weekend at all, ergo four hundred plus messages in the queue
once things were running. Apparently all is now okay since incoming
mail has been literally pouring in all day Thursday. Allow for some
backlogs in the next few days; a few very old messages you never have
seen finally getting posted, etc. My sincere thanks to Bill L. and
others here at nwu.edu who dug into the problems and corrected them.
Their interest in it is partly academic: they are interested in
seeing how well the new hardware can handle the load caused by
telecom; they are interested in seeing how it responds over time as
I run four or five invocations of sendmail all at once to a list of
now about 2000 names; all the while the autoreply daemons humming
and buzzing and doing their thing; me editing more issues, etc.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 03 Feb 94 18:48:17 EST
From: Tony Harminc <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Are LATA Maps Available?


[e-mail] (David Esan) wrote:

> Not true.  Most states (and provinces) have more than one LATA.
> Attached are a list of states/provinces and the number of LATAs
> associated with them.

Apart from the missing provinces, it should be pointed out that there
are no LATAs in Canada.  Why Bellcore has chosen to assign some magic
numbers to certain groupings of CO prefixes in Canada is a mystery to
me.  LATA is not a technical division -- it is purely a political
concept set up to match certain US politics of the early 1980s.  The
forces shaping LD competition in Canada in the 1990s are quite
different.  It seems extremely unlikely that an artificial split
between IXCs and local telcos as in the US model will ever happen
here.


Tony Harminc    In Toronto

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steven Cooper)
Subject: Caller ID in UK?
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 1994 00:00:00 GMT


Has anone got any idea if the caller ID facility will become available
in the UK?? Are there any moves on this by BT/Mercury?


Steve

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 03 Feb 94 17:56 EST
From: [e-mail] (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: Cellular Phone (Analog) With Modem FAQ?
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


AMPS uses a vanilla analog radio connection between the cell site and
the phone.  There are a bunch of problems with using a modem:

-- the connection is just noisier than a normal typical landline;

-- when you switch from one cell site to another (which can happen even
when you're not moving) there's a very audible dropout which many modems
misinterpret as a hangup;

-- as you're moving, the characteristics of the connection change, which
is bad news for modems that adjust to the characteristics during the
initial handshake;

-- for dialout, the scheme used to place the call is totally different from
that used for a land line;

The new TDMA and CDMA schemes use a digital connection which have different
advantages and disadvantages.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Telecommuting Centers in LA
From: [e-mail] (Bob Schwartz)
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 94 20:53:21 PST
Organization: Bill Correctors, Inc., Marin County, California


Mike Lanza <[e-mail]> writes:

> Commentators have said that the LA earthquake forces many Angelenos to
> try mass transit and see if they like it.  More importantly, from my
> point of view, the quake will force many Angelenos to try
> telecommuting.

> I'd like to know about the telecommuting centers that exist today in
> the LA area, and any new plans for such centers in the aftermath of
> the quake.  How many are there?  How big?  What sort of equipment do
> they have?

> Has anyone in government thought about this?

> How about entrepreneurs?  If I were in LA right now, I'd be looking
> into setting up a telecommuting center myself ...

Here's  information on seven telecommuting centers in the affected area:

Lancaster - Suzette Cecchini - 805 726-7700
Highland - Chris Judy - 909 425-8060
Riverside - Tanya Love - 909 787-6600
Santa Clarita - Jim Backer - 805 255-4046
Apple Valley - Pete Peterson - 619 946 9675
Ontario - Steve PonTell - 909 460-7500
Simi Valley - Charles Coffey - 805 526-3900

This list was recieved by me today as a part of the efforts that Pacific
Bell is making to help.

Also, in an effort to "ease the pain" they are offering to waive
installation charges for many telecommuting related services-e.g.- PBX
Trunks (from switch to home), Centrex lines (main CO to homes), ISDN,
Switched 56, Business lines (in home or at commercial location),
Custom 800, voice mail, and Custiom Calling(call waiting, three way
calling, Call forwarding). They sent me this information as a
California consultant in order to help affected clients. I am not a
Pacific Bell employee. The toll free number for more information at
Pacific Bell is !  800 303 0309.  It is a very beneficial program for
those in need.


Regards,

Bob Schwartz                                       [e-mail]
Bill Correctors, Inc.   [phone]   Marin County, California

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Martin McCormick)
Subject: Re: Unmetered Local Service
Organization: Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 1994 17:26:23 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

> Maybe phone usage should be billed on a split-system,
> where people are charged by the minute during times when the usage is
> over 80%, but not charged when the usage is less than that.

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: How would people know which condition
> was in effect at the time? Many folks would gladly wait until overall
> usage dropped below a certain point in order to use the service 'for
> free' if they knew what the usage was. How would you convey that?   PAT]

    The ideas expressed above are quite good ones.  It would seem
that the easiest way to let subscribers know would be to do something
to the dialtone like add a third frequency so that it sounded differently
during high-usage periods.

    Television and radio commercials could easily educate the
public as to the sounds they should listen for.

    TDD's and other devices such as fax machines and modems could
be designed to "listen" for the extra tones and either let their
operators know or wait a while to see if usage levels off and try
again.

    One would think that telephone companies would like this type
of system because it might make the difference between dealing with an
overload condition in which things start breaking and a nice comfortable
flat-topped usage peak in which the equipment is working at top effic-
iency, but is not overly taxed.


Martin McCormick WB5AGZ   Stillwater, OK
O.S.U. Computer Center Data Communications Group

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Erik Ramberg)
Subject: Re: FCC $crews Pac Bell in PCS Race
Date: 3 Feb 1994 21:06:31 GMT
Organization: ESL Inc.


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] wrote:

> (Geez, what a rip-off! We are serviced by Cox Cable here in Eureka, CA
> and I'm pretty sure Cox isn't the least bit interested in serving US
> with PCS!  We're also served by Pac Bell here as well, and I'm sure
> our area isn't 'lucrative' enough for them either. Why is it these
> 'pioneers' are being given the most financially lucrative cities to
> operate in? It's not like those areas really NEED improved, and
> expanded services. Great, my tax dollars are going to be spent on
                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> subsidizing a poor company like Cox Cable to provide state-of-the-art
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I'm not sure how the government is 'subsidizing' them ... they've
simply been granted a waiver from the auction ... not really a
subsidy.  In fact, lots of people are still complaining about the
decision to hold a spectrum auction.


Erik

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jean-Noel Marchalot)
Subject: Re: Telephone Nunbers in France
Date: 3 Feb 1994 21:08:18 GMT
Organization: Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh NC
Reply-To: [e-mail]


In article [e-mail], Earle Robinson <[e-mail]>
writes:

> Richard D G Cox said that the change in French phone numbers is put
> off due to complaints from users.  This I doubt, since almost no one
> in France is aware of any impending change.  There is almost complete
> ignorance of such questions in France, in part due to the few people
> who have access to Internet.

Never heard about something called Minitel? Any idea about the
penetration rate compared with Internet? (probably an order of
magnitude larger).

> Anyway, France Telecom does what it wants.  There's no competition
> and the French just bow and obey.

Sure, now they are still really lucky to enjoy a network that has
evolved in 15 years from one of the most backward to one of the most
advanced in the world. There must be some mysterious mechanism, beyond
competition, that made sure that France Telecom would be a little
responsive to the users' needs and the users do more than "bow and
obey"?


Jean-Noel Marchalot

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Pawel Dobrowolski)
Subject: Re: Wiretapping Problems
Date: 3 Feb 1994 21:27:35 GMT
Organization: Harvard University Science Center


> There is also a device (TDR, time-domain-
> reflectometer) that will bounce a signal down the line and give you a
> visual indication of bridge taps or irregularities in impedance along
> the circuit.  You can usually see any splice or terminal box.

Anyone care to answer the following questions?

    -how much tech. knowledge do I need to use it?
    -how to operate it?
    -how much does it cost?
    -where to get it?


Thanks a lot,

Pawel

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #61
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #62

TELECOM Digest     Sun, 6 Feb 94 04:27:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 62

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    USA Senate Establishes FTP Server (EFF and CPD via [e-mail])
    Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Bill Garfield)
    Merg-O-Mania (Van Hefner)
    ISDN in USA and Electronic Highways (Vermijlen Tom)
    Two Stories on MCI (Paul Robinson)
    MCI Joins Mexican Phone Venture (Paul Robinson)
    Book Review: "Crossing the Internet Threshold" (Rob Slade)
    Designing Local Phone Number Access to Regional BBSs (Lloyd Brodsky)
    ROA Can't Cover All My Lines - NYNEX's Fault (Barton F. Bruce)
    Lebanese Get Drunken Phones (was Re: Lebanon Telephone) (Linc Madison)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
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TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
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opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: USA Senate Establishes FTP Server
Date: Sun,  6 Feb 94 00:26:19 PST


From the Computer Privacy Digest:
=================================

 From: "Prof. L. P. Levine" <[e-mail]>
 Date: Thu, 27 Jan 1994 11:28:00 -0600 (CST)
 Subject: US Senate FTP Site On Line
 Organization: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

The following is taken from the EFFector Online, issue 07.02, Jan.  25,
1993, A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, ISSN
1062-9424:

Senate FTP Site Online

A new FTP site has been put on line to hold the publicly available
documents and press releases of our Senators.

Chris Casey <[e-mail]> of the office of Sen.
Edward Kennedy says "Some progress is being made here on the Hill. The
Senate now has an anonymous ftp server running.  It's sparsly
populated, only Kennedy and Stevens have posted anything so far, but I
imagine the rest will find their way shortly. At least it's a start.
The fact that the Senate has an anonymous ftp server is not a secret,
but I don't think it's widely known either."

You can access the server by FTPing to ftp.senate.gov, logging in as
"anonymous" (without the quotes) and giving your email address as
password.

The site's general information bulletin is as follows:

Welcome to the United States Senate's Anonymous FTP Server
(ftp.senate.gov).  This service is provided by the Office of the U.S.
Senate Sergeant at Arms and the Senate Committee on Rules and
Administration.

This server contains general information files about the United States
Senate in the directory "general".  Directories are also provided for
specific Senators' offices, in alphabetical order by two-letter state
abbreviations, and for Senate committees and other Senate offices.  If
an office is not included in the directory, this indicates no files
have been posted by that office.

No files can be uploaded to this system.  Please direct questions
about a specific Senate office's use of this service to the Senate
office in question.  General inquiries not involving a specific Senate
office can be directed via Internet e-mail to: [e-mail]

Subdirectories for Senator's offices are structured as follows:

/member/state_abbrev./senator's_name/releases/filename
   or
/member/state_abbrev./senator's_name/general/filename

The "releases" subdirectories contain press releases and related
materials, and "general" subdirectories contain information of
long-term interest such as office contacts.

As of Jan. 24, 1994, the site was not being used very extensively, but
individual Senators' directories contained various informational files,
such as the following:

Ted Stevens (AK):

member/ak/stevens/releases
 -rw-r--r--   1 1           1321 Jan 21 16:16 Childhood_Immunizations
 -rw-r--r--   1 1            828 Jan 21 16:16 Inman_Statement
 -rw-r--r--   1 1           3152 Jan 05 11:45 Ketchikan_Subcontractors
 -rw-r--r--   1 1           3488 Jan 21 16:16 Seafood_Inspection
 -rw-r--r--   1 1           1910 Jan 21 16:17 new_staff
 -rw-r--r--   1 1           1661 Jan 21 16:17 tongass_timber

Edward Kennedy (MA):

member/ma/kennedy/general
 -rw-r--r--   1 1         138842 Jan 13 13:49 S1150_Goals_2000
 -rw-r--r--   1 1           1011 Dec 13 15:04 on-line_access
 -rw-r--r--   1 1         133477 Dec 27 10:08 s1040.txt

member/ma/kennedy/releases
 -rw-r--r--   1 1           3591 Jan 14 15:23 Human_Radiation_Experimentation
 -rw-r--r--   1 1           1664 Jan 05 11:11 Statement_on_Firearms_Proposal
 -rw-r--r--   1 1          16188 Dec 15 14:19 major_accomplishment_93
 -rw-r--r--   1 1          14523 Jan 13 11:58 national_health_reform_debate
 -rw-r--r--   1 1           1298 Dec 15 14:18 worker_retraining_grant

Please express your interest in this first small step, and encourage
your Senators to utilize this new Congressional Internet resource.
Ask your Representatives to look into the possibility of a similar
system for the House.

[Computer Privacy Digest Moderator's note: Rather than logging in with
the userid 'anonymous', this system (and many systems like it) permits
a login with the userid 'ftp'.  This is a small difference, but it
does not contain the (incorrect) presumption that no one knows who you
are.]

------------------------------

Subject: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
From: [e-mail] (Bill Garfield)
Date: Sat, 5 Feb 94 22:32:00 -0600
Organization: Ye Olde Bailey BBS - Houston, TX - 713-520-1569
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Bill Garfield)


OK all you telephone company techno-jocks, I need some help with this.

We are being besieged by single-jingle (one ring) calls.

My MITEL SX2000SG PBX is served by Houston's "National" CO (SWBT).  We
have all of the 989-xxxx number block plus the 4000-6899 block in the
627 exchange.

Fiber DS-3 terminates in a Rockwell Muldem adjacent to the PBX.  Among
the numerous facilities therein, there are 96 DINA trunks dedicated to
the 4000-6899 block on 4 spans (21DINA7136275401). Here is the problem:

For several months, various users have called the PBX room complaining
about 1-ringer/single jingles.  The offending source, whatever it is,
will single out one or two DID extensions to "annoy" and then pound on
only these extensions for a day or so, then gradually diminish in
frequency of annoyance before moving on to another extension or two to
pound on. During the cycle of peak annoyance, call frequency will vary
from 3 to 15 calls per hour, per extension, at fairly regular intervals.
So far, no extension has ever been singled out to endure this punishment
more than once.

They're always single jingles ... in other words, if my user doesn't
answer, the phone only rings once.  If they do answer, the incoming
seizure has already released - gone -.

We have the incoming SMDR records & have scanned them for repetitious
inbound traffic of seven seconds duration or less.  Result: The
offending traffic is spread fairly evenly across all DID trunks.
Hypothesis: Some type of automated dialing equipment has gone awry and
is driving us crazy. I would really hate to think something like this
would be malicious or intentional.  :-(

I really don't think we're being scanned.  We've been scanned several
times over the past four to five years and we recognize -those- calls.
Whatever is pounding on us this time locks into one or two extensions
and stays there, finally moving on to pester someone else after a day
or so.  SMDR logs indicate this is only happening during normal
working hours, and seldom at nights or on weekends. Also ... this seems
to only be hammering on the 627 exchange. None of my 989 group has yet
complained.

Our local SWB account rep claims SWB is -helpless- in getting this
tracked down, due to the extremely short duration and something about
it being DID trunk calls and not POTS. Why would that matter?

Is the local telco -REALLY- that helpless in putting a lid on this?

In some of the really persistent cases, I've been able to mask the
problem by programming front-end ring delay against the targeted
extension(s). This eats the first two ring cycles before presenting the
call, but this is _not_ an acceptable long term fix.  I need some help.

Has anyone experienced any harrassing calls like this?  Any suggestions
on what it might be and/or how it could be traced back to its origin?


Bill Garfield <[e-mail]>
The PBX guy...  Panhandle Eastern Corp.
Houston, TX  Voice: [phone]   FAX: [phone]
Ye Olde Bailey BBS Zyxel 713-520-1569(V.32bis) Hayes 713-520-9566 (V.FC)
   Houston,Texas             yob.com           Home of alt.cosuard

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Sun, 06 Feb 94 01:33:24 EST
Subject: Merg-O-Mania


U.S. Long Distance announces intent to acquire Call America  Riverside

SAN ANTONIO, TX
Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ --

U.S. Long Distance Corp. (NASDAQ NMS: USLD) today announced that it
signed a letter of intent to acquire Inland Call America, Inc., d/b/a
Call America Riverside, a privately owned direct dial long distance
services company based in Riverside, California.  U.S. Long Distance
anticipates that the acquisition will be completed by March 1, 1994.

Parris H. Holmes, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated,
"The acquisition of Call America Riverside is an important strategic
move for U.S.  Long Distance because it expands our direct dial
origination capabilities into California.  Call America Riverside has
provided service in Southern California for eleven years and has an
excellent reputation in that region.  Mike Vaughn, Vice President and
General Manager of Call America Riverside, and his staff will remain
with the company, ensuring a smooth transition and providing Call
America Riverside's existing client base with the same level of
service and support they have been receiving."

The letter of intent provides, among other things, that U.S. Long
Distance will acquire Call America Riverside for 175,000 shares of
U.S. Long Distance Common Stock.  This acquisition is subject to
certain conditions, including, among other things, the negotiation,
execution and delivery of a definitive acquisition agreement and the
satisfactory completion of due diligence.  Call America Riverside's
revenues for calendar 1993 were $3.5 million.

Vernon Hall, Chairman of Call America Riverside, said, "We are excited
about joining the U.S. Long Distance team.  By combining forces, we
will increase our technological capabilities and broaden our product
line.  Our California customers will directly benefit from this
partnership."

U.S. Long Distance is a fully integrated long distance
telecommunications and information services company with three primary
areas of business: direct dial (one-plus) long distance services in
areas of the Southwest and Pacific Northwest; national operator
service for the hospitality and pay telephone industries; and billing
clearinghouse and information management services for operator
services and direct dial long distance companies.  For fiscal 1993 the
Company reported $134.1 million in total revenues.


Van Hefner - Vantek Communications - DLD Digest - [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Vermijlen Tom)
Subject: ISDN in Usa and Electronic Highways
Date: 5 Feb 1994 14:35:19 GMT
Organization: Brussels Free Universities (VUB/ULB), Belgium


Hello, is there someone who will converse a bit with me about the
electronic highways in the USA and its advantages and disadvantages?


[e-mail] (Vermijlen Tom) Student Communicatiewetenschappen
Vrije Universiteit Brussel

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 4 Feb 1994 11:46:22 EST
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Two Stories on MCI
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


The following two items appeared on page F1 (The front page of the
Business Section) of the {Washington Post}:

1. "MCI Communications of Washington received a three-year, $38 million
   contract to provide 800 service to Home Shopping Network, Inc."

2. For those of you confused over MCI's ad with some little girl with an
   English accent, speaking gibberish, you're not alone.  The girl is
   11-year-old Anna Paquin of New Zealand, who was in the movie "The Piano".
   As for the ad itself, 'When pressed, [Jerry] Taylor [of MCI] and
   Tom Messner of Messner Vetere [Berger McNamee Scheterer, MCI's ad
   agency] explain that "NetworkMCI" is the company's corporate name
   for services MCI plans to offer someday, such as local phone connections,
   portable digital communications, and "interactive multimedia"
   telecommunications such as video phone calls and home shopping.'

What it really means is that this is MCI's equivalent to AT&T's "You
Will" campaign.  Now AT&T can run a sniping ad with Tom Seleck, "Did
you ever think one of our competitors would do an ad like this one and
make it so you can't understand it?  You will, err, or rather, you
won't."  :)


Paul Robinson - [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 5 Feb 1994 12:00:29 EST
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: MCI Joins Mexican Phone Venture
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


The article of this title appeared on page D3 of the 1/26 {New York
Times}.

Capsule:

MCI and the largest bank in Mexico will form a joint venture to build
an upgrade to the phone service in Mexico.  This is a part of MCI's
plan to build a seamless phone network throughout North America.
They're not the only American Telephone company interested or who has
investments there, due to less than two years remaining on the Mexican
telephone company's phone service monopoly.

Summary:

MCI and Grupo Financiero Banamex Accival, the holding company for
Banco National de Mexico, over a three-year-period, will add a
fiber-optic network linking Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara,
with long-term plans to cover the whole country.  This deal would
primarily give MCI access to the bank's customer base, although the
bank is putting up some (unspecified amount of) money.  The deal is
valued at $1 billion, with MCI putting up about $450 in startup
capital and will direct operations.

The local phone company, Tele'fonos de Mexico has a monopoly on all
local and long distance service, which by law ends in 1996.  American
Companies have been very interested; Southwestern Bell put $458
million in 1990 into Tele'fonos for 5% ownership.  Bell Atlantic paid
$1 Billion last fall for a stake in cellular phone company Grupo
Iusacell.

MCI will have to get Mexican Government permission (likely), and in a
manner similar to Equal Access in the US, will have to negotiate with
Tele'fonos over the charges to connect to the phone system.  This is
part of MCI's long term plan to have a "seamless communication system"
over all of North America, since it is already invested in Canada's
Stentor.  MCI may even be able to use the same brands and perhaps the
same equipment in all three countries.

Estimates are that of Mexico's $6 billion a year in telephone service (10%
of the U.S. Market), 45% is international traffic, 90% going to the U.S.

According to an accompanying map, the following are the number of hours of
calls traveling among the three countries:

Mexico To USA: 10.1 Million;  USA to Mexico: 21.3 Million;
Canada To USA: 25.2 Million;  USA to Canada: 37.1 Million.


Paul Robinson - [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 05 Feb 1994 14:38:57 MDT
From: Rob Slade <[e-mail]>
Subject: Book Review: "Crossing the Internet Threshold" by Tennant/Ober/Lipow


BKCRSTHR.RVW  931229

Library Solutions Institute and Press
2137 Oregon St.
Berkeley, CA   94705
510-841-2933   510-841-2636
or
1100 Industrial Road, Suite 9
San Carlos, CA   94070
fax: [phone]
"Crossing the Internet Threshold", Tennant/Ober/Lipow, 1882208013, U$45.00
[e-mail] [e-mail]
[e-mail]

This book is useful for newcomers to the Internet.  This book is
useful for trainers.  This book is useful for librarians.  Ultimately,
this book is most useful for those training librarians who are new to
the Internet.

The contents cover the basics as an introduction to the Internet.
There is an "Internetworking Overview" which is a bit long for a
beginner but helpful for a trainer.  "Important Information for
Beginners" is important, but primarily to those needing either to get
a connection to the Internet or to keep current with Internet
developments.  The bibliography is generally sound and with helpful
annotations.  (There are some gaps, such as no mention of O'Reilly and
Associates "!%@::" (cf BKDEMAC.RVW), but most of the other references
one might name are more recent publications.)  Three chapters cover
email, remote login and file transfers (ftp).  There are very helpful
"fact sheets" on the basics of related functions, such as archive and
gopher, as well as projects such as Freenet.  In addition, there are
trainers' aids, and appendix materials.

A newcomer to the Internet might find this material a bit disorganized,
but very definitely helpful and useful.  It is heartening to see the
very strong emphasis on Internet etiquette and culture which all too
often gets short shrift, even in introductory guides.  The grouping of
discussion lists and electronic journals with email is a logical
extension which is not always made.  The work is not limited to the
novice, though; many Internet users would find the fact sheets to be a
handy quick reference.

The material here was originally developed for a workshop and,
unfortunately, it is all too obvious at some points.  The Internet
maps and certain other materials could be useful in seminars, but have
no associated explanatory materials.  The exercises are useful but
missing information at certain points.  For example, the list of
special databases to try out does not always have full information on
how to log in.  This would, of course, be supplied in the workshop,
and can be figured out by an experienced "net surfer," but it would be
nice to see more help for novice users.  The training resources, as
well, would require some work.  The "Introduction to Networking"
overhead, for example, is far too cluttered, and, realistically,
should be subdivided into at least five parts.  This is, however, the
first of a series of related works.  As the material is subdivided,
and the different audiences defined, the material will undoubtedly
improve.  The work shows a fundamental understanding and promise which
bodes well for future editions, once organization and isolated
materials are improved.

Still, the book is useful to all those parties mentioned in the
opening paragraph.  For those serious about Internet training, or the
use of the Internet in a library situation, this should definitely be
on your bookshelf.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1993   BKCRSTHR.RVW  931229. Resdistribution
permitted only via TELECOM Digest and associated newsgroups/mailing lists.

======================
DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters
Editor and/or reviewer [e-mail], [e-mail], Rob Slade at 1:153/733
DECUS Symposium '94, Vancouver, BC, Mar 1-3, 1994, contact: [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Lloyd Brodsky)
Subject: Designing Local Phone Number Access to Regional BBSs
Organization: Colorado SuperNet, Inc.
Date: Sat, 5 Feb 1994 21:49:26 GMT


I would appreciate pointers and info about reasonable approaches to
provide local phone number access to an on-line service where there
are several medium-sized population centers all of which are a toll
call from each other and where the service needs to plug into an
Internet POP someplace.  Given the regulatory complexities (clusters
of there are within the same LATA, giving only one choice without
running a leased line a long ways away to get inter-LATA pricing,
while others are not) and the desire to be able to have a system that
is scalable (since it will take a while to build demand) what's the
best way to go about this. Pay the telco for central office services
and feed the calls into a leased line? Set up a small PBX in each
town? Give up?


Lloyd Brodsky          Internet: [e-mail]
President, RockSolid Communications
P.O. Box 101804        Voice: 303-758-7030  Fax: [phone]
Denver, Colorado 80250-1804, USA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Barton F. Bruce / CCA)
Subject: ROA Can't Cover All My Lines - NYNEX's Fault
Date: 5 Feb 94 17:24:01 -0500
Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc.


AT&T promised me all my lines could be on my ROA plan.

NYNEX bills folks individually bills for multiple phone lines.

AT&T says "Whoops, NYNEX's multiple bills precludes ROA covering all
lines (but you can order a second ROA plan if you like ...)"

NYNEX says that since their multiple billing does not aggregate all
the ten per line free DA calls you are allotted into one pot, *AND* if
and ONLY if you have been charged for excess 411 calls on one line but
had unused on another and COMPLAINED, they *might* try to get you on a
'combined' billing program.

Of course, the 1,000s of trees and $s of postage they waste could
concern them less, since every dollar they waste means more they get
to markup and have the regulators let them milk out of the customers.

So I would be willing to make excess 411 calls on ONE line and NONE on
others to be able a month later to scream and get combined billing
(since polite reasonable requests are ignored), but they still
can't/won't give me combined billing because my classes of service are
a tad different even though my lines are all residential and IN ONE
HUNT group with adjacent numbers, even.

So I have now decided to try another route.

What if they could use my MAIN mumber as ANI for any other lines!?
That would get ALL LD calls onto the ONE bill that has ROA.

The residence business office decided I needed to call the business
business office.  So I stuck it to someone that was also taking DID tk
and other commercial orders from me for work. She understands
wink-start and all sorts of other fairly obscure stuff, but when I ask
about fixing my home line ANI, sho is **STUCK**.

So on to executive appeals ("hello - office of the president"). Normally
they do get back in one day. Not this time.

ANY useful war stories or suggestions?

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 6 Feb 1994 00:02:06 -0800
From: [e-mail] (Linc Madison)
Subject: Lebanese Get Drunken Phones (was Re: Lebanon Telephone Infrastructure)
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)


In article <[e-mail]> Alex Cena wrote:

> The Lebanese government has approved contracts to buy one million
> telephone lines from Alcatel Alsthom NV, Siemens AG and AB L.M. Ericsson.
                       ^^^^^^^

Well, here in Oakland, "Alcatel" is a liquor store (near the corner of
ALCAtraz and TELegraph), so I can't get away from images of phone
lines arriving by the keg ...


Linc Madison   *   Oakland, California   *   [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #62
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #63

TELECOM Digest     Sun, 6 Feb 94 06:29:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 63

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Time Domain Reflectometers (Mark Earle)
    More California / Caller ID Questions (Ethan C. Tuttle)
    Can I Request LTN For ANI on All Trunks? (Barton F. Bruce)
    Information on Northridge, CA Switch After Earthquake? (Jodi Weber)
    Trick to Get Free NYNEX Screening (Barton F. Bruce)
    Telecommunications Over Cable Lines (Paul Jonathan E. Go)
    NTI Recommendations With Care! (Steve Bauer)
    A Cheap Long Distance Service (Allen Walker)
    "Miniplex" == Digital Local Loop? (Ray Berry)
    For Sale: PBX, Dual Channel Bank, DSX Panel (Paula Toledo)
    Request For Cellular Phone Standards (R. Chandrasekar)
    Data-Communication on Voice Lines in Bell Atlantic Territory (Ed Lally)
    More Information on the Economics of Dial-Back Services (Wolf Paul)
    CompuServe's New Rates Effective February 6, 1994 (Ray Normandeau)
    Extend-A-Phone (Ray Normandeau)
    Looking For Reviews of Routers (Rob Ryan)
    Help Wanted With NET2 Test Spec for X25 (Dave McConnell)
    Re: Clock Slip and { Once More (Lars Poulsen)
    Re: Clock Slip and { Once More (Bill Mayhew)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
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of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 5 Feb 94 09:11:40 CST
From: [e-mail] (Mark Earle)
Subject: Time Domain Reflectometers


Last time I needed one of these, we called a company in Los Angeles,
LeaseMetric. They supply specialized test gear short term; will ship
second day or overnight, etc. Generally, you need a corporate P.O. or
a credit card with a pretty high limit/available credit line.

We used a TDR to verify cables pulled by subcontractors were run with
no splices.

The TDR we used had an o-scope, and a small calibrated dial, and some
"range" buttons. You clip the tdr on the cable under test, and you get
a flat line on the scope. Turn the range knob, until a "bump" appears.
Read the digits on the range knob/range buttons; it is accurate to
about three inches.

Newer versions of the TDR of course do this automatically, and can
even use a laptop as a terminal, storing stuff in a flat file, and
allowing automated test routines to be written using the terminal
program macro language (I've seen this done with Procomm Plus in
particular).

For more general information on TDR's, you might contact Techtronix,
Hitachi, or other "major" vendors of test gear.

Other uses of TDR's: On radio towers, to verify location of splices in
transmission line; to find bullet holes in feedlines. In underground
wires or cables, to find where they "turn" without digging up the
whole landscape, etc. Quite a handy device.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ethan C. Tuttle)
Subject: More California / Caller ID Questions
Date: Sat, 05 Feb 1994 10:19:06 -0800
Organization: Stanford University


I have a technical/political question about CallerID in California:

Say someone calls me long distance from an LEC that supports Caller
ID.  My understanding is that the long distance carrier would pass the
Caller ID info to my LEC, which would then forward those digits to my
CallerID equipment.  EXCEPT, perhaps, in California.  Does the Caller
ID legislation in CA protect the privacy of those outside of the
state?  As a Californian, do I get that Caller ID info from
out-of-state callers?

More important, does (or will) PacBell actually forward the Caller
ID info?  I don't yet have a Caller ID box to test.  I tried to ask
PacBell, but all they seem to know about Caller ID is 'uh, no.'

I am primarily interested in Caller ID as a cheap transport mechanism
for ANI.


Ethan Tuttle

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Barton F. Bruce)
Subject: Can I Request LTN For ANI on All Trunks?
Date: 5 Feb 94 17:04:18 -0500
Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc.


The ANI number that the LEC presents to the FG-B trunk when you make a
call need not be the actual physical line you are on (WTN), but may
often be the Listed (LTN) number or possibly the Billing (BTN) number
if they happen to differ for historical reasons.

This seems to happen randomly, but sure would be nice to be able to
ORDER in some standardised way.

Now that many 800 mail order companies make effective use of
recognising your number, it would be nice if all company two way G/S
trunks into the PBX had *JUST* the LTN of xxx.x000 or whatever glamor
number you have.

We have MANY totally scattered numbers in DIFFERENT exchanges in the
same hunt group. Folks at the far end may even have a "REDIAL-THE-LAST-
CALLER" button on their 800 based support phones.

I am having a devil of a time trying to convince telco to give me the
ANI I want (LTN) on trunks I am adding. OTOH, I **KNOW** some folks
out there have gotten telco to do this.

Is there any magic incantation or better USOC code for ordering this?

------------------------------

Date: Sat,  5 Feb 94 16:00:11 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Info on Northridge, CA Switch after Earthquake?
Organization: AT&T


I hope I haven't missed this already during the past few weeks, but
I'm interested in any information regarding how badly the Northridge,
CA switch was damaged during the earthquake a few weeks ago, where
service was out, why and for how long.

Apparently, after the quake there was no dial tone for a period of
time, then users had to wait but were able to get dial tone. I'd
appreciate any details on the situation.

By the way, an addendum on the dial tone availability after the quake:
While land lines were dead for some period of time, cellular service
was uninterrupted (at least for one user in Northridge at the time).


Jodi Weber
[e-mail]   or   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Barton F. Bruce)
Subject: Trick to Get Free NYNEX Screening
Date: 5 Feb 94 17:39:54 -0500
Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc.


A most interesting bill stuffer from NYNEX just now details a back
door way to get FREE screening to eliminate collect and third party
billing abuse to your number rather than paying their usual 97 cents
per month.

Seems you can now LEGALLY request that they NOT give your name and
address to other carriers if you so request.

Of course they say that if you have their LEC calling card and place
that restriction they will have to CANCEL your card. Seems they can't
just restrict your use to IXCs that just bill via the LEC's billing
service, and so might have to divulge the billing information were you
to use the card with the 'wrong' carrier.

So *IF* I request them to NOT divulge my name , I get my card
cancelled, **AND** I get F R E E collect and third party screening
tossed on the line(s) FREE!

So if you want that service, or are paying for it now, and don't have
KIDS that ever might need to call collect in some emergency, you can
now arrange for free screening by requesting the right set of options.

In my case my kids have their ROA cards that have no CC charges and
are preferred, but they ALSO know the PIN on the all too obvious LEC
card.  If there were some accident or whatever, I really WANT them to
be able to use the easy LEC card number or be able to call collect.

But I am sure some other folks would like this new free NYNEX service :-)


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Actually no, telco cannot refuse to
give your name and address to other carriers *for billing purposes
only*, even if you have a non-published number. So go ahead and cancel
your calling card if that is what you wish, but bear in mind that if
someone calls you via a phone subscribed to a carrier who *does not*
check the database used jointly by AT&T/MCI/Sprint and the local Bell
companies, and you accept collect charges, then you *will* get billed
for the call anyway, and the AOS/COCOT firm which originated the call
will get your name, address and phone number. 'Billed Number
Screening' as it is called (where collect and third-party calls are
blocked right on the spot at the time/place of origin) ONLY works when
the database is consulted. Some of the larger carriers (other than the
Big Three who all cooperate on this) maintain their own database also.
For example, Integratel does their own thing and does not consult the
database used by AT&T.

So regardless of what you advise your local telco (acting as billing
and collection agent for the Big Three), unless you call Integratel
and tell them the same thing (and Oncor to name another example) then
the payphones of those companies will still be passing along collect
calls (at outrageous rates I might add!) unchallenged, and your local
telco will bill for them because under the law they have to. Integratel
will add you to their database on behalf of their clients at your request
with no qualms. Its no skin off their nose since all they do is bill
for a bunch of small outfits.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Paul Jonathan E. Go)
Subject: Telecommunications Over Cable Lines
Date: Sat, 5 Feb 1994 17:29:45 PST


In the Philippines, we have a severe shortage of telephone lines.  If
one does not bribe someone at the phone company, the wait for a new
phone line is measured in years or decades. However, the cable systems
do not seem to have a backlog.

(1) How are cable networks usually set up?

    (a) Are they in a "bus" or "star" topology?

    (b) How are signals transmitted? Are they FDMA?

(2) What kind of equipment is needed to turn the cable network into
a telecommunications network?

Could you point out a reference that might answer these questions?

Thanks in advance.


Paul Jonathan E. Go   Caltech MSC 1028   Pasadena CA 91126

------------------------------

From: STEVE BAUER <[e-mail]>
Subject: NTI Recommendations With Care!
Date: Sat, 5 Feb 94 19:53:35 CST


Jeff,

I am running the NOrthern Telecom Meridian Mail (GP) Voice Mail
system.  I have been pleased with the equipment, but can't say that
NTI is an easy company to work with.  Forget technical support unless
you have an emergency.  It's just not available.

I could write an entire TELECOM Digest on the troubles I have had
trying to get someone to even bid on a maintenance contract and on
parts to upgrade the system.

In a nutshell, the equipment is nice, but the NTI is just too big and
one division does not talk to another.

I will be happy to discuss things in more detail by phone if you would
like.


Steve   Telecommunication manager
INTRUST Financial Corporation   [phone]

------------------------------

From: Allen Walker <[e-mail]>
Subject: A Cheap Long Distance Service
Date: Sat, 5 Feb 94 23:13:54 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


If anyone is interested, I have found a telco long distance service
that only charges $2.60/hr. Those calls can be placed at any time of
day to anywhere (even your own state) at that rate. There are some
other restrictions. If anyone wants info, send email to [e-mail].


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: There are so many of these things (notes
about 'cheap long distance') showing up here in the mail each day. It
has gotten almost as bad as 'Make Money Fast'. That one is showing up
fresh on various Usenet newsgroups at the rate of about once every two
weeks now (as the net increases in size so will the number of Make Money
Fast postings; in snail mail I get two or three such chain letters *each
week* in my PO Box), and the 'cheap long distance' resellers are also
all over the place now, and bound to increase in numbers. So, Allen0,
tell us about 'the one you found which charges $2.60 per hour'. How they
manage to do that -- long distance calls day or night, inter/intrastate
at 4.33 cents per minute -- without some deceptive nonsense having to do
with multi-level-marketing or some other gimmick we've read about here
several times in the past -- should make great reading. Tell us about it
here so that you are not bothered with a lot of email, that is unless
you are selling 'what you found' and want the email.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ray Berry)
Subject: "Miniplex" == digital local loop?
Date: Sat, 5 Feb 1994 13:31:36 -0800
Organization: Ascendant Systems


US West recently installed two numbers in my residence on a single
copper pair.  They did this by installing a Raychem "Miniplex 4-in-3
RT", which supposedly muxes two lines onto a single pair by converting
both to a digital data stream, which is deciphered at the CO by a
mating card.

   When the installer explained this to me, I became a bit wary about
fax and data signals making it through, but both seem to work fine (at
least for 1 data + 1 simultaneous voice call; I haven't tested it with
two simultaneous data transmissions).

   Being a techie type I'd like to know more about this device but
don't know where to ask.  Can someone here expound further?


ray berry kb7ht [e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Paula Toledo)
Subject: For Sale: PBX, Dual Channel Bank, DSX Panel
Date: 6 Feb 94 00:17:54 GMT
Organization: The University of British Columbia


3 MSU Redcom
Configured with 28 extensions
8 Ground start circuits
20 DID circuits

Westcom dual channel bank
20 DID cards
8 Ground start cards

25 circuit DSX panel

For more information e-mail Paula at [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: News account <[e-mail]>
Subject: Request for Cellular Phone Standards
Organization: National Centre for Software Technology, Bombay, India.
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 1994 07:25:38 GMT


Greetings!

A colleague wants to know where standards for Cellular Phones may be
obtained from. He is interested in some standard called US94 or US95,
in particular. Are these available online?  If so, where? If not, whom
should one contact to get these standards?

Any info on this would be much appreciated.

May I request you to send your responses by email to:

   [e-mail]


Thank you,

R Chandrasekar                           Email: [e-mail]
National Centre for Software Technology  Fax  : [phone]
Gulmohar Cross Road No. 9                Phone: [phone]
Juhu, Bombay 400 049, INDIA              Telex: [phone] NCST IN

------------------------------

Subject: Data-Communication on Voice Lines in Bell Atlantic Territory
From: [e-mail]
Date: Sun, 06 Feb 94 01:28:46 EST
Organization: The Cellar electronic community and public access system


DAVIDSON <[e-mail]> writes:

> I don't question the data provided here, but I suggest the "plug" for
> a conditioned line may be overstated.  I have found now at two
> locations that a trouble call to 611 has resulted in a visit from a
> repairman who in both instances swapped pairs until he found me a
> quieter one.  In one case, this was an internal job at my business
> location and required tracing lines through 4-5 junction boxes in a
> 70+ year old three story building.  The repairman came back twice.  In
> the other case, it was at my temporary residence, the repairman took
> 10-15 minutes to find a quieter pair and even set-up a new demarc for
> it.  I paid nothing in either case to assure reliable 14.4Kbps connections.

I don't know how reliable this is, but both our office phone person
and my modem manufacturer (home use) claim that there's no physical
difference between POTS and data service pairs.  They claim that the
only difference is in price (with many local carriers charging a
premium for the data service).


Ed Lally   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Wolf Paul)
Subject: More Information on the Economics of Dial-Back Services
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: Alcatel Austria Research Center, Vienna, Austria
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 1994 04:00:16 GMT


After the recent repost here in the Digest of information on
Communications Systems International's Dial-Back service I wrote to
Mr. Beatty and eventually received a DOS program from him which
permits one to select any country of origin and any target country,
and find the rate charged by CSI for a call during any one of three
time periods (11p-8a, 8a-5p, 5p-11p US time, probably Mountain, since
CSI is located in Colorado).

Of course, the most interesting relation to me was Austria-US, and the
prices quoted for that are:

    First Minute 1.50 / 1.99 / 1.59
        Add'l Minute 1.14 / 1.57 / 1.21

Then I looked into the current phone book to find out what our local
phone company (the Austrian PTT) charges for a call to the U.S.:

    AS 18 / minute  == $ 1.50

Thus for much of the time, the regular long distance charge is as
cheap or even cheaper than CSI's rate, especially during those hours
when I am likely to reach anyone in the U.S.

Add to that (a) the monthly minimum charge and (b) the inconvenience
of only being able to call from the number where the dial-back box is
going to call you back at, and I begin to wonder if this is such a
good deal at all.

Of course you can forget about using the service to call European,
Middle Eastern or North African countries as well; there are slightly
more substantial savings to be realized when calling countries in
Latin America or the Far East.

But since my need to call these places is rather limited, I guess I
will currently pass on Mr. Beatty's service.


Wolf N. Paul, Computer Center      [e-mail]
Alcatel Austria Research Center  [phone] (w)
Ruthnergasse 1-7                   [phone] (fax)
A-1210 Vienna-Austria/Europe        [phone] (h)

------------------------------

Subject: CompuServe's New Rates Effective February 6, 1994
From: [e-mail] (Ray Normandeau)
Date: 6 Feb 94 00:09:00 GMT
Organization: Invention Factory's BBS - New York City, NY - 212-274-8298v.32bis
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Ray Normandeau)


I was wondering if you would save by switching to CompuServe's
$8.95/month membership rather than the $2.50/month membership?

If you use 2400 bps the break-even point is at 50 minutes as can be seen from
the spread sheet results below.

Hourly  Meter  Monthly
Minutes Hours  Rate   Total   Rate    Total

50       .83   $12.50 10.42   2.50    $12.92
50       .83   $4.80   4.00   8.95    $12.95


Ray Normandeau
Normandeau Newswire (J 5) at the Invention Factory BBS, 212-274-8110.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Could you give us more details about
how the new rate structure works? What are the prices now?   PAT]

------------------------------

Subject: Extend-A-Phone
From: [e-mail] (Ray Normandeau)
Date: 6 Feb 94 01:49:00 GMT
Organization: Invention Factory's BBS - New York City, NY - 212-274-8298v.32bis
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Ray Normandeau)


I have an Extend-A-Phone manufactured in 1981. It is a Model R900
Handheld = c. 49.89 Mhz Base = c. 1.7 Mhz No dial pad.

I was always happy with this phone. I only used it when visiting other
people's apartments.  Never needed to dial.  The fact that the base at
1.7 Mhz is unlikely to be monitored by anyone is fine with me.

Anyone else have one?

Within the last year or so it stopped functioning.

When I checked battery with a multi-meter voltage seemed to be OK.

Anyone else encounter such a problem and corrected it?

If so, how?


Thanks,

Ray Normandeau
Normandeau Newswire (J 5) at the Invention Factory BBS, 212-274-8110

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Rob Ryan)
Subject: Looking For Reviews of Routers (Harvard Labs Review)
Date: 5 Feb 1994 17:51:55 -0500
Organization: System Constructs, Inc


I'm looking for the text of a review of routers by Harvard Labs.  Does
anyone out there know anything about it?  Can anyone point me in the
right direction? If not, then any similar unbiased review of routers.


Thanks.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail],
Subject: Help With NET2 Test Spec For X25
Date: 6 Feb 1994 08:27:02 GMT
Organization: Consultancy in Advanced Technology


Hi,

I need to do some qualification testing of an X25 implementation. Our
local telecom company informs me that the NET2 test suite is what is
required to be met but cannot supply me with a test specification
(believe it or not!). They apparently have a machine programmed with
the test suite but don't have the spec itself.  Does anybody know where
I could get the Net2 test specification for X25? An ftp sight would be
the best but any info will help.


Thanks,

Dave McConnell ([e-mail])


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: We have some readers of this Digest at
the telkom.za site. Perhaps someone will respond and help you.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Lars Poulsen)
Subject: Re: Clock Slip and { Once More
Organization: CMC Network Products, Copenhagen DENMARK
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 94 00:00:30 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Mike
Long) writes:

> About two years ago I first ran into the clock slip problem and seeing
> {{{{ on my screen. The problem finally cleared up after ...
> Now I see ^?{ combination rather than {{{{ plus a few interspersed
> random characters.

> Now my question is this: what is it about clock slip that causes a {
> character or 01111011 to appear on my screen? Now it is possible that
> I saw ^?{ before but I only remember the {{{.

> I know what to do about it, I'd just like to understand what is going
> on. I was told before that the clock at the central office could be
> slipping or was left in the wrong mode after a maintenance call.
> Given that, how does the { get to my screen and why { and not some
> other character?

When the asynchronous link is idle, it is sending "mark" bits,
11111111111111111111111111111 .... which the modem encodes into some
other pattern, which gets turned into tones, which get digitized at
the CO and sent over a trunk ....

The clock slip inserts (or drops) a bit in this other, digitized,
bit stream. This causes a temporary difference in the pattern, which
causes a couple of bit errors on the receiving end.
Exactly what comes out depends on:

- which modulation is used (2400, 9600, 14400 ...);
- whether it's a bit insert or a bit delete, and whether the
  channel bank dropped a whole frame;
But for a given trunk, these factors tends to be the same.

It is common to see these with 2400 bps. For the last year, I have
been using only V.32bis, and the error correction takes care of the
junk.


Lars Poulsen            Internet E-mail: [e-mail]
CMC Network Products        Phone: (011-) [phone]
Hvidovre Strandvej 72 B        Telefax:      [phone]
DK-2650 Hvidovre, DENMARK    Internets: designed and built while you wait

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Mayhew)
Subject: Re: Clock Slip and { Once More
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Sat, 05 Feb 1994 16:48:59 GMT


Modems use a scrambler polynomial which has a 16 bit cylce.  This
cyclic stream of 1s and 0s has an even division between the two
values.  When a call is placed, the modems sychronize the scrambler
value at both ends, The scrambler data is eclusive-or'ed with the data
at both ends so that under ideal conditions, the input and output data
are identical.  The purpose of using the scrambler data is to ensure
an equal distribution between 1 and 0 while the cirucit is in an idle
marking condition while no data are transmitted.  This allows the
demodulator at the receiver to stay in track with the other end.

The design of the scrambler circuit ensures that a single bit error in
the transmission will hit two adjacent characters in the output stream
due the way the shift-register is tapped and the fact it is a 16 bit
cycle.  The design is no accident, as this assists in spotting
transmission errors -- though I sure wouldn't count on this as
insurance of being able to sptot errors.

For an idle line, the most common error in the direction of the
originate modem is ~r at 1200 bps.  At 2400 bps, the most common error
you'll see is _w.  If you are using different byte lengths other than
(8N1), you may see something else.

Sure is irriating to have a T1 span dropping frames between you and
the place you want to go.  I went around on such a problem with then
Ohio Bell for several years.  I'd imagine the upper eschelon of
craftpeople could have been aware of the problem because all the T1
common equpment racks I've seen (which is hardly exhaustive of all
available) have some sort of error lamp or LED that lights up and
stays on when a framing error is received.  Ohio Bell eventually fixed
the problem, but didn't respond quickly because the POTS lines I was
using met applicable specifications of the regualting tariff.  If I
were buying a conditioned line, things would have been different.
Since we need to support itineratnt users from variable locations,
dedicated lines were not a parctical or inexpensive consideration.
Until the problem was solved, we bought Telebit modems that did not
find the noise bothersome to their PEP protocol.

I have a feeling that all that was necessary was to flip a switch on a
T1 rack somewhere from FREE RUN to LOOP TIMING, but getting somebody
to understand what I wanted and also willing to take action proved
difficult.


Bill Mayhew        NEOUCOM Computer Services Department
Rootstown, OH  44272-9995  USA      phone: [phone]
[e-mail]       amateur radio 146.58: N8WED

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #63
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #64

TELECOM Digest     Sun, 6 Feb 94 10:47:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 64

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: ISDN and Caller-ID (Al Varney)
    Re: DID Questions (Tom Watson)
    Re: Sprint (Dvorak) Modem Offer (Randy Gellens)
    Re: More About INTERNET Connections (Lars Poulsen)
    Re: Increasing Cordless Range (John Gilbert)
    Re: Increasing Cordless Range (Alan Boritz)
    Re: Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones (M.A. Karinen)
    Re: Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones (Gary Breuckman)
    Re: Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones (Bill Mayhew)
    Re: Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones (Bill Walker)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 5 Feb 94 22:46:30 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: ISDN and Caller-ID
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Ketil
Albertsen,TIH) writes:

> In article <[e-mail]>, Will Martin <wmartin@STL-06SIMA.
> ARMY.MIL> writes:

> .... Our PABX generates a caller ID for outgoing calls, based on
> which of the 300 local lines originates the call. That is a private
> PABX (an NT2, in ISDN terms) which we control 100% ourselves, so it
> cannot generate "network verified" IDs. The telco switch can verify
> that the user supplied ID is one of the 300 subscriber numbers
> assigned to that PRI, but not which one of them. I don't know if it
> marks the ID as "network verified" when it *might* be the right one --
> I would guess that the telco is responsible for identifying the
> *subscriber* (which is our college), and so confirm the ID.

   Bellcore's thoughts on this are embodied in TR-268, which goes
beyond the ITU Q.93X procedures (and is very World-Zone-1 specific).
In summary:

  1) If the calling user equipment (PRA/PRI or BRA/BRI line) is required
     to supply the Calling Party Number (CPN) on all originations, then
     the call is rejected if the CPN is not supplied or one of the valid
     DNs associated with the equipment.  If valid, the supplied number
     is used for billing, determining any per-DN call characteristics
     such as permitted Bearer Capabilities and presubscribed IXC/INC and
     this number is supplied to the terminating switch as the CPN.
     Any received CPN by the called party will be marked "user-provided
     number, number passed network screening".

  2) If the line is not required to supply a CPN, and doesn't, a default
     DN associated with this line and Bearer Capability is used for
     billing, per-DN characteristics and CPN to the far switch.
     I believe the CPN, if delivered to the called party, will be
     marked "network-provided number".

  3) If the line is not required to supply a CPN, but does, and the
     line is marked CPN SCREENING=NO, the default DN (above) is used
     for billing and per-DN characteristics.  The unscreened CPN and
     the default DN are passed to the terminating switch.  The default
     DN is used for call trace, etc. purposes and may also be delivered
     to the called party.  The CPN, if delivered to the called party,
     will be marked "user-provided number, number not screened"

  4) If the line is not required to supply a CPN, but does, and the line
     is marked CPN SCREENING=YES, the supplied number is checked against
     the list of valid DNs for this line.  If valid, it is handled as in
     case 1) above.  If invalid, it is handled as in case 3) above, except
     the CPN will be marked "user-provided number, number failed network
     screening".

   "Presentation prohibited" or "Presentation allowed" are also
attributes passed to the terminating user -- if "prohibited" then the
number itself is not delivered (but the "screening" information is
delivered).

   As an exercise for the user, try determining how the above applies
to X.25 packet connections.  In particular, determine how "screening"
information is delivered, whether a CPN used to set up a Packet
B-channel connection is ever involved in an X.25 connection and how
these procedures interact with Reverse Charging.

> After all, even on a one-subscriber-number BRI, there may be
> eight phones and the switch cannot distinguish between them -- the PABX
> is just a scaled-up version of that situation.

   A better PABX analogy might be a ten-number BRI with eight phones
and two B-channels, and multiple DN apperances on each of the eight
phones.


Al Varney

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tom Watson)
Subject: Re: DID Questions
Date: Sat, 05 Feb 1994 18:52:26 -0800
Organization: Apple Computer (more or less)


In TELECOM Digest, V14 #53, Thomas Tengdin <[e-mail]> asks:

> Can anyone tell me how DID lines pass the number down the trunk?

Previous follow ups to this question related the techniques that are
used for DID service.  Having been on the ordering side of these
goodies (we used them in answering service computer boxes) I note some
other facts relating to DID service.

1)  If you want to "crudely" simulate the CO side of DID service, a regular
dial phone (if you get pulse type signalling) works very well.  A bi-color
LED in series will also tell you the status of answer/wink supervision.

2) If you don't provide battery back to the central office, a whole
bunch of people get upset (telephone company, the DID user, and the
guy calling in).  Sometimes it takes frantic calls to repair droids to
re-activate the trunks.  Usually the calls require such items as T&N
numbers, trunk group numbers, or other such data that you never have
in front of you, and is usually NOT supplied by the telephone company.

3) Crossbar (#5XB) behaves much differently from ESS1/1A offices.  On
Crossbar offices there is no timeout (or at least it is really wierd)
when the customer site has no battery.  You end up sticking a "sender"
which the CO guys get really upset about.  On ESS offices the dial
pulses (the only type of signalling I had experience with) are not
done by opening & closing of a contact, but rather by the CO changing
battery voltages on its side of the line.  In addition, the first
pulse of a dialed digit has a "serration" in it.  This serration
usually won't effect relays as it is very fast, but if you detect loop
signalling by an optical isolator (like we did) its there!!

4) The T1 carrier facilities used to transport DID trunks are called
DPO (dial pulse originate) and DPT (dial pulse terminate).  Some of
these draw small amounts of current from your equipment when idle.
Don't make your loop sensor too sensitive, as it will be tripped up
all the time.

5) The customer equipment determines when the call is "answered" by
reversing the polarity of the loop supply.  When telephone companies
supplied termination equipment, the audio path was one way (from PBX
to CO) until the call was "answered" to prevent people from not
answering calls and getting work done.  This allowed the PBX to send
back things like ring, busy, and announcements.  You could also
"cheat" and not send back answer supervision.  This is frowned upon,
as the call is free.  At one time I had a tone & voice pager that was
connected to DID trunks that didn't return answer supervision.  I
could page from pay phones and get my money back.  Fun and games (they
don't do it any more).

6) The number of digits pulsed (or signalled) out from the CO is
variable; we usually used three digits (the last three of the phone
number), even though we didn't subscribe to 1000 phone numbers.

7) The billing arrangements are in two parts: Number of trunks, and
the number of numbers.  The number groups can be diverse, I've seen
xxx-3400 to xxx-3499 and xxx-5600 to xxx-5699 on the same trun group
signalling 400-499 and 600-699.

I hope this aids in the understanding of DID lines and how they work.
Have fun!


Tom Watson    [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: 06 Feb 1994 00:30:00 GMT
Subject: Re: Sprint (Dvorak) Modem Offer


Earlier, I wrote:

> Finally, I talked to a supervisor, and we went through the notes on my
> account.  It seems my original call was taken by someone not familiar
> with the offer, and this person failed to sign me up for the modem
> (but did switch my line).

> When I pointed out that I had called to sign up for the modem before
> the offer expired, and that it was no fault of mine if the Sprint rep
> didn't do it right, the supervisor promised to contact the manager in
> charge (no longer Diane Worthy, it seems) and appeal.  This was at the
> end of last year, and I still have not heard anything.

I received a call back from the supervisor, and he told me a modem would
be shipped.


Randall Gellens              [e-mail]
A Series System Software
Unisys Corporation           [Please forward bounce messages
Mission Viejo, CA            to: [e-mail]]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 5 Feb 94 23:04:22 +0100
From: [e-mail] (Lars Poulsen)
Subject: More About INTERNET Connections


After my article about Internet conenctions, I have received many
generic questions about connecting to the Internet. Here are some answers:

1) I have a BBS (or I'm setting one up). How do I get Internet Email
   access?

   The least expensive way to get mail to and from the Internet from
   a BBS environment is by using the UUCP protocol to connect to
   a site that has a "real" Internet connection. The Waffle BBS system
   (which is shareware) uses UUCP for external mail, and can also
   link up with USENET newsgroups [foot note 1].

   If you aren't on friendly terms with an Internet site that can
   be persuaded to give you dial-up UUCP access, call UUNET or PSI.

2) The article listed several classes of Internet service providers in
   the US. How do I get service in Europe?

   The same classes of service exist in Europe. Be prepared to spend more
   for the telephone call charges, though. Except for Austria, there are
   no untimed local calls in Europe, so far as I know.

   There are several providers. EUNET has outlets in most west European
   countries. They can be reached by sending mail to [e-mail] and
   asking for rates and local access sites.

3) You mentioned a PC or Mac e-mail client called Eudora. Can you tell me
   more?

   Eudora exists in a Mac version (which I have used with MacTCP) and in a
   PC/Windows version. It used to be NCSA freeware, but the author moved to
   QualComm who have decided to take it commercial. The older version is
   still available by FTP from ftp.qualcomm.com.

   In a TCP environment, Eudora uses Post Office Protocol (POP3) to
   receive mail, and uses SMTP to send mail. Mail folders live on your PC
   (or Mac) in Unix mail file format. Your mailbox lives on a Unix host
   with a POP3 server daemon.

   When you start Eudora, and at interval thereafter, it polls the POP
   server, which authenticates you (username/password) and then hands over
   the current contents of /usr/spool/mail/username, which is then
   appended to the tail end of your INBOX. The interface then looks a lot
   like MAILTOOL.  (It also looks a lot like QuickMail.) You can now read,
   reply and compose messages all you like. Later, you can flush the
   OUTBOX to the SMTP server on the same or a different mailhost.

   At least in the Mac environment, you can login in regular async mode
   instead of using TCP for uploads and downloads. Using PPP to connect to
   the host by modem, would be another option.

   The commercial Windows package costs $65 including floppy, manual and
   a year of free maintenance. The manual alone is $15.

   For more information, send mail to [e-mail]

4) You mentioned the PDIAL list of public access systems.
   How do I get this list?

   Send a message with the phrase "send PDIAL" to [e-mail].


Lars Poulsen            Internet E-mail: [e-mail]
CMC Network Products        Phone: (011-) [phone]
Hvidovre Strandvej 72 B        Telefax:      [phone]
DK-2650 Hvidovre, DENMARK    Internets: designed and built while you wait

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Gilbert)
Subject: Re: Increasing Cordless Range
Organization: Motorola, LMPS
Date: Sat, 05 Feb 1994 12:43:52 -0600


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Bill
Leeke) wrote:

> I would like to increase the range of my cordless phone. Does anyone
> know if there is an easy way to do this? i.e. clip/screw a few
> resistors ...

> Would it be possible to put a linear amp on the base? Could you also
> increase the gain of the base antenna?

If you live in an area with lots of neighbors, the quickest and
easiest way to increase your range is to buy a 900 MHz phone and put
the base as high as possible in your house.

An external antenna could be put on the base of a 46/49 phone, but
this would violate the FCC part 15 type acceptance of the phone.
Additionally, your base would receive more interference from other
handsets so you would have fewer clear channels available for your
use.  You would also have a much higher probability of causing
interference to your neighbors phones and baby monitors. In an area
with very light use of the 46/49 band, an external antenna might help.

RF amplifiers at the base and handset probably wouldn't help without
other changes to the radios. Other elements of the radio such as the
duplexers and RF bypassing aren't designed for the higher power and
probably wouldn't work as well as before.

Linear amplifiers aren't required for FM signals and consume more
battery than a class C (non-linear) amplifier.


John Gilbert         [e-mail]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Increasing Cordless Range
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Sun, 06 Feb 94 07:41:31 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


[e-mail] (Bill Leeke) writes:

> I would like to increase the range of my cordless phone. Does anyone
> know if there is an easy way to do this? i.e. clip/screw a few
> resistors ...

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Remember that whatever you do, you also
> need to increase th handset's range accordingly.

Remember also that it's highly illegal to do that in the US.


[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yes indeed, it is illegal, and although I
don't know of any cases where the FBI/FCC/whoever has made a case out of
it, the fact is to increase the range of a cordless phone is a lot of
work for little improvement, a lot more interference, and the frustrations
of the handset (at some newsly created distance away) being able to
receive the base quite clearly but not being able to get back to it. Ever
get in the outer fringes of where your cordless phone will operate and
have an incoming call arrive? Your handset chirps as it should, you press
the appropriate key to answer but the handset keeps on chirping. Why?
It hears the base calling it, but the base hears nothing back in return
and keeps on sending a ringing signal. It is *hard* to increase the range
of the handset, thus the equal distance in either direction which must be
maintained for the unit to work properly is lost. In fact, increasing the
base output is *so easy* (just a trim pot or two, clip a diode maybe) and
*it* (the base) will talk loud and far. But for what reason if the handset
cannot get back to it and all the baby monitors in between get to listen
to it instead. Overall, don't bother. Go 900 megs with the base unit as
high as you can get it.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: 06 Feb 94 03:55:51 EST
From: M A Karinen <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones


It seems to me that the problem described in a recent message:

> It is a bit of pain to carry a heavy battery and to re-charge it
> everyday. Most of the battery power is consumed during the stand-by
> time.  People can't afford to talk to long.

 ... should mostly be history by now, if you have an advanced cellular
network and a modern handheld phone.

My analogue Nokia 101 handset, a very small one, easily stays powered
for about four days (4*24 hours) with light calling with the thicker
battery, and two days (2*24 hours) with the smallest battery.  The
thicker battery provides about two hours of talk time in city environs
(ie the phone probably uses low power because the cell site is
nearby); the smallest battery does about 45-50 minutes. The thick
battery carries me well through two business days of active calling,
typically, and the thin one through one day. On my previous phone the
power ran out halfway through the day: I understand the improvement
come through something called "battery save managament" that was
installed in the cellular network (the NMT system), and new phones
compatible with the feature.  I do not know how the battery management
feature works, in practice.

So, I am fairly happy -- if I did not need to worry what my typical 45
minutes of daily airtime costs ...

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 6 Feb 1994 07:04:08 -0800
From: [e-mail] (Gary Breuckman)
Subject: Re: Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones


In article <[e-mail]> is written:

> I am a new mobile phone user. In general, it is an useful toy.
> However, it also has some potential problems. The biggest problem is
> with the battery life. It is a bit of pain to carry a heavy battery
> and to re-charge it everyday. Most of the battery power is consumed
> during the stand-by time.  People can't afford to talk to long.

> The problem could be solved if the mobile phones are designed
> differently.  For instance, it could have an internal switch which
> turned the receiver circuit on and off periodically for a short interval
> to monitor the incoming calls. Off because it should be on during the
> conversation.  For instance, turn it on for 0.01 seconds every second
> would not miss an incoming call but could increase the stand-by time
> by a factor of 100. We all know that a pager consumes very little power
> and many cordless phones do this to save battery power.

Since the same folks who make pagers make cellular phones, I would
think that at least some of the power conservation schemes have been
implemented, and that they are doing the best job they can.

What I think is a better idea is to use a pager, with voicemail if
desired, and have folks call that.  You can then choose which calls to
return using your expensive cellular airtime, and if a landline phone
is available, you can return calls using that.  You would turn your
cellular off entirely except when making calls.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Mayhew)
Subject: Re: Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Sat, 05 Feb 1994 21:16:04 GMT


I am pretty sure that pocket type cellular phones here in the US use a
power saving feature that cycles the reciever off and on while the
unit is in standby mode.  It seems to take a second or two for my
Motorola pocket phone to decide it should ring.  The cellular paging
channel does send the page out to the mobile several times in a row,
so there is a reasonable chance of catching the page even if the
mobile unit were to cycle its receiver.  The Motorola flip phone will
run for more than 24 hours in standby mode with a nickle-metal-hydride
battery.  The unit and battery are easily small enough to fit inside a
suit coat pocket.  The 24 hour ni-cd battery is a bit bigger than the
n-m-h pack, but has the advantage of tolerating overcharging better
and has less self-discharge when not in use.

I'm not familiar with the way GSM phones in other parts of the world
work, so there might be a reason they need to stay on continuously.


Bill Mayhew        NEOUCOM Computer Services Department
Rootstown, OH  44272-9995  USA      phone: [phone]
[e-mail]       amateur radio 146.58: N8WED

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Walker)
Subject: Re: Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones
Date: Sat, 05 Feb 1994 16:00:26 -0800
Organization: Qualcomm, Inc.


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Yang
Yu-shuang) wrote:

> Hi Net Friends,

[cellular phone battery life is too short]

> The problem could be solved if the mobile phones are designed
> differently.  For instance, it could have an internal switch which
> turned the receiver circuit on and off periodically for a short interval
> to monitor the incoming calls. Off because it should be on during the
> conversation.  For instance, turn it on for 0.01 seconds every second
> would not miss an incoming call but could increase the stand-by time
> by a factor of 100. We all know that a pager consumes very little power
> and many cordless phones do this to save battery power.

Unfortunately, you _would_ miss an incoming call, since in a cellular
network the call is really just a short message (a "page") sent to
your phone.  Unless the base station knows exactly when the mobile
will "wake up", calls cannot go through.

The U.S. CDMA Digital Cellular system (as specified by EIA/TIA IS-95)
provides for a scheme such as you describe.  The Paging Channel is
divided into time slots, and mobiles may be set up to only wake up
during certain slots.  When the mobile registers in the system, it
informs the system in which slots messages can be sent to the mobile.

I note that your address is in Australia, which I believe is currently
deploying GSM.  I don't know whether GSM provides for this.


Bill Walker - [e-mail] - QUALCOMM, Inc., San Diego, CA USA

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #64
*****************************


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Date: Mon, 7 Feb 94 07:30:54 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #65

TELECOM Digest     Mon, 7 Feb 94 07:31:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 65

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    CERT Warning: Corrupted Passwords (Ben Delisle)
    Guard Your Royal Database (Hackers Still With Us) (Donald E. Kimberlin)
    A Small Town in Wyoming (John Sullivan)
    Ordering 56Kb Leased Line (Chris Ambler)
    Any LD Carriers With Cellular Plans? (Dave Goldblatt)
    Re: Phone Number History (Daryl R. Gibson)
    Re: Phone Number History (Dave Niebuhr)
    Re: Phone Number History (Carl Moore)
    Re: Phone Number History (Jay Hennigan)
    Re: Phone Number History (David A. Kaye)
    Re: The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right ... (J.S. Wylie)
    Re: The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right ... ([e-mail])
    Re: The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right ... (Carl Moore)
    Re: The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right ... (Jerry Natowitz)
    Re: Wiretapping Problems (Michael D. Griffin)
    Re: Wiretapping Problems (Gary Breuckman)
    Re: Caller ID in Software (Stuart Whitmore)
    Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones ([e-mail])

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ben Delisle)
Subject: CERT Warning: Corrupted Passwords.
Organization: Corner Core Dump Cafe
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 1994 20:49:42 GMT


    Internet Warning. Your passwords may have been compromised.
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      If you remotely use Telnet, Ftp, or Rlogin, ect. Read This Now.

    According to an advisiory from CERT (see comp.security.announce)
as well as articles in several national newspapers -- {Seattle Times,
NY Times, Washington Post}, others -- there is a group(s) of hackers
on the Internet with 'sniffers' that are grabbing passwords and
account information on its way to it's final destinations. The
sniffers are looking for password information as you remotely FTP,
Telnet rsh, rlogin, or other related functions.  It is possible for
them to attatch a sniffer to your system; if they can get in, they will
use your system to grab more passwords. The sniffers are programs
placed in systems, computers, routers that may be in the path between
your site and the remote site.

   **>     If you see strange things in your account contact your
system administrator at once.  <**

According to published reports, several tens-of-thousands of passwords
may have been captured.

This is affecting much of the Internet.  I have no other details.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The same report was in all the papers
here Sunday morning. Everyone is urged to change their password(s)
immediatly, and it really would not hurt to get into the habit of
changing your password at least every two or three months. Readers
may recall a few years ago when the thing with Len Rose came up (he
was an active Usenet participant / Internet denizen who was sent to
the penitentiary [I don't know how penitent he became if at all, but
that is another matter] for his hacking activities), the scheme then
involved the sneaky collection of passwords by tampering with the
Unix program 'su' (or 'superuser') and propogating a patch to 'su'
which would collect the passwords presented by users.

So, it looks like the password and account sneak thieves are hard
at work once again ... let's get those passwords changed.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 6 Feb 94 18:07 EST
From: Donald E. Kimberlin <[e-mail]>
Subject: Guard Your Royal Database (Hackers Still With Us)


   COMPUTER VANDALS SAY THEY GOT DRUNK, TRIED TO RING UP QUEEN

  (Feb. 3) A couple of British computerists have told a London TV
station they gained access to British Telecom's secret phone files and
even tried to make drunken phone calls to Queen Elizabeth II.

  The two -- aged 23 and 16, who agreed to appear on a Channel Four
television documentary called "Walk On The Wild Side" on the grounds
they would not be identified -- said they called the queen at
Buckingham Palace several times but that servants answered the phone.

  One of the men, who was from southeast England, said the Buckingham
Palace calls eventually were traced by authorities, adding, "The first
time I was ever traced was from Buckingham Palace when I found the
direct dial-up for Buckingham Palace.  And I had too much to drink one
night and thought I'd have a chat with the queen but it didn't go down
too well. That was my first call that was ever traced."

  United Press International, reporting on the broadcast, said the
pair also showed the film makers, from the independent television
company Big Star In A Wee Picture, "how to hack into the U.S. military
system and to steal from credit card companies."

  Said the wire service, "They said they only stole from the credit
companies when they needed a new piece of computer equipment. They
also claimed to have made free use of gaps in the telephone system to
make free international calls."


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: There was an instance several years ago of
obscene calls made to Queen Elizabeth II which were traced to an interna-
tional origin here in the United States. It took a cooperative effort
between British Telecom, AT&T, and Illinois Bell to catch him, but they
finally did. The story has been here in the Digest in the past.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Sullivan)
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 94 14:45:49 PST
Subject: A Small Town in Wyoming


While driving across South Dakota and Wyoming last fall, there wasn't
much choice of radio stations to listen to.  At one point I was near
Buffalo, Wyoming, tuned to FM 92.7, which at the time was giving local
small-town news.  This included notice that someone had found a dog.
The owner was asked to "call us [the radio station] at 5126".

Could it be that in this town, four-digit dialing is possible?  Or
does everyone just know what the exchange is?  (The phone book at the
next gas station showed Buffalo as 684, I think.)


John Sullivan


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Although four digit dialing might still
be possible, it is unlikely. Probably everyone in town gives their number
out that way, with the exchange assumed. Not only is everyone in town on
the same exchange, but if the place is really small, all the numbers may
possibly begin with '5' as well! I've seen that in a few cases; all the
listings fit on two or three pages as a supplement to some other (larger)
phone book, with the first *four* (or sometimes five!) digits all the
same and only the last three digits varying. Small town, America! Very
small town ... PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Chris Ambler - Fubar)
Subject: Ordering 56Kb Leased Line
Organization: The Phishtank
Date: Mon, 07 Feb 1994 07:13:41 GMT


I find I need to order a leased line from my premesis in San Luis
Obispo, CA (805-782 or 805-781) to either San Jose, CA (408-241),
Culver City (310-842) or Irvine (714-708).

Who do I call? AT&T? MCI? Sprint? Are there others that can do this?

This is for simple Internet access; it'll be going to a service
provider who will be putting a CSU/DSU & router on both ends.

Suggestions, bids, phone numbers, etc, are needed. Thanks!


++Christopher(); // All original text is strictly the _opinion_ of the poster
[e-mail] / [e-mail]
Christopher J. Ambler, Author, FSUUCP 1.42, FSVMP 1.0, UUPlus Utilities
Erpnotes: The Ozric Tentacles Mailing List: [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dave Goldblatt)
Subject: Any LD Carriers With Cellular Plans?
Date: 07 Feb 1994 03:59:12 GMT
Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Burlington MA
Reply-To: [e-mail]


Having recently broken down and picked up a cellular phone, I decided
to determine what the delta was between using it and my home phone
service was.  Cellular One / Boston has a program which waives airtime
charges at night, so it basically comes down to what the LD carriers
will charge me.  (I'm not too worried about local calls)

Since I have AT&T as my primary on my home lines, I figured I'd give
them a shot.  As I've got ROA, I called that group to see if they had
any ideas about there being any discount programs available on
"residential" cellular.

I received the telephonic equivalent of a blank look, followed by a
lengthy chain of runarounds at AT&T, even to groups that didn't deal
with long distance.  ("Thought of getting pissed at us?  You will.")

While I'm not particularly hopeful, I'm curious if anyone knows if any
of the major carriers offer discounts to cellular customers.


Thanks!

Dave Goldblatt ([e-mail])
Locus Computing Corporation
Burlington, MA    [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 07 Feb 1994 00:27:01 MST
From: Daryl R. Gibson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Phone Number History


Pat, I've enjoyed your phone history notes ... I remember taking a
tour (as a kid) around the local CO/switchboard, and watching the
operators plugging in the lines. One interesting note about that small
town switchboard was that the switchboard summoned the local police
and fire departments. When a call came in for the fire department, the
operator would ring five "fire phones" at volunteer firemen's homes,
until someone answered, when she'd put the caller through. If she
couldn't get a fireman, she'd keep ringing other phones until she got
one. Before she rang the fire phone, though, she'd throw a switch that
would start a siren to bring all the volunteer firemen, (and most of
the town, of course) to the fire station.

To summon the police, she'd take down the information and hit a switch
that lit a light hanging over main street ... the local cops would see
the light, presumably, while driving down the street, and would then
call in and find out what was up ... when they changed to a dial
system, they wired the cop phone to that same switch, somehow, so when
you rang the phone number, it would turn on the light and activate
this huge old answering machine.

Our phone number was 200, and my father's work number was "96."  When
they went to direct dialing, he had a sign painter come over and paint
over the number on the sign in front of the shop. I notice that the
new paint has chipped off, though after 30 years, so it's gone back to
"phone 96" on the sign ...


Daryl


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: If you ride the elevated train in Chicago
there is a point along the trip where a building to the west of the
tracks has a large, very faded sign advertising some local merchant (of
fifty years ago) and his phone number 'Edgewater 537'. The use of a flashing
strobe light to announce a phone call is common enough. There is a
taxicab stand near one of the elevated train stations here where idle cabs
will park to wait for passengers. A phone is in a weather-proof box mounted
on the wall and an incoming call to that number causes a little strobe
light on the top to flash. Any cab driver parked along there who sees it
is invited to go over and answer the phone and get a pickup order.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 7 Feb 94 07:21:33 EST
From: [e-mail] (Dave Niebuhr)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History


Re: The discussion about prefix names:

My exchange prefix is known ATlantic.  516-281-XXXX is still referred
to as ATlantic in the phone books yet none of the older ones using the
516-28x designation state anything about ATlantic.


Dave Niebuhr      Internet: [e-mail] (preferred)
                            [e-mail] / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl
Senior Technical Specialist, Scientific Computing Facility
Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973  (516)-282-3093

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 7 Feb 94 06:58:38 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Phone Number History


No, PENnsylvania becomes 736, not 636 !

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jay Hennigan)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Date: 6 Feb 1994 22:18:35 -0800
Organization: Regional Access Information Network (RAIN)


This is a fascinating thread on the evolution of numbering plans.
Does anyone remember phone numbers with a letter suffix?  In
Riverside, CA (Pacific Telephone) the manual numbers for party-line
service had a letter at the end of the number.  My parents' house was
4699J.  The letter was the Morse Code symbol for the ringing cadence.
"J" was one short and three longs.  They cut to crossbar (one of the
first crossbar exchanges, I believe) around 1955 or 56.  The numbering
plan was 2-5, but could just as easily have been 3-4, as the only
exchange was OVerland 3-xxxx which equates to OVErland-xxxx.


Jay Hennigan     [e-mail]   Santa Barbara CA


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think the party line suffixes in most
places were -J, -M -R and -W. I never had a party line, but a friend of
mine did. Do party lines still exist anywhere or are they all discontinued
by now?   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David A. Kaye)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Date: 6 Feb 1994 19:30:45 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access  [phone]  [login: guest]


[e-mail] wrote:

>    Exchanges never had conflicting names because telephone companies
> always had to name the building containing the exchange.  In most
> cases, the town name WAS the exchange name ...

I think there was a tendency to create CO names which didn't conflict
with CO names in other cities, too.  In the SF Bay Area we had lots of
CO names which had nothing to do with their towns, neighborhoods, or
local companies.

However, we did have TEmplebar in Oakland, which was named after the
Temple Bar where telco employees hung out.

We had BAyview in SF, but it was more than five miles from the Bayview
neighborhood.  We never had a MUrray Hill (68) as in New York, but we
did have a MUlberry.  Oakland had an OLympic, while Fremont, 15 miles
to the south had an OLiver.  The Bay Area suffered through many other
contortions which didn't mean anything to us, such as TWinoaks,
THornwall, GReenleaf, HEmlock, WAbash, WYman, BEacon, BRowning,
JEfferson, ELgin, KEllogg, and HIgate.  I haven't seen any of these
combinations in other cities, so I can only assume that when an
operaor in New York or Chicago was asked to call "TWinoaks 2000" s/he
knew to call a number in Oakland, California.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: There were some exchange names which seemed
to be common everywhere, while others were unique to some community. Many
places had PLAza, and we had a WABash here in Chicago. But some we had here
I have never heard of in other places: GRAceland, MULberry, TUXedo,
INTerocean, VICtory, EDGewater and IRVing are a few which come to mind. PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right ...
Date: Sun, 6 Feb 94 19:10:45 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


I feel that the proper solution is for Directory Assistance always to
quote the ten digit number.

It IS NOT reasonable to assume that callers will know of the latest
NPA splits.  Therefore the companies have an obligation to do everything
to assist the poor caller.

It IS reasonable to assume that the caller has learned the basics of
the phone system.  Here, the only OBLIGATION is to provide clear instruc-
tions in the telephone directory.

However, they could eliminate the confusion for those who don't/won't
learn by accepting 1+ and 0+ ten digits for ALL calls, not just long
distance ones.  I've tried this on several 215-land switches and it
works just fine.  It didn't when I tried it a number of years ago.
Things do get better.

Please understand, I'm not against helping the less fortunate, but
when it is done at the expense of those who are willing to use their
brains, then I get upset.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (HornUser)
Subject: Re:  The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right ...
Date: 7 Feb 1994 03:11:58 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland College Park


In article <[e-mail]> Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
writes:

> Then we discovered the problem.  Davis is in the *916* areacode, *NOT*
> in 707.  And the funny thing was, living in the Washington, DC area,
> I'm used to hearing the local DA recording give the area code before a
> number.  Later tonight, in repeating the experiment, I called 707
> information.  The first Directory Assistance operator informed me that
> the area code for Davis is 916, and to dial 916-555-1212 to get
> Directory Assistance there.  The second call to 707 DA gave me the
> 752-1011 number without mentioning the area code.

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The way it works is that a lot of DA
> Bureaus are handled from the same location by the same operators and
> they are *supposed* to pay attention to what lines the incoming calls
> arrive on, but they do not always do that. You'd think it would be
> just as simple to ignore the identity of the incoming trunk and just
> always recite the response with an area code on the front to avoid
> this kind of confusion, but the answer to that is that since most
> people do in fact call the correct area code (plus 555-1212) to obtain
> the desired number, the recital of the area code at the start of the
> number would confuse people (the local people) into thinking *they*
> had to dial the area code first also.  PAT]

Why can't the computers automatically give out the correct area codes
when the caller dialed the incorrect area code?  Surely it is not
impossible for someone who calls 707 555-1212 to get a recording that
says 916 nnn-nnnn whenever the COMPUTER detects that the caller called
707 DA?


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think in some places the DA clerk sees
the correct number on a terminal screen and moves the cursor to that spot
for the computer to begin vocalizing what is at the cursor, and it does
not include an area code. I think it can be done to include the area code
(if different) provided the operator tells the system it is to be added,
but generally they assume the caller is using the right number to get into
the DA system.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 6 Feb 94 13:13:59 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right ...


The editor's note mentions confusion caused by giving out the area
code with all number referrals.  Was that ever a problem in the DC
area?  (By the way, I believe the DC area allows any direct-dialed
call in country code 1 to go as 1 + NPA + 7D -- even when 7D, for a
local call within an area code, is available.)

But yes, the area code needs to be given out when it is different from
the area code used by the caller.  I had a case where I called
Maryland directory assistance (301 area before the 410 split) and was
given a number in Washington DC without the 202 area code.  (I was
talking to a person at the other end, so I said it should have been
given out with the area code.)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jerry Natowitz)
Subject: Re: The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right ...
Organization: Guest of Stephen Dyer Consulting
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 1994 18:27:23 GMT
Organization: Guest of Stephen Dyer Consulting


Related to DI operators making sure you have the correct area code: I
live in Brookline Massachusetts, which my NJ accent oftens pronounces
as Brooklyn.  One day I call the local DI for a number in Brookline.
The operator informs me that Brooklyn in in AC 718.


Jerry Natowitz - [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: That is a chronic problem all over the USA
as operators in the south try to figure out what the northerners are
saying, and vice-versa.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Michael D. Griffin)
Subject: Re: Wiretapping Problems
Date: 6 Feb 1994 16:17:55 GMT
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA


Pawel Dobrowolski ([e-mail]) wrote:

>> There is also a device (TDR, time-domain-
>> reflectometer) that will bounce a signal down the line and give you a
>> visual indication of bridge taps or irregularities in impedance along
>> the circuit.  You can usually see any splice or terminal box.

> Anyone care to answer the following questions?

>  - how much tech. knowledge do I need to use it?

Some :-), TDR's provide a o'scope like trace of the line.  Thus it
must be interpreted and the user must know what each *glitch* or
*event indication* indicates. The real problem is that if you have no
previous record of what the line looked like before the *tap* was
placed, how can you distinguish between a *normal* event and an
*added* one.

> -how to operate it?

This is not really the problem. See above.

> -how much does it cost?

Anywhere from about $3,000 to about $8,000, depends on range and
resolution desired.

> -where to get it?

Tektronix and Riser-Bond (and others) sell them. You can also rent
them at about 10% of purchase price/month.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 08:49:27 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Gary Breuckman)
Subject: Re: Wiretapping Problems


In article <[e-mail]> is written:

> Anyone care to answer the following questions?

>    -how much tech. knowledge do I need to use it?
>    -how to operate it?
>    -how much does it cost?
>    -where to get it?

OK, an example ...
Tektronix 1503C metallic cable tester.
Quoting TEK DIRECT:  "The 1503C metallic cable tester will relentlessly
hunt down problems in LANs, WANs, phone lines and CATV metworks.  From
10 inches to 50,000 ft, the powerful 1503C can pinpoint a fault with lethal
accuracy in seconds with pulse widths from 2 to 1000 ns.  And its optional
YT-1 chart recorder lets you document the event for the troops back home.
$4,950.00, add $950 for the chart recorder option."

The chart produced, or screen image, is an oscilloscope trace with a
horizontal line representing distance.  Any impedance change, bridge
tap, terminal block (depending on how good and seamless the block is),
change in wire type, shows up as 'squiggles' on the line.

You should probably talk with a Tektronic sales engineer regarding
your specific application.  Other manufacturers, HP, etc., have
similar equipment.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 07 Feb 1994 04:43:05 -0800
From: [e-mail] (Rattlesnake Stu)
Subject: Re: Caller ID in Software
Organization: Central Washington University


[e-mail] wrote:

> 5. Data handshake and shell to external program

Ah, yes, but ZFAX doesn't tell that external program anything relevant
(e.g., COM port, connected speed, error correction status...).  I wish
it did!  If it did that, and if it swapped itself to XMS and only left
a few K active in conventional memory, I'd use it for a front-end to a
BBS.  (A front end that can handle voice mail, faxback, etc. -- that's
my idea of COOL software!)


-stuart    [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones
Date: 6 Feb 1994 23:48:36 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas


In article <[e-mail]> Jerry Leichter <leichter@
lrw.com> writes:

> You know, some of the ancient Greeks would have loved this mailing
> list (and the net general).  It's populated by people who, like them,
> believe that sheer logic is enough to understand the world -- you don't
> need any "dirty" observation.

> "Everyone knows" (by simple reasoning) that replacing touchtone phones
> with rotary phones won't help because "the bad guys" will just go to
> Radio Shack and buy tone dialers.  "Everyone knows" (by simple
> reasoning) that this whole approach just won't do anything.

This recurring thread has this simple middle class suburbanite
confused and baffled.  Why does crippling the phone system cripple the
drug trade?  I have applied sheer logic to the problem and am unable
to fathom any reason for the drug trade to be particularly dependent
on telecommunication infrastructure.

Jerry Leichter may ridicule me, if he must, but I prefer to ask here
rather than do "'dirty" observation."  I am hopeful that he will
understand.  ;-)

What are the mechanics of the trade that are particularly dependent on
telecommunication infrastructure?  Pagers, cell tels, and pay phones
receive frequent mention in this forum and in the popular press as
REALLY IMPORTANT drug trade infrastructure, but I cannot imagine why.

Is it some way to minimize the legal risk?  Do they have a tele-
clientele?  Is it some way to stay ahead of the street cops?  Do
they actually have a rigid hierarchical structure with formal command
and control procedures?  Are call records useless to law enforcement
agencies?  Baffled but enquiring minds want to know.

My spouse works in a public school district and I have always
suspected that the real reason educators want to ban pagers and the
like is that since educators are in a telecom black hole during the
day the students must be forced to join them.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Basically, using the phone is a way for
drug dealers to make contacts at a safe, discreet distance. Any why does
any business have telephone service? Why do pizza delivery places have
phone service? The answer would seem to me to be for the convenience of
thieir customers in placing orders. So this convenience factor, plus the
obvious inability of drug dealers to accept straight walk-up traffic
without knowing *who* they are dealing with make the telephone an ideal
tool of the trade. You take away the convenience and the ability to
hide which the telephone affords its users, and it puts a crimp in the
drug dealer's business, which is all most neighborhood people are asking
for. The theory seems to be the sales will never stop, but if the phones
around here are hard to use, they'll go somewhere else. It seems to
work, probably because drug dealers don't usually keep up on developments
in telecom. They don't patronize Radio Shack and they apparently do not
read this Digest!  :)  It works, say the neighborhood people.   PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #65
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #66

TELECOM Digest     Tue, 8 Feb 94 00:58:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 66

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    TeleStrategies Conference Announcement (Matthew Lucas)
    Campaign Against Clipper (Dave Banisar)
    Skeptical Inquirer: EMF Scare (Monty Solomon)
    VPN Services (Jeffrey Stone)
    Busy Call Return and Hunt Groups (David Leibold)
    Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software? (Alan Boritz)
    BCE (Bell Canada Parent) Posts Loss (David Leibold)
    The Hi-Tech Green Weenies (The Door Magazine via David Leibold)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon,  7 Feb 1994 17:52:11 -0500
From: Matthew Lucas <[e-mail]>
Subject: TeleStrategies Conference Announcement


                         INTERNETcom '94

     An Internet Commercialization Conference and Exposition
               Washington, DC    March 21-23, 1994


     *How to Market and Sell to 20 Million Internet Users

     *Entrepreneurial Opportunities Created by New
      Internet Policies

     *Leveraging Internet For a Competitive Advantage



Tuesday, March 22, 1994

8:30-9:00  Registration

9:00-10:30

OVERVIEW

Commercial traffic on the Internet is rapidly increasing. What is
driving this growth? Where will new markets emerge? How large will
they be? Who are the current and potential players? What business
opportunities are being created? What commercial uses of the Internet
are emerging? How will today's Internet culture change?  What
challenges must be met as commercialization efforts move forward? What
is the role of the National Science Foundation?

Gordon Cook, President, Cook Network Consultants
Anthony Rutkowski, Vice President, Internet Society
Bill Washburn, Executive Director
  Commercial Internet Exchange (CIX)

10:30-11:00  Coffee Break

11:00-12:00

SECURITY ISSUES

Security is still a critical issue for anyone who wants to do business
on the Internet. The speaker will address the threats, concerns and
countermeasures that are important and discuss what security policies
and procedures need to be established.

Stephen Crocker, Vice President
  Trusted Information Systems, Inc.

12:00-1:30  Hosted Lunch and Exhibits

1:30-3:30

DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF INFORMATION SERVICES

What does it take to design and deliver a successful information
service? Who will the customers be, what do they want and how much
will they pay? What impact will commercialization efforts have on the
information service industry? What challenges lie ahead, including
copyright and licensing issues? What business strategies should the
information industry adopt?

Jeff Crigler, Director, Business Information Services
  Mead Data Central
Isabella Hinds, Manager, Professional Relations
  Copyright Clearance Center
Robert Raisch, President, The Internet Company
Richard Vancil, Vice President, Marketing, Individual Inc.


3:30-4:00  Coffee Break and Exhibits

4:00-4:30

HOW TO ADVERTISE EFFECTIVELY

How can effective, nonintrusive advertising be accomplished on the
Internet? What features of the Internet culture and etiquette are
important to understand in order to be successful?

Judith Axler Turner, a head of the working group on advertising
  for the Coalition for Networked Information

4:30-5:30

USING THE INTERNET FOR A COMPETITIVE EDGE

How can business owners enhance their operations by using the Internet
not only to offer a variety of information and document delivery
services, but also to market and sell? The speakers will discuss the
lessons learned in implementing and using Internet connectivity and
explain how to identify business costs.

Chris Vandenburg, Internetworking Product Manager
  Rockwell International
Speaker to be Announced


5:30-6:30  Reception and Exhibits


Wednesday, March 23, 1994

8:30-9:15

INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS

What opportunities exist for providing Internet access? What will be
driving growth over the next few years? What range of services can be
provided? What are end users looking for? What does it take to be
successful?

Michael Ballard, Chief Operating Officer, UUNET
Speaker to be Announced

9:15-10:00

NAVIGATION TOOLS

What are the primary challenges to navigating on the Internet and
what tools are currently available?

Bruce Antelman, President, Information Express
Kevin Oliveau, Engineer, WAIS, Inc.

10:00-10:30  Coffee Break and Exhibits

10:30-11:30

BILLING AND SETTLEMENT ISSUES

The speakers will address the following topics: billing/accounting
issues and Internet service provisioning; cost and rate structures;
billing options available to information service providers; and an
update on billing-related activities of the Internet Engineering
Task Force.

Taso Devetzis, Member Technical Staff, Bellcore
Bob Doyle, Director, Marketing, Sprint

11:30-11:45  Coffee Break

11:45-12:30

INTERNET ACCESS VIA CABLE TV

Cable companies are looking at advanced communications uses for
today's cable TV systems. One such use is remote high-speed access.
The speakers will describe a cable-based access method and provide an
update on cable/Internet trials, including a distance education
project.

Gordon Cook, President, Cook Network Consultants - MODERATOR

James Ginsburg, Senior Information Officer, Jones Intercable, Inc.
Ed Moura, Vice President, Marketing and Sales
  Hybrid Networks, Inc.

                     Pre-Conference Tutorial
               UNDERSTANDING INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES
            FOR NON-ENGINEERS AND STRATEGIC PLANNERS
             by Dr. Jerry Lucas and Invited Faculty
         Monday, March 21, 1994  *  9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.

This one-day tutorial is for the non-engineer, strategic planner,
entrepreneur or anyone who has to understand the Internet in order to
make business decisions about emerging commercial opportunities.  This
tutorial covers not only Internet technologies, economics and
leading-edge opportunities, but also looks at operational issues such
as addressing, network management and security from a business
development perspective.

1. INTERNET OVERVIEW: What is the Internet? Who controls it? What can
you do with it? Who pays for it? Who are the players domestically and
internationally? What is the role of the NII and NREN? Why are the
RBOCs, cable TV companies, IXCs and PDA vendors interested in
Internet? Why all the attention to commercialization?

2. INTERNET ACCESS, NAVIGATION AND APPLICATIONS: How to find, share
and sell information on the Internet. The basic application tools and
navigation/search systems (FTP, TELNET, ARCHIE, GOPHER, WWW, WAIS,
etc.). Access service providers (CIX, PSI, Sprint and others). Access
options (dial-up, dedicated, frame relay, cable TV and wireless). New
entrepreneurial developments.

3. INTERNET ADDRESSING: IP addressing. How to obtain addresses (Class
A,B,and C). CIDR, Internet DNS and how to register. Setting up an
E-mail server, bulletin board and directory service. New business
opportunities.

4. INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES: Role of TCP/IP. MAC vs. PC products. LAN
access (SLIP, PPP, frame relay, etc.) and WAN and ATM developments.
IPX, DECNET and APPLETALK. Leading edge vendors and where their
products are headed.

5. INTERNET MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY: Managing a commercial Internet
service. SNMP management tools and products. Security concerns,
encryption, authentication and Clipper Chip issues. Other operational
concerns related to doing business on the Internet.


                        WORKSHOP TRACK

Monday, March 21, 1994

9:00-12:30

INTRODUCTION TO THE INTERNET

What is the Internet? How does it work?  How can it help me? How much
does it cost to use? What are the rules and policies that govern the
Internet?

GETTING CONNECTED

What does it take to get connected to the Internet? What choices are
available? How much does it cost to get connected? What should I look
for in a service provider? What problems can I expect and how can they
be solved?

2:00-5:00

INFORMATION ACCESS AND DELIVERY

How can I find out what electronic information is available on the
Internet? Specifically, what information, catalogs, textual documents
and databases are available and how can they be accessed?


Tuesday, March 22, 1994

9:00-12:00

NAVIGATING THE INTERNET

What tools are available for navigating through the Internet and
searching for information? What are the advantages and disadvantages
of each of these techniques? What is the outlook for the future?

2:00-5:00

ACCESS AND MANAGEMENT ISSUES

Once your organization has been connected to the Internet, who should
have access? What guidelines and policies should be set to maximize
the benefits for everyone? What management and training issues will
arise in this new environment?

RAISING VENTURE CAPITAL FOR INTERNET ENTREPRENEURS

What are venture capitalists looking for when they want to invest?
How should you structure your business plan to make it attractive to
investors?

Wednesday, March 23, 1994

9:00-12:00

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET

What electronic information resources developed by and about the
government are available on the Internet?

                   DEMONSTRATIONS / EXHIBITS

      Live Demonstrations of:

              * Navigating Tools - Online Services
              * Internet-based Commercial Applications
              * Internet Access via Cable TV
              * Fax-on-Demand

      Exhibit Hours:

          Monday, March 21, 1994       12:00PM-7:00PM
          Tuesday, March 22, 1994      10:00AM-7:00PM
          Wednesday, March 23, 1994    10:00AM-2:00PM

          -----------------------------------------------------

CONFERENCE HOTEL: The conference will be held at the SHERATON
CRYSTAL CITY HOTEL 1800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA
22202, [phone].

CONFERENCE HOURS: Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. on Monday and
Tuesday. Session hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday; 9:00
a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday; and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on
Wednesday, March 23.

          FOR MORE INFORMATION OR IMMEDIATE REGISTRATION
               CALL TELESTRATEGIES AT 703-734-7050

For exhibit information call JACKIE McGUIGAN at [phone].

------------------------------

Organization: CPSR Washington Office
From: Dave Banisar <[e-mail]>
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 22:28:08 EST
Subject: Campaign Against Clipper


CPSR ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN TO OPPOSE CLIPPER PROPOSAL

contact: [e-mail]  (202 544 9240)

Washington, DC -- Following the White House decision on Friday to
endorse a secret surveillance standard for the information highway,
Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR) today
announced a national campaign to oppose the government plan.

The Clipper proposal, developed in secret by the National Security
Agency, is a technical standard that will make it easier for
government agents to wiretap the emerging data highway.

Industry groups, professional associations and civil liberties
organizations have expressed almost unanimous opposition to the plan
since it was first proposed in April 1993.

According to Marc Rotenberg, CPSR Washington director, the
Administration made a major blunder with Clipper.  "The public does
not like Clipper and will not accept it. This proposal is fatally
flawed."

CPSR cited several problems with the Clipper plan:

o The technical standard is subject to misuse and compromise. It would
provide government agents with copies of the keys that protect
electronic communications.  "It is a nightmare for computer security,"
said CPSR Policy Analyst Dave Banisar.

o The underlying technology was developed in secret by the NSA, an
intelligence agency responsible for electronic eavesdropping, not
privacy protection. Congressional investigations in the 1970s
disclosed widespread NSA abuses, including the illegal interception of
millions of cables sent by American citizens.

o Computer security experts question the integrity of the technology.
Clipper was developed in secret and its specifications are classified.
CPSR has sued the government seeking public disclosure of the Clipper
scheme.

o NSA overstepped its legal authority in developing the standard.  A
1987 law explicitly limits the intelligence agency's power to set
standards for the nation's communications network.

o There is no evidence to support law enforcement's claims that new
technologies are hampering criminal investigations. CPSR recently
forced the release of FBI documents that show no such problems.

o The Administration ignored the overwhelming opposition of the
general public. When the Commerce Department solicited public comments
on the proposal last fall, hundreds of people opposed the plan while
only a few expressed support.

CPSR today announced four goals for its campaign to oppose the Clipper
initiative:

o First, to educate the public about the implications of the Clipper
proposal.

o Second, to encourage people to express their views on the Clipper
proposal, particularly through the computer network.

Toward that goal, CPSR has already begun an electronic petition on the
Internet computer network urging the President to withdraw the Clipper
proposal. In less than one week, the CPSR campaign has drawn thousands
of electronic mail messages expressing concern about Clipper. To sign
on, email [e-mail] with the message "I oppose clipper"
in the body of the text.

o Third, to pursue litigation to force the public disclosure of
documents concerning the Clipper proposal and to test the legality of
the Department of Commerce's decision to endorse the plan.

o Fourth, to examine alternative approaches to Clipper.

Mr. Rotenberg said "We want the public to understand the full
implications of this plan.  Today it is only a few experts and
industry groups that understand the proposal.  But the consequences of
Clipper will touch everyone.  It will affect medical payments, cable
television service, and everything in between.

CPSR is a membership-based public interest organization.  For more
information about CPSR, send email to [e-mail] or call 415 322
3778.  For more information about Clipper, check the CPSR Internet
library CPSR.ORG. FTP/WAIS/Gopher and listserv access are available.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 15:58:28 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: Skeptical Inquirer: EMF Scare
Reply-To: roscom![e-mail]


FYI.

 Newsgroups: alt.cellular
 From: [e-mail] (Patrick Kane)
 Subject: Skeptical Inquirer: EMF scare
 Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
 Date: Fri, 4 Feb 1994 15:38:10 GMT

The recent cellular telephone cancer scare got America thinking about
electromagnetic fields in the air around us.  Do they cause cancer?
Is at even *possible* that they could cause cancer?  This quarter's
Skeptical Inquirer examines the various claims and arguments on this
convoluted issue.

An excerpt follows:

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD CANCER SCARES

BY SID DEUTSCH

Do electromagnetic fields cause cancer?  Those who claim that they do
cause cancer seek ascientific explanation for the phenomenon.  In this
sense, it is not a paranormal claim, but it is a "fringe science"
claim and is therefore a valid subject for the Skeptical Inquirer.
Asingle example illustrates the importance of the subject (Fischetti
1993).  In the United States, in 1993, 17,500 of us will develop brain
cancer (according to the National Cancer Institute).  About one out of
50 people use handheld cellular telephones.  Statistically, therefore,
350 of the people who use these telephones will develop brain cancer.
It is reasonable to estimate that 10 of these tumors will occur on the
side of the head near where the telephone is held.

On January 21, 1993, David Reynard of St. Petersburg, Florida, blamed
his wife's use of a handheld cellular telephone for her death due to
brain cancer.  The media, ever eager to protect hapless citizens,
exposed this hitherto unknown cause of cancer.  In a few days,
cellular-phone stock prices dropped by 17 percent, and the Cellular
Telecommunication Industry Association has pledged to spend $15
million to $25 million in the next three to five years to study the
issue.

A great deal of research has been, and will be, done to determine safe
limits of electromagnetic energy.  I was personally involved in a
project some 30 years ago in which the eyes of anesthetized rabbits
were held against the open end of a microwave waveguide.  Not
surprisingly, when the microwave energy was sufficient to cause a
sustained temperature rise to abnormal levels, the eyes were damaged
(Rosenthal 1976). This, incidentally, illustrates one of the boundary
conditions:

If incident energy induces an appreciable temperature rise anywhere in
the body, it is potentially dangerous.  This is, of course, the
microwave-oven effect.  Bear in mind, however, that a seven-degree-
Fahrenheit fever is one of the body's normal defense mechanisms.

It happens that it is a relatively simple procedure to calculate and
measure temperature rise in tissue.  If it were only a matter of an
artificial fever, however, there would be no controversy.  The problem
is that the David Reynards and their lawyers and many in the media
maintain that cancer is somehow caused or aggravated by
electromagnetic energy that is below the level of appreciable
temperature rise.  Fringe science resides in the word "somehow."

                         ------------------

So begins this issue's featured article from Skeptical Inquirer
magazine.  This article and others from Skeptical Inquirer Magazine
and additional publications are available free from The Electronic
Newsstand, a service which collects articles, editorials, and table of
contents from over 50 magazines and provides them to the Global
Internet community.

Access to The Electronic Newsstand is available 24 hours a day, seven
days a week via Gopher, an information navigation and retrieval tech-
nology from the University of Minnesota.

For those without a local Gopher client program, The Electronic
Newsstand provides a telnet account which will allow you to use a text
based Gopher client to access our service.

To access The Electronic Newsstand,

    via Local Gopher Client:

        Hostname:    gopher.internet.com
        Port:        2100

    via the Gopher Home Menu at U of Minn:

        Other Gopher and Information Servers/
          North America/
            USA/
              General/
            The Electronic Newsstand (tm)

    via Gopher Link Information:

        Name=The Electronic Newsstand
        Type=1
        Port=2100
        Path=1/
        Host=gopher.internet.com

    via Telnet:

        Hostname:     gopher.internet.com
        Loginname:    enews
        Password:    <not required>

    via World Wide Web:

        URL:        gopher://gopher.inter.com/

If you have any suggestions on how we might improve this service, or
need more information, please email [e-mail]


The Electronic Newsstand Staff

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jeffrey Stone)
Subject: VPN Services
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 22:48:17 GMT


Does anyone have any information comparing the VPN (virtual private
network) services of the major interexchange carriers?  Any references
to documents or reports?


Thanks,

Jeffrey Stone    [e-mail]
info/mation     415.299.9444

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 00:29:22 -0500
Subject: Busy Call Return and Hunt Groups


I have a busy call return feature on a phone line for the time being.
When *66 is dialed after a call to a busy line, the service is
supposed to give a special ring back (short-short-long?) when the line
is no longer busy. *66 for a number that is not busy will ring the
number (last called number redial).

I tried this after getting a busy on a number that represents a hunt
group of many incoming lines. The free line special ringing never
seems to occur despite the many incoming lines that would connect and
disconnect on a frequent basis. I eventually dialed again manuallly
and getting through.  I have attempted such a call return on a few
occasions by now, and get similar results. When a *66 is dialed, there
is a voice indication that I would be called back by special ring when
the line is free; this is not a case of a DID/PBX where such call
returns won't work (presumably because they are not connected directly
to the telco CCS7 network).

Does the busy call return (depending on the telco) only signal a free
line if only a specific incoming line (such as the first line) of a
hunt group becomes free, or should it signal the line is free when any
one of the hunt group lines become free?


David Leibold

------------------------------

Subject: Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Tue, 08 Feb 94 00:12:46 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


So, a friend of mine who lives in L.A. just bought a real computer
with a built-in CD rom drive.  He spotted a great little national
phone directory on CD rom at Egghead Software, so he bought one.  When
he brought it home, he found that the access program for the database
gave him an intriguing message about how he "bought" a record, after
viewing a full address and phone record.  It seems that the
instructions INSIDE of the CD rom package explain that he didn't buy
the whole database, but a only finite number of views of full database
records (considerably less than the total number of records in the
database).

There was no indication on the OUTSIDE of the box about that
restriction.  There was also no indication that this product would
have lengthy beg screens (this wasn't a shareware product at shareware
prices).

To make matters worse, the documentation warns the buyer against using
the database for mailing lists, because they state that they've seeded
it with phony records!

I certainly hope that this doesn't represent how we can expect what we
previously considered "respectable" software dealers to market "cheap"
CD rom products for the masses.  This kind of deceptive marketing
could kill CD roms before they really get rolling.


[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 94 00:21:06 -0500
Subject: BCE (Bell Canada parent) Posts Loss


[from Bell News, Bell Canada, Bell Ontario, 7 Feb 94]

Renewal underway -- First ever loss for our parent, BCE

Losses to the tune of $815 million from discontinued operations in
real estate and finance resulted in a net earnings loss of $656
million in 1993 for BCE Inc., our parent company.

Montreal Trustco Inc. and BCE's interests in BF Realty Holdings Ltd.
and Brookfield Development Corporation constitute the "discontinued"
operations.

For BCE shareholders, this translates into a net loss per common share
of $2.44 for the year, compared with a net earnings per common share
of $4.21 in 1992.

For the fourth quarter alone, net loss per common share was $1.73
compared with net earnings of $1.65 per common share for the same
period in 1992.

Total revenues for the year were $19,827 million, compared with 1992
revenues of $19,572 million.

BCE chairman and president, 'Red' Wilson, pointed out that 1993's
earnings "reflect revenue and margin pressures and restructuring
charges at Northern Telecom, as well as increased competition and
lower returns at Bell.

"They also reflect provisions for losses ont he proposed sale of non-
telecommunications businesses."

Calling 1993 "a year of transition for BCE," Wilson said it was "also
a year of renewal."

"Our businesses is telecommunications," he said, "and we intend to
continue to build on our existing strengths ni Canada and abroad."

Telecom group lower --

BCE's Canadian Telecom group contributed $749 million in 1993,
compared with $945 million last year.

The per-share contribution was $2.44, compared with $3.07 for 1992.

The decrease for the year in the Canadian Telecom group is
attributable to a lower contribution by Bell Canada and a special $70
million provision mainly related to the goodwill compenent of BCE's
investment in Telesat Canada.

Profit returns to Northern --

Northern Telecom made a negative contribution of $1.90 to BCE's
earnings per common share for 1993 (including $2.04 per common share
for special charges), compared with a contribution of $1.11 in 1992.

Northern Telecom was back to profitability for the fourth quarter,
with a contribution of $0.24, compared with $0.53 for the same period
a year earlier.

BCE's Telecom International group contributed $0.19 to BCE's
consolidated earnings per share, compared with $0.07 in 1992. The
fourth quarter contribution was $0.10, compared with $0.08 for the
same period last year.

Growth was mainly due to BCE Telecom International's 20 per cent
interest in Mercury Communications Limited, acquired in December 1992.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 94 00:18:22 -0500
Subject: The Hi-Tech Green Weenies (from {The Door})


The Jan/Feb 1994 edition of {The Door} is out, and its "Loser of the
Month" awards is a three-way tie with the theme: "The Technological
Green Weenie".

The first award winner is the East Coast Christian Connection, which
offers a USD$1.95/min 900 number voice greeting exchange service.
"'A new and exciting way for you to build new relationships, meet new
friends, or just fellowship and share with someone who has the same
beliefs as you'... uh *and* make it possible for the East Coast
Christian Connection, Inc. to make a few bucks on the side." (Whatever
happened to doing this sort of stuff in person?)

The second award winner is the MARET counselling software package that
makes its pitch to pastors: "Now when someone is in trouble, you can
set your laptop on your knees and 'assess both individuals and
relationships ... from a pastor's perspective,' for only $99 per
module." Next release could be artificially intelligent enough to do
its own counselling, one supposes.

The third winner -- two out of three telecom-related green weenies
isn't bad -- is In-Touch Systems which is a telemarketing-style
autodialer that calls plenty of numbers in sequence. One application
of this "teleministry" device: "Stay 'In-Touch' weekly with a word of
encouragement and Bible reading from the pastor. (Pastor quote) "The
response has been phenomenal, especially from my senior citizens.
It's because they are lonely and a message from the pastor, even if it
is recorded, is a blessing to them."

The folks at {The Door}, having dispensed with their green weenie
presentations, concludes: "technology in the hands of religious people
is a very scary thing."

ObWittenburg: {The Door}, originally {The Wittenburg Door} is a
publication of California-based Youth Specialties. This 'zine is best
described as a Mad Magazine for churches, though it contains interviews
such as the one in the previous issue with the controversial EIB Network
radio host Rush Limbaugh.


David Leibold

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #66
*****************************


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Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 02:45:02 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #67

TELECOM Digest     Tue, 8 Feb 94 02:45:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 67

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Please Dial 507-XXXX. No, Please Don't do That (Mark Brader)
    Codex Modem - Sun SparcStation Configuration Settings Needed (Jim Guentner)
    Internet Access in Singapore (Gregory J. Donaldson)
    Microwave Transmissions (Matt McClung)
    Thanks For Using Your Local Phone Company (Douglas W. Martin)
    Help Needed With Panasonic Easaphone (John Geddie)
    Router Problem (Meade Eggleston)
    Temporary Cellular For Travellers (Joel Disini)
    Need Poisson Tables (Al Farnham)
    Blinking Lights to Announce Phone Calls (Bill Bradford)
    Re: A Small Town in Wyoming  (Mark Crispin)
    Re: A Small Town in Wyoming (Tom Coradeschi)
    Re: Advertising by New York Telephone (Barry Margolin)
    Re: BBS Getting Internet Mail (Chris Ambler)
    Re: Unmetered Local Service (Jeff Hakner)
    Re: Remapping Phone Buttons (Hiro Sugawara)
    Re: Clipper Petition (Chaim Frenkel)
    Re: V.32vis -> Bell_102 Due to CO Data Compression (S. Ssatchell)
    Re: Lebanon Telephone Infrastructure (Fadi J. Kurdahi)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mark Brader)
Subject: Please Dial 507-XXXX.  No, Please Don't do That
Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, Canada
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 06:50:03 GMT


[Background: area code 905 was split off 416 in October.  Local calls
between these two area codes are dialed as 10 digits, but as
permissive dialing is still in effect for another month or so, seven
digits still works.]

Yesterday I tried to call the phone number on someone's business card.
The number on the card was 416-624-XXXX and I was calling from
416-239-XXXX.  The call was intercepted, and the recording informed me
that the number I was calling, 624-XXXX, had been changed to 507-XXXX.

So I hung up and dialed 507-XXXX -- and the call was intercepted.
This time the recording informed me that the number had moved to area
code 905 and I would soon have to dial the 905 before the number, but
my call was now being put through.

The call was then intercepted *again* and went to voice mail.

My first thought was that the first intercept was silly to not tell me
the area code.  But then I realized that in fact the 624 prefix is
*also* in area code 905 -- both are Cooksville numbers, in Mississauga
 -- so the change of numbers had not changed the area code and the
intercept was reasonable.

What wasn't so reasonable was that I didn't get the second intercept
message on the first call, to remind me that 624 had moved to 905 ...

I had intended to reproduce here the exact wording of the second
intercept, but I'm typing this at home, and I find that from my home
phone in 416-488-XXXX, using seven digits to dial a local call to 905
does not produce any intercept.


Mark Brader, SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, utzoo!sq!msb, [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 08:29:42 PST
From: [e-mail] (Jim Guentner(23057))
Subject: Codex Modem - Sun SparcStation Configuration Settings Needed


I have a Motorola 3261 modem.  I gave tried and failed to configure it
correctly on and off for two months.

I am trying to set up a simple 9600 dial in/out line on a Sun
SparcStation 10.  I currently have Hayes SmartModem 2400 working on
the same Sparc10, so I think the configuration on the Sun side is not
the problem.

I have very little knowledge of CCITT, rs232, sync., async. or any
other type of communication protocal, so cofiguring this nodem has
become a nightmare. I am about ready to send it back to motorola and
tell them to shuv it ... or throw it out the window.

Has anyone ever got a Codex 3260 configured and working on a Sparc10,
or any other Sparc for that matter.  If you have, could you PLEASE
mail me a copy of your switch and register configuration settings!


Jim Guentner  716-422-3057   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Internet Access in Singapore
From: [e-mail] (Gregory J. Donaldson)
Date: 7 Feb 94 11:48:56 -0700
Organization: SYSCON Corporation


Several months ago there was a thread on free Internet access in
Singapore.  Back then I was not interested in this topic but now I am.
Does anyone have this information or is there an archive that might
have the original postings.


Thanks!

Greg Donaldson, Senior Systems Analyst    SYSCON Corporation
[e-mail]                 1000 Thomas Jefferson St. NW
[phone]                            Washington, DC 20007


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The Telecom Archives is accessible using
anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. You can begin your search there through the
indexes of authors and subjects. If you prefer to use the email information
service, then use the SEARCH command within the text of your email
request. For a help file on how to use the Telecom Archives Email Inform-
ation Service, just ask me.     PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Matt McClung)
Subject: Microwave Transmissions
Date: 7 Feb 1994 10:17:44 -0700
Organization: Idaho State University, Pocatello


I am on a informational seach on microwave transmissions and its
applications If you have any information or can direct my efforts
towards someplace that does (besides my U's Library...) I would be
appreciative of the help.  I am a novice in this area of
communications and am trying to inform myself for the future use of
this technology.


Matt McClung     [e-mail]    [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 7 Feb 94 13:58:51 PST
From: [e-mail] (Douglas W. Martin)
Subject: Thanks For Using Your Local Phone Company


     Speaking of telecom in small town America, I was in Rugby, North
Dakota last July, and made a credit card call from a pay phone.  I got
the standard "bong", entered my card number, and got, "Thanks for
using your local telephone company."  I've used lots of pay phones,
COCOTS mostly, that thank me for using some wierd long distance
carrier, but "your local phone company"!?  Anybody know anything
about the system in Rugby ND;, what kind of switches are used, and what
carrier might have handled my call?


Doug Martin      [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I suspect the local telco just never did
change the default message supplied by the vendor (possibly AT&T) when
they bought the equipment to provide the bong tone, initiate the validation
process and thank the customer. On the other hand, maybe you *were*
using a COCOT (unwittingly perhaps; some are very cleverly designed so
that only a real expert or telecom-affectionado would know the difference)
and your call was one the AOS for the COCOT did not want to handle or
could not handle for some reason and it was bounced back to traditional
telco for handling. If the COCOT/AOS people deal with local telcos all
over the USA (many do), then they might have programmed their machine to
give that generic thank-you message, much in the same way that when AT&T
sends out voucher checks to subscribers they make no attempt to customize
the payee. In every instance, the line simply reads 'Pay to the Order of
The Telephone Company' for obvious reasons of convenience in handling.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Geddie)
Subject: Help Needed With Panasonic Easaphone
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 94 18:47:50 MST


I need help. I have a Panasonic Easaphone telephone/answering machine,
model number KX-T2390, but no instruction booklet. In order to get the
answering machine and fax machine to work together on the same line, I
need to be able to set the answering machine to answer after one to
four rings. At present, because of the toll saver function, it
normally will only answer after ring number fiue. Can anyone give me
instructions on how to change the ring setting?  I'd appreciate e-mail
if you can help.


John Geddie   [e-mail]
home: [phone]  work: [phone]

------------------------------

Subject: Router Problem
From: [e-mail] (Meade Eggleston)
Date: 07 Feb 94 10:37:24 EST


Hi all,

I'm in the middle of a very strange problem.  I have a 56K line
between two sites.  When I try to route IP packets accross this line I
get an unacceptable number of CRC errors.  My current setup is as
follows:

     Side A
     Router - Cisco 4000, SW Ver 9.1(4), 2 Serial, 1 Ether.
     CSU/DSU- Codex 3500

     Side B - Cisco CSC2, SW Ver 8.2(7), 2 Serial, 2 Ether.
     CSU/DSU- Codex 3500

The routers are also used to connect into the Internet.  They can do
this without any problem.  I've had the telco test the line and they
can't find any problems.

I turned off all routing and ran a test where variable length packets
were sent from one router to the other.  During this test, which ran
for three days, I didn't have one CRC error.  As soon as I tried to
route packets across this line the amount of CRC increases quickly.

I've had Cisco look at the configuration and they can't find any thing
wrong with it.

If anyone has any suggestions or has had a similar problem, please
e-mail me.


Thanks,

Meade Eggleston     Manager Data Processing/Telecommications
[e-mail]
Readmore Inc.      (800) 221 - 3306
22 Cortlandt St.   (212) 233 - 0746 (Fax)
NY, NY 10007

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Disini SW, Emmanuel Disini,CST)
Subject: Temporary Cellular For Travellers
Date: 7 Feb 1994 03:50:46 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway


I am a foreigner who will be in the US for an extended period of time
 -- about two or three months, and will be travelling all about. In
that time I would like to have a cellular phone available so I can
stay in touch with all my clients/contacts.  Ideally I would like to
arrive in the US, activate the phone, use it, leave after two or three
months, deactivate the phone, and not pay any more monthly charges
till my next visit. I wondering though if such a plan is feasible? I
know that Pacific Bell, for instance, has a hefty activation and
deactivation charge for regular residential/business telephones.  For
someone who will be using a cellular phone heavily (say 30-60 calls
a day), does using a cellular make more sense than, say, getting a
pager, and using an AT&T calling card from whatever phone is
available?

Please cc your responses to [e-mail]. (I don't get this
newsgroup.)


Thanks,

Joel Disini

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: 7 Feb 94 09:17:00 -0500
Subject: Need Poisson Tables


I am in need of Poisson tables (P.001, P.005, P.01, P.05) for trunk
groups with 200 to 500 trunks.

All the information I have stops at 200 trunks.


TIA,

Al

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 11:29:57 -0600 (CST)
From: Bill Bradford <[e-mail]>
Subject: Blinking Lights to Announce Phone Calls


Speaking of blinking lights announcing phone calls:

I'm a disk jockey at a local 100Kw country radio station.  Instead of
a bell on the phone, there's a lightbulb in the ceiling.  Instead of
ringing, the light flashes on and off rapidly (as to not interfere if
the DJ is giving the weather, etc).  We've also got a standard
multi-line phone, but it's modified to not ring (the DJ just has to
notice the light ringing, or hear the phones in the other rooms
ringing, if the control room door is open).


Bill Bradford   [e-mail] * [e-mail]
[e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: It is common in radio rooms to wire the
phone bell in series through the microphone key in such a way that
when the microphone is live (and the person there is 'on the air')
that the phone bell will remain silent and a beehive lamp is illuminated
instead.  When I was heavily 'into' CB Radio about fifteen years ago,
I had my base station wired that way. Using six conductor cable, the
phone line came in on the traditional red/green but the bell was not
in the circuit.  The yellow/black pair then took telco back out of the
phone and to a little relay box under my desk. When the microphone was
not keyed up, then one relay was normally open ('on the air' sign was
dark) and another relay was normally closed (telco looped through it
and came back to the bell in the phone via the blue/white pair which
fed only the bell in the phone.  When the microphone was keyed up, the
relays flipped the other way, lighting the 'on the air' sign and the
circuit to the phone bell would go open.  The beehive lamp was wired
in parallel so it always flashed, bell ringing or not. That worked okay
when I was doing strictly AM transmissions since the relays took about
three watts of power (the RF carrier going to the antenna) to activate.
When I started using USB/LSB (upper sideband and lower sideband) I had
trouble. Sideband does not use carrier, or not that much of it. Sideband
uses the voice modulations. The RF carrier was not sufficient to throw the
relays, except when I modulated (or talked), and then the 'on the air'
sign would flash off and on and the relays would chatter.

The way I operated my radio was by having a microphone hang down from
the ceiling right in front of my face on a chain such as used for a
swag-lamp; to key-up I had a foot switch from an old Dictaphone
machine. Sitting at my desk, I'd step on the switch, talk, then move
my foot off the switch.  That left both hands free to do other things.
I also had a microphone/earphone combination I constructed out of a
telephone operator's headset and wired via the foot pedal. I also had
a phone patch so I could put phone calls over the air or place phone
calls for CB'ers in distress in their automobiles; and an intercom to
the antenna which was eight stories above me (I was on the first floor
of an eight story building overlooking Lake Michigan; the antenna was
a hundred feet above me mounted on the roof of the elevator machine
room on the top of the building.) To adjust the antenna, one person
would be at the base downstairs and someone else would be on top of
the elevator penthouse; we'd talk on the intercom.  That antenna had
to endure some **strong** winds and a couple of very severe Chicago
winters up there.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 17:46:19 PST
From: Mark Crispin <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: A Small Town in Wyoming


In Bainbridge Island, WA, it is common for people -- particularly
long-term residents -- to give their phone number as four digits,
meaning "842 plus the four digits".

A couple of years ago, the 780 exchange was added.  But, hardly anyone
is on it, and certainly nobody important, just some newcomers.  ;-) ;-)

------------------------------

From: Tom Coradeschi <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: A Small Town in Wyoming
Organization: Electric Armts Div, US Army ARDEC, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 15:21:24 GMT


[e-mail] (John Sullivan) wrote:

> While driving across South Dakota and Wyoming last fall, there wasn't
> much choice of radio stations to listen to.  At one point I was near
> Buffalo, Wyoming, tuned to FM 92.7, which at the time was giving local
> small-town news.  This included notice that someone had found a dog.
> The owner was asked to "call us [the radio station] at 5126".

> Could it be that in this town, four-digit dialing is possible?  Or
> does everyone just know what the exchange is?  (The phone book at the
> next gas station showed Buffalo as 684, I think.)

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Although four digit dialing might still
> be possible, it is unlikely. Probably everyone in town gives their number
> out that way, with the exchange assumed.

Quite likely. My dry cleaners writes down my phone number as 2-5459.
Everyone knows what the first two digits are ...


tom coradeschi <+> [e-mail] <+> DoD#413


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: My mother lives in Independence, Kansas
and the people there do the same thing; just the last four digits with
the 316-331 part assumed.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Barry Margolin)
Subject: Re: Advertising by New York Telephone
Date: 8 Feb 1994 04:14:20 GMT
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (James
Joseph) writes:

> New York Telephone has been spending truck loads of money advertising
> that they are changing their name to NYNEX.

We're also getting them in New England Telephone land.

> As a subscriber am *I* paying for these commercials?  Or is it coming
> out of their profits? (Yeah, get real, James!!)  Why are they doing
> it?  Who cares what their name is?  Couldn't they just have included
> an insert in the monthly phone bills?

If they weren't going to make a big deal about it, they wouldn't have
bothered changing their names in the first place.  The reason they
changed the names of the subsidiaries was to change their image.

The advertising that has always annoyed me is the "We're the one for you,
New England" commercials, asking you to use NET to call your friends and
relatives within Massachusetts.  What other phone company would we use?

Presumably, the goal of both the name change and the advertising is to
increase revenues.  Assuming it succeeds and the increased revenues
offset the cost of the advertising, the cost isn't coming out of
anyone's pockets; the profits might even result in the next rate
increase being smaller (yeah, right :-).  If it doesn't, it was a bad
business decision, just like any other failed project.  I'm sure NYNEX
has spent our money on lots of failed projects -- the only difference
with this one is that we can see it going on.

We subscribers are also paying alot more for upgrades to CO's to
support ISDN, and it will probably be much longer before the phone
companies see ISDN turn a profit than they see positive results of the
name change.


Barry Margolin   System Manager, Thinking Machines Corp.
[e-mail]          {uunet,harvard}!think!barmar

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Chris Ambler - Fubar)
Subject: Re: BBS Getting Internet Mail
Organization: The Phishtank
Date: Tue, 08 Feb 1994 06:28:30 GMT


[e-mail] says:

> A friend and I are looking into setting up a BBS that we would like to
> have access to Internet e-mail.  Just something where once/twice a day
> we connect to a host and send/get messages out the gate.  Is this
> possible/available/done anywhere else?

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: No leased or other special lines are
> needed. There are BBS software packages available -- many for free --
> which have a UUCP-style interface built into them which allows the
> BBS to call and exchange mail/news with some other site. Waffle is
> one such program, and there is a newsgroup devoted to it.   PAT]

To grab for some of that equal time(tm), Major BBS and Wildcat! both
offer UUCP gateways for their systems. I happen to like them both very
much, but that may be because I wrote the transport engines for them. :-)


Christopher  [e-mail] / [e-mail]
Christopher J. Ambler, Author, FSUUCP 1.42, FSVMP 1.0, UUPlus Utilities


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Whatever happened with you guys and your
problem with the Sprint modems? Are you still suing Sprint?  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jeff Hakner)
Subject: Re: Unmetered Local Service
Organization: The Cooper Union ( NY, NY )
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 06:04:19 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, Charles Reichley
<[e-mail]> says:

> For MOST things in this world, we all pay the same price regardless of
> how much we use it.  I will pay the same for a TV as you, even if you
> watch your TV eight hours a day and I only watch mine for an hour a
> day.  The only things which we pay for use are things that are
> actually USED UP.  We pay for each gallon of heating oil, for each

[...discussion of electricity and cable TV ...]

> makes no difference whether I watch the cable or not.  In the same
> way, if more people make phone calls, the phone company has to install
> additional switches/lines/equipment.  But once the equipment is in
> place, the cost for the phone company is the same whether I make a
> phone call or not.  Maybe phone usage should be billed on a split-system,
> where people are charged by the minute during times when the usage is
> over 80%, but not charged when the usage is less than that.

There is a subtle flaw in this line of reasoning.  While a one hour
phone conversation may not incur a greater expenditure of consumables
than a one minute conversation, a large number of people making long
calls will decrease the available bandwidth on inter-office lines.  In
today's complex market of data channels being carried by telcos, this
translates into less spare bandwidth that can be sold to other
customers.  In addition, there is the motivation issue: By charging
for connect time, conservation of bandwidth is encouraged, thus
maximizing the telco's ROI from capital equipment.

Exercise for the reader: consider economic motivation in the context
of contemporary Internet connectivity, where most sites are charged a
flat rate for peak bandwidth, and the effects that per-packet and/or
per-byte rate structures would (will?!) have on Internet usage patterns,
and (extra credit) Internet culture in general.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Hiro Sugawara)
Subject: Re: Remapping Phone Buttons
Organization: Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc., Los Gatos, CA
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 00:12:05 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Amer
Neely) writes:

> I have a third-party phone which I purchased quite some time ago.
> Recently a friend tried to call her place to check for messages on her
> Bell Call Answer. She couldn't get past the point where she was asked
> to `Press the pound key ...'. On my phone it's mapped to a Redial
> function.  Is it possible to re-wire the phone or something so this
> can be done? I don't really need the redial and would just as soon
> have a fully compatible phone if possible (without renting one from
> Bell). Also, the star button is mapped to Mute. Is this something I
> can change too?

Buy any phone that has separate redial and mute buttons (and thus the
pound and star buttons do work as expected). I bought a GE phone
recently at a local store at $19.95.

[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Chaim Frenkel)
Subject: Re: Clipper Petition
Date: 7 Feb 94 14:00:55 GMT
Organization: Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Dave Banisar) writes:

> Many people have expressed interest in adding their names to the
> letter.  In  response to these requests, CPSR is organizing an
> Internet petition drive to oppose the Clipper proposal.  We will
> deliver the signed petition to the White House, complete with the
> names of all the people who oppose Clipper.

> To sign on to the letter, send a message to:

> [e-mail]

> with the message "I oppose Clipper" (no quotes)

I may be getting paranoid, but this is ridiculous. What ties my
signature to the document that will be delivered to the President. And
if the president (or his advisors) had any sense, why should they
trust the signatures?  Consider the possiblity of a massive grep
through the News Spool directory and just add names to the list.  And
if you don't want to work hard, just get the names database from
rtfm.mit.edu.

I think this is counter-productive. Real signatures and hard copy
letters would be more appropriate.


Chaim Frenkel            On contract at:
[e-mail]            [e-mail]
Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.   Bear Stearns & Co., Inc.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (ssatchell on BIX)
Subject: Re: V.32vis -> Bell_102 Due to CO Data Compression
Date: 19 Jan 94 02:58:44 GMT
Organization: Delphi Internet Services Corporation


[e-mail] (Ross Porter) writes:

> A few days ago my father-in-law reported that he could no longer get a
> V.32bis connection between his Gainesville home and the University of
> Florida's modem pool.  1200bps (Bell 102) was the best he could do.
> He of course initially suspected his own equipment, but he later
> learned from the data center staff that a number of other people
> suddenly developed this problem.  The local telephone people reported
> that they had recently installed some data compression equipment that
> could well cause this problem.  Since voice traffic is relatively
> unaffected, the phone company politely abdicated any further
> responsibility.

> Could someone speculate and enlighten me as to what kind of data
> compression is being used -- is it lossy (given the large drop in
> maximum transmission rate)?  I am not unsympathetic to the telephone
> company's position, but does anyone have suggestions for lobbying the
> telephone company?

This is a problem, and I've found that the FCC Rules and Regulations
cover this situation.

Oh, yes, more than likely the local phone company converted a number
of people from a clear-channel subscriber line carrier (SLC) system to
one with "pairgain" or ADPCM.  (More than likely, ITU-T Recommendation
G.721 since this is known to give modems fits.)

Before I can do anything to help stop this nonsense, I need help: a
list of all the local exchange carriers in the United States.  Once I
send a one-page letter to each and every one of these companies (with
a copy to the FCC) then the phone company will never be able to make
such a change without written notification to the customers well
enough in advance that they can do something.

I'd rather not tip my hand *too* much until I get the foundation in
place.  Any help appreciated.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Fadi J. Kurdahi)
Subject: Re: Lebanon Telephone Infrastructure
Date: 7 Feb 1994 17:24:59 GMT
Organization: UC Irvine, Dept. of ECE
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Fadi J. Kurdahi)


In article <[e-mail]>, Alex Cena <[e-mail]>
writes:

> The Lebanese government has approved contracts to buy one million
> telephone lines from Alcatel Alsthom NV, Siemens AG and AB L.M.
> Ericsson.  How the work will be divided between the three vendors will
> share the work still has not been decided.  Can someone tell me what
> role if any wireless technology, especially cellular, may play in this
> project?

As far as I can tell, there is another contract out for bids on a
separate cellular system. The above contract is only for standard
telephone overhaul, and to increase the capacity from ~500K lines to
1M lines. The current contract is worth about $380M.


Regards,

Fadi J. Kurdahi, Associate Professor        PHONE: [phone]
Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering    FAX:   [phone]
University of California at Irvine        EMAIL: [e-mail],
Irvine, CA 92717    USA                [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #67
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #67

TELECOM Digest     Wed, 9 Feb 94 07:35:30 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 68

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing (Robb Topolski)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing (Carl Moore)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing ([e-mail])
    Re: ISDN NT1 Power Source (Stefan Bethke)
    Re: Caller ID/CNAM (Jonathan T Cronin)
    Re: The IIA "Free" Internet Account (Randal L. Schwartz)
    Information Superhighway Panel Discussion (Esther Yasui)
    Re: New Area Code 281 for Houston (Carl Moore)
    Re: U.S.A. - Cuba Telecommunications (Jack Hamilton)
    Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future? ([e-mail])
    Re: V&H Report - 15 January 1994 (Carl Moore)
    Caller ID Software With Log (Doug Reuben)
    Re: Are LATA Maps Available? (Michael Dalby)
    Re: Are LATA Maps Available? (John R. Grout)
    Re: Internet Connection via Satellite (Josh Backon)
    Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area (David S. Taylor)
    Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me (Steven H. Lichter)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 09:43:32 GMT
From: Robb Topolski KJ6YT <[e-mail]>
Subject: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing
Organization: Amateur radio KJ6YT


Brief background:

    REMOTE CALL FORWARDING: Your distant callers dial a seven-digit
number which is set to automatically forward to your home or office.

    PRIORITY RINGING: You program a list of up to ten numbers.
When you receive a call from one of those numbers, your phone will
ring in some distictive way (short-long-short).

Question:

    I have remote call forwarding.  Can I set priority ringing to
my remote call-fowarding number so when anyone calls me via that
number I get the distinctive ring?  Or is the calling number reported
to the feature the caller's actual number rather than the forwarder's
number?


Robb Topolski KJ6YT   [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 03:32:19 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing


> QUESTION:  If a caller (from 555-1133) dials my Remote Call Forwarding
> number (555-9922) which is forwarded to my home, which number is
> evaluated by Distinctive Ringing?

A non-technical guess (but familiar with call forwarding) is that your
Remote Call Forwarding number (555-9922 in the example) is the one to
be evaluated for Distinctive Ringing.  This assumes that your home
phone can only "see" the call from the Remote Call Forwarding number.
I do know along the same lines that the caller from 555-1133 would get
charged for message units or long distance only to the Remote Call
Forwarding number, which in turn picks up the tab for message units or
long distance from that point to your home.

(I have used forwarding myself.)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 00:29:29 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


Robb Topolski <[e-mail]> writes:

> QUESTION:  If a caller (from 555-1133) dials my Remote Call Forwarding
> number (555-9922) which is forwarded to my home, which number is
> evaluated by Distinctive Ringing?

Unfortunately, the RCF number (555-9922) will be forwarded to your
home due to the way the features intereact in the switch software and
the signalling network (SS7).  AT&T is theoretically working on a fix.
Bug your local telco about the improper functioning of these features.

The switched redirect service is the best that you'll probably do.
It's the closest thing to virtual numbering (it uses the Advanced
Intelligent Network platform).  Because the way numbers are allocated
and the out-of-date code in the C.O. switches, it is difficult to give
you numbers allocated to other switches, plus it can tie up a lot of
interoffice facilities.  You could always opt for the "trunk" route,
but you'll pay quite a bit more that way.

You can always try MFS (they have recently filed for switched service
capability in the state of MD.)  They may be able to offer a creative
solution for you.


Best of luck.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Stefan Bethke)
Subject: Re: ISDN NT1 Power Source
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1994 03:30:45 GMT
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Stefan Bethke)
Organization: Promo GmbH, Hamburg, Germany


In article <[e-mail]>, Bob Larribeau <[e-mail]>
writes:

> You must remember that in the U.S. we use the U-interface, which is a
> two-wire local loop interface.  The U-interface, as implemented in the
> U.S., does not provide power from the network.  Powering is the
> customer's responsibility.

At least for Germany, this is not the case and I understand that in
most other european countries this is the same. In Germany we have a
emergency feed from the switch powering the NT1 (via U interface) and
at most one device on the S bus (i.e. you set a switch on the
telephone for this). Normal power feed to S bus comes from NT1 (by
means of normal line power). Emergency power is indicated by reversed
polarity on the S bus.  [Btw. S0 and T0 are electrically identical.
Normally, the term 'T interface' is used only for the interface
between NT1 and NT2. If there is no NT2, the interface is 'S'.]


Stefan Bethke
Promo Datentechnik: Internet [e-mail], [e-mail]
Systemberatung GmbH    AppleLink: PROMO
Waterloohain 6-8       Vox: [phone]
D-22769 Hamburg        Fax: [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jonathan T Cronin)
Subject: Re: Caller ID/CNAM
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1994 06:58:29 GMT


Caller name is available in various areas served by USWest (and maybe
other places, too. USWest is all I know about.)  C&P (or Bell
Atlantic, if you will) is testing it "in-house" and will, I hear,
first market it in Virginia, so you probably didn't waste your money
on the CNAM feature.


Jonathan Cronin        [e-mail]
Evans, Griffiths and Hart Inc.   Lexington, MA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Randal L. Schwartz)
Subject: Re: The IIA "Free" Internet Account
Date: 08 Feb 1994 02:55:51 GMT
Organization: Stonehenge Consulting Services; Portland, Oregon, USA


"Paul" == Paul Robinson <[e-mail]> writes:

> The service is called Speedway, and the number -- which has to be
> called via AT&T -- is (10288) 1-503-520-2222.  I have no connection
> with that company other than as someone who has used their service.

Which means that for those of us within the Portland Oregon LATA, we
must look *somewhere else*.  Geez, why couldn't these guys have been
in Idaho or something? :-)

Just another native Portlander,


Name: Randal L. Schwartz / Stonehenge Consulting Services [phone]
Email: <[e-mail]> Snail/FAX: (Call) aka: <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1994 00:53:39 PST
From: Esther Yasui <[e-mail]>
Subject: Information Superhighway Panel Discussion


Dear TELECOM Moderator:

    I would like to pass along some information from the Asian
Business League to readers, particularly those in the Southern
California area, about an upcoming panel discussion on the
"Information Superhighway."

                     -----------------

    The Asian Business League (ABL) of Southern California and the
Asian Business Association - Orange County Chapter will be holding a
panel discussion entitled

               "The Information Superhighway: The Future of
          Interactive Video and Its Impact on Southern Calfornia."

                            February 24, 1994
             Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel in Costa Mesa
                               6 - 8 pm
              Registration and refreshments begin at 6pm
                       Program begins at 6:30 pm

     Representatives of Pacific Bell, Sprint, Knowledge Advantage, UC
Irvine, and the University of Southern California Multimedia Lab will
be presenting their views on what Vice President Al Gore called the
National Information Infrastructure, the vehicle that will allow
America to grow and prosper in the 21st century.

    In fact, according to Senator Barbara Boxer, who introduced the
Vice President at the Electronic Media Summit held at UCLA on January
11th, the U.S. could generate an additional $3.5 trillion in GNP from
the implementation of the Information Superhighway after the year
2000.  Individuals wanting to know more about interactive television,
500 channel multimedia broadcasting, fiber optic digital networks, and
video on demand should attend this informative and entertaining event.

    The high-level overviews that the panelists will be discussing are
topics that are in the news daily, from entertainment, cable and phone
company mergers, to a change in direction of the aerospace defense
industry.

    Generous corporate sponsors for this event include the law firm of
Morrison & Foerster, Pacific Bell, Kenneth Leventhal & Co. and Sprint.
Cost for the event is $15 for ABL members, $20 for non-members, and
$25 at the door.  To RSVP by email send message c/o [e-mail].
To RSVP by phone or for more information, call Henry Yee at (310)
769-1604.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 8 Feb 94 12:21:39 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: New Area Code 281 for Houston


What do you mean, "probably" 281?  What exactly did the article say
when it mentioned what the new area code will/could be?  (Of course,
there is no surprise about the NNX form of the code.)

The only overlay that has been put into effect so far is area code
917, used for cellular and pagers in New York City (landlines there
are in 212 and 718).  The new-telephone-numbers option has never been
used so far.  In New York City: splitting Manhattan would have aroused
much controversy (according to what I have read); it wasn't enough
just to remove Bronx from the 212 area; and Bronx moved to 718, not
917, because of objections about being lumped in with "nonhumans".

The digest had the suggestion that an overlay be used in area 708 in
Illinois, and also said that if some suburbs were kept in 312 (split
in 1989 to form 708), there'd be complaints from areas which had to
leave 312.  (The later splits for 313 and 215 kept the old area code
in more than just Detroit and Philadelphia respectively.)  708 has a
lot of phones despite the split being so recent there.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jack Hamilton)
Subject: Re: U.S.A. - Cuba Telecommunications
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1994 07:33:53 GMT


[e-mail] (Raymond Luxury Yacht) wrote:

> Also, any general info about the state of telecom in Cuba and between
> Cuba and the USA would be appreciated.

> No need to post unless someone else shows interest -- just email me.

It's probably a good general rule that someone else will be interested
in it, whatever it is (as long as it's telecommunications and not a
digression into whatever).

So please post any replies, folks.  I don't have any plans to call
Cuba, but I've wondered about the telephone link.

By the way, amateur radio communications with Cuba seem to be taking
off.  There have been several articles in the ham magazines about it
recently.


Jack Hamilton      USMail: POB 281107 SF CA 94128  USA
[e-mail]     Packet: kd6ttl@w6pw.#nocal.ca.us.na

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future?
Date: Wed, 08 Feb 94 00:49:00 GMT
Organization: University of Kent at Canterbury, UK.
Reply-To: Damiano Bolla <[e-mail]>


In article <[e-mail]>, S. L. Lee  <sllee@bronze.
coil.com> wrote:

> I heard that a technology is available (or becoming available) that
> can transmit voice, data, fax, video, two-way and simultaneous and
> automatically routed. I posted a msg but might have misposted.

> I would like to see professional evaluation of its feasibility.  I
> have the following questions:

> 1. Would there be any health hazard?
> 2. Can the technology be implemented internationally, if not, what are the
>    barriers?
> 3. How long has this idea been around? Why didn't anybody look at it?

> I would like to see discussion on various aspects of this technology.

I personally I would like to ask:

4. How many "transmitters" per square kilometer can operate simultaneously?

This is to understand what is the density of use we can reach before
the entire system stops working.


Damiano

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 8 Feb 94 06:09:16 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: V&H Report - 15 January 1994


Not noted in your report was the split in 713, information only having
arrived February 3).  That area ranks BEHIND 708.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 08 Feb 1994 06:18:11 EST
From: [e-mail] (Doug Reuben)
Subject: Caller ID Software With Log


I've seen a few posts recently concerning modem-based Caller ID software
and Caller ID call logs.

In case anyone's interested, we've been working on some software to do
this sort of thing, ie, keep a log, let you know how many rings each
call was, etc.  It also can call you remotely at a pager or telephone
and give out the CID info. (It beeps it into the pager, and uses a
simple code system to "beep" you at a regular telphone.) It can also
(crudely) leave a coded message on a remote answering machine to let
you know that a call was received.

Presently, it's Mac-based, but we are working on a PC version as well.
I'm not sure how much interest there is in this sort of thing on the
net, but from the recent postings it seems that a few people may care.

(We originally developed this in-house for our own use [and just to
play around with Cable & Wireless's 800 service that USED to *reliably*
show CID -- they seem to have turned it off from many areas after a few
people mentioned it to them -- AND , they simply WON'T talk about it
-- they never return a call on this subject! :( ],...but, perhaps
others may be interested as well.)

If anyone is interested in getting a demo version to see if it works
for them, lemme know.


Doug
[e-mail] (129.133.29.81)
[e-mail] (129.133.10.10)

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 19:43:19 -0800
From: Michael Dalby <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Are LATA Maps Available?


Do you know whether LATA maps are available, eg. from the FCC?  I know
about the useful list of LATAs in your telecom archive, but I am
wondering about LATA boundaries, and, for that matter, the principles
by which telcos establish LATAs and those (if any) by which the
regulators approve them.  I have "enjoyed" trying to find this out
through the FCC public info system, but have had no luck.

Separately, there is a movement at the FCC to put information of some
sort on line.  The phone number is 202 254-6040. The guy's name is
Vincent.  He thinks the machine at fcc.gov should be in business some
time in the first or early second quarter.  However, he didn't know
anything about LATAs.

Thanks, and best regards.


Michael Dalby ([e-mail])

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John R. Grout)
Subject: Re: Are LATA Maps Available?
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: UIUC Center for Supercomputing Research and Development
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 21:02:45 GMT


In <[e-mail]> Tony Harminc <[e-mail].
edu> writes:

> Apart from the missing provinces, it should be pointed out that there
> are no LATAs in Canada.  Why Bellcore has chosen to assign some magic
> numbers to certain groupings of CO prefixes in Canada is a mystery to
> me.  LATA is not a technical division -- it is purely a political
> concept set up to match certain US politics of the early 1980s.

This sounds like a confusion between the LATA concept as a representation
of the physical plant of AT&T's regional telephone subsidiaries (e.g.,
New York Telephone, New England Telephone) and various independent
telcos (e.g., Rochester Telephone) at the time of divestiture and the
_use_ of the LATA concept (by Judge Greene) to divide provision of
telephone service _using_ the LATA concept.

The claim that LATA _layout_ was "not a technical division" is clearly
false.  For example, _all_ the cases of LATAs for independent telcos
or those which cross state lines _exactly_ represent physical plant.
Also, the AT&T divestiture was not a "political" one taken by the
Administration or the Congress, but was ordered by a Federal Judge.

> The forces shaping LD competition in Canada in the 1990s are quite
> different.  It seems extremely unlikely that an artificial split
> between IXCs and local telcos as in the US model will ever happen
> here.

Having grown up in Rochester, NY, home of what was then the largest
single-area independent telco in the USA, I don't think it was an
artificial distinction at all.  AT&T's monopoly on long distance
service and the cross-subsidization it allowed was draining money out
of our area to subsidize New York Telephone's local telephone rates
(so Rochester Telephone's local telephone rates were _far_ higher than
NY Tels before divestiture): that was simply _WRONG_.  Rochester
Telephone consistently fought AT&T's monopoly, was on the winning side
(against AT&T) of the Carterfone decision in the late 1960's, and
divestiture finally corrected the gross injustice of cross-subsidy for
the benefit of another company's customers.

I might not object to the RBOC's providing inter-LATA long distance
service to their own local-service customers, but I would want them as
_additional_ players, not dominant players, right from the beginning;
that is, no automatic cutover of customers to _their_ service, no
cross-subsidy of their long distance service by their local service,
and so on.  This is how both Rochester Telephone (which is allowed to
provide unlimited inter-LATA service through their RCI subsdiary) and
New Jersey Bell (which provides limited service to New York and to
Philadelphia from nearby New Jersey counties) market such services.


John R. Grout     INTERNET: [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Internet Connection via Satellite
Date: 8 Feb 94 16:52:03 GMT
Organization: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] writes:

> What is the best way to connect to Internet from a location (in Asia)
> where there is no phone? A friend of mine is trying to setup via
> satellite but he has no idea of anything that involves in this
> connection. He is doing some research, and I am going to pass any
> information I get.

The first thing one must do is to see whether a private satellite
teleport is allowed to be set up in that country. If it is, then
depending upon bandwith requirements, you can get away with a cheap
VSAT or a $400,000 teleport. The interesting news is that new VSAT's
are being developed that will allow uplink/downlink of T1 bandwith and
these are expected to be marketed by first quarter 1995.

Once you have your teleport up and arrange for space segments, you'll
need to arrange for a US (or other) teleport for uplink/downlink
services. Be prepared to pay big bucks for this. Last but not least,
you'll have to arrange Internet connectivity through a provider.


Josh    [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: lhdsy1!chevron.com![e-mail] (David S. Taylor)
Subject: Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area
Date: 9 Feb 94 05:38:19 GMT
Organization: Chevron Information Technology Company


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John Galloway)
writes:

> When I call 911 on my cellular (having seen an accident just happen)
> it appears that I get forwarded to a fixed site that just dispatches
> the call to the proper 911 officem i.e. the first person answers "911
> emergency" but just asks where you are, and then the phone rings a
> second time and you get another "911 emergency".  This seems silly
> since obviously the provider has the necessary info about where you
> are to do this automatically.  I have not ever called 911 when out of
> my area. Would I still get the same (Northern CA) based dispatch
> operator who would then have to send me to (e.g.) Austin Texas 911???
> (I am using Cellular-One).

I would guess that the reason that "911 calls" are sent to a "fixed"
location and then transfered to the proper local agency is due the
wide geographic areas that most cellular systems cover.

For example, the coverage in Southern California runs from Santa
Barbara to San Diego and inland towards the Arizona border.  Since all
cellular calls route through the carrier's switch (probably located in
LA), it would be difficult to route the call to the proper agency
without knowing exactly where you are.  Cell sites overlap city and
county bondary lines.  There is a cell site near my house that I can
reach from either Irvine, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, or Santa Ana
because they all come together at the airport.

Hope this helps,


David S. Taylor   Texas A&M '87       Engineer, RF Systems
Chevron Information Technology Co.    Base Technology Dept.
1300 South Beach Blvd. Rm 2187        [e-mail]
La Habra, CA 90631                    310-694-7280

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steven H. Lichter)
Subject: Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me
Organization: Camosun College, Victoria, B.C.
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1994 03:56:31 GMT


I'm breaking my long silence and will try and answer the statement
about GTE selling off Contel. What I know about the sales is what has
been published in company bulletins and from the news. I sure hope
they don't consider the bulletins to be private.

GTE has sold former Contel properties where they were small and not
near other larger or other GTE properties. This goes for the sales you
have mposted about plus others in Georga and the Decota's.  Some more
have been sold in Eastern Arizona, not Western Arizona. And the desert
area are not for sale in California, at least I have not heard. Also a
section up in the delta area of California was sold along with some
GTE areas, there maybe more that I have missed and I'm sure maybe a
few more. These sales make business sense since they are in the areas
of other companies that they were sold to.

Here is a list of areas of GTE Telephone Operations that are listed
for sale or trade, they are former ConTel areas as well as some GTE
operations. This list has been compiled from various sources and as
far as I can tell is correct, but I can't be responsible for such.
These are small areas that would not fit in with other GTE operations
and would be better served by other local operating companies. Also so
of these have been sold or traded for other properties as of 6/93.

Small section in Northern Calif.
Sections of Oregon and Idaho
Montana
North Dakota
South Dakota
Kansas
Utah
Eastern Arizonia
Georgia
Tennessee
West Virgina
New York
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine

There could be more or some maybe incorrect.

This posting was made using my own Internet account on my own time
using my own computer and has nothing to do with my employer whoever
that might be.


Steven Lichter
-=- Sysop: Apple Elite II -=- an Ogg-Net Hub BBS
[phone] 12/24/96/14.4 V32/V42bis Via PCP CACOL/12/24

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #68
*****************************


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Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 07:53:55 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #68


TELECOM Digest     Wed, 9 Feb 94 07:35:30 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 68

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing (Robb Topolski)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing (Carl Moore)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing ([e-mail])
    Re: ISDN NT1 Power Source (Stefan Bethke)
    Re: Caller ID/CNAM (Jonathan T. Cronin)
    Re: The IIA "Free" Internet Account (Randal L. Schwartz)
    Information Superhighway Panel Discussion (Esther Yasui)
    Re: New Area Code 281 for Houston (Carl Moore)
    Re: U.S.A. - Cuba Telecommunications (Jack Hamilton)
    Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future? ([e-mail])
    Re: V&H Report - 15 January 1994 (Carl Moore)
    Caller ID Software With Log (Doug Reuben)
    Re: Are LATA Maps Available? (Michael Dalby)
    Re: Are LATA Maps Available? (John R. Grout)
    Re: Internet Connection via Satellite (Josh Backon)
    Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area (David S. Taylor)
    Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me (Steven H. Lichter)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
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of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 09:43:32 GMT
From: Robb Topolski KJ6YT <[e-mail]>
Subject: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing
Organization: Amateur radio KJ6YT


Brief background:

    REMOTE CALL FORWARDING: Your distant callers dial a seven-digit
number which is set to automatically forward to your home or office.

    PRIORITY RINGING: You program a list of up to ten numbers.
When you receive a call from one of those numbers, your phone will
ring in some distictive way (short-long-short).

Question:

    I have remote call forwarding.  Can I set priority ringing to
my remote call-fowarding number so when anyone calls me via that
number I get the distinctive ring?  Or is the calling number reported
to the feature the caller's actual number rather than the forwarder's
number?


Robb Topolski KJ6YT   [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 03:32:19 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing


> QUESTION:  If a caller (from 555-1133) dials my Remote Call Forwarding
> number (555-9922) which is forwarded to my home, which number is
> evaluated by Distinctive Ringing?

A non-technical guess (but familiar with call forwarding) is that your
Remote Call Forwarding number (555-9922 in the example) is the one to
be evaluated for Distinctive Ringing.  This assumes that your home
phone can only "see" the call from the Remote Call Forwarding number.
I do know along the same lines that the caller from 555-1133 would get
charged for message units or long distance only to the Remote Call
Forwarding number, which in turn picks up the tab for message units or
long distance from that point to your home.

(I have used forwarding myself.)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 00:29:29 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


Robb Topolski <[e-mail]> writes:

> QUESTION:  If a caller (from 555-1133) dials my Remote Call Forwarding
> number (555-9922) which is forwarded to my home, which number is
> evaluated by Distinctive Ringing?

Unfortunately, the RCF number (555-9922) will be forwarded to your
home due to the way the features intereact in the switch software and
the signalling network (SS7).  AT&T is theoretically working on a fix.
Bug your local telco about the improper functioning of these features.

The switched redirect service is the best that you'll probably do.
It's the closest thing to virtual numbering (it uses the Advanced
Intelligent Network platform).  Because the way numbers are allocated
and the out-of-date code in the C.O. switches, it is difficult to give
you numbers allocated to other switches, plus it can tie up a lot of
interoffice facilities.  You could always opt for the "trunk" route,
but you'll pay quite a bit more that way.

You can always try MFS (they have recently filed for switched service
capability in the state of MD.)  They may be able to offer a creative
solution for you.


Best of luck.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Stefan Bethke)
Subject: Re: ISDN NT1 Power Source
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1994 03:30:45 GMT
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Stefan Bethke)
Organization: Promo GmbH, Hamburg, Germany


In article <[e-mail]>, Bob Larribeau <[e-mail]>
writes:

> You must remember that in the U.S. we use the U-interface, which is a
> two-wire local loop interface.  The U-interface, as implemented in the
> U.S., does not provide power from the network.  Powering is the
> customer's responsibility.

At least for Germany, this is not the case and I understand that in
most other european countries this is the same. In Germany we have a
emergency feed from the switch powering the NT1 (via U interface) and
at most one device on the S bus (i.e. you set a switch on the
telephone for this). Normal power feed to S bus comes from NT1 (by
means of normal line power). Emergency power is indicated by reversed
polarity on the S bus.  [Btw. S0 and T0 are electrically identical.
Normally, the term 'T interface' is used only for the interface
between NT1 and NT2. If there is no NT2, the interface is 'S'.]


Stefan Bethke
Promo Datentechnik: Internet [e-mail], [e-mail]
Systemberatung GmbH    AppleLink: PROMO
Waterloohain 6-8       Vox: [phone]
D-22769 Hamburg        Fax: [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jonathan T Cronin)
Subject: Re: Caller ID/CNAM
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1994 06:58:29 GMT


Caller name is available in various areas served by USWest (and maybe
other places, too. USWest is all I know about.)  C&P (or Bell
Atlantic, if you will) is testing it "in-house" and will, I hear,
first market it in Virginia, so you probably didn't waste your money
on the CNAM feature.


Jonathan Cronin        [e-mail]
Evans, Griffiths and Hart Inc.   Lexington, MA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Randal L. Schwartz)
Subject: Re: The IIA "Free" Internet Account
Date: 08 Feb 1994 02:55:51 GMT
Organization: Stonehenge Consulting Services; Portland, Oregon, USA


"Paul" == Paul Robinson <[e-mail]> writes:

> The service is called Speedway, and the number -- which has to be
> called via AT&T -- is (10288) 1-503-520-2222.  I have no connection
> with that company other than as someone who has used their service.

Which means that for those of us within the Portland Oregon LATA, we
must look *somewhere else*.  Geez, why couldn't these guys have been
in Idaho or something? :-)

Just another native Portlander,


Name: Randal L. Schwartz / Stonehenge Consulting Services [phone]
Email: <[e-mail]> Snail/FAX: (Call) aka: <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1994 00:53:39 PST
From: Esther Yasui <[e-mail]>
Subject: Information Superhighway Panel Discussion


Dear TELECOM Moderator:

    I would like to pass along some information from the Asian
Business League to readers, particularly those in the Southern
California area, about an upcoming panel discussion on the
"Information Superhighway."

                     -----------------

    The Asian Business League (ABL) of Southern California and the
Asian Business Association - Orange County Chapter will be holding a
panel discussion entitled

               "The Information Superhighway: The Future of
          Interactive Video and Its Impact on Southern Calfornia."

                            February 24, 1994
             Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel in Costa Mesa
                               6 - 8 pm
              Registration and refreshments begin at 6pm
                       Program begins at 6:30 pm

     Representatives of Pacific Bell, Sprint, Knowledge Advantage, UC
Irvine, and the University of Southern California Multimedia Lab will
be presenting their views on what Vice President Al Gore called the
National Information Infrastructure, the vehicle that will allow
America to grow and prosper in the 21st century.

    In fact, according to Senator Barbara Boxer, who introduced the
Vice President at the Electronic Media Summit held at UCLA on January
11th, the U.S. could generate an additional $3.5 trillion in GNP from
the implementation of the Information Superhighway after the year
2000.  Individuals wanting to know more about interactive television,
500 channel multimedia broadcasting, fiber optic digital networks, and
video on demand should attend this informative and entertaining event.

    The high-level overviews that the panelists will be discussing are
topics that are in the news daily, from entertainment, cable and phone
company mergers, to a change in direction of the aerospace defense
industry.

    Generous corporate sponsors for this event include the law firm of
Morrison & Foerster, Pacific Bell, Kenneth Leventhal & Co. and Sprint.
Cost for the event is $15 for ABL members, $20 for non-members, and
$25 at the door.  To RSVP by email send message c/o [e-mail].
To RSVP by phone or for more information, call Henry Yee at (310)
769-1604.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 8 Feb 94 12:21:39 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: New Area Code 281 for Houston


What do you mean, "probably" 281?  What exactly did the article say
when it mentioned what the new area code will/could be?  (Of course,
there is no surprise about the NNX form of the code.)

The only overlay that has been put into effect so far is area code
917, used for cellular and pagers in New York City (landlines there
are in 212 and 718).  The new-telephone-numbers option has never been
used so far.  In New York City: splitting Manhattan would have aroused
much controversy (according to what I have read); it wasn't enough
just to remove Bronx from the 212 area; and Bronx moved to 718, not
917, because of objections about being lumped in with "nonhumans".

The digest had the suggestion that an overlay be used in area 708 in
Illinois, and also said that if some suburbs were kept in 312 (split
in 1989 to form 708), there'd be complaints from areas which had to
leave 312.  (The later splits for 313 and 215 kept the old area code
in more than just Detroit and Philadelphia respectively.)  708 has a
lot of phones despite the split being so recent there.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jack Hamilton)
Subject: Re: U.S.A. - Cuba Telecommunications
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1994 07:33:53 GMT


[e-mail] (Raymond Luxury Yacht) wrote:

> Also, any general info about the state of telecom in Cuba and between
> Cuba and the USA would be appreciated.

> No need to post unless someone else shows interest -- just email me.

It's probably a good general rule that someone else will be interested
in it, whatever it is (as long as it's telecommunications and not a
digression into whatever).

So please post any replies, folks.  I don't have any plans to call
Cuba, but I've wondered about the telephone link.

By the way, amateur radio communications with Cuba seem to be taking
off.  There have been several articles in the ham magazines about it
recently.


Jack Hamilton      USMail: POB 281107 SF CA 94128  USA
[e-mail]     Packet: kd6ttl@w6pw.#nocal.ca.us.na

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future?
Date: Wed, 08 Feb 94 00:49:00 GMT
Organization: University of Kent at Canterbury, UK.
Reply-To: Damiano Bolla <[e-mail]>


In article <[e-mail]>, S. L. Lee  <sllee@bronze.
coil.com> wrote:

> I heard that a technology is available (or becoming available) that
> can transmit voice, data, fax, video, two-way and simultaneous and
> automatically routed. I posted a msg but might have misposted.

> I would like to see professional evaluation of its feasibility.  I
> have the following questions:

> 1. Would there be any health hazard?
> 2. Can the technology be implemented internationally, if not, what are the
>    barriers?
> 3. How long has this idea been around? Why didn't anybody look at it?

> I would like to see discussion on various aspects of this technology.

I personally I would like to ask:

4. How many "transmitters" per square kilometer can operate simultaneously?

This is to understand what is the density of use we can reach before
the entire system stops working.


Damiano

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 8 Feb 94 06:09:16 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: V&H Report - 15 January 1994


Not noted in your report was the split in 713, information only having
arrived February 3).  That area ranks BEHIND 708.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 08 Feb 1994 06:18:11 EST
From: [e-mail] (Doug Reuben)
Subject: Caller ID Software With Log


I've seen a few posts recently concerning modem-based Caller ID software
and Caller ID call logs.

In case anyone's interested, we've been working on some software to do
this sort of thing, ie, keep a log, let you know how many rings each
call was, etc.  It also can call you remotely at a pager or telephone
and give out the CID info. (It beeps it into the pager, and uses a
simple code system to "beep" you at a regular telphone.) It can also
(crudely) leave a coded message on a remote answering machine to let
you know that a call was received.

Presently, it's Mac-based, but we are working on a PC version as well.
I'm not sure how much interest there is in this sort of thing on the
net, but from the recent postings it seems that a few people may care.

(We originally developed this in-house for our own use [and just to
play around with Cable & Wireless's 800 service that USED to *reliably*
show CID -- they seem to have turned it off from many areas after a few
people mentioned it to them -- AND , they simply WON'T talk about it
-- they never return a call on this subject! :( ],...but, perhaps
others may be interested as well.)

If anyone is interested in getting a demo version to see if it works
for them, lemme know.


Doug
[e-mail] (129.133.29.81)
[e-mail] (129.133.10.10)

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 19:43:19 -0800
From: Michael Dalby <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Are LATA Maps Available?


Do you know whether LATA maps are available, eg. from the FCC?  I know
about the useful list of LATAs in your telecom archive, but I am
wondering about LATA boundaries, and, for that matter, the principles
by which telcos establish LATAs and those (if any) by which the
regulators approve them.  I have "enjoyed" trying to find this out
through the FCC public info system, but have had no luck.

Separately, there is a movement at the FCC to put information of some
sort on line.  The phone number is 202 254-6040. The guy's name is
Vincent.  He thinks the machine at fcc.gov should be in business some
time in the first or early second quarter.  However, he didn't know
anything about LATAs.

Thanks, and best regards.


Michael Dalby ([e-mail])

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John R. Grout)
Subject: Re: Are LATA Maps Available?
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: UIUC Center for Supercomputing Research and Development
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 21:02:45 GMT


In <[e-mail]> Tony Harminc <[e-mail].
edu> writes:

> Apart from the missing provinces, it should be pointed out that there
> are no LATAs in Canada.  Why Bellcore has chosen to assign some magic
> numbers to certain groupings of CO prefixes in Canada is a mystery to
> me.  LATA is not a technical division -- it is purely a political
> concept set up to match certain US politics of the early 1980s.

This sounds like a confusion between the LATA concept as a representation
of the physical plant of AT&T's regional telephone subsidiaries (e.g.,
New York Telephone, New England Telephone) and various independent
telcos (e.g., Rochester Telephone) at the time of divestiture and the
_use_ of the LATA concept (by Judge Greene) to divide provision of
telephone service _using_ the LATA concept.

The claim that LATA _layout_ was "not a technical division" is clearly
false.  For example, _all_ the cases of LATAs for independent telcos
or those which cross state lines _exactly_ represent physical plant.
Also, the AT&T divestiture was not a "political" one taken by the
Administration or the Congress, but was ordered by a Federal Judge.

> The forces shaping LD competition in Canada in the 1990s are quite
> different.  It seems extremely unlikely that an artificial split
> between IXCs and local telcos as in the US model will ever happen
> here.

Having grown up in Rochester, NY, home of what was then the largest
single-area independent telco in the USA, I don't think it was an
artificial distinction at all.  AT&T's monopoly on long distance
service and the cross-subsidization it allowed was draining money out
of our area to subsidize New York Telephone's local telephone rates
(so Rochester Telephone's local telephone rates were _far_ higher than
NY Tels before divestiture): that was simply _WRONG_.  Rochester
Telephone consistently fought AT&T's monopoly, was on the winning side
(against AT&T) of the Carterfone decision in the late 1960's, and
divestiture finally corrected the gross injustice of cross-subsidy for
the benefit of another company's customers.

I might not object to the RBOC's providing inter-LATA long distance
service to their own local-service customers, but I would want them as
_additional_ players, not dominant players, right from the beginning;
that is, no automatic cutover of customers to _their_ service, no
cross-subsidy of their long distance service by their local service,
and so on.  This is how both Rochester Telephone (which is allowed to
provide unlimited inter-LATA service through their RCI subsdiary) and
New Jersey Bell (which provides limited service to New York and to
Philadelphia from nearby New Jersey counties) market such services.


John R. Grout     INTERNET: [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Internet Connection via Satellite
Date: 8 Feb 94 16:52:03 GMT
Organization: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] writes:

> What is the best way to connect to Internet from a location (in Asia)
> where there is no phone? A friend of mine is trying to setup via
> satellite but he has no idea of anything that involves in this
> connection. He is doing some research, and I am going to pass any
> information I get.

The first thing one must do is to see whether a private satellite
teleport is allowed to be set up in that country. If it is, then
depending upon bandwith requirements, you can get away with a cheap
VSAT or a $400,000 teleport. The interesting news is that new VSAT's
are being developed that will allow uplink/downlink of T1 bandwith and
these are expected to be marketed by first quarter 1995.

Once you have your teleport up and arrange for space segments, you'll
need to arrange for a US (or other) teleport for uplink/downlink
services. Be prepared to pay big bucks for this. Last but not least,
you'll have to arrange Internet connectivity through a provider.


Josh    [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: lhdsy1!chevron.com![e-mail] (David S. Taylor)
Subject: Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area
Date: 9 Feb 94 05:38:19 GMT
Organization: Chevron Information Technology Company


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John Galloway)
writes:

> When I call 911 on my cellular (having seen an accident just happen)
> it appears that I get forwarded to a fixed site that just dispatches
> the call to the proper 911 officem i.e. the first person answers "911
> emergency" but just asks where you are, and then the phone rings a
> second time and you get another "911 emergency".  This seems silly
> since obviously the provider has the necessary info about where you
> are to do this automatically.  I have not ever called 911 when out of
> my area. Would I still get the same (Northern CA) based dispatch
> operator who would then have to send me to (e.g.) Austin Texas 911???
> (I am using Cellular-One).

I would guess that the reason that "911 calls" are sent to a "fixed"
location and then transfered to the proper local agency is due the
wide geographic areas that most cellular systems cover.

For example, the coverage in Southern California runs from Santa
Barbara to San Diego and inland towards the Arizona border.  Since all
cellular calls route through the carrier's switch (probably located in
LA), it would be difficult to route the call to the proper agency
without knowing exactly where you are.  Cell sites overlap city and
county bondary lines.  There is a cell site near my house that I can
reach from either Irvine, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, or Santa Ana
because they all come together at the airport.

Hope this helps,


David S. Taylor   Texas A&M '87       Engineer, RF Systems
Chevron Information Technology Co.    Base Technology Dept.
1300 South Beach Blvd. Rm 2187        [e-mail]
La Habra, CA 90631                    310-694-7280

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steven H. Lichter)
Subject: Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me
Organization: Camosun College, Victoria, B.C.
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1994 03:56:31 GMT


I'm breaking my long silence and will try and answer the statement
about GTE selling off Contel. What I know about the sales is what has
been published in company bulletins and from the news. I sure hope
they don't consider the bulletins to be private.

GTE has sold former Contel properties where they were small and not
near other larger or other GTE properties. This goes for the sales you
have mposted about plus others in Georga and the Decota's.  Some more
have been sold in Eastern Arizona, not Western Arizona. And the desert
area are not for sale in California, at least I have not heard. Also a
section up in the delta area of California was sold along with some
GTE areas, there maybe more that I have missed and I'm sure maybe a
few more. These sales make business sense since they are in the areas
of other companies that they were sold to.

Here is a list of areas of GTE Telephone Operations that are listed
for sale or trade, they are former ConTel areas as well as some GTE
operations. This list has been compiled from various sources and as
far as I can tell is correct, but I can't be responsible for such.
These are small areas that would not fit in with other GTE operations
and would be better served by other local operating companies. Also so
of these have been sold or traded for other properties as of 6/93.

Small section in Northern Calif.
Sections of Oregon and Idaho
Montana
North Dakota
South Dakota
Kansas
Utah
Eastern Arizonia
Georgia
Tennessee
West Virgina
New York
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine

There could be more or some maybe incorrect.

This posting was made using my own Internet account on my own time
using my own computer and has nothing to do with my employer whoever
that might be.


Steven Lichter
-=- Sysop: Apple Elite II -=- an Ogg-Net Hub BBS
[phone] 12/24/96/14.4 V32/V42bis Via PCP CACOL/12/24

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #68
*****************************


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Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 09:28:35 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #70

TELECOM Digest     Wed, 9 Feb 94 09:29:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 70

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Increasing Cordless Range (Bill Pfeiffer)
    Re: Increasing Cordless Range (John Zentveld)
    Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future? (Maria Christensen)
    Re: A Small Town in Wyoming (Garrett Wollman)
    Re: Phone Number History (William Bauserman)
    Re: Phone Number History (David A. Cantor)
    Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area (Gerald Serviss)
    Re: V&H Report - 15 January 1994 (Al Varney)
    EFF Wants You (to Add Your Voice to the Crypto Fight!) (Monty Solomon)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Pfeiffer)
Subject: Re: Increasing Cordless Range
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 17:15:01 CST


In a recent issue, Our Omniponent Moderator graced the ether thusly.

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Ever get in the outer fringes of where
> your cordless phone will operate and have an incoming call arrive?
> Your handset chirps as it should, you press the appropriate key to
> answer but the handset keeps on chirping. Why?  It hears the base
> calling it, but the base hears nothing back in return and keeps on
> sending a ringing signal.

That has not been the case since the old 1.7mhz base frequencies were
abandoned for the 46/49 channels.  Used to be that the portable
received the base through a ferrite core loopstick, just like your
pocket AM radio.  The base transmitted through the power lines.

However the portable used the whip antennas for its link.  Needless to
say the loopsicks were more efficient than the whips, given the
frequencies involved, and the use of power lines made the base's
signal stretch farther.

Now, though, the inequity is not there.  The problems now encountered
are more the use of baby monitors, which transmit on the same channels
as the portables.  Given a clear channel, base and protable ranges are
about equal.  No more loopsticks, the whip is used for both paths.

I give the 900 band about a year or so before it becomes as crowded
and unusable as the 46/49's are today.


     William Pfeiffer - Moderator/Editor
rec.radio.broadcasting - Airwaves Radio Journal
              - Internet email -
Article Submission: [e-mail]
Subscription Desk:  [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Zentveld)
Subject: Re: Increasing Cordless Range
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 21:42:26 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, by [e-mail]
(John Gilbert):

> An external antenna could be put on the base of a 46/49 phone, but
> this would violate the FCC part 15 type acceptance of the phone.
> Additionally, your base would receive more interference from other
> handsets so you would have fewer clear channels available for your
> use.  You would also have a much higher probability of causing
> interference to your neighbors phones and baby monitors. In an area
> with very light use of the 46/49 band, an external antenna might help.

I live out on a farm (ie no other houses for sevel hundred meters) and
would like to increase the range of a Panasonic KXT300 cordless phone
running on 30 - 39MHz, by putting an external antenna on the roof.

Does anyone have any ideas on the type and size of the antenna, what
type of cable I should use etc.  It currently has one of those
telescopic type on the base unit.


Thanks in advance,

John Zentveld                Internet: [e-mail]
Southern Cross University    Phone [phone]
Lismore NSW Australia


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Is 30/39 the frequency range used in
Australia for cordless phones? That's interesting.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Maria Christensen)
Subject: Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future?
Organization: Telia Research AB
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 16:59:46 GMT


S. L. Lee ([e-mail]) wrote:

> I heard that a technology is available (or becoming available) that
> can transmit voice, data, fax, video, two-way and simultaneous and
> automatically routed. I posted a msg but might have misposted.

> I would like to see professional evaluation of its feasibility.  I
> have the following questions:

> 1. Would there be any health hazard?
> 2. Can the technology be implemented internationally, if not, what are the
>    barriers?
> 3. How long has this idea been around? Why didn't anybody look at it?

> I would like to see discussion on various aspects of this technology.

I'm working with cost efficient network soloutions in the the rural
area. The scope is around 2000. Typically questions are:

* Will the access network only consist of fiber
* Will radio soloutions take over
* What kind of services will be provided to the subscribers
* How will a common family use multimedia
* Video the the home
* ADSL/HDLS on current cu-net.

I'm interested in a discussion.


Maria Christensen, Telia Research Lule}

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Garrett Wollman)
Subject: Re: A Small Town in Wyoming
Organization: University of Vermont, EMBA Computer Facility
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 23:19:34 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, PAT wrote:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Although four digit dialing might still
> be possible, it is unlikely. Probably everyone in town gives their number
> out that way, with the exchange assumed. Not only is everyone in town on
> the same exchange, but if the place is really small, all the numbers may
> possibly begin with '5' as well! I've seen that in a few cases; all the
> listings fit on two or three pages as a supplement to some other (larger)
> phone book, with the first *four* (or sometimes five!) digits all the
> same and only the last three digits varying. Small town, America! Very
> small town ... PAT]

I'm presently writing from Reno, Nevada, where the phone book (which
includes for all Pac Tel areas in Nevada) lists about thirty hamlets
which still have manual exchanges.  For example, here is a sample
listing from the back of the phone book:

Warm Springs Station

(Call Operator For)
Warm Springs Bar Agent .Warm Springs No 2

 -- and that's the whole section!

Looking at last year's phone book, about the first third is the white
pages for populated areas (Reno, Sparks, Carson City, and Incline),
two thirds is the yellow pages, and there's about a fifty-page annex
on the back which gives numbers for the rest of Nevada Bell territory.
According to a technician I talked to, there are some indies in
eastern Nevada who have even more obsolete equipment in unpopulated
areas.

Pac Tel is also the B-side cellular carrier for this part of the
world.  I don't know who has either land-line or cellular in the
southern part of the state.


Garrett A. Wollman   [e-mail]
NB: Address soon to be changed.

------------------------------

Date: 8 Feb 94 14:07:44-0800
From: Bauserman, William
Subject: Re: Phone Number History


Al Varney ([e-mail]) writes:

[Interesting stuff on the history of phone numbers deleted]

> The oft-referenced BSTJ article from September, 1952, "Nationwide
> Numbering Plan", indicates there were then about 20,000 COs in the USA
> and Canada.  Eleven different numbering plans were in use within the
> Bell System.  By then, the three-letter exchange names had "officially"
> been eliminated; for example, PENnsylvania in New York was changed to
> PEnnsylvania-6 (of course, the customer still dialed the same 636
> code).

>   These 11 plans were (page 854 of above BSTJ volume):

> Referred to as      Listed as          Dialed as      Place
> ----------------    -----------------  ----------     -----

> Two-five             LOcust 4-5678      LO 4-5678   Philadelphia, PA
> Two-four             MArket 6789        MA 6789     Indianapolis, IN
> 1 letter, 4 or       Franklin 9-2345    F 9-2345    San Diego, CA
>    5 digit           Franklin 6789      F 6789
> Five digit           2-5678             2-5678      Binghamton, NY
> Four digit           3456               3456        Winchester, VA
> Three digit          325                325         Jamesport, NY
> Combined 5 &         4-1234             4-1234      Des Moines, IA
>    6 digit           62-2345            62-2345

[More phone number talk deleted]

It's always nice to see my little home town of Winchester, VA make the
Net.  Unfortunately, I can't remember four digit dialing.  I do
remember, in the mid-late 60's, the NNX was "662" and all numbers were
written as MOhawk 2-???? (As a kid I thought that MOhawk was the
"coolest" exchange name -- don't know what it has to do with Winchester,
though).

I remember seeing this printed on our family doctor's prescription
pad.  Back then, when you took the prescription to the local pharmacy,
they gave you a coupon good for a free Coke at the soda fountain while
you waited for the prescription to be filled.  Now you just wander up
and down the aisles till they call your name :(

If your interested, the same pharmacy, still delivers prescriptions to
your home.  I guess the "good old days" aren't completely gone yet.


Bill Bauserman    [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: My goodness, drugstores haven't had
fountains for twenty years or more, nor do any of them have First Aid
Stations any longer. (It used to be not only could you get a beverage
and/or sandwhich in the drugstore, if you had some minor cut or bruise
you could go to the drug store directly rather than the doctor and the
pharmacist would 'prescribe' something and apply the medication there.)
Regards MOHawk, we had it here also. The longest term occupant of the
exchange is the Chicago Transit Authority which has had MOHawk (now 664)
7200 since the beginning of time. They inherited that phone number from
their predecessor, "Chicago Rapid Transit Company" in 1947 who had it
for forty or more years before that.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David A. Cantor)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Organization: MV Communications, Inc.
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 06:18:51 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, Jay Hennigan <[e-mail].
org> wrote:

> This is a fascinating thread on the evolution of numbering plans.
> Does anyone remember phone numbers with a letter suffix?  In
> Riverside, CA (Pacific Telephone) the manual numbers for party-line
> service had a letter at the end of the number.  My parents' house was
> 4699J.  The letter was the Morse Code symbol for the ringing cadence.
> "J" was one short and three longs.  They cut to crossbar (one of the
> first crossbar exchanges, I believe) around 1955 or 56.  The numbering
> plan was 2-5, but could just as easily have been 3-4, as the only
> exchange was OVerland 3-xxxx which equates to OVErland-xxxx.

And the Moderator wrote:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think the party line suffixes in most
> places were -J, -M -R and -W. I never had a party line, but a friend of
> mine did. Do party lines still exist anywhere or are they all discontinued
> by now?   PAT]

I remember party lines with literal suffixes, too.  My maternal
grandmother's phone number was Everett (Massachusetts) 4052-W and our
phone number was Everett 3409-W.  I would call my grandmother by going
off hook, and when the operator asked "Number, please," I would say
"Everett 4052-W."  Later, I believe it was in 1948, both these numbers
became EVerett 7-xxxx (dropping the -W), and we got dial service, and
later still, around 1956, DUnkirk 7-.  Then we were told that we were
in area code 617, and a little later, the numbers became 387-.  My
paternal grandmother's phone number was Chelsea 0123-R, in the
adjacent town, and later became CHelsea 3-0123, and later still,
TUrner 4-0123.  (All these numbers have long since been reassigned, so
please don't bother the people who have them now.)


David A. Cantor         [phone] (203-444-RANT)
453 Bayonet St., #16    New London, CT  06320


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: When 12 years old, I was talking on the
phone one day to my friend Dennis, and the conversation turned a bit
blue. There was a click on the line, but he kept on talking, and then
after a couple minutes another click (as the third party replaced the
receiver after listening for a couple minutes). I tried to shush Dennis
and told him someone had overheard him. His reply? "Oh, that's just
Mrs. Jones. That witch has been our party line neighbor for years, and
if she doesn't know what's going on by now she never will!"  And that is
the way party lines operated: everyone knew everything about everyone
else. Even though some party lines were arranged so that the bells would
not ring for the other parties on the line, the phones in those instances
would still make a quiet 'click-click' sound in the bell mechanism when
one of the other phones on the line was being rung. Particularly snoopy
people with nothing else in their lives would set the phone inside or
on top of a *galvanized washtub* to amplify that 'click-click' which
ordinarily could not be heard unless you were right next to the phone.
Then whatever they were doing, when they heard that noise, they would
drop what they were doing and rush over to the phone. Some kept the
mouthpiece unscrewed so they could spy without themselves being overheard
by the party line neighbor they were spying on.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Gerald Serviss)
Subject: Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area
Date: 8 Feb 1994 15:14:32 GMT
Organization: Cellular Infrastructure Group, Motorola


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John Galloway) writes:

> When I call 911 on my cellular (having seen an accident just happen)
> it appears that I get forwarded to a fixed site that just dispatches
> the call to the proper 911 officem i.e. the first person answers "911
> emergency" but just asks where you are, and then the phone rings a
> second time and you get another "911 emergency".  This seems silly
> since obviously the provider has the necessary info about where you
> are to do this automatically.  I have not ever called 911 when out of
> my area. Would I still get the same (Northern CA) based dispatch
> operator who would then have to send me to (e.g.) Austin Texas 911???
> (I am using Cellular-One).

I beg to differ with you on your claim that

> " This seems silly since obviously the provider has the necessary
> info about where you are to do this automatically."

Motorola's cellular switches have a feature that is called 911 route
by sector. This feature allows the system operator to direct calls to
a particular destination based upon sector of origin. In most cases
this is good enough by there are many variables that go into the
systems decision of what sector is the ' best server' for a call.

For example in my neighborhood (NW sub of Chicago) there is a cell
that is located very near the border of at least three different
suburbs (Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Schaumburg). In the case of a
call made on this cell it is very possible that even our route by
sector feature will make an incorrect choice.

An analog or TDMA cellular system has only general knowledge about a
callers location. The information that it does have is only based on
received signal strengths and changes in that signal.

With a wire line call there is a much better chance of getting the
call routed correctly.  I am sure you would agree that its better to
get the call routed correctly the first time without bouncing from one
agency to another. In this case 'good' location information is not
good enough.

------------------------------

Date: Wed,  9 Feb 94 08:49:00 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: V&H Report - 15 January 1994
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (David Esan) writes:

> Once a quarter I USED to receive the BellCore V&H tape.  Using this
> information I could total the number of exchanges in each area code.
> The twenty most populous area codes are listed below.  After the
> written text of this article I have included the count for each of the
> area codes.

> This is no longer our procedure.  The information in FCC #10 is now
> detailed enough that we no longer need to order the tape from BellCore
> and are using FCC #10 for our V&H information.

   You may wish to obtain certain NANP documents from the current
Administration, Bellcore.  In particular, the newest information in
IL-94/01-001 and IL-94/01-002 would be useful.  The former is "Status
of Numbering in the NANP Served Area" -- the latter is "Opening of 710
Numbering Plan Area (NPA) Code".

   According to -002, 710 will be officially opened in US/Canada LEC
and Cellular carrier's networks on 18 Sept. 1994.  No local-operator-
assisted calls will be permitted.  The code is officially called "US
Government".  It's administered by the Office of Manager, National
Communications System.  All calls will require PINs.

   The -001 document contains the status (as of 31 Dec. 1993) of the
geographic NPA codes in World Zone 1.  Tables describing recent NPA
activity, planned or in-progress NPA splits and NPA near exhaust are
included, as well as an un-readable revision of the NPA map.  A list
of all NPA assignments includes the Albama 334, US Gov. 710 and
special non-World-Zone-1 NPA 456 for inbound International traffic
only.

>  - This list includes three new area codes: 905, 810, and 910.  I have not
>    yet received information on 610.

   The early 1995 splits are Alabama (334, 1/15/95), Washington State
(360, 1/15/95) and Arizona (520, 3/19/95).  Permissive period for
Ontario (416->905) ends 3/26/94 {look for a few remaining problems
getting rid of the lingering association of 905 with Mexico}, North
Carolina (919->910) ends 2/13/94 and Michigan (313->810) ends 8/10/94.

> The NPA that is largest and is not splitting nor has plans, at this time,
> to split, is 708.  [PAT - keep your ears open for the impending split!]

   The -001 document also includes a list of NPAs projected to exhaust
prior to 2004.  NPA 708 is fourth on the list, after 205 (probably
left over from pre-NPA-334 data) and 713 and 214 in Texas (exhaust in
4Q95 and 2Q96).  NPA 708 is projected at 3Q96, followed closely by the
just-split Washington State 206.

   In fact, many of those on the exhaust list are recent splits:

Texas      214 (split to 903, 11/4/90)    2Q96
Illinois   708 (split from 312, 11/11/89) 3Q96  (and 312 exhaust 2Q2001!)
Washington 206 (split to 360, 1/16/95)    4Q96  (counting NPA 360 NXXs??)
Georgia    404 (split to 706, 5/3/92)     4Q96  (too many towns hung on?)
Florida    305 (split to 407, 4/16/88)    2Q97  (and 407 exhaust 2Q2003)
Arizona    602 (split to 520, 3/19/95)    4Q97  (counting NPA 520 NXXs??)
California 310 (split from 213, 11/2/91)  2Q98
Colorado   303 (split to 719, 3/5/88)     3Q99

   That's eight exhausts from splits effective after 1984, of the 17
possible exhausts before year end 1999.  Caribbean (809) is possible
in 4Q99.  I wonder if any will use overlay NPAs?

   Also included is a table listing Inter-changeable NPA progress by
NPA.  Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont have yet to specify a plan.
Information on 4-digit carrier code (950-XXXX and 101XXXX) planning
and the requirement to support 15-digit International numbers at one
second before midnight, 31 Dec. 1996 (UTC).


Al Varney - any errors could be mine....

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 16:58:47 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: EFF Wants You (to add your voice to the crypto fight!)


FYI

Begin forwarded message:

 From: [e-mail] (Stanton McCandlish)
 Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.news
 Subject: EFF Wants You (to add your voice to the crypto fight!)
 Date: 7 Feb 1994 17:34:17 -0600


The Electronic Frontier Foundation needs your help to ensure privacy rights!

                     * DISTRIBUTE WIDELY *

Monday, February 7th, 1994

From: Jerry Berman, Executive Director of EFF
      [e-mail]

Dear Friends on the Electronic Frontier,

I'm writing a personal letter to you because the time has now come for
action. On Friday, February 4, 1994, the Administration announced that
it plans to proceed on every front to make the Clipper Chip encryption
scheme a national standard, and to discourage the development and sale
of alternative powerful encryption technologies. If the government
succeeds in this effort, the resulting blow to individual freedom and
privacy could be immeasurable.

As you know, over the last three years, we at EFF have worked to
ensure freedom and privacy on the Net. Now I'm writing to let you know
about something *you* can do to support freedom and privacy. *Please
take a moment to send e-mail to U.S. Rep. Maria Cantwell
([e-mail]) to show your support of H.R. 3627, her bill to
liberalize export controls on encryption software.* I believe this
bill is critical to empowering ordinary citizens to use strong
encryption, as well as to ensuring that the U.S. software industry
remains competitive in world markets.

Here are some facts about the bill:

Rep. Cantwell introduced H.R. 3627 in the House of Representatives on
November 22, 1993.  H.R. 3627 would amend the Export Control Act to
move authority over the export of nonmilitary software with encryption
capabilities from the Secretary of State (where the intelligence
community traditionally has stalled such exports) to the Secretary of
Commerce. The bill would also invalidate the current license
requirements for nonmilitary software containing encryption
capablities, unless there is substantial evidence that the software
will be diverted, modified or re-exported to a military or terroristic
end-use.

If this bill is passed, it will greatly increase the availability of
secure software for ordinary citizens. Currently, software developers
do not include strong encryption capabilities in their products,
because the State Department refuses to license for export any
encryption technology that the NSA can't decipher. Developing two
products, one with less secure exportable encryption, would lead to
costly duplication of effort, so even software developed for sale in
this country doesn't offer maximum security. There is also a
legitimate concern that software companies will simply set up branches
outside of this country to avoid the export restrictions, costing
American jobs.

The lack of widespread commercial encryption products means that it
will be very easy for the federal government to set its own
standard--the Clipper Chip standard. As you may know, the government's
Clipper Chip initiative is designed to set an encryption standard
where the government holds the keys to our private conversations.
Together with the Digital Telephony bill, which is aimed at making our
telephone and computer networks "wiretap-friendly," the Clipper Chip
marks a dramatic new effort on the part of the government to prevent
us from being able to engage in truly private conversations.

We've been fighting Clipper Chip and Digital Telephony in the policy
arena and will continue to do so. But there's another way to fight
those initiatives, and that's to make sure that powerful alternative
encryption technologies are in the hands of any citizen who wants to
use them. The government hopes that, by pushing the Clipper Chip in
every way short of explicitly banning alternative technologies, it can
limit your choices for secure communications.

Here's what you can do:

I urge you to write to Rep. Cantwell today at [e-mail]. In the
Subject header of your message, type "I support HR 3627." In the body
of your message, express your reasons for supporting the bill. EFF
will deliver printouts of all letters to Rep. Cantwell. With a strong
showing of support from the Net community, Rep. Cantwell can tell her
colleagues on Capitol Hill that encryption is not only an industry
concern, but also a grassroots issue. *Again: remember to put "I
support HR 3627" in your Subject header.*

This is the first step in a larger campaign to counter the efforts of
those who would restrict our ability to speak freely and with privacy.
Please stay tuned -- we'll continue to inform you of things you can do
to promote the removal of restrictions on encryption.

In the meantime, you can make your voice heard -- it's as easy as
e-mail.  Write to [e-mail] today.


Sincerely,

Jerry Berman
Executive Director, EFF
[e-mail]

P.S. If you want additional information about the Cantwell bill, send
e-mail to [e-mail]. To join EFF, write [e-mail].
For introductory info about EFF, send any message to [e-mail].

The text of the Cantwell bill can be found on the Internet with the
any of the following URLs (Universal Resource Locaters):

ftp://ftp.eff.org/pub/Policy/Legislation/cantwell.bill
http://www.eff.org/ftp/EFF/Policy/Legislation/cantwell.bill
gopher://gopher.eff.org/00/EFF/legislation/cantwell.bill

It will be available on AOL (keyword EFF) and CIS (go EFFSIG) soon.

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #70
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #69

TELECOM Digest     Wed, 9 Feb 94 08:48:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 69

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Don't Trust The Phone Company (Lars Poulsen)
    Cellular Telephone companies in Mauritius (Dirk Vanoucek)
    Help GMSK BER (F. Anwar)
    Toll Free Numbers - Query (Sudeepto Roy)
    Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area (John Galloway)
    Re: More California / Caller ID Questions (Al Varney)
    Re: California CNID Questions (Lauren Weinstein)
    Re: The Dawn of A New Age (Bill Halverson)
    Re: 610/215 Split - Now I Can't Call 1-800- (Mike King)
    Re: Modems for 3002 Circuits (Barton F. Bruce)
    Re: How to Make a Sun Send Messages to a Pager or a GSM Phone (C. Kimball)
    Re: Landlines Pay Airtime To Call Some Cellular Phones] (Carl Moore)
    Re: Telephone Nunbers in France (Jean-Noel Marchalot)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 14:03:35 +0100
From: [e-mail] (Lars Poulsen)
Subject: Don't Trust The Phone Company


In RISKS issue 15.46, Tom Bodine reports the unsettling experience of
being accused of making an obscene phone call, after the husband of
the recipient of the call (his wife's best friend) used the "call
return" feature at the end of the obscene call, and then reached his
number.  He speculates that his number was captured by the friend's
telephone switch as the result of a failed call from his wife while
the friend's line was busy with the obscene call.

While such a feature interaction is possible (is the number supposed
to be captured on a busy? I know it is on a no-answer failure), there
is another way for this to occur: The perpertrator may have applied
the call forwarding feature on his own phone prior to making the call,
and left it there for a bit afterwards. In this situation, the number
that was captured would not be the Bodines', but that of the perpetrator.
The effect would be the same, however, except that if the call is a
billable long distance call, the number would show up on the next
phone bill, and in the case of forwarding it would be the perpetrator's
number (since the last leg of the call is billed to the forwarding
phone).

I believe that there is no such interaction problem in the case of the
"calling number identification" feature, since the number is delivered
in real time and only when the call rings through. Thus, the call that
would come in DURING the problem call, would only be recorded if the
recipient had the "call waiting" feature, and in that case would not
get busy, but ringback, and the CNID (if subscribed) would be delivered
between the rings (call waiting tones)).

I am forwarding this note to the TELECOM Digest where someone from
AT&T or Bellcore will probably be able to look up whether the
mechanism surmised by Tom Bodine is also possible. I hope that this
technical information will go some way towards repairing relations
between the families.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: My memory is vague on this, but I think
this same problem was reported here quite some time ago; or was it the
same person with the same problem back then?  I *know* something about
this topic came up here. If Mr. Bodine insists he is not the party who
made the obscene call, then I guess we take his word for it and find
someone else to blame; but it seems quite a stretch of the imagination
and an unusual combination of circumstances for things to line up as
Lars suggests. I guess it could happen that way. At one time or
another in my life I've received phone calls I did not like, and when
I have used 'return last (obscene) call' and/or 'Obscene Caller-ID' to
return the courtesies shown to me the people have -- well, to put it
bluntly -- lied through their teeth and insisted they were not the
responsible parties, even when I *recognized their voice* as being the
same as that of the original caller. In the case at hand, does the
victim claim that the anonymous caller's *voice* was the same as that
of Mr. Bodine?

This seems to me to be a variation on last week's discussion here
about drug dealers and phones, i.e. why will rotary dial phones stop
drug dealers and their customers from paging each other when all they
have to do is go to Radio Shlock and buy a tone dialer? The fact is,
they don't use this work-around because they are not too bright. Ditto
people who make obscene calls in this day and age with all the gimmicks
available on the phone network: Phreaks who know the phone network
inside and out generally get their kicks in life by playing with the
phone, not from obscene calls. People who make obscene calls generally
are not sophisticated enough in how the phone operates to construct
all the barriers to identification which Lars suggests. Here and there
comes the exception, so I guess Mr. Bodine receives one 'Get Out of Jail
Free' card (Monopoly game, copyright Parker Brothers) with my compliments.
This is just IMO, you understand. Notice the absence of the /H/ in that
net acronym. That's because I don't give humble opinions.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: Dirk Vanoucek <[e-mail]>
Subject: Cellular Telephone Companies in Mauritius
Date: 9 Feb 1994 10:15:49 GMT
Organization: CCG Music Production
Reply-To: Dirk Vanoucek <[e-mail]>


I would appreciate any information about Cellular Telephone Companies
in Mauritius.


(NeXT)-E-mail: [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Help GMSK BER
Date: 9 Feb 94 13:32:47 GMT
Organization: Strathclyde University VAX Cluster


Hi,

I need am approximate relationship between BER and received S/N for
GMSK modulation. Any pointer would do. Thanks for any help.


F.Anwar     e-mail [e-mail]
Comms Div   EEE   Univ of Strathclyde

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Sudeepto Roy)
Subject: Toll Free Numbers - Query
Date: Tue, 08 Feb 1994 18:42:05 -0800
Organization: Qualcomm Incorporated


Hi!

I need some information on Toll-Free (800) numbers :

[1]    Configuration/Type of 800 databases
[2]    Search/Sorting techniques applied on 800 database.

Any and all information/pointers shall be highly appreciated.


S. Roy   Qualcomm Incorporated, San Diego, CA.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Galloway)
Subject: Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area
Organization: a2i network
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 16:56:23 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, John Galloway <[e-mail]>
wrote:

> When I call 911 on my cellular (having seen an accident just happen)
> it appears that I get forwarded to a fixed site that just dispatches
> the call to the proper 911 officem i.e. the first person answers "911
> emergency" but just asks where you are, and then the phone rings a
> second time and you get another "911 emergency".
> Whats going on?

I then received this reply in email which I am passing along:

 From: [e-mail] (Gregory Youngblood)
 Date: Fri, 04 Feb 94 16:31:19 PST
 In-Reply-To: <[e-mail]>
 Organization: TCS Computer Systems

I can tell you what is going on ... unfortunately I can't reply easily
to the net so I'm answering directly to you.

In order for the cellular carrier to tell where you are they have to
divide their system into several regions.  Then each region has its
own digit translation tables and that is how the calls get routed to
the proper 911 office.  The problem is that cell sites normally do not
follow 911 center territories so even when the calls are divided like
that it is hard to tell exactly where to send your 911 call.

In the interest of time, most 911 centers are able to tell that you
are calling from a cellular phone and in the more advanced 911 areas
they even have special questions to ask you up front, such as
confirming the cellular and then asking for your exact location.

I hvae set up cellular digit translations both ways.  I can tell you
one thing, for a company that handles a very large area it may
separate their cells into different areas (such as the case for a
company that has a switch in an MSA area and does the switching for
several RSAs) for various reasons (in this example it would be to keep
track of activity for each market).  Doing this makes it even harder
to separate cells by 911 office because of the switches capapctity to
handle different areas.

The next problem comes from cell site physical locations and their
coverage areas.  When a cellular carrier is set up to route 911 to the
closest center it is using the cell site that your call is on as the
determining factor of where to send your call.  However the coverage
for a particular site may cover any number of 911 zones depedning on
lcoation..so usually they have to try and route the 911 office that is
in the most covered zone.  This means if your in the wrong zone you
get the wrong 911 office.

All 911 offices in each state and maybe even across state boundries
are usually linked in some fashion so that they can send your call to
the right office right away.  That sounds like what is happening in
your case here.

Your call goes to 911 office A, they see a flag that you are on
cellular or other special circuit so they ask wehre you are.  That
tells them what 911 office to send you to so they route you to the
proper office.

Hope this helps ... feel free to post this if you'd like.


Greg
The Complete Solution BBS     Allfiles List:    Anonymous UUCP Calls Accepted
707-459-9058 (24hrs, v.32)    ~/tcsbbs.lst      Login: nuucp  Password: nuucp
Telemate Distribution Site  [e-mail]      Cellular Telephony Groups

                       ------------------

internet    [e-mail]  John R. Galloway, Jr  795 Beaver Creek Way
applelink   D3413                  CEO...receptionist    San Jose, CA   95133
                                   Galloway Research     [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 04:04:07 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: More California / Caller ID Questions
Organization: AT&T Network Systems


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Ethan C. Tuttle) writes:

> I have a technical/political question about CallerID in California:

> Say someone calls me long distance from an LEC that supports Caller
> ID.  My understanding is that the long distance carrier would pass the
> Caller ID info to my LEC, which would then forward those digits to my
> CallerID equipment.  EXCEPT, perhaps, in California.  Does the Caller
> ID legislation in CA protect the privacy of those outside of the
> state?  As a Californian, do I get that Caller ID info from
> out-of-state callers?

   Since GTE California and PacBell have not tariffed any form of
CallerID, it is obvious that California telephones to not get Caller
ID, regardless of the presence/absence of such information from the
originator.  Delivery of CallerID information in any of its forms
(analog FSK on analog loops, "bulk" over RS-232 interfaces, IEs in
ISDN BRI/PRI Setup messages, etc.)  is an option controlled at the
terminating interface -- just because the far end sent it to an IXC
who then forwarded it to the terminating CO doesn't mean you get
delivery.

   CallerID legislation in CA does nothing to protect or invade
privacy of callers or called parties outside the state.  It can only
restrict what the LECs do as local service providers, and the IXCs as
local/intra-state carriers (and of course, what any person inside the
state is able to do).

> More important, does (or will) PacBell actually forward the Caller
> ID info?  I don't yet have a Caller ID box to test.  I tried to ask
> PacBell, but all they seem to know about Caller ID is 'uh, no.'

   Delivery ("forwarding" in your terms) is controlled at the
terminating CO.  If it's a PacBell or GTE CO, you don't get CallerID.
Other LECs in California may have other tariffs, permitting CallerID.

> I am primarily interested in Caller ID as a cheap transport mechanism
> for ANI.

   Ethan, there have been lots of proposals to use ANI (CAMA/FG-B/FG-D)
as CallerID.  I don't know anyone who has proposed the use of Caller
ID delivery mechanisms as a method of delivering ANI.  (Actually, ISDN
supports both, but it clearly identifies the number as "Calling
Number" or "Charge Number".)  Unfortunately, I hear all sorts of
stories about folks who think ANI and Calling Party Number are the
same.  When the difference is explained to them, they say "Oh, that's
OK.  I understand.  I won't really DEPEND on the number being correct."
But if you need ANI, you need it all the time (right?).


Al Varney


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Maybe it is right 'often enough' in a
non-critical application that it serves the purpose. Whether it is
the billing number or the calling number, the two (if not identical)
show up in the same physical location often enough that a company which
needed to verify addresses or calling party's name, etc could generally
rely on either mechanism that was available to them.   PAT]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: California CNID questions
Date: Tue, 08 Feb 94 13:38:08 PST
From: Lauren Weinstein <[e-mail]>


> Does the Caller ID legislation in CA protect the privacy of those outside
> of the state?  As a Californian, do I get that Caller ID info from
> out-of-state callers?

As far as I know at this time, no California telcos are offering CNID
to their California subscribers, so the question is moot at this
point.  I believe that if CNID *was* present, whatever came in from
out of state would probably be displayed.  The telcos are not
prohibited from offering CNID here -- they simply chose not to do so
since they didn't like the rules (e.g. per-line blocking, non-pub'd
numbers blocked by default, etc.)

> More important, does (or will) PacBell actually forward the Caller
> ID info?  I don't yet have a Caller ID box to test.  I tried to ask
> PacBell, but all they seem to know about Caller ID is 'uh, no.'

Documents I've seen filed by PacBell indicated that since they were
not providing CNID, and since by extension they were not providing the
mandated mechanisms for California subscribers to protect their
numbers on outgoing calls, they were planning to set the "unavailable"
bit on calls sent out of the LATAs.  I assume GTE was following a
similar plan.  This was sometime back and I haven't heard anything new
lately on the subject.  Every so often there are rumors of some
numbers "leaking" out of California, but most likely this is due to
misconfiguration rather than policy.  It would be interesting to see
some more formal statements about this issue from PacBell and GTE.

> I am primarily interested in Caller ID as a cheap transport mechanism
> for ANI.

None of the discussion of CNID applies to ANI at all, which is a
completely different system.


 --Lauren--

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: The Dawn of A New Age
Date: 8 Feb 94 22:40:02 GMT
Organization: Pacific * Bell


In article <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]> writes:
Here is what the future could bring!!!

> TCI, the nation's largest cable television company, is in talks to
> launch a unique pilot project in conjunction with Pacific Gas and
> Electric Co. and Microsoft Corporation to design a "smart home".  The
> home automation industry is expected to triple in size, from $1.7
> billion this year to more than $5.1 billion by the year 2000.

> Here is the diary of a future homeowner!

[FUNNY STUFF DELETED]

The author is closer to the mark that he may realize.  Here are three
interesting, publically available facts:

1.  Two years ago, Bill Gates spent a half-day with PG&E executives in San
Francisco; he gave a presentation to PG&E employees ovre their Corporate TV
network.

2.  Two months ago, TCI announced their plans to complete a fiber ring around
the SF Bay area and directly compete with Pacific Bell in porviding
voice-dialtone.

3.  Two years ago, MCI and PG&E filed a tariff with the CPUC that, in
effect, allows MCI to get fiber anywhere along PG&E right-of-way, in
exchange for PG&E's ability to get some amount of bandwidth as
compensations for the use of their right-of-way.  Under the public
terms of the agreement, MCI will pay PG&E to do the construction, and
PG&E will get to put the value of the contruction into its ratebase.
(For all you non-regulatory-types, the rate-base is what PG&E uses to
calculate how much revenue it needs each year.  In effect, when the
rate-base goes up, your electric bills go up ...)

Now, I haven't actually _seen_ the announcement the article's author
bases his story on, but then again I don't know who the author is or
what _private_ info he has access to.


Bill Halverson   Pacific Bell
415 542 6564     [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mike King)
Subject: Re: 610/215 Split - Now I Can't Call 1-800-
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 13:19:15 PST


In TELECOM Digest V14 #61, [e-mail] (David Horvath) wrote:

> With all the advertising about the 610/215 area code split, you'd
> think they'd get it right -- I'm now in 610 (even my new cellular
> phone reports 610).  But I can't make a lot of 1-800 calls.  I have
> AT&T on one line and Sprint (remember the modem offer) on the other.
> Same problem on both.

Your outbound IXC is irrelevant to making 800 number calls.

  [...]

> general message was that they don't take calls from our area.  Gee,
> they took calls from us back in December.

> A call to 611 ultimately resulted in a call back that it was AT&T's
> problem and has been reported to them.  Now what?

Besides Pat's solution, try this; it seems to work in many areas:

Call 1-800-959-2000.  You'll get [insert telco here] "800 trouble
desk."  Press 1 to report a problem.  You'll then be instructed to
enter the 7D part of the 800 # you're trying to reach.  They'll do an
SS7 lookup, tell you which carrier is responsible for the number, and
then transfer you to the 800 trouble desk for that carrier.


Good luck!

Mike King  [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Modems for 3002 Circuits
Organization: Digital Equipment Computer Users Society
Date: 8 Feb 94 16:25:49 -0500
Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc.


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] writes:

> Can anyone recommend a pair of modems, in the 9600bps range, that will
> work on 3002 circuits?

Sure.

Why you would be doing this in this day and age is another question,
but if those are the circuits you are stuck with ... (the IXC portion
of interstate circuits is EXACTLY the same whether it is 3002 or 56kb
DDS-II (ASDS in ATTese).

The ZyXEL modems can do leased lines as well as dialup. The 1496-E
(Economy??) model will ONLY do two wire in leased lines mode and
easily will go to 16.8kb. Street price probably just over $250.  The
E+ will do 19.2kb and probably costs ~$100 more.

Their full blown 1496+ (somethimes called the 1496S+ model) with the
LCD front panel does two and four wire leased and does dialup two
wire, of course.  It can use dialup to automatically backup the leased
line, and on programmable timers will periodically retry the leased
line before resuming spending your $s on the dialbackup. Probably in
the $500-$600 range.

Can do v.29 or whatever compatibility if you need end to end compatibil-
ity with existing obsolete leased line 9.6 modems of other brands.

Any of those ZyXELs make great general purpose modems when you decide
to not use them on leased lines.

OTOH, there ARE some 28.8kb modems out there (no ZyXEL yet) if you can
use the speed. The high end of many brands do both dialup and leased
line.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Conrad Kimball)
Subject: Re: How to Make a Sun Send Messages to a Pager or a GSM Telephone
Date: 9 Feb 94 07:00:08 GMT
Organization: Boeing Computer Services (ESP), Seattle, WA


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

> I'm looking for something quite special:

> We would want to have our Sun, (which is running critical
> applications), dial-out to a semascript pager to tell the sysadmin
> something is wrong. Typically, we have some sort of contool, which
> send a certain fixed message for a certain error-situation. This
> messages would then in fact be send to a modem that dials up a
> semascript pager, and passes on the error.

> In our dreams we would like to go even further, and have the Sun dial
> up a GSM telephone, and have the Sun speak to the sysadmin saying that
> there is a problem. (pre-recorded fixed messages). In this case, we
> thought of have a modem that directly dials up a GSM mobile telphone.
> But there are some problems to be solve with this: for example, a GSM
> will not give a Carrier Detect, only a connect signal. Anybody dealt
> with this kind of problems before?

> Does anybody out there know of software that does one of these two
> things, or does anybody have some tips, or thoughts he or she would
> like to share with me?  (Like which modems could we use, etc)
> The software may be commercial or public domain.

I don't know what a semascript pager or a GSM telephone is, but here's
a Bourne shell script I wrote a while back when I was playing around
on my Sun with a similar idea.  In this case I was calling a pager
that expected me to use a touch-tone keypad to enter the number to be
called back, though it should be trivial to extend the idea to send
any arbitrary message that can be keyed in from a touch-tone keypad.
I don't know how you would do voice.

The script uses the freely available "expect" program to drive a modem
via the Sun "tip" utility.  It sends Hayes "atdt" commands to the
modem to mimic pressing the touch-tone keys on a real telephone.

Hope this helps.

#!/bin/sh

Usage(){
    echo "usage: `basename $0` pager_number callback_number" >&2
    exit 2
}

case $# in
    2)    PagerNumber=$1;CallbackNumber=$2;;
    *)    Usage;;
esac

NonDigits=`expr "${PagerNumber}" : '.*\([^0-9]\)'`
if [ -n "${NonDigits}" ]; then
    Usage
fi
Length=`expr length "${PagerNumber}"`
case "${Length}" in
    4)    PagerNumber="9986${PagerNumber}";;
    7)    PagerNumber="9${PagerNumber}";;
    8)    : ok;;
    *)    Usage;;
esac

NonDigits=`expr "${CallbackNumber}" : '.*\([^0-9]\)'`
if [ -n "${NonDigits}" ]; then
    Usage
fi
Length=`expr length "${PagerNumber}"`
case "${Length}" in
    0)    Usage;;
    *)    : ok;;
esac

expect - << expectEOF
    send_user "spawning tip ...\n"
set pid [ spawn tip dialers ]
    send_user "sleeping 5 ...\n"
exec sleep 5
    send_user "sending atv1 to ask for verbal (text) responses from modem ...\n"
send "atv1\r"
expect "OK"
    send_user "sleeping 1 ...\n"
exec sleep 1
    send_user "sending atm1 to turn on speaker to monitor the call ...\n"
send "atm1\r"
expect "OK"
    send_user "sleeping 1 ...\n"
exec sleep 1
    send_user "sending atdt${PagerNumber}; to dial pager ...\n"
send "atdt${PagerNumber};\r"
expect "OK"
    send_user "sleeping 10 ...\n"
exec sleep 10
    send_user "sending atdt${CallbackNumber} to send callback number ...\n"
send "atdt${CallbackNumber}\r"
expect "OK"
    send_user "sleeping 3 ...\n"
exec sleep 3
    send_user "sending ath0 to hang up the phone ...\n"
send "ath0\r"
    send_user "sleeping 5 ...\n"
exec sleep 5
exec kill \$pid
close
wait
expectEOF

                           ---------------

Conrad Kimball        | Client Server Tech Services, Boeing Computer Services
[e-mail] | P.O. Box 24346, MS 7M-HC
[phone]        | Seattle, WA  98124-0346

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 8 Feb 94 17:50:45 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Landlines Pay Airtime To Call Some Cellular Phones]


Replying to [e-mail]:

> Back to the original thought of the post, I always thought that the
> only pay exchanges in all of the NYC area codes was 976.  This has
> nothing to do with 1-900, by the way.

There is that infamous 540 prefix.

> If someone can explain how there could possibly be a phone number
> shortage, especially with the elimination of both 1 + 7D and the
> recent expansion of area code second-digit assignments please send me
> E-mail or post here to the Digest.  I have always believed this to be
> an urban legend, especially in light of the elimination of 1 + 7D in
> the past ten years and the more recent second-digit area code allowance.

The "second-digit area code allowance" IS the coming solution to the
phone number shortage, and in preparation for this, either the 1+7D
goes or you end up with some ambiguities which can only be resolved
with a time-out.  (For the same reason, those few places which still
have used NPA+7D for long distance will have to insert leading 1
there.)

> ...718 (Queens/Bronx/Bkln).

You forgot Staten Island.  (By the way, Bronx joined 718 late, having
stayed in 212 back in 1984.)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jean-Noel Marchalot)
Subject: Re: Telephone Nunbers in France
Date: 9 Feb 1994 11:44:52 GMT
Organization: Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh NC
Reply-To: [e-mail]


In article [e-mail], Earle Robinson <[e-mail]>
writes:

> Richard D G Cox said that the change in French phone numbers is put
> off due to complaints from users.  This I doubt, since almost no one
> in France is aware of any impending change.  There is almost complete
> ignorance of such questions in France, in part due to the few people
> who have access to Internet.

Never heard about something called Minitel? Any idea about the penetration
rate compared with Internet? (probably an order of magnitude larger).

> Anyway, France Telecom does what it wants.  There's no competition
> and the French just bow and obey.

Sure, now they are still really lucky to enjoy a network that has
evolved in 15 years from one of the most backward to one of the most
advanced in the world. There must be some mysterious mechanism, beyond
competition, that made sure that France Telecom would be a little
responsive to the users' needs and the users do more than "bow and
obey"?


Jean-Noel Marchalot

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #69
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #71

TELECOM Digest     Wed, 9 Feb 94 23:20:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 71

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    PC Pursuit to be Discontinued April 1 (TELECOM Digest Editor)
    UC Berkeley Short Courses on High Speed Communication (Harvey Stern)
    ORSA Telecom Conference, March 1995 (Jane Fraser)
    Fiber Strangles Chicago Broadcasters (Alan Boritz)
    Audio Line Signal on Twisted Pair? (Ethan Ernest)
    Need Info on ISDN Phones (Al Cohan)
    Horrid AT&T 2500YMGK Sets (Randy Gellens)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 22:56:57 CST
From: telecom (TELECOM Moderator)
Subject: PC Pursuit to be Discontinued April 1


An internal memorandum was circulated recently to employees of Sprint
announcing the discontinuance of the PC Pursuit program as of April 1.
A copy of the internal memorandum was forwarded to the Digest along with
a letter being mailed as of this date to customers of PCP and 'host
customers' which receive connections from PCP users. The memo is first,
followed by the letter to customers.

                              ==================

The following letters are being sent to our customers starting today.
I want to briefly explain the phase-out plan and important differences
between PC Pursuit services and Host outdial services.

PC Pursuit and PC Business Call will be phased out at 12:01 AM, April
1, 1994. At that time we will cancel all remaining TAMS ID's which are
identified to be PC Pursuit or PC Business Call. After this time, cus-
tomers with these ID's will no longer be able to place calls to the
outdial rotaries. However OUTDIAL CAPABILITIES WILL STILL REMAIN ON
THE NETWORK FOR HOST-INITIATED OUTDIAL CALLS AND CALLS INITIATED WITH
NON-PC PURSUIT TAMS ID'S.

It is product management's intent to phase out all forms of outdial on
the network within the next 12-18 months. During the next coming months,
we will identify all outdial activities from all hosts and standard
TAMS IDs, domestic and international, in order to quantify the impact
of such a pbase out. However, at this time, we are cancelling PC Pursuit
and PC BusinessCall accounts only. We suggest no further responses be
given to outdial opportunities in RFP's or opportunity requests.

We will meet with you to discuss the phase out plan and ask for any
comments or suggestions. There may be significant dissatisfaction
displayed by some of our more vocal PC Pursuit customers. We have set
up an 800 number so that these people can vent their frustration (see
letter below). We would appreciate it if no product manager names were
given to any customer, as these calls are extremely long, and for the
most part, non-productive. Inquiries coming from the press should be
directed to Media Relations, which will make arrangments to answer
questions and conduct interviews. Norm Black at 404-359-6096 is the
contact for all media inquiries or Evette Fulton at 202-328-7411.
Stephen Rys (x-5743) or Paul Golder (x-5797) will handle internal
issues associated with the phase out.

        **********************************************

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The copy of the above in my possession
is not signed. Next follows a letter to customers dated January 24,
1994.   PAT]

Dear Customer:

Over the past several months, Sprint has conducted a thorough business
evaluation of the PC Pursuit and PC BusinessCall services. Based on the
results of this evaluation, Sprint's PC Pursuit and PC BusinessCall
services will be discontinued April 1, 1994. We regret any inconvenience
this may cause you.

We are talking this step in order to focus our resources on the growing
demand for local dial-in access to online, "informatin provider" computer
hosts which are directly connected to SprintNet. The continued growth
in the number and variety of these dedicated hosts and host applications
has minimized the need for PC Pursuit and PC BusinessCall. Today,
access to these host based applications far surpasses teh usage of
dial-out access via PC Pursuit and PC BusinessCall.

Your PC Pursuit or PC BusinessCall ID/password will become inoperable
on April 1, 1994 per this notification. No further charges for these
services will be billed to your credit card or electronic funds transfer
account after this April 1, 1994 date. If you would like to discontinue
your service prior to April 1, 1994 please call 1-800-877-2006 between
the hours of 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday, Eastern Standard
Time.  If you have already discontinued your PC Pursuit or PC BusinessCall
service, please disregard this notification.

(signed)

Sprint Data Product Management

          ****************************************

(The following letter is in the mail to five host customers which allow
for PC Pursuit calls directly to their hosts.)

January 24, 1994

Dear (personalized):

Over the past several months, Sprint has conducted a thorough business
evaluation of the PC Pursuit and PC BusinessCall services. Based on
the results of this evaluation, Sprint's PC Pursuit and PC BusinessCall
services will be discontinued, effective April 1, 1994. We regret any
inconveneince that this may cause you or your users.

All PC Pursuit and PC BusinessCall customers are receiving the enclosed
letter which includes a 60-day notice of the discontinuation of the
services. On April 1, 1994, all PC Pursuit and PC BusinessCall ID/passwords
will become inoperable, which will require that these users select an
alternative method to access your host.

If you would like to discuss alternative dial-up access to SprintNet,
please contact your sales representative, or call 1-800-877-2006.


(signed)

Sprint Data Product Management

             ***********************************

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: So there you have it, officially from
Sprint. PCP is discontinued as of April 1. The rumors have been going
around for quite some time, since even before Sprint discontinued
accepting new customers for the service a few months ago.

FYI, a bit of history: the old Telenet system began operation in the
early 1970's. Its email service called 'Telemail' was the first of
its kind I think. Just about ten years ago, in 1983-84 the PC Pursuit
service began, initially with just seven or eight cities which were on
outdials, and about the same number of places which had local indials.
But initially, the service operated in a different way. PC Pursuit had
its own indials, and for purposes of security, it operated on a callback
scheme. Users dialed into the PC Pursuit links, identified themselves,
then were called back at the phone number of record at Telenet. Once
connected by callback, *then* the user was allowed to make a single
connection to the one of seven or eight places served including Chicago.
After each call, the connection was dropped and the user had to dial
back in again through the callback modems for another session. All
connections were at either 110 or 300 baud initially, and within a
year or so of starting the service, 1200 baud was available in quite
a few places. Within about a year also, the callback scheme was dropped
and users began calling in on the 'regular' indials for Telenet in
their local area.

I was a customer of PC Pursuit from its second week of operation
through about two years ago, although in the last year or so of my
membership I used it rarely. The Net Exchange BBS was started about
a year after PC Pursuit itself started, and was intended as a place
for users to ask questions and make comments. In the beginning, to
reach the Net Exchange BBS, one had to use the Washington, DC outdials
and dial a seven digit number, or dial direct to the same seven digit
number (plus area code) if one could not 'get through' on PC Pursuit
due to congestion. Since 1990, the Net Exchange BBS has been a distri-
bution point for TELECOM Digest, with each issue of the Digest made
available to NetXBBS users in the 'files' area.

Initially, the service allowed unlimited nighttime and weekend useage
for $25 per month, on open account billing. The open account billing
was discontinued after a couple years because of considerable abuse
and fraud by customers, and it was grandfathered only to those of us
who had had it all along. All new customers had to pay by credit card
or EFT. Toward the end of my subscription there were only two or three
of us still on the system using open account billing. A few years
ago, due to abuse by users who were racking up many, many (in the
hundreds of) hours each month, the program was changed to allow for
25/50 hours per month at the rate of $25/$50 per month, with additional
hours above the limit at an extra fee. Also a few years ago, the original
Telenet network was sold to Sprint, the company which runs it today.
As Telenet, it was part of GTE.

In the late 1980's I wrote an essay which was distributed on Usenet
and quite a few independent BBSs called 'Let Your Fingers do the Walking'
which discussed a bug in the Telenet network at that time which permitted
connection to *any host* -- 'authorized outdial' or not -- with a legitimate
PC Pursuit ID/password. I listed several international points which could
be reached via Telenet including the British Telecom Master Clock and
the Master Clocks of a few other countries including Japan and the Hong
Kong Telephone Company. I discussed connections to the host systems on
several data networks accessible through those network's gateways to
Telenet, and how to use the outdials of those other networks after first
gatewaying to them via Telenet using ones PC Pursuit password. I included
network addresses for several live, 'online' terminals at the help desks
of those other networks where one could 'chat' interactively with
whoever was on duty. Management at Telenet was quite upset with me for
publishing that article, and the loopholes were closed shortly after
it appeared on the net.

 From the beginning of the Telenet network until just a couple years
ago, Telenet was assigned 'area code' 909 for its administrative use
since all hosts on the network otherwise had addresses of the form
xxxyyy or xxxyyyy where xxx was the area code where they were located
and yyy or yyyy was the 'address'. 909yyy or 909yyyy was used to
connect with the Telenet administration itself. Numerous addresses
of the form 909xxx connected to all sorts of test ports for network
diagnostic purposes. Some were 'loop arounds', others presented curious
results when one connected to them.

So, about ten years after it started, PC Pursuit is dead. In the
beginning it was a radical, very modern innovation. A decade later,
it is just another way of connecting, and not a very good one at that.
So from a nostalgic point of view, I am sorry to see it go, but from a
business and effeciency standpoint, its demise is overdue.


Patrick Townson

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 10:17:55 -0800
From: [e-mail]
Subject: UC Berkeley Short Courses on High Speed Communication


U.C. Berkeley Continuing Education in Engineering Announces 3 Short
Courses on Communications Technology

SONET/ATM-BASED BROADBAND NETWORKS: Systems, Architectures and Designs
(April 18-19, 1994)

It is widely accepted that future broadband networks will be based on
the SONET (Synchronous Optical Network) standards and the ATM
(Asynchronous transfer Mode) technique.  This course is an in-depth
examination of the fundamental concepts and the implementation issues
for development of future high-speed networks.  Topics include:
Broadband ISDN Transfer Protocol, high speed computer/network
interface (HiPPI), ATM switch architectures, ATM network
congestion/flow control, VLSI designs in SONET/ATM networks.

Lecturer: H. Jonathan Chao, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Brooklyn
Polytechnic University.  Dr. Chao holds more than a dozen patents and
has authored over 40 technical publications in the areas of ATM
switches, high-speed computer communications, and congestion/flow
control in ATM networks.

GIGABIT/SEC DATA AND COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS: Internetworking,
Signaling and Network Management (April 20-21, 1994)

This short course aims to provide a general understanding of the key
issues needed to design and implement gigabit local and wide area
networks.  The topics are designed to compliment those covered in the
SONET/ATM-Based Broadband Networks course (above).  Topics include:
technology drivers, data protocols, signaling, network management,
internetworking and applications.  Specific issues addressed include
TCP/IP on ATM networks, design of high performance network interfaces,
internetworking ATM networks with other network types, and techniques
for transporting video over gigabit networks.

Lecturer:  William E. Stephens, Ph.D., Director, High-Speed Switching
and Storage Technology Group, Applied Research, Bellcore.  Dr.
Stephens has over 40 publications and one patent in the field of optical
communications.  He has served on several technical program committees,
including IEEE GLOBECOM and the IEEE Electronic Components
Technology Conference, and has served as Guest Editor for the IEEE
Journal on Selected Areas in Communications.

PERSONAL (WIRELESS) COMMUNICATION NETWORKS: Cellular Systems, Wireless
Data Networks, and Broadband Wireless Access (April 20-22, 1994)

This comprehensive course focuses on principles, technologies, system
architectures, standards, equipment, implementation, public policy,
and evolving trends in wireless networks.  Topics include: modulation,
coding, and signal processing; first generation systems; second
generation systems; broadband networks; third generation systems; and
applications and technology trends.  This course is intended for
engineers who are currently active or anticipate future involvement in
this field.

Lecturer: Anthony S. Acampora, Ph.D., Professor, Electrical
Engineering, Columbia University.  He is Director, Center for
Telecommunications Research. He became a professor following a 20 year
career at AT&T Bell Laboratories, is an IEEE Fellow, and is a former
member of the IEEE Communications Society Board of Governors.


For more information (complete course descriptions, outlines, instructor
bios, etc.) contact:

Harvey Stern
U.C. Berkeley Extension/Southbay
800 El Camino Real Ste. 150
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
email: [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 09 Feb 1994 10:02:54 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: ORSA Telecom Conference, March 1995


         Third ORSA Telecommunications Conference
                    20-22 March 1995
            Sheraton Inn, Boca Raton, Florida

                    Sponsored by the
      ORSA Technical Section on Telecommunications

                    CALL FOR PAPERS


The Third ORSA (Operations Research Society of America)
Telecommunications Conference will be held in Boca Raton, Florida,
20-22 March 1995.  In the tradition of the First (March 1990) and
Second (March 1992) Conferences, both held also at the Sheraton Inn
Boca Raton, the Third Conference will again focus on the theory and
application of Operations Research to problems in telecommunications.

FEATURED SPEAKERS: The Keynote Speaker will be Robert E. Kahn (NRI);
and the Plenary Speakers will be Robert G. Gallager (MIT), Frank P.
Kelly (Cambridge), Clyde L. Monma (Bellcore), and Jean Walrand
(Berkeley).

 TOPICS FOR THE CONFERENCE INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
    ATM Networks                 Economics of Telecommunications
    Wireless Networks            Performance Evaluation
    High-Speed Data Networks     Queueing Models
    LANs and MANs                Network Topology
    Video and Multimedia         Loss Networks
    Network Management           Routing and Scheduling
    Teletraffic Theory           Congestion Control
    Polling Models               Simulation
    Reliability                  Optimization

Two kinds of submissions are invited: proposals for (i) organized
sessions, and (ii) contributed presentations.  A proposal for an
organized session should include a one-page abstract for each
presentation, and a cover letter from the session organizer that
outlines the theme of the session; a proposal for a contributed
presentation should include a one-page abstract describing the talk.
All proposals and abstracts will be reviewed by the Program Committee.
Send proposals and abstracts in triplicate to Keith W. Ross, Program
Chair; for registration materials contact Mary T.  Magrogan at the
ORSA Business Office.

 IMPORTANT DATES:
    1 September 1994:  deadline for proposals and abstracts for
                       organized sessions
    1 October 1994:    deadline for abstracts for contributed
                       sessions
    15 December 1994:  notification of acceptance
    1 February 1995:   deadline for preregistration

            GENERAL CHAIR:
              Robert B. Cooper
              Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering
              Florida Atlantic University
              Boca Raton, FL 33431
              [e-mail]
              [phone]

            PROGRAM CHAIR:
              Keith W. Ross
              Dept. of Systems
              University of Pennsylvania
              Philadelphia, PA 19104
              [e-mail]
              [phone]

            MEETINGS MANAGER:
              Mary T. Magrogan
              ORSA Business Office
              1314 Guilford Avenue
              Baltimore, MD 21202
              [e-mail]
              [phone]

------------------------------

Subject: Fiber Strangles Chicago Broadcasters
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Wed, 09 Feb 94 20:13:04 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


I came across a letter I wrote last year to the editor of Radio World
on two issues dear to Pat Townson (fiber implementation and Chicago),
and thought I'd share it one more time before retiring it.  The issue
that brought it up (in 1992) was Illinois Bell trying to sell (or
push, depending on your perspective) fiber in place of preferred
copper circuits.

(May 18, 1992)

    Telecommunications fiber is the best and worst thing to happen
to the broadcasting business.  It makes possible better transmission
characteristics than copper over comparably longer distance circuits,
but *reliability* is the *real* issue.

    Customers served with fiber facilities (such as those
described in "Fiber at Issue in Chicago, 5/6/92 {Radio World}) are
*much* more vulnerable to circuit outages due to MUX (muliplexer)
failures than due to physical circuit problems.  As telcos scramble to
install fiber backbone and other facilities to save on plant
construction and maintenance expenses, they often overlook something
as simple as MUX AC power.  Where telco customers were used to either
having telco provide circuit power (for POTS or similar service), or
not having to provide circuit power at all (for local unloaded
equalized program service), now the customer has to worry about
whether or not someone may kick out the power cord for equipment for
which he may or may not have control.

    Broadcasters with studio or transmitter facilities in
multi-tenant buildings are *especially* vulnerable to program circuit
failures due to power disruptions.  Landlords are under no obligation
to provide telecommunications utilities with AC power, let alone
non-interruptible power sources.  If telco merely "grabs" the nearest
AC outlet and plugs in their MUX equipment, there's no telling what
can happen when either maintenance can have building AC circuits
turned off or (in a worse case scenario) the whole building is without
AC power.  All the standby power equipment in your studio and
transmitter facilities won't do you any good if telco's MUX's are
off-line.  For example, even in the Empire State Building, New York
Telephone has made no provisions for continuous (or even reliable)
power for the equipment that feeds radio and television circuits
upstairs with it's single fiber riser.  It's a frightening thought
that a communications system relied upon so much by so many would be
planned so poorly.

    Broadcasters lose something very valuable when telco installs
fiber in place of copper -- reliability.  However, while telco's enjoy
lower installation and operating expenses with fiber facilities, telco
customers see no savings passed along for inferior service. Broadcasters
should demand from telco *reliable* service responsibly planned and
installed.  We *can't* accept anything less.


[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ethan Ernest)
Subject: Audio Line Signal on Twisted Pair?
Date: Wed, 09 Feb 1994 21:44:05 -0500
Organization: ERNESTCO


I am presently wiring my new office with eight nodes of connectivity
(I'm trying to cover a lot of bases!) I've run 10base2 thin coax, RG56
Coax for Video/Cable, and two pairs (one spare) of 10baseT level3
eight conductor (four pairs 24g awg) plenum cable, which I plan to use
for telephones and possibly 10baset or localtalk.

My question is this: does anyone know whether it will cause problems
or interference with either digital data or analog phone signals on
the other pairs in the plenum if I use two pair of wires in the cable
to run right and left line level (1-2V) audio signals?

Since I've already sheetrocked most of the walls, this would save me a bit
of time snaking separate lines!

Any help greatly appreciated.


E R N E S T C O

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 13:44 EST
From: The Network Group <[e-mail]>
Subject: Need Info on ISDN Phones


I need to know a source for ISDN phonesxxx -- excuse me: voice
terminals.

I have heard that AT&T has a few of these but haven't heard of any
other manufacturers such as Northern Telecom or others. Apparently the
Northern product for Meridian Digital Centrex is not an ISDN phone.

If anyone could help, I would appreciate it.

Thanks in Advance,

Al Cohan

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: 09 FEB 1994 16:18:00 GMT
Subject: Horrid AT&T 2500YMGK Sets


In preparation for our move from a Dimension PBX to a G3, we are
replacing our 7101 'voice terminals' with new ersatz 2500 sets.  (I'm
told that since we lease the PBX and the phones, we must exhange them
all).

These things are the same size as the classic 2500 sets of yesteryear.
But they are cheap!  They didn't even bother gluing in lead weights,
as is typical with cheap equipment to give it that sold feel and heft.
(They do have an empty compartment in the base that could hold a sand
bag, to keep them from sliding off the desk.)

The worst problem with these sets is the sidetone.  At my normal
speaking level, I can't hear any sidetone.  This is disorienting.  If
I speak up even a little bit, I get a horrible buzzing distortion in
place of sidetone.  Co-workers (with louder voices I guess) report
always hearing the dread buzzing.

Besides the lightweight and cheap feel and the appalling sidetone, the
sets suffer from bad sound quality in general, an irritating chirp
instead of ringing, a message waiting lamp that flickers instead of
blinking, and pushbuttons that don't feel right.  All in all, pretty
useless junk, I'd say.  I'm very surprised that AT&T, of all
companies, is pushing this schlock.  Aren't they the ones who spent
years investigating optimal telephone parameters for factors such as
sidetone, ringing, speaker quality, etc.?  How can they produce a set
that is so far below their own standards?

If we're going to have cheap plastic phones with obnoxious chirpers,
we could at least have small ones (like the old 7101A sets), instead
of these huge things.  But I'm told AT&T no longer make the 7101 sets.
In fact, I'm told that AT&T says these toy 2500s are their standard
sets, sold in vast quantities, and they were surpised to hear of our
complaints.

Well, at least they are made in the U.S.A.


Randall Gellens              [e-mail]
A Series System Software
Unisys Corporation           [Please forward bounce messages
Mission Viejo, CA            to: [e-mail]]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #71
*****************************


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Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #72

TELECOM Digest     Thu, 10 Feb 94 06:15:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 72

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Adbusters Article on Net.Commercialism Needs Input (Stanton McCandlish)
    Reply to Adbusters Article on Net.Commercialism (Barry Shein)
    Dispelling a Myth From the Past (Donald E. Kimberlin)
    Offer General Ledger to Beta Site (Ira Cohen)
    Is There a Cellular FAQ? (David I. Dalva)
    CLASS/Caller-ID/Bellcore/CCITT/ANSI Documents Sought ([e-mail])

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Stanton McCandlish)
Subject: Adbusters Article on Net.Commercialism Needs Your Input
Date: 9 Feb 1994 17:59:41 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
Reply-To: [e-mail]


[To forestall any questions, it should be noted that Adbusters and EFF
see things in the same light (IMHO): we are for the *privatization* of
the net, and for the development of a "data superhighway" that is a
many-to-many medium of participation, not just a one-to-many broadcast
paradigm nightmare of 500 tv channels with nothing on but "multimedia"
sitcoms and "interactive" commericals.  EFF, and presumably Adbusters,
are not for the proverbial crass *commercialization* of the net -- if
we are subjected to storms of e-junkmail and advertising, if corpora-
tions control all content, and if "interactive" means only "press this
button to make your purchase", then this is not a network, it is
nothing but a giant commercial.  EFF and Adbusters are not tied in any
way, and this note is simply to clarify any misperceptions that may
arise due to their identification with our mission in the following
notice.  EFF's position paper on NII development, the Open Platform
Initiative, can be had from: ftp://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Papers/OP/op2.0


S.McC. <[e-mail]>

PS: I don't subscribe to Adbusters, and don't know a thing about their
political slant if any.  Rather than send tired political flames to
Barry, or especially to me or the newsgroup/list, please reserve them
for alt.flame or talk.politics.misc.  Constructive criticism should go
to Barry, nothing should go to me, I'm just passing this on neutrally,
and have other things to do.  Thanks.]

 Forwarded message:
 Date: Mon, 7 Feb 1994 15:02:41 -0800
 From: Barry Shell <[e-mail]>
 Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
 Subject: Adbusters campaign to temper net.commercialism

I am a writer who has got the job from Adbusters Magazine to try and
come up with some ideas for a petition campaign they want to run to
draw out grassroots support to counter the plans of big business for
the data-superhighway.

Adbusters Quarterly is a publication dedicated to the "Battle For the
Mental Environment". My article, CyberEncounters of the First Kind, in
the current issue (Winter 94) attempts a kind of critique of the
evangelical reports that are commonly found in the popular media
describing the Internet. However, I and Adbusters would like to see
the new medium go in the same direction that Mitch Kapor and the EFF
also envision: toward a freer better democracy, a world of
communication and liberation, etc. etc.

We, like most, see the terrible awesome threat of big business and the
takeover (or subsuming or replacing or whatever you want to call it)
of the Net as a really frightening eventuality and would like to stop
or divert this juggernaut before it's too late.

But before we do anything, we wanted to check with you, who may have
been at this game a lot longer to see if some formal or global action
of this sort has already been started. Have you or anyone you know
begun a formal campaign to kindle public awareness of the
**ALTERNATIVE** to endless home-shopping networks and Rambo-Content
500 channels that is being promoted in the popular media? We rarely
see anything about what really makes the net great:

1. It's Free (in many ways)

2. It's two way (we are all equally producers and consumers). We need
a major, simple, all-media campaign to get this message across and
Adbusters is prepared to start it, but we want to check what others
are already doing.

HERE are some of the ideas I cobbled together for the editors and
publishers of Adbusters. I'd sure like to hear from people after you
read this. Thanks.

 ......................

SOME CONCEPTS TO BE PART OF A NET AWARENESS CAMPAIGN FOR ADBUSTERS
(Note: These are my ideas alone, so far, not necessarily anyone
elses.)

1.a: Contrary to what "they" (meaning corporate commercial market
forces) would have you believe, the Internet *is* free. The actual
cost of the largest chunk of the Net -- the NSF Backbone -- is about
$20 million per year (source: Stephen S. Wolff, the director of the
Division of Networking and Communications Research and Infrastructure
at the National Science Foundation). Divided by the 20,000,000 users
of the net, this equals one dollar a person. I say this is equal to
zero for all intents and purposes. Even if we are very conservative
and say that we are off by a factor of 10, it works out to $10 per
person per year -- also virtually nothing. Even if we are off by a
factor of a hundred, it costs only $100/yr per person -- three to five
times *less* than what users currently pay per year on services like
CompuServe, AppleLink, and Genie. That backbone cost of $20 million is
the cost of doing a big fast efficient nationwide switching network.
Not surprisingly, commercial analogues of this network have sprung up
in recent years and more are planned. Why? Because "they" realize how
cheap it actually is to do -- and how profitable.

1.b: But the "freedom" of the Net goes a lot further than just its
capital cost -- its "hardware". There is a *free software ethic* that
prevails as well. I think that the following note, attached to every
copy of Steve Christensen's 'SuperClock!' is indicative of that
spirit. (SuperClock! is probably the most popular clock program for
the Mac):

  SuperClock! is free, but I reserve all rights to it.  Give it
  to your friends if you like.  It may not be distributed
  commercially (public domain and shareware disks come to mind),
  however user's groups and on-line services may distribute it as
  long as any costs are for the service (i.e., connect time or media
  costs), AND that it's accompanied by this documentation.

  If you really feel an urge to send me something, don't.  I do this
  for the fun of it.  If the urge just won't go away, send a donation
  to the Stanford Children's Hospital instead since they're always
  happy to receive donations from people like you for software like
  this.  Their address is:

          The Lucile Salter Packard
          Children's Hospital at Stanford
          725 Welch Road
          Palo Alto, California  94304

    --------------------------

Steve Christensen is doing it for the fun of it. The original students
that hacked the first Internet links in 1979 for the American military
also did it for the fun of it. Before "hacker" was a bad word, they
shared the ethic that software should be free.  This generalized
"freedom of information", freedom of thought, freedom of ideas is
popular on the Internet and is alive and well.

1.c: There is yet another kind of freedom represented by the Internet:
the distributed nature of the Net's control systems.  There is no
central control or authority. A type of freedom of expression prevails
there unlike any other place on Earth. Somehow it is all self-regulating,
I believe partly because of the first two freedoms mentioned.

2. One must ask, when considering the future of the data superhighway,
"The Internet is growing exponentially while commercial services like
Compuserve grow relatively slowly, so what is it that makes the
Internet so popular?" I believe the answer to that question lies in
the following three reasons:

2a. As stated above the Net is "free."

2b. The Net is a haven from commercialism. It was conceived as a
commercial-free network to begin with and it has stayed that way. I
put it to you: Where else on earth can you find a human social
construct that is free from commercial market-driven values?
Especially on the scale of the Internet. In short, people are turning
to the Net in droves as a haven from the all-pervasive market-driven
madness that is gripping this planet. The reason for this I believe is
because the technology to run it is inherently cheap (as noted in
point 1 above) NOT because it is a socialist government funded entity.
Even if it was privately funded, it would be just as cheap, costing
users somewhere around $10 or $20 per year each. Note: this is cheaper
than any other form of mass communication.

I couldn't believe this at first, so I checked it with Hal Varian,
Professor of Finance, School of Business Admin, U. Mich. He has been
studying net economics for years. His conclusions are that the
increasingly inexpensive computer technology of which the net is
composed is just so incredibly efficient, that costs are in fact
minimal.

Sure, bigger bandwidth and more users is going to cost more, but the
price of the technology is also falling. We must not let ourselves be
duped by big business, who want us to believe it will cost billions to
implement the kind of superhighway that America needs.  With ATM
(Asynchronous Transfer Mode) and existing phone and cable lines, much
can be done for very cheap. And even so, say the new infrastructure
costs $2 billion. If you divide this by the current 20 million users
(and growing by 1 million per month) you get only $100 per user. In
other words, if each user paid only $8.34/mo for a year the whole
thing would be paid for!

2c. The decentralized "anarchic-like" control stucture of the Net. A
network of over a million machines, the Internet has no central
control structure.  Net activity and behavior is self-moderated for
the most part. In fact, many cite this as a reason why the "Powers
that be" can never "shut down" the Net. The Internet's highly
distributed global web of cheap connections pays no attention to
political boundaries. Some say that short of "turning off" the whole
telephone system, there is no way of shutting down the Net or of
taking it over.

3. The Internet is a two way street. Each user is free to lurk, or
take, or give as much information as they please, (within certain
generous guidlines to avoid network congestion). Part of the success
of the decentralized "anarchic" control of the net is due to this
two-way quality of net communications.

4. Though the corporate interests have designs on the net as the
ultimate entertainment and information *delivery* system, (i.e.
broadcast paradigm), the observed fact of the matter is that the main
activity in cyberspace is person-to-person communication.  Email is
the heaviest used service. Netnews is a forum for discussion. MUSH's
and MUD's are popular because you are interacting and communicating
with other people. You're not watching a movie or playing a video
game. You might be playing a game, but you're playing with *people*.
The Net is a social thing, a people thing, perhaps a substitute for
Real Life community activities that have essentially been stripped
away by our market-oriented value system. (There's no easy money in
community!)

5. Somehow one must characterize the extent to which Big Business is
working in backrooms to either take over the Internet or to popularize
and offer something much more expensive and without the ideals of the
Internet (see above) that have made it so popular.

6. The Net encourages creative freedom and experimentation. The best
network tools like Gopher and Veronica, or the World Wide Web were
created in a spirit of experimentation and were offered to the
community for free. This quality would probably be lost in a commer-
cialized Data Superhighway. And that would be a big loss.

That's it for now. Hope this generates some good debate.


Barry    [e-mail]


Stanton McCandlish * [e-mail] * Electronic Frontier Found. OnlineActivist
F O R   M O R E   I N F O,    E - M A I L    T O:     I N F O @ E F F . O R G
O  P  E  N    P  L  A  T  F  O  R  M     O  N  L  I  N  E    R  I  G  H  T  S
V  I   R   T   U   A   L   C  U   L   T   U   R   E      C  R   Y   P   T   O


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I am certain this article *will* generate
some good debate, and to get the discussion going, I am printing at this
same time a response by Barry Shein. See the next article in this issue.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Barry Shein)
Subject: Reply to Adbusters Article
Date: 9 Feb 1994 22:56:15 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway


> forces) would have you believe, the Internet *is* free. The actual
> cost of the largest chunk of the Net -- the NSF Backbone -- is about
> $20 million per year (source: Stephen S. Wolff, the director of the
> Division of Networking and Communications Research and
> Infrastructure at the National Science Foundation).

That's false.

I believe you got the $20M figure from Steve Wolff, but I doubt very
much he said this consitutes the largest chunk of the net. Nor is it
even remotely true.

> Divided by the 20,000,000 users of the net, this equals one dollar a
> person.

Hence, you should have suspected your own figures.

> Not surprisingly, commercial analogues of this network have sprung up
> in recent years and more are planned. Why? Because "they" realize how
> cheap it actually is to do -- and how profitable.

Convenient backwards reasoning, but your assumptions are false. Most
of these commercial nets, individually, are bigger than the NSF net
backbone. The NSF net backbone is a particularly inexpensive
(relatively) piece of the pie, primarily because they only service
other network providers. It's also shrinking relative to the rest of
the net as rapidly as the net is growing. The fastest growing segment
of the US network is the commercial end-user sector, and they are
technically not invited onto the NSFnet. So how are they all getting
on? Probably the next fastest growing arena is Europe, and surely
they're not benefiting directly from the US Nat'l Science Foundation
network (indirectly, of course, but somehow they're getting their own
act together, and it's certainly not with US Tax Dollars.)

Note, for example, that the $20M/year figure doesn't even take into
account the several academic regional providers such as NEARnet,
BARRnet, OARnet, CERFnet, THEnet, SURAnet, CONCERTnet, etc. Let alone
the purely commercial providers (Alternet, PSI, Sprint, etc.)

Do you happen to have any figures or even statements from those who do
this for a living as to what the margins are?

> 2. One must ask, when considering the future of the data superhighway,
> The Internet is growing exponentially while commercial services like
> Compuserve grow relatively slowly,

Then how do you explain, for example, the recent article in the {New York
Times} reporting that America OnLine had to stop accepting new users
last week because of explosive growth (they claim to have doubled
their some hundred thousand user base in the past three months)?

> 2a. As stated above the Net is "free."

Really? Then what on earth is Software Tool & Die, a commercial
Internet provider I happen to run, spending over $1M/year on (and this
is our only business)? No one here has gotten rich from this,
virtually every nickel goes to staff, overhead (rent, electricity etc)
and investment in the services (computing systems, network equipment,
etc.)

> We must not let ourselves be duped by big business, who want us to
> believe it will cost billions to implement the kind of superhighway
> that America needs.  With ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) and
> existing phone and cable lines, much can be done for very cheap. And
> even so, say the new infrastructure costs $2 billion. If you divide
> this by the current 20 million users (and growing by one million per
> month) you get only $100 per user. In other words, if each user paid
> only $8.34/mo for a year the whole thing would be paid for!

I'd say we'd be well off just not being duped by you.

This is equivalent to saying that a phone line costs only $20/month so
that's the cost of the internet. Gee, then how come your typical user
has to have $2,000-$3,000 worth of PC, modem etc?

You are making exactly this error in your above calculations. Yes,
bare data lines are fairly inexpensive. Routers cost $15,000 or more
each, etc. A T1 line alone is a very sorry thing to look at, it looks
a lot like a piece of wire.

And what about the staff to run it all? Do you think all this amazing
stuff just works by itself? Hah! At every level are people sweating it
out making it work.

Even at a university where the network connection per se may be
completely subsidized it is a mere bagatelle of the costs. Most
sizeable computing centers would be happy to show you it costs them
another few million per year (and even that rarely includes things
like rent, electricity etc) to keep it all running.

Taking that one more step, I envision you like a student at one of
university sites convincing himself, gee, this stuff is all free!  You
have forgotten about your tuition ...

Anyhow, this is all very naive. I advise you to look into the actual
facts before forming such strong opinions. Even superficial examination
shows your reasoning to be flawed.

One more question: This note begins with a call for a petition.

To whom will this petition be addressed? Is this a plan to request
that the government be more involved in the information highway and its
regulation?

If so I request you present the petition to Jesse Helms. I am sure, as
a representative of our government, he will be most interested in your
suggestion that he utilize the government to take more control of this
resource ... food for thought.

> That's it for now. Hope this generates some good debate.

Me too, but somehow I doubt it and suspect it will just become an
exercise in "are you a believer or not?" and the facts will be
discounted, some noise will be made, and nothing shall come of it
other than having defused what might have been some useful energy
resulting in a bunch of disillusioned people. You don't get too many
shots to cry wolf, better make sure there's a wolf out there!


Barry Shein

Software Tool & Die    | [e-mail]   | uunet!world!bzs
Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 617-739-0202

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 18:07 EST
From: Donald E. Kimberlin <[e-mail]>
Subject: Dispelling a Myth From the Past


In Digest v14 iss68, [e-mail] (John R. Grout),
speaking to the matter of: "Are LATA Maps Available?" said:

> Having grown up in Rochester, NY ...  AT&T's monopoly on long distance
> service and the cross-subsidization it allowed was draining money out
> of our area to subsidize New York Telephone's local telephone rates
> (so Rochester Telephone's local telephone rates were _far_ higher than
> NY Tels before divestiture): that was simply _WRONG_.  Rochester
> Telephone consistently fought AT&T's monopoly, was on the winning side
> (against AT&T) of the Carterfone decision in the late 1960's, and
> divestiture finally corrected the gross injustice of cross-subsidy for
> the benefit of another company's customers.

Sorry, but the claim of cross-subsidy from AT&T monopoly long distance
is not true.

While the non-Bell LEC's have had plenty of reasons for hating "The
Bell," as their historic pejorative called the "monopoly" unified Bell
System, cross-subsidization of AT&T's local companies with profits
from long distance service to Independent areas was _not_ one of them.
That is some sort of myth that came from Independent company people
many years ago, but could only have been true prior to the 1913 consent
decree that brought AT&T's era as an unregulated "robber baron" to a halt.

After the 1913 consent decree was signed, AT&T's long distance operation
became a separate "department," but it was in fact a separate profit center
that paid all its profits (which were, admittedly, significant) directly
into the AT&T HQ treasury.

The payments out of AT&T Long Lines to local phonecos, both Bell and
Independent, were the same: A measly twenty-five cents each to the origin-
ating and terminating local phonecos.  AT&T Long Lines kept _all_ the
rest, regardless of the total revenue from the call!  For this twenty-five
cents, the local companies were expected to provide operator services
and all needed plant to interconnect to the Long Lines network.  Not
much subsidy there!

Now, there was much variation due to locally negotiated arrangements,
but the case was most often that the Independents did not interconnect
directly to AT&T.  Rather, they connected through the Bell LEC in
their state.  It was rare for AT&T to have an interconnection point
directly in an Independent LEC.  (Rochester Telephone may have been
large enough to be an exception, but Peninsular of Florida, which is
now million-plus line GTE of Florida actually had a Southern Bell toll
testboard manned by Southern Bell people in downtown Tampa, with
Southern Bell-owned toll facilities out to Orlando, 85 miles away.)
So, the nearby Bell company often ate a lot of dollars giving an
Independent connectivity to the outside world -- all for its measly
quarter a call.

The Independent might well be cheesed, seeing billing for calls of
tens of dollars per call, but nothing getting through to them, but
providing Long Distance connectivity and support was hardly Fat City
for the Bell LECs, either.

AND, after all this, the Bell LECs, by terms of their ancient "contracts"
with AT&T (also for the most part, their major shareholder), had to
pay AT&T a "royalty for Bell's patents" of one percent of gross revenue
right off the top, PLUS a "management advisory fee" of three percent
of gross revenue, AFTER which they were expected to make a "reasonable
return on investment for their shareholders," which was primarily AT&T.

In short, the Bell LECs were nothing but "tax farms" for their AT&T
masters, for decades.

Rest assured that the Bell LECs hated their AT&T masters as much as
the Independent LECs did.  I know, because I was there working for
AT&T Long Lines, and getting the flak from both.

This 1913-originated scheme began to crumble in the 1960's, when some
Independents grew up enough to put enough pressure on the Bell LECs to
make it so unattractive to connect them, that more and more Independent
LECs began to get direct connectivity to AT&T's Long Lines.  At that
point, a new scheme, called "Division of Revenues" came into being.
It was merely a means of paying out shares of the revenue proportionate
to the investment and processing each participant had in a call.  This
was largely forced by the Independent LECs, who would in no way tolerate
the measly quarter-per-call payback. especially when they had to make
investments in new, modern electronic transmission plant in order to get
to AT&T's Long Lines.

AT&T subsidize its Bell LECs with money from LD traffic out of Independent
territories, with the result of reducing rates for Bell LEC lines?
Sorry, that's an old myth, and one we should put to rest.  AT&T might
have gotten the money, but they didn't give it back to any of their
Bell LECs, no sirree ... they kept it!


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Don, I don't think your figures are quite
correct. If what you say is true, then why did the local Bell telcos them-
selves tout the subsidy arrangement? They seemed to like it okay, at least
in their published literature and advertising campaigns, and the fact is,
we know the local telcos *did* get quite wealthy over the years. They were
not as poor as you seem to make them out to be as a result of the 'measly'
25 cents per call and all they had to do to earn it. Their 25 cents was a
very small percentage of the revenue on long distance calls (call prices
were disproportionatly higher in those days) of longer duration, but the
majority of their expense came then as now in the first minute or so of
the connection and on calls of only one or two minutes in length (very
common; probably the najority of the traffic), 25 cents was a rather high
percentage of the total charge. Didn't the telcos also receive a billing
and collection fee from customer remittances on long distance calls as
a separate thing, from money easily collected from customers?  You talk
about the 'measly 25 cents', but a quarter went a lot further in those
days. Maybe some telcos were greedy and wanted more, but they did okay
with what they got on the deal.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ira Cohen)
Subject: Offer General Ledger to Beta Site
Organization: CTS Network Services (CTSNET/crash), San Diego, CA
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 22:45:13 GMT


    Need another corporate BETA SITE for a very robust, easy to
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Sheet in moments - detail or summary, see posted amounts verses
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    programmer/analyst/design leader.
    Past 7 years consultant/contractor to various large companies
    ($100 million to multi-billion)

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    (Including Data General's General Ledger product offering)
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------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David I. Dalva)
Subject: Is There a Cellular FAQ?
Date: 9 Feb 1994 21:42:02 GMT
Organization: Trusted Information Systems, Inc.


Does anybody know of the existance of a FAQ that covers cellular
telephony issues?


Dave Dalva <[e-mail]>    Trusted Information Systems, Inc.
Glenwood, MD  21738   [phone]   [phone] FAX

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: CLASS/Caller-ID/Bellcore/CCITT/ANSI Documents Sought
Date: 9 Feb 1994 21:51:56 GMT
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz


Dear readers of TELECOM Digest,

I am an undergraduate in Computer & Information Sciences at University
of California, Santa Cruz.  I am studying CLASS services and would
appreciate it if anyone could direct me to the following documents:

    + Bellcore specs for CLASS services.

    + CCITT "Recommendations" regarding CCITT Common-Channel
        Signaling System No. 7.  (Especially those relating
        to the above -- is caller-ID info. transmitted as
        part of a TUP or an ISUP?  If the former, is it
        transmitted as part of an IAM or something else?)

    + ANSI specifications regarding Signaling System 7.

Thank you for your time.

Wynship

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #72
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #73

TELECOM Digest     Thu, 10 Feb 94 08:12:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 73

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing (Robert Endicott)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing (Al Varney)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing (Al Varney)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing (Steve Cogorno)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing (Mike King)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Kyle Rhorer)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Monty Solomon)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Brian D. Renaud)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Ben Burch)
    Re: Phone Number History (Mark E Daniel)
    Re: Phone Number History (Jim Burks)
    Re: Phone Number History (Gordon Baldwin)
    Re: Phone Number History (Wolf Paul)
    Manual Phones in California! (David A. Kaye)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
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of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Robert Endicott)
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 06:24:21 GMT


Robb Topolski ([e-mail]) wrote:

> Just so there's no confusion, in my area:

> Remote Call Fowarding is a seven-digit number that exists in the CO
> only that your callers call to be connected with another (usually
> distant) number.

> Distinctive Ringing is a feature on your telephone that provides a
> distinctive ring (short-long-short) when a call originating from a
> particular number is received.  You create this list by inputting the
> number or by pressing *61 immediately following a call from a number
> you want added to the list.

> QUESTION:  If a caller (from 555-1133) dials my Remote Call Forwarding
> number (555-9922) which is forwarded to my home, which number is
> evaluated by Distinctive Ringing?

I had a use for this in California when I lived there, and set up
"Distinctive Ringing" and put the (555-9922) into the list.

If someone at the location of the 555-9922 would dial my number from
the 555-9922 number, I would get the distinctive ring.

But if someone (555-1133) dialed 555-9922 and the call was forwarded
to my number, my CO would not recognize the call as from 555-9922 and
my phone would ring conventionally.

I don't know if it still works that way, but I disconnected the remote
number as it didn't work the way I needed it to.


Robert Endicott ([e-mail])

------------------------------

Date: Wed,  9 Feb 94 23:55:43 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

> Robb Topolski <[e-mail]> writes:

>> QUESTION:  If a caller (from 555-1133) dials my Remote Call Forwarding
>> number (555-9922) which is forwarded to my home, which number is
>> evaluated by Distinctive Ringing?

> Unfortunately, the RCF number (555-9922) will be forwarded to your
> home due to the way the features intereact in the switch software and
> the signalling network (SS7).  AT&T is theoretically working on a fix.
> Bug your local telco about the improper functioning of these features.

   I'd be most interested in a pointer to a trouble ticket number or
further description of RCF (a permanently-forwarded number) sending
anything other than the true Calling Party Number to a terminating
switch via SS7.  My quick search of the obvious keywords on all SS7
switching products did not reveal such a reported problem over the
previous four years.  (Well, actually I didn't look at the 4ESS(tm)
switch problem list, since RCF isn't supported.)

   Or was the problem dealing with Voice Mail/Message Desk interfaces
delivering Called Number vs. Forwarding Number, a totally different
issue?


Al Varney

------------------------------

Date: Wed,  9 Feb 94 09:44:35 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> Robb Topolski KJ6YT <[e-mail]> writes:

> REMOTE CALL FORWARDING: Your distant callers dial a seven-digit
> number which is set to automatically forward to your home or office.

> PRIORITY RINGING: You program a list of up to ten numbers.
> When you receive a call from one of those numbers, your phone will
> ring in some distictive way (short-long-short).

> Question:

> I have remote call forwarding.  Can I set priority ringing to
> my remote call-fowarding number so when anyone calls me via that
> number I get the distinctive ring?  Or is the calling number reported
> to the feature the caller's actual number rather than the forwarder's
> number?

   Rules in TR-TSY-000031 state that, for virtually all forms of
forwarding, the ORIGINATING DN is delivered to the terminating switch
for use in CallerID, Distinctive Ring, etc.  These features were
designed to work the same way between a calling and called telephone,
whether or not forwarding was used to reach the called telephone.

   Also, you should not be able to set priority ringing to a remote
call-forwarding number, because such attempts to do so are rejected if
the number is "forwarding" when the addition to the Distinctive Ring
list is attempted.  (This assumes the number is "forwarding" at the
time.  Of course, you can put non-forwarding numbers on the the list
and then change the number to forwarding ...)

   If you really want to know the number of the telephone forwarding
TO YOU, you need to use one of the Voice Mail (or Message Service)
interfaces.  These will deliver either the original dialed number or
the last number to forward the call before you got it.


Al Varney

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steve Cogorno)
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 19:58:47 PST


Said by: Robb Topolski KJ6YT

> I have remote call forwarding.  Can I set priority ringing to
> my remote call-fowarding number so when anyone calls me via that
> number I get the distinctive ring?  Or is the calling number reported
> to the feature the caller's actual number rather than the forwarder's
> number?

If you are in Pacific Bell land, the answer is no.  Pacific Bell says
that the two features are incompatible and they will not interact;
something about the mode in which the SS7 protocol identifies the
originating number when RCF is involved.  Interestingly enough, all
other types of diversion (Busy/No Answer/Call Forwarding) will function
as you describe with Remote Call Forwarding.


Steve    [e-mail]
#608 Merrill * 200 McLaughlin Drive * Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1015

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mike King)
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 17:31:25 PST


In TELECOM Digest V14 #68, Robb Topolski KJ6YT <[e-mail]> asked:

> I have remote call forwarding.  Can I set priority ringing to
> my remote call-fowarding number so when anyone calls me via that
> number I get the distinctive ring?  Or is the calling number reported
> to the feature the caller's actual number rather than the forwarder's
> number?

Why not get Ident-a-Ring, or whatever your LEC calls the service where
more than one directory number is assigned to your line, and then have
the RCF number point to the additional phone number?  Presto.  Your
RCFed calls will always have a distinctive ring, regardless of whichever
number gets forwarded.  This would even work if the exchange with your
RCF number isn't equipped with SS7.


Mike King     [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Kyle Rhorer)
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company
Date: 9 Feb 1994 23:21:21 GMT
Organization: KRUG Life Sciences, Inc.


On Wed, 9 Feb 94 14:03:35 +0100, Lars Poulsen ([e-mail]) wrote:

> In RISKS issue 15.46, Tom Bodine reports the unsettling experience of
> being accused of making an obscene phone call, after the husband of
> the recipient of the call (his wife's best friend) used the "call
> return" feature at the end of the obscene call, and then reached his
> number.  He speculates that his number was captured by the friend's
> telephone switch as the result of a failed call from his wife while
> the friend's line was busy with the obscene call.

I live near the Bell/GTE border in my part of the world, and it is
obvious that the two companies talk to each other only when required
to by law.  More specifically, I can not "call return" a call that
came from a GTE caller, even if that caller is less than a block away
from me.  Is it possible that Mrs. Bodine was the last caller *before*
the obscene call, and the obscene call came from a subscriber in a
different operating company?  Perhaps the OC that serves the Bodines
simply doesn't update the call return register if the call is from an
"unidentifiable" source?


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I don't think this is true. I think the
buffer which holds that information is flushed each time around, meaning
valid, identifiable information from an earlier call would be erased by
the new call, even if the new call put nothing more than 'outside' or
'cannot identify' in the buffer where the previous information had been.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 18:08:24 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company


> While such a feature interaction is possible (is the number supposed
> to be captured on a busy? I know it is on a no-answer failure), there

We have a feature here (NET/NYNEX) called Call Return (*69) which
allows you to return your last incoming call whether it was answered
or not.

One disadvantage of Call Return is that you don't know in advance if
you will incur toll charges on the returned call unless you also have
Caller ID and the number was not blocked.

Call Return works only for calls which originate in areas which have
the availability of the PHONESMART package (Caller ID, Call Return,
Repeat Dialing, and Call Trace).

Here is the actual message from Tom Bodine as it appeared in an
excerpt from RISKS DIGEST 15.46

  Date: 8 Feb 1994 13:53:35 GMT
  From: [e-mail] (Tom Bodine)
  Subject: Don't trust the phone company

I am the victim of false accusations.

My wife and I were at home some time last week. I was busy cooking
dinner.  My wife was busy chasing our two year old, when we received a
phone call which my wife accepted.  The fellow on the other end of the
line was extremely irate.  His wife has been receiving obscene phone
calls for some time now.  He had purchased the service provided by the
phone company which allows you to call back the last person to dial
you.  After his wife had discontinued the obscene call she'd just
received, he had used this feature to righteously confront her abuser.
Instead he had dialed us.

This was somewhat perplexing until a few minutes later, my wife's best
friend called. Imediately after saying hello, My wife began relating
this strange occurence to her friend. Her friend then told my wife
that it was her husband who had made this call utilizing this phone
service.

This has put a heavy strain upon my wife's relationship with her
friend, because her friend's husband has assumed that I am the author
of these obscene calls. Whereas I barely have time for all the things
which fill my life. I have no time or interest in making such calls.

It is my belief that my wife had tried to call her best friend during
the obscene phone call. This attempt overwrote the perpetrator's
number, so that when the call back service was used, our phone rang
instead.

If there are any knowledgeable netter's out there that could give me
any more info, I'd appreciate it.

Regards,

Tom Bodine

                        ---------------

Monty Solomon


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: What seems to put a fly in the ointment
where the arguments about false identification due to a variety of
possible causes (one call arrived when line was busy, next call went
in the 'return call' buffer, etc, call returned to the wrong party of
the two who called about the same time) is Mr. Bodine's comment that
this woman had received *several* obscene calls over a period of time.
Surely the intricacies of the modern phone network did not interact
in such a bizarre way every time. If there have been so many obscene
calls, can't the woman at least identify the voice of the caller, or
listen to Mr. Bodine's voice and qualify or disqualify him as the
person responsible?   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Brian D. Renaud)
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company
Date: 9 Feb 1994 20:05:44 GMT
Organization: HCIA, Inc.


Lars Poulsen ([e-mail]) wrote:

> I believe that there is no such interaction problem in the case of the
> "calling number identification" feature, since the number is delivered
> in real time and only when the call rings through. Thus, the call that
> would come in DURING the problem call, would only be recorded if the
> recipient had the "call waiting" feature, and in that case would not
> get busy, but ringback, and the CNID (if subscribed) would be delivered
> between the rings (call waiting tones)).

In my experience, CNID is not delivered if your phone is busy, even if
you have call waiting.

Brian


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You are correct, it is not delivered if
your line is busy, and it is only delivered (if arriving via call waiting)
on one condition that I can detirmine: if the call-waiting party stays on
the line, allowing it to ring, then when the called party and whoever he
is talking to disconect the call-waiting call will start to ring through
and Caller-ID will be delivered between the first and second audible
rings heard by the called party just as though it was the first and second
'true rings'. That is to say, you ring me and I am on a call. I get the
call-waiting signal and tell my party we have to ring off so I can take
the new call. We chat a few seconds more and hang up. Rather than flashing
to accept the new call, I actually hang up and let my phone ring a couple
times more. Between the first and second rings *that I hear* my display
will get the Caller-ID, even if the calling party had to sit for a dozen
rings or more. I'm not sure, but I think if I flash to answer, then put
the party on hold and later hang up (the first call) allowing 'reminder
rings' to tell me about the party on hold, I'll get Caller-ID between the
first and second of those 'reminder rings' also. I know the first instance
is correct; I think the second one is. That seems to be the one and only
way of receiving Caller-ID under the circumstances: you have to hang up
on the party you are talking with and let the call-waiting actually cause
your phone to ring so delivery can be made to your display, regardless of
how long that may be (or how many rings have occurred) since the call-
waiting party entered your premises.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: Ben Burch <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company
Organization: Motorola, Inc
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 21:58:34 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> TELECOM Digest Editor noted
in response to Lars Poulsen, [e-mail]:

> ... If Mr. Bodine insists he is not the party who made the obscene
call, then I guess we take his word for it and find someone else to
blame; but it seems quite a stretch of the imagination ...

Well ... I hope you'll take *my* word for this, too!

About six, maybe seven months ago, I was sleeping, and was awakened by
the telephone ringing:

Me:  "Good evening, Burch residence"

Female Caller:    "Who is this?"

<moment of disorientation, non-sequiters at 1:00 AM cause this ...>

Me: "I think I ought to ask you that, since you called me..."

FC: "No, *you* called me."

Me: "The telephone was ringing, and I answered it, so, really, I'm pretty
sure you called me."

<this was starting to sound like some bad practical joke.>

FC: "No, you made an obscene call to this number just now, and I used
call return to call you back."

Me: "I'll beg your pardon, but there is nobody at this number but me at
present, and I was sleeping."

FC: "If you ever call me again, I'll see you arrested."  *click*

So, I'm absolutely *certain* that there are major bugs with this
feature.  Possibly some bright jerk has firgured out how to give it
false information, but I'd bet on a bug first.  (I've done telephone
switch programming, so I'm allowed to have an opinion ...)


Ben Burch   Motorola Wireless Data Group   [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Oh, I believe you. It could be that
whoever called the lady quickly call-forwarded his line to yours
immediatly after disconnecting; he woke her up with his call, she sat
there in a just-awakened stupor and thought about it for a minute then
used 'return last call' to reach you via him. This is where having
Caller-ID *and* 'return last call' both on the line would be useful.
That way one could see the actual number placing the call even if the
return trip led somewhere else. Maybe there ought to be a dialing code
for the purpose of 'do not forward'. That is, the person placing the
call would dial some two-digit code (such as for blocking or do not
disturb) which meant 'absolutely ring number such and such'. This would
be sort of like the post office endorsement we can use on letters which
says, 'do not forward, return to sender if unable to deliver as addressed'.
Telco's response would be to ring that number or respond with a voice
intercept, 'cannot ring that number now' if the number was being for-
warded. There may be times, for example, when I wish to speak with you
but not if I know you are elsewhere; in those cases I am willing to wait
until you are at home. The recipient's Caller-ID box would show some
notation such as 'forced delivery from xxx-yyyy' to indicate a call had
been received but not forwarded at the caller's request.  PAT]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Date: Wed, 09 Feb 1994 16:17:02
From: [e-mail] (Mark E Daniel)


In article <[e-mail]> TELECOM Digest Editor asked:

> mine did. Do party lines still exist anywhere or are they all discontinued
> by now?   PAT]

I am told that in North Benton,OH, one must settle for a party line
until a private one becomes available.


Mark E Daniel                   (Loving SysOp of The Legend BBS)
Inet: [e-mail]   [e-mail] (Direct INet)

------------------------------

From: Jim Burks <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Date: 9 Feb 1994 15:05:09 GMT
Organization: The Promus Companies, Memphis, TN


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John
Sullivan) writes:

> While driving across South Dakota and Wyoming last fall, there wasn't
> much choice of radio stations to listen to.  At one point I was near
> Buffalo, Wyoming, tuned to FM 92.7, which at the time was giving local
> small-town news.  This included notice that someone had found a dog.
> The owner was asked to "call us [the radio station] at 5126".

> Could it be that in this town, four-digit dialing is possible?  Or
> does everyone just know what the exchange is?  (The phone book at the
> next gas station showed Buffalo as 684, I think.)

Until approximately two years ago, the phone exchange in New Albany,
Mississippi where I grew up allowed you to dial five digits.  All
phones were on the same prefix (601-534), and you could dial 4-9511
or 534-9511.  South Central Bell upgraded to a new switch and that
feature went away.  Most of the old-timers missed it.

Maybe Mississippi isn't the last to upgrade!


Jim Burks               [e-mail]
The Promus Companies   Memphis, Tennessee, USA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Gordon Baldwin)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 21:19:58 PST


On the lines of old telephone numbers, I have a yardstick that I got
from my grandparents and I have been musing over the age for a few
years. You older telephony folks may have a better idea than I do
about it. The markings on it read:

"GRAND RAPIDS LUMBER COMPANY"

East end office 1411 Robinson Road.

Bell Phone Main 130 - Citz 21766.

My questions are: how old do you think this is, and is that two phone
numbers for separate companies?


Gordon Baldwin   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Wolf Paul)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: Alcatel Austria Research Center, Vienna, Austria
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 10:59:25 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, TELECOM Digest Editor notes:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think the party line suffixes in most
> places were -J, -M -R and -W. I never had a party line, but a friend of
> mine did. Do party lines still exist anywhere or are they all discontinued
> by now?   PAT]

Party lines after a fashion still exist in Austria, albeit not with
different ringing cadences but with electronic boxes.

There are up to four subscribers on one such line, each one has a
sealed box where the phone line enters the house. This box has jumpers
in it which determine to which final digit the phone connected to it
responds, and who calls are billed to.

The phones are non-standard, with about ten wires in the cable running
from the box to the phone; to get a line tou have to push a button on
the phone, it will click a few times and you get dial tone, or if one
of the other subscribers is already on the line, nothing happens.

When a call comes in, all connected phones tingle once before the
boxes figure out who it's for.

It is not unheard of that someone opens up his sealed box and tries to
jumper it so that calls are billed to a neighbor; usually this brings
the PTT to your door pretty quickly, though. Stupid, really, because
one can also jumper the box to not bill at all -- there is a test
configuration whose use is much more difficult for the PTT to detect.

These party lines are being phased out now, as switches are converted
to digital technology (using NT DMS-100s and Siemens EWSD-E equipment).

Copper Sharing still is used though; on non-ISDN lines, the PTT will
multiplex up to two subscribers on a pair with a frequency modulation
device ("Frequenz- Weiche" in German, don't know what it'd be called
in English).


Wolf N. Paul, Computer Center      [e-mail]
Alcatel Austria Research Center  [phone] (w)
Ruthnergasse 1-7                   [phone] (fax)
A-1210 Vienna-Austria/Europe        [phone] (h)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David A. Kaye)
Subject: Manual Phones in California!
Date: 10 Feb 1994 02:09:10 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access [phone]  [login: guest]


Garrett Wollman ([e-mail]) wrote:

> Warm Springs Station
> (Call Operator For)
> Warm Springs Bar Agent .Warm Springs No 2

Yep.  Until about five or six years ago the little town of San Gregorio,
California (60 miles south of San Francisco on the coast) had manual
stations.  The Peterson & Alsford's general store was San Gregorio #3
and the pay phone outside their store was #2.  It was fun to try to
call there during the summer to see whether the beach was sunny or
fogged in.  The operators didn't know how to connect calls!  This was
a typical rendition after dialing the "0" operator:

"I'd like to call San Gregorio"
"Is that in the Western Hemisphere?"
"Yes, it's near San Mateo."
"San Mateo, Mexico?"
"No, in California."
"Hmmm ... okay, you can dial that direct."
"No I can't.  You have to dial it for me."
"Okay, sir.  What's the number?"
"Three."
"Okay, 3 what?"
"Three.  That's it.  San Gregorio #3."
"But I can't dial that.  There aren't enough digits."
"Yes there are.  May I speak to a supervisor?"
==Supervisor comes on==
"I understand you're having trouble dialing a number?"
"No, you have to dial it for me.  It's San Gregorio #3."
"Oh, that must be a toll station.  Let me connect you with the
International Operator."
"But this is a California number!"
"I'm sorry sir, but we need to connect with a manual board and only the
International operator in Oakland can do that for you."

The upshot of this was that a call to Half Moon Bay (north of San
Gregorio and a dial office) was 60 cents, but because San Gregorio was
handled out of the International Operator center in Oakland and
Oakland is a local call from SF, a call to San Gregorio was a local
call, even though it took me about five minutes to make the call EACH
AND EVERY time.  Finally, they just extended Half Moon Bay's exchange
further south to include San Gregorio.  Pac*Bell certainly lost money
on that manual office.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Except that was not really a 'manual
office' in the traditional use of the term. Manual central offices
were offices just like today with hundreds or thousands of subscribers
and the only difference being the calls were all processed through
live operators. Instances like San Gregorio and so many places in
Nevada were (are) known as 'toll stations', meaning they are isolated
phones in distant places handled through an operator many miles away.
Typically, there will be only one or two, maybe five phones at some
highway junction in the desert somewhere; a payphone, a phone in the
grocery store/tavern, maybe a couple other phones for the dozen or so
people who live there. A 'manual office' was more a situation where
there was an actual town (even if very small) with a switchboard in
the town and operators in the town who handled calls between the locals.
In San Gregorio for example, it is unlikely the subscriber to number
three would ever call the subscriber to number one or number four.
The 'largest' toll station set up I ever heard of was one place in
Nevada where I think (in the directory of Nevada Bell) I saw listings
which said 'call operator and ask for number 16'. Even then, there were
not sixteen listings; maybe a dozen or so with a few numbers missing
from the list (non-pub service maybe? :)  ) .....   PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #73
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #74

TELECOM Digest     Thu, 10 Feb 94 09:11:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 74

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Info on Northridge, CA Switch After Earthquake? (Steven H. Lichter)
    Re: Info on Northridge, CA Switch After Earthquake? (Lauren Weinstein)
    Re: Clock Slip and { Once More ([e-mail])
    Re: Time Domain Reflectometers (Alan Boritz)
    Re: Need Poisson Tables (Al Varney)
    Re: Info on Modems That Provide/Multiplex RS-422 and RS-366 (Rob Vietzke)
    Re: BBS Getting Internet Mail (Tony Zuccarino)
    Re: Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software (Stuart Whitmore)
    Re: Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software (Clarence Dold)
    Re: Increasing Cordless Range (Bill Pfeiffer)
    Re: DID Questions (David A. Kaye)
    Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future? ([e-mail])
    Re: E-Mail Spying By Employers (Bill Tighe)
    AT&T's New 900 Mhz Cordless Phone (Alex Cena)
    New Hello Direct Catalog (Thomas Lapp)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steven H. Lichter)
Subject: Re: Info on Northridge, CA Switch After Earthquake?
Date: 9 Feb 1994 21:46:04 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)


If you are talking about the PacBell switch, that would have to be the
Shirley switch, at least that is what it was called when I work for
the other company located in the SF Valley. The dial tone was back up
in about an hour, at least that is what my parents said since they are
about a block from that switch. I was able to reach my date on his
cellular phone shortly after the quake. I'm sure that the switch was
running on generator since there was a great amount of damage. They
are within two blocks of the mall that was smashed and about three
miles from the apartment that we all saw on television where all those
people were killed.  As to the GTE switch which is located in Granada
Hills, it was up shortly and was operating on generator. Almost as
soon as the quake happened ATT and others blocked all traffic into the
area.

The above have nothing to do with my employer whoever they may be and
the information was gathered from public media.


Sysop: Apple Elite II -=- an Ogg-Net Hub BBS
[phone] 12/24/96/14.4 V32/V42bis Via PCP CACOL/12/24

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 6 Feb 1994 13:44:00 PST
From: [e-mail] (Lauren Weinstein)
Subject: Re: Info on Northridge, CA Switch After Earthquake


We're about five miles from the epicenter (a nice 5.2 aftershock last
night, by the way -- keeps you on your toes ...)  I didn't hear of any
major CO damage in the area from the main quake, though there were
scattered genuine outages.  The vast majority of people who thought
they couldn't get dial tone simply weren't waiting long enough, under
extremely loaded conditions.


 --Lauren--

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Clock Slip and { Once More
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 20:38:11 GMT


> The clock slip inserts (or drops) a bit in this other, digitized,
> bit stream. This causes a temporary difference in the pattern, which
> causes a couple of bit errors on the receiving end.
> Exactly what comes out depends on:

> - which modulation is used (2400, 9600, 14400 ...);
> - whether it's a bit insert or a bit delete, and whether the
>   channel bank dropped a whole frame;
> But for a given trunk, these factors tends to be the same.

You're forgetting that it will effect data transfer rates, I'm losing
close to 20% on 'CLOCK SLIPS' though an RCF.  I've been tryin gto get
Pacific Bell to deal with it for a while now.

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Time Domain Reflectometers
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Wed, 09 Feb 1994 23:43:05 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


[e-mail] (Mark Earle) writes:

> Last time I needed one of these, we called a company in Los Angeles,
> LeaseMetric. They supply specialized test gear short term; will ship
> second day or overnight, etc. Generally, you need a corporate P.O. or
> a credit card with a pretty high limit/available credit line.

Riser-Bond makes a couple of good cost-effective TDR's very
competitive with the Tektronix and Scientific-Atlanta products.
They're as accurate as the Tek boxes, but they're built in padded, and
sealed, carrying cases, and designed so they can be operated with a
minimum of instruction.  The top-of-the-line box has a scope and
thermal printer, and the economy model only has a digital readout.  If
you have the oscilloscope and time to play, you can hook it up to the
digital model and make a TDR scope display, too.

> Other uses of TDR's: On radio towers, to verify location of splices in
> transmission line; to find bullet holes in feedlines. In underground
> wires or cables, to find where they "turn" without digging up the
> whole landscape, etc. Quite a handy device.

I use them at work to check transmission lines and connectors. There's no
substitute for them, as they're much more sensitive than network analyzers
to locate problem line sections and bad connectors.


[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 13:51:29 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Need Poisson Tables
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> al.farnham%gtecn01@mailgw.
er.doe.gov writes:

> I am in need of Poisson tables (P.001, P.005, P.01, P.05) for trunk
> groups with 200 to 500 trunks.

> All the information I have stops at 200 trunks.

   A short table (minus the P.005 data) is available from AT&T CIC on
1-800-432-6600.  Document 231-060-810, 8 pages, "Poisson Capacity
Tables".

   But unless you are writing traffic software or otherwise need very
accurate numbers, just use your 200 trunk numbers and add:

  P.001:   32.8  CCS/trunk for each added trunk
  P.01:    33.5  CCS/trunk ...
  P.05:    33.6  CCS/trunk ...
     For P.005, something around 33.1 CCS/added trunk should be close.

   You'll be off by only 1% or so, and most folks don't have traffic
estimates that are THAT accurate.

  As a data check, here's some points:

  300 trunks, P.001:  8978 CCS (29.9 CCS/trunk)
              P.01:   9404 CCS (31.4)
  400 trunks, P.001: 12280 CCS (30.7)
              P.01:  12784 CCS (32.0)
  500 trunks, P.001: 15617 CCS (31.2)
              P.01:  16182 CCS (32.4)

   For P.05, the highest entry is for 260 trunks, 8424 CCS (32.4 CCS/trunk)
    [You really want to offer this grade of service?]


Al Varney - all errors are mine

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Rob Vietzke)
Subject: Re: Info on Modems That Provide/Multiplex RS-422 and RS-366
Organization: University of Connecticut Computing Center
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 19:33:04 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

> I am looking for vendor information on modems that provide and
> multiplex both RS-422 and RS-366 interfaces.  The interfaces provide
> both data and dialing information to be transmitted.

> I have video teleconferencing and Inverse mux equipment that have the
> RS-422 and RS-366 interfaces.  Our 4 building campus has both fiber
> optic and copper in its distribution.  The modems would be used to
> remotely connect the video teleconferencing equipment over fiber or
> copper to the Inverse mux equipment.

You might be better off using a remote port module on copper. I don't
know whose MUX you are using, but the Ascend RPM wokrs well here.

Also, consider bringing the video and audio back from the classroom on
fiber and locating the CODEC at the MUX. This allows full motion
video/ audio to/from the location which better positions you for
future teleconferencing technologies that may go full motion in a
couple years.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tony Zuccarino)
Subject: Re: BBS Getting Internet Mail
Organization: Rockwell International
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 19:54:40 GMT

In article <[e-mail]>, TELECOM Digest Editor noted
in response to [e-mail]:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: No leased or other special lines are
> needed. There are BBS software packages available -- many for free --
> which have a UUCP-style interface built into them which allows the
> BBS to call and exchange mail/news with some other site. Waffle is
> one such program, and there is a newsgroup devoted to it.   PAT]

PAT,

Can you tell me where to find this newsgroup? Is waffle a public
domain software or who has control of it?


Thanks,

Tony Zuccarino        Internet: [e-mail]
Product Marketing     Rockwell International


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yes, Waffle is public domain or
shareware. I think the newsgroup is called 'alt.bbs.waffle' or
something like that. Someone who knows for sure or reads it can write
to you with the specifics.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 09 Feb 1994 13:09:40 -0800
From: [e-mail] (Rattlesnake Stu)
Subject: Re: Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software
Organization: Central Washington University


Alan Boritz (drharry![e-mail]) wrote:

> To make matters worse, the documentation warns the buyer against using
> the database for mailing lists, because they state that they've seeded
> it with phony records!
> I certainly hope that this doesn't represent how we can expect what we
> previously considered "respectable" software dealers to market "cheap"
> CD rom products for the masses.  This kind of deceptive marketing
> could kill CD roms before they really get rolling.

I would guess that Egghead is as unaware as your friend was of the
contents of the product; perhaps a complaint, logically and clearly
presented, would convince the store to cease carrying the product.
(This is assuming that it is not an Egghead-brand CD ...) If enough
stores stop carrying the item, the publisher may shape up the product
or simply discontinue the item.

What is the actual name of the CD?


Thanks,

Stuart    [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Clarence Dold)
Subject: Re: Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software
Organization: a2i network
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 03:24:24 GMT


Alan Boritz (drharry![e-mail]) wrote:

> he brought it home, he found that the access program for the database
> gave him an intriguing message about how he "bought" a record, after
> viewing a full address and phone record.  It seems that the
> instructions INSIDE of the CD rom package explain that he didn't buy

The outside of the box does give the same quote.  But taken out of
context, it looks like another marketing blip, not a warning.  There
is also text warning that the disc will expire in one year.  I didn't
worry about that, since I don't care when it "expires", but now that
I've seen the counter counting down, I believe that the engine will
stop working in one year.

The counter is ludicrously easy to defeat.  What can they possibly
write to the CDROM as a check?  Nothing.  Obviously.  They can write a
counter to the directory on disk.

This is an annoying trait in an otherwise delightful toy.  Even if it
does expire in a year, I've already had more than $17.95 of use from
it.  I also see that there is a program called "upgrade.exe" on the
CDROM, so I suspect that if you hand over your VISA number, they will
provide you with a passkey to another 5000 lookups.

How many people do you know with the name "Dold"?  You know how many
businesses are listed with DOLD as part of the name? ;-)


Clarence A Dold - [e-mail]
                - Milpitas (near San Jose) & Napa CA.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Pfeiffer)
Subject: Re: Increasing Cordless Range
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 21:24:23 CST


> [e-mail] (John Zentveld) wrote:

> I live out on a farm (ie no other houses for sevel hundred meters) and
> would like to increase the range of a Panasonic KXT300 cordless phone
> running on 30 - 39MHz, by putting an external antenna on the roof.

> Does anyone have any ideas on the type and size of the antenna, what
> type of cable I should use etc.  It currently has one of those
> telescopic type on the base unit.

If indeed the frequencies you mention are accurate in Australia, you
could easily use an inexpensive groundplane cut for the 11 meter band
(CB in he USA).  If that is not available, you can use a piece of
aluminum or copper rod, between 90 and 100" long (sorry my metric is
terrible).  At 27 mhz the quarter wave is about 108", so trim it a bit
shorter for the 30 mhz range.  Be sure the rod is not mounted on a
metal pole and that it does not touch any metal or come too close to
any metal, or detuning will result.  The rod should be attached to the
inner conductor of the coax.  You can fashion some groundplanes to the
shield if you want, but it may not be necessary.

Exact length is not critical, as long as it is close.  Use RG-58
coaxial cable, or if you are a real fanatic, use RG-8, the thick
stuff, for less loss. Attach the center conductor to the place on the
board (inside the base station), where the whip antenna now clips on.
Attach the shield to any ground pint.  Usually the tuned cans are
grounded.  Sometimes there is a ground post next to the whip antenna
lug.

Place the antenna as high as is feasible, remembering that the longer
the coax run the more you will lose getting to the antenna, so mount
the base as high and close to the antenna as you can.

Also remember that it may be illegal to do that in Australia; it sure
is here in the USA.  Also doing this will void any warranted you might
have.


Bill

[e-mail]
Publishers of Internet E-Mail Digests
AIRWAVES RADIO JOURNAL * LOOPLIST * KID MEDIA * BRANSON CHAT *
William Pfeiffer (That's Me)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David A. Kaye)
Subject: Re: DID Questions
Date: 9 Feb 1994 20:20:21 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access  [phone]  [login: guest]


Tom Watson ([e-mail]) wrote:

> guy calling in).  Sometimes it takes frantic calls to repair droids to
> re-activate the trunks.  Usually the calls require such items as T&N
> numbers, trunk group numbers, or other such data that you never have
> in front of you, and is usually NOT supplied by the telephone company.

Dealing with Pacific Bell I've had absolutely no problem whatsoever in
getting the trunks reactivated after an outage (such as a local power
failure).  And if you don't have your trunk numbers handy, maybe you
shouldn't be doing this kind of stuff for a living, eh?  I had no
problem getting the numbers, and PacBell was more than happy to
accommodate us.  One interesting note: on DID trunks passed to another
central office (your site is located in a different CO from the place
where the DIDs originate), their inter-office connection keeps the
trunks from dropping out if you lose battery, since the originating
office is still seeing constant battery.  You don't have to call them!
At least, I never did until we moved into the same CO.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future?
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 00:37:00 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


S. L. Lee <[e-mail]> writes:

> I heard that a technology is available (or becoming available) that
> can transmit voice, data, fax, video, two-way and simultaneous and
> automatically routed. I posted a msg but might have misposted.

Actually, a company called CellularVision (out of New York) has
developed a multi-point service to provide wireless cable services at
the 28Ghz band.  Right now it is being tested in the New York City,
Westchester County areas.  It is not set up to do two-way.

CellularVision has experimental licenses in this market.  The FCC will
probably auction off the bands in 1995-6 timeframe.

You may want to contact them for more details.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Tighe)
Subject: Re: E-Mail Spying By Employers
Date: 9 Feb 1994 19:35:49 GMT


[e-mail] once wrote:

> When You Use E-Mail at Work the Boss May Be Looking In
> By James McNair, {The Miami Herald}
> Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News

> Sounds like an invitation to employee rebellion, but corporations
> insist they restrain themselves from systematic E-mail peeping. When
> they do play back the disks, it's for legitimate business reasons,
> such as investigating crimes, tracing security breaches or intercepting
> customer inquiries when an employee is absent.

Email used as evidence!?* How do investigators verify the source of an
email message?  How do you know that this very post wasn't sent by my
evil twin brother Fred?

Pardon my paranoia but it seems that email messages are easy to fake.
Even if you don't send incriminating messages yourself, somebody who
wants your job or your head may do it for you.

Perhaps it is better to avoid email until the security and privacy
problems have been solved.


Bill Tighe                Noller Communications, Inc.
Email:  [e-mail]   1250 Holm Road
Phone:  [phone]      Petaluma, CA 94954-1172
FAX:    [phone]
Q:  Which is worse, ignorance or apathy?
A:  I don't know and I don't care.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 09:09:12 EST
From: Alex Cena <[e-mail]>
Subject: AT&T's New 900 Mhz Cordless Phone


There's been quite a bit of disccusion regarding cordless phones so I
thought it may be helpful to share my experience over the last month
with my new cordless phone.  I have had the opportunity to try AT&T's
new Dragon, which is a 900 Mhz cordless phone with 1000mw of power.
It uses spread spectrum technology based on frequency hopping.  I
placed it in the library of our house and here is what I found:

1) I can walk anywhere in my house and on my 1 1/2 acre densely wooded
lot and still be able to use the phone with excellent clarity;

2) sound quality is excellent;

3) The sound volume is a bit low but that may be due to too much time
spent on the rifle range;

4) the ringer is way too loud even in the lowest setting; and

5) Speakerphones go whacko when the Dragon's handset is within a foot
or two of it during an incoming call.

Since I've been lazy, I haven't walked until I got disconnected but
I'll try that next.  Otherwise, I was very happy with it relative to
my old cordless phone.  I can't wait until they have multi-line
versions available.


Alex M. Cena, Lehman Brothers, [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 19:16:25 EST
From: Thomas Lapp <[e-mail]>
Subject: New Hello Direct Catalog


I received the Spring 1994 Hello Direct catalog in the mail today,
(800-444-3556) and it has a bunch of interesting gadgets in it.  Some
of the ones that caught my eye that I either didn't know existed, or
else have never seen in catalogs before:

-> A two-line speakerphone that allows you to conference the two
   lines together (hey, I'm paying for two lines, why not get
   three-way without the charge!)

-> A four mailbox voicemail system for less than I thought they
   would cost.

-> A "personal pay phone" that takes quarters and looks a lot like
   the standard desk set.

-> Callcost, a personal device for recording all calls and times
   out of your phone line.  Can be hooked up to a computer and
   cost of calls calculated as well as sorted by "accounts".

-> SelectPhone, 3 CDs with 73 million residential and 8 million
   business phone numbers and addresses.

There is a lot more in there, and it really is a "Wish Book" for the
person who loves telecom gadgets.  I have yet to order, but it is fun
to look for stuff.


tom
internet    mvac23![e-mail]  or  [e-mail] (home)
            [e-mail] (work)
OSI         C=US/A=MCI/S=LAPP/D=ID=4398613
uucp        {ucbvax,mcvax,uunet}!udel!mvac23!thomas
Location    Newark, DE, USA

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #74
*****************************


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Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 13:37:43 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #75

TELECOM Digest     Fri, 11 Feb 94 13:38:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 75

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    CRTC Rejects Changes to Inside Wiring Responsibilities (David Leibold)
    Administration Adopts Coldwar Mentality, Pushes For Clipper (Monty Solomon)
    Telecommuting, Follow-up as Promised (Koos de Heer)
    Another Vendor Disguises Self as "AT&T" (Alan Boritz)
    Coca-Cola and US Sprint Run Phony Contest (Alan Boritz)
    New Zealand Dialing Protocol ([e-mail])
    New CompuServe Rates (Gavin Karelitz)
    Looking For 28,000 bps Test Number (Serge Burjak)
    Converting 11 Bit Data to 10 (Dave Wigglesworth)
    Re: Any LD Carriers With Cellular Plans? (John R. Levine)
    UK Net Access (Euan Bayliss)
    Re: VPN Services (David Appell)
    Re: Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software (Gary Breuckman)
    Re: Thanks For Using Your Local Phone Company (Ken Jongsma)
    Re: NPA Readiness for 1995 (Ken Rossen)
    Re: Advertising by New York Telephone (John R Levine)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Mario M. Butter)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
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of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 94 23:48:21 -0500
Subject: CRTC Rejects Changes to Inside Wiring Responsibilities


[from CRTC news release]

February 2, 1994

CRTC RULES AGAINST BELL/BC TEL PROPOSAL TO TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OF INSIDE
TELEPHONE WIRING

OTTAWA/HULL - The CRTC today denied applications by Bell Canada (Bell)
and British Columbia Telephone Company (BC Tel) proposing to transfer
ownership of residence and business single-line telephone wiring
inside buildings to invididual premises owners. Under the companies'
proposals, premises owners with single-line service would have assumed
the responsibility and cost of installing and repairing inside wiring.
Today's ruling (Telecom Decision CRTC 94-2) follows thorough public
proceedings conducted by the Commission.

"Based on the evidence presented during our public review, the CRTC
concluded that the particular approach proposed by Bell and BC Tel for
requiring consumers to take on ownership and responsibility for repair
of wiring inside their premises was not in the public interest," said
CRTC Chairman Keith Spicer. "However, the decision does set out
alternative approaches that Bell and BC Tel could consider to address
concerns raised during our public examination."

In their applications, Bell and BC Tel proposed the following:

* to transfer ownership of existing single-line business and residence inside
wiring to the owner of each premises;
* premises owners, at their option, would be able to obtain new single-line
inside wiring and repair of the wiring from telephone companies or other
suppliers;
* introduction of an optional maintenance plan called LineGuard for an
additional monthly fee, over and above current basic service prices;
* for two-party and multi-party line subscribers, the telephone companies
would continue to provide maintenance as part of the basic service rate for
the time being.

While the Commission concluded that there could be benefits in giving
customers responsibility for inside wiring, the CRTC found that the
maintenance plan proposals would result in unacceptable additional
costs to consumers. Moreover, the Commission concluded that a viable
competitive market in maintenance plan services was not likely to
develop because of the inherent advantages of the telephone companies.

In its decision, the CRTC outline two alternate scenarios which could
be explored by Bell and BC Tel. Under the first approach, subscribers
would be free to choose a supplier to install and repair inside
wiring, and telephone companies would be precluded from offering
maintenance plans. Under the second approach, responsibility for the
ownership, maintenance and repair of single-line inside wiring would
continue as it currently exists unless customers order new wiring or
modify their existing wiring.

In reaching its decision, the Commission took into account the
comments filed by a diverse range of interveners such as the
provincial governments of British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec; the
Telecommunications Workers' Union; the Association of Competitive
Telecommunications Suppliers; Unitel Communications Inc.; as well as
several associations representing electricians, consumers and
anti-poverty groups.


Contact: Bill Allen, Director
         CRTC Public Affairs, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2
         Tel: [phone], TDD: 819-994-0423, Fax: [phone]

Copies of today's decision are available from the CRTC's main Public
Examination Room (Tel: [phone], TDD: 819-994-0423, Fax: [phone])
or from one of its regional offices:

Halifax, Nova Scotia - Tel: [phone], TDD: 902-426-6997, Fax: [phone]
Montreal, Quebec - Tel: [phone], TDD: 514-283-8316, Fax: [phone]
Toronto, Ontario - Tel: [phone], TDD: 416-954-8420, Fax: [phone]
Winnipeg, Manitoba - Tel: [phone], TDD: 204-983-8274, Fax: [phone]
Vancouver, British Columbia - Tel: [phone], TDD: 604-666-0778,
                              Fax: [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 18:27:39 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: Administration Adopts Coldwar Mentality, Pushes For Clipper


FYI

 From: Stanton McCandlish <[e-mail]>
 Subject: Administration adopts coldwar mentality, pushes for Clipper

EFF Press Release            Feb 4 '94             * DISTRIBUTE WIDELY *

At two briefings, Feb. 4, 1994, the Clinton Administration and various
agencies gave statements before a Congressional committee, and later
representatives of civil liberties organizations, industry
spokespersons and privacy advocates.  The Electronic Frontier
Foundation's position, based on what we have seen and heard from the
Administration today, is that the White House is set on a course that
pursues Cold War national security and law enforcement interests to
the detriment of individual privacy and civil liberties.

The news is grim.  The Administration is:

 * not backing down on Clipper
 * not backing down on key escrow
 * not backing down on selection of escrow agents
 * already adamant on escrowed key access procedures
 * not willing to eliminate ITAR restrictions
 * hiding behind exaggerated threats of "drug dealers" and "terrorists"

The material released to the industry and advocacy version of the
briefing have been placed online at ftp.eff.org (long before their
online availability from government access sites, one might add).  See
below for specific details.

No information regarding the Congressional committee version of the
briefing has been announced.  EFF Director Jerry Berman, who attended
the private sector meeting, reported the following:

"The White House and other officials briefed industry on its Clipper
chip and encryption review. While the review is not yet complete, they
have reached several policy conclusions.  First, Clipper will be
proposed as a new Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) next
Wednesday. [Feb.  9] It will be "voluntary" for government agencies
and the private sector to use. They are actively asking other vendors
to jump in to make the market a Clipper market.  Export licensing
processes will be speeded up but export restrictions will not be
lifted in the interests of national security. The reason was stated
bluntly at the briefing : to frustrate competition with clipper by
other powerful encryption schemes by making them difficult to market,
and to "prevent" strong encryption from leaving the country thus
supposedly making the job of law enforcement and intelligence more
difficult.  Again in the interest of national security. Of course,
Clipper will be exportable but they would not comment on how other
governments will view this.  Treasury and NIST will be the escrow
agents and Justice asserted that there was no necessity for
legislation to implement the escrow procedures.

"I asked if there would be a report to explain the rationale for
choosing these results - we have no explanation of the Administration's
thinking, or any brief in support of the results. They replied that
there would be no report because they have been unable to write one,
due to the complexity of the issue.

"One Administration spokesperson said this was the Bosnia of Telecomm-
unications. I asked, if this was so, how, in the absence of some
policy explanation, could we know if our policy here will be as
successful as our policy in Bosnia?"

The announcements, authorization procedures for release of escrowed keys,
and q-and-a documents from the private sector briefing are online at EFF.

They are:

"Statement of the [White House] Press Secretary" [White House]
file://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Policy/Crypto/wh_press_secy.statement

"Statement of the Vice President" [very short - WH]
file://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Policy/Crypto/gore_crypto.statement

"Attorney General Makes Key Escrow Encryption Announcements" [Dept. of Just.]
file://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Policy/Crypto/reno_key_escrow.statement

"Authorization Procedures for Release of Encryption Key Components in
Conjunction with Intercepts Pursuant to Title III/State Statutes/FISA"
[3 docs. in one file - DoJ]
file://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Policy/Crypto/doj_escrow_intercept.rules

"Working Group on Data Security" [WH]
file://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Policy/Crypto/interagency_workgroup.announce

"Statement of Dr. Martha Harris Dep. Asst. Secy. of State for Polit.-Mil.
Affairs: Encryption - Export Control Reform" [Dept. of State]
file://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Policy/Crypto/harris_export.statement

"Questions and Answers about the Clinton Administration's Encryption
Policy" [WH]
file://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Policy/Crypto/wh_crypto.q-a

These files are available via anonymous ftp, or via WWW at:
http://www.eff.org/ in the "EFF ftp site" menu off the front page.

Gopher access:
gopher://gopher.eff.org/
Look in "EFF Files"/"Papers and Testimony"/"Crypto"

All seven of these documents will be posted widely on the net
immediately following this notice.


Contacts:

Digital Privacy: Jerry Berman, Exec. Director <[e-mail]>
                 Daniel J. Weitzner, Sr. Staff Counsel <[e-mail]>
Archives: Stanton McCandlish, Online Activist <[e-mail]>
General EFF Information: [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: My thanks to Monty for passing this along
to us. So, the discontent with President Clinton continues to grow. Does
anyone remember as far back as just before his election when this man
was supposedly going to be such a great person to have in office? Remember
all the great things in store for us? He conned lots of gay people into
voting for him with that bunk of his about no more discrimination in the
military; many Silicon Valley people supported him with his talk about
the Information Superhighway (probably soon to be commercialized beyond
everyone's wildest dreams -- even mine, and I should talk, eh?); why, I
think even the fine Socially Responsible People over at EFF and CPSR all
told us how this dude would be so much better than the current resident
president then in power who no doubt had seen his finest hour long
before moving into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Remember when Clinton went
to that meeting in Silicon Valley and that wimpy software programmer stood
up and said, "I sure wish I had voted for you .."?  I'm sure glad I
didn't!  Well, within a couple years hopefully he will be out of office.
It is too bad that impeachment proceedings are such a long, tedious and
cumbersome process. Nixon was the only president in recent times to face
impeachment, and when it became rather obvious it was about to happen he
resigned instead rather than go through with it.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 15:37:07 +0100
From: [e-mail] (Koos de Heer)
Subject: Telecommuting Follow-up Summary


A few weeks ago, I posted a discussion of telecommuting, requesting
discussion and announcing the summary of reactions in a follow-up
post. Well, here it is. Again, discussion is welcome.  Posting is
preferred, but email reactions will be edited (or should I say
moderated? ;-) into a future post.

     ---------------driving forces-----------------

We discussed the driving forces behind telecommuting. In the
correspondence that followed, two more driving forces were added:

There is also the desire of first world companies to take advantage of
third world wages.  If a job can be done by telecommuting, it may not
stay in the first world at all. This is already happening in the field
of programming (especially India).  One other case that was reported,
albeit a quite minor one, is sending hard copies of documents to the
third world for keyboard entry.  This is likely to become less
important over time as OCR gets better.  We don't have numbers for
either case, and no other instances were reported so far.

The European Union (formerly known as the European Community) is
conducting research on telecommuting as a way to help underdeveloped
area's. No results available yet, but the idea is clear: by bringing
the work to the people, one can try to prevent the mass migration to
urban areas in poor countries.

A driving force that we did discuss in the first post, but found
difficult to give hands and feet to, is the development of society. As
technology both advances and penetrates, people will get used to it
and take it for granted. Telecommunications will be used in the future
in cases where a personal meeting is now seen as essential. (Questions
have been raised if this is a desirable development, but that is,
however interesting, not the topic of this post). This sort of
development is difficult to project. We have come up with a few
figures that can serve as input.

The proliferation of Internet:
        1988               33,000 nodes
        1993            1,776,000   "

between 1991 and 1992, the numbers of PC's and fax machines in
households increased with 29% each.

Anyone have more ideas?

       ---------------social aspects---------------

In the first post, there was no mention of the social aspects of work.
Many people like to go to work to meet other people, which means that
telecommuters can become detached from the normal social network of
the workplace.  People can also have the need to maintain a
separation, a distance between home and work. The physical journey to
work can form a useful barrier between the two environments.

It depends on the individual; how (s)he relates to work and what the
(social and practical) situation at home is.  Generally, we use two
sets of criteria when determining the telecommutability of workers:

1. criteria related to the work situation (type of work, type of
   organization)
2. criteria related to the person (home situation, personality,
   personal preferences).

Telecommuting, in our view, will only succeed if the work and the
person are both telecommutable (which includes that the person _wants_
to telecommute).

In general, I expect a change in society in this respect.  The
dependence on work for social contacts will decrease and the
seperation between work and private environments will also become
less. In fact, telecommuting will make it easier to combine an
interesting and rewarding private life with a paid job.

The social problems of telecommuting can also be eliminated by
satellite telecommuting offices. This is becoming more popular in
States such as California where the traffic problem is the greatest.
Even though this is telecommuting, the individual works outside the
home and has a SHORT "physical journey" to the office.

       -------------example: BT------------

We often think of telecommuters as people in highly educated
environments. In the UK, British Telecom has conducted an experiment
with operators in the directory assistance service who worked at home.
Some interesting details:

A key element of the trial was that they were are provided with
videophones to preserve face-to-face contact with colleagues, and in
particular, a videophone was provided in the coffee room of their
central workplace, so that the teleworkers could keep up with gossip
and non-work related discussions as well as being able to consult
colleagues for work-related advice.

Operator jobs are such that one is working constantly, answering
telephone calls for most of the time (it can be quite exhausting).
It's immediately obvious if someone's not working, since their average
time to deal with a call will go up.  The system used to support
teleworking had a facility called "Comfort break", which the worker
used to request a break from work from the supervisor -- to visit the
lavatory, or get a drink.  Of course, this is similar to the situation
working in the Operator Centre -- workers must explicitly request
permission to leave their posts.

Strangely, when the users were questionnaired after the trial, the
"Comfort break" facility was judged to be the least important
facility!  The other facilities (in order of importance) were:

    + videophone
    + electronic mail
    + electronic forms
    + electronic noticeboard
    + newsflash
    + SOS - notification of domestic emergency
        (e.g. "Help! My house is on fire!")

         ------------end of follow-up---------------

As mentioned at the start of this article, comments are welcome.

Special thanks this time to:

Jock Eleven a.k.a. <[e-mail]> (Jonathan Headland)
 "G. TREVOR FOO" a.k.a. <[e-mail]>
[e-mail] (Jeff)
for their contributions


koos de heer - centrum voor informatieverwerking
[e-mail]               tel. ++31.30.924860

------------------------------

Subject: Another Vendor Disguises Self as "AT&T"
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 08:10:35 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


This must be the week for phone scams in New Jersey. ;) I received
several calls from a company identifying itself as "Network Services
of AT&T."  They pitched a software-defined network using AT&T that
features flat rates of .18/minute over five mileage bands (wow),
compared to a much better rate we presently get from AT&T.  The fax I
received, though, showed a Baltimore address and phone number and the
pitch then stated "utilizing the AT&T long distance network."  In
other words, just another pushy reseller mis-representing themselves.


[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]

------------------------------

Subject: Coca-Cola and US Sprint Run Phony Contest
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 08:06:15 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


Wow, a Diet Coke with a contest opportunity!  All I have to do is call
US Sprint's "Monster Line" (1-800-474-3476) and see if my "Monster
Code" is a winner!  Oh, no, the recording tells me that I can't reach
that number from my area!  Oh, well, Sprint screwed up ANOTHER "free"
offer... ;)


[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: New Zealand Dialing Protocol
Date: 11 Feb 1994 11:24:44 -0500
Organization: Delphi Internet Services Corporation


I understand that nine dial pulses are required to signify the digit
"1" in New Zealand, eight signify 2, etc. Can anyone confirm this?


[e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I believe that is correct. The dial
is exactly backwards of the one we use in the USA. Any New Zealanders
wish to comment?   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Gavin Karelitz)
Subject: New CompuServe Rates
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 21:07:14 EST


Here are the new CIS rates that became effective February 6th:

300-2400 bps   - $4.80/hr
9600-14400 bps - $9.60/hr

The above rates are for the "standard plan" and communications
surcharges remain the same as before for all data networks.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 12:42:29 CST
From: Serge Burjak <[e-mail]>
Subject: Looking For 28,000 bps Test Number


I am looking for a test number to do inoperability testing over a
satellite link on a 28,000 bps modem. Any help will be greatly
appreciated.


Serge Burjak   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: Dave Wigglesworth <[e-mail]>
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 08:50:27 GMT
Subject: Converting 11 Bit Data to 10


Hi,

We have a remote monitoring and control system that was designed to
run over an X.25 network. Unfortunately the data structure that the
monitoring system gives out is incompatible with the options for the
PAD port.  Does anyone know of a little black box that can convert the
following:

1 Start bit
8 Data bits
1 Parity bit
1 Stop bit

ie eleven bit data

to

1 Start bit
8 Data bits
1 Stop bit

ie eight and no parity (10 bits total).

One option was to change the comms module in the monitoring system,
however, that would cause unacceptable down time as the physical box
that houses it also houses vital systems equipment.

Any solutions? Thanks in advance.


David Wigglesworth
Offshore & International Telecommunications
Conoco (UK) LTD   N2 Conoco Centre
Gallows Hill   Warwick CV34 6DB.  UK
Internet [e-mail]       Voice [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 09:52 EST
From: [e-mail] (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: Any LD Carriers With Cellular Plans?
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


> While I'm not particularly hopeful, I'm curious if anyone knows if any
> of the major carriers offer discounts to cellular customers.

Sure.  Sprint offers the same baffling array of discount plans on my
cell phone as they do on my landline.  But for some reason they can't
combine cellular and landline phones on the same bill.  Multiple
cellular or multiple landline are OK.

Is CellOne Boston equal access?  Since it's actually Southwest Bell,
one of the RBOCs, I would expect that it is.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Euan Bayliss)
Subject: UK Net Access
Date: 11 Feb 1994 12:27:32 GMT
Organization: Banyan Systems Technical Support


Hi there all. I am currently connecting via a normal residential BT
line using PPP.

I am wondering if I will get better value for money if I move to, say,
Mercury. Note that the vast majority of my calls on that line are
off-peak local ones.

Any suggestions?


Euan Bayliss, of the Tech Services Department, Banyan Europe

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 08:34 EST
From: David Appell <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: VPN Services


> Does anyone have any information comparing the VPN (virtual private
> network) services of the major interexchange carriers?  Any references
> to documents or reports?

You might try: Daniel D. Briere, _Virtual Networks - A Buyer's Guide_,
Artech House, Inc., 685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062, c. 1990,
ISBN 0-89006-411-3.


David Appell  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 07:41:11 -0800
From: [e-mail] (Gary Breuckman)
Subject: Re: Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software


In article <[e-mail]> is written:

> So, a friend of mine who lives in L.A. just bought a real computer
> with a built-in CD rom drive.  He spotted a great little national
> phone directory on CD rom at Egghead Software, so he bought one.  When
> he brought it home, he found that the access program for the database
> gave him an intriguing message about how he "bought" a record, after
> viewing a full address and phone record.  It seems that the
> instructions INSIDE of the CD rom package explain that he didn't buy
> the whole database, but a only finite number of views of full database
> records (considerably less than the total number of records in the
> database).

So, just how do they RECORD how many numbers you have viewed?
Obviously not on the CD.  Unless there is some sort of KEY DISK
(floppy) that frustrates duplication and must be used to view the CD,
you should be able to reinstall the package after your requisite
number of views have been used, and start over.

I don't advocate, normally, cheating software/information suppliers or
obtaining more than you legally are entitled to ... but since this
restriction wasn't noted on the box it would seem to me that it's not
valid.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 09:58:15 EST
From: Ken Jongsma <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Thanks For Using Your Local Phone Company


If you were in Rugby, ND, you were either doing something related to
agriculture or something related to the Minuteman missiles buried in
the ground there! Judging by your address, I'd guess the latter ...

Anyway, most of the local telcos in North Dakota are either
independents or coops. In Minot (the nearest "large" city), phone
service is provided by Northern States Power. They also provide
electricity. Not necessarily on the same circuit. <grin>

It's been a few years, but I'm pretty sure Rugby, Max and most of the
other small towns in that area are provided service by a telephone
coop.  Despite their size, many of the coops have fairly current
electronic switches and offer most of the usual custom calling
services.

Partially because they were not covered by the divestiture agreement
and partially because the population density is so low, most long
distance carriers do not provide service to every coop. Thus many of
the coops have banded together to buy long distance in bulk and resell
it to their subscribers. Many times it is cheaper to use the coop,
especially for in-state calls.


Ken
[Who spent 3+ years buried under the ground in North Dakota...]
Kenneth R Jongsma         If you like the IRS         [e-mail]
Smiths Industries        You're going to *LOVE*  [e-mail]
Grand Rapids, Michigan    Clinton Health Care              [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ken Rossen)
Subject: Re: NPA Readiness for 1995
Date: 11 Feb 1994 16:11:11 GMT
Organization: SHL Systemhouse


In article <[e-mail]>, Gregory P. Monti
<[e-mail]> wrote:

> 508   MA   1+10   yes   Mass DPU ordered 1 + 10D in 10/93 (was to be 7D)

A similar note appears for 617.

What does "ordered" mean?  Customers have not been informed of dialing
changes, have we?  1 + 7D is still the rule in Mass., and I have no
knowledge of a cutover.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 12:13 EST
From: [e-mail] (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: Advertising by New York Telephone
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


> asking you to use NET to call your friends and
> relatives within Massachusetts.  What other phone company would we use?

Any one you want.  Massachusetts has intra-LATA toll competition, although
I must admit that maybe 1% of customers know that.

> I'm sure NYNEX has spent our money on lots of failed projects -- ...

You bet.  Remember NYNEX Business Centers, the computer stores that
had a lot of salesmen hanging around waiting for customers?  Or their
horrible X.25 info gateway system?  There's a reason that NYNEX has a
reputation as the dimmest of the RBOCs.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mario M. Butter)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Date: 11 Feb 1994 17:14:22 GMT
Organization: Clark Internet Services, Inc.


Bill Garfield ([e-mail]) wrote:

> OK all you telephone company techno-jocks, I need some help with this.

> We are being besieged by single-jingle (one ring) calls.

Could this be a phone company problem? I had the same thing happen to
me yesterday at home. About 30 times over a three hour stretch, the
phone rang once then stopped. I picked it up a few times on the first
ring, but there was no connection on the other end. Also, this was
happening on both of my lines, not just one.


[e-mail]            #include <std.disclaimer>
[e-mail]  Satellite Active Archive Design Team

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #75
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #76

TELECOM Digest     Fri, 11 Feb 94 15:02:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 76

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Determining Price/Port (Dan Wing)
    Internet Costs and Software Are Free (A. Padgett Peterson)
    What Telecom Services to Ask For in an Exchange (Jim F. Williams)
    Sources Wanted For Modem Leasing (Scott Chesney)
    Need Voice Mail Reccomendation (Samantha Star Straf)
    International 800 Taboo? (Dan Chang)
    AT&T Merlin vs. NT Meridien Norstar (Rubens Rahim)
    Seeking Information Regarding UPT Standards Draft (Brahmananda Vempati)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Curtis R. Nelson)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Alan Boritz)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Robert Hettmansperger)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Tom Olin)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Charles Reichley)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing (Al Varney)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing (Steve Cogorno)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Determining Price/Port
From: [e-mail] (Dan Wing)
Date: 11Feb 94 04:02:20 MDT
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: Ski Bum Wanna-be, Incorporated


We are attempting to determine per-port prices to charge for Ethernet
connections throughout our strucutures.

Currently, we're planning on something like charging 1/8th of the
price of a 16 port card plus enclosure -- we're looking at 1/8th so we
can pay for the next enclosure plus card when we've filled the current
configuration.

Naturally, this results in high per-port costs, so I'm looking for
creative ways other organizations are determining per-port pricing.

Also, do you charge users a per-month fee (similar to a telephone
connection) to pay for the ongoing maintenance, improvements,
troubleshooting, etc., that are needed for the network?

I'm posting this to some telecommunications newsgroups, knowing that
these issues have already been solved for telephone systems, and the
same thinking could be re-applied to networking -- no need to
re-invent a scheme for providing a service.

[followups directed to comp.dcom.lans.misc please.]


Dan Wing, Systems Administrator, University Hospital, Denver
[e-mail] or [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 12:30:18 -0500
From: [e-mail] (A. Padgett Peterson)
Subject: Internet Costs and Software Are Free


A lot of what we have been seeing in this comes under the heading of
PBIs IMNSHO. The Internet is not free, it is paid for by somebody, but
that does not mean that it costs everybody.

Personally, my biggest fear is Junk E-Mail swamping the net. If
anything should be regulated it should be that and with hanging,
drawing, and quartering prescribed for offenders (I know, the ASPCA
would probably object to using horses).

The fact is that whether they realize it or not, modern business/
education cannot exist without the Internet and I can give examples:

Right now some government RFPs (requests for proposal, the way
contractors bid for government contracts) are available on the net.
Used to be that on announcement you had to request the RFP (big
contractors have people in Washington whose sole job is to pick up
documents), it had to travel to you. You had to make copies,
distribute them to approprite people, collect the responses, write it
up, and deliver it back.

Those available via FTP can be retrieved and distributed *now* rather
than in days. Quite an advantage nowadays.

Electronic filing (ask a doctor about the time lags), world wide data
retrieval, submission of papers for comment are all essentail to
modern life. A first-class university *could not exist* without
internet access, businesses are rapidly following suit.

Therefore, in the corporate world, connection (at about $2000/month)
is not a choice, it is a necessity and a sunk cost. For this type of
connection therefore, what is the delta cost of adding another user?
Effectively the same as a university adding another student, negligable
 -- all the costs were already paid in having the access at all.

In making generalities as "a dollar per person", the distinction
between sunk and delta cost is often overlooked but like telephone
service, for the average user, most of the cost is in having a phone
at all, use rarely is a factor.

Similarly, for a corporation/agency/university, the real cost is in
being connected at all, the delta cost for the next user is generally
lost in the noise.

Someone mentioned the cost of equipment as being an important factor.
To me the same rule applies. For a prewired building the delta cost is
limited to the Ethernet card (about $50 nowadays) and extra hub
capability every so often (but that was made in the design stage -- for
thin coax, no hub is necessary and the gateway/router was needed
before the first user was added.

The big nut is still constant -- sunk cost of installation and
reoccuring cost of connection. The number of users really is not
important so long as proper sizing was done initially.

                 ----------------------

Free Software. Just because I do not charge for any of my released
software does not mean that it is free. Rather, I consider it to be
only fair that since I have learned so much from people that I put
something back.

The other motive is educational. I have learned more by saying things/
releasing software and having people (*lots* of people) tell me where
I am wrong than I ever could with my limited resources. Nothing
ventured, nothing gained so I venture a lot 8*).

Besides, ignorance is the tool of dictators and fools. By helping to
stamp out ignorance ("this can be done") and with open discussions, I
like to think that we are supporting democracy.

Finally, I do not like viruses. I believe that I have a better than
average understanding of what they do and I do not like it. Many
people in government and industry realize the same thing but are not
experts so they need expert tools yet often $1.00 is as hard to get as
$1,000,000.00. Therefore, I make my antivirals "freeware" so anyone can
use them without a lot of paperwork and maybe, just maybe, if enough
people use it, we can make viral spread just a bit more difficult.

I always liked the concept that if you help someone, and they help
someone else, eventually it comes full circle. Fortunately I live high
enough in the Maslov hierarchy to afford it.


Warmly,


Padgett


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've always felt the same way where this
Digest was concerned. It is purely my contribution to the world to help
stamp out ignorance where the operation of telephone networks is concerned.
At least it began that way ... now I think I am a victim of my own success
where the Digest is concerned as the volume of traffic and the size of
the mailing list has increased far beyond what either Jon Solomon or I
expected or considered possible. Part of this of course is due to the
general increase in Internet usage; part perhaps due to my own efforts to
gateway the Digest to so many places. At that I was successful, and now
the mail is pouring in at such a volume that even a cursory examination
of much of it is difficult. And that is not good. I wish I could read
every peice of mail and use every peice of mail I receive, but until the
time comes that I can support myself independent of other outside jobs
 -- if that time ever comes -- and work on the Digest eight or nine hours
per day -- which could easily be done now if resources were available --
then I have to do what I can. I wish I lived high enough in the "Maslow
Hierarchy" to be able to afford it.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (jim f williams)
Subject: What Telecom Services to Ask For in an Exchange
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 21:40:24 GMT


I am connected with the closure and redevelopment of Ft. Devens.  We
want to make it a model community for Hi-tech innovative industries,
perhaps with high-tech residential developments as well (i.e. more
than just POTS services to homes).

9X wants keep an exchange (508-796) in its present location, so we
have some leverage for requesting "state-of-the-art" services.

I thought, at a minimum, that ISDN should be made available (much
earlier than the snail's pace it's being deployed now) in that
exchange for both indistrial and residential service.

Are there other things that we should ask for?  If we built a
community that allowed you good data service at home and at the office
and allowed you to bicycle between them what is needed re telecom (and
CATV)?

Thaks for your input, specifics may be mailed to [e-mail] if
they are not appropriate for posting.


Jim WIlliams

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Scott Chesney)
Subject: Sources Wanted For Modem Leasing
Organization: Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 16:50:44 GMT


Does anyone know of a place to lease a pair of 14.4 modems? I will be
needing them yesterday for a couple of months time.  TIA.


Scott                  Network Manager
[e-mail]  [phone]
Geophysical Institute,  University of Alaska Fairbanks


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I am surprised to hear that anyone bothers
to lease modems any longer. That was quite common in the 1970's and early
1980's when they were *so* expensive, but why now?  You can purchase 14.4
units for a couple hundred dollars lots of places; I think even less than
that according to messages here in the past.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Samantha Star Straf)
Subject: Need Voice Mail Reccomendation
Date: 11 Feb 1994 10:15:44 -0600
Organization: Another MCSNet Subscriber, Chgo's First Public-Access Internet!


We are thinking about getting a new voice mail system and want
reccomendations.  We currently have Voice Mail Plus by TEK Data Group
but it seems to be slow, and goes down to much for our taste.  I don't
frequent this group so if this is in the FAQ just mail me a copy of
that.

We have:
  50 active voice mail boxes
  AT&T System 75  (PBX)
  AT&T Voice Bridge
  Talco Research  TRU System  to record PBX information
  TEK Data Group  Voice Mail Plus V 1.528

The rest of the system is fine, just the voice mail we want to investigate.


Thanks in advance,

Samantha Star Straf      [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dan Chang)
Subject: International 800 Taboo?
Date: 11 Feb 1994 18:55:03 GMT
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory


I've heard reports of various levels of detail that it is difficult to
set up an 800 number which people outside the US can call to. A quick
sampling of customer service numbers for various products in my office
seem to support this -- usually an 800 number is given for US and
Canadian callers only.

I assume this is the result of policy (possibly of foreign governments?)
and not of technical infeasibility.  Does anyone know any more details?
Do the various IXC's have a single policy in place, or do they have a
hodge-podge list of countries from which 800 calls are permitted/not
permitted?


D. Chang


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Only a few countries forbid collect
call service to the USA (including automatic collect service, which is
what '800 numbers' are). What is more likely is that the owners of
800 numbers do not want to pay the high cost of calls from international
points, which is understandable in many cases. Many of the numbers in
your sample are companies which for whatever reason only do business in
the USA and/or Canada; they have no reason for or interest in calls
*which they have to pay for* from outside our boundaries. There are
numerous international '800 numbers' which terminate in the USA. If you
want one, you can have one except in the few instances noted at the
beginning of this response. Bear in mind that the number in the other
country will resemble the numbering system *there* instead of here;
that is, it may be listed as 0800 or 119 or whatever that country uses
for *its* 'toll free' or automatic reverse charge call prefix (just as
we use 800 here). But dial that number and it will ring in the USA
just as many 800 numbers dialed here actually terminate in Europe or
Japan (even though from the other end they would have a different
number sequence for the same thing.) Most countries are pretty friendly
with each other where telecom is concerned. There is no 'taboo' as
you phrased it.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 14:26:05 -0500
From: [e-mail] (Rubens Rahim)
Subject: AT&T Merlin vs. NT Meridien Norstar
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 19:25:53 GMT


My company is considering purchasing a new system, and we are
considering the above two systems: The Merlin Legend and the Norstar.
We are getting Voice Mail with the System as well.

We are a small division (about 20 employees), But this office is
involved in Sales and Marketing, resulting in a large number of
incoming and outgoing calls.

We will not be installing an Auto Attendant. Most of our customers would
find that annoying.

Does anyone have any positive/negative experiences with either system
in terms of functionality and upgradability? Reply E-mail or to news.


Thanks,

Rubens Rahim
#3-113 Westmount Rd. N.
Waterloo, ON, N2L 5G5
[phone]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 13:43:00 +0000
From: brahmananda (b.) vempati <[e-mail]>
Subject: Seeking Information Regarding UPT Standards Draft


Is it possible for me to get hold of some information regarding UPT
(Universal Personal Telecommunications) standards that are in the
process of being drafted?

If so, how do I go about getting to them?

Any information/leads regarding this would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks,

Bujji    [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 16:33:20 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company


In TELECOM Digest V14 #73, Pat wrote:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Oh, I believe you. It could be that
> whoever called the lady quickly call-forwarded his line to yours
> immediatly after disconnecting; he woke her up with his call, she sat
> there in a just-awakened stupor and thought about it for a minute then
> used 'return last call' to reach you via him. This is where having
> Caller-ID *and* 'return last call' both on the line would be useful.
> That way one could see the actual number placing the call even if the
> return trip led somewhere else. Maybe there ought to be a dialing code
> for the purpose of 'do not forward'. That is, the person placing the
> call would dial some two-digit code (such as for blocking or do not
> disturb) which meant 'absolutely ring number such and such'. This would
> be sort of like the post office endorsement we can use on letters which
> says, 'do not forward, return to sender if unable to deliver as addressed'.
> Telco's response would be to ring that number or respond with a voice
> intercept, 'cannot ring that number now' if the number was being for-
> warded. There may be times, for example, when I wish to speak with you
> but not if I know you are elsewhere; in those cases I am willing to wait
> until you are at home. The recipient's Caller-ID box would show some
> notation such as 'forced delivery from xxx-yyyy' to indicate a call had
> been received but not forwarded at the caller's request.  PAT]

   The TCAP (Transaction Capability Application Part) of SS7 is used
what makes the 'return last call' feature work.  It boils down to
queries and responses between the originating and terminating switches
(is the terminating party idle?; if not notify me when he is; etc.).
TCAP defines a parameter called the 'call forwarding active parameter'
which indicates if any call forwarding features are active on a line.
If call forwarding or selective call forwarding is active, than
'return last call' is denied.  Here in Lincoln, we have DMS-100's,
GTD-5's, and a 5ESS; that's the way the feature worked when it was
tested in our network.

   Without knowing more about the networks involved in these obscene
phone call scenarios, I would be reluctant to theorize what is going
on. I do know that humans are a lot more unpredictable than switches;
they are also more creative when they want to be :-)


Curtis R. Nelson, P.E.      email:    [e-mail]
Lincoln Telephone Company   phone:    [phone]
1440 'M' Street                  fax:    [phone]
Lincoln, NE  68508

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 06:34:15 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


[e-mail] (Kyle Rhorer) writes:

>> In RISKS issue 15.46, Tom Bodine reports the unsettling experience of
>> being accused of making an obscene phone call, after the husband of
>> the recipient of the call (his wife's best friend) used the "call
>> return" feature at the end of the obscene call, and then reached his
>> number.  He speculates that his number was captured by the friend's
>> telephone switch as the result of a failed call from his wife while
>> the friend's line was busy with the obscene call.

> I live near the Bell/GTE border in my part of the world, and it is
> obvious that the two companies talk to each other only when required
> to by law.  More specifically, I can not "call return" a call that
> came from a GTE caller, even if that caller is less than a block away
> from me.  Is it possible that Mrs. Bodine was the last caller *before*
> the obscene call, and the obscene call came from a subscriber in a
> different operating company?  Perhaps the OC that serves the Bodines
> simply doesn't update the call return register if the call is from an
> "unidentifiable" source?

Or the register is not updated BEFORE the call goes through?  I can
get the same effect if I pick up the phone before the caller-id data
is sent between the first and second ring (my caller-id box won't pick
up the data, therefore the "last caller" info is not updated.

However, would the original writer know if the victim's husband used
the TELCO call-return feature, or a Caller-ID box's call-return
feature.  Some people (when relating a story like this) may not know
enough to differentiate the two.


[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well if the victim's husband read the
number off of the Caller-ID box and used its call-return feature, then
I'd say Mr. Bodine has got a bit of a problem. If he used telco's same
feature out of the switch instead, then who knows ...  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 14:15:22 +0100
From: [e-mail] (Robert Hettmansperger)
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company
Organization: Bellcore


In article <[e-mail]>:

> In RISKS issue 15.46, Tom Bodine reports the unsettling experience of
> being accused of making an obscene phone call, after the husband of
> the recipient of the call (his wife's best friend) used the "call
> return" feature at the end of the obscene call, and then reached his
> number.  He speculates that his number was captured by the friend's
> telephone switch as the result of a failed call from his wife while
> the friend's line was busy with the obscene call.

By Bellcore's requirements, the record of the last incoming call
should NOT be updated if the incoming call is given busy treatment
[TR-227, Appx A].  It SHOULD be updated if it is given call-waiting
treatment.

> While such a feature interaction is possible (is the number supposed
> to be captured on a busy? I know it is on a no-answer failure), there
> is another way for this to occur: The perpertrator may have applied
> the call forwarding feature on his own phone prior to making the call,
> and left it there for a bit afterwards.

By Bellcore requirements, if "return call" is applied to a number
which is in turn forwarded to another number via Call Forwarding
Variable, the call should NOT be allowed to go through [TR-227, Sec
3.8G].

Also FYI, on forwarded calls, the CallerID delivered is supposed to be
the number of the original caller, not the number of the forwarding
station [TR-31, 3.8F].

Of course, this is what Bellcore requires on paper.  What you find in
the real world may differ due to switch manufacturer noncompliances or
bugs.


Bob Hettmansperger   Bellcore CLASS Requirements

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 09:23:45 EST
From: [e-mail] (Tom Olin)
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company


Do all older switches still in use support whatever is needed to make
call return work?  If not, what happens to the last stored number when
somebody calls from such a switch?


Tom Olin        PAR Technology Corporation   Voice: [phone] Ext 638
[e-mail]           New Hartford, NY     Fax: [phone]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: What happens around here is that any
instance of a new call arriving zaps whatever was in the buffer before
it. A good number could have been there, then a call comes from out of
LATA or an unequipped office or whatever ... the buffer is zapped.
Attempts at that point to 'return last call' result in an intercept
'we are unable to return a call to that number'. Nor will it tell you
what the number was, because of course it does not know the number. If
it did, it would be able to return the call.  I think also there is
only one buffer which holds either 'last number dialed' or 'last call
received' but not both. If I dial a number and get a busy, I can then
use a star code to have the system attempt to reach it (once it
becomes unbusy). But if a call comes in in the meantime (before I use
the star code to activate the repeat dial process), all of a sudden
the switch has no idea what I am talking about when I try it after the
call (I received) in the interim. Furthermore, here the 'repeat dial'
and 'return last call' memories are both zapped at the same time by
the use of *86. That is, when I dial *86 the message in reply is 'your
repeat dialing *AND* automatic callback requests have been cancelled.'
*66 is to 'automatic callback' (of calls you receive) while *68 is to
'repeat dial' (calls you place) or whatever they call it. On the other
hand, *86 and *88 both do the same thing: either code cancels BOTH
numbers from memory. PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 14:21:10 EST
From: Charles Reichley <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: IBM Federal Systems Company (for now)- Manassas, VA USA


In a note to a post by Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>, Pat writes:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: What seems to put a fly in the ointment
> where the arguments about false identification due to a variety of
> possible causes (one call arrived when line was busy, next call went
> in the 'return call' buffer, etc, call returned to the wrong party of
> the two who called about the same time) is Mr. Bodine's comment that
> this woman had received *several* obscene calls over a period of time.
> Surely the intricacies of the modern phone network did not interact
> in such a bizarre way every time. If there have been so many obscene
> calls, can't the woman at least identify the voice of the caller, or
> listen to Mr. Bodine's voice and qualify or disqualify him as the
> person responsible?   PAT]

We were not told if there was a voice recognition.  Nobody is arguing
that the woman didn't receive phone calls.  The only argument is over
the ONE time that they used call-return to see who the obscene caller
was.  It is quite possible that Tom's wife had just called her friend at
this time (Tom's wife would know this, so for it to be a lie the lie
would have to be perpetrated by both Tom and his wife, against what is
said to be his wife's best friend).

It seems like a coincidence, but they do happen.  Yesterday in my
workplace a co-worker picked up a phone and heard a voice, so he hung
up (Some of our phones are on the same phone line).  He asked me if
that particular phone was shared, and I told him no.  So he went back
and picked it up, heard talking again, and hung up.  He said it must
be shared, someone is on it.  I picked it up and got a dial tone. Three
minutes later a guy walked into the lab, and asked who was hanging up
on him.  It turns out he had dialed the phone TWICE, and BOTH TIMES we
had picked up the phone before it rang.  Quite a coincidence to happen
twice, but it did.  >


Charles W. Reichley,   Loral/FSC???, Manassas, Va.

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 13:30:26 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Steve
Cogorno) writes:

> Said by: Robb Topolski KJ6YT

>> I have remote call forwarding.  Can I set priority ringing to
>> my remote call-fowarding number so when anyone calls me via that
>> number I get the distinctive ring?  Or is the calling number reported
>> to the feature the caller's actual number rather than the forwarder's
>> number?

> If you are in Pacific Bell land, the answer is no.  Pacific Bell says
> that the two features are incompatible and they will not interact;
> something about the mode in which the SS7 protocol identifies the
> originating number when RCF is involved.  Interestingly enough, all
> other types of diversion (Busy/No Answer/Call Forwarding) will function
> as you describe with Remote Call Forwarding.

   Well, I'm confused.  TR-TSY-000031 says the Originating DN should
be displayed at the "remote" station when forwarding via CF Variable,
CF Don't Answer and CF Busy Line.  TR-TSY-000219, "Distinctive Ringing..."
also says the Originating DN should be used for determine ringing
pattern "If a call has been forwarded".  (There is no mention of RCF,
but that's not unusual.)

   So these (and all other) CLASS features always use the Original DN
for their operation, and are unaffected by forwarding.

   Certainly, RCF is treated, so far as I can tell, almost exactly
like the CFV case in AT&T's switches.  (In fact, the LSSGR description
of RCF says it's just like CFV, except .... and doesn't list Calling
Number Delivery or Distinctive Ringing features as one of those
differences.)

   So just how is RCF "not interacting" with Distinctive Ringing?  I
agree it will not work as Robb wishes -- but it is working EXACTLY
like a CFV number, correct?


Al Varney

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steve Cogorno)
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding to Priority Ringing
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 00:29:56 PST


Said by: Mike King

> Why not get Ident-a-Ring, or whatever your LEC calls the service where
> more than one directory number is assigned to your line, and then have
> the RCF number point to the additional phone number?  Presto.  Your
> RCFed calls will always have a distinctive ring, regardless of whichever
> number gets forwarded.  This would even work if the exchange with your
> RCF number isn't equipped with SS7.

Because Pacific Bell doesn't offer that service.


Steve  [e-mail]
#608 Merrill * 200 McLaughlin Drive * Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1015

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #76
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #77

TELECOM Digest     Sat, 12 Feb 94 21:06:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 77

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Vice President Gore Questions Current Key Escrow Policy! (Monty Solomon)
    VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones (Rob Lingelbach)
    AT&T's Dragon 900Mhz Phone (Alex Cena)
    The President's Call to Russia (Nevin Liber)
    New List on Computer/Telephone Problems/Bugs/Viruses/Dangers (P. Robinson)
    Telecommunication Market in Japan (Jean-Michel Planche)
    Questions About Voice Mail (Stan Schwartz)
    What is This Number? (Carlene Lanham)
    OVF 94 Call For Papers (Frank Belland)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 19:40:48 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: Vice President Gore Questions Current Key Escrow Policy!


Excerpt from RISKS DIGEST 15.51

  Date: 10 Feb 1994 17:55:25 -0600
  From: [e-mail] (Stanton McCandlish)
  Subject: FLASH: Vice President Gore Questions Current Key Escrow Policy!

National Information Infrastructure Advisory Committee met today in
Washington at the Old Executive Office Building.  In comments made
after a question and answer period, Vice President Al Gore said that
key escrow policy announced last Friday (4 Feb 1994) had serious flaws
and that he hope the issue of who holds the keys and under what terms
would be given more serious, careful consideration.

Gore made it clear that some amount of control of cryptography
technology was necessary for national security.  However, the key
escrow policies announced by the Departments of Justice, Commerce &
State, and the NSA, were "low level decisions" that got out before
thorough analysis.  In a conversation with Mitchell Kapor, Esther
Dyson, and Mike Nelson (of the White House Staff), Gore said that he
would prefer that the keys be held by some part of the Judiciary
branch, or perhaps even by trusted, private escrow agents.  He made it
clear that he believed that the escrow agents named in last Friday's
announcement (National Institute of Standards & Technology and the
Treasure Department) were no appropriate key holders.  Mike Nelson
also indicated that there was real interest in a software-based escrow
system instead of the hardware-based SKIPJACK standard.

Those of us who heard Gore were quite surprised.  His remarks suggest
that the key escrow policies to date do not have full support of the
White House.

Still, Gore was quite firm in asserting that some control of
encryption technology is essential to national security.  "Encryption
and codebreaking have determined the outcome of world wars.  He stated
(incorrectly) that most our industrialized allies place must stricter
controls in encryption that the US does.  In fact, almost all COCOM
countries allow the export of DES-based products, though some do not
allow DES to be imported.

The whole question of encryption was raised when Mitchell Kapor told
the Vice President that over half of the Advisory Council members had
serious reservations about the current Clipper/Skipjack policies.
Gore and Kapor agreed that the Advisory Council should be used to have
a serious dialogue about encryption policy.  Given Gore's departure
from the current Clipper proposals, there might actually be something
to talk about.

                             ==========

NOTE: This DOES NOT mean that Clipper is going away.  Part of stopping
Clipper is to lift export controls on encryption and enable US companies
to start producing products that enable all of us to protect our privacy
with strong encryption.

I urge you to write to Rep. Cantwell today at [e-mail]. In the
Subject header of your message, type "I support HR 3627." In the body
of your message, express your reasons for supporting the bill. EFF
will deliver printouts of all letters to Rep. Cantwell. With a strong
showing of support from the Net community, Rep. Cantwell can tell her
colleagues on Capitol Hill that encryption is not only an industry
concern, but also a grassroots issue.  *Again: remember to put "I
support HR 3627" in your Subject header.*

  [For more info on the Cantwell bill, see Stanton's contribution
  in RISKS-15.47.  I have deleted a lengthy repetition here.  There is as
  yet no response from Stanton on Jon Leech's question in RISKS-15.50 on
  the address [e-mail].  It is presumably NOT Cantwell's.  PGN]


Daniel J. Weitzner, Senior Staff Counsel <[e-mail]>  202-347-5400 (v)
Stanton McCandlish <[e-mail]>  Electronic Frontier Foundation
1001 G St, NW  Suite 950 East Washington, DC 20001      202-393-5509 (f)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Rob Lingelbach)
Subject: VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones
Organization: Altruistic Intentions, Hollywood, CA
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 00:42:42 GMT


Last night I brought home a VTech "Tropez" 900 Mhz cordless phone, and
I was very disappointed with the sound quality.  A constant hiss and
limited frequency response made my older Sony 49 Mhz cordless sound
great (which it really isn't, compared to other 49 Mhz phones).

When I went back to the store the salesman talked me into the new Sony
SPP-ER1 900 Mhz model, which was 299$ (compared to 187$ for the
VTech).  I brought it home, and the sound quality is even worse than
the VTech!

Has anyone else experienced this with 900 Mhz phones -- are they just
"not there" yet for sound quality?  Is it that the 900 Mhz channel
isn't wide enough for corded-phone sound quality?  Or is it just that
the two models I had were defective (doubt the VTech was, but maybe the
Sony was).

I am reluctant to try another 900 Mhz phone until someone tells me the
sound quality is as good or better than a good 49 Mhz phone.


Rob Lingelbach KB6CUN   2660 Hollyridge Dr LA CA 90068 213 464 6266 (voice)
[e-mail]     [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 14:34:26 EST
From: Alex Cena <[e-mail]>
Subject: AT&T's Dragon 900Mhz Phone


Forwarded FYI with a reply:

  Subject: Re: AT&T's Dragon 900Mhz phone
  Author:  Nathan <[e-mail]> at NYERSMTP
  Date:    2/11/94 9:01 PM

> I'm going to buy a Spread Spectrum 900 Mhz phone and your posting caught my
> eye.

> Do you have any technical details on how the Dragon implements Frequency
> Hopping Spread Spectrum(the Escort 900Mhz phone uses Direct Sequence
> Spread Spectrum)?

I don't have the specs.  I believe many 900Mhz phones that use direct
sequence incorporate technology under license from a San Jose, CA-based
company called Cylink.

> Is the Dragon the much rumored AT&T 9530?

The Model number on my phone is "9530."

> Any availability dates or price?

The 9530 made its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas,
where the base was placed on top of the Hilton and the handset was
used up to seven miles away line of sight.  I do not know the price
since it was given to me as a present, but I suspect it is competitive
with other 900 Mhz phones.

> How long does the battery last in standby mode?

I don't know.


Alex M. Cena, Lehman Brothers, [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Nevin Liber)
Subject: The President's Call to Russia
Date: 12 Feb 1994 02:55:18 -0700
Organization: University of Arizona CS Department, Tucson AZ


Does anyone know what the "telephone technical difficulties" were on
President Clinton's recent attempt to contact Yeltsin?

Here's a thought:  maybe the Russians are waiting for us to adopt
Clipper. :-)


Nevin ":-)" Liber    [e-mail]    [phone]
                                              +++ (520) after 3/95
                                  office:    [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 13:38:11 EST
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: New List on Computer/Telephone Problems/Bugs/Viruses/Dangers
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


This is to announce the creation of a list for the public disclosure
of bugs, system problems, viruses, and any other conditions in a
computer system that people should be aware of so they can fix the
problem.

It is also appropriate to report security holes, dangerous conditions
in PBXs, cellular and wire telephone systems, and other computer-
controlled devices.  Also reports of things such as default accounts
and passwords on systems that should be changed, etc.

The focus will be on reporting clear descriptions of problems
including how to generate them.  The idea being that this will alert
people to the nature of certain problems that they might be unaware
of.  Reproducing these conditions lets others know what is being done,
and can allow people to post solutions on how to block them.

The purpose in creating this list is that currently, the only means
currently available for reporting discovered security holes in
computer systems and possibly other areas is via the Computer
Emergency Research Team (CERT) out of Carnegie Mellon University.

The problem with CERT reporting is that the reports generally tend to
be done in secrecy, and it fails to let system administrators and
others know about what is happening so that these things can be fixed.
In short, CERT acts like a black hole and takes too long to publicize
problems until lots of places get hit because they didn't know about
it.

Some people feel that reports should not be publicized because potential
reports might become available to "the bad guys."  Well, the truth of the
matter is that "the bad guys" trade their discoveries around all the
time; the current use of secrecy is only hurting "the good guys" who
want to protect their systems.

This list has just been created, and pending creation of an automated
processor will be temporarily moderated since my current equipment
does not yet tell me what address the message is sent to.  This will
be changed in the next two weeks.

There will, however, be two addresses.  The general list will be:

[e-mail]

which is used to post a report to the list.  To subscribe to the list,
use:

[e-mail]

Currently, both addresses are moderated.  This will change shortly as
I upgrade the software on my system.  Persons wishing to make a report
but not be identified should state so in the text of their message.
In the future, they will do so by using the -request address which
will come to me directly.

Persons wanting to receive this service by facsimile should contact me
for details.  All messages requesting subscriptions or posting information
will be acknowledged.  Please pass this announcement around.

It is my intent to set this up such that people can publicly report
known bugs, viruses and problems in clear detail so everyone knows
about them and can encourage much faster response to these problems
than is currently available.  It may even embarass some manufacturers
into making fixes sooner when their errors are glaringly exposed in
public.


Paul Robinson - [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Telecommunication Market in Japan
Date: 12 Feb 1994 21:20:21 GMT
Organization: OleANe Ceane Networks


Hello,

We are looking for some information about who are the first ten type one
carriers in Japan (i.e. in term of infrastructure)? Who are the firstten type two carriers (i.e. in term of services)? Who are the first
five manufacturers or services providers for PBX, terminals, voice
telecommunications equipment; shares in data transmissions (X25, frame
relay, etc.?

Please, can you reply directly by e-mail ([e-mail])? I will
summarize if there is collective interest.


Jean-Michel Planche        Email:    [e-mail]
OLEANE - Groupe Apysoft     Tel:    [phone]
Internet IP/UUCP en France  WWW:    http://www.oleane.net/

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Stan Schwartz)
Subject: Questions About Voice Mail
Date: 12 Feb 1994 23:22:59 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC


My Panasonic answering machine is about to expire, and I am
considering using the CO-based Voice Mail service provided by NYNEX
(Call Answering).  It seems, though, the last time I played with it,
it didn't work the way I thought it should, and the way systems from
other RBOCs (Bell Atlantic NJ) are working.  I'm in a 5ESS exchange
(516-694), and since the reps at NYNEX don't seem to have a clear
understanding of my questions, I thought someone here would:

 - I have call waiting on the line.  If I don't answer the second
line, the call DOES NOT get forwarded to the mail box (it just rings
at the caller's end);

 - If I "busy-out" the line (*70 or off-hook), since I have call waiting
and the software is looking for call-waiting first, any incoming calls
will get a busy;

In short, the way the NYNEX reps explain this, since I have call waiting
on the line, the only time a call is forwarded to the mailbox is if the
phone is on hook and I don't answer.  This doesn't sound kosher to me,
since I've seen the way other systems work.

Does anyone else find this a bit strange?


Thanks!

Stan

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (carlene lanham)
Subject: What is This Number?
Date: 12 Feb 1994 05:38:21 GMT
Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln
Reply-To: [e-mail]


In our local phone exchange, we have a number (848-2259) which, when
dialed, never ever rings, but gives you a tone.  And, it's never busy.
We have six phone lines, and I tried calling it once and holding the
call, and dialing it on another line, and I got six simultaneous
connections to this tone number.  What is it?

And, I've heard that some exchanges have a number that you call and it
will repeat back to you your own phone number.  Does anyone know
anything about this number?  What might it be?


Thanks.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I assume you know enough about modem and
fax tones to have detirmined that the number is not part of a rotary with
at least six modems or faxes which are answering calls. That being the
case, it is probably some sort of local test number. Maybe someone from
the local telco (they read this Digest) will respond with specifics. Yes,
there are numbers such as what you described which when dialed will read
back the number you are calling from, but most telcos keep these quite
secret and change them on a regular basis, mainly to keep unauthorized
users from finding out what they are. There is no single standard for
these and other test numbers; they vary from one exchange to the next
and occassionally someone sends in a compilation of them from all over
the USA, but it is rarely up to date or very accurate.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: OVF 94 call for papers
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 94 11:31:20 PDT
Organization: IPL InterNetNews site


             C A L L   F O R   P A P E R S

        Orlando Fl Peabody Hotel 8-12 August 1994

The Second OpenView Forum User/Developers conference on Integrated
Network and Systems Management (OVF '94) will be held from August
8-12, 1994 in Orlando Fl, USA, at the Peabody Hotel.

The OpenView Forum 1994 conference on Integrated Network and Systems
Management using the OpenView Framework will build on the successes of
OVF 93 conference as the central technical exchange forum for the
research, standards, development, systems integrator, vendor and user
community for OpenView network and systems management frameworks.

The OpenView Forum community exemplifies the increasing interest in
overall Enterprise management solutions across all types of networks,
supporting enterprise communication systems, distributed computing
systems, database management system, automated Operation systems,
facilities management systems, help desk management systems and
client/server application management.

Authors are invited to submit unpublished papers, as well as proposals
for tutorials, panel discussions, vendor/user/developer demonstrations,
or birds-of-a-feather sessions (informal discussion groups), in the
following areas:

 - User requirements, expectations and analysis for integrated network
   and Systems management;

 - Standards issues;

 - Telecommunications management;

 - Fault, configuration, accounting, performance, security management;

 - Help desk;

 - Service level management;

 - Proactive network management;

 - Management protocols and protocol management;

 - Desktop management;

 - Software distribution;

 - Database management systems using SNMP/ONC RPC/DCE RPC;

 - Distributed systems management;

 - Information interpretation: AI techniques, rule-based analysis;

 - Distributed network management between Windows and Unix platforms;

 - Management applications;

 - User interface (enhanced graphics for network node device management);

 - User interface for event management for various network protocols
   (SNA, TCP/IP, DECNET, NOVELL, APPLE, etc);

 - Common network repository for configuration, performance, and trouble
   ticket management;

 - Automated network management for configuration, performance, and trouble
   ticket management;

 - Trials, case studies experiences: solutions, limitations and
   challenges on HOSTMIB, DTMF, Software distribution, DBMS and Email
   monitoring, Client/Server Application alert/abort/re-start monitoring,
   RMON, Automated operations, etc;

 - Product strategies and different vendor approaches for the OpenView
   Framework;

 - Open topics relating to the OpenView Framework.

Please submit six copies of complete papers in English to the address
listed below. The cover page should include paper title, brief abstract,
list of key-words, author(s) full name(s), affiliation(s) and complete
address(es), telephone number(s) and electronic mail address(es).

All submissions will be carefully reviewed by our Program Committee
and returned to the author(s) with comments to incorporate any
suggested revisions.  The authors of accepted papers will receive the
suggested modifications made by the reviewer(s) for inclusion in the
widely distributed, hard-bound Conference Proceedings.

The final camera-ready copy should be no longer than twelve single-spaced
pages.  Final papers arriving too late will be will not be published,
and may be removed from the conference presentation. The authors of
accepted papers must guarantee that their paper will be presented at
the conference.

A limited number of stipends are available only to students unable to
obtain funding to attend the conference. Students whose papers are
accepted and who will present the paper themselves are encouraged to
apply if such assistance is needed. Requests for stipends should be
addressed to Frank Belland, VP of Technical Operations, at the address
below.

PLEASE SEND COMPLETE PAPERS TO:

Program Chair:
Frank Belland
OpenView Forum
VP Technical Operations
313 Green Reed Road
MP 802-OVF94
De bary Fl 32713
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]


Papers should be submitted as soon as possible, for inclusion in our
conference schedule.

Proposals accepted starting:          March  1, 1994
Deadline for Receipt of Papers:       April 18, 1994
Notification of Acceptance Mailed:    May    1, 1994
Final Camera Ready Papers Due:        June   1, 1994

Suggestions for Tutorials, Panel Discussions, Birds-of-a-Feather
Sessions, and additional Conference Topics should be submitted to:

Special Events and Tutorials Chair:

Paul Edmunds
Duke Power Company - CS03D
401 S. College St.
PO Box 1008
Charlotte, NC 28201-1008
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]


Deadline for Receipt of Proposals for Tutorials,
               April 18, 1994
Panel Discussions, Birds-of-a-Feather Sessions,
               April 18, 1994

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE:
Cathy Lytle
GTE Federal Systems Division
15000 Conference Center Drive
Chantilly VA  22021
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone].

Paul Edmunds
Duke Power Company - CS03D
401 S. College St.
PO Box 1008
Charlotte, NC 28201-1008
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]

Frank Belland
Martin Marietta Corporation
313 Green Reed Road
MP 802-OVF94
De bary Fl 32713
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]

Rick Sturm
US West Advanced Technologies
4001 Discovery Drive
Suite 190
Boulder, CO 80303
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]


ADVISORY BOARD:
Greg Stephens
Hewlett-Packard Company
5725 W. Las Positas Blvd.
Pleasanton, CA 94588
CIS: 73125,1374
Email: [e-mail]
Office: (510)-460-1508
Fax:    [phone]

Bob Natale
American Computer
209 Perry Pkwy
Gaithersburg MD 20877
Email: [e-mail]
Office: (301)-258-9850
Fax:    [phone]


PROGRAM COMMITTEE:

Members of the Organizing Committee and Advisory Board are also
members of the Program Committee.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to help with conference planning
please call or email:

Paul Edmunds
Duke Power Company - CS03D
401 S. College St.
PO Box 1008
Charlotte, NC 28201-1008
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]


VENDOR PROGRAM

The Conference offers vendors/users/developers the opportunity to
demonstrate their network management products during five days, in
parallel to the conference. Vendors/users/developers interested in the
opportunity to present products and/or future plans should contact:

OpenView Forum
Frank Belland
Martin Marietta Corporation
313 Green Reed Road
MP 802-OVF94
De bary Fl 32713
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]

For information about OVF '94 or to indicate your interest in
participating, please send this form to:

OpenView Forum
Frank Belland
Martin Marietta Corporation
313 Green Reed Road
MP 802-OVF94
De bary Fl 32713
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]


Complete/Check items below:

 [ ]  I am interested in attending.

 [ ]  I intend to submit a paper.
      Provisional Title: ____________________________________________

 [ ]  I intend to submit a poster.
      Provisional Title: ____________________________________________

 [ ]  I plan to submit a tutorial proposal.
      Provisional Title: ____________________________________________

 [ ]  My company is interested in participating in the Vendor Program.

Please send me more information regarding:

 [ ]  Technical Program

 [ ]  Tutorial Program

 [ ]  Vendor Program

 [ ]  Accommodation

 [ ]  Other (Please Specify)__________________________________________

 [ ]  Membership in the OpenView Forum

 [ ]  Volunteer activities for conferences

Name:

Address:

City:

Post/State:

Zip Code:

Country:

Phone:

Fax:

Email Internet Addr:

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #77
*****************************


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Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 22:35:58 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #78

TELECOM Digest     Sat, 12 Feb 94 22:36:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 78

Inside This Issue:                         Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Lars Poulsen)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Steven H. Lichter)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Daryl R. Gibson)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Richard Barnes)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Bill Llewellyn)
    Re: Phone Number History (Dr. Daniel L. Jones)
    Re: Phone Number History (Robert Casey)
    Re: Phone Number History (Mark W. Schumann)
    Re: Phone Number History (Jim F. Williams)
    Re: Phone Number History (Ken Jongsma)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (A. Padgett Peterson)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Carl Chatski)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Alan Boritz)
    Re: Busy Call Return and Hunt Groups (Al Varney)
    How to Get Long Duration Tones From a Rolm Phone? (David Chasman)
    Paging Available on Cellular Phones (Scott Colbath)
    How to Build Modified Three-Way Calling? (Misuzu Nakazawa)
    Seeking Internet Providers (Charles John Statton, Jr.)
    A Switch Slipping Time (Dan Srebnick)
    Displease Mr. Postman (Col. G.L. Sicherman)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Lars Poulsen)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Organization: CMC Network Products, Copenhagen DENMARK
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 10:37:38 GMT


Bill Garfield ([e-mail]) wrote:

>> OK all you telephone company techno-jocks, I need some help with this.
>> We are being besieged by single-jingle (one ring) calls.

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Mario M.
Butter) writes:

> Could this be a phone company problem? I had the same thing happen to
> me yesterday at home. About 30 times over a three hour stretch, the
> phone rang once then stopped. I picked it up a few times on the first
> ring, but there was no connection on the other end. Also, this was
> happening on both of my lines, not just one.

I have run into this problem with some FAX modems that did not like
unfamiliar call progress signals, and hung up just as the call went
through. Very annoying.

In particular, some modems recognize UK-style "double ringback" (as
provided by Panasonic switches) as BUSY. I have also caught some PBXs
sending short tone bursts (monofrequency) during DID call handovers.

This problem is especially bad if you use non-telecom-approved U.S.
modem models (the technical term is "non-homologated") in Europe, but
given the great variety of equipement, it could happen anywhere.


Lars Poulsen           Internet E-mail: [e-mail]
CMC Network Products       Phone: (011-) [phone]
Hvidovre Strandvej 72 B       Telefax:      [phone]
DK-2650 Hvidovre, DENMARK  Internets: designed and built while you wait

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steven H. Lichter)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Date: 13 Feb 1994 03:00:35 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)


We have had that going on for about three weeks now. I finally called
repair and it checked out ok. I figured it was a problem and would
stop even if they said there was no problem.

I finally filed a report with the police and gave the number to the
telephone company. Shortly after the trace program was placed in the
switch it happend. It would happen six or seven times a day during the
hours of 6 AM and 10 PM Pacific time. After a while the telephone
company was able to locate the caller and it turned out to be a
collection agency that was dialing my number looking for someone with
the same last name as mine but only the same first initial.  They must
have been real stupid or at least played that way since the person
that they claimed they were trying to reach was located in another
city and another county.

This happened to my answering machine, but it was still a pain. I sure
wish California would wake up and allow full Caller ID and to hell
with the little old ladies and rights groups that feel their rights
are being violated; what about our rights to know who calls us? Almost
every other state has it now and there is no good reason California
could not have it. The time is now here for the people in California
who want it to write their reps to pass laws that would force the PUC
to place the service as designed and not the piece meal way they want
the companies to set it up. Either that or get rid if the PUC as they
seem to think we work for them.


The above are my personal thoughts and not those of whatever company I
may or may not work for. This was also done on my own time with my own
computer and telephone. SO There!!!!!!!!!!

Sysop: Apple Elite II -=- an Ogg-Net Hub BBS
[phone] 12/24/96/14.4 V32/V42bis Via PCP CACOL/12/24

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 17:33:13 MST
From: Daryl R. Gibson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls


[e-mail] (Mario M. Butter) wrote:

> Bill Garfield ([e-mail]) wrote:

>> OK all you telephone company techno-jocks, I need some help with
>> this.

>> We are being besieged by single-jingle (one ring) calls.

> Could this be a phone company problem? I had the same thing happen to
> me yesterday at home. About 30 times over a three hour stretch, the
> phone rang once then stopped. I picked it up a few times on the first
> ring, but there was no connection on the other end. Also, this was
> happening on both of my lines, not just one.

I remember a case in southern Utah that had this problem. The telephone
installer went out, couldn't find a thing. Finally, he watched and noted
that the rings came whenever somebody used the toilet.  Turned out the
phone was grounded to the sewer pipe, was badly grounded, and the
pressure from the "movement" caused a temporary short and made the
phone ring.

Bad ground, maybe?


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Is this some sort of variation on the
dog in the UK who was tied to the pole in the back yard and whatever?
Everyone remembers that story, right?  :)     PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Richard Barnes)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Date: 12 Feb 1994 21:56:01 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access   [phone]  [login: guest]


We had this happen a while back, and frequently at night.  We had to
call the phone company several times, and finally talk to a supervisor
(we got incorrect information from everyone else).  The supervisor
said it was the phone company's test equipment.  After talking to this
person the calls tapered off over a period of one or two weeks.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Llewellyn)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Organization: a2i network
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 07:08:38 GMT


I have heard of fax auto-dialers which randomly dial telephone numbers
searching for a fax modem carrier. The intent is to broadcast junk
faxes, simialr to junk mail, to any and every fax machine the
broadcaster can find. If the calling machine hears no carrier after
one ring, it hangs up and moves on. They are set up this way because
most fax machines are programmed to answer on the first ring and
immediately put out a carrier on the line.

We've had a number of "one-ringers" at our home over the years -- any
time of day or night. It is frustrating. Perhaps your system is the
unfortunate victim of an overly aggressive junk fax broadcaster?


Regards,

Bill Llewellyn   <><  [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Anyone who gets those 'one ringers' from
some company looking for fax numbers (or for that matter, some phreak
looking for modems, call extenders and miscellany) should make an effort
to stop the caller dead in his tracks. That's the great thing about Caller-
ID and 'return last call': Even one ring is enough to capture the data
most of the time; if the party hangs up after a ring usually the data is
still transferred over to you, so call 'em back! Ask what's going on and
if they might begin having the courtesy to apologize for dialing a 'wrong
number' at 3 AM or whenever. Either that, or just keep a log of the calls
for a week or three, then confront them. Caller-ID is a great tool; it
is the poor man's self-help to peace and quiet on the telephone. Oh, I
know the ACLU and the Socially Responsible People don't approve of it,
but then, I don't approve of them either.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: jcc-one![e-mail] (Dr. Daniel L. Jones)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Organization: Jones & Jones
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 19:35:49 GMT


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think the party line suffixes in most
> places were -J, -M -R and -W. I never had a party line, but a friend of
> mine did. Do party lines still exist anywhere or are they all discontinued
> by now?   PAT]

Party lines are alive and well in the rural west and midwest.  Here in
NE Colorado, most farms have the choice of a party line or no line.
(two or four party primarily, although some outlying areas have eight
party lines as the only option.)

It always takes me a few moments to re-learn not to blindly answer the
phone when visiting friends and relatives in the country.  "No, don't
answer that -- ours is two longs and one short, not one short and two
longs" is a common experience.

The newer two and four party lines use a signal box at the demarc to
filter all but incoming calls for the right party.  If the line is in
use and you pick up to dial, you get a fast busy signal.

The older eight party lines are live to all parties at all times.  You
have to listen to see if there is someone talking on the line before
dialing.  You learn not to say anything confidential on the phone
since anyone could be listening.  There is a law with some teeth
requiring that you immediately hangup if another party breaks into
your conversation with the words "This is an emergency, please clear
the line."

I believe that the PUCC has required the availability of private lines
by 2000 for most of the region.  The wide spread availability of
cellular in the region and its declining cost will probably make this
a moot point.


[e-mail]            Daniel L. Jones            Office: 303-522-6638
[e-mail]                                       Direct: 303-522-0652


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Not only is there a law in almost every
jurisdiction which requires that a communications link (i.e. telephone)
be released upon demand when an emergency has been declared, but the same
law usually goes on to say that to influence the use of the telephone
(i.e. get someone to disconnect) by declaring an emergency to exist when
in fact none does exist is also a crime, punishable in most jurisdictions
(either way it goes down) by a fine and or some period of imprisonment.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Robert Casey)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 18:26:50 GMT


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: There were some exchange names which seemed
> to be common everywhere, while others were unique to some community. Many
> places had PLAza, and we had a WABash here in Chicago. But some we had here
> I have never heard of in other places: GRAceland, MULberry, TUXedo,
> INTerocean, VICtory, EDGewater and IRVing are a few which come to mind. PAT]

My parent's house was in the COlfax exchange (261-xxxx), so, we were
Colfax-1-xxxx.  My father tells me that Colfax was some local
politician, like town mayor, congressman, or some such.  If so, this
may be a unique exchange name.  I was about ten years old when the
phone company abandoned the exchange name thing, and started just
using numbers.  I first thought our phone number had changed, but then
realized it worked out the same on the dial.

The phone company's got your number!

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mark W. Schumann)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 18:28:08 GMT
Organization: Systems for Today's Retailer, Brecksville, Ohio USA


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think the party line suffixes in most
> places were -J, -M -R and -W. I never had a party line, but a friend of
> mine did. Do party lines still exist anywhere or are they all discontinued
> by now?   PAT]

My ma/pa-in-law still have one, although they're the only party.  Ohio
Bell (Ameritech) has repeatedly said they'll take it away and start
charging them regular single-line rates but that hasn't happened yet.

What's funny is that they're in the 216-741 exchange, which is about
five miles out of downtown Cleveland.  You would think this would have
been one of the first places to eliminate party lines.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: If Ameritech wants to get them off the
single-party 'party line', the best way would be to (use their right to)
assign some other subscriber to the party, preferably some subscriber
with *a lot* of incoming and outgoing calls; maybe a family with a few
teenagers, etc. That would drive your in-laws/outlaws or whatever off
in a hurry, and Ohio Bell could smile sweetly and tell your relatives
how sorry they were to lose them as a party-line subscriber.  :)   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (jim f williams)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 03:32:31 GMT


The J M R and W suffixes were used to designate the side and polarity
of ringing for party lines.  I don't remember the scheme but for
example pretend that R meant ring on the Ring wire and ground wire
with + polarity; J meant ring on the Tip wire and ground wire with -
polarity.  This would allow up to four parties to share a single pair
and not hear other than their own ringing.  (T +, T -, R +, R -)
Larger party lines were something like 1044R2 line 1044, ring ring +
to ground, ringing pattern 2.

I don't think the JMRW were derived from Morse, rather were chosen to be
phonetically distinct.

(This was the way it was in Fairmont, WV pre-dial).


J. Williams


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You are correct; it was phonetic distinc-
tion the telephone company was concerned with.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 16:46:41 EST
From: Ken Jongsma <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Phone Number History


(Gordon asks about an old yard stick that says "Grand Rapids Lumber")

You might try calling the company and asking them. I looked them up in
our phone book. It said to see Caretaker Products [phone].

I called them up and they confirmed that the same family still owns
the company. The receptionist was very nice. I'm sure she could fill
you in on the history of the company and how old the yardstick is.


Kenneth R Jongsma           [e-mail]
Smiths Industries      [e-mail]
Grand Rapids, Michigan           [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 21:29:26 -0500
From: [e-mail] (A. Padgett Peterson)
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company


I am almost reluctant to say it after all of the high-tech answers but
to me the key is "wife's best friend". My first thought was of some
neighborhood prankster with a lineman's handset walking up to the
telco junction on the side of the house, making the call, and lurching
away chortling with visions of Mr. Bodine searching the electronic
world for an answer ...


Warmly, (85 today: hee, hee, hee)

Padgett

PS: Look for someone who knows Tom and his wife's best friend's family
well enough to know that the WBFF has Caller-ID.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (chatski carl)
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company
Date: 12 Feb 1994 20:25:50 -0500
Organization: University of Maryland, Baltimore County


In article <[e-mail]>, Robert Hettmansperger <bobh@
cc.bellcore.com> wrote:

> In article <[e-mail]>:

>> Also FYI, on forwarded calls, the CallerID delivered is supposed to be
>> the number of the original caller, not the number of the forwarding
> >station [TR-31, 3.8F].

> Of course, this is what Bellcore requires on paper.  What you find in
> the real world may differ due to switch manufacturer noncompliances or
> bugs.

About two years ago I formed a business, and designed a computer based
system which relied on the receipt of original Caller ID through forward-
ing.  In the Baltimore/Washington area this simply does not work --
you get the number of the last forwarding phone.  This put an end to
the business.

In there any way to work around this variance from specification?

Will switches be brought into compliance at some time in the future?


Thanks.

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 08:30:22 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz) writes:

> However, would the original writer know if the victim's husband used
> the TELCO call-return feature, or a Caller-ID box's call-return
> feature.  Some people (when relating a story like this) may not know
> enough to differentiate the two.

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well if the victim's husband read the
> number off of the Caller-ID box and used its call-return feature, then
> I'd say Mr. Bodine has got a bit of a problem. If he used telco's same
> feature out of the switch instead, then who knows ...  PAT]

Oh, no, exactly the opposite.  If I pick up my phone after the first
ring I know for a fact that my box will miss the Caller-ID data, so
retrieving the last call and dialing it will get me the SECOND to last
phone number (since the last is missing).

If the irate husband had bought a Caller-ID box from "the phone
company" he might refer to the dial button on the box as a "phone
company return call feature."  If the wife who received the obscene
phone call answered the phone too fast (before the Caller-ID data
stream came down the line) the scenario could have happened, and be
reported, just as I described.

Now all they need is a good "block-the-blocker" Caller-ID box and
they'll be all set ... ;)

[e-mail] (Robert Hettmansperger) writes:

> By Bellcore's requirements, the record of the last incoming call
> should NOT be updated if the incoming call is given busy treatment
> [TR-227, Appx A].  It SHOULD be updated if it is given call-waiting
> treatment.

Wouldn't this have substituted the (second) victim's phone number for
the real obscene caller if the irate husband have also ordered call
waiting on his line, and the woman's best friend had called DURING the
obscene call (but was too distracted to answer)?

On the other hand, if the CO switch, or ancillary equipment, had
re-initialized close to or during the obscene call wouldn't that have
prevented the caller-id data from being updated to show the obscene
caller's phone number?


[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Who said either the victim or her husband
picked up the phone during the first ring? Around here, Caller-ID is
delivered *immediatly* following the first ring; had they picked up the
phone even two seconds after the first ring stopped but before the second
ring began the number shown would have been correct.  I don't recall
reading anything here about them answering during the first ring which
would have had to have happened if the previous call data was still in
the buffer.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 17:13:44 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Busy Call Return and Hunt Groups
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

> I have a busy call return feature on a phone line for the time being.
> When *66 is dialed after a call to a busy line, the service is
> supposed to give a special ring back (short-short-long?) when the line
> is no longer busy.

> I tried this after getting a busy on a number that represents a hunt
> group of many incoming lines. The free line special ringing never
> seems to occur despite the many incoming lines that would connect and
> disconnect on a frequent basis. I eventually dialed again manuallly
> and getting through.  I have attempted such a call return on a few
> occasions by now, and get similar results.

> Does the busy call return (depending on the telco) only signal a free
> line if only a specific incoming line (such as the first line) of a
> hunt group becomes free, or should it signal the line is free when any
> one of the hunt group lines become free?

   Unfortunately, the answer is "it depends", including a lot of
factors that will probably change over time.  Lines that use Series
Completion will signal free only when the line associated with a
dialed number is free.  If Forward on Busy/Forward on No Answer is
used to effect a type of "multiline hunting", the *66 attempt will
either be denied or will wait for the specific line to become idle
(more dependencies).

  If the terminating switch does not support "terminating scanning" or
the use of "queues" for *66 requests, the originating switch looks
periodically (say, every 30 seconds) to see if the requested DN or
MLHG group has an idle line.  If not, it looks again in 30 seconds.
You and all the other folks trying to reach the MLHG will have to be
lucky to hit a time when a line is idle.  Even if the line is idle, by
the time you answer the special ringback and the switch attempts to
connect you, there may be no idle lines.  The "Call Return" function
is thus of limited use in attempting to reach someone behind a busy,
large MLHG.

   Bellcore has even recommended that attempts to "Call Return" to
some types of heavily-called numbers (radio stations) be blocked by
marking such lines as "choke" lines -- these would also possibly be
set up for Gapping, to prevent overloading the terminating switch.


Al Varney

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Chasman)
Subject: How to Get Long Duration Tones From a Rolm Phone?
Organization: Center for Biomolecular Simulation
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 16:42:30 GMT


I have a Rolm phone in my office -- and an old answering machine that
requires a three second continuous tone to retrieve messages at home
 -- does anybody out there know how to generate such a tone from the
keypad on my Rolm?

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Scott Colbath)
Subject: Paging Available on Cellular Phones
Date: 12 Feb 1994 20:03:13 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer Inc, Marlboro MA


Greetings. I haven't been reading this group much lately so this may
be old news to some. I just wanted to pass it on.

Bell Atlantic here in Phoenix announced yesterday that they were
making available to their cellular phone customers the ability to be
pagable on their cell phones. Is this being done anywhere else? It
sounds like a good idea. One is able to ditch the pager and just carry
a phone. Any comments?


Scott Colbath  Stratus Computer
Phoenix, Az.  [phone]
Internet:[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Misuzu Nakazawa)
Subject: How to Build Modified Three-Way Calling?
Organization: The National Capital FreeNet, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 16:51:16 -0500


I am trying to build a three-way telephone conference circuit where
parties A and B can communicate with party C (in both directions). C
can hear A and B and A and B can hear C. The catch though is that I do
not want A and B to be able to hear each other at any time during the
call.

Does anyone out there know how to build such a circuit, or where to
get equipement that would do this?


Thank you,

Misuzu Nakazawa   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Charles John Statton, Jr)
Subject: Searching For Internet Providers
Date: 12 Feb 1994 22:02:29 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)


I am looking for Internet Service Providers in the Erie, PA area.  So
far I have only found PREPNet. Are there any others for this area?


Chuck Statton    [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 13:54:22 -0500
Subject: A Switch Slipping Time
Organization: Isle-Net Telecommunications (BBS [phone])


Earlier this evening, I gave Bell Atlantic a trouble report because
some of my BBS users were complaining about excessive line noise.  I
could not identify any problem at my location, and could not even
confirm the problem because an intra-switch call revealed no line
noise at all.  I surmised that the problem lay in the connection
between my switch and the rest of the network.

Fortunately, the 611 clerk understood that the problem was not here.
All too often, they want to dispatch a repair truck for C.O. related
problems.  In this case, the problem was passed on to the C.O.  I got
a call back an hour later saying, "This is Bell Atlantic.  We've fixed
the problem.  The switch was slipping time."

Can someone provide a more technical explanation of what happened
here? I believe I am on a DMS-100 switch.


Dan Srebnick

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 16:39:43 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Displease Mr. Postman
Organization: Save the Dodoes Foundation


In <[e-mail]>, Carl Moore <[e-mail]> writes:

> Trains came in the 19th century, and I remember reading someplace
> that 30 miles per hour was considered fast back then.  (In some old
> "Highlights for Children" magazine of about 30 years ago, I recall
> some composer being held back in some studying out of fear of "hurting
> the brain".)

The American chess grandmaster Harry Pillsbury was widely thought to
have died from overtaxing his brain with too many simultaneous
exhibitions.  (Actually it was tertiary syphilis.)

By the way, George Gilder was right on all counts.  Postman hasn't
even figured out that central government is technologically obsolete;
he knows just enough about the future to prefer the past.  I read his
_Entertaining Ourselves to Death._ All plausible, and all wrong.
Postman is one of those would-be disciples of Marshall McLuhan who
assimilate as little of McLuhan's teaching as they need to make a
point: they swallow a corner of the oyster.


Col. G. L. Sicherman     [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #78
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #79

TELECOM Digest     Sun, 13 Feb 94 10:13:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 79

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Coca-Cola and US Sprint Run Phony Contest (Bill Mayhew)
    Re: Coca-Cola and US Sprint Run Phony Contest (Tom Lowe)
    Re: ROA Can't Cover All My Lines - NYNEX's Fault (Alan Boritz)
    Re: Two Stories on MCI (Alan Boritz)
    Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area (Dennis Smiley)
    Re: Truckstop Calling Cards (Jonathan D. Loo)
    Re: The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right ... (Bill Walker)
    Re: Caller ID in UK? (Steve McKinty)
    Re: FCC $crews Pac Bell (John Levine)
    Re: Need Poisson Tables (Mark Fraser)
    Re: Any LD Carriers With Cellular Plans? (Jeff Kagan)
    Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future? (Russell Graham Teasdale)
    Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones (David A. Kaye)
    Re: "Miniplex" == Digital Local Loop? (Steve Forrette)
    Re: Please Dial 507-XXXX.  No, Please Don't Do That (Mark Brader)
    Re: How to Expand the Range of Cordless Phones ([e-mail])
    Re: Telephone Number History (Sheldon W. Hoenig)
    Re: 'Arbitrage' PUC Rule? (Larry Jones)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
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information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
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TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
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should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Mayhew)
Subject: Re: Coca-Cola and US Sprint Run Phony Contest
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 14:03:38 GMT


I believe the Monster Diet Coke promotion ended December 15th (at
least here in Ohio).  I haven't seen the bottles with the yellow caps
on the store shelves since early December.  I had a cap I'd forgotten
to check, so I called around xmas time and got a recording from Coke
that said words to the effect, "Sorry, the contest is over."  Perhaps
by now the Sprint 800 number has been retired and has a slightly
inappropriate intercept recording, but tis true you can't dial the
number in question.

By the way, I checked about 40 bottle caps, most with different
numbers, and not a single one was a winner.  I never did stay on the
line long enough to hear the Sprint marketing spiel.  Mercifully, you
could check your winner status (or lack thereof) withouth having to
suffer though the marketing.

My LD carrier is AT&T by the way.  I called one at work where we
have Litel and it went through OK (back in Dec.).


Bill Mayhew        NEOUCOM Computer Services Department
Rootstown, OH  44272-0095  USA      phone: [phone]
[e-mail]       amateur radio 146.58: N8WED

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tom Lowe)
Subject: Re: Coca-Cola and US Sprint Run Phony Contest
Organization: Compro Technologies, Inc.
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 15:30:25 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, Alan Boritz <drharry!aboritz@
uunet.UU.NET> wrote:

> Wow, a Diet Coke with a contest opportunity!  All I have to do is call
> US Sprint's "Monster Line" (1-800-474-3476) and see if my "Monster
> Code" is a winner!  Oh, no, the recording tells me that I can't reach
> that number from my area!  Oh, well, Sprint screwed up ANOTHER "free"
> offer... ;)

I thought that contest was over last year sometime.  If I remember
correctly, it was around Halloween of 93.  It was legitimate ... I
called several times, but unfortunately didn't win!

By the way, does anyone have any details about the platform they
used for this particular promotion?  Or even some numbers such as how
many calls, how many ports, etc?


Tom Lowe   [e-mail]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: ROA Can't Cover All My Lines - NYNEX's Fault
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 23:32:29 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


[e-mail] (Barton F. Bruce / CCA) writes:

> AT&T promised me all my lines could be on my ROA plan.

> NYNEX bills folks individually bills for multiple phone lines.

> AT&T says "Whoops, NYNEX's multiple bills precludes ROA covering all
> lines (but you can order a second ROA plan if you like ...)"

> NYNEX says that since their multiple billing does not aggregate all
> the ten per line free DA calls you are allotted into one pot, *AND* if
> and ONLY if you have been charged for excess 411 calls on one line but
> had unused on another and COMPLAINED, they *might* try to get you on a
> 'combined' billing program.

> Of course, the 1,000s of trees and $s of postage they waste could
> concern them less, since every dollar they waste means more they get
> to markup and have the regulators let them milk out of the customers.
 ...
> So on to executive appeals ("hello - office of the president"). Normally
> they do get back in one day. Not this time.

> ANY useful war stories or suggestions?

AT&T will combine billing for all of your lines on one bill,
regardless of where they are and in whose name they're in, but only at
business switched-access-wats rates, and only if you like dealing with
snotty customer service reps who give the impression they'd rather
work somewhere else.

The reason why you're having so much difficulty is probably because
NYNEX, and most LEC's, treat individually billed lines differently
than aux lines for tariff purposes.  The only way you can have your
cake, and eat it too, so to speak, is to change your present setup so
you have one main billing number and all the rest are billed as aux
lines.


[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Two Stories on MCI
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 23:27:18 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


Paul Robinson <[e-mail]> writes:

> 2. For those of you confused over MCI's ad with some little girl with an
>    English accent, speaking gibberish, you're not alone.  The girl is
>    11-year-old Anna Paquin of New Zealand, who was in the movie "The Piano".

Excuse me, Paul, but the little girl doesn't speak with an "English"
accent.  My first guess was South African, or Australian, though I
lost the original post on this subject.  They don't speak "English" in
New Zealand, or at least they don't speak it very well. <grin>


Alan

[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dennis Smiley)
Subject: Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area
Date: 12 Feb 1994 22:29:06 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access  [phone]  [login: guest]


John Galloway ([e-mail]) wrote:

> When I call 911 on my cellular (having seen an accident just happen)
> it appears that I get forwarded to a fixed site that just dispatches
> the call to the proper 911 officem i.e. the first person answers "911
> emergency" but just asks where you are, and then the phone rings a
> second time and you get another "911 emergency".  This seems silly
> since obviously the provider has the necessary info about where you
> are to do this automatically.  I have not ever called 911 when out of
> my area. Would I still get the same (Northern CA) based dispatch
> operator who would then have to send me to (e.g.) Austin Texas 911???
> (I am using Cellular-One).

The dispatcher, even with Enhanced 9-1-1 could never know where your
cell-phone is without asking.  Maybe what cell-site you are using, but
in the fringe those sites can cover a large area.  In most of California
cellular 9-1-1 calls go to the Highway Patrol, just like the roadside
cellular call boxes.


Dennis Smiley   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jonathan D. Loo)
Subject: Re: Truckstop Calling Cards
Date: 12 Feb 1994 17:39:50 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland College Park


In article <[e-mail]> TELECOM Digest Editor noted:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Those are called 'Talk Tickets' and
> they are a bit expensive at 50 cents per minute of domestic use.

Someone else commented:

> Considering that they are paid for up front, talk tickets should cost
> no more than ten to fifteen cents per minute.  Think about it.  No
> billing, no uncollectables, no customer service, no credit for wrong
> numbers, no nothing.

> The cost of talk tickets should in no way exceed standard direct
> dialed rates.  Anything more is a rip-off.

Safeway sells U. S. Sprint talk tickets for $5 each.  They allow 30
minutes of domestic long-distance calling.  It comes to about $.17 per
minute, regardless of time of day.  There is a customer service
telephone number (operated by an independent company, not Safeway or
U.S. Sprint; limited customer service also is available through U.S.
Sprint's regular customer service lines), although as far as I know it
is not 24-hours.  In my experience the customer service lines are
often busy, as is the 800 telephone number that I dial to place calls.
The reliability of the service needs work.  This may have changed;
last time that I used this service was last summer.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Walker)
Subject: Re: The Right Number, But Not *Quite* Right ...
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 12:58:49 GMT
Organization: Qualcomm, Inc.


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] wrote:

> I feel that the proper solution is for Directory Assistance always to
> quote the ten digit number.

> It IS NOT reasonable to assume that callers will know of the latest
> NPA splits.  Therefore the companies have an obligation to do everything
> to assist the poor caller.
[stuff deleted]

I agree completely.  However, the example given was _not_ a case of
the area code being changed and the caller using the old area code.
Davis has been in AC 916 for ages, possibly forever.

Here's an example for your case, though: my mother works in Oakland,
CA.  I forgot about the 415/510 area code split and tried to call her
using 415 on Sprint.  All I got was a "your call cannot be completed
as entered".  I tried again, same result.  Tried again using AT&T and
got a recording telling me the number was now in 510.  What Sprint did
was perfectly valid and correct, but what AT&T did was helpful.


Bill Walker - [e-mail] - QUALCOMM, Inc., San Diego, CA USA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steve McKinty - SunConnect ICNC)
Subject: Re: Caller ID in UK?
Date: 12 Feb 1994 15:33:00 GMT
Organization: SunConnect


Check in uk.telecom, there is a thread on this subject. BT are starting
a pilot trial in Edinburgh soon.


Steve McKinty   Sun Microsystems ICNC
38240 Meylan, France   email: [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: chico![e-mail]
Subject: Re: FCC $crews Pac Bell
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 12:33:48 GMT


> My original point was simply that there's a technical point between a subsidy
> and a waiver...

It's a pretty technical point -- whatever you call it, the government
is $50 million poorer, and the carrier is $50 million richer.

In this case I don't understand the point of the the pioneer program,
since it's not like anyone needed a lot of encouraging to get into
PCS.  A more reasonable pioneer reward, if there's any reward at all,
would have been to say that pioneers are guaranteed a piece of
spectrum so long as they match the highest competing bid for the piece
that they want.

I also don't entirely understand who decided what was pioneering and
what wasn't.  According to TE&M, Ameritech did a trial in Chicago that
used small and not very smart PCS base stations attached to the
regular phone network using an ISDN (primary rate, presumably) link,
and with all of the smarts including handoff handed in the regular
existing landline phone switches with a little added software.  That
seems at least as pioneering as the cable crock that was worth $50M in
Los Angeles, particularly since that offers the possibility of small
PCS carriers jump starting by subcontracting a lot of the capital
intensive switching to the local telco.  Ameritech didn't get a dime
for it.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mark Fraser)
Subject: Re: Need Poisson Tables
Date: 12 Feb 1994 15:51:46 -0800
Organization: Wimsey Information Services


No you don't need trunk tables.  If you look at the percentage
utilization (erlangs/trunks) from 180 to 200 trunks, you will see that
it asymptotically approaches a straight line.  Extend that line, using
roughly the same utilization (erlangs per trunk) and you will have a
conservative engineering number.  Let's face it -- we're talking
statistics, not absolutes.  The tables may show a lot of decimal
places, but once you get above a few dozen trunks, the trendlines tell
it all.

Also, any of the traffic books (that show equations, like even the
lowly ABC's of ... ) should allow a 20-line basic program to generate
the tables.  On the assumption that you don't attempt to calculate
500! (factorial)


Cheers,

mark

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Any LD Carriers With Cellular Plans?
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 22:45:03 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)



I advise companies on selecting telephone services, spotting waste and
reducing costs, cellular included.  Unless you use alot of Cellular
LONG DISTANCE calls, don't worry about it. If you use AT&T at home,
use it on your cellphone.


Jeffrey Kagan   Tele Choice Consulting
Atlanta   404/419-2222  [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Russell Graham Teasdale)
Subject: Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future?
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 06:06:54 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Department, Cal Poly SLO


In article <[e-mail]>, Maria Christensen <maria@
lulea.trab.se> wrote:

> S. L. Lee ([e-mail]) wrote:

>> I heard that a technology is available (or becoming available) that
>> can transmit voice, data, fax, video, two-way and simultaneous and
>> automatically routed. I posted a msg but might have misposted.

>> I would like to see professional evaluation of its feasibility.  I
>> have the following questions:

>> 1. Would there be any health hazard?
>> 2. Can the technology be implemented internationally, if not, what are the
>>    barriers?
>> 3. How long has this idea been around? Why didn't anybody look at it?

>> I would like to see discussion on various aspects of this technology.

> I'm working with cost efficient network soloutions in the the rural
> area. The scope is around 2000. Typically questions are:

> * Will the access network only consist of fiber
> * Will radio soloutions take over
> * What kind of services will be provided to the subscribers
> * How will a common family use multimedia
> * Video the the home
> * ADSL/HDLS on current cu-net.

> I'm interested in a discussion.

    I'd be delighted to help contribute to one, however modestly.
I edit an online industry issues newsletter, _View from the Crow's
Nest_, that took up these sorts of wireless-related questions in two
recent issues, with particular reference to the wireless-versus-fiber
debate.

    The material in question is too lengthy to permit its being
gracefully incorporated into the Digest, however, so instead, I shall
be happy to mail zipped-and-uuencoded copies of the two pertinent
issues to anyone who'd like one.

    Requests may be submitted to [e-mail].
There may be a brief lag in response time due to pending deadlines,
but I ought to be able to cover all respondents within a week or so.


Russ Teasdale -- [e-mail]  --  (Rusty)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David A. Kaye)
Subject: Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones
Date: 13 Feb 1994 02:17:34 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access  [phone]  [login: guest]


[e-mail] wrote:

> tool of the trade. You take away the convenience and the ability to
> hide which the telephone affords its users, and it puts a crimp in the
> drug dealer's business, which is all most neighborhood people are asking
> for.

Of COURSE drug dealers patronize Radio Shack!  Where do you think they
buy their pagers?  Crippling pay phones don't do anything to slow drug
trafficking.  Drug dealers are very inventive, not stupid or unaware
by any means.  They have voicemail, pagers, cellular phones, the whole
bit.  There are lots of off-brand pay phones (COPTs or COCOTs) around
here which cut off tone dialing after the call is connected, making it
difficult to use voicemail.  The dealers I've seen around here use
tone dialers.  If drug dealers weren't hip to what's going on they'd
have been caught long ago.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The fact is, they *are* caught every day,
at least around Chicago. In the parking lot at the McDonalds, the 7/Eleven
and and at the Loyola and Howard stations on the elevated line I see them
hanging around the payphones all the time. Most of them are buyers who
call the dealer's pager then wait to be called back, but they can't get
through to the dealer's pager if the phone has a rotary dial, nor can they
get called back if the phone is one-way outgoing. Perhaps we should clarify
something: it is the BUYERS who find it difficult these days to establish
communications with the sellers. Buyers do not call from their home phone;
they want to do business on the street corner or in an alley, or maybe at
the elevated train station. Also, the dealers you are describing are more
toward the middle level in the hierarchy; they are not the street peddlers.

Chicago Police Tactical Officers clean out the Loyola station every day;
sometimes twice a day but it never seems to do any good. All night long
it is one of the sleaziest stations on the elevated line. The street sellers
are not very bright people. These tricks with the phones just made their
job harder, and that is the intent. Yes, some find work-arounds but most
just go to some other location. When the local McDonalds and 7/Eleven both
yanked out all the payhones they had in their parking lots, bingo all of
a sudden no more traffic all night long there and the Loyola station became
the spot to go. When the cops started hitting on Loyola all the time, the
sellers/buyers started moving elsewhere. 'De-Modernizing' the phones is
just one rather effective harassment technique to use.  The 7/Eleven now
has a sign in their parking lot: "Gangbangers, drug sellers and drug buyers
at this location go to jail! We call police!"  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steve Forrette)
Subject: Re: "Miniplex" == Digital Local Loop?
Date: 12 Feb 1994 20:53:43 GMT
Organization: Walker Richer & Quinn, Inc.
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Steve Forrette)


In <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Ray Berry) writes:

> US West recently installed two numbers in my residence on a single
> copper pair.  They did this by installing a Raychem "Miniplex 4-in-3
> RT", which supposedly muxes two lines onto a single pair by converting
> both to a digital data stream, which is deciphered at the CO by a
> mating card.

> Being a techie type I'd like to know more about this device but don't
> know where to ask.  Can someone here expound further?

Most of these units work in the analog domain, not digitally.  The
first line operates normally.  The second line has its usable
frequency (usually 300-3600Hz) shifted up some amount, lets say to
8000-11300Hz, so that it can be sent over the same pair without
interfering with the primary line.  The matching device on the other
end then shifts it back down and sends it out the second pair to the
end device or CO.  There is also signalling between the devices to
transfer hookswitch transitions, ringing current, etc.

The customer end is usually powered by batteries, which are recharged
whenever the primary line is on-hook.  This means that if the primary
line is in use continuously for long periods of time, the batteries
can run down and make the second line go dead.  A workaround for this
situation is to run the customer end off of a transformer.

I was served by one of these a couple of years ago.  I ran v.32/v.42
modems over both the primary and secondary lines with no noticable
degredation in throughput.  The only thing strange about the second
line was that the on-hook voltage was not the typical -48VDC, so the
"in use" indicators on my multi-line phones would always show the
secondary line as in-use.  But other than that, I was surprised that I
had no problems with it.


Steve Forrette, [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mark Brader)
Subject: Re: Please Dial 507-XXXX.  No, Please Don't do That
Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, Canada
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 08:49:08 GMT


I wrote:

>> I had intended to reproduce here the exact wording of the second
>> intercept, but I'm typing this at home, and I find that from my home
>> phone in 416-488-XXXX, using seven digits to dial a local call to 905
>> does not produce any intercept.

Lester Hiraki responded (in email, but maybe he also posted it here):

> To force the recording, try dialing ten-digits with the WRONG
> area code ie. 416-507-XXXX. ... The wording of the recording is:
> "The number you are trying to reach is a ten-digit local number.
> Please dial 905/(416) before the seven-digit number you are calling.
> This is a recording."

I can get that one both from home (416-488-XXXX) and from work
(416-239-XXXX) all right, but it isn't the recording I meant.
Dialing what is really a 905 number as 7 digits from work gives THIS:

   <Ring, ring, ring>
   This is Bell Canada.  Do not hang up.  Your call will be completed
   as dialed.  In the future, please dial 905 before the seven-digit local
   number you are calling.  Thank you.

The recording is somewhat faster-paced than most Bell Canada recordings,
and the 905 is pronounced like 9O5 regardless of ambiguity.


Mark Brader, SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, utzoo!sq!msb, [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 18:37:29 PST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: How to Expand the Range of Cordless?
Organization: DAVID Systems Inc, Sunnyvale CA


Can anyone tell me how far the power can be boosted for a cordless
phone system, if it is modified at its best?

(Assuming there is no FCC or any government regulation as far as the
power of the signal, how far can the signal be sent without much loss
of power.)

And what could be the best way for such modification?

Thanks for anyone who can give me some help on these nagging questions?


Jey

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 18:25:44 EST
From: Sheldon W. Hoenig <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Telephone Number History


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: There were some exchange names which seemed
> to be common everywhere, while others were unique to some community. Many
> places had PLAza, and we had a WABash here in Chicago. But some we had here
> I have never heard of in other places: GRAceland, MULberry, TUXedo,
> INTerocean, VICtory, EDGewater and IRVing are a few which come to mind. PAT]

Pat:

A VIctory exchange was created in St. Louis during WW II when I was a
kid.  I always assumed that the name was related to winning the war.

We had a few locally related telephone exchanges also.  My exchange
was CAbany.  One of the early "important people" in St. Louis was the
Cabanne family.  A street was named after them with the "Cabanne"
spelling.  When I would call home from another city, I had to spell
the exchange name for the operator because it was so different.  The
most ritzy exchange in St. Louis was WYdown which served the
wealthiest part of St. Louis County.  Wydown Blvd was, an is, a ritzy
street.


Sheldon W. Hoenig                Internet:
Government Systems, INC (GSI)       [e-mail]
Suite 500                           [e-mail]
3040 Williams Drive              Telephone: [phone]
Fairfax, VA 22031-4612                      [phone] x420


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Our VICtory exchange was started here in
early 1946 if that tells you anything.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Larry Jones)
Subject: Re: 'Arbitrage' PUC Rule?
Date: 12 Feb 94 18:43:55 GMT


The TELECOM Digest Editor Notes:

> To put it another way, if arbitrage could be defined as loosely as
> your friend has done it, then every hotel switchboard becomes illegal
> since the hotel purchases local service from telco at one price and
> immediatly resells it to guests at some other price. Every privately
> owned payphone (COCOT) becomes illegal for the same reason.

Hummm, maybe it's not such a bad idea after all. ;-)


Larry Jones, SDRC, 2000 Eastman Dr., Milford, OH  45150-2789  513-576-2070
[e-mail]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #79
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #80

TELECOM Digest     Sun, 13 Feb 94 10:49:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 80

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    International Dialback Long Distance (Michael D. Beatty)
    More Information on the Economics of Dial-Back Services (Gowri Narla)
    Re: Are LATA Maps Available? (Tony Harminc)
    Re: Trick to Get Free Nynex Screening (Karl Johnson)
    Re: Administration Adopts Coldwar Mentality, Pushes For Clipper (Paul Coen)
    Re: Advertising by New York Telephone (Michael Israeli)
    Re: How to Build Modified Three-Way Calling? (Jay Hennigan)
    Questions About GMSK (Ramesh Sinha)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
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of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Michael D. Beatty)
Subject: International Dialback Long Distance
Organization: Community_News_Service
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 03:18:29 GMT


International dialback Long Distance ...
Communications Systems International, Inc.

For more information, send e-mail to [e-mail], and the system
will automatically send you an explanation ofhow to sign up for the
service, learn more about the possibilities for agency marketing, and
of course exactly HOW the service works.

Anyone interested in reducing the cost of international calls?  For
themselves or their company, or any companies/ businesses they know or
care to contact?

And how about a very nice business opportunity working (freelance,
spare-time/part-time) with a leading American telecommunications
company?  This opportunity can have exceptional appeal for any size
interest.  From the home-based opportunist to the major telecommun-
ications boutique.

The company, CS International, provides international telephone
connections for any business anywhere in the world, using an ingenious
'dialback' system to allow users outside the US to connect up with the
US telephone network, via satellite and digital fiber optic lines, to
make their international calls. The result: up to *70%* savings on the
phone bill! It's very simple, fully automatic, doesn't require any
equipment (apart from the phone!), and doesn't even require switching
carriers.  Customers _love_ it when they find out how easy it is and
how much it saves (and how clear the connections are).

Anyone with a monthly bill of $100 or more can benefit, and companies
with really large phone costs should look at this very seriously; CSI
can save them tens and hundreds of thousands every month. (CSI has the
capacity to bring 10,000 or 20,000 new lines on stream at a few hours'
notice, BTW.)

We also need people to contact potential customers locally (anywhere
in the world outside the US) -- e-mail, phone, direct, whatever works.
You become an independent agent (no fee or cost); you then earn
commission of US$0.8c (eight cents) per minute used by every customer
you sign up, every month, for the next ten years..... Not only that,
_you_ can sign up new agents to go looking for customers of their own,
and you earn commission of US$0.4c (four cents) for every minute used
by your agents' customers. You can build up quite a tidy monthly
income this way!

If you're interested, e-mail me, and I will send you a full description
of CSI and how the system works, along with the form needed to sign
up, both the agent form and the customer form. It's very simple, and
all you do to sign up is fax a couple of pages to the US. (CSI is on
the net too, so agents can communicate with the company direct very
simply.) Customer accounts and agent positions are set up in less than
48 hours.

Just e-mail [e-mail] for more information.


Michael D. Beatty    1-719-471-3332 1-800-950-5033
Fax: [phone]  [e-mail]
Personal line: 719-473-4883  Personal fax: [phone]
Vice President of Marketing  Communications Systems International


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Is the international call-back business
such a good one? In the next message, a response which sheds a little
more light on the scheme.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Gowri Narla)
Subject: More Information on the Economics of Dial-Back Services
Organization: Purdue University
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 03:57:31 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
(Wolf Paul) writes:

> After the recent repost here in the Digest of information on
> Communications Systems International's Dial-Back service I wrote to

 .....

> Add to that (a) the monthly minimum charge and (b) the inconvenience
> of only being able to call from the number where the dial-back box is
> going to call you back at, and I begin to wonder if this is such a
> good deal at all.

> Of course you can forget about using the service to call European,
> Middle Eastern or North African countries as well; there are slightly
> more substantial savings to be realized when calling countries in
> Latin America or the Far East.

> But since my need to call these places is rather limited, I guess I
> will currently pass on Mr. Beatty's service.

I was interested in Dial-Back services as well, but after a survey of
a few providers' rates, I was disappointed. I was primarily concerned
with using the services for India (it has one of the worst of telephone
services and PTTs) and other South Asian countries. I found that the
rates for calls from these countries are substantially LOWER than those
of the Dial-Back services.

There has been a tremendous growth in traffic between these countries
and the USA (increased immigrant populations, business growth in those
countries, increased international communications ...). The big three
LDCs, at least, have recognized this and the competition is pretty
intense. (Seen the ads with the heavy dose of ethnic images). Three
years ago, I was land-locked (phone-locked?) in my university campus
with AT&T -- I had to take it or have none. If I recollect right, I paid
$5.60 for the first minute on a call to India. Now, I pay $1.40 max!
In fact, in the latest round of price wars, AT&T and Sprint are both
offering a weekend call rate of 78c per minute flat!

But unlike Herr Paul, I need to call India often -- for personal as
well as business reasons. I do wish that my parties on the other side
could just pick the phone and call me whenever they wanted, without
fear of the high rates. There are thousands of other South Asians as
well in a similar predicament. Dial-Back services could exploit this
potential but they don't seem to be aware (PAT?). As of now, there are
other options:

1. You send the dollars to your relatives so they can afford to call
when they wish.

2. Set ringing codes (tell me if this is illegal!) between yourself
and your frequent callers by prior arrangement.  Your long distance
caller lets your phone ring twice and hangs up. He does this twice and
you know who's calling. Obviously, you DIAL-BACK. Likewise, another
party is identified by, say ... two sets of three rings. And so on.
Inconvenient? Yes. But for someone who's used to seeing the pits of
telecoms, it's ok.

I'd really like to know how these services draw their rates. And,
what's the provider's billing relationship with the PTTs like?


Ram Narla   [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The company I represent called Telepassport
(US Fibercom) is really swamped with orders for the service, but they are
not able to get the lines they need from Nynex to meet the demand. I have
had parties sign up through me and wait *weeks* for them to come up with
switching facilities. I may switch to a better service if I find one.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 04:38:35 EST
From: Tony Harminc <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Are LATA Maps Available?


From: [e-mail] (John R. Grout)

>> LATA is not a technical division -- it is purely a political
>> concept set up to match certain US politics of the early 1980s.

> This sounds like a confusion between the LATA concept as a representation
> of the physical plant of AT&T's regional telephone subsidiaries (e.g.,
> New York Telephone, New England Telephone) and various independent
> telcos (e.g., Rochester Telephone) at the time of divestiture and the
> _use_ of the LATA concept (by Judge Greene) to divide provision of
> telephone service _using_ the LATA concept.

> The claim that LATA _layout_ was "not a technical division" is clearly
> false.  For example, _all_ the cases of LATAs for independent telcos
> or those which cross state lines _exactly_ represent physical plant.

Sure -- but the concept was put in place precisely as part of allowing
LD competition.  If it had been based on purely technical grounds
LATAs would have followed the existing hierarchy of local and toll
switches from class 5 end offices all the way to the ten class 1
regional centres that formed the switching fabric at the time.  And
what grounds were there for introducing LATAs other than to determine
who would be allowed to carry what traffic?  Technically, things
looked after themselves nicely already.

> Also, the AT&T divestiture was not a "political" one taken by the
> Administration or the Congress, but was ordered by a Federal Judge.

Oh, be serious.  Are you claiming that US judges are somehow "above"
politics?  That all US law, the constitution, judicial appointments,
etc. etc. are not political? That it wasn't a political decision that
led to the breakup of the Bell System?

>> The forces shaping LD competition in Canada in the 1990s are quite
>> different.  It seems extremely unlikely that an artificial split
>> between IXCs and local telcos as in the US model will ever happen
>> here.

> Having grown up in Rochester, NY, home of what was then the largest
> single-area independent telco in the USA, I don't think it was an
> artificial distinction at all.

> I might not object to the RBOC's providing inter-LATA long distance
> service to their own local-service customers, but I would want them as
> _additional_ players, not dominant players, right from the beginning;
> that is, no automatic cutover of customers to _their_ service, no
> cross-subsidy of their long distance service by their local service,
> and so on.

Sure -- we agree on the last part.  But I still think the division of
the US into short- and long- long distance markets is artificial and
(sorry) political.  I'm not suggesting that Canada has got it right.
Clearly there are areas where big mistakes and political compromises
have been made here too.  But I can see no reason to give local telcos
a monopoly on short long distance traffic and therefore continue to
some extent the cross-subsidies.


Tony Harminc

------------------------------

Date: 12 Feb 94 18:15:37 EDT
From: Karl Johnson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Trick to Get Free NYNEX Screening


In TCD number 63 [e-mail] (Barton F. Bruce) writes:

> A most interesting bill stuffer from NYNEX just now details a back
> door way to get FREE screening to eliminate collect and third party
> billing abuse to your number rather than paying their usual 97 cents
> per month.

> Seems you can now LEGALLY request that they NOT give your name and
> address to other carriers if you so request.

> Of course they say that if you have their LEC calling card and place
> that restriction they will have to CANCEL your card. Seems they can't
> just restrict your use to IXCs that just bill via the LEC's billing
> service, and so might have to divulge the billing information were you
> to use the card with the 'wrong' carrier.

> So *IF* I request them to NOT divulge my name , I get my card
> cancelled, **AND** I get F R E E collect and third party screening
> tossed on the line(s) FREE!

More Flippant description of "restrictions" deleted.

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Actually no, telco cannot refuse to
> give your name and address to other carriers *for billing purposes
> only*, even if you have a non-published number. So go ahead and cancel
> your calling card if that is what you wish, but bear in mind that if
> someone calls you via a phone subscribed to a carrier who *does not*
> check the database used jointly by AT&T/MCI/Sprint and the local Bell
> companies, and you accept collect charges, then you *will* get billed
> for the call anyway, and the AOS/COCOT firm which originated the call
> will get your name, address and phone number. 'Billed Number
> Screening' as it is called (where collect and third-party calls are
> blocked right on the spot at the time/place of origin) ONLY works when
> the database is consulted. Some of the larger carriers (other than the
> Big Three who all cooperate on this) maintain their own database also.
> For example, Integratel does their own thing and does not consult the
> database used by AT&T.

> So regardless of what you advise your local telco (acting as billing
> and collection agent for the Big Three), unless you call Integratel
> and tell them the same thing (and Oncor to name another example) then
> the payphones of those companies will still be passing along collect
> calls (at outrageous rates I might add!) unchallenged, and your local
> telco will bill for them because under the law they have to. Integratel
> will add you to their database on behalf of their clients at your request
> with no qualms. Its no skin off their nose since all they do is bill
> for a bunch of small outfits.  PAT]

PAT:

You need to reread this with your tongue in cheek.  You also need to
read your last (next) Ameratech bill.  I also received a stuffing on
this in my Jan. 26 Bell Atlantic a C&P telephone company bill (still
on C&P paper) It is announcing a FCC rules change that does away with
the requirements that you referred to.  This would mean that your line
would be limited to IXCs that you have a preexisting relationship
with, so third party billing would be impossible on your line (at
least from other companies).  I seem to remember that BA requires that
your number be unlisted.



Karl Johnson


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I got the insert you are referring to
a couple days ago.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 00:28:47 EST
From: Paul R. Coen <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Administration Adopts Coldwar Mentality, Pushes For Clipper
Organization: Drew University Academic Technology


Oh, geez.  That was a good one.  And worry, there are comments about
Clipper in here.

The TELECOM Digest Editor notes:

> So, the discontent with President Clinton continues to grow. Does
> anyone remember as far back as just before his election when this man
> was supposedly going to be such a great person to have in office?

Nope -- I remember him winning by a not-so-impressive margin in a
three- way race.  Oh, and then there was the usual post-election
euphoria that always occurs.  And hey, he's looking up in the polls.

> He conned lots of gay people into voting for him with that bunk of his about
> no more discrimination in the military

And the military, with a few powerful folks in the House and Senate,
fought him tooth and nail.  Remember those "hearings" put on by
Senator Nunn?  If those had been any more staged, there would have
been credits at the end.  If Clinton had done the full lifting of the
ban, Congress would have written it into the military code of justice.
I think you're really inflating the power of the position -- or at
least your expectations of it.  It's a fairly weak executive.  And it
should stay that way.  The sad part is that most people in this
country seem to need to identify *one* person as a leader, as
responsible.  It's easier.  Just like it's easier to have a sense of
loyalty to a flag than the constitution.

> It is too bad that impeachment proceedings are such a long, tedious and
> cumbersome process. Nixon was the only president in recent times to face
> impeachment, and when it became rather obvious it was about to happen he
> resigned instead rather than go through with it.

Yup.  You know, it would be great if the President could get chucked
out every time Congress had a hissy fit.  We don't have a parliamentary
system.  It's awfully easy to complain about how slow the system of
checks and balances makes things -- good way to make a cheap dramatic
statement of disgust.

Back to Clipper -- I'm personally not happy with the current
direction.  But I don't just blame Clinton.  The work on the algorithm
has to have started a good ten years ago.  The actual Clipper proposal
dates back to the Bush era.  And the FBI and NSA really want it, among
others.  If you think the President can just do whatever he wants in
the face of opposition from powerful pieces of the federal
bureaucracy, you're mistaken.  The career folks have a lot of pull.
And if you were in his position, what would you think?  Once you're
exposed to intelligence community paranoia, it's really easy to see
things from a security point of view.  And since you're not an expert,
you're relying on the people who filter the information to you.  Hell,
I have enough trouble dealing with the information from my piddly
little job -- and I'm pretty good at it.  I don't want to think of
what his "briefings" must be like.

One bright spot is that Gore has apparantly made statements about not
being happy with the escrow arrangments -- he thinks at least one of
the escrow agencies should be under the Judiciary, rather than both
being Executive branch agencies.

And the NSA really needs to wake up.  While I can understand the
mentality of "don't help the enemy," I don't agree with it.  The DoD's
attitude towards the Global Positioning System -- which can be used by
anyone to target weapons with amazing accuracy -- is that it's too
useful to shut off and that they just have to live with it.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (What's it to YOU?)
Subject: Re: Advertising by New York Telephone
Date: 13 Feb 1994 14:15:24 GMT
Organization: Net Access - Philadelphia's Internet Connection


Barry Margolin ([e-mail]) wrote:

> In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (James
> Joseph) writes:

>> New York Telephone has been spending truck loads of money advertising
>> that they are changing their name to NYNEX.

> We're also getting them in New England Telephone land.

The same advertising is seen around here as Bell Atlantic is getting
rid of all their seperate names within each state.  Living in
Philadelphia, where the TV stations broadcast to Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, and Deleware, I get the see the same exact commercial over and
over:

Bell of Pennsylvania is now Bell Atlantic.
New Jersey Bell is now Bell Atlantic.
Diamond State Telephone is now Bell Atlantic.

THE HEART OF COMMUNICATION.

Pretty corny, if you ask me.


Michael Israeli - ([e-mail]) -

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jay Hennigan)
Subject: Re: How to Build Modified Three-Way Calling?
Date: 12 Feb 1994 21:18:23 -0800
Organization: Disgruntled postal workers against gun control


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Misuzu Nakazawa) writes:

> I am trying to build a three-way telephone conference circuit where
> parties A and B can communicate with party C (in both directions). C
> can hear A and B and A and B can hear C. The catch though is that I do
> not want A and B to be able to hear each other at any time during the
> call.

> Does anyone out there know how to build such a circuit, or where to
> get equipment that would do this?

I'm unaware of anything commercially available designed for this, but
such a device would be relatively simple to construct.  The connection
would require two lines at party C's location and isolation amplifiers
so that C's transmit audio would go to A and B.  An active mixer would
feed the receive audio from A and B to C.


Jay Hennigan   [e-mail]  Santa Barbara CA

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 14:25:42+050
From: [e-mail] (Sinha)
Subject: Questions About GMSK


An early reference on GMSK is K. Murota and K. Hirade, "GMSK
modulation for digital mobile telephony," IEEE Trans. Commun., vol.
COM-29, pp. 1044-1050, July 1981.

This reference contains estimates of bit-error-rates as a function s/n
ratio for gmsk modulation.  Do you have any reference on the spectral
power density calculations for gmsk, and on implementation strategies
for this modulation?  I am told gmsk is part of US Cellular Telephone
Standard. I have not been able to locate a copy of the standard.


Sincerely,

Ramesh Sinha

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #80
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #81

TELECOM Digest     Sun, 13 Feb 94 21:44:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 81

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones (Alan Boritz)
    Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones (Richard A. De Castro)
    Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones (Steven H. Lichter)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (David A. Kaye)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Jack Hamilton)
    Re: Advertising by New York Telephone (Michael Rubin)
    Re: Don't Trust the Phone Company - Part 2 (A. Padgett Peterson)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Alan Boritz)
    Re: E-Mail Spying By Employers (Gary Breuckman)
    Re: V&H Report - 15 January 1994 (Clarence Dold)
    Re: Dispelling a Myth From the Past (David A. Kaye)
    Re: TDRs and Wiretaps ([e-mail])
    Re: Need Info on ISDN Phones (Beverly Taylor)
    Re: Converting 11 Bit Data to 10 (Lars Poulsen)
    Re: Another Vendor Disguises Self as "AT&T" (Tom Coradeschi)
    Re: What is This Number? (Stu Whitmore)
    Re: Telephone Nunbers in France (John R. Levine)
    Re: The Dawn of a New Age (Stephen Goodman)
    Re: Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones (Dan J. Declerck)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing (Tasvir Shah)
    Re: Lebanese Get Drunken Phones (Hugh Lagle)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
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of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Paging Available on Cellular Phones
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 07:46:38 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


[e-mail] (Scott Colbath) writes:

> Bell Atlantic here in Phoenix announced yesterday that they were
> making available to their cellular phone customers the ability to be
> pagable on their cell phones. Is this being done anywhere else? It
> sounds like a good idea. One is able to ditch the pager and just carry
> a phone. Any comments?

That's nothing new.  Just set call-forward-on-no-answer to your pager
number and you've got the same thing.


[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Richard A. De Castro)
Subject: Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 17:33:07 GMT


[e-mail] (Scott Colbath) writes:

> Bell Atlantic here in Phoenix announced yesterday that they were
> making available to their cellular phone customers the ability to be
> pagable on their cell phones. Is this being done anywhere else? It
> sounds like a good idea. One is able to ditch the pager and just carry
> a phone. Any comments?

It's a common method for the cellphone providers to increase on-air
time -- when I checked into similar "offers" here in LA, you were
charged for the time (in 30-second increments!) for the "page", and of
course for the response.

No, I still carry the pager.


[e-mail]   Richard A. De Castro - California, North America, Sol-3

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steven H. Lichter)
Subject: Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones
Date: 13 Feb 1994 12:11:10 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)


I believe PacBell Cellular offers this service, though I find Voice
Mail to be as good since if I'm not on to answer it then it could not
have been that important.


Sysop: Apple Elite II -=- an Ogg-Net Hub BBS
[phone] 12/24/96/14.4 V32/V42bis Via PCP CACOL/12/24

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David A. Kaye)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Date: 13 Feb 1994 03:18:36 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access  [phone]  [login: guest]


TELECOM Digest Editor noted in response to Bill Llewellyn (thinker@
rahul.net):

> is the poor man's self-help to peace and quiet on the telephone. Oh, I
> know the ACLU and the Socially Responsible People don't approve of it,
> but then, I don't approve of them either.  PAT]

The ACLU has no policy one way or the other on Caller ID.  The ACLU
concerns itself only with Bill of Rights issues, and more specifically
First Amendment rights in test cases.  In California where Caller ID
is not in use, rape crisis centers were a driving force among groups
against Caller ID.  They're concerned that (as an example) a woman
calling to order a pizza could be harrassed by unwanted calls if the
pizza dude thought her voice was arousing.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: And of course the fact that pizza
drivers are often (best case scenario) sent to the wrong address as a
'joke' on the residents of the place where the driver was sent causing
the company or driver to waste an order and lose money, or (worst
case scenario) beaten and robbed of their money and their orders by
people who lure them to a given address under false pretenses means
nothing at all; absolutely nothing at all. ACLU lawyers and federal
judges do not live in a world where those things happen, and they cannot
imagine them happening, and since they cannot imagine it, therefore it
does not happen. Simple as that. They ought to join the rest of us in
Realworld and see how things are.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jack Hamilton)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 00:23:09 GMT


Steven H. Lichter ([e-mail]) wrote:

> This happened to my answering machine, but it was still a pain. I sure
> wish California would wake up and allow full Caller ID and to hell
> with the little old ladies and rights groups that feel their rights
> are being violated; what about our rights to know who calls us?

I think you're misrepresenting the position of the people who were
opposed to Caller IDd in California.  I was opposed to it, or at least
to the way I understood it was to be implemented.

The problem was that it was going to be difficult for callers to turn
off identification.  We wanted a way to turn off Caller ID "permanently"
(until we reset it), rather than for every call we made.  So, for
example, I could dial *77 (I'm making up this number; I don't know
what it might be in other states), and my outgoing calls wouldn't
include the id.  If I happened to call a number which didn't accept
calls from non-id'd numbers, I could dial *78+the number, and that one
call would have the id.  The next call I made would go back to the
default of not being id'd.

If I wanted to turn id'ing back on, I could dial *87, and the Caller ID
would always be included, unless I dialed *88+number, which would turn it
off for that one call.  All of these on/off capabilities would be free.

Under this scheme, both parties would have complete and easy control over
those aspects of caller if that affected them.

That's not what Pac Bell wanted to offer.  They said that if it was
too easy for people to turn off Caller ID, big businesses wouldn't buy
the identification feature, and it wouldn't be worthwhile for Pac Bell
to introduce the new service.  They decided not to offer it under the
PUC's terms.  (Apparently they felt that many people would opt not to
be identified.)

So you should lay the blame for the lack on Caller ID in California on
the phone company's greed, not on the people who felt they have a
right to privacy.


Jack Hamilton      USMail: POB 281107 SF CA 94128  USA
[e-mail]     Packet: kd6ttl@w6pw.#nocal.ca.us.na


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Just as your right to to swing your arms
around ends when your fist reaches my face, likewise your right to
privacy ends when you cause my telephone to ring. If you want to live
in your own private little world, no one is stopping you, but when you
choose to interact with others, how can you sit there and say you have
the right to approach them or call them anonymously?  Where are their
rights to be left alone? Like with pizza drivers, their rights don't
seem to matter, eh?

Whenever this Caller-ID pro/con thread starts here, it always seems to
mushroom and bring me a huge stack of mail. So out of purely convenience
in editing, I'll save up replies this time around and publish a random
collection in a few days. To Jack Decker and others who always respond to
controversial threads with *long* missives in reply and then become very
indignant when their article is not used promptly on submission or in its
entireity and go to other newsgroups accusing me of bias and censorship,
please be forewarned: If you want to speak your piece on Caller-ID pro
and con, submit it *promptly*, eliminate all or most of the quoted text,
and realize that probably a dozen other people wrote to say the same
thing as yourself. In a few days I will publish a batch of them, then we
will all be sick and tired of reading about it and I'll squash further
comments for a few months like last time. I'll try to publish a broad
selection, and seeing as how I favor Caller-ID I'll probably let the anti-
people have the 'last word' this time around.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Michael Rubin)
Subject: Re: Advertising by New York Telephone
Date: 13 Feb 1994 02:55:27 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC


In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Barry Margolin)
writes:

> In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (James
> Joseph) writes:

>> New York Telephone has been spending truck loads of money advertising
>> that they are changing their name to NYNEX.

> If they weren't going to make a big deal about it, they wouldn't have
> bothered changing their names in the first place.  The reason they
> changed the names of the subsidiaries was to change their image.

New York Tel has an image of moronic customer service.  The ads say
things like "we're changing the name, not the service."  What in
heaven kind of image change would that suggest?

> Presumably, the goal of both the name change and the advertising is to
> increase revenues ...

Most of their revenues are from the captive audience of local subscribers.

I suspect they intend to reduce costs by having fewer operators,
service reps, etc. shared among subsidiaries; and fewer different
paper forms for bills and announcements.  (Your problem hunting down a
bad pair in your NYC office building will be handled by somebody in
low-wage Hogwash, Rhode Island, who's never seen a building taller
than two stories...)  But knowing the public is already boggled by
scads of previously unknown phone companies, they are widely
publicizing the name change so as to avoid further customer confusion.


Mike Rubin <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 02:03:41 -0500
From: [e-mail] (A. Padgett Peterson)
Subject: Re: Don't Trust the Phone Company - Part 2


On review, I have noticed that the scenario I proposed relative to the
Bodines has been used twice in recent years by HollyWood (at least
that I know of, may be more). In the first a cordless telephone was
used (do the Bodine's have one?).

1) Pump Up the Volume (1990)
2) In the Line of Fire (1993)

Both times the authorities broke in on the wrong people thanks to ANI.

Personally, I would tend to expect this kind of knowlege/inclination to
be more likely in Christian Slater fans than those of Clint Eastwood
(I have seen both so what does that tell you 8*).

Off to the races at Daytona today,


Padgett

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company
From: drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 07:32:05 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - [phone]


drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz) writes:

> Oh, no, exactly the opposite.  If I pick up my phone after the first
> ring I know for a fact that my box will miss the Caller-ID data, so
> retrieving the last call and dialing it will get me the SECOND to last
> phone number (since the last is missing).

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Who said either the victim or her husband
> picked up the phone during the first ring?

Nobody.  That's not something about which a lay person would notice or
care.  If someone were right next to the phone when it rang, they could
have picked it up before the first ring was completed, completely missing
the Caller-ID data stream.

> Around here, Caller-ID is delivered *immediatly* following the first ring;

But that's NOT the way it's done HERE.  NJ Bell delivers it sometimes
immediately after the first ring, sometimes as late as during the
second ring.  I had to adjust the answer interval on my mailer system
to delay modem pickup until after the SECOND ring, since pickup after
the first ring (even just as the second ring began) USUALLY resulted
in my Caller-ID box missing the data stream.  If I answer my voice
line, at home or in the office, after the first ring, I will USUALLY
lose the Caller-ID info.

> had they picked up the phone even two seconds after the first ring
> stopped but before the second ring began the number shown would have
> been correct.

No, we can't be sure that it would have been correct.  Based upon my
experience with NJ Bell, I would assume a greater than 50% probability
that it WASN'T delivered.


[e-mail]  or  uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - [phone]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I am curious to know how Caller-ID is
delivered in the middle of a ringing cycle. If NJ Bell does not deliver
until after the second ring then that is indeed unfortunate; no one
should be expected to wait that long before answering the phone if
they are right next to it when it rings. Anyone else from NJ Bell terri-
tory care to respond? Is delivery that retarded in arriving there?   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 06:50:53 -0800
From: [e-mail] (Gary Breuckman)
Subject: Re: E-Mail Spying By Employers


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bill Tighe) writes:

> Email used as evidence!?* How do investigators verify the source of an
> email message?  How do you know that this very post wasn't sent by my
> evil twin brother Fred?

> Pardon my paranoia but it seems that email messages are easy to fake.
> Even if you don't send incriminating messages yourself, somebody who
> wants your job or your head may do it for you.

> Perhaps it is better to avoid email until the security and privacy
> problems have been solved.

Which is exactly why many people, even if they have Internet access
through their place of work and can send mail or reply to newsgroups
from there, often pay for a commercial account.

Myself included.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Clarence Dold)
Subject: Re: V&H Report - 15 January 1994
Organization: a2i network
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 18:17:59 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (David Esan) writes:

> Once a quarter I USED to receive the BellCore V&H tape.  Using this

> This is no longer our procedure.  The information in FCC #10 is now

Whatsa FCC #10?  I would not be adverse to discontinuing my
subscription to VHDATA, if FCC #10 was a suitable substitute.


Clarence A Dold - [e-mail]
                - Milpitas (near San Jose) & Napa CA.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David A. Kaye)
Subject: Re: Dispelling a Myth From the Past
Date: 13 Feb 1994 15:36:24 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access  [phone]  [login: guest]


Donald E. Kimberlin ([e-mail]) wrote:

> cross-subsidization of AT&T's local companies with profits
> from long distance service to Independent areas was _not_ one of them.

Pre-divestiture there were numerous situations where the local BOCs
were only partly owned by AT&T, such as Pacific Telephone (now Pacific
Bell).  It was 90% owned by AT&T and publicly traded on the NYSE.  If
any revenues had been mixed between AT&T Long Lines and the local BOC
you can *bet* that the other 10% stockholders would have *screamed* to
the Securities and Exchange Commission over it.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jonathan)
Subject: Re: TDRs and Wiretaps
Date: 13 Feb 1994 03:29:38 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park


I read in {Phrack} that it is impossible to tell whether or not there
is a wiretap on your line without the cooperation of your local
telephone company.  The data from the TDR probably will not be useful
to you unless you enlist the telephone company's cooperation.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Beverly Taylor)
Subject: Re: Need Info on ISDN Phones
Date: 13 Feb 1994 05:05:28 GMT
Organization: California State University, Chico


In article <[e-mail]>, The Network Group <0004526627@
mcimail.com> wrote:

> I need to know a source for ISDN phonesxxx -- excuse me: voice
> terminals.

> I have heard that AT&T has a few of these but haven't heard of any
> other manufacturers such as Northern Telecom or others. Apparently the
> Northern product for Meridian Digital Centrex is not an ISDN phone.

We have used TelRad, Fujitsu, and AT&T ISDN sets.  They're all used to
run on an AT&T 5ESS.  We're very satisfied with all of them and have
only found these three will work with our CO switch.


Bev Taylor  Communications Services
California State University, Chico
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 11:29:00 +0100
From: [e-mail] (Lars Poulsen)
Subject: Re: Converting 11 Bit Data to 10
Organization: CMC Network Products, Copenhagen DENMARK


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
writes:

> Does anyone know of a little black box that can convert the following:
> 1 Start bit, 8 Data bits, 1 Parity bit, 1 Stop bit, ie eleven bit data
> to 1 Start bit, 8 Data bits, 1 Stop bit, ie eight and no parity (10
> bits total).

The eleven bit data format was used by Wang Labs in their Series 2200
systems. I always assumed that this was in order to prevent customers
from supplementing the system with less expensive 3rd party terminals.

Ask Wang users ... or check in computer supply houses for specialty
products for the Wang aftermarket.


Lars Poulsen           Internet E-mail: [e-mail]
CMC Network Products       Phone: (011-) [phone]
Hvidovre Strandvej 72 B       Telefax:      [phone]
DK-2650 Hvidovre, DENMARK  Internets: designed and built while you wait

------------------------------

From: Tom Coradeschi <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Another Vendor Disguises Self as "AT&T"
Organization: Electric Armts Div, US Army ARDEC, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 20:55:47 GMT


drharry![e-mail] (Alan Boritz) writes:

> This must be the week for phone scams in New Jersey. ;) I received
> several calls from a company identifying itself as "Network Services
> of AT&T."  They pitched a software-defined network using AT&T that
> features flat rates of .18/minute over five mileage bands (wow),
> compared to a much better rate we presently get from AT&T.  The fax I
> received, though, showed a Baltimore address and phone number and the
> pitch then stated "utilizing the AT&T long distance network."  In
> other words, just another pushy reseller mis-representing themselves.

My motorcycle dealer (Dave Cushing at Touch of Class BMW in Stewartsville,
NJ) got a call from them too. When he pushed them on the ATT issue,
asking them if there _were_ in fact ATT, they hung up on him. Better
to find some other sucker, since he obviously wasn't gettng hooked ...


tom coradeschi <+> [e-mail] <+> DoD#413

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 20:28:08 -0800
From: [e-mail] (Rattlesnake Stu)
Subject: Re: What is This Number?
Organization: Central Washington University


carlene lanham ([e-mail]) wrote:

> And, I've heard that some exchanges have a number that you call and it
> will repeat back to you your own phone number.  Does anyone know
> anything about this number?  What might it be?

I seem to recall a semi-recent issue of {2600} (The Hacker Quarterly)
listed a number one could call with a CallerID-blocked line and have
one's phone number read back.  As I remember, it was to demonstrate
the inefficacy of blocking one's number when dialing a CallerID
subscriber.  I couldn't find it in the issue I have sitting here, and
don't have any back issues handy, so it might take some looking.  (And
it may have been a 1-900 type number, as I think there was some type
of cost associated with it.  I didn't pay much attention at the time;
perhaps I should have!)  Anyway, if you can find a local collection of
{2600}, you may be able to find it. (And {2600} is usually worth a
grin or two anyway!)


stuart  [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well, they also have a newsgroup, I
understand, called 'alt.2600', and from what I have been told, it is
a really wide open arena for hackerphreaks to do their thing and post
their messages. I don't know how many sites carry it. And bear in
mind with any special services of the 700/800/900/976 variety, all
bets are off where ID-blocking is concerned. You cannot block your
number from those people even though what they get is technically
ANI rather than Caller-ID. Yes there is a difference but the one is
frequently -- almost always, I would say -- as good as the other.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 13:34:00 EST
From: [e-mail] (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: Telephone Nunbers in France
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


> Sure, now they are still really lucky to enjoy a network that has
> evolved in 15 years from one of the most backward to one of the most
> advanced in the world. There must be some mysterious mechanism, beyond
> competition, ...

Of course there was.  The French government, Telecom's owner, told
them to build a phone system that works, so they did.  French phones
are good, but they aren't cheap.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 08:52:00 EST
From: Stephen Goodman <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: The Dawn of a New Age


In TELECOM Digest #69 Bill Halverson did not know who the author of
the article was. Thanks to Les Johnson ([e-mail]) I found
out the author:

     Michael Schrage, columnist for the {Los Angeles Times}.

The article had been floating around Cyberspace when I got it and the
author's name had been deleted.


Steve G   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dan J. Declerck)
Subject: Re: Increase Stand-by Time of Mobile Phones
Date: 13 Feb 1994 17:24:20 GMT
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group


In article <[e-mail]>, Bill Mayhew <[e-mail].
edu> wrote:

> I am pretty sure that pocket type cellular phones here in the US use a
> power saving feature that cycles the reciever off and on while the
> unit is in standby mode.  It seems to take a second or two for my
> Motorola pocket phone to decide it should ring.  The cellular paging
> channel does send the page out to the mobile several times in a row,
> so there is a reasonable chance of catching the page even if the
> mobile unit were to cycle its receiver.

> I'm not familiar with the way GSM phones in other parts of the world
> work, so there might be a reason they need to stay on continuously.

The GSM spec allows a lengthy (2 minute ?) period to allow the Mobile
Station to power down segments of it's internal parts.


Dan DeClerck    EMAIL: [e-mail]    Motorola Cellular APD

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tasvir Shah)
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding and Distinctive Ringing
Organization: NEC America, Inc Irving TX
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 16:28:01 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Robb
Topolski) writes:

> QUESTION:  If a caller (from 555-1133) dials my Remote Call Forwarding
> number (555-9922) which is forwarded to my home, which number is
> evaluated by Distinctive Ringing?

ANSWER: The original calling number 555-1133 is (should be) evaluated for
Distinctive Ringing.


tasvir

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (H. Lagle)
Subject: Re: Lebanese Get Drunken Phones
Date: 13 Feb 1994 16:47:00 GMT
Organization: Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh NC
Reply-To: [e-mail]


In article [e-mail], [e-mail] (Linc Madison) writes:

> In article <[e-mail]> Alex Cena wrote:

>> The Lebanese government has approved contracts to buy one million
>> telephone lines from Alcatel Alsthom NV, Siemens AG and AB L.M. Ericsson.
                        ^^^^^^^
> Well, here in Oakland, "Alcatel" is a liquor store (near the corner of
> ALCAtraz and TELegraph), so I can't get away from images of phone
> lines arriving by the keg ...

Someone here has a picture of that liquor store.  I was wondering where
it was and where the name came from.


Hugh Lagle, Alcatel Network Systems,   Raleigh, NC USA
Internet:   [e-mail]   *** Individualists Unite ***


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well, so now you know the truth, and
I hope it has set you free -- all this time you have been employed by
the subsidiary of a west coast gin mill and didn't know it. When
people ask you what that picture is, you can tell them with pride that
it is the headquarters office of your parent company!  :)  Cheers!   PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #81
*****************************


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Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 23:20:59 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #82

TELECOM Digest     Sun, 13 Feb 94 23:21:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 82

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Harrassing One-Ring Calls - Update (Bill Garfield)
    Help! Asynchronous <==> Synchronous Conversion (Habibie Sumargo)
    Dial Zero to Block ANI (David Quist)
    Turning Away Unwanted Calls (Gary Breuckman)
    Looking for an Internet Service Provider (Michael Casillas)
    Digital Cellular Phones (Jonathan Weinberg)
    Call From 610 Area on January 8 (Carl Moore)
    AT&T Tape-less Answering Machine (Tan Ken Hwee)
    LATA Maps Sought, or LATA Overlap Zones Wanted (Stephen Balbach)
    Re: Caller ID in UK? (Nick Taylor)
    Re: AT&T's New 900 Mhz Cordless Phone (Bruce Laskin)
    Re: Two Stories on MCI (Clive D.W. Feather)
    Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free (Brian Behlendorf)
    Re: VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones (Bill Mayhew)
    Drugstores 8-) (Bill Bradford)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Harrassing One-Ring Calls - Update
From: [e-mail] (Bill Garfield)
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 22:25:00 -0600
Organization: Ye Olde Bailey BBS - Houston, TX - 713-520-1569
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Bill Garfield)


Having initially reported to this forum about my single-jingle call
malady across my DID trunk group, I thought it time for an update.

First a recap:

96 DID trunks spread across seven spans of a fiber DS-3, all in the
713-627 exchange, number block 4000-6899, inclusive.

Problem:

Random one-ringer calls, five seconds duration or less, generally
singling out a couple extensions to repeatedly bang on. In a few days
the single jingles move on to pester someone else.  These calls are
outpulsing to us and -immediately- releasing. Also incomplete (short)
digits. All this is happening during working hours. SMDR logs indicate
little/no occurrence during off-hours. Circuit id: 21DINA7136275401
D500-D595, inclusive. Twenty-four (21TKNA7136275400) combo trunks
spread across three of those same seven spans are not being bothered.

Ironically, 120 more DID trunks spread across five spans of the same
DS-3, but all in the 713-989 exchange, number block 0000-9999 (yes,
all of it). No one-ringer problem. Circuit id: 21DINA7139897000
D500-D619, inclusive.

Both trunk groups are said to reside in the same 5E at Southwestern
Bell's "National" CO. in Houston's upscale Galleria district.

On the SWBT side, the trunks in the 627 route index are tied into D4
channel banks. The 989 group is full digital and terminate direct into
the 5E. On my side both groups are full digital, terminating direct
onto DS-1 formatter cards in three Mitel SX2000SG's (eight cabinets
total).  The Mitels are all at MS2005/L13.0 and networked together.

If I can believe my SMDR logs, occasionally, the one-ringers will even
come simultaneously on two trunks (but in different spans) to the same
target extension.  However the problem is spread equally across all
members of trunk group 108. This has been occurring for several
months, with random complaints from my users about the frequent
one-ringers.

Until last Thursday eve (2/10) the 627 group was loop (pulse) and the
989 group was DTMF. They are now both DTMF, immediate start.

I'm happy to report the squeaky wheel is getting some grease.  We
escalated the problem locally, and have also had some very good
feedback as a direct result of the TELECOM Digest posting last week
<thanks Pat>.  Southwestern Bell has had people on site on three
occasions last week, including folks who seem to be most knowledgeable
and genuinely interested in helping us get to the root of this -very-
vexing problem.

Beginning last week, my first discovery was that we were timed to a
span which was slipping. I changed sync sources and SWBT's techs
corrected the slip problem by replacing the LIU at the CO. SWBT also
changed the 627 group to make it DTMF like our 989 group. Unfortunately,
the one-ringers in the 627 group still persist. We will continue to pur-
sue this and I will report progress as it is achieved.

At 5AM Friday we lost a 320' microwave tower to seven inches of radial
ice in Shaw, Mississippi, so understandably I was unable to stay
focused on the SWBT issue as planned.

More as the situation unfolds.


[e-mail]    The PBX guy   Panhandle Eastern Corp.  Houston
Ye Olde Bailey BBS Zyxel 713-520-1569(V.32bis) Hayes 713-520-9566 (V.FC)
   Houston,Texas             yob.com           Home of alt.cosuard

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Habibie Sumargo)
Subject: Help! Asynchronous <==> Synchronous Conversion
Date: 14 Feb 1994 03:03:53 GMT
Organization: Florida International Univeristy


Hi,

I would like to know how to convert from an asynchronous serial line
to a synchronous one.  For instance, if I have two asynchronous lines
with different baud rate as such line #1 has 38.4 KBPS and line #2 has
19.2 KBPS, their outputs are synchronized at 19.2 KBPS.

Please kindly response through email.  Thank you very much.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (dquist)
Date: 14 Feb 94 01:09:12 GMT
Subject: Dial Zero to Block ANI


Blocking ANI as easy as dialing "0"... at least in NYNEX (NET) areas.
Dial an 800 number or test-readback number using a NYNEX Operator and
your ANI will not be carried.  Example: I called my 800 number from
Maine and asked the NYNEX Operator to assist ... AT&T Starterline 800
invoice arrives with calling party 207-000-0000.  Use an AT&T operator
to assist using the same routine and the call appears on my bill with
the actual ANI.  I also used this on AT&T's new ANI readback 800
number from Massachusetts this evening and NYNEX Operator dialed calls
read back 508-000-0000. An AT&T operator assisted call reads back
NPA-NXX-LINE #. I wonder why?  Caller ID is coming next month; I
wonder if this will work.


Dave

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Gary Breuckman)
Subject: Turning Away Unwanted Calls
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 17:11:29 PST


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Robert
Endicott) writes:

> I have wished for years that the Telephone Gods would add an extra digit
> (or two) that would have to be dialed for my phone to ring.  It could be
> an extra charge service in which the subscriber chose the extra digit (or
> two) for calls to ring thru.  Part of the service could be voice mail that
> would take a msg so the caller would never know that the extra digit(s)
> was (were) required.

You could, if you wished, purchase a cute little box for your line
that would do this.  FOX used to make a box that you could attach to
your line that would answer the call with a sexy voice and say 'please
enter my fox code', without which it would not ring through.

I don't know if that device is available any longer, but you can use
one of the units designed to route FAX calls.  I have a ComSwitch 660
that has three outputs: FAX, TELEPHONE/ANS (two connections, but tied
together), and AUX.

This box answers the call after the first ring, and then routes it.
You can use it two ways: It will detect the CNG (calling) tone from a
fax in auto mode, and ring the fax output, it will detect a 'reverse
modem tone' (a modem calling in answer mode) and ring the AUX output,
or after a short wait ring the TEL/ANS output.  You can also assign
two touchtone codes (up to four digits each) to the FAX and AUX
outputs.  You can also disable the CNG and Reverse Modem recognition.

So, you could have this answer calls, and if the caller entered one of
two codes route the call to an output.  Calls with no tones could end
up at an answering machine, or go into the bit bucket.  This unit
costs about $90.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: 13 Feb 94 13:48:23 EST
Subject: Looking for an Internet Service Provider


The Office of Budget and Management, a division of the Office of the
Governor of Puerto Rico is interested in obtaining information on
Internet service providers in Puerto Rico.  Right now we have to go
through an e-mail hub set up through Compu$erve.  We are interested in
a direct connection to the Internet.


Sincerely,

Michael A. Casillas, MIS Director
Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico
Office of Budget and Management
Internet: [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 11:18:25 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Digital Cellular Phones


I was talking to someone the other day, and he told me that the latest
and greatest in cellular phones was digital.  Apparently, you get one
of the newer generation phones and you are connected over a digital
link rather than an analog one.  How does this work?  He said
something about not getting "bumped off".  I was kinda in a rush, so I
did not get the full story from him.  Also, does the service provider
need to have digital capabilities, or do they all have them by
default.  Any information on this would be appreciated.


Thanks,

Jonathan Weinberg   Network Insight

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 10:55:42 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Call From 610 Area on January 8


At 6:58 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 8, according to my phone
bill, there was a call from Oxford, PA on the 932 exchange.  It shows
area code 215, although 610 was to be active as of that day.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: It sounds to me like the accounting
department was a little behind in their work.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tan Ken Hwee)
Subject: AT&T Tape-less Answering Machine
Date: 13 Feb 1994 14:24:00 GMT
Organization: National University of Singapore


I was wondering if someone would be so kind as to let me know how much
(ballpark) the AT&T Tape-less Answering Machine costs?  The one that
uses RAM?  It sells for about SIN$220 or about US$130.  Is this an ok
price or should I wait until I go to America to buy one?  I'm aware of
the voltage difference and will get a transformer for that.

Thanks in advance.


Ken Hwee TAN     National University of Singapore

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Stephen Balbach)
Subject: LATA Maps Sought, or LATA Overlap Zones Wanted
Date: 13 Feb 1994 05:08:06 -0500
Organization: Clark Internet Services, Balt/DC, mail [e-mail]


There must be a public place I can find LATA maps.  Local Bell
Atlantic rep is under policy not to give map out.

More specifically I'm trying to locate an area between two LATA's
where an overlap exists.  Thus making it possible to be local to two
LATA's at the same time.  This would specifically be in the Washington/Balt
area.

Thanks for any help,


Stephen Balbach          Clark Internet Services            [e-mail]
[phone] [voice]                                     FAX [phone]
[e-mail]         [e-mail]          Internet for the 90's


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: We touched on this very topic just about
a week or two ago. Perhaps interested readers will forward the thread
direct to Mr. Balbach.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Nick Taylor)
Subject: Re: Caller ID in UK?
Organization: University of Sunderland
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 10:24:49 GMT


Steven Cooper ([e-mail]) wrote:

> Has anone got any idea if the caller ID facility will become available
> in the UK?? Are there any moves on this by BT/Mercury?

I've got hold of the consultative document from OfTel (the UK Telecomm
watchdog) and it looks like CLI is at least a year away. The facility
already exists, in fact it logs calls to the emergency services at
present, but OfTel says there are moral, privacy questions to be
answered.

Hope this helps,


Nick Taylor, University of Sunderland, UK | [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bruce Laskin)
Subject: Re: AT&T's New 900 Mhz Cordless Phone
Date: 13 Feb 1994 23:32:04 GMT
Organization: Circuit Research Corp.


In article <[e-mail]>, Alex Cena  wrote:

> There's been quite a bit of disccusion regarding cordless phones so I
> thought it may be helpful to share my experience over the last month
> with my new cordless phone.  I have had the opportunity to try AT&T's
> new Dragon, which is a 900 Mhz cordless phone with 1000mw of power.
> It uses spread spectrum technology based on frequency hopping.  I
> placed it in the library of our house and here is what I found:

1000mw ... really! ... WOW! -- that's significantly more than the
600mw maximum power output for handheld cellular sets!  The 600mw
limit for cellular sets was intended to prevent health hazards, so how
is AT&T able to use 1000mw?  (Most wireless home phones put out no
more than 0.5mw.)

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Two Stories on MCI
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 18:02:56 GMT
From: Clive D.W. Feather <[e-mail]>


Quoth Alan Boritz:

> Excuse me, Paul, but the little girl doesn't speak with an "English"
> accent.  My first guess was South African, or Australian, though I
> lost the original post on this subject.  They don't speak "English" in
> New Zealand, or at least they don't speak it very well. <grin>

They do, however, speak it much better than in New Jersey (or the rest
of the Americas, for that matter).


Clive D.W. Feather      Santa Cruz Operation
[e-mail]           Croxley Centre
Phone: [phone]  Hatters Lane, Watford
Fax:   [phone]  WD1 8YN, United Kingdom


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Touche, and thank you very much Clive.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Brian Behlendorf)
Subject: Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free
Date: 13 Feb 1994 20:57:46 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Undergrad Assoc., UCBerkeley


In article <[e-mail]>, A. Padgett Peterson <padgett@
tccslr.dnet.mmc.com> wrote:

> Personally, my biggest fear is Junk E-Mail swamping the net. If
> anything should be regulated it should be that and with hanging,
> drawing, and quartering prescribed for offenders (I know, the ASPCA
> would probably object to using horses).

Ack!  I know you were perhaps using hyperbole to illustrate your
point, but the distinction between junk email and "real" email is
sometimes fairly fine.  For example, if someone posts about a new
piece of SLIP/PPP software they are selling to an IP protocol mailing
list, is that public notice or an ad?  I share your sentiment, in that
I don't want to see catalogs from Builder's Emporium appearing in my
mailbox every week -- however, also remember that businesses won't need
to send a mass mailing of e-catalogs now that we have distributed
infosystems services like USENET and WWW.

Your point was that the bandwidth to businesses could conceivably be
overburdened by e-mail with a low value to the business.  If I really
thought it was a problem I'd be more worried about email users
subscribing to high-volume mailing lists than getting unsolicited
email ads, which don't happen much anyways and probably won't.

> Free Software. Just because I do not charge for any of my released
> software does not mean that it is free. Rather, I consider it to be
> only fair that since I have learned so much from people that I put
> something back.

> The other motive is educational. I have learned more by saying things/
> releasing software and having people (*lots* of people) tell me where
> I am wrong than I ever could with my limited resources. Nothing
> ventured, nothing gained so I venture a lot 8*).

Exactly.  I think the paradigm for software in the future will be that
programs will be essentially offered for free, but users will pay for
support.  Cygnus and Qualcomm (with Eudora) are prime examples of
this.  Programmers will still be around because the companies will
always want new improved less buggy versions of programs or new
programs altogether.

> Besides, ignorance is the tool of dictators and fools. By helping to
> stamp out ignorance ("this can be done") and with open discussions, I
> like to think that we are supporting democracy.

"Save the World!" - Larry Wall.


Brian

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Mayhew)
Subject: Re: VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 23:23:51 GMT


I posted an article reviewing and summarizing the Vtek Tropez model
900DX phone one week ago in comp.dcom.telecom.tech.  I'll reiterate
briefly.

The 900DX is materially similar to the 900LX.  The DX has 2-way paging
and intercom capability.  The LX is a basic model.

The 900DX appears to be fully digital, using the 902-928 MHz shared
band.  Power output is reportedly 0.0005 watts (1/2 mW) according to
another net reader.  I found the effective range to be around 600 feet
with the base sitting on top of a 66 MHz 486 DX/2 computer.  The audio
quality is excellet.  I wish the handset could be turned up a little
louder, but volume level is OK.  Sidetone in the handset is a bit
louder than I like.

The Topez units use a 16 bit security code that appears to be
downloaded to the handset when it is placed on the base unit.  A check
with a 900 MHz radio shows that the base unit sends out some burst
about 500 mS after the handset is placed in the charger cradle.  It is
not clear if this is the security download -- that would be pretty
stupid, or more likely a quick "are you there" to see if there are any
other handsets in the area -- the intent to be sure the channel is
clear.  I don't have sufficiently good test equipment to determine
what is actually going on.

Whenever the handset is away from its home on the base, the base sends
out some sore of "are you there?" message every 15 seconds for ~500
mS.  The message probably repeats a couple of times.  The handset
answers the ping with a ~100 mS replay.  I don't know what sort of
info is exchanged, but it seems pretty robust.  I tried putting the
handset inside the closed refrigerator several rooms away and
discovered that both units were still able to detect each other.  That
short 900 MHz carrier wave appearently sneaks though the thin gap
offered by the rubber seal around the door.

If the handset wanders out of range of the base, it starts to emit a
short be-beep every 30 seconds or so once it has missed a couple of
pings from the base unit.  The base unit blinks its "charge" LED when
it realizes that it can't find the handset.  The out-of-range protocol
works whether or not the your are idle, line engaged or on the
itnercom.

The RF carrier used for the call appears to be fully digital.  The
manual does not clearly say so, but my 900 MHz radio could find the
carrier without being able to demodulate any discernable voice.

Most of the parts inside the unit are marked, "Motorola."  There is
one chip that has a Vtek logo.  I'd give the construction a B-; it is
fine for consumer grade but not as nice as that in my Motorola cell
phone or Icom amateur radio HT.

There are a lot of nice features.  The intercom can be used while you
put a call on hold.  You can answer a call at either the handset or
base, put the caller on hold, use the intercom to page the other end,
then conference if desired.  For privacy, either unit can temporarily
lock out the other.

In use I discovered the base tends to experience drop-outs in
reception before the handset loses the base transmission.  When I hit
the fringe, the person I was talking to reported choppy drop-outs of
syllables here and there, but no detectable increase in static or
interference.

Check in the .tech group if you want more details.


Bill Mayhew        NEOUCOM Computer Services Department
Rootstown, OH  44272-0095  USA      phone: [phone]
[e-mail]       amateur radio 146.58: N8WED

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 14:40:20 CST
From: Bill Bradford <[e-mail]>
Subject: Drugstores 8-)


The TELECOM Digest Editor noted:

"My goodness, drugstores haven't had fountains for twenty years or more."

In my home town of Anadarko, OK, there is one.  Melton's Drug, which
is a franchise (?) of HealthMart, has had a fountain for as long as I
can remember.  You go back and give Phillip your prescription, and
he'll give you a ticket for a Coke to drink while you wait.  These are
REAL cherry Cokes, not the mass-produced Cherry Coke.  The decor and
furnishings of the fountain/lunch counter look straight out of the
60s.

I just wanted to pass that along to our Esteemed Editor that the
drugstore fountain is NOT dead.  The druggist's son, who I graduated
high school with in '93, is planning to take over the family business
in a few years, so the tradition is going to continue!


Bill Bradford * "If Hendrix had a modem, would it be a Purple Hayes?"
[e-mail] = University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma
[e-mail] = U. of OK BBS
[e-mail] = HodgePodge BS Internet Mail


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In Independence, Kansas (a very fine
little town of 9000 people;  I hope to move there some day, Digest and
all) there exists downtown a drugstore with a fountain, although the
fountain is but a shell of its former self. They serve pre-packaged
microwave sandwiches and snacks, but no real old-fashioned 'drug store
food' like we used to get until sometime in the late 1960's when the
Walgreen's chain led the way by closing every *damn* one of theirs.
Here and there they opened up a 'Wags Restaurant' in its place, but
those are few and far between.

Charles (senior, the old man) Walgreen and his wife Myrtle Walgreen
would never have allowed it. He came to Chicago as a young man around
the start of this century with his new bride and he took over a
drugstore on the south side at 43rd Street and Cottage Grove Avenue
from another fellow who had operated it for quite a few years. Myrtle
would bring lunch to Charles each day at his shop and one day it
occurred to him that other folks would probably like his wife's soup
and sandwiches as much as he did. They set up a lunch counter and soon
decided to start including ice cream and other things. From that first
store, Mr. Walgreen branched out to about a hundred drugstores in the
Chicago area and thousands of other 'Walgreen Agency' drugstores across
the USA. Soon he had a competitor when the Rexall Drugs chain (the name
came from 'RX' -- a medical abbreviation -- and 'All' meaning all forms
of medicinal products) decided to add soda-fountains to all their stores.
In the case of Walgreen's two 'parent stores' here -- State/Madison and
State/Randolph Streets downtown -- they had a large cafeteria in the
basement of each. I remember Myrtle Walgreen as a very old woman speaking
at the Chicago Temple telling some very entertaining stories about the
early days when they had the one store on the south side of Chicago. So
Bill, you are correct that drug store fountains are not entirely gone,
but I venture to say most readers here have never seen one.   :(   PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #82
*****************************


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Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 01:51:05 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #83

TELECOM Digest     Mon, 14 Feb 94 01:51:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 83

Inside This Issue:                  Happy Valentines Day, Sweethearts!

    Re: Questions About Voice Mail (Steve Cogorno)
    Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones (David A. Kaye)
    Re: Telephone Nunbers in France (Earle Robinson)
    Re: New Hello Direct Catalog (Michael Schuster)
    Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me (Warren Burstein)
    Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me ([e-mail])
    Re: A Small Town in Wyoming (Joseph R. Schumacher)
    Re: A Small Town in Wyoming (Carlene Lanham)
    Re: CLASS/Caller-ID/Bellcore/CCITT/ANSI Documents Sought (Robert Shaw)
    Re: Shannon's Law (Sean P. Peacock)
    Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area (Monty Solomon)
    Why Caller ID Instead of ANI? (Lynne Gregg)
    Re: Horrid AT&T 2500YMGK Sets (Fred Goldstein)
    Internet Access (Jonathan Weinberg)
    Re: What is This Number? (Ma Bell)
    Two-Line Tropez 900MHz Now Available (Ken Jongsma)
    Re: Party Lines (Paul Robinson)
    Re: Guard Your Royal Database (Hackers Still With Us) (Paul Houle)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steve Cogorno)
Subject: Re: Questions About Voice Mail
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 16:24:24 PST


Said by: Stan Schwartz

>  - I have call waiting on the line.  If I don't answer the second
> line, the call DOES NOT get forwarded to the mail box (it just rings
> at the caller's end);

>  - If I "busy-out" the line (*70 or off-hook), since I have call waiting
> and the software is looking for call-waiting first, any incoming calls
> will get a busy;

> In short, the way the NYNEX reps explain this, since I have call waiting
> on the line, the only time a call is forwarded to the mailbox is if the
> phone is on hook and I don't answer.  This doesn't sound kosher to me,
> since I've seen the way other systems work.

This is the way the reps WANT to place the order -- that doesn't mean
you have to take it :)

Ask them to install No Answer Diversion as well as Busy Diversion when
the set up your order.  They will try to tell you it can't be done,
but it can.  You also may want to get regular Call Forwarding, as you
can call forward your calls directly to the voice mail so it won't
bother you (sort of a Do Not Disturb function).


Steve   [e-mail]
#608 Merrill * 200 McLaughlin Drive * Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1015


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I am surprised you find reps who say it
cannot be done. Here it is quite common and is known as 'transfer on
BY/DA' (busy/no answer). For the former it transfers immediatly and
for the latter, after three unanswered rings the CO pulls the call
back from the subscriber and diverts it. The caller hears the slightest
pause in the ringing cadence as the CO quits ringing the one phone and
sets up the connection to start ringing elsewhere. 'Transfer on busy'
is quite similar to a hunt group, but apparently not entirely the
same.  Does anyone know why? IBT gives 'hunting' for free but charges
a monthly fee for 'transfer on busy' (which can be had without the 'no
answer' part if desired, or vice-versa).

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David A. Kaye)
Subject: Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones
Date: 13 Feb 1994 18:06:41 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access  [phone]  [login: guest]


Meanwhile, legitimate users of pagers and voicemail such as I
(computer consultant) may eventually need to go out and buy DTMF units
just to check on our messages.  As it is now I tend to avoid
non-Pacific*Bell pay phones because the off-brands are often not
programmed to think of my voicemail's exchange as local or even in
operation, or they block after the first digit.  As to drug buyers,
yeah, you have a point.  Anyhow, rotary dialing hasn't come to the SF
Bay Area yet, and I hope it never does.  It's just a nuisance.

Some of the big pager companies like Metromedia had established
policies limiting the number of calls, so at least they made more
money on the busy drug-dealer paging.  One, and I want to say it was
PageNet, charges some extremely high amount for overpages, amounting
to thousands of dollars.

> just one rather effective harassment technique to use.  The 7-Eleven now
> has a sign in their parking lot: "Gangbangers, drug sellers and drug buyers
> at this location go to jail! We call police!"  PAT]

Perhaps if the 7-Elevens paid better wages the kids would be encouraged
to work for them instead of selling drugs.  When I was their age I could
live on minimum wage.  Today?  Heh.  It might pay the electric bill.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: When I started my working career in 1958
the minimum wage was *$1.05 per hour*, and that is exactly what my
employer, the University of Chicago paid me. I was a junior in high
school and I had a part time job as a switchboard operator when the
boards were located in the old phone room on the sixth floor of the
administration building, 5801 South Ellis Avenue. Since restaurants and
hotels were exempted from the minimum wage law, I was the rich one
among my buddies who worked washing dishes or sweeping floors in
restaurants; they got paid 65-85 *cents* per hour. After high school
when I went to work full time for UC as an operator they paid me $1.25
per hour I think, and that was enough to pay for my own apartment, but
in 1960 a nice one-bedroom apartment in Chicago along the lake cost
about a hundred dollars per month. Cigarettes were 24 cents per pack
at Walgreen's and if you bought them from a vending machine you put
in a quarter but got a penny back tucked in the celophane wrapper of
the package.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: 13 Feb 94 11:38:54 EST
From: Earle Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Telephone Nunbers in France


Jean-Noel Marchalot says:

> Never heard about something called Minitel? Any idea about the
> penetration rate compared with Internet? (probably an order of
> magnitude larger).

Of course, I've heard of Minitel, since I live in Paris, and have to
use Minitel, but do it as little as possible due to the exorbitant
cost.  Who wants to pay $12/hour to make a plane reservation on
Minitel when elsewhere one can call a toll-free number?  And that
after wading through endless menus to keep you online longer -- yes,
that is done deliberately to maximize revenue -- and that all at 1200
bps using primitive graphics!  It is cheaper to call CompuServe at
9600 bps, soon to be 14.4k bps, pay $8.95 per month for unlimited
access to plane reservations and other services like weather, for
which you have to pay upwards of $12 per hour on minitel, and with far
inferior graphics when maps are displayed.

Minitel is a success due to the lack of competition, and the unfortunate
ignorance among consumers that they are paying through the proverbial
nose.

> Sure, now they are still really lucky to enjoy a network that has
> evolved in 15 years from one of the most backward to one of the most
> advanced in the world. There must be some mysterious mechanism, beyond
> competition, that made sure that France Telecom would be a little
> responsive to the users' needs and the users do more than "bow and
> obey"?

In fact, the evolution to a modern network began over twenty years
ago, and the telephone network is indeed modern, though this is often
crippled for data communications through four to one compression on
many lines, so anything over 2400 bps is impossible.

As for users' needs, it is also true that France Telecom is more
responsive, mainly because of the spectre of competition looming on
the horizon.  But, all that is at costs to the consumer which are
horrendous.  For example, it costs me more to call my wife in the
country (Seine et Marne, in the Paris region, 85km) than to call from
New York City to Los Angeles.  In fact, callback services to access
the USA have rates that make it cheaper to talk to New York or Los
Angeles than to call Bordeaux from Paris.

Now, Minitel is touting the coming new "high" speed: 4800 bps.
Elsewhere, 14.4 is now the norm and 28.8 is on the horizon.


er

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Michael Schuster)
Subject: Re: New Hello Direct Catalog
Date: 13 Feb 1994 19:31:18 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC


In article <[e-mail]>, Thomas Lapp <thomas%mvac23.
[e-mail]> wrote:

> I received the Spring 1994 Hello Direct catalog in the mail today,
> (800-444-3556) and it has a bunch of interesting gadgets in it.  Some
> of the ones that caught my eye that I either didn't know existed, or
> else have never seen in catalogs before:

[lotsa neat stuff deleted]

An item that caught my eye is the charger/conditioner for cellphone
batteries. It uses intermittent negative pulses during the rapid-charge
phase, which I'm told will prevent loss of capacity due to gas build-up
at the electrodes. Is there truth to this, or is it another urban
myth?


Mike Schuster    [e-mail]  [e-mail]
[e-mail]  GEnie: MSCHUSTER

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Warren Burstein)
Subject: Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: worlds.com
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 10:43:38 GMT


In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John R Levine) writes:

> Along sort of the same lines, I note that after buying Contel, they
> quickly sold off a lot of the Contel properties.

I used to work for a company on Long Island (it was in Little Neck, I
think) called Network Analysts Corporation which not before I left was
bought by Contel.  I'm curious if they are still around and who owns
them these days.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: GTE is Annoyed With Me
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 23:56:01 GMT


Does anyone have any information on exactly what is going on with]
Contel in the High Desert? The information I have is that it is still
owned by GTE and they are planning to merge it into their GTE
California unit in June/July.  Any details greatly appreciated.


James

------------------------------

Date: 13 Feb 94 12:18:57 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: A Small Town in Wyoming


[e-mail] (John Sullivan) wrote:

> Could it be that in this town, four-digit dialing is possible?  Or
> does everyone just know what the exchange is?  (The phone book at the
> next gas station showed Buffalo as 684, I think.)

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Although four digit dialing might still
> be possible, it is unlikely. Probably everyone in town gives their number
> out that way, with the exchange assumed.

My home town (Granville, Iowa, population < 300 and falling) still has four
digit dialing.  The listings fit on a page and a half.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (carlene lanham)
Subject: Re: A Small Town in Wyoming
Date: 14 Feb 1994 03:43:35 GMT
Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln


My question is this: is it possible to configure these new digital
switches for four-digit dialing?  We're a small town where we occupy
only the 848-2xxx, 3xxx, and 41xx's.  It would make things easier for
everyone.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Sure it is possible. The switch is just
told to expect four digits only if the first digit is 2 through 9; to
expect eleven digits if the first digit is 1 and some variable number of
digits (one through thirty or so, detirmined by time-outs or # as the
terminator or carriage return) if the first digit dialed is 0. Of course
all this assumes your 'small town' does not have any local calling to
anywhere other than the town itself. If local calling includes some other
nearby village -- or even if it does not, but there is a lot of traffic
on the phone wires between the two points -- then at least a few people
in town are going to get sore at having to dial eleven digits to reach
a number five miles away where seven digits formerly was sufficient.
To get around this, I guess you could make all dialing require a time-out
or # to terminate the sequence at which point the switch would then
interpret what it had been given in the context of the entire string
of numbers presented to it. You say things 'would be easier for everyone',
but would they really?  Does no one in town csll any other exchange in
the same area code beginning with a 2, 3 or 4? Do you see the problem?  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 14:55:57 +0100
From: SHAW <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: CLASS/Caller-ID/Bellcore/CCITT/ANSI Documents Sought


[e-mail] wrote in TD #72:

>
>    + CCITT "Recommendations" regarding CCITT Common-Channel
>        Signaling System No. 7.  (Especially those relating
>        to the above -- is caller-ID info. transmitted as
>        part of a TUP or an ISUP?  If the former, is it
>        transmitted as part of an IAM or something else?)

Gopher into info.itu.ch on port 70 or telnet into ties.itu.ch
and logon as 'gopher'.  Then go to

-> ITU Document Store (ITUDOC)/
    -> SEARCH ITUDOC database using KEYWORDS in Titles <?>

search on 'signalling' and you'll get back some hits.

If that doesn't get what you want, send mail describing exactly what
you're looking for to [e-mail] -- that's the email address of the
ITU-T (ex-CCITT) Telecommunication Standardization Bureau's Electronic
Document Handling unit.


Cheers,

Robert Shaw   Information Services Department
International Telecommunication Union
Place des Nations  1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
TEL: [phone]  FAX: [phone]
X.400:G=robert;S=shaw;A=arcom;P=itu;C=ch
Internet: [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Sean P Peacock)
Subject: Re: Shannon's Law
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 04:43:03 GMT


[e-mail] wrote:

> I'm the one who originally posted this question, for those who don't
> know. It's nice to know what Shannon's law says -- if you assume a 30
> dB SNR and 3100 Hz bandwidth, the law above works out to about 31
> kilobits per second. If you happened to get a quiet channel, say, 40
> dB SNR, the equation returns about 41.2 kilobits per second. However,
> this is still quite a ways off from a full-duplex, 28.8 kbps link, or
> 57.6 kbps total transfer rate. So my question still stands: How do
> they do it? Are they assuming a particularly quiet channel? Are they
> assuming more than the standard 3100 Hz of bandwidth is available?

V.32, v.32bis and v.34 modems use echo cancelling technology.
Essentially each modem knows what it sent and how long it will take to
echo so they ignore it. This allows each modem to use the full
bandwidth with only a slight loss in S/N ratio.


Sean

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 14:28:52 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area


> I would guess that the reason that "911 calls" are sent to a "fixed"
> location and then transfered to the proper local agency is due the
> wide geographic areas that most cellular systems cover.

In Massachusetts we call *SP (*77) to reach the state police and the
call usually gets routed to the nearest state police barracks.  They
forward the call to the local police if it is out of their
jurisdiction.

Near the New Hampshire border your call might get routed to the New
Hampshire state police instead of the Massachusetts police so one can
call *MSP (*677) to reach the Massachusetts State Police. I think that
calling *777 reaches the New Hampshire state police from inside
Massachusetts.

FYI, here is a list of some of the star code for Cellular/One Boston:

*SP    Mass State Police
*CG    Coast Guard
*611    Customer Service
*811    Credit
*FYI    Information
*1030    WBZ Traffic
*1045    WXLO Traffic

*COIN    News
*1SC    Sports
*STI    Smart Traveler
*LOT    Lottery Info
*TV4    WBZ TV 4 Weather
*HELP    Emergency Roadside Assistance

*SUN    NYNEX Weather
*TIME    NYNEX Time and Temperature


Monty Solomon / PO Box 2486 / Framingham, MA  01701-0405  [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: Lynne Gregg <[e-mail]>
Subject: Why Caller-ID Instead of ANI?
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 12:42:00 PST


> It can only restrict what the LECs do as local service providers,
> and the IXCs as local/intra-state carriers (and of course, what any
> person inside the state is able to do).

     FYI, no IXC, to my knowledge actually passes CPN (calling party
number).

> Ethan, there have been lots of proposals to use ANI (CAMA/FG-B/FG-D)
> as CallerID.  I don't know anyone who has proposed the use of Caller
> ID delivery mechanisms as a method of delivering ANI.  (Actually, ISDN

     You can play games with ANI, but CAN'T use it in delivery of
Calling Number Services, since there's no PRIVACY flag tied to ANI.
Now, I'm stumped as to why you'd want to do the reverse (use CPN as
ANI), since ANI is most readily available, but CPN isn't.


Regards,

Lynne

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 09:28:26 -0500
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Horrid AT&T 2500 Sets


I concur with Randy Gellens that today's ersatz 2500 sets are cheap
and flimsy.  But I noticed something interesting at a local hardware
store.  A display case filled with AT&T telephone sets (the usual
cheap kind with chirpers instead of bells) was accompanied by a few
new AT&T "Signature" telephone sets.  One was shaped sort of like a
2500, though a bit squashed; another was in the Trim-Line(tm, no
doubt) format.  Upon examination, I saw a mechanical bell ringer
adjustment on the bottom of the 2500-style.  Even more unusual, the
set must have weighted ten pounds!  It didn't even feel like a flimsy
set with a lead weight, just heavy.

And it was clearly marked AT&T Property for Lease Only, or some such
words.  The store said it was not for sale, either.  It was a series
that AT&T made only for rental customers.  Since it's a rental,
they're responsible if it breaks, so it's made better.

I wouldn't mind buying one of these sets, but I suspect most of us
don't really want to rent.  I'm surprised that AT&T isn't making these
available to rental PBX customers; maybe they can be had if you ask,
but maybe they're only sold to residential customers.

I know that Cortelco (ITT brand phones) still makes industrial-grade
2500 sets, but they aren't sold at consumer outlets.  Maybe I'll call
up Graybar and get me some.  You'd think that retailers would
recognize a good niche market for quality telephones.  Hasn't Japan
Inc. taught them anything?  :-)


fred

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 10:53:30 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Internet Access


I am thinking about getting a SLIP/PPP connection to the Internet for
my company.  I have a few questions, which I was hoping that someone
here could help with.  Here goes:

1. Do any providers support 28.8 kbps (V.fast) connections at this time?
2. If I get a dialup IP account as opposed to an online connection, would
   I still have to setup a separate EMAIL gateway for my MS Mail users to
   exchange mail with the net?  (I have a 50-User Novell Network).
3. What is the best MS Windows based TCP/IP software to use a dialip IP
   connection?
4. Does anyone have any recommendations of service providers in the NYC area?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Jonathan Weinberg    Network Insight

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ma Bell)
Subject: Re: What is This Number?
Date: 14 Feb 94 04:37:51 GMT
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa


In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Rattlesnake
Stu) writes:

> carlene lanham ([e-mail]) wrote:

>> And, I've heard that some exchanges have a number that you call and it
>> will repeat back to you your own phone number.  Does anyone know
>> anything about this number?  What might it be?

Most exchanges have their own ANI numbers, but finding them can be a
chore. I gave the ol' telco a call the other day. Nobody seemed to
know the number, although they gave me a few numbers that I could try
 -- I even spoke with a technician! You might try giving them a call in
your city; just tell them that you're installing a multi-line system
in your business and you need to do some testing. And if that doesn't
yield anything, you can always use a 1-800 ANI number. The one I use
is: [phone]. Please don't abuse it; they'll just change the
number and then none of us can use it.


Ma Bell [*][0][#]   [e-mail]  Elec. Engr. Major

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 18:35:20 EST
From: Ken Jongsma  <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Two Line Tropez 900MHz Now Available


Paging through the latest Hello Direct catalog, I noticed hat they are
featuring a new model Tropez cordless phone that is designed for two
lines.  The base does not have a dial pad, in that respect it is
similar to their single line DL model. The handset has a small LCD
display that will display Caller-ID.

The price? $349. ($319 if you order before an unspecified date.)
Hello Direct can be reached at 1-800-HI-HELLO or [phone].
Usual Disclaimers.


Kenneth R Jongsma         [e-mail]
Smiths Industries    [e-mail]
Grand Rapids, Michigan         [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 22:13:20 EST
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Party Lines
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


[e-mail], writes:

> two party lines may be shared on a device ("Frequenz-Weiche" in German),
> don't know what it'd be called in English.

Subscriber Carrier.

This was usually used in places where a single house (in the U.S.)
wanted a second voice phone line but there were no extra pairs available,
and it would split the signal into two (voice) lines on one wire.

Since phone service in Europe is so frightfully expensive, I can
understand where such a scheme would be used to create the equivalent
of Party Line service.


Paul Robinson - [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 13:18:49 -0500
From: Paul Houle <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Guard Your Royal Database (Hackers Still With Us)


In comp.dcom.telecom TELECOM Digest Editor notes:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: There was an instance several years ago of
> obscene calls made to Queen Elizabeth II which were traced to an interna-
> tional origin here in the United States. It took a cooperative effort
> between British Telecom, AT&T, and Illinois Bell to catch him, but they
> finally did. The story has been here in the Digest in the past.   PAT]

       Heck, about eight years ago there was a phile going around
listing lots of what were described as "phun numbers".  These were
everything from various modem dialups to tone sweeps, and there was
one number that claimed to be for Queen Elizabeth.  Anyway, let's just
say that, uuuh, a phriend of mine who wasn't particularly mature at
the time called the number.  Somebody answered, "Buckingham Palace."
And my phriend asked to speak to the Queen and the guy said "That's a
good joke, can you tell me another one."  He hung up and my phriend
called back, and asked to speak to the Queen, adding that this was a
very expensive long distance call from America (well, maybe it was
expensive, but he wasn't paying for it).  He said, "I know, but it's
three o'clock in the morning."  My phriend apologized and never called
back.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've seen lists like that. They usually
include the phone number for the Pope as well. About twenty years ago
some phreak went on one of those public tours they give of the White
House, and I don't know how he did it but he managed to rip off a copy
of the internal telephone directory listing all the direct dial centrex
numbers for top staffers and one Richard Nixon. Even though the White
House had a plug-style 'cordboard' handling the calls to 202-456-1414,
for many years there have been centrex lines there as well served out
of the Executive Office Building on its phone system. In other words,
you could dial 202-456-1414 and ask to speak with the Resident President
then in power and get politely transferred to one of his telephone
representatives (actually highly placed flunkies authorized to respond
in the Resident President's name in limited situations) or if you knew
about it, you could dial 202-XXX-2591 and ring the phone on his desk
direct in those days.

Well!! This bird made copies of the appropriate page in the directory
and sent them off to a couple dozen radical newspapers, anti-war
groups and others. It was published in quite a few 'underground'
newspapers at the time to everyone's delight except of course the
Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company employees assigned to the EOB
and White House telecom office who suddenly had the task of changing a
lot of phone numbers in a hurry. Poor President Nixon ... he alluded
to 'the problem' in one of his press conferences once during the
interim of a week or so between when the listing first was made
public and the time it was in all the papers and the telecom office
wised up and began changing all the internal centrex numbers.  PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #83
*****************************


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Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 12:23:06 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #84

TELECOM Digest     Mon, 14 Feb 94 12:22:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 84

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Is NYNEX Tinkering With 411 Yet Again (Barton F. Bruce)
    200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Randy Finder)
    AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin (Eric De Mund)
    Re: AT&T Tape-less Answering Machine (Hui Lin LIM)
    Re: V&H Report - 15 January 1994 (Fred Heald)
    Re: Telephone Number History (Ed Ellers)
    Re: A Small Town in Wyoming (Paul Buder)
    Re: CLASS/Caller-ID/Bellcore/CCITT/ANSI Documents Sought (Al Varney)
    Four-Digit Dialing (was Re: A Small Town in Wyoming) (Fred Goldstein)
    Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free (Andrew C. Green)
    Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area (Scot E. Wilcoxon)
    Re: Dispelling a Myth From the Past (Ed Ellers)
    Re: Digital Cellular Phones ([e-mail])
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Gregory S. Lauer)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Is NYNEX Tinkering With 411 Yet Again
Organization: Digital Equipment Computer Users Society
Date: 14 Feb 94 02:25:37 -0500
Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc.


A hotel using DHL/ANI-7 screening to ensure 0+ calls are NOT billed to
them now has a problem with 411 being intercepted and the operator is
asking for a credit card for LOCAL 411 access! She claims it is
screening code 69.

Apparently nothing has been changed on the Hotel's phone lines, and it
is something NYNEX is in the midst of implementing to 'fix' the 411
automatic call completion problems of recent months.

When NYNEX originally allowed 411 callers (for 35 cents more + the
cost of the call) to complete the call to the requested number, Boston
Hotels were caught unprepared, and the NyNEX product manager flew in
from White Plains to 'chat' with an unhappy room of Hotel folks.
Guests were getting more service than they were paying for.

Her suggestion for a quick fix at that time was to route all 411
traffic to the screened trunks many already had for 10xxx compliance.
That worked.

Maybe four days ago, any 411 calls on these screened trunks now are
NOT ALLOWED and route you to an operator who demands a calling card!
Note well that 1+ calls still go right through, as they should. The
Hotel SMDR/Call-Accounting can deal with 1+ and 411 calls. It is only
the 0+ where you can't control what the operator is asked to do that
*MUST* be billed elsewhere.

Moving 411 traffic to UNSCREENED trunks now seems to be ok, and they
no longer give the caller the option of automatic completion. OTOH,
MOST of the trunks are now screened and the few that are not are
primarily for staff use and are NOT adequate to handle a large amount
of guest 411 traffic.

So what is happening? Repair finally allowed as how some changes were
in the works to further automate 411 and 411 with credit card use. But
again NYNEX has done something unannounced that trashes service and
then denys any knowledge until one digs and digs to get info.

Does anyone know anything further about this? This happened starting
last week in Cambridge, and rumor has it that folks in Dorchester have
been hit, too, and that from a repair person saying "you might like to
know, but PLEASE don't say I said so".

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Randy Finder)
Subject: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
Date: 14 Feb 94 11:39:24 -0400
Organization: Carnegie Mellon Computer Club


I was watching a show one late night and saw  a TV ad for a product
with a 1-900 number. What made me notice was that the number
was 1-900-200-QQQQ.
          ^^^
I know that "normal" area codes can not have phone numbers with an X00
in them, but how wide are the available seven digit combinations for
1-900 (and 1-800) numbers. I presume that 1-900-555-QQQQ is going to
get you 900 number information/ available for movies and TV to use as
fakes, but is for instance 1-900-000-0000 available?


Randy Finder

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 23:31:19 -0800
From: Eric De Mund <[e-mail]>
Subject: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin
Reply-To: Eric De Mund <[e-mail]>
Organization: Netcom Online Communication Services


People,

AT&T calling card calls from my office in California to my parents in
New York results in a telephone number other than that of my desk
phone appearing on my AT&T calling card bill as the calls' origin.
When I telephone that number, I get an internal recording telling me
that that number isn't in service. (I work for a DOE/UC laboratory in
Berkeley.)

I called AT&T and asked them about it. Front line and second line
customer service tell me that there's nothing that can be done to
resolve the calls' origin. Is this true?


Thanks,

Eric De Mund <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Hui Lin LIM)
Subject: Re: AT&T Tape-less Answering Machine
Date: 14 Feb 1994 08:33:06 GMT
Organization: Hewlett Packard


Tan Ken Hwee ([e-mail]) wrote:

> I was wondering if someone would be so kind as to let me know how much
> (ballpark) the AT&T Tape-less Answering Machine costs?  The one that
> uses RAM?  It sells for about SIN$220 or about US$130.  Is this an ok
> price or should I wait until I go to America to buy one?  I'm aware of
> the voltage difference and will get a transformer for that.

The last time I checked prices at Fry's Electronics in Palo Alto they
were similar, but you would have to pay taxes there.  OTH you will
have to pay taxes here soon.  The major difference is that over there
you get a wider choice of machines (including at least two from
Sony) ...


Hui-Lin Lim - Singapore Networks Operation, Hewlett Packard Singapore
    telnet: 520 8763    phone: [phone]    fax: [phone]
      mail: [e-mail]
      DESK: Hui-Lin Lim/HPSGIT
     X.400: S=Lim G=Hui-Lin OU1=corp OU2=unix OU3=x400
            O=HP C=US A=ATTMAIL P=HP
            DDA-Type1=HPMEXT1 DDA-Value1=[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Fred Heald)
Subject: Re: V&H Report - 15 January 1994
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 09:34:05 GMT


[e-mail] wrote:

> In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (David Esan) writes:

>>    You may wish to obtain certain NANP documents from the current
>> Administration, Bellcore.  In particular, the newest information in
>> IL-94/01-001 and IL-94/01-002 would be useful.  The former is "Status
>> of Numbering in the NANP Served Area" -- the latter is "Opening of 710
>> Numbering Plan Area (NPA) Code".

Whoa -- since when did they come up with NPA = Numbering Plan Area?  And
are they going to fabricate an equally ridiculous (actually, it's pretty
clever) meaning for NXX?


Fred Heald    [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well actually Fred, I've heard NPA used
as an abbreviation for 'Numbering Plan Area' for many years. It is used
that way in this Digest all the time; always has been.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: Ed Ellers <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Telephone Number History
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 05:57:53 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


TELECOM Digest Editor noted in response to Sheldon W. Hoenig <hoenigs@
gsimail.ddn.mil>:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: There were some exchange names which seemed
> to be common everywhere, while others were unique to some community. Many
> places had PLAza, and we had a WABash here in Chicago. But some we had here
> I have never heard of in other places: GRAceland, MULberry, TUXedo,
> INTerocean, VICtory, EDGewater and IRVing are a few which come to mind. PAT]

We used to have one in Louisville (home of Churchill Downs) called
DErby, and it was actually in the area including the racecourse.
Unfortunately this was at a time when we had 2-4 numbering; when AT&T
started its mass conversion to 2-5 in the 1950s they wouldn't allow a
prefix to be kept in this way, so the DErby numbers were all changed
to MElrose.  A few years ago we got some new NNXs in the 33x series,
but too far across town to do Churchill Downs any good.


Ed Ellers, KD4AWQ

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Paul Buder)
Subject: Re: A Small Town in Wyoming
Date: 14 Feb 1994 02:58:41 -0800
Organization: Teleport - Portland's Public Access [phone]


[e-mail] (carlene lanham) writes:

> My question is this: is it possible to configure these new digital
> switches for four-digit dialing?  We're a small town where we occupy
> only the 848-2xxx, 3xxx, and 41xx's.  It would make things easier for
> everyone.

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Sure it is possible. The switch is just
> told to expect four digits only if the first digit is 2 through 9; to
> expect eleven digits if the first digit is 1 and some variable number of

I lived in Acton, Massachussetts back in the late 70's.  They had five
digit dialing there.  The adjacent towns were local calls.  The
calling pattern was 5 digits for Acton, 7 for adjacent towns, 8 (1+)
for the rest of 617 and 11 for everywhere else.  This was possible
with Acton as 263 and Concord as 369 for example because there were no
numbers in Acton of the form 263-69XX.  I may have the prefixes wrong,
it's been a long time.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 09:56:42 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: CLASS/Caller-ID/Bellcore/CCITT/ANSI Documents Sought
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]  writes:


> I am an undergraduate in Computer & Information Sciences at University
> of California, Santa Cruz.  I am studying CLASS services and would
> appreciate it if anyone could direct me to the following documents:

>    + Bellcore specs for CLASS services.

  Call Bellcore on 1-800-521-2673 (or 908-699-5800) from a DTMF phone,
wade through the Menu Monster to order a publication and ask for a
Catalog of Technical Information.  It will list TRs/SRs associated
with CLASS and their prices.  There are probably 50 documents dealing
with CLASS services, including some that deal with CLASS just via
ISDN.  There are paragraphs describing the documents, so you can
select just those of interest.  Typical prices are $30 (Calling Number
Delivery) through $75 (Automatic Callback).

   Those interfacing with what is commonly called CallerID over
loop-start lines should have SR-TSV-002476, "CPE Compatibility
Considerations ..."  (don't know the price, but should be about $25).
This is an update of the obsolete SR-NWT-002024.

>    + CCITT "Recommendations" regarding CCITT Common-Channel
>        Signaling System No. 7.  (Especially those relating
>        to the above -- is caller-ID info. transmitted as
>        part of a TUP or an ISUP?  If the former, is it
>        transmitted as part of an IAM or something else?)

   TUP is covered in Q.721-Q.724, ISUP is Q.761-Q.764.  Both support
sending Calling Party information.

     TUP messages:
   IAM with Additional Information (different than a plain IAM)
   General Forward Setup Information (typically response to Backward
        Setup Request)

     ISUP messages:
   IAM
   Information (typically response to Information Request)
   Pass-Along (containing an Information message)
   SCCP protocol could, in theory, also carry this information

   DUP (Data User Part, X.61) messages can also carry this information
in a wide variety of messages, both in "connections" and the facility
registration messages.

>    + ANSI specifications regarding Signaling System 7.

   American National Standards Institute, Inc.
   11 West 42nd Street
   New York, New York  10036

   The ISUP documents are in T1.113-1992.  A new version should be
available in early 1995(?), after 1994 approvals.  This document
discusses how Calling Party Number is carried, and how "privacy" is
indicated.  T1.112 and T1.114 cover the SCCP and TCAP protocols used
to implement some CLASS services (such as Auto Call-Back).  T1.401
covers the analog line interface.  Services such as CLASS are covered
int the T1.6xx series.


Al Varney

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 10:35:59 -0500
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Four-Digit Dialing (was Re: A Small Town in Wyoming)


The ability to dial four-digit (or five-digit) numbers was
characteristic of step-by-step exchanges.  There are a few left in the
country, though NYNEX reports that they are finally rid of theirs.
Many small-town independents, and possibly some Bells, still have
them.  They last forever if taken care of, unlike, say, Crossbar which
wears out after 40 or so years.

In my book "ISDN In Perspective", I put in a diagram showing how
numbering plans were done in the olden days of electromechanical
circuit switching.  It shows an exchange, prefix 924, whose local
extension (line) numbers were in the 3xxx and 7xxx range.  The
exchange had 5-digit dialing for local numbers.  It could also make
local calls to adjacent exchanges 858, 385, 492 and 879.

It was all done by wiring the switch train correctly.  If you dialed
"43" or "47", it continued down its own numbers.  If you dialed "85",
it went to the 858 switch, which only received the last five digits.
If you dialed "87", the 879 switch got five digits.  If you dialed
"3", the 385 switch got six digits.  If you dialed "49", the 492
switch got five digits.

This type of plan places some restrictions on prefix assignments. The
dialed-digit string has to be unambiguous.  So the 924 exchange
couldn't open numbers in the 92 series, or "492xx" would route to the
492 exchange rather than 924-92xx numbers.  It is however generally
legal to dial the whole locall number (924-3xxx) since the switch
would absorb the initial digits.

When these switches were replaced, the phone company generally forced
seven-digit dialing, much to the chagrin of some locals who felt that
their small-town charm was dwindling.


Fred R. Goldstein   k1io  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 10:36:04 CST
From: Andrew C. Green <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free


Brian Behlendorf ([e-mail]) writes:

> ...I'd be more worried about email users subscribing to high-volume
> mailing lists than getting unsolicited email ads, which don't happen
> much anyways and probably won't.

Indeed. I think when unwanted correspondence arrives, the degree of
negative reaction varies according to the communication used and the
degree of personal contact involved.

With unsolicited postal junk mail, people usually toss it out without
further thought. Telemarketing phone calls are more intrusive, but
with a live person on the other end, one is usually a bit restrained
when telling them to get lost (at least initially). But heaven help
the person who posts inappropriate advertising on the Net; the
response from readers is downright vicious. The mind boggles at what
people will say in reply to unsolicited personal E-mail sales pitches;
the physical and psychological buffer provided by the keyboard, as
opposed to having a live person on the other end listening to what you
say, can make for the kind of remarks usually generated when someone
cuts you off in traffic.


Andrew C. Green
Datalogics, Inc.          NOTE! Ignore any "From" headers above
441 W. Huron              Direct all replies to [e-mail]
Chicago, IL  60610-3498   FAX: [phone]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Regards the viciousness of email (and
in this regard, many Usenetters are as vicious as they come) I think
a few large organizations which are discussing the possibility (well,
the eventual probability) of commercial email blitzes on the net have
already been tipped off about the (to put it mildly) 'negative' reaction
which some netters will generate, and that a relatively limited number
of netters will generate a disproportionate amount of hate mail as a
result. Consequently, they will probably employ DRDR, that is, 'do not
read, do not respond' techniques. Negative mail will go to dev/null
unanswered to avoid the need to use up *their* resources in attempting
to reply to people they assume won't purchase whatever is being sold
anyway. They'll only answer positive mail received, the thinking being
that sooner or later the vicious ones will get tired and go away.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: fieldday![e-mail]
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 00:06 CST
Subject: Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area
Organization: Esix Test Unit 1


John Galloway ([e-mail]) wrote:

> The dispatcher, even with Enhanced 9-1-1 could never know where your
> cell-phone is without asking.  Maybe what cell-site you are using, but
> in the fringe those sites can cover a large area.

The smallest cellular cell is too large, as the calls have to be
processed by very sharp lines.  An urban freeway is only a block or
two wide, and minor problems may be passed to your state highway
patrol or a county sheriff.  This depends on whether that freeway is a
federal or county highway (or private toll road?) and what the
agreements are between such agencies in your area.

No present cellular system can deal with the narrow division between
areas such as an urban freeway and an adjoining city street, much less
where the middle of a city street is the dividing line and how far
from your location you are looking.  That call will be handled by
someone who has been woven into the web of agencies who deal with such
boundaries for each call.  Indeed, even the right agency may have to
dispatch according to internal divisions such as precincts, dispatch
regions, or current location of special equipment.


Scot E. Wilcoxon  [e-mail] [phone]

------------------------------

From: Ed Ellers <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Dispelling a Myth From the Past
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 06:04:49 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


David A. Kaye <[e-mail]> writes:

> Pre-divestiture there were numerous situations where the local BOCs
> were only partly owned by AT&T, such as Pacific Telephone (now Pacific
> Bell).  It was 90% owned by AT&T and publicly traded on the NYSE.  If
> any revenues had been mixed between AT&T Long Lines and the local BOC
> you can *bet* that the other 10% stockholders would have *screamed* to
> the Securities and Exchange Commission over it.

And don't forget Southern New England Telephone and Cincinnati Bell
Inc., both of which had a minority of shares owned by AT&T.

But didn't all the LECs -- both independent and Bell System -- get to
keep part of the billed charges for long distance calls?

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Digital Cellular Phones
Date: 14 Feb 1994 08:26:25 -0500
Organization: Delphi Internet Services Corporation


Digital cellular phones digitize your voice in the phone itself, then
compress the signal by a factor of 3-20 before transmiting to the base
station.  This allows a given radio bandwidth to carry more channels,
resulting in less congestion. Other benefits include better voice
quality (see below), future high-speed data capability, more secure
conversation, and more immunity from toll fraud.  One characteristic
of digital cellular, however, is the small added delay in the coding
process, which causes echo to be heard by the cellular subscriber.
This echo can be eliminated through the use of a high-quality echo
canceller. Echo cancellers are now being developed specifically for
digital cellular, and can feature background noise cancellation also,
providing even better call quality compared to analog systems.  Some
service providers will offer you a dual-mode phone, which can operate
either in analog or digital modes, allowing you to use the older as
well as newer networks.  Future cellular networks are expected to be
all-digital, due to the bandwidth efficiency, network control, call
quality and fraud resistance they offer.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Gregory S. Lauer)
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company
Organization: GTE Laboratories, Inc.
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 14:04:56 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] wrote:

> The TCAP (Transaction Capability Application Part) of SS7 is used
> what makes the 'return last call' feature work.  It boils down to
> queries and responses between the originating and terminating switches
> (is the terminating party idle?; if not notify me when he is; etc.).
> TCAP defines a parameter called the 'call forwarding active parameter'
> which indicates if any call forwarding features are active on a line.
> If call forwarding or selective call forwarding is active, than
> 'return last call' is denied.  Here in Lincoln, we have DMS-100's,
> GTD-5's, and a 5ESS; that's the way the feature worked when it was
> tested in our network.

On the other hand if 'Call Forwarding Don't Answer' is used to forward the
call, the 'return last call' feature will not be denied and the call will
be forwarded if/when the phone is not answered.


Greg Lauer

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #84
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #85

TELECOM Digest     Wed, 16 Feb 94 09:33:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 85

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    GTE High Technology in California (TELECOM Digest Editor)
    Over 10,000 Sign Petition to Oppose Clipper (Dave Banisar)
    More FTP NISDN Information Available (William H. Sohl)
    Caller ID in Russia (For Curious) (Michael De Lyon)
    Faculty Position Available (Jane Fraser)
    Cell Phone Welcome Message (Gary Huntress)
    "America's Network is New Name For TE&M Magazine (Nigel D. Allen)
    Network Efficiency (Dave Linthicum)
    Request For Map Drawing Software (Donald E. Kimberlin)
    AT&T Directory Assistance Now Includes Addresses (Monty Solomon)
    Privacy on 900 Mhz Cordless Phones? (John Galloway)
    Smart Trunks (Mark Henry)
    Help Needed With Phone Connections (Robert Varcoe)
    Priorities (John Shaver Modernization Office)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 15 Feb 94 10:08:01 -0500
From: TELECOM Digest Editor <[e-mail]>
Subject: GTE High Technology in California


The following bulletin was released by GTE on Monday.

Feb. 14, 1994

       GTE BRINGS HIGHLY ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO CALIFORNIA
           THIS WEEK; "WORLD CLASS NETWORK" A REALITY


GTE California today announced that it will install highly advanced
switching technology this week in the Los Angeles area as part of the
company's continuing effort to build a "World Class Network" for
customers.

The company said ATM switches -- some of the final components that
permit access to the information superhighway -- will be installed
Tuesday (Feb. 15) at company facilities in Santa Monica, Ontario and
Thousand Oaks. Additional ATM switches are scheduled to be installed
at other California sites before the end of the year.

ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) switches handle simultaneous video,
data, image and voice traffic.  A few of the customer service
capabilities include: interactive distance learning among classrooms
in different parts of a city or state; geographically distant
employees sharing documents and images during video conference calls;
medical experts in separate hospitals concurrently reviewing and
diagnosing X-rays; and residential customers picking movies from
video-on-demand libraries.

GTE's ATM network initially will support educational institutions,
businesses and government agencies.

"The 1990s have been a challenging time for California, but also an
exciting time as we work to build a future that's better than our
past," said West Area President Larry Sparrow. "We've been
aggressively installing advanced network systems here for several
years. The addition of ATM switching makes our long-standing vision of
a World Class Network a reality."

ATM SWITCHES PART OF GTE PLAN TO SUPPORT EDUCATION

Educational institutions are a critical component of GTE's World Class
Network in California. More details of the World Class Network's
educational aspects, as well as business and government applications,
will be announced at a later date.

"We've proven the value of telecommunications in the classroom, and
we've learned that no single product can meet the diversity of needs
present in our schools today. Another difficulty educators face is
technological obsolescence," Sparrow said. "GTE will ensure that
educators have access to technology that meets their individual needs.
ATM's flexibility will help schools avoid dependency on technology
that will become outdated."

Using telecommunications, schools can improve the quality of education
by pooling resources and accessing a tremendous variety of information
and learning materials.

The company has conducted several educational pilot projects,
including programs in the Hacienda-La Puente and Norwalk-La Mirada
school districts, and a distance learning program with California
State University, Dominguez Hills and Coastline Community College.
GTE also has conducted the world's most comprehensive technology test
of educational applications as part of the company's Cerritos Project.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 13:42:29 -0500
From: Dave Banisar <[e-mail]>
Subject: Over 10,000 Sign Petition to Oppose Clipper


                        Washington, DC
                       February 15, 1994

      Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR)


         OVER 10,000 SIGN PETITION TO OPPOSE CLIPPER


In only two weeks, over 10,000 users of the nation's computer networks
have signed the CPSR petition calling for President Clinton to
withdraw the Clipper proposal.

Opposition has been widespread, from CEOs of large firms to college
students in small towns, from librarians and civil libertarians to
computer programmers and product marketers.

To sign the petition, email <[e-mail]> with the
message "I Oppose Clipper"

Encourage friends to sign.

In 1990, over 30,000 people sent email message to Lotus asking that a
product containing detailed personal information called "Marketplace"
be withdrawn.  Eventually Lotus withdrew the product.

CPSR is a non-profit, membership organization based in Palo Alto, CA.
CPSR's mission is to provide analysis of the effects of new
technological developments on society.  For more information, please
email [e-mail] or call 415-322-3778.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (sohl,william h)
Subject: More FTP NISDN Information Available
Date: 15 Feb 1994 13:55:41 -0500
Organization: Bell Communications Research (Bellcore)


Information about National ISDN is now available by anonymous FTP
(File Transfer Protocol) over the Internet at host: info.bellcore.com

FTP allows the retrieval of formatted documents and software.

The documentation now available (2/17/94) includes:

1. A Catalog of National ISDN Solutions for Selected
   NIUF Applications
2. Bellcore document, SR-2006, "National ISDN"
3. A list of Bellcore TEC training for National ISDN

Additional documentation will be added over time and this announcement
will be periodically updated and posted to the appropriate newsgroups.

The files are available in PostScript through anonymous FTP from
"info.bellcore.com" in the /pub/ISDN sub directory.

I M P O R T A N T: Many of the files are large, it is essential that
you first get the README (the upper case is important) file for
detailed information on retrieving various files associated with
documents.

The following text describes a typical anonymous FTP session:

   system: ftp info.bellcore.com <enter>
   Connected to info.
   220 info FTP server (SunOS 4.1) ready.
   Name: anonymous <enter>
   331 Guest login ok, send ident as password.
   Password: <enter your internet login -- example:
                    [e-mail]>
   230 Guest login ok, access restrictions apply.
   ftp> cd /pub/ISDN <enter>
   250 CWD command successful.
   ftp> mget README <enter>
   mget README? yes <enter>
   200 PORT command successful.
   150 ASCII data connection for README (8758 bytes).
   226 ASCII Transfer complete.
   local: README remote: README
   8943 bytes received in 0.19 seconds (46 Kbytes/s)
   ftp> quit <enter>
   221 Goodbye.

<enter> represents pressing the "enter" or "return" key on your
computer keyboard.

The README file is in ASCII format and may be read on any word
processor. The other files in the directory are in PostScript format
and may be downloaded as needed by using the "mget" command while in
the FTP.

The PostScript files may be printed on a PostScript printer by using
the "lprr" command. A typical Post Script print command may look like:

           lpr -P<printer> -h -v <filename.ps>

where:

<printer> represents printer name on your network, and <filename.ps>
represents a PostScript file.

'-h' corresponds to the option of suppressing the printing of burst
page while '-v' corresponds to the option of printing raster image,
i.e., PostScript. Please note that the printer must support PostScript
imaging model in order to print these files.

If you have problems or you'd like to comment on the information
stored at this site or wish to make recommendations for future
enhancements, you can email us at:

                     [e-mail]
OR
call us at Bellcore's National ISDN Hotline: [phone]-ISDN

If you'd like to be added to our NISDN information mailing list,
please call the Hotline or email us and provide your name, your full
mailing address (regular mail), and telephone number.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Michael De Lyon)
Subject: Caller ID in Russia (For Curious)
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 03:52:45 GMT


After some reading of 'Caller ID' thread, I decided that some curious
people might be interested how is it done in Russia.  Russia is
beginning to offer tone-dialing (very limited number of exchanges even
in Moscow), but as long-distance direct dialing is very common,
standard (?) caller ID request/responce are used.  It is worth to
mention that in Russia all seven-digit calls are local (flat rate), so
the problems with billing only begin when you call 8 (wait for
dialtone) (area code) number.  Your caller ID is requested after you
dialed 8.  If it failed after several trials or callback probe
realized that the number is not busy (i.e. it is forged or incorrectly
recognized), you get engaged tone and need to hang up.  (International
calling is 8 W 10 + ....; this 10 looks more familiar, eh?).

Of course, there is nothing like custom calling services.  (You cannot
_dial_ * or #, can you?)  That's why hardware-knowledgeable people
began to create their own devices (mostly Z80-based, with 4K of ROM)
to perform basic caller ID functions. Algorithms were getting better
and better, and now such a device does caller ID (buffer for about 10,
time and date), white (distinctive ringing), grey (regular) and black
(rejected) lists of caller IDs, repetitive dialing, "answering
machine" (outgoing message from RAM, incoming to an attached tape
recorder), etc., etc. Very impressive, especially for those who
understand that there is 1-bit FFT inside.  What happened next -- it
became almost impossible to call long distance, because the number of
caller-ID generators was limited and if all of them on your local
exchange are busy when you call long distance, it doesn't get your ID
and rejects you. That's why the Ministry of Communications decided to
introduce the fee for caller ID boxes.

But it is not the end of the story. As those boxes are cheaper than
answering machines, people used them in AM mode when leaving home,
that is when you call a number equipped with caller-ID box, it picks
up after the first ring, sends the request, decides what to do with
you, and either simulates busy tone or hangs up (you're rejected) or
simulates ringing and really rings the phone, but nobody answers.  It
is very annoying if you call from a payphone, that's why it is
considered very impolite to set the device in AM mode. (regular mode
is to detect ID after the receiver went off hook).  Of course,
anti-caller-ID were developed, but they work quite unreliably -- just
trying to send pulses after remote picked up. Sometimes it helps,
sometimes not.  Last note: as the system was designed for billing, the
ID only contains seven digits, so it is impossible to derive area code
from ID, the best is to recognize "alien" phone number.

I hope it was of interest,


Leo


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yes Leo, it was of interest. Thanks very
much for passing it along, and please tell us more about telecom in
Russia from time to time.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 08:59:12 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Faculty Position Available


                Rochester Institute of Technology
                Telecommunications Engineering Technology

        RIT's School of Engineering Technology invites applicants for
a tenure-track position in the bachelor of science program in
telecommunications engineering technology.  Women and minority
candidates are encouraged to apply

        Candidates should have a background in electronic systems
engineering with experience in voice, data and multimedia
telecommunications that includes network management, network planning
and design.  Duties include teaching electrical and telecommunications
engineering technology courses and laboratories in the EET Department.
Knowledge and understanding of engineering technology principles and
experience in computer applications relative to the electrical and
telecommunications field is desirable.

        A masters degree in engineering and three years relevant
industrial experience in the specialties above are required.
Professional registration and teaching experience desirable.

        Submit resume with names & phone numbers of three references
by 5/1/94 to: W. David Baker, Director, School of Engineering
Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, 78 Lomb Memorial Drive,
Rochester, NY 14623 - 5604 .

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Gary  huntress)
Subject: Cell Phone Welcome Message
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 94 14:02:47 GMT


My in-laws have a new Motorola flip phone that they love very much.
They recently took a trip to Florida and while driving on Rt. 95 the
phone rang and they got some sort of a "welcome" message from one of
the local service providers.  My FIL is constantly amazed by all the
technology at work here and he would like to know basically how this
works.

I assumed that the phone, while in standby, can detect when it enters
and leaves each cell.  And when it sees that it enters the cell of a
new carrier it (the phone) transmits some sort of a "here I am"
message obviously this includes his phone number or some sort of
serial number so that the cell can call back with the "welcome" msg.

Is this about right?


Thanks,

Gary Huntress   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: "America's Network" is New Name for TE&M Magazine
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 13:22:26 EST
Organization: Internex Online Public Access, Toronto, Ontario, Canada


One of the leading magazines for telephone company managers is
changing its name. {TE&M, Telephone Engineer & Management} is becoming
{America's Network}, effective with the February 15 issue.  Here is
the magazine's address, in case you ever want to send it a press
release or letter to the editor:

 America's Network (formerly TE&M)
 Attn: Mr. Robert E. Stoffels, Editor
 233 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2423
 Chicago, IL 60601
 U.S.A.
 Telephone [phone]
 Fax [phone]

I have no affiliation with the magazine.


Nigel Allen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada    [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dave Linthicum)
Subject: Network Efficiency
Date: 14 Feb 1994 18:35:56 GMT
Organization: Mobil Oil, Fairfax VA
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Dave Linthicum)


A question: If network efficiency can be roughly estimated using the
following formula:

E = M/(M+O)

where:

M = Message size
O = Overhead needed to send one message
  = (Px delay x speed) + ACK size + H
P = NUMBER OF PACKETS SENT
H = HEADER SIZE
ACK = Acknowlegment message of meassage received

For example, IEEE 802.3 uses this formula such as:

E = 100/(100 + 30 + 64 + 2(64) = 31%

I know 100 is Message size. What is 30, 64, and 2(64)?  This is in a
network modeling book.

Please respond via e-mail.  Thanks!


Dave

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 15 Feb 94 13:10 EST
From: Donald E. Kimberlin <[e-mail]>
Subject: Request For Map Drawing Software


        I'm getting into software that draws network maps on the fly
as people use it, with need to zoom in and out and place variable
labels, like node names, on the maps, and have them ultimately
printable on an attached printer or fileable in disk files.

        Can anyone suggest sources for some nice geographic outline
map drawing code for PCs?  The U.S., Canada, and world political
outline maps are all ultimately needed.  Windows/DOS preferred, but
UNIX is acceptable, at least to try with.  Ultimately, I will need to
get the source to make modifications as to labeling and such.
Commercial products are acceptable, but public domain is preferred.
The choice depends on cost.

        All replies appreciated.  Send me any private replies to
[e-mail], please.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 01:54:06 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: AT&T Directory Assistance Now Includes Addresses


In all states except New Jersey and Connecticut you can now request
phone number and/or address information from AT&T Directory
Assistance.

They can't currently provide addresses in New Jersey and Connecticut.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Galloway)
Subject: Privacy on 900 Mhz Cordless Phones?
Organization: Galloway Research
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 20:01:11 GMT


Given the extended range folks are reporting for these new phones, it
seems like privacy is an even bigger issue.  Do the units provide any
sort of build in key to distinguish your phone from your neighboors?
(not that such would prevent determined eavsdropping, but it would
keep the other guys phone and likely the scanner-heads out).


jrg
internet    [e-mail]  John R. Galloway, Jr  795 Beaver Creek Way
applelink   D3413                  CEO...receptionist    San Jose, CA   95133
                                   Galloway Research     [phone]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: One tradeoff where the increased range of
cordless phones is concerned is that increased range causes a greater
risk that the call will be overheard by others. I guess you have to
balance convenience and security; a trade-off which occurs so often where
modern computer and phone networks is concerned.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 15 Feb 94 09:26:29 CST
From: [e-mail] (Mark Henry)
Subject: Smart Trunks


TELECOM Digest Readers,

        Has anyone had any experience with a trunking application
based on ISDN called Smart trunks by Southwestern Bell? If so, can you
send me pros and cons of such and post to the net if appropriate. In
addition, could you tell what percentage reduction in actual trunks
can be expected when converting to the Smart Trunk application from
analog facilities.

Thanks in advance,


Mark Henry,  Director of Telecommunications and Networking
Stephen F. Austin State University
P.O. Box 6095, Nacogdoches, Texas 75962
Phone [phone]   E-Mail @ [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Robert Varcoe)
Subject: Help Needed With Phone Connections
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Robert Varcoe)
Organization: The National Capital FreeNet
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 13:54:29 -0500


Hi, I hope someone out there can help ...

I've acquired a touchtone phone but the wires leading from the headset
to the phone AND the wires leading from the phone to the jack are not
connected.  Here is all the numbers I could find on the phone: on the
cover at back it is placo telecom inc.  On the inside on the touch pad
is says NE-35Q3A2X  1-79

on the bottom of the phone there is a number:
   79
  QSQM
 2500AX

on the inside of the phone on the right is a block where the wires
should be connected (I think) the block is labled: L1 L2 G X Y.

The wires that come from the hand set (four) are black, red and two
whites, from the phone jack (four) are black, green, red and yellow.

I would like to get this phone working, any help would be appreciated.


Thanks,

Rob

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 15 Feb 94 10:55:24 GMT
From: John Shaver Modernization Office <[e-mail]>
Subject:  Priorities


A British humourist noted that if God had wanted us to have aeroplanes
he would not have given us the railroads.

Cannot the same be said for Telephone and Telegraph?


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: And ditto for computers versus the old
mechanical 'adding machines' of the 1940-50 era!   <smile>    PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #85
*****************************


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Date: Thu, 17 Feb 94 00:56:26 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #86

TELECOM Digest     Thu, 17 Feb 94 00:56:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 86

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    An Inside Look at the Panasonic KXT-9000 (Joshua Hosseinoff)
    Program For Microwave Radio Links? (Dino Moriello)
    Help Needed Building Voice Mail Indicator Light (Marc A. Sarrel)
    Big Brother Inside Logo (Dave Banisar)
    Cellular/One * Codes (Johnny J Chin)
    Australian Broadband Services Inquiry - Call For Submission (T Worthington)
    Symposium on Design Productivity Improvement (Patrick Pype)
    Power Supply For Digital Cordless Phone ([e-mail])

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 23:48:51 -0500
From: [e-mail] (Joshua Hosseinoff)
Subject: An Inside Look at the Panasonic KXT-9000


I've had my Panasonic 900MHz phone for about three months now and I
thought the Digest readers might be interested in some of my observa-
tions on it.  I use the phone in my college dormitory where I get
excellent coverage one floor above my room and two floors below, and
decent coverage up to three floors above and all the way down to the
basement.  I currently am on the third floor of my building and I've
tested the range outside the building and I've been able to get decent
coverage up to a half block away (about 150 feet) outside, and
absolutely no reception inside a different building than the base
unit.  I recently tested it by putting the base by a window on the eighth
floor of the dorm and I was very surprised to see the range increase
alot.  I was able to go about 1 1/2 blocks away, and I could even
connect while in another building.

My next experiment was to open up the base unit and have a look
inside.  The first thing I noticed was two dipswitches located right
next to where the tone/pulse switch is.  The dipswitches were both set
to the 0 position.  The dipswitch on the left did nothing as far as I
could tell.  The right dipswitch changed between a fast pulse dialing
and a slow pulse dialing, both of which dialed properly.  It was
originally set to the 0 position for slow pulse dialing. They have no
effect on touch tone dialing as far as I can tell.  The other
interesting things were some little knobs recessed inside a metal
cage.  Most of them can be adjusted with a small screwdriver.  Here is
a list of the labels on the cage and my notes on what they did:

30db: this was only a hole in the metal cage and no knob was visible that
    I could see.
20db: the knob in here affects the transmission between the base and handset.
    In a certain position, the base will page the handset but the handset
    won't hear it.  However, if the handset pages the base, the base will
    hear it.
Level: same as 30db.
Det:   same as 30db.
Tx Pwr: this knob didn't seem to do much.  It would either be in a position
    that worked or one that didn't work with no in between level.
    This knob would spark a little if I adjusted it while the base
    and handset had a connection.
Rx VCO: same as Tx Pwr.
Tx VCO: same as Tx Pwr.
Fre:    I assume this meant frequency, it had some effect on the voice
    quality ranging from totally garbled to crystal clear.
Base Unit Upper: same as 30db.
IFT:  didn't do anything at all.
Dev: didn't do anything at all.

I assume that opening up the base and playing around with the knobs
voids the warranty and is a shock hazard so the usual disclaimers
apply.


Josh Hosseinoff ------------ [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dino Moriello)
Subject: Program For Microwave Radio Links
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 23:17:39 -0500
Organization: VE2DM


I'm a microwave radio tech.  My company has over 300 microwave sites
and I have the following question:

We installed a hop last summer that runs east-west and we noticed that
at a certain time during the summer the sun got right in line with one
of the dishes causing the noise level on the receiving antenna to go
sky high and cause a cut off of the link during the entire time that
the sun is in line with the two dishes at 7GHZ.

Is there a way to predict when these outages will occur, either using
a software program or by hand?


Thanks for reading this.

Dino Moriello
PO BOX 105       Internet: [e-mail]
Radisson,Quebec  Compuserve: 76120,1472  Tel.: [phone]
CANADA  J0Y 2X0  Packet:   VE2DM@VE2FKB        819-638-8281
Please E-mail replies since I can't always read the USENET postings.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Marc A. Sarrel)
Subject: Help Needed Building Voice Mail Indicator Light
Date: 17 Feb 1994 00:32:33 GMT
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory


Does anyone have plans to build a small (less than a few cm^3) circuit
that would detect the presence of messages and flash an LED or
something?

Alternatively, I have a SPARCstation LX (Solaris 2.3) sitting on my
desk with a couple of unused ISDN ports.  Is there some software that
would allow me to run my phone line through those ports and give me an
indication on my screen when I have messages (sort of like xbiff)?

We're soon to get Pacific Bell voice mail in our section at work.  The
voice mail is already installed where I work, but it is not
universally used.

Anyway, the way the system is set up, we have to lift the handset and
listen for the beeps to tell if we have messages.  We have to pay
extra to get a phone with an indicator light or even more for a phone
with an LCD type display.  That's not going to happen.

I'm not a EE, but I can probably build the thing if it's not too
complex ...

Also, please reply by email.  I don't regularly read this newsgroup


advTHANKSance

Marc Sarrel  Jet Propulsion Laboratory
[e-mail]    N7OLI

------------------------------

Organization: CPSR Washington Office
From: Dave Banisar <[e-mail]>
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 10:24:49 EST
Subject: Big Brother Inside Logo


  Big Brother Inside Logo

A parody of the Intel's Logo modified for the Clipper Chip is now
available for use for stickers, posters, brochures etc.

The Big Brother Inside graphic files are now available at the CPSR
Internet Archive - ftp/gopher cpsr.org /cpsr/privacy/crypto/clipper

big_brother_inside_sticker.ps (postscript-scale to fit your project)
big_brother_inside_logo.gif (Color GIF - good startup/background screen)
big_brother_inside_picts_info.txt (Info on the files)

The files have also been uploaded to America Online in the Mac Telecom
and Graphic Arts folders.

big_brother_inside_sticker.ps is a generic postscript file, created in
CorelDraw. The postscript image lies landscape on the page, and consists
of the intel-logo's ``swoosh'' and crayon-like lettering on the inside.

This design was originally created for the sticker project: the image
was screened onto transparent stickers 1" square for the purpose of
applying them to future clipper-chip products. ([e-mail]
was in charge of that project; as far as I know he's still
distributing them for a small donation to cover printing & mailing
costs).

The design was created by Matt Thomlinson <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Johnny J Chin)
Subject: Cellular/One * Codes
Date: 16 Feb 1994 03:20:49 -0500
Organization: Onesimus Enterprises International, Inc.


I am a Cellular/One customer and I was wondering does anyone have a
complete list of the * (star) codes?  In other words, like in the NYC
area, I only know of one ... *FILM to get info on movies.

Any and all replies appreciated.  I will post a summary of all replies.


Thanks,

Johnny J. Chin ([e-mail])
LAN/WAN/PC Consultant/Reseller   Onesimus Enterprises Int'l Inc.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The thing to remember is that this will
vary from one community to the next. What works on Cellular One in
Chicago won't necessarily -- or even probably -- work in New York, etc.
Each 'Cellular One' company is an independent entity doing its own thing
and no single standard applies.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tom Worthington)
Subject: Australian Broadband Services Inquiry - Call for Submissions
Organization: Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, Australia
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 06:42:46 GMT


On 8 December 1993, the then Minister for Communications, Mr. David
Beddall, announced an inquiry into issues relating to the delivery of
new communications services to homes, schools and businesses.

These services could provide entertainment to consumers in the form of
video-on-demand and interactive TV, or information in the form of
electronic newspapers, and electronic and video mail.

The Broadband Services Expert Group was established to conduct the
inquiry, drawing its twelve members from industry, users, carriers, the
union movement, and research, education and finance areas.

The Group is now calling for submissions from interested groups and
the public.  This reflects both the Government's desire that the Group
consult as widely as possible to ensure all interested individuals and
organisations have an opportunity to contribute to the study, and a
recognition of the potentially major implications of the availability
of broadband services for the Australian community.  Invitations to
make submissions were published in major newspapers on Tuesday 1
February.

A discussion paper identifying a range of issues relevant to the study
follows.  The paper lists the Terms of Reference and includes details
on how to make submissions.  It is expected that most submissions will
be mailed, but an e-mail address is also provided.  The Expert Group
is seeking submissions by 18 March to enable the Group to produce a
draft report for public discussion by mid-1994.


Geoff Luther   Manager - Secretariat
Broadband Services Expert Group
GPO Box 2154  Canberra  ACT  2601
E-mail:   [e-mail]
4 February 1994

                   -------------------------------

Posted by Tom Worthington <[e-mail]>, Director of the
Community Affairs Board, Australian Computer Society Inc., as a
community service.  16 February 1994

NOTE: The discussion paper can be found on FTP archive "archie.au" in
directory "ACS/Broadband-Enquiry/".

The announcement and paper are distributed at the request of the
Secretariat of the Broadband Services Expert Group. The views
expressed are not necessarily those of the ACS. Please direct all
comments to the Secretariat. Submissions close Friday 18 March.

This enquiry was first mentioned by Paul Keating, Prime Minister of
Australia, in an election speech 24 February 1993. At that stage it
was to be limited to optical fibre networking, but was later
broadened.

ABOUT THE ACS: The Australian Computer Society is the professional
association in Australia for those in the computing and information
technology fields. Established in 1966, the ACS has over 14,000
members and on a per capita basis is one of the largest computer
societies in the world. Activities are announced in the Usenet
newsgroup "aus.org.acs".  Information is available via e-mail from
[e-mail] or the Gopher at acs-gopher.mit.csu.edu.au Port=1605
courtesy of Charles Sturt University.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Patrick Pype)
Subject: Symposium on Design Productivity Improvement
Organization: IMEC, Belgium
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 10:35:21 GMT


Improving Design Productivity for DSP Telecom & Multimedia Implementations

                          Symposium & Hands-on
                  organized by

                IMEC   Mentor Graphics/EDC

in cooperation with HP, Texas Instruments, IEEE Benelux Section

A "DSP Valley" initiative -

This symposium is the first in a series organized by the IMEC-EDC
Center of CompetenceS, member ob the RDSP Valley group in Leuven.  The
symposium will form the launch of the IMEC-EDC Center of Competence.
The goal of this cente is to perform initial design services and
software customization in the domain of DSP system design, based on
research results from IMEC and commercial DSP design tools from EDC.
The DSP Valley group is a joint marketing initiative of the research
centers IMEC and ESAT (KU Leuven), and the companies Easics,
EDC/Mentor Graphics, ISI and ITCL.

Who should attend?

The course in oriented to developers of telecom and multimedia systems,
system implementers, DSP programmers, users of DSP processors and VLSI
designers.

Focus of the SYMPOSIUM

The current ongoing digitization of the world has created a strong
need for highly complex signal processing under stringent real-time
constraints.  Digital signal processing has experienced a booming
growth in all types of applications, ranging from speech and image
processing, via telecomunications and audio/video, towards the recent
multimedia revolution.  The aim of this course is to satisfy the need
for an international symposium which bridges the gap between the DSP
system designers community and the IC-designers community.  The goal
is to reduce time-to-market between a systems idea and its final
implementation in a product.

Course content

The course will concentrate on the description, specification, simulatin and
implementation of DSP sustems, covering the full range of commercial DSP
processor solutions to full customized VLSI chips.
This will be done by means of:

  - Efficient multiformat system specifications consisting of a mixture of
    schematics in terms of predefined functional library blocks and textual
    editing supporting multiple languages, such as VHDL, C, C++, Verilog,
    DFL and so on.
  - System-level simulation
  - Fast system-level exploration by comparing implementation alternatives
    in terms of high-level models of cost, area, throughput, power dissipation.
  - Studying the impact of implementation decisions at algorithmic level and
    vice-versa.

Course material

The participants will be provided with a comprehensive set of lecture notes
which will be distributed upon arrival at the course location.  The material
is not available for sale outside the course.

Symposium Programme

April 18

1.    DSP for tomorrow
    *    The importance of DSP in telecom and multimedia
    *    The role of DSP Valley and the "DSP Center of Competence"
    *    The history and evaluation of the CATHEDRAL/DSP StationTM

2.    Demonstration
    *    Explanation on demonstrator design used throughout symposium

3.    Architectures and Design Methods for DSP
    *    DSP hardware architectures and implementation targets
    *    DSP design flow and optimisation steps

4.    Specification or simulation of DSP Systems
    *    A global specification language for DSP algorithms
    *    Synchronous & Asynchronic Data Flow Simulations
    *    Simulation and analysis libraries

April 19


5.    Implementation of DSP systems on microcoded processors
    *    Architecture Model
    *    MISTRAL-II design route

6.    Extensions to hardwired implementations
    *    Architectural extension
    *    New optimisation tasks for datapath synthesis
    *    Optimization of memory management


April 20

7.    Final implementation issues
    *    Link of architectural synthesis tools to commercial CAD-tools
        (Mentor Graphics, Cadence, Synopsys)
    *    VHDL-interfaces

8.    DSP filter analysis & design
    *    Architecture Model
    *    MISTRAL-1 Design Route

9.    Commercial DSP-Processor solutions
    *    Code generation for TI and Motorola processors
    *    Emulations in multi processors

10.    Future strategic research directions
    *    Evolution to a design technology for heterogeneous systems
    *    Retargetable code generation
    *    Synthesis for interprocessor communication

Program Hands-on sessions

Participants will have the occasion to follow a complete demonstrator
design during the first three days.  During two additional days of
hands-on sessions they will have to implement applications such as a
Viterbi decoder and a modulator/demodulator.

The complete design flow will be experienced:
    1.    Explanation of application
    2.    Description in DFL
    3.    Simulation
    4.    Design space exploration (trade-offs different implementations)
    5.    Implementation
    6.    Final improvements with new datapath optimization
    techniques


Please complete and return this form (email, fax, letter) :


IMEC/EDC Symposium
Annemie Stas   IMEC-VSDM
Kapeldreef 75  B-3001 Leuven
Belgium
Fax: [phone]  e-mail: [e-mail]

IMEC/EDC Symposium

Surname/Family Name...................................................
Organisation..........................................................
Address...............................................................
 .....................................................................
Country...............................................................
Post Code............................
Telephone.............................................................
Fax.......................................
e-mail: ..............................................................

I subscribe to:

O    Symposium, April 18-20, price 25000 BEF (industry)
O    Symposium & Hands-on Sessions, April 18-22, price 40000 BEF (industry)
O    Symposium, April 18-20, price 15000 BEF (university/IEEE)
O    Symposium & Hands-on Sessions, April 18-22, price 25000 BEF
                        (university/IEEE)

IEEE Membership Nr. ...........................
I wish to make a hotel reservation in

O    Hotel Arcade, Leuven
    (2350,- BEF per night, payable upon departure at hotel desk)
    Arrival........................................
    Departure...................................

O    Begijnhof Congres Hotel, Leuven.
    (3650,- BEF per night, payable upon departure at hotel desk)
    Arrival........................................
    Departure...................................

We have an option on these hotel rooms till February 25, 1994.  Reservation
requests received after this date are subject to availability.

If you want to obtain a travel grant, please add an application letter.

Signature    Date

Venue

The symposium and hands-on sessions will be held at IMEC, Kapeldreef
75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.

Accomodation

Hotel Reservation is possible if subscription takes place before
February 28.  Reservation requests received after this date are
subject to availability.  Please fill out the registration leaflet,
make your hotel choice, and inform us on your arrival and departure
days.  You will receive a confirmation at the beginning of March.

Travel grants

A few travel grants will be available in the scope of the European LIP
(Large Installation Plan) programme for interested European attendees.
Applications should be sent to the Chairman not later than February
15, 1994.

General Chair

Patrick Pype

Program Chair

Herman Beke
Ivo Bolsens
Hugo De Man
Dominique Genin

Local Organization and Secretariat

Annemie Stas

Instructors

Dr. Ivo Bolsens received the Electrical Engineering Degree and Ph.D.
degree at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.  Since 1981 he
was member of the CAD group at the ESAT Laboratory of the Katholieke
Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, where he was working on the development
of an electrical verification program for VLSI circuits and on
mixed-mode simulation.  In 1984 he joined the IMEC-Laboratory, where
he was doing research on the development of a knowledge based
verification program for VLSI circuits, exploiting AI tools.  Since
1989 he became head of the Applied Behavioural Synthesis group.  In
this context he is responsible for the application and development of
the CATHEDRAL-II silicon compilation environment for real-time signal
processing applications.

Dominique Genin received the degree of Electrical and Software
engineer from the University of Liege, Belgium in 1980.  He got the
montefiore prize in 1981.  He is currently director at the European
Development Center of Mentor Graphic, responsible for the development
of the DSPStation.  From 1986 to 1989, Dominique was the manager of a
research team at Tektronix working on object oriented compilers and
databases.  Prior to tektronix he was project leader at the research
center of Bell telephone.

Mark Van Canneyt received the degree of Industrial Engineer Micor
Electronics form the Industriele Hogeschool van het Rijk, Gent.  He
received the RBest Engineer 89S award from the same institute.  Since
1990 he has been Application Engineer for Mentor GraphicsU DSP
station.  He is currently Technical Marketing Engineer, responsible
for the European DSP market.

Prof. Francky Catthoor received the Engineer degree and a PhD. in El.
Eng. from the KU Leuven, Belgium in 1982 and 1987 respectively.  Since
1987, he has headed research domains in the area of architectural and
synthesis methodologies, within the VSDM division at IMEC.  His
current reserach activities mainly belong to the field of application-
specific architecture design methods with emphasis on memory architectures
and system-level transformations.


Pype Patrick              e-mail: [e-mail]
Imec vzw.                 Tel.:   [phone]
Kapeldreef 75             Fax.:   [phone]
3001   Leuven,  Belgium   Telex:  26.152

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Flying Dutchman)
Subject: Power Supply For Digital Cordless Phone
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 94 22:29:03 GMT


I need a 3 V supply for the "new" logic chips.  I intend to use only
three AA batteries.

I have tried simulating a transistor/zener regulator but with a load
of about 10 ohms, the voltage drops too low.  I have not been able to
find an IC regulator that will operate at such a low voltage (only a
0.6 V drop).  A voltage divider setup is no good since the voltage
will vary from about 3-4 V from the NiCAD batts.

Any ideas?  Please forward to my E-mail address ONLY.  I don't want to
switch batteries, or add more of them.


Thanks,

Mark

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #86
*****************************


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Date: Thu, 17 Feb 94 01:45:04 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #87

TELECOM Digest     Thu, 17 Feb 94 01:45:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 87

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    CFP: Smart Card Research Advanced Application Conference (J. Vandewalle)
    VCR and Touch-Tones (Markus Schlegel)
    Directory Assistance in Switzerland (Eric De Mund)
    Is There a Sprint 1-800 Number? (David Langlands)
    Need Information About Telemate (Al Cohan)
    Simple Phone Set Sources Wanted (Dave Agans)
    DSU Comparison Matrix (Ellis Claggett)
    Re: Need Info on ISDN Phones (Al Varney)
    Re: Tropez 900Mhz Cordless Phones (Bill Bradford)
    Re: VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones (Mike Yang)
    Re: VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones (Steve Bryan)
    Re: Digital Cellular Phones (Michael D. Sullivan)
    Re: Digital Cellular Phones (Alex Cena)
    Re: Digital Cellular Phones (John Galloway)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jean-Jacques Vandewalle)
Subject: CFP: Smart Card Research - Advanced Application Conference
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: Universite Laval, Dept. Informatique
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 22:43:53 GMT


CALL FOR PAPERS : CARDIS

FIRST SMART CARD RESEARCH AND ADVANCED APPLICATION CONFERENCE

October 24 - 26, 1994  LILLE FRANCE

Sponsored by IFIP - The International Federation for Information Processing

AIMS AND GOALS

Smart cards or IC cards are becoming a significant part of the
information processing world. Furthermore they are beginning to move
towards real integration into the information systems. They
participate in the overall data management, security and communication
processes. But they bring their own special characteristics. It is
very likely that future IC cards will require many scientific and
technical improvements which represent a challenge for the success of
the technology. So far there are many events which are mostly devoted
to the commercial and application aspects of IC cards. There is now an
opportunity to initiate a scientific conference bringing specialists
who are involved in all aspects of design of the future IC cards and
related devices and environment. IFIP - the International Federation
for Information Processing has agreed to sponsor this conference. It
will be the first occasion for the IC card community to start a
permanent activity: In addition to the conference itself there will be
discussions about creating a permanent group within IFIP with possible
implication for advancing standards, publishing and international
cooperation.

SUBMISSIONS

Six copies of detailed abstracts of original papers corresponding to
one or several themes for the conference should be sent in English to
the program chairman before May 2, 1994. The submissions will start
with a succinct statement of the problem addressed and their
significance, appropriate for a non-specialist.  Technical development
directed to the specialist should follow as needed (at most ten
pages).

They should be accompanied by a fact sheet indicating the following:

  - Title of the paper with the relevant conference theme(s);
  - Author(s) with affiliation, address, phone and fax numbers, E-mail.

Proceedings will be available at the conference.

IMPORTANT DATES

Submission deadline           May 2, 1994
Acceptance notification       June 17, 1994
Camera ready paper due        August 13, 1994
Conference                    October 24 - 26, 1994

THEMES

TECHNOLOGY
           IC architecture and techniques
           Memories and processor design
           Read/Write unit engineering
           Specific co-processors for cryptography
           Biometry
           Communication technologies
           Interfaces with the owner, the service suppliers
           Reliability and fault tolerance
           Special devices
           Standards
SOFTWARE
           The operating system
           Models of data management
           Communication protocols
IC CARD DESIGN
           IC cards formal specification and validation
           Tools for internal or external software production
           Validation and verification
           Methodology for application design
SECURITY
           Models and schemes of security
           Algorithms
           Security interfaces
           Hardware and software implementation
           Security of information systems including cards
           Formal verification of transaction sets
IC CARDS, INDIVIDUALS AND THE SOCIETY
           IC cards and privacy
           Access to his data by the owner
           IC cards: political and economical aspects
           Is the IC card going to change regulation?
           Patents, copyrights
FUTURE OF THE IC CARDS
           Innovative technologies
           Moving towards the pocket intelligence
           Convergence with portable PCs, laptops etc ...
           PCMCIA
INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS
           Design methodology of applications
           IC cards and the information system
           Examples of new applications
           Requirements for innovative cards


ORGANIZATION

General Chairman                 Program Chairman
Prof. Vincent Cordonnier         Prof. Jean-Jacques Quisquater
RD2P                             Universit'e Catholique de Louvain
CHRU CALMETTE                    Dept. of Electrical Eng. (DICE)
Rue du Prof. J. Leclerc          Place du Levant, 3
F - 59037 LILLE  CEDEX           B - 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
FRANCE                           BELGIUM
Tel [phone]             Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]             Fax [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]     [e-mail]

Program committee
 Mart'in Abadi (Dec Research, USA)
 Ross Anderson (Cambridge, UK)
 Benjamin Arazi (Ben-Gurion, Israel)
 Todd Arnold (IBM, USA)
 Jacques Berleur (FNDP, Belgium)
 William Caelli (Queensland, Australia)
 David Chaum (DigiCash, Netherlands)
 Vincent Cordonnier (Lille, France)
 Mark Cummings (SRI, USA)
 Amos Fiat (Tel-Aviv, Israel)
 Andr'e Gamache (Quebec, Canada)
 Marc Girault (SEPT, France)
 Louis Guillou (CCETT, France)
 Joseph Hoppe (TRT Philips, France)
 John Kennedy (Cylink, USA)
 Philippe Maes (Gemplus, France)
 Roger Needham (Cambridge, UK)
 Jean-Jacques Quisquater  (Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium)
 Laurent Sourgen (SGS-Thomson, France)
 Doug Tygar (Carnegie-Mellon, USA)
 Michel Ugon (Bull-CP8, France)
 Klaus Vedder (GAO, Germany)
 Robert Warnar (NIST, USA)

The city of LILLE is about 150 miles away from PARIS. It can be
reached: from Paris by either motorway (two hours) or train (one
hour). From most European countries by train, motorway or plane. The
conference will take place at the University of Sciences and
Technology of Lille. Accommodation can be provided either on the
campus or in the center of the Lille. We will provide maps and help
for hotel reservation and travels.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Markus Schlegel)
Subject: VCR and Touch-Tones
Date: 16 Feb 1994 15:17:34 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway


I have the following problem: I would like to remote-control video
equipment that is controllable by infra-red otherwise by means of
touch-tone.

The aim is to be able to remotely set a channel on a satellite
receiver and start the VCR for recording. Timer control obviously
isn't the solution, as I am looking to record "wild feeds" on short
notice.


Best thanks,

Markus Schlegel   At Universitaet Bonn, Germany

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 13:42:48 -0800
From: Eric De Mund <[e-mail]>
Subject: Directory Assistance in Switzerland
Reply-To: Eric De Mund <[e-mail]>
Organization: Netcom Online Communication Services


People,

My Swiss roommate discovered, in soc.culture.swiss, that the Swiss
phone book is available electronically. Issue `telnet etv.switch.ch'
with a username of `ETV' to access it. German, French, Italian, and
English interfaces are available.


Eric De Mund <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Langlands Tech Pubs Intern)
Subject: Is There a Sprint 1-800 Number?
Date: 16 Feb 1994 23:58:25 GMT
Organization: Motorola Computer Group, Urbana Design Center


Hi everyone,

Does Sprint have an alternative to the 103330 sequence like AT&T has
with the 102880?  I'm looking to place a direct-dial credit card call
from a PBX which will not let me call 103330.

Thanks for any information,


Regards,

David S. Langlands                         [e-mail]
Motorola, MCG, Urbana Design Center      Technical Publications Intern
1101 University Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801    University of Illinois '94


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: At least where Sprint FONCARDs are
concerned, you can use 1-800-877-8000. Listen for the computer tone
then dial 0 + area + number. Listen for the tone again, and enter your
fourteen digit (typically phone number plus four digit pin) FONCARD
number. To make multiple calls, do not hang up. Press the # key for
one full second, then when you hear the tone start over with 0 + area
+ number for the next call, etc. No card number needed for second and
subsequent calls. For international calls, substitute 01 for 0, then
dial the country/city code and number. I do not know if this will work
for other credit cards as well, but you can contact Sprint customer
service to inquire at 1-800-877-4646.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 16 Feb 94 13:51 EST
From: The Network Group <[e-mail]>
Subject: Need Information About Telemate


I have a client that is using a PC to capture SMDR data and somehow
import it to a program called Telemate. I need to get any information
on who manufactures Telemate. I have been unsuccessful in my attemps
to find this company.

Any help you can provide is appreciated.  Thanks in advance.


Al Cohan   The Network Group

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dave Agans)
Subject: Simple Phone Set Sources Wanted
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 11:26:13
Organization: Zydacron, Inc


Hi,

I'm looking to resell a desktop computer-based phone system.  The
minimum requirement for the phoneset is a handset for private
conversations, a microphone and speaker for "speakerphone" conversa-
tions, a hookswitch for pickup and hangup, and a speakerphone mode
button.  Dial keypad is optional.  It would be very nice if the
interface to this was microphone and speaker, with a couple of switch
contacts, rather than the standard POTS current source powered line
interface.  It's also a requirement that the "speakerphone" mode NOT
have echo suppression -- I do full duplex echo cancellation in the PC.

Anybody know of such a device, or a source I can ask?  You can email
me at [e-mail].


Thanks,

Dave Agans

------------------------------

From: Ellis Claggett <[e-mail]>
Subject: DSU Comparison Matrix
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 94 11:20:00 PST


Is there any one out there who has done or has access to a comparison
matrix of DSU's?  My company is looking at standardizing on a single
vendor or as few as possible and I would like to get a copy of an
existing matrix to make my job a little easier.  If anyone can help,
my contact information is listed below.


Ellis. R. Claggett   Voice 410/332-3679
Fax [phone]   [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 17 Feb 94 00:22:43 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Need Information on ISDN Phones
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Beverly
Taylor) writes:

> In article <[e-mail]>, The Network Group <0004526627@
> mcimail.com> wrote:

>> I need to know a source for ISDN phonesxxx -- excuse me: voice
>> terminals.

>> I have heard that AT&T has a few of these but haven't heard of any
>> other manufacturers such as Northern Telecom or others. Apparently the
>> Northern product for Meridian Digital Centrex is not an ISDN phone.

> We have used TelRad, Fujitsu, and AT&T ISDN sets.  They're all used to
> run on an AT&T 5ESS.  We're very satisfied with all of them and have
> only found these three will work with our CO switch.

   The Compatibility Table for the 5ESS(tm) switch "Custom" ISDN
interface lists NEC and a vendor called "GPT" as additional vendors of
ISDN VOICE terminals.  Most offer various configurations with/with-out
data or packet capabilities.  There are an additional dozen or so
vendors of ISDN "boards" and interfaces supporting data-only
capabilities.

   I believe Bellcore lists vendors that support the National-1 ISDN
interface.  These should all work with the 5ESS switch (on 5E8 and
later).


Al Varney

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 11:29:17 CST
From: Bill Bradford <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Tropez 900Mhz Cordless PHones


We've got one of the Tropez phones here in the Computer Science
department at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, where I
am a workstudy.

It works great.  The previous manager of the DP department bought it
because of it's "impervious-ness" to interference, and we've never had
any static on it, even two rooms away in a lab full of twenty 486 boxes.

My favorite feature is the ability to pick up the phone and NOT have
to hit the "answer" or "phone on" button, like most other cordless
units.


Bill Bradford * [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mike Yang)
Subject: Re: VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 18:00:50 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Rob
Lingelbach) writes:

> When I went back to the store the salesman talked me into the new Sony
> SPP-ER1 900 Mhz model, which was 299$ (compared to 187$ for the
> VTech).  I brought it home, and the sound quality is even worse than
> the VTech!

Funny, I didn't notice any quality difference between my ER1 and my
old SPP-180.  The dial-tone sounds terrible on the ER1 (I don't know
why), but the voice quality is great (maybe my ears are just not very
discerning).  I was pleased to get a phone with a little better range
than my three-year old SPP-180 that was showing signs of age.

I settled for danalog 900Mhz because the digital one I tried
(Cobra/Escort) had a noticably poorer sound quality and I read about
the VTech and AT&T 9100 limitations.

Interestingly, I tried the new Sony 49Mhz models and fonud that
their line quality was noticably worse than their older models,
interference-wise.

I like the extremely-long stand-by time of the ER1 when the ringer is
(I can hear the other phones in my house ring, thank you, and enjoy
the challenge of trying to remeber where I left the cordless last).  I
only have to charge it overnight once every three or four weeks.  The
Cobra, with no ringer-off switch, required charging every two days.
What pain.


Mike Yang        Silicon Graphics, Inc.
[e-mail]           415/390-1786

------------------------------

From: Steve Bryan <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones
Organization: Sexton Software
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 00:57:08 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> Rob Lingelbach, rob@xyzoom.
info.com writes:

> Last night I brought home a VTech "Tropez" 900 Mhz cordless phone, and
> I was very disappointed with the sound quality.  A constant hiss and
> limited frequency response made my older Sony 49 Mhz cordless sound
> great (which it really isn't, compared to other 49 Mhz phones).

I bought the base model 900 MHz phone from VTech. My first impression
was similar to yours, ie there was what sounded like an annoying hiss
when listening to the dial tone. For use in actual calls I have found
the sound quality to be quite good and the range is excellent. I can
leave my office on the sixth floor of my office building and eat at
the restaurant on the ground floor and still get phone calls. In
particular the sound quality is definitely better than the Motorola
cordless phone that I have at home. With it a caller can clearly tell
a cordless phone is in use.  That is not what I've heard from callers
when I've used the VTech phone at my office (ie it seems to be as good
as a regular phone).


Steve Bryan

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Michael D. Sullivan)
Subject: Re: Digital Cellular Phones
Date: 17 Feb 1994 03:04:25 GMT
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA


[e-mail] writes:

> I was talking to someone the other day, and he told me that the latest
> and greatest in cellular phones was digital.  Apparently, you get one
> of the newer generation phones and you are connected over a digital
> link rather than an analog one.  How does this work?  He said
> something about not getting "bumped off".  I was kinda in a rush, so I
> did not get the full story from him.  Also, does the service provider
> need to have digital capabilities, or do they all have them by
> default.  Any information on this would be appreciated.

The carrier has to have digital capability.  There are two types of
digital cellular -- TDMA and CDMA.  TDMA is first to market; CDMA is
coming soon.  Using a TDMA digital phone in a CDMA system will default
to analog (all phones on the market and likely to come on the market
are dual-mode, digital and analog).

The cellular carrier sets aside a subset of channels (in TDMA) for
digital transmissions.  Phones with TDMA capability are autodetected
when call setup takes place, and a digital voice channel is assigned
if available, with analog used if none are available.  Analog phones
use only the analog channels, so the digital user has a greater
probability of having calls go through during busy hour.


Michael D. Sullivan  [e-mail]     [e-mail]
Washington, D.C.     [e-mail]  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 17 Feb 94 02:53:02 GMT
From: Alex Cena <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Digital Cellular Phones


[e-mail] wrote:

> Digital cellular phones digitize your voice in the phone itself, then
> compress the signal by a factor of 3-20 before transmiting to the base
> station.  This allows a given radio bandwidth to carry more channels,
> resulting in less congestion. Other benefits include better voice
> quality (see below), future high-speed data capability, more secure
> conversation, and more immunity from toll fraud.  One characteristic
> of digital cellular, however, is the small added delay in the coding
> process, which causes echo to be heard by the cellular subscriber.
> This echo can be eliminated through the use of a high-quality echo
> canceller.

Is delay a characteristic of both digital cellular standards in the
US?

> Echo cancellers are now being developed specifically for
> digital cellular, and can feature background noise cancellation also,
> providing even better call quality compared to analog systems.  Some
> service providers will offer you a dual-mode phone, which can operate
> either in analog or digital modes, allowing you to use the older as
> well as newer networks.

In fact, the TDMA phones offered McCaw and Southwestern Bell in are
dual-mode that will operate in the Digital/TDMA mode in areas w/that
service or Analog/AMPs if TDMA is not available in the service area.

BTW, I would be interested in hearing comments from users (actual
service or participants in trials) of digital cellular regarding their
experiences with it, especially service quality relative to current
analog.

> Future cellular networks are expected to be all-digital, due to the
> bandwidth efficiency, network control, call quality and fraud
> resistance they offer.

It is difficult for me to imagine an all digital cellular network
since I still have not made the switch to CD players and I am quite
satisfied with my 15 year old cassette player.  Analog still has quite
a bit of life in it since carriers and manufacturers have done an
excellent job extending its useful life and capacity. i.e. dynamic
frequency allocation, mini-cell sites, NAMPs, etc.  Moreover, carriers
that migrate to CDMA (i.e. US West New Vector, Bell Atlantic Cellular,
Pactel Cellular and Alltell) essentially can double their capacity by
allocating 10% of their bandwidth to digital.  Thus, those carriers
will have sufficient capacity to meet its anticipated growth needs,
technology to offer enhanced services such as integrated paging, short
message service, data, PCS like services, etc as well as segment
prices based on quality of service, by migrating their spectrum in 10%
increments over time.

While we are on the subject of wireless technology, can someone
provide me the details or the specs on WACS?


Alex M. Cena, Lehman Brothers, [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Galloway)
Subject: Re: Digital Cellular Phones
Organization: a2i network
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 01:21:55 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>,  <[e-mail]> wrote:

> Digital cellular phones digitize your voice in the phone itself, then
> compress the signal by a factor of 3-20 before transmiting to the base
> station.  [deleted]

> Future cellular networks are expected to be all-digital, due to the
> bandwidth efficiency, network control, call quality and fraud
> resistance they offer.

How are digital systems more fraud resistant?  I assume you are
talking about the folks that listen in on the cellular frequencies and
pull your phone ID out (by using one of the decoder boxes specifically
designed to do this) and use it to program another phone that they
sell to someone.  Since the decompressor circuit most be in the phone
it will be widely available and known so the jerks building the
decoder boxes should have no problem incorporating that into their
systems.  right?


internet    [e-mail]  John R. Galloway, Jr  795 Beaver Creek Way
applelink   D3413                  CEO...receptionist    San Jose, CA   95133
                                   Galloway Research     [phone]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #87
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #88

TELECOM Digest     Fri, 18 Feb 94 09:53:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 88

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Nationlink *32 Problems, Also SNET Accessline (Douglas Scott Reuben)
    EFF Wants YOU - to Call For Senate Hearings on Clipper! (Monty Solomon)
    How to Share a 64Kbps Leased Line With Ten Users (9600bps) (Tohru Asami)
    Informative Books on AT&T System 75 ([e-mail])
    Phones and AC Power (James H. Haynes)
    Experience With Cable & Wireless (Good or Bad) (Drew Kramer)
    1994 Discover Awards (Darlene Quinn)
    Are There Standards For PBX's? (Bob Brickman)
    AT&T Directory Assistance (Monty Solomon)
    Digital Cellular Phone Review (TDMA) (Dave Rand)
    Looking for Employment (David J. Rockafellow)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
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of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 03:34:27 GMT
From: Douglas Scott Reuben <[e-mail]>
Subject: Nationlink *32 Problems, Also SNET Accessline


Hi,

I dunno if the people at Nationlink/Roam America/etc. (McCaw?) are
aware of this, but if you hit *32 in the same visited market more than
once, the Nationlink system does not give out the local roam port
number.

Thus, for example, if a Boston customer (00007) travels to Maine
(00501) and hits *32 ONCE, the recording which callers to the Boston
number will hear is: "The mobile customer you are dialing has moved to
another area.  To reach this customer, please dial [phone]. At
the tone, enter the complete mobile number, without '1'." (Yes, I
think the port for Biddeford, ME ends in 0100 or something).

If you hit *32 TWICE (or more), you get the same recording, MINUS the
roam port number. It basically says "has moved ... to reach this
customer, please dial <short pause>. At the tone...".

NOTE: Some companies, like Cell One/Boston, will CHARGE you AIRTIME
for a *32 "Caller Notification" call. Thus, you will still be charged
even if the visited system roam port number is not mentioned. (WHY
does Southwestern Bell Cell allow this? What's the deal? CO/Boston has
excellent rates, especially while roaming, but WHY discourage people
from using auto call delivery (which they charge home airtime for, as
well as toll charges and of course the prevailing roamer rates) or
caller notification? It strikes me as being uncharacteristically cheap
to try to gouge YOUR OWN CUSTOMERS when they roam elsewhere for
CO/Boston's benefit.

After all, in most markets, they are being robbed by paying $3.00 per
day and $.99 per minute (a ridiculous rate which seems to be the
de-facto standard now). Why try to rob your customers even more by
charging them home airtime (ie, around $.50 per minute more)?  I roam
alot, but I never use CO/Boston's auto-call delivery and Nationlink
during the day. Most other companies, including Metro Mobile (Bell
Atlantic), Cell One/VT (Atlantic Cellular), NYNEX, etc.  do NOT charge
extra for their auto call delivery services; you only pay for the toll
charges to deliver your call to the visited market.  Anyone from
SWBell care to comment on this?)

I've also noticed terribly slow Nationlink activation delays between
midnight and 2AM. What's going on here? Trying to be like Follow Me
Roaming? ;(

Additionally, SNET Cellular customers who subscribe to the Accessline
service MAY have been overcharged if they forwarded their Accessline
number out-of-state. Normally, any calls forwarded outside the New
Haven area are rated at $.20 per minute, regardless of the destination.
However, I finally got fed up with seemingly high charges, and requested
a copy of the call detail. I noticed that calls out of CT were billed
TWICE, ie, both as "In-state" and "Out-of-State" calls, with an
effective rate of $.40 per minute.

SNET was very apologetic about this and said all Accessline customers
who may have been affected will be notified soon, but you may want to
check up on this in a few weeks if you haven't heard from them.


Doug    [e-mail]   [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 04:13:23 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: EFF Wants YOU - to Call For Senate Hearings on Clipper!


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Forwarded FYI. I also received a copy
of this from Dave Banisar at EFF.   PAT]

  From: Stanton McCandlish <[e-mail]>
  Subject: EFF Wants YOU - to call for SENATE HEARINGS ON CLIPPER!
  Date: Wed, 16 Feb 1994 17:20:00 -0500 (EST)
  Reply-To: [e-mail]


       EFF WANTS YOU - TO CALL FOR SENATE HEARINGS ON CLIPPER!

Feb. 15, 1994

Dear Friends on the Electronic Frontier,

Thank you for your efforts in fighting the government's ill-considered
Clipper proposal. We have already delivered over 2250 messages
supporting H.R. 3627 to Rep. Cantwell, and your messages have
continued to flood in.  We'd now like to ask you to help us call for
Congressional hearings on Clipper by writing to Senator Patrick Leahy
c/o [e-mail].

As we have previously reported, the Clinton Administration has
announced that it plans to proceed on every front to make the Clipper
Chip encryption scheme a national standard and to discourage the
development and sale of alternative powerful encryption technologies.
If the government succeeds in this effort, the resulting blow to
individual freedom and privacy could be immeasurable.

So far, the government has resisted requests that it explain its
policy.  When the Presidential Decision Directive calling for Clipper
deployment first appeared last spring, the Administration promised a
report that re-evaluated cryptography and privacy policy in light of
technological changes, the coming of the National Information
Infrastructure, and the end of the Cold War. The Administration also
made a commitment to meaningful public dialog before taking any major
action on escrow deployment or new legislation.

Yet in spite of the efforts of EFF, CPSR, ACLU, and other groups to
provide extensive input to the Administration, the promised policy
report never arrived, and the Administration has now said there will
be no report after all. This failure of public accountability makes
Congressional hearings an absolute necessity.

There are individuals in Congress willing to look into the Clipper
proposal and related policies -- if they hear from you. Senator
Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), who chairs one of the key committees
responsible for these issues, has asked for comments and concerns
about the viability of the Clipper initiative.

Here's where we need your help. *Please write Senator Leahy at:

        [e-mail]

and ask that the Senate hold hearings about Clipper.* Senate hearings
may be the only means of ensuring public feedback about Clipper, and,
just as important, they may be the only means of forcing the
Administration to explain its Clipper policy. Please express your
concerns about the United States' Clipper policy and cryptographic
policy in general. Your letters in support of hearings will be printed
out and delivered to the senator.

And if you haven't written Rep. Maria Cantwell to show your support
for H.R. 3627, her bill to relax export restrictions on encryption
technology, now's the time to do so. Just send e-mail to


        [e-mail]

and put "I support H.R. 3627" in your Subject header. Letters in support
of the bill will be printed out and delivered to Rep. Cantwell.

Our fight to keep national encryption policy out in the open -- and to
continue allowing individuals to use encryption to ensure their own
privacy -- has only just begun. In the coming weeks and months, we
will be working to give you more ways to make your voice heard on
these vital public issues.


Sincerely,

Jerry Berman
Executive Director
Electronic Frontier Foundation

See ftp://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Policy/Clipper/ for more information on the
Clipper/Skipjack key escrow scheme.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tohru Asami)
Subject: How to Share a 64Kbps Leased Line With Ten Users (9600bps)
Organization: KDD R.&D. Labs.
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 05:58:21 GMT


I've heard that Pacific Communication Science Incorporated (PCSI) is
selling a data compression machine, called CS-8000, which can compress
a 64Kbps data link into a 9600bps data link.

I wonder if the following communication is possible for cost saving.

                           +---+       +---+
               | M |       | M |
    64Kbps         9600bps | U |       | U |9600bps        64Kbps
User------[CS-8000]--------+ L |       | L +------[CS-8000]------User
User------[CS-8000]--------+ T |       | T +------[CS-8000]------User
User------[CS-8000]--------+ I | 64Kbps| I +------[CS-8000]------User
User------[CS-8000]--------+ P +-------+ P +------[CS-8000]------User
User------[CS-8000]--------+ L | leased| L +------[CS-8000]------User
User------[CS-8000]--------+ E | line  | E +------[CS-8000]------User
User------[CS-8000]--------+ X |       | X +
                           | O |       | O |
               | R |       | R |
                           +---+       +---+
My questions are as follows:
    1. Are there any multiplexors from 9600bps to 64Kbps?
    2. Are they compatible with CS-8000?
    3. How much are they?
    4. What companies are selling them?
    5. What kind of problems do we enconter in the above configurations?
    6. Did anyone try the same communication method?

In this case, a User uses a telephone or FAX, and he may not intensively
use his 64Kbps line.


Regards,

Tohru Asami    KDD R&D Labs
Manager of Network Engineering Support Group, KDD R&D Labs.
2-1-15 Ohara Kamifukuoka-shi, Saitama 356, Japan
Phone: [phone], FAX  : [phone]
KDD = an international telecommunication company in Japan

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Neuromancer)
Subject: Informative Books on AT&T System 75
Date: 17 Feb 1994 18:10:05 GMT
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee


Where I work, we have an AT&T System 75 phone system.  I have received
no training in its use.  I barely know how to put users in hunt groups
and pickup groups or how to setup new extensions.  When there is a
problem (like right now, the Hunt Group Busy Activation, even though
it is set up properly as a Feature Access Code as *1 is not working)
So as usual, when there is a problem, I dig through our pile of AT&T
documentation:

* AT&T System 75, System 75 XE, and System 85.   Terminals and Adjuncts
  Installation and Test

* Definity 75/85 Communications System, Generic 1, and System 75 Voice
  Terminal Operation

* Definity 75/85 Communications System, Generic 1, and System 75
  Administration and Measurement Reports

* AT&T System 75 Student Guide  (2 volumes)

None of these books cover the information that I need to know.  Not
only that, but they read like technical manuals, and do not attempt to
relay any concepts in human terms.  I would find any manuals written
in this style completely worthless.

Are there any books out there that are that will give me the the
detail I need to solve real problems with our System 75, and yet are
written in a style that explains the basic concepts I need to know.
Hopefully these books are not written by AT&T or are nothing like the
technical manuals we have now.


Thanks,

Glenn   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (James H. Haynes)
Subject: Phones and AC Power
Date: 17 Feb 1994 18:59:41 GMT
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz


We had a high wind storm here last night, with lots of power outages.
So I went to bed early and was listening to one of the local ham radio
repeaters to hear what was going on.  A woman over at the supermarket
called to ask someone to call the sheriff to come for a shoplifter
they had caught.  She said the phones inside the store were out
because they are electronic and need AC power, and that the pay phones
were also inoperative.  I don't remember if the pay phones over there
are COCOTs or Pac Bell.  I was wondering if pay phones these days
require AC power to operate, or if they still get all their power over
the phone line and the problem here was a broken phone line.


[e-mail] [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Genuine Bell Telephones (as the little
decals here say which IBT puts up by *their* phones) do not require
an AC connection however I think many COCOTS do need AC to maintain
their programming.  It could be the store had one of those. Serves 'em
right if it went out!  :)   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Drew Kramer)
Subject: Experience With Cable & Wireless (Good or Bad)
Date: 17 Feb 1994 17:09:18 GMT
Organization: OTA Limited Partnership


Does anyone have any experience with Cable & Wireless? They are bidding on
both our voice and data service, and any information, good or bad, would be
appreciated.  You can reply via email, and I'll post a followup.


USMail: OTA Limited Partnership         E-mail: [e-mail]
        1 Manhattanville Road           Phone:  [phone]
        Purchase, New York 10577        FAX:    [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Media Management Services, Inc.)
Subject: 1994 Discover Awards
Date: 17 Feb 1994 17:40:27 GMT
Organization: Net Access - Philadelphia's Internet Connection


Presented by Epcot '94 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida

   DISCOVER Magazine is pleased to announce that it is now accepting
nominations for the fifth annual DISCOVER Awards program.  These
awards recognize breakthrough technologies in science and honor the
men and women whose creative genius improves our quality of life.

   Companies, research institutions, and individuals are invited
to nominate innovations in seven categories:

        1.  AUTOMOTIVE & TRANSPORTATION
        2.  AVIATION & AEROSPACE
        3.  COMPUTER HARDWARD & ELECTRONICS
        4.  COMPUTER SOFTWARE
        5.  ENVIRONMENT
        6.  SIGHT
        7.  SOUND

   Winning innovations and their inventors will be featured in a
special October 1994 DISCOVER Awards issue.  Plus, all finalists and
winners will be showcased at "Innoventions," a new attraction opening
at Epcot '94 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

   If you would like to receive a nomination package, please
contact Darlene Quinn via the internet at: [e-mail]


   1994 DISCOVER AWARDS                            Phone #: [phone]
   c/o Media Management Services, Inc.               Fax #: [phone]
   105 Terry Drive Suite 120                   E-Mail: [e-mail]
   Newtown, PA  18940

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bob Brickman)
Subject: Are There Standards For PBX's?
Organization: Exxon Research
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 23:12:11 GMT


I have a question about digital pbx/phone systems. Are there any
industry standards for the signaling levels and protocols between
local desksets and the building switch? I know my deskset isn't POTS,
but is there any commonality among the major and minor systems manufac-
turers? This question came up in a discussion of the Macintosh Geoport
communications pods and the possibility of someone offering a pod to
connect to a pbx line (someone mentioned Rolm and Northern Telecom as
major pbx vendors). I was wondering if Intecom was a system manufacturer
that anyone out there had heard of (its what I have) and if it was
possible it used a standardized protocol.

Thanks in advance,


Bob Brickman       <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 00:05:35 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: AT&T Directory Assistance


In all states except New Jersey and Connecticut you can now request
phone number and/or address information from AT&T Directory
Assistance.

They can't currently provide addresses in New Jersey and Connecticut.


Monty Solomon / PO Box 2486 / Framingham, MA  01701-0405   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dave Rand)
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 13:23:19 PST
Subject: Digital Cellular Phone Review (TDMA)


The following is my experience using the TDMA digital cellular system.
I use services in San Jose, California with Cellular One as the carrier,
and in Edmonton, Alberta using both Edmonton Telephones and Alberta
Government Telephones as the carriers.

My telephone is the Motorola "Digital Cellular Personal Communicator",
labelled "L.A. Cellular".  It is a dual mode phone, supporting both
analog and digital service.  I have used the small NiCd batteries, the
small N-Mh batteries, and the XT versions of same.  The telephone is
very similar in weight to the popular 550 flip-phone.  I paid about
$700 for it, in January.

The phone indicates a digital call by displaying "Digital", and by
flashing the "in use" LED faster than for analog calls.  "Analog"
calls are also displayed.  The phone can, and does, switch between
analog and digital modes during call handoffs.

The phone can request a scrambled telephone channel, as well, if
your carrier supports it.  Neither of my carriers appear to support it.
By selecting this feature, the phone warns you of an unsecure line by
beeping five times -- this can happen at call establishment, or during a
handoff.

The phone also supports an "Authentication key", which the cellular
carriers can use to further validate your ESN, guarding against fraud.
Neither of my carriers knew about this feature, and may not support
it.  This is a 6 to 26 digit number that you and your carrier agree
on.

The advertising literature suggests that using a "digital" phone (they
seldom indicate TDMA or CDMA - as I understand it, most are TDMA)
gives the user a number of advantages.

1. Increased talk time on a battery charge.
2. Increased security.
3. Clearer, digital connections.
4. More likely to get a connection on the first try.

Of these, a few are true :-)

You are *very* likely to get a digital connection in those areas that
support it.  Through San Jose, and the surronding area, I very seldom
get a busy, although I often did on my analog only phone.  The only
problem is that not all cell sites are TDMA-equipped.  I was unable to
get a list of the areas that are "digital" from Cellular one, but it
appears that there are only a few areas in San Jose, and San Fransisco.
Sunnyvale, and surrounding areas are analog only, so far as I can
tell.  In Canada, *all* calls I made, for about 100 miles around the
city of Edmonton, were digital, except for those I placed analog
through the phone's option menu.  This suggest a much higher
deployment rate of TDMA in Canada.

Digital connections are significantly worse in quality than analog.
There are no exceptions.  The Canadian systems were a little better
than San Jose, but not nearly as good as analog on either system.
There is a perceptable delay in the system, very noticable if you
place a call to a person, and can see them.  I guess it is around
100msec or so -- perhaps a bit more.  It reminds you of the stilted
conversations over satellite.  Echo is, by far, the worst problem.
I'm not sure what causes it, but it is *very* annoying.  The
digitization artifacts are quite audible, especially when talking to
someone's digitized voicemail system.

As far as increased security, this may be true.  I am unable to pick
up voice on a scanner -- but I still wouldn't want to give my visa
number out over it ;-)

Increased talk time -- perhaps.  What they *really* mean is DECREASED
standby time!  Here's the scoop, based on my observation of the TDMA
phone, and Motorola's claimed battery life.

Battery        TDMA phone    Analog phone
Small NiCd    4-5 hours    8+ hours
Small NMh    8-10 hours    12-20 hours
Large NMh    18-20 hours    24+ hours

If you can afford it, I'm sure that the phone will give you additional
talk time when used on a digital connection.  I can't afford to talk
that long!

Now for the *REAL* problem: RFI.  When in the digital mode, the phone
interferes with every audio system.  It causes my Bel radar detector
to indicate reception of a Ka band signal (34+ Ghz).  It causes noise
in my CD player, in my car's amplifier, on all home telephone handsets
(wired AND cordless).  I suspect that it is due to the transmitter
turning on and off at a regular rate; even though it is an FM signal,
it appears as a low frequency AM, square wave modulated signal. Nasty.
At least I can tell when I am in a digital area (my radar detector
goes off).

I'm sure that the quality problems will be resolved, eventually.  But
for now, TDMA phones are NOT the way to go.  I'm looking forward to
trying the CMDA phones, when they are available in my area.


Dave Rand   Internet: [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Uncle Waldo)
Subject: Looking for Employment
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 23:58:37 -0800
Organization: Connected INC -- Internet Services


Hello, I just got out of the Army and have been looking for a job in
the communications field. I am a hard and loyal worker capable of
working under stress and multiple jobs at once. I pick up on concepts
and methods of operation quickly. Well, to get to the point before I
bore you. Below is my resume please look it over and if you have any
information that may help in my job search or a possible job offer of
any sort, please e-mail me.


Thanks,

David J. Rockafellow
3922 S.E. Salmonberry Rd.     [e-mail]
Port Orchard, Wa. 98366       [e-mail]
[phone]/5206           [e-mail]

OBJECTIVE:
     * A position in the communications field with the opportunity for
       advancement based on job performance.

                                EXPERIENCE:

Network Management
     * Overall management of the transmission network.
     * Co-authored policies and procedures for operators within the network.
     * Radio spectrum management.

Network Engineering
     * Engineered transmission backbone for tactical telephone networks.
     * Planed, coordiniated, and created network diagrams.
     * Briefed Brigade Commander and visiting dignitaries on system
       operation and status.
     * Engineered troposcatter and line of sight UHF and SHF radio systems.
     * Coordinated satellite access requests.

Network and Systems Maintainence
     * Analyzed problems, and repaired or coordinated major repairs.
     * System, board and module level troubleshooting on computer and
       communications equipment.
     * Performed site inspections to ensure safty percautions, security
       measures and derectives were being followed properly.

Information Systems Management and Operation
     * System and LAN Administration.
     * Taught operation of verious computer information systems and
       peripheral equipment.

Radio Operator / Radio Telephone / Radio Teletype
     * Installation, operation and maintenance of digital terminals.
     * Telephone and cable installation.
     * Installed commercial and tactical antennas and generators.
     * Ensured communications and physical security procedures were applied.
     * Interpreted and used circuit routing lists and system traffic
       diagrams.
     * Transmitted, received, decoded, relayed, and distributed classified
       and unclassified documents.
     * Prepared status reports and accountability documents.
     * Worked in a net control station.
     * Performed troubeshooting on AM/FM radio systems and networks.

Recognized by executive management for job proficiency and knowledge.

Education
     * Communication Systems Control Element Course               1992
     * Tactical Satellite Base Improvement Modification Course    1992
     * Single Channel Radio Course                                1990

Hobbies
     * Repeling, Backpacking, theater, amateur radio.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Dear Sir, thank you for submitting your
resume, but I think you are overqualified for the positions I have
available here. I wish you luck in finding a job. Maybe the local Radio
Shack has an opening.   PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #88
*****************************


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Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 11:32:16 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #89

TELECOM Digest     Fri, 18 Feb 94 11:32:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 89

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Linc Madison)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Blake Patterson)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Carl Moore)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (David A. Kaye)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (John R. Levine)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers ([e-mail])
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (David Esan)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Scott Statton)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Rob Boudrie)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Don Lynn)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Ed Ellers)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Arthur Rubin)
    Re: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin (Mike King)
    Re: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin (Jay Hennigan)
    Re: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin (John R. Levine)
    Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones (Ken K.P. Lo)
    Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones (Monty Solomon)
    Re: Digital Cellular Phones (Ed Leslie)
    Re: Digital Cellular Phones (David Boettger)
    Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area (Al Varney)
    Re: Horrid AT&T 2500 Sets (Bill Mayhew)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
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of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 02:27:44 -0800
From: [e-mail] (Linc Madison)
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)


In article <[e-mail]> Randy Finder wrote:

> I was watching a show one late night and saw  a TV ad for a product
> with a 1-900 number. What made me notice was that the number
> was 1-900-200-QQQQ.
>           ^^^
> I know that "normal" area codes can not have phone numbers with an X00
> in them, but how wide are the available seven digit combinations for
> 1-900 (and 1-800) numbers. I presume that 1-900-555-QQQQ is going to
> get you 900 number information/ available for movies and TV to use as
> fakes, but is for instance 1-900-000-0000 available?

On the contrary -- N00 exchanges *are* permitted in normal area codes.
I thought they weren't, but there were a couple of them listed in the
312/708 (Chicago) split list.  They are only used if the area code is
*extremely* full.  Also, 1-900-555-5555 is/was a real number that
charges money for something not at all related to directory assistance
(something to do with {USA Today}, I think).  The very first '900'
number I ever saw was 1-900-210-xxxx ($.50 per call) and was a
presidential preference call-in vote on Saturday Night Live in 1984.
It was available anywhere in the US and Canada.  So far, the
restriction that the seven-digit portion must begin with [2-9] is still
true.

I have noticed, though that I seem to be seeing more N1/0X prefixes in
'800' numbers lately.  Is '800' getting anywhere close to full?


Linc Madison   *   Oakland, California   *   [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 09:12:40 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
Organization: AT&T


The FCC or some other bureaucracy assigns the three digits following
900- to specific carriers.  I.e., AT&T has fifty or so six-digit
numbers beginning 900-, MCI has a different set, etc.  Providers of
900-type info services contract with a carrier and can only get 900
numbers that begin with six-digit prefixes from that carrier's set.
The last four digits can be 0000 to 9999, but it is first-come
first-served.

Carrier's don't necessarily "open" all the prefixes assigned to them,
i.e., Sprint may "own" 900-200-, but may not let anyone use it.

There is not yet any "portability" of 900-type numbers as recently
happened with 800-type numbers, ie. if a 900-type information
provider changes from one 900 carrier to another, that provider's 900
number will change.

You can get a list of currently available six-digit prefixes by calling
each 900 carrier.  I don't know whether any carrier owns 900-200-, but
I see no technical reason why not.


Blake Patterson   AT&T Bell Labs

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 06:57:04 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers


I have seen 800-500 and 800-800, and there are some N00 prefixes in
what is now 213/310/818.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David A. Kaye)
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
Date: 18 Feb 1994 06:24:09 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access  [phone]  [login: guest]


Randy Finder ([e-mail]) wrote:

> 1-900 (and 1-800) numbers. I presume that 1-900-555-QQQQ is going to
> get you 900 number information....

Careful there.  1-900-555-5555 belongs to {USA Today} newspaper, and
it's used for various promotions including their weather service.  I
wonder how many mistaken directory assistance calls they've charged?

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 17 Feb 94 22:12 EST
From: [e-mail] (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


> I know that "normal" area codes can not have phone numbers with an X00
> in them, ...

Sure they can.  The 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 prefixes are used in
the 201 and 908 areas in New Jersey.  (609-300 is also in use, even
though 609 is nowhere near full.  I think it's a casino in Atlantic
City.)  There are many X00 prefixes in the Los Angeles area as well.
I haven't seen any 700, 800, or 900 prefixes, probably because the
possibility of confusion is too great.  There aren't any 1XX or 0XX
nornal numbers, since they couldn't be dialed with seven digits.

In most cases these prefixes are used for cellular, paging, PBX direct
inward dial, and not for regular individual POTS lines.

> how wide are the available seven digit combinations for 1-900 (and 1-800)
> numbers. I presume that 1-900-555-QQQQ is going to get you 900 number
> information

900-555-1212 gets you directory assistance (or used to), but
900-555-5555 is the {USA Today} info line which for a while was also
accidentally connected to 800-555-5555, causing a lot of excitement in
the Digest.

There are a lot of numbers in 800-800-XXXX, a prefix opened by Sprint
before 800 portability started.

> is for instance 1-900-000-0000 available?

Probably not.  Many local switches are programmed to reject numbers of
the form NNX-1XX-XXXX and NNX-0XX-XXXX locally, and not send them to
long distance carriers.  I suspect that a lot of switches would reject
100 and 000 prefixes in 700, 800, or 900 numbers as well.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: However there is the prefix 800-800.
It belongs to Sprint I believe.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 20:01:22 -0500
From: Jonathan <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers


Normal area codes may contain X00 prefixes if they are running out of
numbers, but I oppose this practice, and if I controlled the numbering
plan, then this would not happen.  An example of an X00 prefix is the
201 200 prefix.

Also, the 1-900-555-1212 number has been temporarily disconnected.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David Esan)
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
Date: 17 Feb 94 16:57:52 GMT
Organization: Moscom Corporation, Pittsford NY


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Randy Finder) writes:

> I know that "normal" area codes can not have phone numbers with an X00

You know wrong.  There are 32 x00 exchanges in the NANP.

201 200 JERSEY CITY, NJ
201 300 NEWTON, NJ
210 500 RIO GRAND CITY, TX
213 200 GARDENA, CA
213 300 LOS ANGELES ZONE 1, CA
213 400 GARDENA, CA
213 500 GARDENA, CA
213 600 LOS ANGELES ZONE 9, CA
213 700 GARDENA, CA
213 900 LOS ANGELES ZONE 1, CA
310 600 GARDENA, CA
312 400 HOMEWOOD, IL
313 300 BIRMINGHAM, MI
313 400 BIRMINGHAM, MI
313 500 SOUTHFIELD, MI
313 600 SOUTHFIELD, MI
416 200 TORONTO, ON
416 600 TORONTO, ON
609 300 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
609 400 ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
619 500 DEL MAR, CA
702 500 LAS VEGAS, NV
702 600 LAS VEGAS, NV
702 700 LAS VEGAS, NV
810 500 SOUTHFIELD, MI
818 300 ALHAMBRA, CA
818 400 LOS ANGELES ZONE 1, CA
818 500 GLENDALE, CA
818 700 NORTHRIDGE, CA
908 400 ELIZABETH, NJ
908 500 CLINTON, NJ
908 600 TOMS RIVER, NJ


David Esan      [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Scott Statton)
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 18:17:32 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Randy Finder) writes:

> I know that "normal" area codes can not have phone numbers with an X00
> in them,

Ahhh -- but you DON'T know ... for example (just a quick grep of the
V&H tapes will reveal: 201-200, 213-200, 416-200, 604-200, 201-300,
213-300, 213-400, 818-400, etc.

> but how wide are the available seven digit combinations for
> 1-900 (and 1-800) numbers. I presume that 1-900-555-QQQQ is going to
> get you 900 number information/ available for movies and TV to use as
> fakes, but is for instance 1-900-000-0000 available?

That's why the NANP calls it NXX ... it can be any N [2-9] followed by
any two X [0-9].  Now certain codes will likely never be assigned, for
instance 911.  Other codes, like 211, 411, and 611 will likely
eventually be assigned, and the services that those N11s represent
will be moved into the 555 number space.

While 800 numbers NOW do database queries to determine which carrier
gets the call, 900 routing is still static.  When you become an IXC
you ask the administrators for a couple of 900 prefixes.  Any 900
number in that space is yours to do with as you wish.  I used to post
the list frequently.


Scott


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: And in fact we have such a list in the
Telecom Archives as part of the Area Code Guide. (ftp lcs.mit.edu).  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Rob Boudrie)
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
Date: 17 Feb 1994 14:07:56 -0500
Organization: Center for High Performance Computing of WPI


900-555-5555 is (was?) {USA Today's} information line.  There was a
much publicized bug in the long distance routine software a few years
ago when 800-555-5555 connected you to the 900 number (and billed your
phoine as such) even if you had 900 blocking on your line.

AT&T Boston Spokesman Rick Brayhill, as quoted in the {Middlesex News}
(Framingham, MA) refered to the Internet Usenet groups as an underground
network (forget the precise terms) where hackers and people looking to
get something for nothing like Boudrie obtained this number.

Adam Gaffin, columnist ([e-mail]) did a good job on the
article, including mention that AT&T Bell Labs has its engineers
connected to the so called underground network.

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 01:12:39 PST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers


The Los Angeles area (213, 310, and 818 area codes) has used some of
the X00s for exchanges for a few years.  At least 213-600, 818-300,
818-500, and 818-700 are in use.  However, there are no exchanges
below 200, since leading 1 and 0 still mean something special.

There apparently are some taboo numbers not used as exchanges above
200, however.  There are no exchanges in the LA area that duplicate
any southern California area codes (though northern California area
codes ARE used as exchanges).  Examples: there is no 310-213, but
there is a 310-510.  There is probably no technical reason for this;
just to avoid confusion when hearing a familiar number in an
unfamiliar use.


Don Lynn

------------------------------

From: Ed Ellers <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 94 15:58:50 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


> ... but is for instance 1-900-000-0000 available?

I'd bet it is.  Unlike normal phone numbers an 800 or 900 number will
ALWAYS be dialed after the area code, so there would not be a need to
keep the NXX from conflicting with other codes.  (I guess that would
make it an "XXX" instead of an NXX!)

------------------------------

Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
From: [e-mail] (Arthur Rubin)
Date: 17 Feb 94 21:13:08 GMT
Organization: Beckman Instruments, Inc.


1-818-500 is a normal exchange here in shaky California (Glendale, to be
precise.)


Arthur L. Rubin: [e-mail] (work) Beckman Instruments/Brea
[e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail] (personal)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mike King)
Subject: Re: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 07:06:26 PST


In TELECOM Digest, V14 #84, Eric De Mund <[e-mail]> said:

> AT&T calling card calls from my office in California to my parents in
> New York results in a telephone number other than that of my desk
> phone appearing on my AT&T calling card bill as the calls' origin.

You're probably using a PBX with DID service.  In that case, the
number on your phone can be totally unrelated to the billing number of
the trunk like on which your call was placed.

> When I telephone that number, I get an internal recording telling me
> that that number isn't in service. (I work for a DOE/UC laboratory in
> Berkeley.)

More than likely, that trunk is only used for outgoing calls.

> I called AT&T and asked them about it. Front line and second line
> customer service tell me that there's nothing that can be done to
> resolve the calls' origin. Is this true?

Yes.  They have no control over your employer's phone system or the
lines used to place the call.


Mike King      [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jay Hennigan)
Subject: Re: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin
Date: 18 Feb 1994 01:38:49 -0800
Organization: Disgruntled postal workers against gun control


In article <[e-mail]> Eric De Mund <[e-mail]>
writes:

> AT&T calling card calls from my office in California to my parents in
> New York results in a telephone number other than that of my desk
> phone appearing on my AT&T calling card bill as the calls' origin.
> When I telephone that number, I get an internal recording telling me
> that that number isn't in service. (I work for a DOE/UC laboratory in
> Berkeley.)

> I called AT&T and asked them about it. Front line and second line
> customer service tell me that there's nothing that can be done to
> resolve the calls' origin. Is this true?

If your office has a PBX with direct-inward-dialing to your desk and
one-way outbound trunks to AT&T, yes it is true.  The number appearing
on your calling card bill is a non-dialable number (even though it
looks like a standard phone number) which identifies the outbound
trunk that was used to reach AT&T.  When you dial 9 (or whatever you
dial) to get an outside trunk, the PBX will assign one for the
duration of that call based on a route selection table.  There is not
a single wire from your desk to the telco central office uniquely
identifying your office phone.  As far as the local phone company is
concerned, you are calling from the number assigned to the trunk
handling that call.  This number is what is passed to AT&T as the
originating number.

Depending on how the PBX is set up, it may or may not be dialable from
outside.  If it were dialable, it would likely ring in to the
switchboard at your office.  In your case, it would seem that the
trunk group handling calling card calls to AT&T is optioned as
outgoing only, hence you get an intercept recording when trying to
call it.  The situation you describe is common in PBX systems.  Many
cellular systems are set up the same way and will display a
non-dialable number on caller-ID, ANI, and calling card calls as the
oiginating number.


Jay Hennigan   [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 21:51 EST
From: [e-mail] (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


In article <[e-mail]> is written:

> AT&T calling card calls from my office in California to my parents in
> New York results in a telephone number other than that of my desk
> phone appearing on my AT&T calling card bill as the calls' origin.

Does your office have a PBX with direct inward dialing?  If so, it's
true, the billing number that AT&T sees is the ANI billing number for
the trunk on which the call happens to be sent, which as you've
discovered bears no relationship to the number of the phone on your
desk.

This isn't considered an error, since ANI information is used to tell
the telco who to bill for the call, which it does, since they know
that the trunk is one of the group assigned to your office PBX.  (If
you complain about the call to AT&T, they should be able to check the
number with Pac Tel and verify that it comes from your office.)  The
PBX has its own SMDR recorders that log which numbers are called from
which extension and let them allocate out the phone bill.

ANI doesn't necessarily give the recipient a number on which he can
call the caller back.  This distinction between billing number and
calling number is why 800 numbers that attempt to bill back the caller
based on ANI are so bogus -- just because the caller was allowed to
make a direct-dialed 800 call doesn't mean that he's allowed to bill
anything else to that number.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ken K P Lo)
Subject: Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 12:41:16 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> drharry![e-mail]
(Alan Boritz) writes:

> [e-mail] (Scott Colbath) writes:

>> Bell Atlantic here in Phoenix announced yesterday that they were
>> making available to their cellular phone customers the ability to be
>> pagable on their cell phones. Is this being done anywhere else? It
>> sounds like a good idea. One is able to ditch the pager and just carry
>> a phone. Any comments?

> That's nothing new.  Just set call-forward-on-no-answer to your pager
> number and you've got the same thing.

I don't think so.  In this case, you still have to carry a pager.  I
think Bell Atlantic is offering a phone with built-in pager, right?

What is the main advantage of this?  So you don't have to answer every
call?

I am wondering if UK and Hong Kong are doing the same thing with their
one-way CT2 phones.


Ken K P Lo    S3 Rm 105  Box 460   Waterloo, Ontario
A Student of University of Waterloo
(519) 725 - 6332   [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 09:54:10 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Scott
Colbath) writes:

> Bell Atlantic here in Phoenix announced yesterday that they were
> making available to their cellular phone customers the ability to be
> pagable on their cell phones.

The Oki 1150 handheld phone comes with this feature.  You can
configure the phone to auto answer like a digital beeper.  The phone
will store up to ten received numbers.  I don't recall how may digits
can be stored for each number.

A similar, and cool feature, is that the party you are speaking with
can enter a number into the phone's memory by dialing '*' before and
'#' after the number.  If they dial a 0 after the #, the phone will
disconnect the current call and then automatically place a call to the
just-transmitted number.


Monty Solomon / PO Box 2486 / Framingham, MA  01701-0405  [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ed Leslie)
Subject: Re: Digital Cellular Phones
Organization: York University
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 07:10:00 -0500


Alex Cena ([e-mail]) wrote:

> It is difficult for me to imagine an all digital cellular network

Well, then, you'd best not bring your cellphone to Canada. Both Bell
Mobility (Ontario and Quebec) and Cantel (the 'other' provider country-
wide) and I believe most (all?) of the other regional providers across
Canada are either converting, or have completed conversion to digital
service capability.


Ed

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 07:22:00 +0000
From: David Boettger <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Digital Cellular Phones


In article <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]> wrote:

> How are digital systems more fraud resistant?  I assume you are
> talking about the folks that listen in on the cellular frequencies and
> pull your phone ID out (by using one of the decoder boxes specifically
> designed to do this) and use it to program another phone that they
> sell to someone.  Since the decompressor circuit most be in the phone
> it will be widely available and known so the jerks building the
> decoder boxes should have no problem incorporating that into their
> systems.  right?

The "Cave" algorithm specified in IS-54 (the TDMA standard) is used to
encrypt data (ESN and possibly voice). The algorithm is keyed with
data that are never transmitted and are only known by the switch and
the mobile.


David Boettger   [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 10:49:31 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Calling 911 on a Cellphone When Out of Area
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> fieldday![e-mail].
org writes:

> John Galloway ([e-mail]) wrote:

>> The dispatcher, even with Enhanced 9-1-1 could never know where your
>> cell-phone is without asking.  Maybe what cell-site you are using, but
>> in the fringe those sites can cover a large area.

> The smallest cellular cell is too large, as the calls have to be
> processed by very sharp lines.  An urban freeway is only a block or
> two wide, and minor problems may be passed to your state highway
> patrol or a county sheriff.  This depends on whether that freeway is a
> federal or county highway (or private toll road?) and what the
> agreements are between such agencies in your area.

> No present cellular system can deal with the narrow division between
> areas such as an urban freeway and an adjoining city street, much less
> where the middle of a city street is the dividing line and how far
> from your location you are looking.

   Even land-line phones have the need to re-route 911 calls to an
appropriate agency.  If I report a fire at the junior college two
blocks from me, the 911 call goes to my city, but the college is in
the territory of another fire department.  If I report an accident on
the local state highway when I reach home, that call has to be
forwarded.  An accident three blocks east goes to the county, but one
block closer goes to the city.

   I'm sure some areas are even more complex -- even without cellular.


Al Varney

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Mayhew)
Subject: Re: Horrid AT&T 2500 Sets
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 11:13:40 GMT


We buy ITT-2500 sets from Famous Telephone, though I am sure Graybar
has the same units.  The "ash" color 2500s are around $30 each;
definitely a good value for what you get.  I don't have an exact price
because I don't work for our phone department, but I did talk to the
phone person not too long ago.

I picked up an ITT-2500 at a local "Acme-Click" retail store for $28.
It was full quality.  I got the one that comes in the transparent
case, so there isn't any way they can hide chintzy weights inside
without it being noticed.  However some of the lousy phones the
likes of Conair brazenly display the weights in their see-though
models.  About the only differences in the modern ITT-2500 and a
Western Electric 2500 I have from the mid 1960s are:

1) the "network" is on a little circuit board in the new phone while
it was in a metal box potted with goo in in the WE.

2) The new TT dial pad uses an IC and 3.579545 MHz crystal while the
classic unit has the clever L-C osciallor with germanium transistors.
The new unit is insensitive to polarity on the line, whereas you have
to get L1 and L2 on the correct terminals on the old unit.  Nice to
see that technology can survive 30 years without changing too much.


Bill Mayhew        NEOUCOM Computer Services Department
Rootstown, OH  44272-0095  USA      phone: [phone]
[e-mail]       amateur radio 146.58: N8WED

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #89
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #90

TELECOM Digest     Fri, 18 Feb 94 12:51:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 90

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls ([e-mail])
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Jack Hamilton)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Bob Niland)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Anthony E. Siegman)
    Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company (Mark Brader)
    Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free (Nick Sayer)
    Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free (Chaim Frenkel)
    Re: More Information on the Economics of Dial-Back Services (Tan Ken Hwee)
    Re: More About INTERNET Connections (Linc Madison)
    Re: AT&T Says They Can't Resolve My Calls' Origin (L. W. Westermeyer)
    Re: AT&T Says They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin (Ed Ellers)
    Re: A Small Town in Wyoming (Robert Casey)
    Re: Seeking Information Regarding UPT Standards Draft (Ed Garcia Lopez)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 06:14:48 -0800
From: [e-mail] (puma)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls


TELECOM Digest Editor noted in response to Bill Llewellyn (thinker@
rahul.net):

>> is the poor man's self-help to peace and quiet on the telephone. Oh, I
>> know the ACLU and the Socially Responsible People don't approve of it,
>> but then, I don't approve of them either.  PAT]

> The ACLU has no policy one way or the other on Caller ID.  The ACLU
> concerns itself only with Bill of Rights issues, and more specifically
> First Amendment rights in test cases.  In California where Caller ID
> is not in use, rape crisis centers were a driving force among groups
> against Caller ID.  They're concerned that (as an example) a woman
> calling to order a pizza could be harrassed by unwanted calls if the
> pizza dude thought her voice was arousing.

Here in Wisconsin (where the PSC has approved CallerID but it's not
implemented yet) the pizza places use a centralized number and ANI for
information on last orders, callback, etc.  Before they had that, they
would just ask for your number anyway, so I don't see where CallerID
would be a factor.


[e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Because when they merely ask for your
number, you can lie about it and give a phalse number not your own.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jack Hamilton)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 14:50:33 GMT


[e-mail] (Jack Hamilton) wrote:

> I think you're misrepresenting the position of the people who were
> opposed to Caller IDd in California.  I was opposed to it, or at least
> to the way I understood it was to be implemented.

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Just as your right to to swing your arms
> around ends when your fist reaches my face, likewise your right to
> privacy ends when you cause my telephone to ring. If you want to live
> in your own private little world, no one is stopping you, but when you
> choose to interact with others, how can you sit there and say you have
> the right to approach them or call them anonymously?  Where are their
> rights to be left alone? Like with pizza drivers, their rights don't
> seem to matter, eh?

The pizza stores could say "I'm sorry, you've disallowed Caller-ID, so
we won't deliver to you", or they could choose the intercept service
that says something like "non-id's calls to this number are not
accepted."  Again, you are misrepresenting the position of the people
opposed to Pac Bell's offering.

I'm not opposed to Caller-ID, I'm just opposed to making a lot easer
for other people to get my number than it is for me to keep them from
getting it.  I'm paying for my phone too.  The choice should be easy
for both parties, not just one.


Jack Hamilton      USMail: POB 281107 SF CA 94128  USA
[e-mail]     Packet: kd6ttl@w6pw.#nocal.ca.us.na

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bob Niland)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 05:45:46 GMT
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: Colorado SuperNet


Richard Barnes ([e-mail]) wrote:

> We had this happen a while back, and frequently at night.  We had to
> call the phone company several times, and finally talk to a supervisor
> (we got incorrect information from everyone else).  The supervisor
> said it was the phone company's test equipment.

If it happens only once a night, usually at the same time, my
understanding is that it may be what I once heard described as "Line
Insulation Test".  It is an out-of-band (voltage and/or frequency)
ring signal.  I doubt that any CLID arrives with the signal.  On a
properly designed and manufactured telephone, it should have no
noticeable effect (esp. no ring).

It will cause many cheapo phones to "chirp", and will definitely cause
Radio Shack "Fone Flasher" neon lights to flash.  We have disabled
ringers on the bedroom phones, and use the lights to ID which line is
being called when the phones down the hall ring at night.  We've grown
accustomed to the once-a-night flash-flash as the test sequences
through our two lines.

Solutions:

- replace cheapo phones or disable their ringers
 - get used to it on Fone Flashers


Regards,

Bob Niland     1001-A East Harmony Road  Suite 503
Internet:  [e-mail]     Fort Collins
CompuServe: 71044,2124     Colorado     80525   USA

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 11:04:50 -0800
From: Anthony E. Siegman <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Organization: Leland Stanford Junior University


> I think you're misrepresenting the position of the people who were
> opposed to Caller ID in California.  I was opposed to it, or at least
> to the way I understood it was to be implemented.
> The problem was that it was going to be difficult for callers to turn
> off identification.  We wanted a way to turn off Caller ID "permanently"
> ...(much deleted)...

   This is a good message, and matches my impression of why Caller-ID
went down in CA.  Pac Bell insisted it be done "their way" or not at
all, and the latter prevailed.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mark Brader)
Subject: Re: Don't Trust The Phone Company
Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, Canada
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 02:31:43 GMT


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: ... This is where having
> Caller-ID *and* 'return last call' both on the line would be useful.
> That way one could see the actual number placing the call even if the
> return trip led somewhere else. ...]

Or it would be useful to be in a place where "return last call" worked
that way in the first place, as it does here.

> Maybe there ought to be a dialing code for the purpose of 'do not forward'.
> That is, the person placing the call would dial some two-digit code (such
> as for blocking or do not disturb) which meant 'absolutely ring number
> such and such'. ...  Telco ... would ... ring that number or respond with
> a voice intercept, ... if the number was being forwarded. ...]

You know, I think there's a good idea there ...

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Nick Sayer)
Subject: Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free
Organization: The Duck Pond public unix: [phone], log in as 'guest'.
Date: 18 Feb 1994 04:31:46 UTC


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Regards the viciousness of email (and
> in this regard, many Usenetters are as vicious as they come)

So are many niggers, gooks, chinks, honkies, and bitches, Pat.  Anyone
different is just not the same.

No, I don't really think that way. I'm just trying to make a point.


Nick Sayer <[e-mail]>  N6QQQ @ N0ARY.#NOCAL.CA.USA.NOAM
[phone], log in as 'guest' PGP 2.2 public key via finger


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Ah, but the category of Usenetter transcends
all those ugly terms you mention above. One can be any of those people and
be a participant on Usenet and none of those people are in and of themselves
inherently nasty or bad. But there is something about being hidden behind
a keyboard typing things as we do which brings this medium closer day by
day to the epitomy of Citizen's Band Radio at its heyday in the late 1970's
and early 1980's, with all its viciousness and hostility. In the 1960-70
era, only a few people had CB radios ... and it was a rather elite crowd.
But they were very helpful, kind and intelligent people. Then Johnny Cash
popularized a song about CB and the whole world got in on it. Was that a
good idea? Well, in theory yes, but before long the nasty people dominated
it and ruined it for everyone. All the accusations made about the Internet
and Usenet now were made about CB back then: it was used to spread racial
propoganda; it was used by pedophiles to lure children to their homes; it
was used by prositutes at truck stops seeking customers; it was used by
religious fanatics who would preach the most bizarre sermons for hours on
end ... and more. Update the technology and re-write the complaints a
little -- bingo, you have Usenet. Usenet is simply CB Radio all over again
with Big Men dominating the scene who type what they please knowing there
will be no real repercussions for the most part. But because with CB
the transmission was generally limited to a few miles, and every community
had its own obnoxious CB'er whose impact was generally limited to the
community while Usenet's transmission goes over a wider territory, the
'obnoxious affect' works a little differently also. Of course I speak with
the bias of a city person who operated a *large, very powerful* CB. An
antenna 100 feet in the air overlooking a large lake is going to pull in
trash -- oops, I mean signals -- from everywhere, and I did. So I got to
listen to all of Chicago and quite a bit of Illinois on my CB in those
days and toward the end it was bad news. Finally over a period of several
months, maybe a year or more people just kept dropping out the way they
had earlier dropped in. I turned on my CB the other day for the fun of
it and heard little or nothing on any of the channels.  I forsee the same
thing on Usenet: for a while longer it is going to grow and grow and grow.
Those 'make money fast' chain letters will start appearing almost daily.
News traffic will grow much larger. More and more newspaper articles will
appear telling people about Internet and how to use it. Then large numbers
of people will start burning out from all the reading they do and the
abusiveness of the whole thing and start tuning out. The commercial ventures
will keep on posting stuff but the ordinary user will grow weary and quit
reading news as often. There won't be any such thing as the long-forcasted
'death of the net'; it will just keep evolving until a few years from now
an old timer who returned for a visit would not recognize it and for the
average person, communication via Usenet becomes a futile exercise.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Chaim Frenkel)
Subject: Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free
Date: 18 Feb 94 04:06:37 GMT
Organization: Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've always felt the same way where this
> Digest was concerned. It is purely my contribution to the world to help
> stamp out ignorance where the operation of telephone networks is concerned.
> At least it began that way ... now I think I am a victim of my own success
> where the Digest is concerned as the volume of traffic and the size of
> the mailing list has increased far beyond what either Jon Solomon or I
> expected or considered possible. Part of this of course is due to the
> general increase in Internet usage; part perhaps due to my own efforts to
> gateway the Digest to so many places. At that I was successful, and now
> the mail is pouring in at such a volume that even a cursory examination
> of much of it is difficult. And that is not good. I wish I could read
> every peice of mail and use every peice of mail I receive, but until the
> time comes that I can support myself independent of other outside jobs
>  -- if that time ever comes -- and work on the Digest eight or nine hours
> per day -- which could easily be done now if resources were available --
> then I have to do what I can. I wish I lived high enough in the "Maslow
> Hierarchy" to be able to afford it.  PAT]

Have you considered some sort of sub-sysop as done on various BBS's?

Assign the next article that is ORIGINAL to the next sysop, record the
thread and continue to route any followup to that thread to the same sysop.

Overall editorial content would then be yours. You might want to review
only the initial message to give some editorial guidance to the sysop.

Etc. Etc.


Chaim Frenkel           On contract at:
[e-mail]           [e-mail]
Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.  Bear Stearns & Co., Inc.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've thought about it, and probably would
then have them edit their articles and send them back to go into the
finished, published issue. One problem with this is the additional delay
it would cause in getting stuff out. To some extent, c.d.t.t. has been
helpful; believe it or not, I am actually getting more stuff now than I
did before c.d.t.t. I don't know what I would do if I had all that stuff
still coming in as well. :(  It appears however that at least some of
the problem is ending. The Digest has been awarded a grant which will
partially fund me. The grant -- a very generous one I might add -- will
come in the form of a monthly stipend to help offset costs. It is coming
to me from an organization to which telephone companies all belong, so
in effect all telcos will be contributing. I intend to announce this in
more detail within the next week or two. While I won't be in a position
to sing 'Happy Days are Here Again', neither will I be quite as concerned
about the phone and other utility bills. It looks like the gas heating
bill for January is going to cost me about $500. (brr and shiver, in
more ways than one.)  :(   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tan Ken Hwee)
Subject: Re: More Information on the Economics of Dial-Back Services
Date: 18 Feb 1994 13:44:05 GMT
Organization: National University of Singapore


Gowri Narla ([e-mail]) wrote:

> and your frequent callers by prior arrangement.  Your long distance
> caller lets your phone ring twice and hangs up. He does this twice and
> you know who's calling. Obviously, you DIAL-BACK. Likewise, another
> party is identified by, say ... two sets of three rings. And so on.
> Inconvenient? Yes. But for someone who's used to seeing the pits of
> telecoms, it's ok.

Well ... another way I thought of but never tried was to use the
Country Direct number, get to the operator of the target country and
ask to make a collect call to Mr. Fictitious at xxx-xxxx.  The people
at xxx-xxxx would then know that I am trying to call them and can call
me back.  Different names -- different people.  Of course, the party
at the target country has to *refuse* to accept the collect call.

[ This might be subject to strange snags.  I found out after calling
Singapore Direct genuinely a couple of times from America, that the
operator could recognise my voice! ]


Ken Hwee TAN    National University of Singapore


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Not only that, what you propose is
pure and simple fraud. Now where do you draw the line between conveying
a voice message through an operator with no intent to pay for it versus
delivering a message by causing someone's phone to ring with no intent
to pay for it? Well, I sell arbitrage call-back, so I say the latter is
legal and the former is illegal!  :)  But if it were not for AT&T selling
their own answering machines with the 'toll-saver feature', I'd have a
hard time justifying my method as well.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Linc Madison)
Subject: Re: More About INTERNET Connections
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 10:44:04 GMT


Lars Poulsen ([e-mail]) wrote:

> After my article about Internet conenctions, I have received many
> generic questions about connecting to the Internet. Here are some answers:

> 3) You mentioned a PC or Mac e-mail client called Eudora. Can you tell me
>    more?

>    Eudora exists in a Mac version (which I have used with MacTCP) and in a
>    PC/Windows version. It used to be NCSA freeware, but the author moved to
>    QualComm who have decided to take it commercial. The older version is
>    still available by FTP from ftp.qualcomm.com.

Small correction here: the freeware version of Eudora is still around
and being updated.  Version 1.4.2 is in beta testing currently, with
release expected in March (according to the Eudora mailing list).  The
commercial version is also beta'ing an update (v. 2.0.2) in parallel.
The commercial version adds some convenience features not provided in
the freebie.


Linc Madison   *   Oakland, California   *   [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 10:52:18 CST
From: L. W. Westermeyer <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: AT&T Says They Can't Resolve My Calls' Orgin


If your office has a PBX with digital trunks to the LEC CO, unless it
is an ISDN circuit, it is my understanding that the CO only receives
the billing telephone number (BTN).  The BTN is a *bogus* number used
by the LEC for billing purposes.

Voice: [phone]              [e-mail]   (Bitnet)
Fax:   [phone]              [e-mail] (Internet)
Mailing Address: University of Missouri - St. Louis
                 8001 Natural Bridge Road
                 St. Louis, MO 63121 USA

------------------------------

From: Ed Ellers <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 15:55:57 GMT
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


Eric De Mund <[e-mail]> writes:

> AT&T calling card calls from my office in California to my parents in
> New York results in a telephone number other than that of my desk
> phone appearing on my AT&T calling card bill as the calls' origin.
> When I telephone that number, I get an internal recording telling me
> that that number isn't in service. (I work for a DOE/UC laboratory in
> Berkeley.)

I suspect that the telecom people where you work have told the telco
to set that one number to appear for any calls dialed out of your
facility.  With DOE involved (would this be LBL by any chance?) I
wouldn't be at all surprised that they'd want to prevent actual DID
numbers getting out by accident.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Robert Casey)
Subject: Re: A Small Town in Wyoming
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 05:26:40 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Paul
Buder) writes:

> I lived in Acton, Massachussetts back in the late 70's.  They had five
> digit dialing there.  The adjacent towns were local calls.  The
> calling pattern was 5 digits for Acton, 7 for adjacent towns, 8 (1+)
> for the rest of 617 and 11 for everywhere else.  This was possible
> with Acton as 263 and Concord as 369 for example because there were no
> numbers in Acton of the form 263-69XX.  I may have the prefixes wrong,
> it's been a long time.

At about this same time ('79, '80), I used to live in the Binghamton,
NY area.  One night, I somehow stumbled onto the fact that I could
make some phone calls with less than seven digits.  Spent a little
time figuring out what shortened code would get me what exchange.  The
phone book made no mention of these short cuts.  I had never heard of
being able to make calls with less than seven digits before, I grew up
in northeast NJ in NPA 201 where all calls are seven digits.  Some of
my friends who grew up in Binghamton told me that the shortcuts were
common in the 60's, but had thought that they were gone when I found
them.  Binghamton is in 607.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Eduardo Garcia Lopez)
Subject: Re: Seeking Information Regarding UPT Standards Draft
Organization: Telefonica I+D
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 13:18:48 GMT


[e-mail] (b.vempati) writes:

> Is it possible for me to get hold of some information regarding UPT
> (Universal Personal Telecommunications) standards that are in the
> process of being drafted?

Below you'll find a list of ITU-T and ETSI drafts.

ITU-T drafts

Q.76  Service procedures for UPT- Functional modelling and information flows
      (study group 11)

F.851 Universal Personal Telecommunication - Service Description
      (study group 1)

F.850 Principles of UPT (study group 1)

COM XI-R267 Nov 92 Annex 10  List of open terminology used by WP XI/5
                             (includes many UPT terms)

ETSI Draft Reports


ETR NA-70201 Network Aspects: UPT General Service Description
ETR NA-70202 Network Aspects: UPT Service Requirements on Charging, Billing
                              and Accounting.
ETR NA-70203 Network Aspects: UPT Service Requirements on Security Mechanisms
ETR NA-70204 Network Aspects: UPT Terminal and UPT access devices
ETR NA-70205 Network Aspects: UPT Subscription and UPT service profiles
ETR NA-70206 Network Aspects: UPT user procedures and states
ETR NA-70207 Network Aspects: UPT Man-Machine interface
ETR NA-70208 Network Aspects: UPT Service requirements on numbering, addressing
                              and identification.
ETR NA-70209 Network Aspects: UPT Service Requirements on protection of third
                              parties
ETR NA-70210 Network Aspects: UPT Suplemmentary Services.

ETR NA-70401 Network Aspects: General UPT security architecture.
DTR NA-71101 Network Aspects: UPT Phase 1: Service Aspects: Guidelines
DTR NA-71305 Network Aspects: UPT Phase 1: Network functionalities for charging
                              billing and accounting.



Eduardo Garcia-Lopez
Telefonica I+D; Div. 4110; C/Emilio Vargas, 6; E-28043; Madrid; Spain
e-mail: [e-mail], Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]

------------------------------

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Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #91

TELECOM Digest     Fri, 18 Feb 94 13:54:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 91

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Questions About Voice Mail (Dave Ptasnik)
    Re: Questions About Voice Mail (Stan Schwartz)
    Voicemail or Answering Machine Software? (Teng-Kiat Lee)
    Re: Caller ID in Russia (For Curious) (Vassili Leonov)
    Re: How to Share a 64Kbps Leased Line With Ten Users (Jay Hennigan)
    Re: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin (Ed Greenberg)
    Re: Coca-Cola and US Sprint Run Phony Contest (Will Martin)
    Re: Searching For Internet Providers (Colin Owen Rafferty)
    Re: Horrid AT&T 2500 Sets (Glen C. Hoag)
    Re: Phone Number History (Thomas Miles)
    Re: Program For Microwave Radio Links (Tony Harminc)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
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----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dave Ptasnik)
Subject: Re: Questions About Voice Mail
Date: 18 Feb 1994 00:57:13 GMT
Organization: University of Washington


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I am surprised you find reps who say it
> cannot be done. Here it is quite common and is known as 'transfer on
> BY/DA' (busy/no answer). For the former it transfers immediatly and
> for the latter, after three unanswered rings the CO pulls the call
> back from the subscriber and diverts it. The caller hears the slightest
> pause in the ringing cadence as the CO quits ringing the one phone and
> sets up the connection to start ringing elsewhere. 'Transfer on busy'
> is quite similar to a hunt group, but apparently not entirely the
> same.  Does anyone know why? IBT gives 'hunting' for free but charges
> a monthly fee for 'transfer on busy' (which can be had without the 'no
> answer' part if desired, or vice-versa).

Hunting and call forward busy appear to be very different animals
within a 5ESS switch.  While I can't discuss the technical aspects, I
can tell you about some practical differences we encounter in our
Centrex/Centron system.  Call Forward Busy is limited to six transfers.
Hunting can have an essentially unlimited batch of number in sequence.
Hunting is not compatible with voice mail, as the originally dialed
number is not passed to the voice mail system.  Thus if we need to
have a ten line hunt group that goes to voice mail with the eleventh
caller, we must use hunting until we come to the last line, then put
on Call Forward Busy from the last line to the voice mail system.  We
too are charged different rates for these two different but similar
features.  If you pick at US West, you can get either one on residential
lines, with CFB being cheaper, but hunting is the one they suggest.

All of the above is nothing more than the personal opinion of -


Dave Ptasnik     [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 11:40:15 EST
From: Stan Schwartz <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Questions About Voice Mail


On Sun, 13 Feb 1994, Steve Cogorno wrote:

> Said by: Stan Schwartz

>>  - I have call waiting on the line.  If I don't answer the second
>> line, the call DOES NOT get forwarded to the mail box (it just rings
>> at the caller's end);

>>  - If I "busy-out" the line (*70 or off-hook), since I have call waiting
>> and the software is looking for call-waiting first, any incoming calls
>> will get a busy;

>> In short, the way the NYNEX reps explain this, since I have call waiting
>> on the line, the only time a call is forwarded to the mailbox is if the
>> phone is on hook and I don't answer.  This doesn't sound kosher to me,
>> since I've seen the way other systems work.

> This is the way the Reps WANT to place the order - that doesn't mean you
> have to take it :)

> Ask them to install No Answer Diversion as well as Busy Diversion when the
> set up your order.  They will try to tell you it can't be done, but it can.
> You also may want to get regular Call Forwarding, as you can call forward
> your calls directly to the voice mail so it won't bother you (sort of a Do
> Not Disturb function).

I spoke with NYNEX again today.  The quote from the rep was "Call
Waiting cancels out Call Answering.  The only other service we could
offer is 'Call Forward-No Answer Transfer', where if I *72 my phone
somewhere and THAT line doesn't answer, the mailbox will pick up.  I'm
going to try to pursue this with a "supervisor", but I don't think
they'll be able to help.  For whatever reason, NYNEX has these
features turned off in this area.  Sheesh -- you'd think the'd WANT me
to spend the $6.50 a month for the service.


Stan

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Teng-Kiat Lee)
Subject: Voicemail or Answering Machine Software?
Date: 18 Feb 1994 02:59:50 GMT
Organization: VLSI CAD, NUS
Reply-To: [e-mail]


Hi,

I am interested in knowing the requirements to install a voicemail
system or an answering system at home which is controlled by a PC and
modem. The messages will be stored on harddisk. Are there any public
domain/commercial software available? I have a soundblaster installed,
hopefully that's sufficient and would not need an add-on card.

Thanks in advance for any help!!


Teng-Kiat Lee   [e-mail]   [e-mail]
VLSI CAD & Design Lab                Voice: (65)-772-6319
Dept. of Electrical Engineering             (65)-467-1518
National University of Singapore     Fax:   [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Vassili Leonov)
Subject: Re: Caller ID in Russia (For Curious)
Date: 18 Feb 1994 05:20:55 GMT
Organization: Institute For Theoretical Physics


Michael De Lyon ([e-mail]) wrote:

> After some reading of 'Caller ID' thread, I decided that some curious
> people might be interested how is it done in Russia.  Russia is

I'm have been involved with computer telecommunications for a few
years in Moscow -- so I want to give some comments on this very very
interesting and 100% correct posting.

> beginning to offer tone-dialing (very limited number of exchanges even
> in Moscow), but as long-distance direct dialing is very common,

As far as I know there are LOT's of exchanges in Moscow that have this
as an option (about 30%) but for some unconceivable reasons it's not
engaged. That's telco - you know... DTMF is NOT a Russian standard,
thus you don't use it.

>  standard (?) caller ID request/responce are used.  It is worth to

I'm not quite sure -- are they the same as in the US? I don't have this
feeling. Seems like the network design is very different in the US.

> mention that in Russia all seven-digit calls are local (flat rate), so

In Moscow. In smaller cities it might be five or six digits.

> dialtone) (area code) number.  Your caller ID is requested after you
> dialed 8.  If it failed after several trials or callback probe

It's requested by the long distance exchange -- the rest of them do not
have this capability. This is again quite different from the US.

> calling is 8 W 10 + ....; this 10 looks more familiar, eh?).

I don't think so -- because -- this 10 acts as kind of areacode --
otherwise you call another areacode. So - 10 - is an international
areacode so to say. There are other special areacodes like 17 and
others -- which are operator assistance for various long distance
regions.

> and rejects you. That's why the Ministry of Communications decided to
> introduce the fee for caller ID boxes.

Though I'm not aware that somebody was paying it... :-) They were also
trying to introduce fax and modem fees - that was REALLY annoying.

> sometimes not.  Last note: as the system was designed for billing, the
> ID only contains seven digits, so it is impossible to derive area code

I'm not sure it's true. If you read some local Moscow newsgoups
(though they are in Russian -- but still some are carried in the US )
 -- you'll find lot of discussions -- and reports that system is able
to get number with the areacode.

Then TELECOM Digest Editor noted in conclusion:

> much for passing it along, and please tell us more about telecom in
> Russia from time to time.   PAT]

Some points of intrest -- in the dark days of Commuinist rule :-) it
was a propriatery phone system that was NOT the one used by the Higher
Government -- but just for local communist party branches. So, this
system was bought like ten years ago from Phillips; it is digital at
the trunk level, and it has 9999 numbers all over the country (i.e.
it's one exchange only). It's name is ISKRA, and it is possible to get
a line for like $500 with like $300 monthly fee.

It covers all the country -- i.e 1/6th of the Earth's surface :-) and
is really good.  One problem -- it has NO interfaces with the regular
network so you have to put your own gate if you want. It's widely used
for computer WANs and its the backbone for the Russian Internet 'relcom'.

So -- keep this in mind -- as soon as you get your data in Russia (for
which I don't know a cost effective solution so far (SPRINT for $32
per hour -- do you want it?) ('relcom' is $50 per 1Meg) -- then it's more
or less plain.


Vassili Leonov

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jay Hennigan)
Subject: Re: How to Share a 64Kbps Leased Line With Ten Users (9600 Baud)
Date: 18 Feb 1994 08:40:20 -0800
Organization: Disgruntled postal workers against gun control


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Tohru Asami) writes:

> I've heard that Pacific Communication Science Incorporated (PCSI) is
> selling a data compression machine, called CS-8000, which can compress
> a 64Kbps data link into a 9600bps data link.

> I wonder if the following communication is possible for cost saving.

>                           +---+       +---+
>                           | M |       | M |
>    64Kbps         9600bps | U |       | U |9600bps        64Kbps
>User------[CS-8000]--------+ L |       | L +------[CS-8000]------User
>User------[CS-8000]--------+ T |       | T +------[CS-8000]------User
>User------[CS-8000]--------+ I | 64Kbps| I +------[CS-8000]------User
>User------[CS-8000]--------+ P +-------+ P +------[CS-8000]------User
>User------[CS-8000]--------+ L | leased| L +------[CS-8000]------User
>User------[CS-8000]--------+ E | line  | E +------[CS-8000]------User
>User------[CS-8000]--------+ X |       | X +
>                           | O |       | O |
>                           | R |       | R |
>                           +---+       +---+

> My questions are as follows:
>    1. Are there any multiplexors from 9600bps to 64Kbps?

Not sure what you mean by this question.  There are data multiplexers
that will combine several 9600 channels into a single aggregate link
which can be 64 KBPS (if you can get a clear 64 KBPS connection from
your phone company).  Statistical data multiplexers will combine
several 9600 channels into an aggregate 9600 link.  These work well as
long as the individual channels aren't trying to pass full-time
full-rate data.  Eight terminals (even with fast typists) over a 9600
aggregate link is acceptable.

>    2. Are they compatible with CS-8000?

I don't know.  Most stat muxes use a proprietary algorithm and must be
the same on both ends.

>    3. How much are they?

It depends.

>    4. What companies are selling them?

Many vendors.  Multi-Tech, Newbridge (voice/data), Micom (voice/data),
and others.

>    5. What kind of problems do we enconter in the above configurations?

If you are using this for data, things work pretty well except for
delayed screen echo of typed characters when things get busy.  There
are protocol workarounds to fix this.  For voice, 9600 gets a bit
gravelly.  Echo can be present and annoying.  For fax, forget it
unless you get *very* expensive fax adapters for the nultiplexers.
Don't even think of putting a modem on a voice circuit derived off of
one of these.

>    6. Did anyone try the same communication method?

Yes.  See the vendor list above.  Micom and Newbridge are two that
come to mind for combined voice/data/fax.  The Newbridge 3612 will do
this.

> In this case, a User uses a telephone or FAX, and he may not intensively
> use his 64Kbps line.

Again, the fax will cost big bucks.


Jay Hennigan   [e-mail]   Santa Barbara CA

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 03:31:30 -0800
From: [e-mail] (Ed Greenberg)
Subject: Re: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)


Hi Eric,

What's happening is that you probably dial 9+0+<parental_units_number>
right?  Then you get a bong and enter a calling card number.

You probably have a direct inward dialing number leading to your desk,
but your that is not a "real" phone number.  Just an ID that is passed
by the telco to your office switch to route the call.  When you dial 9
and a number, your switch selects an outbound trunk and puts your call
on it.  That's the number that you're seeing on your bill.  It's
probably from an exchange local to your office, but not necessarily.

When you call that number, the switch folks have it programmed to go
to a recording.  They don't want to have you getting the operator on
that trunk group, since it's for outgoing only and would block the
line for outgoing calls.  They'd rather you call the operator on the
INCOMING trunk group.

Of course, since you recognize the destination and are prepared to pay
for the call, the origin isn't really of much importance to you, so
long as the call isn't "splashed" to a city from which it is more
expensive to call.


Ed Greenberg           [e-mail]        Ham Radio: KM6CG

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 8:29:50 CST
From: Will Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Coca-Cola and US Sprint Run Phony Contest


Regarding this contest -- here's something I posted to misc.consumers
about it on 8 Nov 93:
            ^^^^^^^^
Coca-Cola has a game called "Monsters of the Gridiron" for which one
called 800-474-3476 with the four-digit number under the cap of a
Coca-Cola product, and you were then told what you won. According to
the label, this game runs until 1 Dec 93, but when you call the 800
number now, it answers but tells you the game is over and you have to
write for a list of winning numbers. To me, this is insane -- the
company is STILL paying for those 800-number calls but then not
letting the automated reply system work. I would think their savings
in turning off that system would be minimal, compared with the cost of
answering the 800 number in the first place.

                              *******

Note that the ability of the 800 number to tell callers what they
wanted to know was deactivated a month or so PRIOR to the publicized
end of the contest! Yes, I WOULD call this contest "phony"! Telling
people they have to write for a list of winning numbers is a sure way
to discourage entrants and a way for the contest-holder to avoid
paying out winnings.

Secondly, contests like this, which require the opening of a product
to look at a concealed number, should be forced to run as long as the
product's shelf life. It's not all that unusual to stock up on some
grocery or food product and be using it months or even years after it
was purchased. For soda, I'd say a minimum six-month duration would be
OK, since it has a shorter shelf life than something like canned
goods.

(Note about "forced", above -- no one "forces" these companies to hold
these contests, so it is NOT unreasonable for them to be forced or
coerced into adhering to certain consumer-benefitting practices if
they choose to hold the contest in the first place.)


Will

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Colin Owen Rafferty)
Subject: Re: Searching For Internet Providers
Organization: Lehman Brothers
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 18:28:19 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Charles John Statton, Jr) writes:

> I am looking for Internet Service Providers in the Erie, PA area.  So
> far I have only found PREPNet. Are there any others for this area?

Check the Public Dialup Internet Access List for a list of providers.
You can get the latest copy of the list via email by sending the one
line message:

    Send PDIAL

to <[e-mail]>.

Note that I am not affiliated in any way with the deli server, but I
am a loyal customer.


Colin Rafferty, Lehman Brothers <[e-mail]>

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 00:04:32 -0600
From: [e-mail] (Glen C. Hoag)
Subject: Re: Horrid AT&T 2500 Sets


> I concur with Randy Gellens that today's ersatz 2500 sets are cheap
> and flimsy.  But I noticed something interesting at a local hardware
> store.  A display case filled with AT&T telephone sets (the usual
> cheap kind with chirpers instead of bells) was accompanied by a few
> new AT&T "Signature" telephone sets.  One was shaped sort of like a
> 2500, though a bit squashed; another was in the Trim-Line(tm, no
> doubt) format.  Upon examination, I saw a mechanical bell ringer
> adjustment on the bottom of the 2500-style.  Even more unusual, the
> set must have weighted ten pounds!  It didn't even feel like a flimsy
> set with a lead weight, just heavy.

> And it was clearly marked AT&T Property for Lease Only, or some such
> words.  The store said it was not for sale, either.  It was a series
> that AT&T made only for rental customers.  Since it's a rental,
> they're responsible if it breaks, so it's made better.

> I wouldn't mind buying one of these sets, but I suspect most of us
> don't really want to rent.  I'm surprised that AT&T isn't making these
> available to rental PBX customers; maybe they can be had if you ask,
> but maybe they're only sold to residential customers.

Just over a year ago, I rented a "refurbished" 2500 set from a local
AT&T Phone Center store (before they closed it).  I walked in and
asked the clerk for a "2500" set; he, being an old Bell System type,
knew what I was talking about.  I explained that I didn't want the new
cheaper variety.  The sales droids that I had encountered on other
visits tried to steer me to the new design phones.  The "real" phones
were in a display marked "Traditional" and only listed the lease
prices, but they would have been happy to sell them (at a higher price
than the new phones).

After a month or two, I called the number on my rental bill and told
them that I wanted to purchase my lease unit.  They were happy to
oblige me and sent me a closing bill with the purchase price (around
$50).

The unit is a standard 2500 set with full-travel DTMF pad.

FYI, box reads "Traditional Table Telephone" and the label on the box
reads:

AT&T Refurbished <date>
SET TEL-R2500DMG-3
<bar code>
104 033 964
Traditional TT Desk Black
SKU: 40501
Qty: 1 Wt: 5 lbs


Glen C. Hoag          email: [e-mail]
Programmer            phone: [phone]
Lamir Software Corp.  Huntsville, AL, USA

------------------------------

From: Thomas Miles <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 02:36:00 gmt


In TELECOM Digest 3/2/94, [e-mail] quotes (and editor
replies):

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Not that I know of. Before name/number
> combinations (which existed almost from the beginning in big cities)
> there were just numbers. In small towns, one to four digit numbers were
> common and that was it. If a town had only one exchange, or switchboard,
> its name was usually the name of the town where it was located, and
> reciting it as part of the number was redundant. When things expanded
> to include names, some towns got to keep their (town) name as the phone
> exchange name; i.e. Atlantic City, NJ still has the exchange name
> ATlantic City, although 285-xxxx is the way it is expressed now. Where
> conflicts occurred, they made up other names for conflicting exchanges.

This situation still exists in the UK, although it is changing gradually.

Before inter-office dialing arrived (so-called Subscriber Trunk
Dialing STD) in the '60s (I think) exchanges were known by name
(usually town, sometimes obscure eg Pangle).  Numbers could be three,
four or five digits except for the big cities (London, Manchester etc)
which were All Figure Numbers, seven digits.

With the arrival of STD, everyone still showed their number as
Exchange Name XXXX,, and the Post Office (as it was then) issued a
booklet of access codes.  Local dialing was sorted by a great
profusion of varying prefixes (mostly 8's and 9's, sometimes 8x, 8xx,
9x, 9xx etc).  Dialing the STD code for local calls worked, but I
understand you got charged a toll rate.  STD codes also varied in
length -- usually the longer your phone number, the shorter the STD
(but some numbers could be dialed in as few as seven or eight digits
from anywhere in the UK).

This is sometimes still the case, and the phone books still list your
phone number as Exchange name XXXXXX (and you have to refer to another
list to dial it!!).

BT is gradually changing all this.  Apart from the All Figure Numbers,
things are moving to everyone having a four digit STD 0XXX and a six
digit number.  Also, more All figure areas have been created (eg many
exchanges around Newcastle were made all figure a few years ago.)

Beginning next year, the STD goes up to five digits, and sometime after
that I expect that exchange names will be history.

Part of the pain involved in all this is that the STDs were assigned
in alphabetic sequence based on the major routing exchanges, not
geographically. For example the STDs for Winchester and Watford are
close, but the towns aren't.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: That is the way area codes are here.
Unlike the Postal Service ZIP (zone improvement plan) codes which
begin with low digits (zero and one) on the east coast and become
larger (eight and nine as the first digit) when you reach the west
coast, telephone area codes here are a hodge-podge; they are whatever
they are wherever they are. 212 is in New York and 213 is in California
some four thousand miles away. 316 is in Kansas while 315 is also in
New York, with 312 in Chicago, 313 in Detroit and 314 in St. Louis. None
of the above are anywhere close to the others.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 13:53:01 EST
From: Tony Harminc <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Program For Microwave Radio Links


 From: [e-mail] (Dino Moriello):

> I'm a microwave radio tech.  My company has over 300 microwave sites
> and I have the following question:

> We installed a hop last summer that runs east-west and we noticed that
> at a certain time during the summer the sun got right in line with one
> of the dishes causing the noise level on the receiving antenna to go
> sky high and cause a cut off of the link during the entire time that
> the sun is in line with the two dishes at 7GHZ.

> Is there a way to predict when these outages will occur, either using
> a software program or by hand?

It's certainly predictable, and shouldn't be hopelessly hard to do
from first principles (but I'm not volunteering).  A few years ago
when I was talking to Telesat about some VSAT links, they offered to
provide the sun transit dates and times for each of our proposed
sites.  Of course satellite dishes are typically pointing southwest in
your part of the world, and characteristics will be different from
terrestrial microwave in other ways, but I would think the same
formula would apply.  You could try asking Telesat (unless -- or even
if -- you are a competitor of theirs).


Tony Harminc

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #91
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #92

TELECOM Digest     Mon, 21 Feb 94 05:12:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 92

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    US West WA State Payphone Restrictions (Bruce Miller)
    These Cell Phones Don't Work - Why? (Sean Petty)
    Monster (800) Number ([e-mail])
    GSM Packet Data Addressing? (Antti Hannula)
    Information on Americom Communications Inc. (Steve Hutzley)
    Answering Machine Accepting Collect Calls (Deborah Castillo)
    Area Code Closeness (Paul Robinson)
    Cheap Long Distance (Allen Walker)
    Unattended File Transfer Program (Shareware) (Bob Malik)
    Pac Bell 1994 ISDN Plans (Bob Larribeau)
    General Magic? (Antti Hannula)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
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The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
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To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 01:56:10 PST
From: Bruce Miller <[e-mail]>
Subject: US West WA State Payphone Restrictions


BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

In re the Investigation on the  )
Commission's Motion             )  DOCKET NO. UT-940171
                                )
PAY TELEPHONE CALL              )  NOTICE OF INQUIRY
RESTRICTION                     )
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . )

      The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
establishes this inquiry, on a subject of possible rulemaking, to
discover information and to evaluate options to reduce disruptive or
illicit activity at locations of public pay telephones in the State.

      In 1993, U S WEST Communications, Inc. (U S WEST), requested a
declaratory ruling that WAC 480-120-138, the Commission's principal
pay telephone rule, allowed the company to configure pay telephones so
that location providers or adjacent businesses could temporarily
disable the telephones' ability to accept coins. [1] The Commission
entered an order on June 2, 1993, declaring that existing rules did
not permit the proposed action.  The order recognized the interests
involved, and suggested that if U S WEST wished to pursue the issue,
it come forward with more information to seek either a waiver of the
existing rule or a change in the rule.

      The company did request a rule change. [2] On December 9, 1993,
it petitioned the commission to change WAC 480-120-138 to allow it to
restrict certain pay telephones (at the request of the subscriber,
community, space provider, or law enforcement agency) from accepting
coins between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.  Emergency access and operator
assistance would be available from the coin restricted instruments,
and the phones would be clearly posted.

      The Commission found that it still did not have information
sufficient to satisfy it that the proposal was the most appropriate
way to handle the varied interests involved.  The company withdrew the
proposal with the Commission's consent at its open public meeting on
February 9, 1994.

      The Commission has recognized the troublesome nature of complex
conflicting public interests: in public safety and freedom from
illicit activity, on the one hand, and in convenient and predictable
telephone access, on the other.

  __________________________

[1] Docket No. UT-930430.

[2] Docket No. UT-931556.  It also requested a waiver of the rule to
allow coin disabling at limited locations, which the Commission is
considering in Docket No. UT-931491.


DOCKET N0. UT-940171                                       PAGE 2

      The Commission also recognizes that complete removal of a pay
telephone is a possible alternative if other measures, including law
enforcement intervention, cannot control illicit activity that
interferes with personal security or public safety.  When that
happens, no public telephone service at all is available.  The
existing rule allows restriction of a pay telephone to one-way service
upon written request by a law enforcement agency.  Many of the
affected phones have already been restricted to one-way service, the
illicit behavior is still occurring, and some space providers have
asked U S WEST to remove the phones.

      To learn more about these pay telephone problems and to consider
options, the Commission has ordered that this Notice of Inquiry be
issued and that the Commission and its Staff gather information and
promote dialogue aimed at understanding and resolving conflicting
public interests.

      The Commission has attached to this notice a summary of
background factors and potential issues, and a list of questions for
commenters to address.  Interested persons have the following
opportunity to present comments to the Commission:

      Written comments should be sent to Steve McLellan,
      Secretary, Washington Utilities and Transportation
      Commission, 1300 Evergreen Park Drive S.W., Olympia, WA
      98504-7250, to reach the Commission by March 9, 1994.
      Please mark all comments with Docket No. UT-940171.

      Informal work sessions will be held after public comment is
received, to allow representatives of affected groups or institutions
to discuss information and explore solutions.

      The Commission also anticipates holding one or more meetings to
receive oral comment when specific rule amendments are being
evaluated.  It will notify every commenter, and every other person who
asks for the notification, of the time and place of those meetings.

       DATED at Olympia, Washington this 9th day of February
 1994.

       WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

                                 /signed/
                                 Steve McLellan, Secretary


 INQUIRY ON PAY TELEPHONE COIN RESTRICTION                 PAGE 1
 DOCKET NO. UT-940171

 INTERESTS AT ISSUE; SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

 The Commission invites interested persons to address
 comments to the following issues and specific questions.  Please
 note that this is not a ballot in which votes will be counted,
 but a way to identify public opinion and hear suggestions for
 further discussion.  If you see other interests or have comments
 not addressed to the questions, please describe those to the
 Commission.  Every comment is valuable.

 AFFECTED INTERESTS

       The Commission has identified the following interests
 affected by illicit pay phone use and its consequences:

 *     Illicit activity at a pay telephone site can be disruptive
       to a neighborhood, a potential source of crime and a strong
       deterrent to law-abiding customers' patronization of nearby
       businesses.

 *     Reasonable access to pay phones is needed by consumers.
       Some may not have residential phone service, and pay
       telephones may be their only source of telecommunications.
       Some may be tourists or visitors in the community.

 *     Reasonable public telecommunications access is also needed
       for personal emergencies not involving a direct threat to
       life or property, such as auto breakdowns, delays, etc.

 *     Areas most prone to illicit behavior near public telephones
       may be areas in which public telephones are most needed.

 *     Non-emergency calls may be routed to emergency 911, simply
       because the caller does not have a calling card, coins are
       not accepted, and the only coin-free access is to 911.  Such
       calls could interfere with emergency 911 service.

 *     Coin restriction also results in higher, operator-assisted
       rates.  Some consumers, for some calls, may be unable to
       call collect or bill a third party.

 *     Some alternate operator service companies may charge higher
       than the prevailing operator assisted rates, perhaps paying
       a commission to the location owner or charging a location
       surcharge that directly benefits the location owner.  This
       could provide an economic incentive to restrict coin use.

 *     Complete removal of telephones may reduce the public's
       telecommunications convenience and emergency access.


 DOCKET NO. UT-940171                                         PAGE 2

 POSSIBLE OPTIONS:

       The Commission has identified the following possible
 options.  Please describe any experiences you have had with these
 or other options, state any statistics you have regarding success
 or failure, and describe public response.  Please state your
 opinion of the various options, and add any additional ideas you
 may have about the effectiveness of any option.

 *     Allowing coin restriction from 6:00 pm. to 6:00 arm. at the
       option of the pay phone provider, space provider, law
       enforcement agency, or other decider.

 *     Allowing coin-restricted hours varying by location, when the
       problem specifically occurs at that telephone location.

       Offering debit cards through local merchants.

 *     Replacing coin telephones with credit-only phones.

 *     Replacing touch-tone telephones with rotary dial phones,
       although this would limit access to tone generated services
       such as voice mail, bank by phone, out-dialling [sic] to pagers.

 *     Disabling key pads after X number of digits are entered --
       also limiting use of tone-generated services.

 *     Locating pay phones only in well lighted, clean areas.

 *     Video monitoring the phone (with a notice on or near the
       phone stating that callers are monitored).

 *     Playing distracting music near the pay telephone.

 *     Reducing the number of phones in a bank Of phones.

 *     Removing telephones completely at locations experiencing
       problems.


 SPECIFIC QUESTIONS:

       The Commission asks interested persons to address any
 potential solutions identified above, and to answer any questions
 in the following list that are pertinent to your situation.

 *     Do you have residential telephone service?  Do you have a
       calling card?  Do you use pay telephones?  How often?  At
       what time, in general --  daytime, evening, or night, or a
       combination?  When you use pay telephones, generally, do you
       use coins to make your call, a calling card, or other
       billing?  (Please specify)


 DOCKET NO. UT-940171                                       PAGE 3

 *     Have you been frightened to use a telephone or to patronize
       a business, because of behavior near a pay telephone?  If
       so, please describe the circumstances.

 *     How would you feel about restricting coin calling from some
       pay telephones between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., if 911
       emergency and operator assistance are available?  Would you
       feel differently if the time were shortened, say between
       10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.?  Would any other times affect your
       answer?  Why?

 *     What circumstances (if any) justify coin restrictions?  If a
       pay telephone were coin restricted, would the problem simply
       move to a different pay telephone?  Would the problem still
       exist around a coin-restricted pay telephone?

 *     How would a coin restricted phone affect persons in the
       neighborhood, who may not have a phone?  If you have no
       residential telephone service, do you rely on pay
       telephones?  For what kinds of calls do you use the pay
       telephone?  How do you think a coin restricted phone would
       affect other residents in the neighborhood?  Would locally
       available debit cards offer effective alternative access to
       coin restricted phones, or would they defeat the purpose of
       coin restriction in the first place?

 *     Should coin restriction be allowed only when operator
       services are offered at or below prevailing rates, or at
       coin rates?

 *     Is the consumer best served by allowing a form of
       restriction on the use of pay telephone, or simply by
       removing the phone?

 *     Is it a law enforcement responsibility to work with the
       companies and affected groups about this issue, rather than
       the Commission's responsibility?

 *     How may we measure the effectiveness of any solution?  What
       criteria can be used?

            Please add any other comments about this issue.

For more information please contact Suzanne Stillwell, Consumer
Affairs section, at 1-800-562-6150.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Sean Petty)
Subject: These Cell Phones Dont Work - Why?
Date: 20 Feb 1994 18:18:52 GMT
Organization: Msen, Inc. -- Ann Arbor, MI (account info: [phone])


The customers on the other end were quite unhappy.  Aparently their
cellular phones had almost instantly ALL stopped working.  It had us
baffled, and we requested several of them to come into the shop so
that we could further investigate the phenomenon.  A serious look at
many mobiles showed us that the phones would no longer work on the
Comcast System, they were denied access and the phone went into roam.
Switching them to the 'B' system (Bell Atlantic) revealed that the
phones worked flawlessly on the competitor's equipment.

When we contacted Comcast, they were less than helpful, almost seeming
as if they were hiding some bit of technical gem, and they refused to
give us a reason as to why all of these phones mysteriously quit
working.  The only information they provided was that they had
upgraded some equipment and no longer supported the phones.  The
customers were obviously unhappy and many switched to the 'B' system,
although Comcast did upgrade some of them.

Anyhow, the other day Comcast published a letter saying: "The following
phones are not compatible with our system -- all Motorola Model 8000-D's,
All Harris Equipment, All Sony Portables that have a Black label under
the battery, and All Panasonic HP 500's that haven't been upgraded."

Why are these phones different from all others that make them
incompatible?


Sean

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 13:26:10 EST
Subject: Monster (800) Number


On the 'Monsters of the Gridiron' promotion ...

> By the way, does anyone have any details about the platform they
> used for this particular promotion?  Or even some numbers such as how
> many calls, how many ports, etc?

I don't have any specific information on that particular promotion,
but I did read an article recently on a similar promotion ran by Diet
Pepsi. Their (800) number WAS (800) CALL-RAY. After being connected
you got to hear an interactive recording of Ray Charles and the
'Uh-Huh Girls'. They sent out the phone number via direct mail
(1,000,000 mailings) and got a bit over half a million calls. The
calls were handled by a company named West Interactive of Omaha, NB,
who claimed that 98% of the people who called actually listened
through the whole 3 1/2 minute message. Those who responded had a
chance to win a one-year supply of Diet Pepsi, and other miscellaneous
instant prizes. BTW, NO the number is not still working.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Antti Hannula)
Subject: GSM Packet Data Addressing
Date: 20 Feb 94 18:45:08 GMT
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology


I would like to have information on the GSM Data Packet protocol.
I've been told that GSM data is essentially 'slower' ISDN over the
radioways. What does it mean in the compatibility etc. terms?

How is the destination computer addressed from a mobile terminal using
GSM packet data? Is it an ISDN number or something else?  For the
other end, does it look like a short connection or is it maybe using
the 16k D-channel?

Does anyone also know how would a server be like in order to provide
information server for this GSM data protocol?

All information concerning these problems is greatly appreciated,
including pointers to other information sources on the subjects.


Antti Hannula    [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steve Hutzley)
Subject: Information on Americom Communications Inc.
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 15:03:40 GMT


Dear Netters,

I am seeking any information on a long distance/800 telephone company
called AMERICOM COMMUNICATIONS INC., of Dayton, OH.

ANY information is greatly appreciated.

Please respond to:

[e-mail]

Thank you in advance.


Steve

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (deborah castillo)
Subject: Answering Machine Accepting Collect Calls
Date: 20 Feb 1994 03:02:24 -0700
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque


I was wondering if a phone company will let someone leave a message on
my answering machine if this person calls collect, and I leave a
message such as "We will accept charges for collect calls from xyz"???
The reason I need to know is because I will be out of town, and won't
know at what number I can be reached. I have some relatives coming in
on an international flight the same day. I just want them to be able
to leave a message to me in case they get delayed etc.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Joke first, then a serious note -- tell
your relatives to use a COCOT/AOS instead of a Genuine Bell phone. A lot
of them are known to mysteriously process collect calls to phone bills
which 'someone' approved. After the fact, they'll claim your answering
machine must have 'pressed one to accept this call' or whatever.  :)
The real answer to your question is you should record your greeting to
include the phrase, "operator, we will accept collect calls at this
number". Obviously, you don't want to have that phrase on your machine
except for the minimum amount of time you are in-transit. If you can
change it remotely once you have a number where calls can be received
then obviously you should do so. That phrase is usually only left on
an answering machine on a permanent basis when a company is using it
instead of an 800 number for whatever reason. Operators (at least the
Bell/AT&T kind) are supposed to honor it.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 06:43:35 EST
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Area Code Closeness
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


Telecom Digest Editor noted:

> 212 is in New York and 213 is in California some four thousand miles away.

And other mentions: 312 in Chicago; 313 in Detroit.  And here's one
long string: 413 in Massachusetts, 414 in Milwaukee, 415 in San
Francisco, 416 in Toronto, etc.

The most unusual one I noticed was a combined set.  I always wondered
why they had never reversed the two; had they done so, _both_ areas
could have allowed people to advertise phone numbers of eight digits.

The two areas were Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles/Southern
California (back then).  Los Angeles is 213, Dallas is 214; Fort Worth
is 713, Orange County and the rest of Southern California (was then)
714.  Had they switched these, the Southern California area could have
allowed people to advertise an 8 digit number starting with 3 or 4,
since they would all have started with 21 or 71.  And the Metroplex
could have done the exact same thing only using the other two-digit
group.

I sometimes wondered why, when the new area code system was being intro-
duced, that something akin to the Zip Code(R) system wasn't created,
where the U.S. and Canada were broken into perhaps six or eight areas,
and in each area the states were assigned a block of numbers corresponding
to their prior usage, multiplied by 3 or 10, e.g. California would probably
be assigned all of the numbers, say, 220-299, while the 320-399 group
might encompass Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and
Hawaii.  Then you might have the 820-899 or 920-999 (or both) groups
being used for the "non-assigned" number codes the way 700, 800 and
900 numbers are now.

Well, twenty years from now when they probably have to change the area
code system by adding another digit either to the phone number or the
area codes (or both) to cover growth, I hope perhaps then they might
consider some change that would make more sense.  (The telephone
companies think this change will last some fifty years, but with the
massive changes already happening, I suspect that we will eat the
additional 600+ area codes a lot faster than they think.)

Let's consider: if they add one digit to the prefix code, making
prefixes four digits, and one to the area code, making area codes four
digits, it would make telephone numbers uniform at 4-4-4 digits.  On
the other hand, it would make them harder to memorize since seven is,
based on many tests, the "standard memory size" of the human brain.
Perhaps simply moving to four digit area codes some twenty years from
now is enough; it would allow all local calls to remain seven digits
while the area code expands, the way it did "twenty years ago back in
1995."

We don't have video telephones yet, which could be on a different set
of exchanges the way telex machines were; a movie could be assigned a
telephone number during the week it's in use, or on a regular basis,
just like 900 numbers are used to record polls.

There are a lot of things we can probably do in the future we can't
dream of now, which will probably eat telephone numbers (and area
codes) even faster than we do now.


Paul Robinson -- [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The idea behind the original numbering
scheme was to make the additional three digits as easy and fast to
dial as possible in a time when rotary (pulse) dialing was the
accepted standard. Although in the 1940-60 period, 'long dial pulls'
were quite fashionable (and businesses wanted whenever possible to
have a number ending in 'thousand' or 'hundred', the thinking was the
public would not like having long dial pulls for area codes. So the
places deemed to get the most calls via the long distance network from
around the country got the low numbered, 'short pull' area codes, ie.
New York = five pulses (212); Chicago and Los Angeles = six pulses
(312 and 213); Detroit = seven pulses (313) along with other areas
ranking about the same in population (214 and 412).  But forty years
ago when the current plan was started, New York, Chicago and Los
Angeles were the major centers of commerce in the USA with Detroit
very close behind. I do not know why Washington DC and the Maryland
suburbs of DC got fourteen pulses (202 and 301) or why the Virginia
suburbs of DC got twenty pulses (703). Generally by the time one got
to the 15-20 pulse area codes (702, 801, 602, etc) one would be in
(back then) relatively deserted, out of the way places such as Nevada,
Utah and Arizona with their sparce populations). The early use of
area codes requiring more than twenty pulses (808, 809, was almost
non-existent but a few were around. So that was the thinking: make
it a quick job to dial long distance calls yourself at a time when
long distance operators were still putting through the bulk of the
LD traffic as Direct Distance Dialing (DDD) was getting phased in.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: Allen Walker <[e-mail]>
Subject: Cheap Long Distance!
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 11:02:42 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


GTI telecom introduces the lowest long distance telephone rates
imaginable!  Here is some information about the CALL AMERICA TRAVEL
PLAN from GTI. Calls may be placed TO and FROM any of the 50 states at
ANYTIME of the DAY at the incredible rate of $2.60 per hour. This
means you can call 24hrs/7 days a week at this rate!  Here's how the
plan works:

GTI offers it's service via an 800 number so you will not have to
change your long distance carrier to signup. All members are given two
(2) PIN codes to access the system. The first PIN code, allows you to
make calls at the incredible rate of only $2.60 per call. Each of
these calls may last up to one hour in duration. However, if you spend
LESS than one minute, you will only be billed $.30 instead of $2.60.
If your call extends past one hour you will be billed 17.5
cents/minute (6 second increments) every minute thereafter. The second
PIN code is used for those short calls you make. These calls are
billed at a FLAT rate of 17.5 cents/minute (6 sec increments), again
with no time restrictions. This rate is still very competitive against
major carriers at DAYTIME and some EVENING rates. Calls to Canada and
Puerto Rico are a flat $.48/min and $.24/min respectively.

Here is a typical question people ask:

What if I don't use a FULL hour? Even if you only use 25 minutes with your
HOUR PIN code you will still save money. If the call lasts 25 minutes at 13
cents/min the call will cost you $3.25 compared to GTI's $2.60. And 13
cents/min is often the cheapest rate you can call with other major carriers.
So either way you will save. What's more, you can use this from any phone in
the USA!

This may sound to good to be TRUE but it isn't. GTI is expanding on a
daily basis and the service is excellent. The cost to signup is a one
time $25 registration fee. This is accompanied by a 60 DAY RISK FREE
GUARANTEE, meaning your $25 will be refunded if you wish to cancel
within that period of time. If you wish to have a signup brochure sent
to you via USMAIL or have any other questions, send EMAIL replys to:
[e-mail]. Please include your postal address if you wish to
have the brochure sent to you now.


Thank you!


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've got an idea there is *something* we
are overlooking or not hearing about here. If anyone gets the brochure on
this, perhaps they will kindly type it in or summarize it further.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bob Malik)
Subject: Unattended File Transfer Program (Shareware)
Date: 20 Feb 1994 16:22:45 GMT
Organization: University of Florida, Gainesville


Is there a Shareware program available which is like pcAnywhere or
LapLink V?  I've been looking for something that provides the
capability to perform scheduled (timed) file transfers unattended.

I've looked at TeleReplica (TR4-26.zip) -- with it you can control
another PC (remote computing) using a Modem, but you can't really set
it up to do what I want.

Also, I've looked at DATTRF.zip.

If anyone has any info on this, please reply and post a message in
the Digest, or you can send me email at:

    [e-mail]


Thanks,

Bob Malik    [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: Bob Larribeau <[e-mail]>
Subject: Pac Bell 1994 ISDN Plans
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 13:25:47 -0800
Organization: Consultant


Pac Bell recently provided some information on changes on their
ISDN tariffs and service at an Executive Council meeting that may
be of general interest.

Centrex ISDN:

A tariff simplification is planned for mid-year that will include
reducing it down to one offering at $31.65 per month which

 . includes loop extension beyond 18 kft.
 . includes 2 B-channels of circuit voice or data
 . D-packet will be $4.00 per month additional

SDS IS:

Single line business service tariff will not be changed.  Current
tariff is $27.85 per month plus usage.

Home ISDN:

A residential ISDN tariff will be offered during the summer at $27.95
pr month.  Usage charges will apply only during 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on
weekdays.  It will be charged on a flat rate basis at nights and
weekends outside of this peak period.

 . includes loop extension beyond 18 kft.
 . includes 2 B-channels of circuit voice or data
 . D-packet will be $4.00 per month additional
 . $125 installation charge will be waived with 2 year commitment

Primary Rate ISDN:

Tariff is under redesign and a new tariff will be available before the
end of 1994.

ISDN Availability:

Pac Bell will begin implementation of an ISDN ANYWHERE program to
provide ISDN to all Pac Bell customers at tariffed rates regardless of
whether ISDN is supplied by the local office or not.

 . it utilizes offices where ISDN is already deployed
 . based on aggregation of demand, it could allow for 100%
availability with acceptance of a number change.

ISDN Service Center:

Pac Bell will complete implementation of an ISDN service center that
will take all BRI orders by mid-year.  It will have a statewide 800
number.

Pac Bell ISDN Information:

Switched Services Availability Hotline: [phone]

Pac Bell Applications Bulletin Board:
 . analog dialup  510-277-1037
 . ISDN line      510-823-4888

Ordering Information:  1-800-622-0735


Bob Larribeau   San Francisco

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Antti Hannula)
Subject: General Magic?
Date: 20 Feb 94 19:18:16 GMT
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology


I read an article about AT&T's and other's General Magic and
Telescript systems. It sounds like very potential platform to
implements some nice services, but currently I have no idea how to get
more information on this.

Does anyone know more about this? Information on the systems itself, how
to develop an application with this etc?

All information will be greatly appreciated, thanks!


Antti Hannula   Helsinki University of Technology  [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #92
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #93

TELECOM Digest     Mon, 21 Feb 94 06:48:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 93

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Nynex and RBOCs (Bob Frankston)
    History of Numbers in UK (Richard Cox)
    U.C. Berkeley Short Courses on High Speed Communications (Harvey Stern)
    Asynchronous Transfer Mode (Ed Wolfe)
    Talking Caller ID Boxes? (Elana Beach)
    International Audiotext Provider Wanted (Fabrio Renato)
    Excel Telecommunications (Matthew L. Blackmon)
    AirTouch Communications (Michael Judson)
    900 Numbers in California (Van Hefner)
    Need Textbook! (Dennis O. Gehris)
    Information Wanted on Network Card (Ethan Brofman)
    RBOC Names (Cliff Sharp)
    100mbit Testers (Jack Pestaner)
    Telemate Source and Company (Steve Bauer)
    Frame Relay Information Needed (Peter Gibson)
    Last Laugh! New Element Discovered (John Shaver)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Nynex and RBOCs
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 20:16 -0400


{I should preface these remarks by saying that I'm not really
suffering too badly due to this outage since I've got other ways of
making outgoing calls and my computer data lines do work. But the tone
does represent general frustration with the lack of a competitive
marketplace.}

It's too bad there isn't local loop competition yet. I like to fantasize
innovative services.

My phone (and a few hundred others) have been out since Friday even
due to some sort of cable break. It is supposed to be restored by 5pm
Monday (Of course, it's slipping day by day).

I finally asked them to busy out my lines so that callers don't simply
get a ringing that indicates I'm simply too arrogant to own an
answering machine.  Why isn't SOP to place an out of order signal on
the line. The only explanation is they're the Phone Company (Capital
letters since there is only one!!). Of course, if they had a modicum
of intelligence they would provide a recording explaining the problem
and offer free voice mail services until the serivce is restored and
then automatically forward the message (like ATT does for its message
forwarding service). But, again, why should they bother.

When I call repair, I randomly get a service that asks me to key in my
phone number (after waiting till I hear enough of their message
because they can't hear tones while they are blabbering about how to
operate the silly system).  Of course, when I do get a repair person,
the number doesn't appear on their screen. That would take some
internal coordination.

I'll writeup my ISDN experiences separately. I do have ISDN working
but the sales literature hasn't been updated since about 1980 when
they though 9600 bps was fast enough for LANs. They are clueless as to
uses for the service.

My wife's reaction on reading this is MONDAY 5PM!!!!!! She's not
as calm about it. My reaction is moderated by my limited expectations.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Exactly where is/what caused this cable
problem and why is it taking three or four days to fix?  Be sure to ask
for credit for the time your phone was out of service.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 18:23 GMT
From: Richard Cox <[e-mail]>
Subject: History of Numbers in UK
Reply-To: [e-mail]


Thomas Miles <[e-mail]> said, about numbering in the UK:

> Before inter-office dialing arrived (so-called Subscriber Trunk
> Dialing STD) in the '60s (I think) exchanges were known by name
> (usually town, sometimes obscure eg Pangle).  Numbers could be three,
> four or five digits except for the big cities (London, Manchester etc)
> which were All Figure Numbers, seven digits.

BEFORE the STD system arrived here, all numbers on automatic exchanges
had an exchange name, and between two and five numerical digits.  Not
all the numbers could be dialled directly when calling from outside
the area served by each exchange.  Two digit numbers were on very
primitive exchanges, and in all cases the Post Office operator had to
set up every out-of-area call to and from these numbers.

In the six largest cities (London, Birmingham, Liverpool Manchester,
Edinburgh and Glasgow) every exchange had a "local" name and the first
three letters of this were the dialling code from nearby exchanges.

This (almost) equated to the system used in the USA, except that in the
UK it was always three letters and four digits - there were no cases of
two letters and five digits.

> Dialing the STD code for local calls worked, but I understand you got
> charged a toll rate.

Not true.  The charges were the same, whether the "local" or STD codes
were dialled.  Except, of course, where the "local" code was a
concatenation of other local codes designed to bypass the STD charging
system.  Until STD arrived, the UK had flat-rate-per-call calling for
local calls; after that even local calls were charged by duration
(except in Hull where the Post Office's warrant did not run!)

> some numbers could be dialed in as few as seven or eight digits
> from anywhere in the UK).

Never seven digits -- the routing system would not accept less than
eight.  But eight digit (national) numbers still exist in a number of
places (although they are mostly being phased out at the moment).

> things are moving to everyone having a four digit STD 0XXX and a six
> digit number.

Not true.  Things are moving to everyone having a ten digit (national)
number -- some in the form four digits code + six digits local, but
there are several parts of the UK where five digits code + five digits
local will remain the standard -- at least as the current plan stands.
And in the "larger cities" the original standard remains: three digits
code, plus three digits district and four digits local number.  The
"larger cities" include London, Birmingham, Liverpool Manchester,
Edinburgh and Glasgow, plus the area round Newcastle which works
differently.  Next year (April 1995) five more cities will be added to
the list: they are Bristol, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and Leicester.

> Also, more All Figure areas have been created

Only the one (Area code 091).  This includes Newcastle, Washington,
(*not* DC!) Durham and Sunderland.  In all the other "larger cities",
all calls within the city area are treated as a single zone for
charging purposes ... in 091 there are three separate charging zones.

> Beginning next year, the STD goes up to five digits

Only some of them!

> STDs were assigned in alphabetic sequence based on the major routing
> exchanges, not geographically

Not quite.  Every exchange was put in a group (for charging purposes)
and the group was given a name -- usually that of the town or county
etc -- from which one or (usually) two letters were extracted.  These
letters, plus an arbitrary digit, became the rounting code (which was
always prefixed with a "0").  Thus I was (and still am!) 0CA2 for
CArdiff; while a village six miles away was put in the 0GG6 group (for
GlamorGan county).  Some letter combinations were a little artificial,
but that was unavoidable given the need to make the best use of all
the available codes!

And PAT added:
> telephone area codes here are a hodge-podge; they are whatever they
> are wherever they are. 212 is in New York and 213 is in California
> some four thousand miles away. 316 is in Kansas while 315 is also in
> New York, with 312 in Chicago, 313 in Detroit and 314 in St. Louis.

I understood that the US system was designed to minimise the register
holding time, for pulse dialing callers.  Thus New York, the most
popular destination, got 212 ... Los Angeles 213, etc.  There were
other rules limiting adjacent combinations but that was the basic way
the system was set up.  With all that effort to reduce register
holding times, it's a bit odd that telcos still charge *extra* for
tone dialing!


Richard D G Cox
Mandarin Technology, P.O. Box 111, Penarth, South Glamorgan, Wales:  CF64 3YG
Voice: 0956 700111 Fax: [phone]  VoiceMail: 0941 151515 Pager 0941 115555
E-mail address: [e-mail] - PGP2.3 public key available on request

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: U.C. Berkeley Short Courses on High Speed Communications
Date: 20 Feb 1994 19:58:01 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley


U.C. Berkeley Continuing Education in Engineering
Announces 3 Short Courses on Communications Technology

SONET/ATM-BASED BROADBAND NETWORKS: Systems, Architectures and Designs
(April 18-19, 1994)

It is widely accepted that future broadband networks will be based on
the SONET (Synchronous Optical Network) standards and the ATM
(Asynchronous transfer Mode) technique.  This course is an in-depth
examination of the fundamental concepts and the implementation issues
for development of future high-speed networks.  Topics include:
Broadband ISDN Transfer Protocol, high speed computer/network
interface (HiPPI), ATM switch architectures, ATM network
congestion/flow control, VLSI designs in SONET/ATM networks.

Lecturer: H. Jonathan Chao, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Brooklyn
Polytechnic University.  Dr. Chao holds more than a dozen patents and
has authored over 40 technical publications in the areas of ATM
switches, high-speed computer communications, and congestion/flow
control in ATM networks.

GIGABIT/SEC DATA AND COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS:
Internetworking, Signaling and Network Management
(April 20-21, 1994)

This short course aims to provide a general understanding of the key
issues needed to design and implement gigabit local and wide area
networks.  The topics are designed to compliment those covered in the
SONET/ATM-Based Broadband Networks course (above).  Topics include:
technology drivers, data protocols, signaling, network management,
internetworking and applications.  Specific issues addressed include
TCP/IP on ATM networks, design of high performance network interfaces,
internetworking ATM networks with other network types, and techniques
for transporting video over gigabit networks.

Lecturer: William E. Stephens, Ph.D., Director, High-Speed Switching
and Storage Technology Group, Applied Research, Bellcore.  Dr.
Stephens has over 40 publications and one patent in the field of
optical communications.  He has served on several technical program
committees, including IEEE GLOBECOM and the IEEE Electronic Components
Technology Conference, and has served as Guest Editor for the IEEE
Journal on Selected Areas in Communications.

PERSONAL (WIRELESS) COMMUNICATION NETWORKS:  Cellular
Systems, Wireless Data Networks, and Broadband Wireless Access
(April 20-22, 1994)

This comprehensive course focuses on principles, technologies, system
architectures, standards, equipment, implementation, public policy,
and evolving trends in wireless networks.  Topics include: modulation,
coding, and signal processing; first generation systems; second
generation systems; broadband networks; third generation systems; and
applications and technology trends.  This course is intended for
engineers who are currently active or anticipate future involvement in
this field.

Lecturer: Anthony S. Acampora, Ph.D., Professor, Electrical
Engineering, Columbia University.  He is Director, Center for
Telecommunications Research. He became a professor following a 20 year
career at AT&T Bell Laboratories, is an IEEE Fellow, and is a former
member of the IEEE Communications Society Board of Governors.


For more information (complete course descriptions, outlines, instructor
bios, etc.) contact:

Harvey Stern
U.C. Berkeley Extension/Southbay
800 El Camino Real Ste. 150
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Tel: [phone]  Fax: [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 20:41:40 EST
From: Ed Wolfe <[e-mail]>
Subject: Asynchronous Transfer Mode
Organization: Penn State University


I'm working a paper for a data com class and need some information on
ATM.  Does anybody have information relating to this?  Please send
replies to [e-mail].


Thanks in advance,

Ed

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Elana Beach)
Subject: Talking Caller ID Boxes
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 21:07:04 GMT


I figure that by now, someone has invented and is marketing Caller ID
boxes for the blind that speak instead of (or as well as) putting the
number on a LCD display.  Where do I find one?  I am not visually
impaired, but it sure would be convenient to be able to just listen
for the ID when the phone is ringing rather than having to stop what I
am doing and always run to the box to look at it.  Any ideas out
there?


Elana

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Fabrio Renato)
Subject: International Audiotext Provider Wanted
Date: 20 Feb 1994 23:06:37 GMT
Organization: [MindVox] / Phantom Access Technologies / (+1 800-MindVox)


I am looking for a reliable international audiotext provider company. Any
help would be appreciated.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Matthew L. Blackmon)
Subject: Excel Telecommunications
Date: 20 Feb 1994 11:49:53 -0500
Organization: CS Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville


Greetings:

Has anyone heard of a long distance carrier named Excel
Telecommunciations?  My friend has been invited to join in this
"business opportunity", however in my experience and with my industry
knowledge (albeit limited, see my .sig), it strikes me as not being
legitimate, although they make many claims that I am trying to verify.

Please note that I have absolutely no interest in this project, other
that the fact that being the "computer and phone guy" gets me tapped
for free advice more often that I like. :-) Anyone else with that
problem?

Please email me, and I will post a summary if there is any (unlikely)
interest in the follow-up (please email me about the summary also to
avoid the "inevitable" me-too posts)..

Thanks for any help that you can offer.


Matt Blackmon [e-mail]  [e-mail]
Department of Computer Science     Manager, Network Engineering and Technology
The University of Tennessee        The University of TN Medical Center
Knoxville, Tennessee 37916         615.544.6110

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Michael Judson)
Subject: AirTouch Communications
Date: 20 Feb 1994 22:24:48 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access  [phone]  [login: guest]


Is there anybody who likes the name of PacTel's new spin-off
communications division: AirTouch Communications?  I was reading an
article regarding the name decision and they brought up the fact that
UAL's name change to Allegis failed because the name itself was not
popular.  Does anybody else see this happening to Airtouch?


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think it is sort of a cute name. I
like it.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 01:27:21 EST
Subject: 900 Numbers in California


Pacific Bell, which 'sells' regional (900) numbers has a brochure that
they send out to prospective users of the service. Here's a quote from
the brochure:

  " * California 900 Direct programs are assigned
       a specific telephone prefix based on the nature
       of their program content. The prefixes are:

       844   General Audience, recorded
               (including interactive).

       505   General audience, live (one-on-one and
                group-bridged services).

       303   Restricted adult material (live and recorded).
               Pacific Bell does not bill for programs on the
               303 prefix.

       * When you apply for service, you will be asked
          to select a prefix based on the content of your
          program.

       A telephone number that is easily remembered by your
       customers can be an effective marketing tool. If the number
       you want is available, we will honor your request. In most
       cases, a number installed for you in any Pacific Bell Service
       Area will automatically be reserved for you in all areas. If you
       start a program in only one Service Area, you may be able to
       expand to other areas using the same telephone number."

BTW, the connection charges, surcharges, and transport/billing fees
from Pacific Bell are ludicrously high. It's no wonder that most (900)
numbers are some kind of 'sex line' type of service. I can't see how
anyone else could afford to pay those fees (nothing sells like sex).
The biggest problem with running a (900) number (by FAR) is the amount
of bad debt in the industry. You've got to factor-in the fact that
between 30-50% of the people that call will never pay their bills
(Pacific Bell certainly doesn't make any mention of the fact).

Since you can not have your telephone service cut-off here for not
paying a (900) bill there is very little incentive for these (900)
callers to pay their bills.  Even though these people routinely will
not pay their bills (Pacific Bell does the billing on the local phone
bill) you will still be charged (as the 900 operator) ten cents or more
a minute for the billing, and that's for LOCAL calls. That doesn't of
course factor in the intra/inter lata charges which you are
responsible for if it's a long/short distance call (no intra-lata
competition in this part of California).

I imagine that other LEC's probably have a similar prefix 'code' for
different types of services.  I couldn't tell you whether the same
(900) number could be duplicated by someone else nationally and still
be available in a particular LEC area. Probably not.  This would
certainly cut-down the number of available numbers, if some of the
numbers are available only nationally, and some are only available
locally.


Van Hefner        Vantek Communications         [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 20 Feb 94 13:37:47 EST
From: Dennis O. Gehris <[e-mail]>
Subject: Need Textbook!


I am teaching telecommunications courses in the College of Business at
Bloomsburg University in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania (undergraduate and
graduate).

I need to select textbooks for next summer and fall.

I have been examining the following textbooks:

TELECOMMUNICATIONS:  CONCEPTS, DEVELOPMENT, AND MANAGEMENT, by Blyth and
Blyth, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1985  (This book includes the topics that I'd
like to cover, but does not include any cases.)

and

NETWORKS IN ACTION:  BUSINESS CHOICES AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS DECISIONS by
Keen and Cummins, Wadsworth., 1994 (This book includes cases but does not
cover the topics that I'd like to cover.)

The topics that I'd like to cover are as follows: History of Telecommun-
ications, Regulation, Telephony, Networks, Data Communications, Services,
Management, etc.)

Can anyone recommend another telecommunications textbook?  Please include
the title, author, publisher, and copyright date, if known.

Please send this information to [e-mail] (Internet).


Thanks,

Dennis Gehris

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ethan Brofman)
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 13:05:08 -0500
Subject: Information Wanted on Network Card


Hello,

Can someone give me info on a network card?  On the back edge of the
card is the following:

///   Standard Microsystems Corp. (c) 1985 Arcnet - PC100
\\\
///

I also have a boot prom on it.

On the boot prom:

NETWARE/SM ROM
817-132-003 REV A
D300  4/16/86

I need ALL info on it.  Please e-mail me because I don't read this
group very often.  Thanks a lot!


Ethan Brofman  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Subject: RBOC Names
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 13:19:55 CST
From: Cliff Sharp <[e-mail]>


   Remember all the hype, commercials, letters, etc. about the
changeover from using the name Illinois Bell to going by Ameritech?
The millions of dollars they spent to drive the name "Illinois Bell"
out of our minds?  I just happened to notice the cover of the Chicago
Consumer Yellow Pages.  It has a large Ameritech logo at top left,
then at the right, in smaller but prominent letters, "The official
telephone directory of Illinois Bell."

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jack Pestaner)
Subject: 100mbit Testers
Date: 20 Feb 94 22:36:13 GMT
Organization: Oregon Graduate Institute


Hi,

Does anybody know of a tester that can qualify installed 100 mbit
Level 5 cabling networks?  We want to test, from RJ45 to RJ45 through
the cable, to assure the net will function at Level 5.


Thanks,

jack

------------------------------

From: STEVE BAUER <[e-mail]>
Subject: Telemate Source and Company
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 3:55:40 CST


I presently use Telemate to analyse my SMDR data.  It is a very complex
program, but does a good job.

Telemate is from CSI (Complementary Solutions, Inc.)
4250 Perimeter Park South #200
Atlanta, GA  30341
Telephone: [phone]
FAX [phone]
Internet: [e-mail]

Hope this helps.


Steve

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Engage Communications)
Subject: Frame Relay Information Needed
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 03:47:18 GMT


I am looking for information about Frame Relay, in particular:

    - Frame Relay services in this country
    - Frame Relay standards and certification procedures
    - Implementation details/tips regarding routers using Frame
      Relay.

I would appreciate the names of books or magazine articles that would
shed some more light on this subject. Also, does anyone know of a
developers forum that I can subscribe to?


Thanks!

Peter Gibson

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 5:58:38 MST
From: John Shaver <[e-mail]>
Subject: Last Laugh: New Element Discovered


The heaviest element known to science is managerium. The element has
no protons or electrons but has a nucleus composed of one neutron, two
vice-neutrons, five assistant vice-neutrons, 25 pro vice-neutrons and
125 assistant pro vice-neutrons all going round in circles. Managerium
has a half-life of three years at which time it does not decay but
institutes a series of reviews leading to reorganization. Its
molecules are held together by means of the exchange of tiny particles
known as morons.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thanks for a cute comment to start the
new week!  :)    PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #93
*****************************


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Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 09:21:06 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #94

TELECOM Digest     Mon, 21 Feb 94 09:21:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 94

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    The "Blue Pages" -- Are Yours in Good Shape? (Will Martin)
    A.G. Bell's Last Living Grandson is Dead at 87 (Nigel D. Allen)
    Intelligent Network Services (Wayne King)
    Dvorak Offer Redux (Cliff Sharp)
    Shortage of Prefixes in 800? (Carl Moore)
    Caller-ID Question (Scott Schell)
    Percentage of DTMF Circuits (Thomas Hinders)
    Power Supply For Digital Cordless Phone (Flying Dutchman)
    Third-Party Billing (Carl Moore)
    Get Paid For Receiving Commercial Email (Sheldon W. Hoenig)
    Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free (John Galloway)
    Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free (Chaim Frenkel)
    Re: Telephone Number History (Carl Moore)
    Re: Telephone Number History (David Breneman)
    Re: Caller ID in Russia (For Curious) (John R. Levine)
    Re: Cell Phone Welcome Message (Mark Earle)
    Re: AT&T Directory Assistance Now Includes Addresses ([e-mail])
    Re: Priorities (Andrew C. Green)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 05:07:57 CST
From: Will Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: The "Blue Pages" -- Are Yours in Good Shape?


I recently had the need to look up some Missouri state government
phone numbers in the Southwestern Bell Greater St. Louis Area white
pages telephone book section that has blue edges to the paper and is
called the "Blue Pages"; this lists Federal, State, County, and City
offices.

I noticed, while doing this, that the listings were rather sloppily
formatted, sometimes contained out-of-date material, and were
incomplete.  Unfortunately, there is no number given in the directory
to call to report errors or omissions or problems in the directory
itself.  After some effort, and telephone tag thru the SW Bell
bureaucracy, I was able to contact an office at Southwestern Bell that
would accept some degree of responsibility for this section.  (They
still disclaimed actual control, referring instead to a "publications
office" which you cannot call directly because it never deals with the
public.)

I was able to get them to agree to correct some obvious errors -- for
example, the name "Mel Carnahan" (Missouri's current Governor) has
been listed as "Lieutenant Governor" in both the 1993 and new 1994
editions!  But the section on state legislators was woefully
incomplete and had someobvious formatting errors; they claimed they
couldn't make this section complete on their own -- that each
legislator had to contact them individually and request to be
included! I considered THAT to be rather outrageous.

There were other items, like the way St. Louis County was entered in
the listings -- the address for the county government center is run
together with the county name on the same line in the same typeface,
so the column headings all say:

ST LOUIS-COUNTY OF 41
   SOUTH CENTRAL --

instead of:

ST LOUIS-COUNTY OF
   41 South Central --

and SW Bell insited that THAT was the way the county government had
ordered it, and they couldn't change it. Hmmm ... Right...

So I wrote a letter to my State Representative about it.  (His name,
and that of my State Senator, were among those omitted).  In addition,
I suggested that he could get the state Public Service Commission to
promulgate an order to all telephone companies in the state to make an
active effort to keep all "government" listings up-to-date and
correct, as opposed to just passively waiting for changes from the
offices themselves.  After all, the whole purpose of these special
"blue pages" government listings is to provide information and contact
points to the public, and their accuracy is important in this regard.
The telephone companies should automatically update such listings when
elections or reorganizations change the data shown therein.  He called
me a few days later and told me that he was going to look into it and
would see what SW Bell would do about it.

Just yesterday, a person from SW Bell called me. It actually was one
of the same people I had spoken to before and who had been relatively
disinterested in trying to get the obvious errors corrected. A sudden
transformation had overcome this person -- she was all eager about how
this was going to be passed along to "higher levels" in SW Bell, and
that they were going to make a great effort to clean up this section.
She admitted there were many obvious problems and that they would be
fixed.

Well, we'll see -- there's a year until the new directory comes out.
(I had started this effort after seeing how the same errors were in
both the 93 and 94 editions.) But I found it amusing how rapidly this
sudden attitudinal change had come about ...

Also, this time there was no nonsense about how the mis-formatted
entries were there "because the customer ordered it that way";
instead, this person stated that these listings were all "free".
Somehow I doubt that -- I think these government offices are paying
business rates for their service and are entitled to listings in the
white pages just like any other business, so they are paying for the
listing just as much as "Joe's Auto Repair" is...

Anyway, I encourage all other TELECOM Digest readers to look at your
local telephone books, and see how well and accurately the government
offices are listed. If you see problems and obvious glaring errors,
raise a fuss about them! Invoke the magic initials "PSC" (or "PUC" in
some states) and see if that helps. Involve your state legislators,
especially if their own listings are wrong or missing. It might keep
them busy doing something helpful instead of what mischief they
otherwise might spend their time doing ... :-)


Regards,

Will

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 05:55:16 -0500
Subject: A.G. Bell's Last Living Grandson is Dead at 87
Organization: Internex Online (io.org) Data: 416-363-3783  Voice: 416-363-8676


The following obituary appeared in {The New York Times} on Thursday,
February 17.

Alexander Graham Bell Fairchild, 87, Dies

     Alexander Graham Bell Fairchild, a research entomologist at the
University of Florida and the last living grandson of Alexander Graham
Bell, died last Thursday at his home in Gainesville, Flordia. He was
87.

     The cause was cancer, the university said.

     Mr. Fairchild, who was known as Sandy, spent almost 30 years in
Central America and South America studying the role of insects in
disease. Since 1970, he had been a research professor of entomology at
the University of Florida and a research associate at the Florida
State Collection of Arthropods in Gainesville.

     He was the author of more than 140 articles in scientific
journals and was a member of the New York Academy of Sciences and the
American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was named
entomologist of the year in 1968 by the Entomological Society of
America.

     Mr. Fairchild is survived by his wife, Elva, and a daughter,
Alice Fairchild, both of Gainesville; a son, David, of Carmel Valley,
Calif., and a grandson.


Nigel Allen      [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Wayne King)
Subject: Intelligent Network Services
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Wayne King)
Organization: The National Capital FreeNet
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 16:08:23 -0500


I am looking for detailed information on the features provided by
Intelligent Network and Advanced Intelligent Network services.  I
would like to know where I can get information on this topic.

Thanks in advance.


Wayne King   Kylain Inc.         Phone: [phone]
             2 Gurdwara Road     Email: [e-mail]
             Suite 610,          Fax:   [phone]
             Nepean, Ont., K2E 1A2

------------------------------

Subject: Dvorak Offer Redux
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 16:39:21 CST
From: Cliff Sharp <[e-mail]>


   I hate to revive a painful subject, but...

   I switched to Sprint to get the modem, and in November I got a
letter that I was to return telling them what kind of software I
wanted for the modem.  Due to messy filing practices, I didn't return
it until December 27.  Now, not having seen anything of the modem yet,
I ask ...

   1.  How long did it take between your mailing the letter and your
getting your modem?

   2.  Was it mailed, UPSed, or how was it shipped to you?

   3.  When and if I have to check up on it, does anyone have a copy
of the letter showing the 800 number they listed for contacting them
about the modem?

   TIA.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 17:29:22 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Shortage of Prefixes in 800?


In the messages about N00 prefixes, [e-mail] commented
about seeing N0X/N1X prefixes in use for area 800 (tollfree calls).
Yes, I have been seeing some of those, too.  Someone else wondered if
800-NXX-XXXX could generalize to 800-XXX-XXXX (ditto for area 900),
since there is no occasion to use less than the ten-digit number
(including the area code) to reach any of them.  A response said that
a lot of local switches would block 800-0xx and 800-1xx (ditto for
area 900), and it occurs to me: back in the 1970s, when 213 was the
only area code having N0X/N1X prefixes, did a lot of local switches
block 213-N0X and 213-N1X because they were "smart" enough to spot
that 0 or 1 in the middle digit of what should be the prefix?  (In a
related story, I understand that many operators, especially on the
East coast, didn't know about N0X/N1X prefixes until it became time
for New York City to get such.)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Scott Schell x8034)
Subject: Caller-ID Question
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 22:58:10 GMT


I am trying to locate info re: Caller-ID.  How does it work?  How much
digital, how much analog, how much Ma Bell?  Where can I obtain the
specification?  I have voicemail/mbox in my computer and I would like
to integrate Caller-ID function for database storage.


Thanks,

david wolfe   Internet: [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note:  Caller-ID? Hmm ... isn't that some new
feature the telephone company is offering these days?  I think I have
heard of it someplace. Maybe we should start a discussion thread about
it here in the Digest <giggle> ... PAT]

------------------------------

Date: 21 Feb 1994 07:28:09 EDT
From: Hinders, Thomas <[e-mail]>
Subject: Percentage of DTMF Circuits


What percentage of the world's telephone voice circuits are DTMF?
What percentage of the telephone instruments are DTMF? The reason I
ask, is one of the proposals for routing inbound fax uses additonal
digits after the # to provide routing information and it occured to me
this solution would only work on DTMF capable circuits.


Thanks,

Tom Hinders/Soft-Switch
[phone] (v/vm)  [phone] (f)
Internet: [e-mail]
X.400:  C=US A=Telemail P=Softswitch S=Hinders G=Thomas

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Flying Dutchman)
Subject: Power Supply For Digital Cordless Phone
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 02:29:03 GMT


I need a 3 V supply for the "new" logic chips.  I intend to use only
three AA batteries.

I have tried simulating a transistor/zener regulator but with a load
of about 10 ohms, the voltage drops too low.  I have not been able to
find an IC regulator that will operate at such a low voltage (only a
0.6 V drop).  A voltage divider setup is no good since the voltage
will vary from about 3-4 V from the NiCAD batts.

Any ideas?  Please forward to my E-mail address ONLY.  I don't want to
switch batteries, or add more of them.


Thanks,

Mark

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 03:35:30 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Third-Party Billing


I just had two unauthorized third-party charges removed from the AT&T
portion of my C&P bill.  Both were from the same telephone number, and
both were to the same prefix in a different state.  The AT&T service
rep was even able to identify the people who have those three telephone
numbers were (I did not recognize any of them).

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 04:24:49 EST
From: Sheldon W. Hoenig <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Get Paid For Receiving Commercial Email


Pat: I received this posting.  It sounds like "something for nothing" which
means that there is a catch.

   From: Suarez C Industries <[e-mail]>
   Fri, 18 Feb 1994 10:36:58 -0500
   To: Multiple recipients of list ANN-LOTS <[e-mail]>
   Subject: EPS

        Electronic Postal Service (EPS) Registration Information

   Here's how you can reduce commercial e-mail on the Internet and make
money for yourself at the same time.

   Electric Postal Service will pay you money to receive commercial
e-mail.  EPS estimates you will be paid an average of 6.5 cents per
commercial e-mail message.  It is estimated that the average
commercial e-mail receiver can make $200.00 to $500.00 a year and
likely more.  There is absolutely no charge, periodic charge, hourly
charge or phone charge to receive or review EPS commercial e-mail.
The sender bears all of the cost.  You are provided with a free EPS
mailbox and you may access this EPS mailbox through a toll free phone
number so there are no phone line charges.

   In addition, as an e-mail receiver, EPS offers you many other new
and innovative on-line services such as special interest bulletin
boards, special interest conferencing, new services, information
services, full Internet access including network Internet e-mail
remote log-in, file transfer capability and much more.

To receive more information about EPS, reply by:

   Sending e-mail to our internet address at [e-mail]
   Subject: EPS INFO
   Included your name and address.

   Or call 1-800-764-0009 and ask for operator OL12.

Your free EPS e-mail post office box access information will be mailed
to you.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Sure does sound like a catch somewhere.
Let's find out what it is ... I sent for my free information and sign
up materials today. You do the same! Then, reports from everyone please
based on your findings. Sounds like these folks are willing to pay you
to help commercialize the net.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Galloway)
Subject: Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free
Organization: Galloway Research
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 23:14:12 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, TELECOM Digest Editor noted
in response to Chaim Frenkel <[e-mail]>:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've always felt the same way where this
> Digest was concerned. It is purely my contribution to the world to help
> stamp out ignorance where the operation of telephone networks is concerned.
> At least it began that way ... now I think I am a victim of my own success
> where the Digest is concerned as the volume of traffic and the size of
> the mailing list has increased far beyond what either Jon Solomon or I
> expected or considered possible. Part of this of course is due to the
> general increase in Internet usage; part perhaps due to my own efforts to
> gateway the Digest to so many places. At that I was successful, and now
> the mail is pouring in at such a volume that even a cursory examination
> of much of it is difficult. And that is not good. I wish I could read
> every peice of mail and use every peice of mail I receive, but until the
> time comes that I can support myself independent of other outside jobs
>  -- if that time ever comes -- and work on the Digest eight or nine hours
> per day -- which could easily be done now if resources were available --
> then I have to do what I can. I wish I lived high enough in the "Maslow
> Hierarchy" to be able to afford it.  PAT]

Seems like it shouldn't be to difficult to insert a smart multiplexer
in the stream somewhere that would parcel out submissions to multiple
moderators and which would keep articles in the same thread going to
the same moderator and parcel out new threads based on the article
load of each moderator.  On the other hand given that none of the
news.software.* groups seemed appropriate for this comment, perhaps it
won't be _quite_ that easy.  (i.e. gee PAT get some help!!)


internet    [e-mail]  John R. Galloway, Jr  795 Beaver Creek Way
applelink   D3413                  CEO...receptionist    San Jose, CA   95133
                                   Galloway Research     [phone]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Actually, I *am* getting some help in the
form of a monthly cash stipend starting soon. An organization which
represents a large number of telephone companies has agreed to assist
in funding TELECOM Digest (a not-for-profit educational activity registered
in the State of Illinois) with a generous grant payable monthly. More
details later. I won't exactly be singing 'Happy Days are Here Again' but
I will be able to pay IBT on time each month.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Chaim Frenkel)
Subject: Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free
Date: 20 Feb 94 16:32:31 GMT
Organization: Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.


In article <[e-mail]> TELECOM Digest Editor noted:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've thought about it, and probably would
> then have them edit their articles and send them back to go into the
> finished, published issue. One problem with this is the additional delay
> it would cause in getting stuff out.

I would have thought that it would REDUCE the delay. Consider a serial
vs a parallel algorithm. The 'first' articles would be delayed longer
than before, but the 'later' articles would be completed earlier than
before.


Chaim Frenkel                    On contract at:
[e-mail]                [e-mail]
Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.  Bear Stearns & Co., Inc.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: But therein lies the problem. I do not
want the original article to be delayed. The original article should
get out as quickly as possible.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 06:59:54 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Telephone Number History


I don't quite understand the change from two letters + four numbers to
two letters + five numbers for Louisville.  I understand phone number
lengths had to be standardized, but I heard that Cincinnati did that
by inserting a 1 after the two-letter prefix.

------------------------------

From: daveb@jaws (David Breneman)
Subject: Re: Phone Number History
Date: 20 Feb 94 23:39:37 GMT
Organization: Digital Systems International, Redmond WA


Mark W. Schumann ([e-mail]) wrote:

> My ma/pa-in-law still have one, although they're the only party.  Ohio
> Bell (Ameritech) has repeatedly said they'll take it away and start
> charging them regular single-line rates but that hasn't happened yet.

> What's funny is that they're in the 216-741 exchange, which is about
> five miles out of downtown Cleveland.  You would think this would have
> been one of the first places to eliminate party lines.

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: If Ameritech wants to get them off the
> single-party 'party line', the best way would be to (use their right to)
> assign some other subscriber to the party, preferably some subscriber
> with *a lot* of incoming and outgoing calls; maybe a family with a few
> teenagers, etc. That would drive your in-laws/outlaws or whatever off
> in a hurry, and Ohio Bell could smile sweetly and tell your relatives
> how sorry they were to lose them as a party-line subscriber.  :)   PAT]

My parents waited over ten years for a private line in the 206-858
exchange.  Finally, somebody moved into the neighborhood (never found
out who) who would leave his phone off the hook at night.  If you
picked up the phone, you could hear him snoring!  When my parents
complained repeatedly about the danger of this situation, the phone
company (Island Empire, now Pacific Telecom) finally relented and gave
them a private line, but charged $1.25 per month per mile for the
distance between their house and the central (crossbar) switch in Gig
Harbor (Washington -- near Tacoma).  This was about 1979.


David Breneman                        Email: [e-mail]
System Administrator,                 Voice: 206 881-7544  Fax: [phone]
Product Development Platforms
Digital Systems International, Inc.        Redmond, Washington,  U. S. o' A.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: They should have called their party line
neighbor during the day and told him to quit doing that. Yes, you could
call your party line neighbor on the phone even though the logical way
of thinking was that if you went off hook, the line would become busy so
how would you reach him ... during manual service days, if you simply
asked for the other side of your party line (let's say you were 1234-J
and party was 1234-W) then the response from the operator was 'line
is busy', the same as if you asked for your own number by accident, and
people would sometimes do that. The operator did not look at who was
*calling* unless there was a billing function involved, she looked at
who was *being called*; the (cord) tip to (jack) ring test would 'test
busy' and that was her report ... bing! she was gone to handle another
call. So you tipped her off by saying 'calling my party line, 1234-W',
and she would say to hang up, let her ring it and pick up the phone
again in maybe twenty seconds. She could then ring on the line (yours
and party's would both ring) and if party answered she told them to
hold on a couple seconds until you picked up again.

Anyway, your parents should have called the snorer, and with the music
of J.S. Bach's "Sleeper's Awake" playing sweetly in the background given
him a piece of their mind. I wonder if the guy even knew he was on a
party line or if he was just plain inconsiderate ... we used to have a
guy here who was addicted to CB who stayed on the radio all day and all
night. About once a week he would fall asleep while he was keyed up
and the channel would be tied up all night long with his carrier. We
could hear him snoring in the background also. In the days of party-
line phones there were also inconsiderate people who did not want to
be bothered with a phone call while they and their spouse engaged in
sexual activity and they would leave the phone off the hook, too dumb
to realize that their party line neighbors and all the operators got
to listen in to that as well.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 06:34:00 EST
From: [e-mail] (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: Caller ID in Russia (For Curious)
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


It is my understanding that when dialing a toll call in Russia, you
have to dial your own phone number after the desired number so that
the exchange can tell who to bill it to.  Is this what you're referring
to as Caller-ID?

The term has a somewhat different meaning in the U.S.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 05:47:16 CST
From: [e-mail] (Mark Earle)
Subject: Re: Cell Phone Welcome Message


I experienced this the other day when leaving the SBMS service area
north of San Antonio, TX and entering the Austin GTE Mobilnet area.
The problem to me, is I quite often don't activate FMR. My spouse and
telcom savvy associates know to reach me, dial the local roam port
number, then my mobile number.

In this way, they pay the LD part of the call; I pay airtime only.
More importantly, though, if no one calls, no roam fees, since my
phone didn't make any calls. Well, answering this greeting means
getting hit for roam fees. Nice trick.

Another reason sometimes not to activate FMR is the way FMR is done,
it can lag behind you by 15-30 minutes. I'd rather have my associates
try two or three roam port numbers, and get me, than be in the FMR
black hole of no communications.

I know, autonomous registration may solve the FMR boondoggle/kludge,
but we're not destined to get it for awhile on the B side in South
Texas.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 18:53:05 -0500
From: Jonathan <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: AT&T Directory Assistance Now Includes Addresses


Monty Solomon wrote:

> In all states except New Jersey and Connecticut you can now request
> phone number and/or address information from AT&T Directory
> Assistance.

> They can't currently provide addresses in New Jersey and Connecticut.

Does AT&T really provide the Directory Assistance service, or does it
go through the local telephone company?  It would be disconcerting to
know that AT&T knows everybody's address and telephone number, not
just those of its own customers.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: DA comes from a variety of sources. In
most cases the Bell Operating Company in that region handles it for
both itself and on contract for the independent companies in the area
and the various long distance carriers. AT&T runs (used to run?) 800
directory assistance and contracted it out to Southwestern Bell in
East St. Louis, Illinois. There are still a few places where an inde-
pendent telco does not contract with the BOC of record in the area to
handle directory assistance. In those cases, when you call AC-555-1212
and ask for information in a certain town (where the independent telco
operates) you'll note that the first operator who answers you says to
hold on while she connects you to a second operator (at the independent
telco). Most independents however have turned over all their operator
and DA traffic to Bell for a lot cheaper cost than they could handle it
themselves.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 12:23:59 GMT
From: "Andrew C. Green" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Priorities


John Shaver <[e-mail]> writes:

> A British humourist noted that if God had wanted us to have aeroplanes
> he would not have given us the railroads. Cannot the same be said for
> Telephone and Telegraph?

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: And ditto for computers versus the old
> mechanical 'adding machines' of the 1940-50 era!   <smile>    PAT]

Pardon a short digression from modern telecommunications here, but my
circa-1940 Monroe calculating machine is in fine working order,
thankyouverymuch. I rescued it from the old 123 N. Wacker building (in
Chicago) just before demolition, and it now squats proudly on my desk
next to my newfangled PC.

The Monroe can add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers up to ten
digits (after some dignified thought) with the same accuracy as my PC.
Division is truly spectacular, with hundreds of motor-driven gears
munching in unison to operate 30 registers in two rows on a traveling
typewriter-like carriage. To "carryover" a digit, the carriage
literally lifts up, drags itself sideways one column, and crashes back
down to resume calculations. Repeating decimals can make it walk
across the desk. You get a new understanding of where the term "number
crunching" came from.


Andrew C. Green           *************************************
Datalogics, Inc.          NOTE! Ignore any "From" headers above
441 W. Huron              Direct all replies to [e-mail]
Chicago, IL  60610-3498   FAX: [phone]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I loved my old Burroughs (punch down
the buttons in each column; punch the appropriate operand key; yank
the handle) 'adding machine'. It had about ninety keys on it, with
eight columns (you could enter a number as high as 999,999.99 but
answers could be as high as 9,999,999.99) and ten rows ranging from
zero through nine which made eighty keys; then there were keys to add,
subtract; keys for the sub-total, total and what they called NOP (or
no-operation, meaning it printed on the tape what you entered, but for
memo purposes only) and lock, which would retain whatever keys had
been pressed in a locked position so you could pull the lever several
times without having to repress the same keys over and over. In
addition to the paper printout, a little glass window on the front let
you look at the wheels inside with the digits printed on them as the
calculations were being performed. To add 1234 plus 4321 you'd press
1-2-3-4 in the first four columns and the plus key; yank the handle
forward and release it; then press 4-3-2-1 in the first four columns,
the total key, and yank the handle forward a second time. To multiply
you entered the number as above, pressed the locking key to retain the
other keys in a down position) and pulled your lever back and forth
the number of times needed. To divide, you pressed the number keys and
the subtraction key and the lock key then pulled the lever back and
forth, counting the number of pulls as you went along until the little
glass window showed an insufficient amount to continue subtracting.
The number of lever pulls was your answer and the 'remainder' was
whatever the glass window and the print out tape said it was.

The *electric* Burroughs was a great labor saving device. No more levers
to pull and only a single matrix of numbers to be punched instead of
several rows and columns to be used. It had absolutely no logic checking
however, and if you attempted (for example) division by zero it saw no
problems with that and would start its calculations with the gears
inside chunking and spinning noisily, and it would continue all day until
someone pulled the plug and pressed the reset button, which was basically
a clutch to release the gears inside if they got locked up 'somehow'.
Most multiplication and division problems were handled by the machine in
thirty seconds or less.  PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #94
*****************************


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Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 10:06:59 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #95

TELECOM Digest     Mon, 21 Feb 94 10:07:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 95

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: How to Share a 64Kbps Leased Line With Ten Users (Tohru Asami)
    Re: How to Share a 64Kbps Leased Line With Ten Users (Al Varney)
    Re: How to Share a 64Kbps Leased Line With Ten Users (Barton F. Bruce)
    Re: Experience With Cable & Wireless (Good or Bad) (Hamish Moffatt)
    Re: Experience With Cable & Wireless (Good or Bad) (Dave Levenson)
    Re: Cell Phone Welcome Message (Tom Wiencko)
    Re: Help Needed Building Voice Mail Indicator Light (William C. DenBesten)
    Re: How to Build Modified Three-Way Calling? (Dave Held)
    Re: How to Expand the Range of Cordless? (Dave Held)
    Re: 900 Mhz Phone Power Output (Paul Cook)
    Re: 900 Mhz Phone Power Output - Correction (Alex Cena)
    Re: Need Information About Telemate (Sean P. Peacock)
    Re: VCR and Touch-Tones (Stefan Bethke)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tohru Asami)
Subject: Re: How to Share a 64Kbps Leased Line With Ten Users (9600 Baud)
Organization: KDD R.&D. Labs.
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 03:29:25 GMT


Thanks for many replies on my previous question. Here I summarize
the responses which I received via E-mail.

>> I've heard that Pacific Communication Science Incorporated (PCSI) is
>> selling a data compression machine, called CS-8000, which can compress
>> a 64Kbps data link into a 9600bps data link.

>> I wonder if the following communication is possible for cost saving.

>>                           +---+       +---+
>>                           | M |       | M |
>>    64Kbps         9600bps | U |       | U |9600bps        64Kbps
>>User------[CS-8000]--------+ L |       | L +------[CS-8000]------User
>>User------[CS-8000]--------+ T |       | T +------[CS-8000]------User
>>User------[CS-8000]--------+ I | 64Kbps| I +------[CS-8000]------User
>>User------[CS-8000]--------+ P +-------+ P +------[CS-8000]------User
>>User------[CS-8000]--------+ L | leased| L +------[CS-8000]------User
>>User------[CS-8000]--------+ E | line  | E +------[CS-8000]------User
>>User------[CS-8000]--------+ X |       | X +
>>                           | O |       | O |
>>                           | R |       | R |
>>                           +---+       +---+

>> My questions are as follows:
>>    1. Are there any multiplexors from 9600bps to 64Kbps?
>>    2. Are they compatible with CS-8000?
>>    3. How much are they?
>>    4. What companies are selling them?
>>    5. What kind of problems do we enconter in the above configurations?
>>    6. Did anyone try the same communication method?

David G Lewis(AT&T Bell Laboratories, [e-mail]) writes:

I don't know anything about te CS-8000, but the capability to mux up to 8
9.6kb/s lines on a single 64kb/s line is known as SRDM, or SubRate Data
Multiplexing.  It's been a capability of the DDS (Digital Data System,
formerly Dataphone(R) Digital Service) service for quite some time.

A company that deals with DDS CSU/DSUs (Channel Service Unit/Data Service
Units) would be the first place I'd look for info on SRDMs.


Elya S. Kurktchi([e-mail]) writes:

However, do you really want to break up a 64kbps line into 10
9600bps lines?  Why not use a repeater which has 8-24 ports.
Something like this:
                              +---+       +---+
                              |   |       |   |
       64Kbps         64kbps  |   |       |   |64kbps         64Kbps
   User------[CS-8000]--------+   |       |   +------[CS-8000]------User
   User------[CS-8000]--------+ R |       | R +------[CS-8000]------User
   User------[CS-8000]--------+ E | 64Kbps| E +------[CS-8000]------User
   User------[CS-8000]--------+ P +-------+ P +------[CS-8000]------User
   User------[CS-8000]--------+ E | leased| E +------[CS-8000]------User
   User------[CS-8000]--------+ A | line  | A +------[CS-8000]------User
   User------[CS-8000]--------+ T |       | T +
                              | O |       | O |
                              | R |       | R |
                              +---+       +---+

 A repeater boosts that original 64kbps signal and then repeats it
 as far away as you want it.  Your users can then have 64kbps lines.
 But, if you only want them to use 9600bps, then configure their
 computers to only send the data at 9600bps, while still retaining
 those 64kbps lines.

 How does that sound?

 Oh yeah, by the way.  A repeater is only $459 US dollars.  That I believe
 is cheaper than the CS-8000 you were talking about.  You can also get
 a terminal server (Xyplex for instance) and configure each port at 9600bps
 and then just run slip to their computer or ppp.

Thanks for your help.


Tru

Manager of Network Engineering Support Group, KDD R&D Labs.
2-1-15 Ohara Kamifukuoka-shi, Saitama 356, Japan
Phone: [phone], FAX  : [phone]
KDD = an international telecommunication company in Japan

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 09:12:01 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: How to Share a 64Kbps Leased Line With Ten Users (9600
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Tohru Asami) writes:

> I've heard that Pacific Communication Science Incorporated (PCSI) is
> selling a data compression machine, called CS-8000, which can compress
> a 64Kbps data link into a 9600bps data link.

  [diagram of requested 9600bps-to-64Kbps multiplexer removed]

> In this case, a User uses a telephone or FAX, and he may not intensively
> use his 64Kbps line.

   First you talk about a compressing 64Kbps "data links", and now you
are talking about "voice" and FAX.

   While "he" may not intensively use his line, the diagram you show
has multiple fixed 9600bps signals multiplexed to 64Kbps at all times.
Thus an idle line consumes as much bandwidth as an "in use" line.  (Or
at least an idle CS-800 consumes as much bandwidth as a busy one.)

   You are unlikely to get FAX to work over such an arrangement (the
9600bps interface is a bottleneck).  For voice, echo handling (for
longer distance calls) may be a problem.

   But why not ask PCSI about how folks use their machine?


Al Varney

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: How to Share a 64Kbps Leased Line With Ten Users (9600
Organization: Digital Equipment Computer Users Society
Date: 20 Feb 94 19:15:05 -0500
Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc.
In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
(Tohru Asami) writes:

> I've heard that Pacific Communication Science Incorporated (PCSI) is
> selling a data compression machine, called CS-8000, which can compress
> a 64Kbps data link into a 9600bps data link.

> I wonder if the following communication is possible for cost saving.

>                            +---+       +---+
>                | M |       | M |
>     64Kbps         9600bps | U |       | U |9600bps        64Kbps
> User------[CS-8000]--------+ L |       | L +------[CS-8000]------User
> User------[CS-8000]--------+ T |       | T +------[CS-8000]------User

The PCSI type box (and there are several other brands, but PCSI does a
GOOD job of returning your idle bandwidth to something else when folks
go on hook) should only be used for adding compressed voice to an
available data link, IMHO.

Terminal sessions and about everything else should all on ethernet at
both ends and bridged or routed between sites via ONE SYNC port that
gets all the residual bandwidth and that has its SYNC clock rate
changed as more or less bandwidth is available.

Yes, some of these types of boxes do do statmuxing and tdm and
terminal server to ethernet and even ethernet bridging integral. My
opinion is that in general you want to NOT do all that in this box.
Statmuxing async traffic is slightly old fashioned since the advent of
terminal servers on ethernet. The integral ethernet bridging is hardly
as spiffy as using a powerful but innexpensive external one such as a
Gandalf 5220.  The SYNC TDM functionality might be useful, but why
isn't EVERYTHING on your ethernet?

This class of box **DOES** excell at packing voice traffic into a
small bandwidth channel. At too low a speed you get the 'drunk-Spanish-
Donald-Duck' effect, but at higher speeds the speech is quite good.
They also will recognise FAX traffic and the DSP chip can just as
easily demodulate it as it can digitise and compress voice, so the
pass FAX traffic as data bits NOT as compressed FAX tones, and then
remodulate it at the far end. NB that if you have the channel at 5.6kb
or 8.0kb, your FAX will NOT go at 9.6 or 14.4, but will be negotiated
down to probably 4.8kb, BUT will work.

If you have eight remote phone users that may not all be off hook at
once, use these voice channels as E+M tie trunks between PBXes and use
LESS than eight voice channels -- this will save BIG $s. Try running
at 5.6kb and get ALL the available unused bandwidth when folks are on
hook auto-allocated to the SINGLE SYNC line between sites that has an
ethernet bridge or router on it and all terminal or other traffic then
passes that way. The PSCI box only takes about 1.8kb overhead, so with
everyone on-hook, you can get a tad better than 62kb for your
bridge/router. Be sure your configuration leaves enough to reliably
run the bridge/router when ALL voice channels are in use.

Be sure your bridge/bouter can tolerate a changing clock. Most can, as
this is a VERY common and popular application, but ...

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Experience With Cable & Wireless (Good or Bad)
From: [e-mail] (Hamish Moffatt)
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 19:36:07 +1100
Organization: Cloud Nine BBS, Melbourne, Australia.


In TELECOM Digest, [e-mail] writes:

> Does anyone have any experience with Cable & Wireless? They are bidding on
> both our voice and data service, and any information, good or bad, would be
> appreciated.  You can reply via email, and I'll post a followup.

Cable and Wireless run the Mercury phone service in the UK. They are
also one of the the major partners in Australia's second long distance
company, Optus Communications. (Optus and Mercury are similar services
for Australian and England, respectively).

Optus are doing a fine job down here. You should be okay ...


Hamish Moffatt,                    [e-mail]
System Administrator                  Fax: [phone]
Cloud Nine BBS, Melbourne.          Voice: [phone]
[phone] (v.32bis)                3:635/552@fidonet

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dave Levenson)
Subject: Re: Experience With Cable & Wireless (Good or Bad)
Organization: Westmark, Inc.
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 15:17:08 GMT


We have used Cable & Wireless 800 service for several years.  They
are the only (or perhaps, at this point, the first) inter-exchange
carrier to deliver calling number (probably ANI, maybe CID) to us in
real time using the NJ Bell Caller*ID service.

C&W is the default (dial-1) carrier at my residence.  No complaints
with their outbound service, either.


Dave Levenson        Internet: [e-mail]
Westmark, Inc.        UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave
Stirling, NJ, USA    Voice: 908 647 0900  Fax: [phone]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Tom Wiencko)
Subject: Re: Cell Phone Welcome Message
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 00:04:33 GMT


[e-mail] (Gary  huntress) writes:

> My in-laws have a new Motorola flip phone that they love very much.
> They recently took a trip to Florida and while driving on Rt. 95 the
> phone rang and they got some sort of a "welcome" message from one of
> the local service providers.  My FIL is constantly amazed by all the
> technology at work here and he would like to know basically how this
> works.

> I assumed that the phone, while in standby, can detect when it enters
> and leaves each cell.  And when it sees that it enters the cell of a
> new carrier it (the phone) transmits some sort of a "here I am"
> message obviously this includes his phone number or some sort of
> serial number so that the cell can call back with the "welcome" msg.

> Is this about right?

Yep, just about.  When a cellular phone notices that it is talking to
a cell site that is not connected to its home switch (or system) it
broadcasts a thing called Autonomous Registration.  This information
can be picked up by the network equipment which can then cause an
automated calling system to place a "welcome call."  The subscriber is
not charged for this call.

This same functionality can be used to assist in fraud detection,
since the visited system can then query the subscriber's home system
and find out if the mobile phone is a valid subscriber.

Pretty fancy, these cellular phone systems.


Tom Wiencko   [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Pretty expensive, too.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (William C. DenBesten)
Subject: Re: Help Needed Building Voice Mail Indicator Light
Organization: Bowling Green State University
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 23:36:31 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Marc A.
Sarrel) wrote:

> Does anyone have plans to build a small (less than a few cm^3) circuit
> that would detect the presence of messages and flash an LED or
> something?

> Alternatively, I have a SPARCstation LX (Solaris 2.3) sitting on my
> desk with a couple of unused ISDN ports.  Is there some software that
> would allow me to run my phone line through those ports and give me an
> indication on my screen when I have messages (sort of like xbiff)?

> We're soon to get Pacific Bell voice mail in our section at work.  The
> voice mail is already installed where I work, but it is not
> universally used.

> Anyway, the way the system is set up, we have to lift the handset and
> listen for the beeps to tell if we have messages.  We have to pay
> extra to get a phone with an indicator light or even more for a phone
> with an LCD type display.  That's not going to happen.

> I'm not a EE, but I can probably build the thing if it's not too
> complex ...

Note: these things are possibly local to your telephone switch.  What I
know has been determined by paying attention to our local PBX.

The light works by noticing a voltage on the line (I would guess 50
volts or so) that is quite a bit below ringing voltage(~200v), but
above battery (24v).  I suspect that the light is connected with a few
zener diodes to prevent its lighting unless the voltage is in range.

The big problem for you is that the switch can be programmed not to
send this code out.  We did had a line that was mis-programmed and
would tap its ringer whenever it had a message.  Since I had the
office next door, I had this problem taken care of.  The stutter
dialtone is a separate system, and can be enabled when the lamp is
not.

Put a volt meter on your phone line and send yourself voice mail to
see just what is going on.  Of course, I would not dream of doing this
sort of thing with our phone switch, without permission from our
telecommunciations department :-).  You could also borrow a phone with
a lamp to see what happens on your line.


William C DenBesten is [e-mail] or bgsuopie.bitnet

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: How to Build Modified Three-Way Calling?
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 02:32:28 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


Misuzu Nakazawa <[e-mail]> writes:

> I am trying to build a three-way telephone conference circuit where
> parties A and B can communicate with party C (in both directions). C
> can hear A and B and A and B can hear C. The catch though is that I do
> not want A and B to be able to hear each other at any time during the
> call.

Although not impossible (given digital signal processing) it is nearly
so if you are using "ordinary" two-wire analog voice lines.  The problem
is that there is always some "echo" in the hybrid (the circuit that
permits you to send two-way voice over only two wires).  This echo will
permit A and B to hear each other anytime C can hear them and they can
hear C.

If you REALLY need to do this, buy two telephones with headsets and wear
both headsets at the same time.  As long as there is no leakage between
your ears and your mouth, A and B will not hear each other.


Dave

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: How to Expand the Range of Cordless?
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 02:53:56 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


<[e-mail]> writes:

> Can anyone tell me how far the power can be boosted for a cordless
> phone system, if it is modified at its best?

It is usually impractical to modify the power of a commercially
designed transmitter.  The designer has usually selected components
which are properly sized for the target power output.  If a simple
adjustment could increase the power, the designer probably failed to
produce the lowest cost design for the intended power level.

A further complication is that a cordless phone has both a transmitter
and receiver which both operate at the same time, a non-trivial
achievement which is not likely to work well after a significant
increase in transmitter power.

And finally, there IS a federal law about such things, which you will
be in violation of.

I hear that you want more range on your cordless, but modifying a
standard cordless is not the way to go.  Try a new 900 MHz cordless.


Dave

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 04:07 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: 900 Mhz Phone Power Output


I'm confused!

Alex Cena <[e-mail]> writes:

> There's been quite a bit of disccusion regarding cordless phones so I
> thought it may be helpful to share my experience over the last month
> with my new cordless phone.  I have had the opportunity to try AT&T's
> new Dragon, which is a 900 Mhz cordless phone with 1000mw of power.
> It uses spread spectrum technology based on frequency hopping.  I
> placed it in the library of our house and here is what I found:

OK, so the AT&T phone puts out one watt (1000 mw).  That's certainly more
than the old 49 Mhz ones, which I think were always less than 100 mw.

[e-mail] (Bill Mayhew) writes, (Re: VTech 9 "Tropez" and
Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones):

> The 900DX appears to be fully digital, using the 902-928 MHz shared
> band.  Power output is reportedly 0.0005 watts (1/2 mW) according to
> another net reader.  I found the effective range to be around 600 feet

So the AT&T phone puts out one watt, but this phone puts out one half
MILLIWATT?  Thats a 2000:1 (33 decibel!) difference.

Somehow I am having a hard time believing EITHER spec.


Paul Cook   Proctor & Associates
Redmond, WA   [e-mail]   206-881-7000

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 14:12:15 EST
From: Alex Cena <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: 900 Mhz Phone Power Output - Correction


In article <[e-mail]>, Bruce Laskin  wrote:

>> There's been quite a bit of disccusion regarding cordless phones so I
>> thought it may be helpful to share my experience over the last month
>> with my new cordless phone.  I have had the opportunity to try AT&T's
>> new Dragon, which is a 900 Mhz cordless phone with 1000mw of power.
>> It uses spread spectrum technology based on frequency hopping.  I
>> placed it in the library of our house and here is what I found:

> 1000mw ... really! ... WOW! -- that's significantly more than the
> 600mw maximum power output for handheld cellular sets!  The 600mw
> limit for cellular sets was intended to prevent health hazards, so how
> is AT&T able to use 1000mw?  (Most wireless home phones put out no
> more than 0.5mw.)

I double checked since Bruce Laskin was not the only one who has asked
for a clarification.  "Its 500mw" compared to the 9100, which has
100mw of power.  Sorry for the error on my part.


Alex M. Cena, Lehman Brothers, [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Sean P Peacock)
Subject: Re: Need Information About Telemate
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 12:34:17 GMT


The Network Group ([e-mail]) wrote:

> I have a client that is using a PC to capture SMDR data and somehow
> import it to a program called Telemate. I need to get any information
> on who manufactures Telemate. I have been unsuccessful in my attemps
> to find this company.

> Any help you can provide is appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

Found in ftp://oak.aokland.edu/pub/msdos/modems/tm412-1.zip

        Registration Fee  :     US$ 49 / CAD$ 55

    Please send cheque or money order payable to "White River Software"
    in US or CAD. Overseas order in money order, please. (Note that the
    current postage from US to Canada is $0.40.) For multi-user licenses,
    please contact us.

               White River Software
               P.O.Box 73030
               Limeridge Mall Postal Outlet
               Hamilton, Ont. L9A 5H7
               Canada

    We appreciate suggestions and ideas. Most new Telemate features come
    from user feedback. In order to provide a mean of support, we have
    made an agreement with several Bulletin Board Systems. The following
    BBS's will have the latest version of Telemate and a Telemate message
    area.

    Board               Phone Number Network  Baud     Location
    ------------------- ------------ -------- -------- ---------------
    Land of the Gypsy's 503-297-0626 RelayNet 14400V32 Oregon   USA
    Late Night BBS      315-564-5700 Genesis  14400DS  New York USA
    PC Connect          416-733-9052 SmartNet  2400    Toronto  Canada
    User To User #1     214-492-6565 RelayNet 14400DS  Dallas   USA
    User To User #2     214-492-5695 FidoNet   9600V32 Dallas   USA

    If you have questions, problems or suggestions, you can leave messages
    to 'WINFRED HU' on these Telemate Support BBS's. Echomail conferences
    have been set up by these BBS's in FidoEcho, GDNet, ILink, IntelecNet,
    RelayNet and SmartNet. Ask your sysop to join them.

    For the international editions, you may contact MicroServe Information
    eXchange at

    Board              Phone Number  Network    Baud      Location
    -----------------  ------------  ---------  --------  --------------
    M.I.X. BBS       [phone]  UUCP       9600 V32  Lilienthal FRG

    In addition, you can reach the author on the following networks:

         CompuServe   [72070,3515]
         InterNet     [e-mail]


Sean

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Stefan Bethke)
Subject: Re: VCR and Touch-Tones
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 09:49:56 GMT
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Stefan Bethke)
Organization: Promo GmbH, Hamburg, Germany


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
(Markus Schlegel) writes:

> I have the following problem: I would like to remote-control video
> equipment that is controllable by infra-red otherwise by means of
> touch-tone.

The German computer magazine {c't} had two projects that might help
you.  MacPhone is a Macintosh software answering machine. Using DFT
for DTMF decoding, the software can easily be extended to do whatever
one likes to control remotely.

Another project is a simple interface to send and reveice infra-red
remote control codes from a PC or alike. It's a little interface that
hooks up to the parallel port of the PC.

Both articles appeared in 1993 issues of {c't}. Software is available
by anon FTP from ftp.uni-paderborn.de, ftp.uni-regensburg.de, and
other sites.

It should be easy to use some voice-capable modem to grep DTMF tones
off the phone line and send appropriate code out on the infra-red
sender.


Stefan Bethke

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #95
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #96

TELECOM Digest     Mon, 21 Feb 94 11:40:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 96

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Digital Cellular Phones (John Galloway)
    Re: Extremely Low LD Rates (Allen Walker)
    Re: Horrid AT&T 2500 YMGK (Randall C. Gellens)
    Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones (Anthony Hegedus)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Ed Ellers)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Jeff Freeman)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Dave Levenson)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Carl Moore)
    Re: AT&T Directory Assistance Now Includes Addresses (Jon Schull)
    Re: What is a CLLI (Marc Baime)
    Re: Request For Map Drawing Software (Paul V. Flynn)
    Re: Don't Trust the Phone Company (Mark Brader)
    Re: Nationlink *32 Problems, Also SNET Accessline (Monty Solomon)
    Re: AT&T Says They Can't Resolve My Call's Origin ([e-mail])
    Re: Need Information on ISDN Phones (M. Pellatt)
    Re: Need Information on ISDN Phones (Charles Hoequist, Jr.)
    Re: Program For Microwave Radio Links (Jay Pfaffman)
    Re: Digital Cellular Phones (William Bauserman)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
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of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (John Galloway)
Subject: Re: Digital Cellular Phones
Organization: Galloway Research
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 12:46:00 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, David Boettger <boettger@bnr.
ca> wrote:

> In article <[e-mail]>, <[e-mail]> wrote:

>> How are digital systems more fraud resistant?  I assume you are
>> talking about the folks that listen in on the cellular frequencies and
>> pull your phone ID out (by using one of the decoder boxes specifically
>> designed to do this) and use it to program another phone that they
>> sell to someone.  Since the decompressor circuit most be in the phone
>> it will be widely available and known so the jerks building the
>> decoder boxes should have no problem incorporating that into their
>> systems.  right?

> The "Cave" algorithm specified in IS-54 (the TDMA standard) is used to
> encrypt data (ESN and possibly voice). The algorithm is keyed with
> data that are never transmitted and are only known by the switch and
> the mobile.

But if this key is fixed (since it is not transmited I assume it is)
then all the cellular blue box builder need to is disect a phone to
get it.  This might not be a tirvial opeation, but these crooks are
pretty smart fellows.


internet    [e-mail]  John R. Galloway, Jr  795 Beaver Creek Way
applelink   D3413                  CEO...receptionist    San Jose, CA   95133
                                   Galloway Research     [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 08:26:42 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Extremely Low LD Rates


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I wrote to inquire about this offer which
was sent to the Digest. The response I received is below. Earlier Monday
(about three issues back) I had another commentary from a reader about
this service. Allen Walker now responds.  PAT]

I am commenting on your request for more information on the message in
TELECOM Digest about very low long distance rates. Here is some information.

I am an Associate for GTI Telecom, which offers the long distance
service.  For anyone wishing to signup, they will have to go through
me. I will send them signup information etc.

The offer:

All calls are accessed via an 800 number, so NO CHANGE IN PRESENT LONG
DISTANCE CARRIER IS REQUIRED. You are given two (2) pin codes. One PIN
code is used for calls that may last up to one hour. These calls are
$2.60 (PER CALL) for the first five calls and $2.99 for every call
after during a one month period. If the call only lasts one minute and
you use your hour PIN code, you will not be charged $2.60 but only
$.30. Plus, this will not count as one of your five calls. The other
PIN code charges you on a PER MINUTE basis. This is a fixed rate of
$.175 / min (billed in six second increments). There is also a one
time $25 signup/activation fee and a 60-day risk-free guarantee. If
you are not satisfied in 60 days, your activation fee is refunded less
any calls you have made.

There is no time of day restriction; rates are constant 24 hours a day
seven days a week. Calls can be made FROM anywhere in the 50 United
States TO anywhere in the 50 United States at the rates above. Calls
to Canada are a flat $.48/min and to Puerto Rico $.24/min.

Advantages:

You can also make calls from PAY phones at this rate since the carrier
is accessed via an 800 number. Most pay phones do not require a coin
for 800 calls. This is obviously great for traveling! Even if you do
not use the full hour, you will still save money. For example, a 25
minute evening call with your current carrier will cost you approximately
$4.50 (rate of $.18/min), while this telco service will only cost you
$2.60 or $2.99. (if you have made five calls within that month
already). Most intrastate calls (within your state) are billed even
higher, usually at $.28/min in the evening depending on your location.
If you travel, this plan will save you even more as calling card rates
are much higher than standard 1+ dialing at home. There is also no
surcharge like many calling cards have.

I look forward to signing you up. Please leave a message with your
address for a signup brochure. Internet address: [e-mail]. If
you have any questions, you can call me at [phone]. Thank you
for you interest!


Thank you very much,

Allen Walker


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thank you very much for your prompt reply
Mr. Walker. I am sure that interested parties will contact you to get
the necessary signup stuff, and I hope that readers who contact you and
begin using your service will then in turn write to the Digest and share
their experiences. Yours is indeed a new twist on an old game, and I am
interested in hearing what others think.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 03:45 EST
From: Randall C Gellens <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Horrid AT&T 2500 YMGK


I wrote:

> In preparation for our move from a Dimension PBX to a G3, we are
> replacing our 7101 'voice terminals' with new ersatz 2500 sets.  (I'm
> told that since we lease the PBX and the phones, we must exhange them
> all).

> [ text deleted ]

> The worst problem with these sets is the sidetone.  At my normal
> speaking level, I can't hear any sidetone.  This is disorienting.  If
> I speak up even a little bit, I get a horrible buzzing distortion in
> place of sidetone.  Co-workers (with louder voices I guess) report
> always hearing the dread buzzing.

Our telecom manager and our AT&T account rep just came by with a
sample replacement set, the 2500 YMGL, for me to test.  I'm very happy
to report that *this* set is more in line with what I expected from
AT&T: it has a more solid feel, the sidetone sounds right, even when
speaking softly or loudly; even the pushbuttons have better feel.  It
also has more feature buttons, including mute and hold.  Unlike the
2500 YMGK, this is a set I'll be happy to use.


Randall Gellens                                [e-mail]
Opinions are personal;  facts are suspect;  I speak only for myself


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Although disclaimer messages used to
be run here as part of the .signature lines when they appeared, it
has been my policy the past couple of months to run a general dis-
claimer in the masthead of the Digest (all comments are by individuals
and company names are given for identification purposes only). Those
additional lines being deleted free up a bit more space in each issue
and should not have to be repeated time and again. In Mr. Gellen's
instance, someone at his place of employment noted his comments and
believed that the comments were made representing the opinion of the
employer. Mr. Gellens was called on the carpet and asked me to clarify
who said what, etc, which I have done in private correspondence. I
hope this resolves the 'communications gap' which existed.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Anthony Hegedus)
Subject: Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 11:06:37 +0000


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] "Monty
Solomon" writes:

> In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Scott
> Colbath) writes:

>> Bell Atlantic here in Phoenix announced yesterday that they were
>> making available to their cellular phone customers the ability to be
>> pagable on their cell phones.

> The Oki 1150 handheld phone comes with this feature.  You can
> configure the phone to auto answer like a digital beeper.  The phone
> will store up to ten received numbers.  I don't recall how may digits
> can be stored for each number.

> A similar, and cool feature, is that the party you are speaking with
> can enter a number into the phone's memory by dialing '*' before and
> '#' after the number.  If they dial a 0 after the #, the phone will
> disconnect the current call and then automatically place a call to the
> just-transmitted number.

Do you mean that the person you're talking to on your mobile can, by
pressing buttons on *his* phone, cause *your* phone to dial someone
else? or have I misunderstood?

BTW CT2 phones used to be sold with pagers (but not built in), but the
service was pointless as proper (i.e. callable) mobile phones are more
or less ubiquitous these days. We already have one CT3 digital mobile
network, shortly to be followed by another. The one which was just
launched last year (CT3), offers free local calls.  Local means within
35 miles of where you currently are with your mobile phone. The CT2
phone network was disontinued at the end of 1993, and the phones are
now being sold with base units as domestic cordless phones.


Anthony A. Hegedus    Feltham, Middlesex, UK  [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: Ed Ellers <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 15:48:59 -0500
Organization: Delphi ([e-mail] email, 800-695-4005 voice)


Jack Hamilton <[e-mail]> writes:

> I'm not opposed to Caller-ID, I'm just opposed to making a lot easer
> for other people to get my number than it is for me to keep them from
> getting it.  I'm paying for my phone too.  The choice should be easy
> for both parties, not just one.

What's so difficult about dialing *67?


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think what the people are saying is
that the burden of dialing two extra digits *each time around* when
they want to retain some privacy on their end should not fall on them
all the time.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 23:46:56 -0500
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
From: [e-mail]  (Jeff Freeman)
Reply-To: [e-mail]


> Here in Wisconsin (where the PSC has approved CallerID but it's not
> implemented yet) the pizza places use a centralized number and ANI for
> information on last orders, callback, etc.  Before they had that, they
> would just ask for your number anyway, so I don't see where CallerID
> would be a factor.

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Because when they merely ask for your
> number, you can lie about it and give a phalse number not your own.  PAT]

And you likely wouldn't get your pizza in our area. They call back the
number given to verify the order. And if it's a delivery ... they know
your address too. A lot more information than caller ID or ANI can
provide.


Jeff Freeman                 1-800-GO-PORCH Toll-Free    VISA/Mastercard
Front Porch Computers        1-706-695-1888 <voice>      AMEX/Diners Club
HW/SW/Electronics/Bus.equipt.Toll free Order/Support lines in 24 countries!
We handle over 35,000 computer/business related items! We ship Worldwide!

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dave Levenson)
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
Organization: Westmark, Inc.
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 01:05:46 GMT


`Normal' telephone numbers do, indeed, come with n00 prefixes these
days.  A museum in Jersey City, NJ advertises the number 201-200-1000
on billboards all over the state!


Dave Levenson        Internet: [e-mail]
Westmark, Inc.        UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave
Stirling, NJ, USA    Voice: 908 647 0900  Fax: [phone]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Although if I were operating their
phone system and had my 'druthers, I would have chosen 201-200-1999
as the lead number. Under the present numbering system, is 201-200-0001
the 'first possible' or 'lowest possible' number to have in the USA?
I wonder who has it, if anyone ... and on the other side of the coin,
919-999-9999 is probably not assigned, but I wonder what the last number
would be, if there was a numerical listing of them (which I am sure there
is somewhere)?   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 16:59:34 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers


Checking the list from [e-mail] regarding NPA/N00:

213-200,400,500,700 use place names which are in 310 area now.

312-400 Homewood, IL: place name would be in 708 now.

(I also notice some place names in 313 which would be going into
810.)

For now, notice my use of "place name"; no comment intended on the
other prefixes serving the areas in question.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jon Schull)
Subject: Re: AT&T Directory Assistance Now Includes Addresses
Organization: University of Rochester Computing Center
Date: 21 Feb 94 12:50:54 GMT


In <[e-mail]> Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
writes:

> In all states except New Jersey and Connecticut you can now request
> phone number and/or address information from AT&T Directory
> Assistance.

Then they have all the information they need for a reverse-telephone
directory, ie, number ==>name and address.  Why isn't that available
in a comprehensive and up to date manner.  (Or is it?)

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: 21 Feb 94 09:17:22 -0500
Subject: Re: What is a CLLI


The acronym CLLI stands for Common Language Location ID.  The code was
originally defined by BELLCORE.  The code is used to identify the
geographic location of places and to identify functional categories in
the telecommunications industry. They are used to identify buildings
containing personnel and/or equipment e.g. switches, service centers,
maintenance groups.  They are also used to identify non-building
locations e.g. poles, facility junctions, repeaters, etc.  There is an
intelligent scheme to the eleven character code which is used to
identify the location and type of place though I don't have the exact
layout of the code before me. Perhaps someone else can amplify on it.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: A good place to check out acronymns you
do not understand is the Telecom Archives 'glossaries' sub-directory.
You can use anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu to connect to the archives, then
when connected, 'cd telecom-archives/glossaries'. If you prefer, you
can have the answer sent to you automatically by using the Telecom Ar-
chives Email Information Service. Send email to '[e-mail]'.
The subject does not matter. The text of your letter must read:

REPLY yourname@site
GLOSSARY acronymn you want searched, i.e. MFJ,BOC,COCOT, hundreds of others.
GLOSSARY repeat as often as needed for others.
END this must be the final command.

If you want the current HELP and INFO files, add those two commands
as well. Four of the glossary files in the archives will be checked and
the results copied out and returned by email to you. For more help using
the Telecom Archives Email Information Service, write and ask.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 11:45:23 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Request For Map Drawing Software
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> Donald E. Kimberlin <0004133373@
mcimail.com> writes:

> I'm getting into software that draws network maps on the fly
> as people use it, with need to zoom in and out and place variable
> labels, like node names, on the maps, and have them ultimately
> printable on an attached printer or fileable in disk files.

Network Dimensions, Inc., San Jose, CA, [phone], advertises a
product called GrafBASE.  Their ads describe it as a "MS-Windows based
database, designed specifically for network documentation."  The price
starts at $750, plus map data options.  They offer a free demo disk.

About three or four years ago I used a product from these folks called
GrafNET, which did what it sounds like you are looking for.  Bugs were
minimal and customer support was superb.  Judging from the ads, GrafBASE
is GrafNET with additional features.

> Ultimately, I will need to get the source to make modifications as
> to labeling and such.

I have no idea if they would be willing to sell you a source license.
What I did instead was give them a list of the new features and fixes
I wanted.  They incorporated almost all of my wish list into their
next version and gave me a great deal on the upgrade.  The only reason
I stopped using GrafNET was that I switched jobs.

Standard disclaimer:  I have no affiliation with Network Dimensions,
other than as a satisfied former customer.


Paul Flynn   AT&T Bell Labs

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mark Brader)
Subject: Re: Don't Trust the Phone Company
Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, Canada
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 11:15:14 GMT


In  the same  thread  in  comp.risks  /  Risks  Digest, the  following
suggestion was made by <[e-mail]>.  I think it's an
excellent point and I have not seen it in  comp.dcom.telecom / Telecom
Digest.

Another possibility is that his wife had called your wife recently and
he actually pressed `redial' on his phone instead of activating
`abuser-combating feature'. It's easy to misdial some keys when you
are angry.

And it's particularly easy if, as in our area, the two features are
activated as *66 and *69 ...


Mark Brader, SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, utzoo!sq!msb, [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 06:15:08 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Nationlink *32 Problems, Also SNET Accessline


> NOTE: Some companies, like Cell One/Boston, will CHARGE you AIRTIME
> for a *32 "Caller Notification" call. Thus, you will still be charged
> even if the visited system roam port number is not mentioned. (WHY
> does Southwestern Bell Cell allow this? What's the deal? CO/Boston has
> excellent rates, especially while roaming, but WHY discourage people
> from using auto call delivery (which they charge home airtime for, as
> well as toll charges and of course the prevailing roamer rates) or
> caller notification? It strikes me as being uncharacteristically cheap
> to try to gouge YOUR OWN CUSTOMERS when they roam elsewhere for
> CO/Boston's benefit.

Cell One/Boston also charges airtime for calls which are forwarded to
a land line.

Extremely annoying!


Monty Solomon / PO Box 2486 / Framingham, MA  01701-0405  [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thank goodness at least Ameritech does
not do that here. Their cellular service is actually pretty good and
not as expensive as in many areas.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 06:01:32 EST
Subject: Re: AT&T Says They Can't Resolve My Call's Origin


I work for a large company in Chicago that has an NEC digital PBX
system (it really sucks, but that's another story).

I have Caller-ID on my home telephone.  My DID number at work is
312-915-XXXX.  However, when I call home from my telephone at work,
312-787-XXXX is the number that shows up on the Caller ID.  *69 call
return does not work on this number (I get the recording), and this
number cannot be dialed back (another recording).

I figured long ago that this was because a different, outgoing-only
trunk line is selected when the "9" is keyed.  This same number number
shows up on my home bill when I place calling card long distance calls
from my work telephone.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (M Pellatt)
Subject: Re: Need Information on ISDN Phones
Organization: Guest of Bath University Computing Services, UK
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 09:11:45 GMT


In article <[e-mail]>, Al Varney wrote:

> In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Beverly
> Taylor) writes:

>> We have used TelRad, Fujitsu, and AT&T ISDN sets.  They're all used to
>> run on an AT&T 5ESS.  We're very satisfied with all of them and have
>> only found these three will work with our CO switch.

> The Compatibility Table for the 5ESS(tm) switch "Custom" ISDN
> interface lists NEC and a vendor called "GPT" as additional vendors of
> ISDN VOICE terminals.

'A vendor called "GPT" ' is GEC-Plessey Telecommunications, a result
of the merger of GEC and Plessey's Telecommunications interests. They
manufacture the GEC-Plessey-STC-British Post Office designed System X
switch, amongst many other things.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 08:31:00 +0000
From: charles hoequist <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Need Information on ISDN Phones


In article <[e-mail]>, The Network Group <0004526627@
mcimail.com> wrote:

> I need to know a source for ISDN phonesxxx -- excuse me: voice
> terminals.

> I have heard that AT&T has a few of these but haven't heard of any
> other manufacturers such as Northern Telecom or others. Apparently the
> Northern product for Meridian Digital Centrex is not an ISDN phone.

I believe the current NT offering for ISDN voice terminals is called
the M5317.


Charles Hoequist, Jr.   | Internet: [e-mail]
BNR, Inc.               |  voice: 919-991-8642
PO Box 13478            |  fax:   [phone]
Research Triangle Park NC 27709-3478 USA

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 07:55:40 -0500
From: Jay Pfaffman <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Program For Microwave Radio Links


On Wed, 16 Feb 1994 23:17:39 -0500, [e-mail] (Dino Moriello) said:

> Is there a way to predict when these outages will occur, either
> using a software program or by hand?

Sounds like a trivial problem for an astronomer.  I haven't any idea
how to do that. If you don't get any results from this group, you
might try sci.astronomy or some such.

Good luck.


Jay Pfaffman                              [e-mail]
34-A Mountain St., Bristol, VT 05443-1307
802-453-2457 (Home) 802-453-3344 (Office) 802-453-3530 (Fax)

------------------------------

Date: 21 Feb 94 08:56:45
From: Bauserman, William <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Digital Cellular Phones


[e-mail] writes:

> Analog phones use only the analog channels, so the digital user has
> a greater probability of having calls go through during busy hour.

This isn't exactly right ... all things being equal, the digital user
has a better chance of having the call go through (and keeping it up
once it does go through), but there is a catch.

Most cellular companies I have dealt with have set up (or are setting
up) their network to allow the digital user to drop to analog, but not
vice versa.  That is, if you have a dualmode phone and the call starts
as analog or switches to analog because no digital channels are
available, then that call will remain analog until it ends, it will
not switch back to digital.

It might be a minor point, but verify with your carrier where digital
service is offered and if they will allow an analog to digital handoff.
For some one who lives in the "analog" suburbs and commutes to the
"digital" city, digital might not be all you expected it to be (at first
that is!)


Bill Bauserman   [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #96
*****************************


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Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 13:21:28 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #97

TELECOM Digest     Mon, 21 Feb 94 13:21:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 97

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: George Gilder's Fifth Article - Digital Darkhorse (Mike Lanza)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (Mark W. Schumann)
    Re: Why Caller-ID Instead of ANI? (Michael D. Sullivan)
    Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones (Rob Levandowski)
    Re: Privacy on 900 Mhz Cordless Phones? (Brian D. Renaud)
    Re: Cellular Phone Rates (L. W. Westermeyer)
    Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones (Monty Solomon)
    Re: New Zealand Dialing Protocol (Chris Hughes)
    Re: Voicemail or Answering Machine Software? (Bob Paiani)
    Re: Answering Machine Accepting Collect Calls (Arthur L. Shapiro)
    Re: Frame Relay Information Needed (Russ McGuire)
    Re: RBOC Names (Bill Mayhew)
    Re: Hunting and Busy Call Forwarding (Ole J. Jacobsen)
    Re: Digital Cellular Phones (Bob Goudreau)
    Re: Clipper Debate (Stephen Polinsky)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 10:02:07 +0000
From: Mike Lanza <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: George Gilder's Fifth Article - Digital Darkhorse - Newspapers


I agree with some of Gilder's fundamental propositions, but I disagree
with his conclusion that newspaper organizations themselves will be
the ones to reap the benefits of the drive towards digital networks.

The Power of Textual Content
============================

His assertion that the value of textual content has been grossly
underestimated by pundits of the multimedia explosion is dead-on.
This follows from two attributes of textual content: maximum reader
control and maximum information density.

Maximum Reader Control: When a reader has a well-laid out newspaper
page in front of him, he is in complete control.  He can quickly pick
out the articles he wants to read, and choose to read them in any
order he wishes.  Besides, he can read an article at any level of
detail he wishes.  The world is undeniably moving away from rigid
linear media (e.g. broadcast television) toward interactive media that
put the user in complete control.  Printed periodicals (newspapers and
magazines) constitute the most well-developed interactive medium in
existence.  As any interactive designer will tell you, adding the
advantages of hypertext to a printed periodical is *far* easier than
to a movie or television presentation.

Maximum Information Density: A full-color picture takes hundreds of
kiloybytes, or even megabytes.  A one minute full-motion video clip
takes tens or hundreds of megabytes.  One minute's worth of text,
assuming a reading rate of, say, 500 words a minute, is about 3 K.  As
Gilder explains, an encyclopedia with all pictures and no text is
nearly worthless, but an encyclopedia with all text and no pictures is
still an encyclopedia.  This is extremely important, because bandwidth
is *very* expensive, and, contrary to Gilder's assertions, it will
remain so, I believe, for a long time.

(Applying Moore's Law to communications bandwidth is fallacious, I
believe, because increasing communications bandwidth is far more labor
intensive than increasing computational speed.  Moore's Law posits a
continuous, year-by-year doubling of computational speed. Communications
bandwidth will increase more slowly, and in more discrete steps.)

Newspapers' Prospects for the Future
====================================

Gilder thinks that newspapers are well-positioned for the coming
communications explosion.  I think that many individuals in the
newspaper business have skills that will prove invaluable, but that
many newspaper organizations themselves (except for those which can
reposition themselves quickly) are doomed.

Michael Crichton, author of Jurassic Park and Rising Sun, made an
important point in the September/October 1993 issue of {Wired} (wouldn't
it be great to see this article posted to the TELECOM Digest ...)
that I want to mention here.  Polls indicate that a large proportion
of the population is dissatisfied with the media.  He writes:

"Who will be the GM or IBM of the '90s?  The next great American institution
to find itself obsolete and outdated?  I suspect one answer would be The
{New York Times} and the commercial networks."

He zeroes in on the general-purpose media which try to cover
everything, but fail to cover anything very well.  The world is moving
towards more and more specialized information, so that general news
organizations are looking pretty foolish these days.

The number of special-interest publications has been exploding for the
last twenty years.  It seems like the number of magazines has almost
been following Moore's law.  Meanwhile, the circulation of The Wall
Street Journal hasn't increased in twenty years.

Think about your own reading habits.  Why read about the Bell-Atlantic
TCI merger in your local newspaper or {The Wall Street Journal} when
the people who really know about this stuff, such as {Communications
Week} and {Network World}, are writing dozens of articles on it?  You
might say, {The Wall Street Journal} has less information, but it
comes out every day, so it's more timely.  Well, as online
distribution moves forward, you'll be able to get articles from your
favorite trade rags (e.g. {Communications Week} and {Network World})
as fast as you can get articles from {The Wall Street Journal}. (I
guarantee it.)  At that point, what value does {The Wall Street
Journal} have for you?  In it's present form, very little.

Newspapers' enduring advantages are 1) their unparalleled expertise in
specific topic areas - e.g. local news for local newspapers and financial
news for {The Wall Street Journal}, and 2) their understanding of adver-
tising, both classified and display.

As electronic publishing moves forward, the one-size-fits-all newspaper
will become a dinosaur.  People will increasingly want control over their
view of "the news."  That doesn't mean they only get the articles they
ask for, but that they will not rely on any one news organization for
news about every topic.


Mike Lanza

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mark W. Schumann)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 12:34:23 GMT
Organization: Systems for Today's Retailer, Brecksville, Ohio USA


In article <[e-mail]>, David A. Kaye <[e-mail]>
wrote:

> The ACLU has no policy one way or the other on Caller ID.  The ACLU
> concerns itself only with Bill of Rights issues, and more specifically
> First Amendment rights in test cases.  In California where Caller ID
> is not in use, rape crisis centers were a driving force among groups
> against Caller ID.  They're concerned that (as an example) a woman
> calling to order a pizza could be harrassed by unwanted calls if the
> pizza dude thought her voice was arousing.

If that is all they're worried about, then they (rape crisis centers
et al.) should be happy with per-call blocking.  The pizza joint would
naturally accept all incoming calls (not wanting to lose business) and
a cautious customer would block her call out for pizza (and perhaps
block by default if she wants).  If the pizza joint is losing money
due to prank calls, they should consider refusing orders coming from
blocked calls that don't "sound right."

IOW, allow people to have the tools they need to implement their own
decisions about privacy.  What a concept.


Mark W. Schumann <[e-mail]>
STR, Inc.    [phone] x220
6800-A West Snowville Road
Brecksville, Ohio 44141-3214 USA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Michael D. Sullivan)
Subject: Re: Why Caller-ID Instead of ANI?
Date: 21 Feb 1994 02:57:19 -0500
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA


Lynne Gregg <[e-mail]> writes:

>> It can only restrict what the LECs do as local service providers,
>> and the IXCs as local/intra-state carriers (and of course, what any
>> person inside the state is able to do).

> FYI, no IXC, to my knowledge actually passes CPN (calling party
> nnumber).

According to "Emmanuel Goldstein", the editor of {2600 Magazine}, Cable
& Wireless passes true CPN on coast-to-coast calls.  He detailed a
series of calls on a conference on the WELL a couple months ago.
Email to [e-mail] for further information.


Michael D. Sullivan | [e-mail]        [e-mail] |
Washington, D.C.    | [e-mail]     [e-mail] |


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: And this same point has been made here in
a recent issue: C&W passes the identity of the caller to the called party's
Caller-ID display box. I assume they somehow give it to the local telco
which makes the required conversion, etc.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Rob Levandowski)
Subject: Re: New York Telephone Issuing "New" Rotary Phones
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 02:28:48 GMT


In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (David A. Kaye) writes:

[more about pagers, Radio Shack, and rotary dial]
[and Pat replied about 7-Eleven nearby]

While I realize that it's not quite a problem -- yet -- does anyone
else see an irony between these two items?

* Telephone companies install rotary public phones because drug users use
  pagers, which need touch tones to operate.

* AT&T hawks an 800-service that lets users enter touch-tones via voice
  command, enabling use of pagers/phonemail from rotary phones.

How long before the pager companies install this technology...? :)


Rob Levandowski
Computer Interest Floor associate / University of Rochester
[e-mail]     [Opinions expressed are mine, not UR's.]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Interesting prospect. So far however,
no one has figured out a work-around to having the police lean heavily
on areas where there are problems. Now it seems the cops like to get
their sandwiches at that 7-Eleven, so every five or ten minutes another
cop car is pulling in the lot. Some of the cops use the bullhorn in
their car as they pull in to announce that, ".... we're here to arrest
loitering prostitutes and dope feinds ..." and at the annoucement, the
buyers of these services walk away to return later, but the more brazen
of the sellers just stand there. The only cops they seem concerned
about are the detectives; they won't mess around with them. The dicks
go in the Loyola elevated train station once or twice a night with a
command that " ... all the a--holes had better leave now; buncha fu__ers."
And the 'buncha fu__ers' vacate their places at the payphones and leave.
The college kids and the white boys from the suburbs flee in terror;
the sellers strut around like peacocks and are quite casual about it
all, but they leave also. At the 7-Eleven last Saturday night the detec-
tives pulled in and the drug seller there at the time tossed his bag of
stuff on the ground as he was walking away. The cop picked it up, runs
over to the guy and says "hey dude, you dropped something." The guy
actually *takes it back when the cop hands it to him* and the other cops
are laughing about "the stupid a__hole actually took possession in front
of us" as they handcuff him and shove him in the backseat of the cage car.
Drug sellers are not very bright people. I'd not worry too much about them
getting voice-activated pagers anytime soon.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Brian D. Renaud)
Subject: Re: Privacy on 900 Mhz Cordless Phones?
Date: 21 Feb 1994 12:17:37 GMT
Organization: HCIA, Inc.


John Galloway ([e-mail]) wrote:

> Given the extended range folks are reporting for these new phones, it
> seems like privacy is an even bigger issue.  Do the units provide any
> sort of build in key to distinguish your phone from your neighboors?
> (not that such would prevent determined eavsdropping, but it would
> keep the other guys phone and likely the scanner-heads out).

How well do the Motorola [secure clear?] phones work?  Do they provide
a "reasonable" level of security?


Brian

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 10:18:10 CST
From: L. W. Westermeyer <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Rates


I was unable to obtain the level of detail regarding rates for
cellular telephone service as mentioned in my previous note.  However,
here is the information that was available.

This represents the average bill per customer for the time periods
specified.  You can draw your own conclusions.

Date    Avg Bill

12/87   $96.83
06/88   $95.00
12/88   $98.02
06/89   $85.52
12/89   $89.30
06/90   $83.94
12/90   $80.90
06/91   $74.56
12/91   $72.74
06/92   $68.51
12/92   $68.68
06/93   $67.31


Voice: [phone]              [e-mail]   (Bitnet)
Fax:   [phone]              [e-mail] (Internet)
Mailing Address: University of Missouri - St. Louis
                 8001 Natural Bridge Road
                 St. Louis, MO 63121 USA

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 00:06:18 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Paging Available on Cellular Phones


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Scott
Colbath) writes:

> Bell Atlantic here in Phoenix announced yesterday that they were
> making available to their cellular phone customers the ability to be
> pagable on their cell phones.

The Oki 1150 handheld phone comes with this feature.  You can configure
the phone to auto answer like a digital beeper.  The phone will store up
to ten received numbers.  I don't recall how may digits can be stored
for each number.

A similar, and cool feature, is that the party you are speaking with
can enter a number into the phone's memory by dialing '*' before and
'#' after the number.  If they dial a 0 after the #, the phone will
disconnect the current call and then automatically place a call to the
just-transmitted number.


Monty Solomon / PO Box 2486 / Framingham, MA  01701-0405  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 00:20:45 EST
From: Chris Hughes <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: New Zealand Dialing Protocol


In article <[e-mail]> is written:

> I understand that nine dial pulses are required to signify the digit
> "1" in New Zealand, eight signify 2, etc. Can anyone confirm this?

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I believe that is correct. The dial
> is exactly backwards of the one we use in the USA. Any New Zealanders
> wish to comment?   PAT]

Yeap.  I'm a tech for Telecom.  As you can imagine decadic dialing is
not used much now.  Most (if not all) of our mechanical exchanges
(UAX's, and crossbars) all have decadic to DTMF converters and all of
the rental phones are DTMF with some having a pulse/tone switch on
them.

There is no surcharge for using DTMF.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (bob paiani)
Subject: Re: Voicemail or Answering Machine Software?
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 22:21:03 EST
Organization: [MindVox] / Phantom Access Technologies / (+1 800-MindVox)


[e-mail] (Teng-Kiat Lee) writes:

> I am interested in knowing the requirements to install a voicemail
> system or an answering system at home which is controlled by a PC and
> modem. The messages will be stored on harddisk. Are there any public
> domain/commercial software available? I have a soundblaster installed,
> hopefully that's sufficient and would not need an add-on card.

I too am interested in such a beast, but only from a Windows environment.
ZyXEL modems are quite capable of this except for the fact that they only
perform in DOS.  Any other suggestions?

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Date: 21 FEB 94 09:48:00
Subject: Re: Answering Machine Accepting Collect Calls


I can attest that collect calls can be accepted by answering machines.
I happen to report weather statistics for my community to the
newspaper each day, which involves a zoned toll call.  Although
they've had an 800 number for the past year or so, prior to that was a
plain old answering machine, later Aspen, which stated "Collect calls
will be accepted from <name 1>, <name 2> ...  <name n>".  And then the
stuff of interest to the reporting people "At the tone please leave
your name, high and low readings, precipitation"... and so forth.  I
never took advantage of the feature, feeling that my time in dealing
with an operator wasn't worth the seven cents (four cents on weekends)
savings each day, but folks from other communities did.


Arthur L. Shapiro        [e-mail]
Software Engineering     Unisys Corporation   Mission Viejo, CA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Russ McGuire)
Subject: Re: Frame Relay Information Needed
Date: 21 Feb 1994 16:37:55 GMT
Organization: WilTel
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Russ McGuire)


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Engage
Communications) writes:

> I am looking for information about Frame Relay, in particular:

>     - Frame Relay services in this country
>     - Frame Relay standards and certification procedures
>     - Implementation details/tips regarding routers using Frame
>       Relay.

> I would appreciate the names of books or magazine articles that would
> shed some more light on this subject. Also, does anyone know of a
> developers forum that I can subscribe to?

The best forum for developers would be the Frame Relay Forum.  They
can be reached at [e-mail] or 415-578-6980.  They also have a
Facts-by-Fax number at 415-688-4317.  There are also articles
available via CompuServe by typing GO FRAME.  (I haven't tried either
the Facts-by-Fax or CompuServe - just know they are out there.)

As far as "services in this country", if you mean the U.S., then
obviously I should mention WilTel's WilPak frame relay service.
WilPak was the industry's first frame relay service when introduced in
March 1991 and is still the industry leading frame relay service.

General product information can be requested from [e-mail].  We
have also been advertising a free WilPak tutorial diskette for DOS PCs
in Communications Week and Network World that can be requested via
[e-mail].


Russ McGuire   Manager, Product Development
WilTel, Inc.   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Mayhew)
Subject: Re: RBOC Names
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 17:31:18 GMT


Similarly here in Ohio, Ameritech spent big bux to exponge the name of
Ohio Bell.  Unfortunately, the name change did not filter through all
elements of the compnay with equal rapidity.  Akron just had its aging
robotic time/temperature number upraded.  The number is 216-673-9811.
Curiously, the recording used to belong to Huntington Bank, but was
then liberated back to Ohio Bell.  Presumably, they couldn't find a
customer that wanted to pay what Bell was asking for sponsorship.  The
temperature part of the machine quit working several months ago.
Just about two weeks ago, a new appartently all digital system came up
on the same nubmer.  It has been a while since the catharsis of Ohio
Bell becoming Ameritech, but the brand new machine proudly announces,
"Good Morning!!!  The Ohio Bell time is: ....  The temperature is
...."

The new machine uses the familar vocie of Mrs. (forget her name) that
prevades all other RBOC robotic recordings.  It is most annoying to
call the machine at at 12:30 AM and receive the overly cheeful, "Good
Morning!!!!"  (Yes, it does say afternoon from 12:01 - 17:00 (I
think).  It switches over to saying good evening after working hours.
I wonder if the new system is seasonally corrected so it doesn't sound
too silly in the summer saying good evening when the sun is still
shining brightly?


Bill Mayhew        NEOUCOM Computer Services Department
Rootstown, OH  44272-0095  USA      phone: [phone]
[e-mail]       amateur radio 146.58: N8WED

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 9:36:03 PST
From: Ole J. Jacobsen <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Hunting and Busy Call forwarding


Yes, these are indeed different beasts. Hunting I think is still
restricted to "in the same switch" (which the service rep will tell
you means to a number of "higher value" in the same prefix, whether or
not this is actually a technical limitation). As far as I understand
it, Busy Call Forwarding works to any pre-programmed number, i.e., it
would be possible to have your phone in Chicago, IL, USA Busy Call
Forward to a number in London, England. You cannot do that with
hunting.

Also note that you can have BOTH features enabled at the same time on
the same lines and one feature will "kick in" after the other. This is
useful when you have three lines which you would like to hunt in the
following manner:

A hunts to B
B hunts to A     ; called "circular hunt"
A & B forwards to C, if and only if BOTH A and B are busy.

I have this setup and it works like a charm, but costs too much since
I pay for BCF and hunting on both A & B, that's something like $3.50 +
$1.00 twice. I should also note that it took a wizard from the
Pac*Bell switch group to make this happen; the service reps said it
could not be done.

My switch is a 1A, I imagine this works on any ESS.


Ole J Jacobsen, Editor & Publisher, ConneXions--The Interoperability Report,
Interop Company, a division of ZD Expos, 303 Vintage Park Drive, Foster City,
CA 94404-1138, USA. Phone: [phone]  Fax: [phone].

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 12:40:13 -0500
From: [e-mail] (Bob Goudreau)
Subject: Re: Digital Cellular Phones


[e-mail] (Ed Leslie) writes:

>> It is difficult for me to imagine an all digital cellular network

> Well, then, you'd best not bring your cellphone to Canada. Both Bell
> Mobility (Ontario and Quebec) and Cantel (the 'other' provider country-
> wide) and I believe most (all?) of the other regional providers across
> Canada are either converting, or have completed conversion to digital
> service capability.

Careful.  I think that when Alex says "all digital", he means exactly
that -- a cellular system that using nothing but digital signaling.
Dual-mode systems, which combine support for the old (analog) AMPS
system with support for one of the new digital systems (TDMA or CDMA)
are *not* all-digital.

Now, have Bell and Cantel actually stopped supporting AMPS, thus
requiring all subscribers to replace their equipment?  Sounds unlikely.


Bob Goudreau            Data General Corporation
[e-mail]        62 Alexander Drive
[phone]            Research Triangle Park, NC  27709, USA

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 11:37:04 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Clipper Debate


Dave Banisar <[e-mail]> writes:

> In only two weeks, over 10,000 users of the nation's computer networks
> have signed the CPSR petition calling for President Clinton to
> withdraw the Clipper proposal.

The Clipper Chip may be a "hot" item on today's virtual debate forums,
but I fail to see the urgency.  If the Clipper Proposal is passed, I
will continue to send e-mail as I do now.

If I don't care who reads it, I'll just send it.  If I want privacy, I
will encrypt it. The fact that it goes through the Clipper afterwards
makes little difference to me.


Stephen Polinsky  [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #97
*****************************


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Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 09:03:14 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #98

TELECOM Digest     Wed, 23 Feb 94 09:03:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 98

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    It's Impossible, Isn't It? (Bob Schwartz)
    Oh No, Not This Confused Again ... (Telemate) (Paul Robinson)
    Caller ID Box With RS232 (Daniel Wynalda)
    PCS Documents? ([e-mail])
    Help: Pair-Gain Information Needed ([e-mail])
    Vermont Gets Ready For NNX Area Codes (John Levine)
    Murata M3 EPROM Reset Sequence Wanted ([e-mail])
    Telecommunications in Southeast Asia (Sean Noble)
    Re: Shortage of Prefixes in 800? (Clive D.W. Feather)
    Re: Shortage of Prefixes in 800? (Al Varney)
    Connecting a PBX/Telephone to a PC (Robert La Ferla)
    Chips/Boards For ADSL or HDSL etc. (D.E. Price)
    Call for Participation: Feature Interaction Workshop '94 (H. Velthuijsen)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated
Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech
Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience
of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All
opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: It's Impossible, Isn't It?
From: [e-mail] (Bob Schwartz)
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 94 15:49:33 PST
Organization: Bill Correctors, Inc., Marin County, California


This happened to me and I've never heard of such a thing.

I have several lines and while talking on line line, which is hooked
up to a fax machine and a phone (distinctly seperate stations), the
phone integrated into the fax machine began to ring. then, right on
que, the fax machine answered and my conversation was obliterated by
fax tones The line has no special features such call waiting or three
way calling.  It does however recieve from a remote call forwarding
source, but I can't see how RCF would have any involvement.

Has anyone seen or heard of such an occurance and how could it be?


Bob Schwartz                                       [e-mail]
Bill Correctors, Inc.   [phone]   Marin County, California

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 23:41:35 EST
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Oh No, Not This Confused Again (Telemate)
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


In Pennsylvania, there is a company called "Snyder's of Berlin, PA,
Inc" that makes potato chips.  There is also a "Snyder's of Hanover,
Inc", (PA) that makes potato chips.  What do *both* of them use as the
name for their potato chips?  "Snyder's".  Both of them, on their
package, quite carefully, in small print, disclaim any relation with
the other.

Now, what does this have to do with telecom?  Here's the situation.
Winfred Ho, who lives in Ontario, Canada, is the author of a
multitasking terminal program that runs on DOS based (not Windows)
machines and provides the capabilities that would be associated with
OS/2, including automated downloading, script capability, and the
ability to run downloads or scripts in background while viewing and/or
editing a text file.  I consider the program to be about as important
to me in doing telecommunications as my right arm, and when I don't
have it I notice it right away; it so fit me perfectly that I didn't
even wait 30 days from the first time I used it to register it.  I am
*extremely* fussy about telecom programs; I used the original Bitcom
software for over five years because of more than a dozen comm
programs I tried, every one was missing something I desparately
needed, which, while I didn't like Bitcom, did what I needed.  Then I
found this program and it did everything I could want.

The name of this program is "Telemate" and has been sold BOTH in the
U.S.  and Canada for more than five years.

Recently someone else referenced here -- in response to a question about
it -- what appeared to be a *totally different* program for a totally
different purpose, that *also* uses the name Telemate.

In the event the original poster wanted the name and address of the
company that sells Winifred Ho's Telemate, here's the cut from the
registration text file for version 4.12.  In addition to being on many
BBSs, this program can be found via an ARCHIE search, in four Zip
archive files as TM412-1.ZIP through TM412-4.ZIP.

               White River Software
               P.O.Box 73031
               Limeridge Mall Postal Outlet
               Hamilton, Ont. L9A 5H7
               Canada

    ====== Telemate 4.12 ======================= Credit Card Order ======

    For MasterCard or Visa card order, please call the Public (Software)
    Library at 1-800-2424-775 or 1-713-524-6394 (order only please) and
    ask for TELEMATE or by writing to

            Public (Software) Library
            P.O. Box 35705
            Houston, TX 77235-5705
            USA


Paul Robinson - [e-mail]

------------------------------

Subject: Caller ID Box With RS232
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 14:33:54 EST
From: Daniel Wynalda <[e-mail]>


I'm sorry -- I'm sure this is a FAQ as I've seen it before.  I have
just received notice we have caller ID available in this area and
would like to add it.  However, I would like my computer to be able to
receive the information.  Is there such a thing as a CID box with
RS232 output?  The goal would be to use my voice card (Soundblaster)
to announce the call.

Better yet, is there a voice card with caller ID that could go in a PC
and I could program software to interface with it?  Any help is appreciated.


Daniel Wynalda       | [phone] X22 Ham:N8KUD Net:[e-mail]
Wynalda Litho Inc.   | 8221 Graphic Industrial Pk. | Rockford, MI  49341

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 09:06:39 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: PCS Documents?


Are there any 'white papers' out there which gives an overview on PCS
(Personal Communications Services)?  I have seen alot of articles on
the service over the last few months, but I would like to have one
definitive document which gives an overview and possibly a listing of
some of the companies which are driving this.


Thanks!

[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Help: Pair-Gain Information Needed
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 05:32:46 GMT
Organization: Wits Electrical Engineering (Novell Users).


Hi,

I am looking for infomation on pair-gain which is a technique of
multiplexing (usually two) subscriber calls onto a single copper pair.
The reason I need this information is that I wish to investigate if it
could be used to improve the party line systems that we have in
operation here in rural areas.

Any e-mail information, suggestions or references that you could
supply would be greatly appreciated, as I am battleing to find good
reference material on the subject.


Thanks.

------------------------------

From: chico![e-mail]
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 94 18:15 EST
Subject: Vermont Gets Ready For NNX Area Codes
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


A flyer in my latest phone bill reveals that Vermont's new toll
dialing plan is 1-802-NNX-XXXX, the same as will be implemented in
Massachusetts.  Permissive dialing starts on February 18 and ends May
18.

Calling card calls must be dialed 0-802-NNX-XXXX, same dates.

The flyer explains, fairly clearly, that they have to do this because
NXX area codes are coming in 1995.

Oddly, I still haven't seen any announcement of dates for the new
dialing plan in Massachusetts.  The new phone books that arrived this
month (at every house except ours, for the 13th consecutive year) make
no mention of it.

NYNEX was originally planning seven digit dialing for all in-state
calls.  I don't know whether the state PUC required that they change,
or that they did it voluntarily to be consistent with the rest of the
region.  In New Hampshire apparently you'll be able to dial either
way, with a per-line option to block seven digit dialing of toll
calls.

Personally, I find the new plan to be a big pain in the neck, since,
due to a peculiarity of exchange boundaries, it'll require that I dial
most free local calls within our town with 11 digits.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Murata M3 EPROM Reset Sequence Wanted
Organization: IKI RAN
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 10:38:57 GMT


Hi friends,

Please help me find EPROM text for MURATA M3 Fax unit. The contents of
its EPROM was destroyed due failure in power supply (+9 volts instead
of 5) which I have fixed. Now the unit can not init itself and I can
suppose the defective EPROM is at fault. I also have no manual and to
find it and even the reset sequence would be great. Electric drawings
and some descriptions seems to be not available but of corse wanted
also.  Hope on your help, many thanks in advance. Better reply by
E-mail, I'll summarizse the answers.


Sincerely,

Lev

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Sean Noble)
Subject: Telecommunications in Southeast Asia
Date: 22 Feb 1994 17:29:20 GMT
Organization: Collins International Services Company


I am performing research on the telecommunications in Southeast Asia.
Particularly, I am interested in cellular and mobile telecommunications.
 From what information I have gathered, the major players are NipponTT
and AT&T.  I have heard some reports of mobile telephones in Viet Nam.
I believe they are not full GSM or AMPS cellular systems, but the CT2
phone system, with dial out only (no call receiving).

Does anyone have any other information or experiences?  Any info at
all is appreciated.  Countries in interest include Viet Nam, Laos,
Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.


Thanks!

Sean Patrick Noble   [phone]  [e-mail]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Shortage of Prefixes in 800?
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 18:12:47 GMT
From: Clive D.W. Feather <[e-mail]>


Quoth Carl Moore:

> Someone else wondered if 800-NXX-XXXX could generalize to
> 800-XXX-XXXX (ditto for area 900), since there is no occasion to use
> less than the ten-digit number (including the area code) to reach any
> of them.

In the UK, special rate numbers (free, cheap, and premium) all use any
first digit, including 0 (usually long distance access), 1 (usually
telecom services access) and 9 (often a short code prefix). For
example, British Rail's express parcel service used to be 0800 000
000.


Clive D.W. Feather      Santa Cruz Operation
[e-mail]           Croxley Centre
Phone: [phone]  Hatters Lane, Watford
Fax:   [phone]  WD1 8YN, United Kingdom

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 14:24:17 CST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Shortage of Prefixes in 800?
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
writes:

> In the messages about N00 prefixes, [e-mail] commented
> about seeing N0X/N1X prefixes in use for area 800 (tollfree calls).
> Yes, I have been seeing some of those, too.  Someone else wondered if
> 800-NXX-XXXX could generalize to 800-XXX-XXXX (ditto for area 900),
> since there is no occasion to use less than the ten-digit number
> (including the area code) to reach any of them.  A response said that
> a lot of local switches would block 800-0xx and 800-1xx (ditto for
> area 900),

   I don't believe any "local switches" are not capable of handling
1xx and 0xx office codes in a ten-digit number.  These were/are
routinely used to route early versions of INWATS and private network
traffic.  What many local switches are not capable of is supporting
0XX/1XX office codes in seven-digit translators -- a leading 0+ or 1+
is pulled off prior to looking at the translator.  Supporting ten-digit
calls of the NXX-0/1XX-XXXX form requires building a different form of
digit translator to handle the office code (typically the NXX would
just "point" to a seven-digit translator).

> ... and it occurs to me: back in the 1970s, when 213 was the
> only area code having N0X/N1X prefixes, did a lot of local switches
> block 213-N0X and 213-N1X because they were "smart" enough to spot
> that 0 or 1 in the middle digit of what should be the prefix?

   I was not aware any "local switches" blocked such inter-NPA calls.
Obviously, until the NPA 213 switches were populated with information
for routing seven-digit N0X/N1X numbers, they would fail to route
them.  You sure it wasn't PBXs blocking calls?


Al Varney

------------------------------

From: Robert La Ferla <[e-mail]>
Subject: Connecting a PBX/Telephone to a PC
Reply-To: Robert La Ferla <[e-mail]>
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 08:30:00 CST


Where can I get more information about connecting a PBX or telephone
to a PC?  What hardware interfaces are currently in use?  What
manufacturers?  Who do you recommend?

If you're willing to chat with me about this, drop me an e-mail with
your telephone number.


Robert La Ferla     Hot Technologies

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (D E Price)
Subject: Chips/Boards for ADSL or HDSL etc.
Organization: University of Wales - Aberystwyth - Prifysgol Cymru
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 20:03:11 GMT


Dear All,

    I am attempting to locate information on availability and
pricing for any chips/ evaluation boards/ products that support HDSL
or ADSL ...


Thanks,

Dave Price

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 15:05:05 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Velthuijsen H.)
Subject: Call for Participation: Feature Interaction Workshop '94
Organization: PTT Research, The Netherlands


      Second International Workshop on Feature Interactions
          in Telecommunications Software Systems

            Amsterdam, The Netherlands
                  May 8-10, 1994


             PRELIMINARY PROGRAM
                 and
            CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

                   DESCRIPTION

    The feature interaction problem has been a major obstacle to the rapid
    deployment of new telephone  services.  Telecommunications software is
    huge, real-time,  and  distributed;  adding new features  to  a  tele-
    communication  system, like  adding  new functionalities to any  large
    software system, can be very difficult.  Each new feature may interact
    with  many  existing  features,  causing customer  annoyance or  total
    system breakdown.  Traditionally, interactions were  detected  and re-
    solved  on a feature by feature basis by experts who are knowledgeable
    on all existing features.  As the number of features grows  to satisfy
    diverse needs of customers, managing feature interactions in  a single
    administrative domain is approaching incomprehensible  complexity.  In
    a future marketplace  where features  deployed  in the network may  be
    developed  by different operating companies  and their associated ven-
    dors, the traditional approach is no longer feasible.  How  to detect,
    resolve, or even prevent the occurrence of feature interactions  in an
    open network becomes an important research issue.

    The feature  interaction problem is not unique  to  telecommunications
    software; similar problems are encountered in any  long-lived software
    system that  requires frequent  changes  and  additions  to  its func-
    tionality.  Techniques in  many related areas  appear to be applicable
    to the management of feature interactions.  Software methodologies for
    extensibility and  compatibility, for  example,  could  be useful  for
    providing  a structured  design that can  prevent many feature  inter-
    actions from occurring.  Formal specification, verification, and  tes-
    ting  techniques,  being  widely  used  in  protocol  engineering  and
    software  engineering, contribute a  lot  to  the  detection of inter-
    actions.  Several causes of the problem, such as aliasing, timing, and
    the distribution  of software  components, are similar  to  issues  in
    distributed  systems.   Cooperative   problem  solving,  a   promising
    approach for resolving interactions at run time, resembles distributed
    planning and  resolution of conflicting subgoals among multiple agents
    in the area of distributed artificial intelligence. This workshop aims
    to  provide  an  opportunity  for  participants  to  share  ideas  and
    experiences  in their  respective fields, and to apply their expertise
    to the feature interaction problem.


             PRELIMINARY PROGRAM

    ----------------------  Sunday, May 8  -------------------------------

    17:00--19:00    Reception

    ----------------------  Monday, May 9  -------------------------------

     8:45-- 9:00    Welcome and Opening Remarks

     9:00--10:00    Tutorial --- Results of Pre-Weekend Workshops

    10:00--10:30    Coffee Break

    10:30--12:00    Technical Presentations

    "Towards automated detection of feature interactions",
    K.H. Braithwaite and J.M. Atlee (University of Waterloo)

    "Classification, detection and resolution of service
    interactions in telecommunication services", T. Ohta and Y.
    Harada (ATR Communication Systems Research Laboratories)

    "Service interactions among Pan-European services", K. Kimbler
    (Telia Research/Lund Institute of Technology), E. Kuisch
    (PTT Research), and J. Muller (CNET)

    12:00--13.30    Lunch

    13:30--15.30    Technical Presentations

    "A building block approach to detecting and resolving
    interactions", F.J. Lin and Y.-J. Lin (Bellcore)

    "Formalisation of a user view of network and services for
    feature interaction detection", P. Combes and S. Pickin (CNET)

    "Specifying features and analysing their interactions in a
    LOTOS environment", M. Faci and L. Logrippo (University of
    Ottawa)

    "Towards a formal model for incremental service specification
    and interaction management support", K.E. Cheng (Royal
    Melbourne Institute of Technology)

    15:30--16:00    Coffee Break

    16:00--18:30    Poster Session --- Poster presentations and demos


    ----------------------  Tuesday, May 10  -----------------------------

     9:00--10:00    Invited Speaker --- Rob van der Linden, ANSA/APM Ltd

    On the cross-fertilisation between distributed computing
    systems and telecommunications systems

    10:00--10:30    Coffee Break

    10:30--12:00    Technical Presentations

    "Use case-driven analysis of feature interactions", K. Kimbler
    and D. Sobirk (Lund Institute of Technology)

    "Interaction detection --- a logical approach", A. Gammelgaard
    and J.E. Kristensen (Tele Danmark Research)

    "Using temporal logic for modular specification of telephone
    services", B. Jonsson and L. Kempe (Uppsala University)

    12:00--13:30    Lunch

    13:30--15:30    Technical Presentations

    "The negotiating agents approach to runtime feature
    interaction resolution", N.D. Griffeth (Bellcore) and
    H. Velthuijsen (PTT Research)

    "Detecting feature interactions in the Intelligent Network",
    S. Tsang and E.H. Magill (University of Strathclyde)

    "Restructuring the problem of feature interaction: has the
    approach been validated? An advanced telecommunications
    application for personal mobility", M. Cross and F. O'Brien
    (University of Wollongong)

    "An architecture for defining features and exploring
    interactions", D.D. Dankel, M. Schmalz, W. Walker, K. Nielsen,
    L. Muzzi, and D. Rhodes (University of Florida)

    15:30--16:00    Coffee Break

    16:00--17:30    Panel Discussion

    17:00    Closing


                  ATTENDANCE

    Since workshop attendance has to be limited  to 90 people,  attendance
    will be by  invitation only.   Prospective attendees who  have not yet
    done so are asked to submit a  single page description of their inter-
    ests and how they relate to  the workshop to the workshop chairmen.  A
    registration  package will be  sent to  those who are  invited to  the
    workshop.  There will be a  (limited)  opportunity to present  ongoing
    work and to  demonstrate tools during the poster session.  Persons who
    are interested in making  use of this  opportunity should  contact the
    workshop chairmen.

    The conference  proceedings will be published by IOS Press, Amsterdam.
    IOS Press will also distribute the  proceedings  world wide  after the
    workshop.

              REGISTRATION FEES

    Early registration (before April 2, 1994)
        ACM/IEEE Members    USD 190
        non-members        USD 215
    Late registration (after April 2, 1994)
        ACM/IEEE Members    USD 215
        non-members        USD 240

    Registration includes admittance to the workshop,  coffee breaks,  the
    reception on Sunday,  and the lunches on Monday and Tuesday as well as
    a copy of the proceedings.


                ACCOMMODATION

    The workshop will be held in the ParkHotel in the centre of Amsterdam,
    at walking distance of several museums (Rijksmuseum,  Van Gogh Museum,
    and  City Museum of Modern Art),  the Concertgebouw Concert Hall,  the
    Vondel Park,  and  many restaurants and bars.  A block reservation has
    been made at the same hotel for attendees to the workshop. Room prices
    will be HFL 234 for a single room including breakfast.


             WORKSHOP CO-CHAIRPERSONS

    Wiet Bouma and Hugo Velthuijsen (PTT Research)

    PO Box 421                 or      St. Paulusstraat 4
    2260 AK Leidschendam               2264 XZ Leidschendam
    The Netherlands                    The Netherlands

    E-mail: [e-mail]  [e-mail]
    TEL:    [phone]            [phone]
    FAX:    [phone]


                PROGRAM COMMITTEE

    Chair: E. Jane Cameron (Bellcore, USA)

    Jan Bergstra           (CWI and University of Amsterdam,
                            The Netherlands)
    Ralph Blumenthal       (Bellcore, USA)
    Kong Eng Cheng         (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,
                            Australia)
    Bernie Cohen           (City University of London, UK)
    Fulvio Faraci          (CSELT, Italy)
    Robert France          (Florida Atlantic University, USA)
    Steve German           (GTE, USA)
    David Gill             (MITRE, USA)
    Toru Ishida            (Kyoto University, Japan)
    Richard Kemmerer       (UCSB, USA)
    Eric Kuisch            (PTT Research, The Netherlands)
    Victor Lesser          (University of Massachusetts, USA)
    Yow-Jian Lin           (Bellcore, USA)
    Luigi Logrippo         (University of Ottawa, Canada)
    Robert Milner          (BNR, UK)
    Leo Motus              (Tallinn Technical University, Estonia)
    Jacques Muller         (CNET, France)
    Jan-Olof Nordenstam    (ELLEMTEL, Sweden)
    Stott Parker           (UCLA, USA)
    Ben Potter               (BNR, UK)
    Henrikas Pranevitchius (Kaunas University of Technology,
                            Lithuania)
    Lynne Presley          (Bellcore, USA)
    Jean-Bernard Stefani   (CNET, France)
    Greg Utas              (BNR, Canada)
    Juri Vain            (Institute of Cybernetics, Estonia)
    Yasushi Wakahara       (KDD R&D Laboratories, Japan)
    Ron Wojcik             (BellSouth, USA)
    Pamela Zave            (AT&T Bell Laboratories, USA)


Hugo Velthuijsen.
PTT Research                            Phone: [phone]
P.O. Box 421                            Fax:   [phone]
2260 AK Leidschendam, The Netherlands   Email: [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #98
*****************************


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From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #99

TELECOM Digest     Wed, 23 Feb 94 10:13:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 99

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Program For Microwave Radio Links (Bill Mayhew)
    Re: Cheap Long Distance! (Jay Hennigan)
    Re: Intelligent Network Services (Al Varney)
    Re: Caller-ID Question (Al Varney)
    Re: Multimedia Keynote Speech by AT&T Executive (William M. Eldridge)
    Where NPA Came From (Tim Donahue)
    Re: Why Caller-ID Instead of ANI? (Scott Baer)
    Re: Horrid AT&T 2500 YMGK (K. M. Peterson)
    Re: Percentage of DTMF Circuits (John R. Levine)
    Re: Area Code Closeness (David C. Tuttle)
    Re: Digital Cellular Phones (Steven King)
    Re: RBOC Names (Daryl R. Gibson)
    Re: Area Code Closeness (Fritz Whittington)
    ATM Comes to Long Island (Dave Niebuhr)
    CID Box, Voicemail With Caller ID? (Daniel Wynalda)
    NT1 With Analog Port (Ken Mandelberg)
    Air Cell (Stu Jeffery)
    Seeking Info on GTE Interactive Multimedia Systems Devlopment (M. LaBiche)
    C&W is Rude (was Re: Experiences with C&W (Douglas Scott Reuben)
    COMPSAC 94 -- Call for Papers (Bing Gao)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and
long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
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opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bill Mayhew)
Subject: Re: Program For Microwave Radio Links
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 12:04:46 GMT


I'd try a book on Satellite Communications.  I have Pratt and
Bostian's book, but I'm not in the office with the book, so I don't
know if there is a formula there.  Magazines like Business TV probably
publish solar outage charts, but those would be for times when the sun
is crossing the plane of the ecliptic for satellites in goestationary
orbit.  OnSat magazine, before it became a TV guide, published some
articles on predicting solar outage: it would have been in 1985 or
1986.

I'd try the local National Weather Service office.  They certainly
have local sunrise/sunset times and may well have corresponding
azimuth angles.  Depending on your beam anlge, I'd think that solar
outage would only be a problem two days a year (spring and fall) and
for only a few minutes.


Bill Mayhew        NEOUCOM Computer Services Department
Rootstown, OH  44272-0095  USA      phone: [phone]
[e-mail]       amateur radio 146.58: N8WED

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Jay Hennigan)
Subject: Re: Cheap Long Distance!
Date: 23 Feb 1994 10:24:01 -0800
Organization: Disgruntled postal workers against gun control


In article <[e-mail]> Allen Walker <[e-mail]>
blatantly advertises:

> GTI telecom introduces the lowest long distance telephone rates
> imaginable!  Here is some information about the CALL AMERICA TRAVEL
> PLAN from GTI. Calls may be placed TO and FROM any of the 50 states at
> ANYTIME of the DAY at the incredible rate of $2.60 per hour. This
> means you can call 24hrs/7 days a week at this rate!

[snip]

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've got an idea there is *something* we
> are overlooking or not hearing about here. If anyone gets the brochure on
> this, perhaps they will kindly type it in or summarize it further.   PAT]

This type of offering has been around for a while, and this particlar
one is showing up on the net in much the same manner as MAKE.MONEY.FAST.

The way that it works is as follows: The customer pays in advance for
X number of one-hour calls each month.  Typically 15 calls at $2.60 =
$39.  He pays that $39 regardless if he makes 0 calls or 15, and
whether each call lasts 2 minutes or 59.  So, while the potential rate
is 4.33 cents per minute, the company is gambling that the customer's
calling patterns will be substantially different.  For most people,
the calling patterns are going to be much different.  There is a
perception of great value, (hey, I can talk as long as an hour!) but
who calls cross-country for an hour?  If all 15 calls are used (and
I'm guessing that the number in this particular pitch is 15, but that
is typical), at 15 minutes per call it winds up 17.3 cents per minute.
No great bargain for residential night/ weekend rates.  And what
businesses talk for 15 minutes, or make just 15 calls?

These plans are typically sold under a multi-level pyramid deal, and
you see a lot of people pushing them on college campuses.  Now, if any
smart datacomm managers out there have about 15 hours worth of traffic
to pass cross-country each month, this could be a good deal for you
(unless they tweak with the lines to trash modem connections).
Likewise BBS enthusiasts.  For everybody else, look at your phone
bills before you make the plunge.  Also, although I'm not familiar
with *this* particular company, in the past it's been typical that
providers of similar plans would take your money and then it would be
_months_ before the service was "connected".


Jay Hennigan    [e-mail]   Santa Barbara CA

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 09:50:00 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Intelligent Network Services
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Wayne King) writes:

> I am looking for detailed information on the features provided by
> Intelligent Network and Advanced Intelligent Network services.  I
> would like to know where I can get information on this topic.

   The IN/AIN "features" are really interfaces that support the
creation of customer features by the TELCo -- you'd have to talk to
them about what FEATURES they will provide.  Internationally, this a
topic of CCITT/ITU-T Study Group XI/WP4.  In the USA, Bellcore
TA-NWT-001123 provides the requirements for switch vendors, while
SR-NWT-002088 and SR-NWT-002192 discuss early deployment, initial
capabilities and SCP (database) requirements.  [Bellcore orders:
1-800-521-2673 or [phone].]

   A good introduction is in a series of articles in the Summer 1991
issue of the AT&T Technical Journal (Vol. 70, Nos. 3-4).  Back issues
are available from AT&T CIC, 1-800-432-6600 (USA), 800-225-1242
(Canada) or [phone].  Or you can get photocopies/microform
reprints from University Microfilms, 1-800-521-0600 ([phone])
[I don't know if Ann Arbor goes to NPA 810 from 313 or not, but the
313 number should be good for a few months.]


Al Varney - my opinion only

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 10:10:56 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Caller-ID Question
Organization: AT&T


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail].
com writes:

> I am trying to locate info re: Caller-ID.  How does it work?  How much
> digital, how much analog, how much Ma Bell?  Where can I obtain the
> specification?  I have voicemail/mbox in my computer and I would like
> to integrate Caller-ID function for database storage.

   The easiest way is to ask your computer equipment vendor.

   If you are interested enough to pay money for the specs., get:

SR-TSV-002476, CPE compatibility ... Voiceband Data Transmission Interface
TR-TSY-000031, Calling Number Delivery

   The first discusses the CPE requirements for electrical and
messaging interfaces, using 1200-baud half-duplex FSK signaling (some
call this the Bell 202 modem protocol).  The second describes the
format of the actual message(s) used in CallerID.

   Bellcore will supply those documents for about $30 each.  Call
either 1-800-521-2673 or [phone] to order.

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (William M. Eldridge)
Subject: Re: Multimedia Keynote Speech by AT&T Executive
Date: 23 Feb 1994 02:44:49 -0800
Organization: UCLA Cognitive Science Research Program


Nice to think of AT&T as the open systems leader, but currently I find
I can't get ISDN because my local carrier is GTE.  Being able to
choose our local carriers just like we choose our long distance
companies will be a great breakthrough.


Bill Eldridge    [e-mail]     310-206-3960 (3987 fax)

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 09:13:46 EST
From: Tim Donahue <[e-mail]>
Subject: Where NPA Came From


Fred writes:

> Whoa -- since when did they come up with NPA = Numbering Plan
> Area?  And are they going to fabricate an equally ridiculous
> (actually, it's pretty clever) meaning for NXX?

PAT writes:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well actually Fred, I've heard NPA used
> as an abbreviation for 'Numbering Plan Area' for many years. It is used
> that way in this Digest all the time; always has been.   PAT]

NPA is discussed in the CCITT Recommendation E.160, "Numbering Plan
for the International Telephone Service."


Cheers,

Timothy P. Donahue
ascom Timeplex  289 Great Road  Acton MA USA  01720
Microsoft Mail: [e-mail]
UNIX Mail:      [e-mail]
E.164 Voice:     001-508-266-4545
E.164 Facsimile: 001-508-264-4999

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 01:01:24 MST
From: [e-mail] (Scott Baer)
Subject: Re: Why Caller-ID Instead of ANI?


Michael D. Sullivan < [e-mail]> writes:

> According to "Emmanuel Goldstein", the editor of {2600 Magazine}, Cable
> & Wireless passes true CPN on coast-to-coast calls.  He detailed a
> series of calls on a conference on the WELL a couple months ago.
> Email to [e-mail] for further information.

And TELECOM Digest Editor notes:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: And this same point has been made here
> in a recent issue: C&W passes the identity of the caller to the called
> party's Caller-ID display box. I assume they somehow give it to the
> local telco which makes the required conversion, etc.   PAT]

Now, directly to my question, what is the (10XXX) PIC code for Cable &
Wireless?  I would like to test this claim that C&W passes the
identity of the caller to the called party's Caller-ID display box.

I found, quite by accident, that a local call within the Phoenix area
will successfully complete using the MCI PIC code prior to the seven
digits: 10222-XXX-XXXX.  After having accidently sent out such a
number sequence from my modem, I became curious as to whether this
call will incure a toll charge.  And so, at the expense of incurring
yet another toll charge, I called up one of my coworkers who also has
Caller-ID, using the 10222-XXX-XXXX format.  The result was
"out-of-area."  Thus it appears that a call local within the Phoenix
area can be forced from the US West C.O. to an IXC such as MCI and
then back to the terminating switch and reported as "out-of-area."  As
to the toll charge, I'll find out with the next bill.  This apparently
provides a ($$) alternative to *67 for those wanting to conceal their
numbers to called parties in the Phoenix metro area, the benefit being
"out-of-area" being perceived as less ominous than "private."

When furnished the PIC for Cable & Wireless, I'll repeat the above
experiment and report on the result.  I would be quite pleased to find
an IXC who provides Caller-ID transmission.


Scott J. Baer   [e-mail]   [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think you misunderstood the results of
your prepending 10222 to a local seven digit number. In all probability,
your local telephone exchange probably *ignored* the 10222 and handled
the call themselves. They have the right to do that. Regards C&W passing
the identity of the caller, I don't think anyone has said or claimed
that they do it on regular long distance calls; only that they do it
for their 800 customers who also have Caller-ID. That is, if you have
800 service from C&W which terminates on some regular POTS line at your
home and that line has Caller-ID as well, then C&W will pipe it along.
I am not sure if you have to specifically request 'real time ANI' or
if it comes by default. I doubt that dialing a regular call via their
PIC will get you any identification.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (K. M. Peterson)
Subject: Re: Horrid AT&T 2500 YMGK
Date: 23 Feb 1994 11:13:21 GMT
Organization: KMPeterson/Boston


In article <[e-mail]> Randall C Gellens <0005000102@
mcimail.com> writes:

>> In preparation for our move from a Dimension PBX to a G3, we are
>> replacing our 7101 'voice terminals' with new ersatz 2500 sets.

Does anyone know where the 7101s go?  I really like mine, and I'd be
interested in perhaps picking up a few ...

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 06:11 EST
From: [e-mail] (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: Percentage of DTMF Circuits
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


Seems to me the question isn't how many phones are DTMF, it's how many
fax machines are.  While there are zillions of pulse phones, including
a growing number in the U.S., I'd be surprised if there were many
pulse-only fax machines.  Many of them dial with pulses, but if you
push enough buttons and flip enough switches, you can generally switch
it to tone mode.

Even so, if you're doing your fax routing in the U.S., I'd strongly
encourage you to use Direct Inward Dial trunks, like PBXes use, and
compatible fax cards so that you can get a block of phone numbers from
the phone company and give each fax user a separate real phone number.
I believe that except for the tiniest setups, the cost is about the
same and the functionality is a lot better.

Reasons not to use extra digits:

* Inconvenient for users who pulse dial
* Can't use autodial buttons on sending fax
* Can't use features that send at night when it's cheaper
* Can't receive faxes from users who have computers with fax modems
* Can't receive faxes from fax forwarding systems like MCI Mail's
* Can't receive from fax-back systems

Incidentally, I've heard that the proportion of users who use tone
dialing in the U.S. is currently decreasing, because most telcos
charge extra for it and nearly all modems, faxes, and pushbutton
phones can send dial pulses as well as tones.


Regards,

John Levine, [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (David C. Tuttle)
Subject: Re: Area Code Closeness
Date: 23 Feb 1994 12:06:33 GMT
Organization: University of Texas Health Science Center


Paul Robinson <[e-mail]> writes:

> The two areas were Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles/Southern
> California (back then).  Los Angeles is 213, Dallas is 214; Fort Worth
> is 713, Orange County and the rest of Southern California (was then)
> 714...

Actually, 713 is Houston.  And the Texas/California connection is even
more extensive: 213-214, 408-409, 805-806, 817-818, 915-916.  But why?


David C. Tuttle, Biomathematics   ----> [e-mail] <----
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center        [phone]
Mail Stop 237, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX  77030-4096    USA

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steven King, Software Archaeologist)
Subject: Re: Digital Cellular Phones
Date: 22 Feb 1994 22:14:56 GMT
Organization: Motorola Cellular Infrastructure Group
Reply-To: [e-mail]


[e-mail] (John Galloway) publicly declared:

> In article <[e-mail]>, David Boettger <boettger@bnr.
> ca> wrote:

>> The "Cave" algorithm specified in IS-54 (the TDMA standard) is used to
>> encrypt data (ESN and possibly voice). The algorithm is keyed with
>> data that are never transmitted and are only known by the switch and
>> the mobile.

> But if this key is fixed (since it is not transmited I assume it is)
> then all the cellular blue box builder need to is disect a phone to
> get it.  This might not be a tirvial opeation, but these crooks are
> pretty smart fellows.

I don't know how it works (Ignore my organization!  I don't work much
with call processing!), but here's how *I'D* design a secure key
system:

There are two halves to the session key.  The fixed half is constant
and known to both the phone and the switch -- my mother's maiden name,
f'rinstance.  The variable half is generated on the fly and transmitted
 from the base site to my phone when I want to make a call -- maybe
time-of-day would work well.  My phone combines the fixed part and the
variable part to make a unique session key and encrypts the mobile ID
and serial number before transmitting to the base site.

Using this scheme the key is different for every transaction.  The
whole key is never transmitted over the airwaves and the encrypted
MID/ESN is different for every call, thwarting bandits with scanners.

Can anyone find fault with with scheme?  Can anyone tell me if anything
like this is really being used in the next generation cellular systems?


Steven King -- Motorola Cellular Infrastructure Group

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 12:28:40 GMT
From: Daryl R. Gibson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: RBOC Names


US West made the "name switch" to US West on all its operating
companies shortly after the demise of Ma Bell. My local company was
"Mountain Bell." As someone who routinely looks at the endorsements on
the back of the returned checks, I note that my checks to "US West
Communciations" come back stamped "Pay to the order of Mountain States
Telephone and Telegraph Co., DBA US West Communications". It would
appear that this name confusion is more deeply set than we realize ...

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 94 16:48:40 CST
From: [e-mail] (Fritz Whittington)
Subject: Re: Area Code Closeness


In comp.dcom.telecom Paul Robinson <[e-mail]> writes:

> The two areas were Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles/Southern
> California (back then).  Los Angeles is 213, Dallas is 214; Fort Worth
> is 713, Orange County and the rest of Southern California (was then)
> 714.  Had they switched these, the Southern California area could have

Sorry... It's Houston that is 713.  Ft. Worth is 817.


Fritz Whittington Texas Instruments, P.O. Box 655474, MS 446 Dallas, TX 75265
    Shipping address: 13510 North Central Expressway, MS 446 Dallas, TX 75243
[e-mail]                 Office: [phone]     FAX: [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 10:23:36 EST
From: [e-mail] (Dave Niebuhr)
Subject: ATM Comes to Long Island


Last week (Feb. 10, 1994, actually) my division, in conjunction with
the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Cablevision of Long
Island, the New York Telephone Company and the Grumman Corporation
presented a demonstration of Asyncronous Transfer Mode.

This was probably the first demonstration of the Clinton Administration's
Information Superhighway to be held on Long Island, but it won't be the
last.

Real-time images of brain scans were part of the agenda along with how
ATM can be used in modelling ground water pollution and contamination
of the soil.

Another demonstration of ATM was the viewing of transvenous angiography
images taken at the Lab's National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) simul-
taneously with to scientists from the NSLS and a cardiologist from SUNY-SB.

Even though the demonstration was of the fledgling project it is hoped
that scientists and others will be able to hold desk-top conferences
with their colleagues around the world.

The overall project is funded by the Department of Energy through the
Partnership in Computational Science, a consortium of six institutions
nationwide, including BNL.  The super computer to be used will be the
2,000 processor Intel Paragon at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in
Tennessee.


Dave Niebuhr      Internet: [e-mail] (preferred)
                            [e-mail] / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl
Senior Technical Specialist, Scientific Computing Facility
Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973  (516)-282-3093

------------------------------

Subject: CID Box, Voicemail With Caller ID?
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 08:47:24 EST
From: Daniel Wynalda <[e-mail]>


I'm sorry -- I'm sure this is a FAQ as I know I've seen it before.  I
have just received notice we have Caller ID available in this area and
would like to add it.  However, I would like my computer to be able to
receive the information.  Is there such a thing as a CID box with
RS232 output?

Better yet, is there a voice card with caller ID that could go in a PC
and I could program software to interface with it?  Any help is
appreciated.

The platform my PC runs on is SCO ODT 3.0 (UNIX) with DOS Merge etc.
I'd prefer a card I can write programs to with docs rather than
something I have to dedicate and keep running under windows.

Email to me would be great -- I can summarize to the Digest.


Daniel Wynalda       [phone] X22 Ham:N8KUD Net:[e-mail]
Wynalda Litho Inc.   8221 Graphic Industrial Pk. | Rockford, MI  49341

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Ken Mandelberg)
Subject: NT1 with Analog Port
Date: 23 Feb 1994 02:54:07 GMT
Organization: Emory University, Dept of Math and CS
Reply-To: [e-mail]


I understand that Northern Telecom makes an NT1 which has an analog
port on it. Does anyone have any details on this or competing products?


Ken Mandelberg      | [e-mail]          PREFERRED
Emory University    | {rutgers,gatech}!emory!km    UUCP
Dept of Math and CS | [e-mail]              NON-DOMAIN BITNET
Atlanta, GA 30322   | Phone: Voice [phone], FAX [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 20:13:58 -0800
From: [e-mail] (Stu Jeffery)
Subject: Air Cell


I have heard a rumor about a company called Air Cell. The rumor has
them providing telephony service from airplanes via the standard
cellular system. Has anyone heard of them?

I have trouble figuring out how it could work, given the extended line
of sight from airplanes, etc. It seems to me that an airplane base
mobile would play havoc with the cellular operators frequency reuse
plan.


Stu Jeffery       Internet: [e-mail]
1072 Seena Ave.            voice:   415-966-8199
Los Altos, CA. 94024       fax:     [phone]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 23:36:23 -0600
From: Maurice LaBiche <[e-mail]>
Subject: Seeking Info on GTE Interactive Multimedia Systems Devlopment


I'm seeking any information on GTEs Interactive Multi-Media systems
development in the Seattle area.  Any info on planned trials and
co-operative development of such systems would be greatly appreciated.


Regards,

Maurice

------------------------------

Date: 23 Feb 1994 06:09:47 GMT
From: Douglas Scott Reuben <[e-mail]>
Subject: C&W is Rude (was Re: Experiences with C&W)


On Sun Feb 20 07:17:08 1994, Dave Levenson wrote:

> We have used Cable & Wireless 800 service for several years.  They
> are the only (or perhaps, at this point, the first) inter-exchange
> carrier to deliver calling number (probably ANI, maybe CID) to us in
> real time using the NJ Bell Caller*ID service.

Hmmm ... odd. One of the ONLY places we still get the ANI -> CID from
is New Jersey, specifically area codes 201 and 908. 609 always shows
"Out of area".

Those who have been reading for a while will recall that this started
working sometime in April 1993. In July, it started to show "Private"
a lot, so I posted here and called Cable & Wireless to ask them about
it.

No one seemed to know anything about this, and moreover, they
indicated that since I wasn't "paying" for the service, I shouldn't
even care about it, ie "who cares if your calls show up as private?".
I made a number of inquiries, and finally someone at customer service
(800-486-8686) just passed a trouble ticket to the tech people, and
about two hours later it worked again.

Shortly thereafter, I got some e-mail indicating that the C&W marketing
director (at the time?), Deborah Stone, wanted to talk to me regarding
the ANI -> CID delivery. The mail indicated that C&W wanted to make it
into a "marketable product". Thinking this would be a good idea, I
gave her a call, talked to her for a while, and explained to her what
the ANI -> CID was all about, why I liked it, etc. She seemed surprised
that C&W could do this.

About a week or so after the call, I noticed that CID from a few areas
(New England for one) was not working in the New York area (NY Tel) or
SNET territory in CT. I called Deborah Stone *16* times about this on
her voicemail, over a period of three weeks, and she NEVER returned a
single call. During this time, fewer and fewer areas displayed the
ANI. (Today almost none do).

I then decided to call smeone else at C&W to find out what's going on,
and spoke with Marlene Miller, the manager of 800 svcs. She was very
polite, and concerned that Deborah didn't return my calls (although
Marlene said Deborah was indeed "in" during those three weeks). She
took down all the relevant info on the ANI -> CID problems, and said
she would get back to me, or better yet, an engineer who knew about
this would call me. Two weeks later, no one called, and after five or
six calls to Marlene (which were never returned), I more or less gave
up.

I did indeed receive e-mail from someone at C&W kind enough to try to
answer my questions, but I *deeply* resent the fact that both Marlene
and Deborah never called back, and moreover, that five months later,
all I get in BOTH CT and NY is "Out of Area" on most C&W 800 calls.

(Does the C&W ANI->CID work anywhere else besides NJ? I assume it is
still working for NJ Bell customers, but does it still work for other
C&W customers in CT and/or NY? I'd be VERY interested in hearing from
you ...!)

While I'm finding fault with C&W (altough it's hard to think of
anything as rude as not returning calls :( ), the Programmable 800
service can get a bit "slow". Thus, if you reprogram your 800 number
from Los Angeles to route to a new number, people who call from the LA
area may get routed to the new number quickly enough, but if someone
were to call you from Boston for example, it may be a an hour or more
until they get sent to the new routing number.  This happens only
sporadically, but it can be a pain to have calls from some area of the
US and Canada going to one number, while calls from other areas go to
another, without your having ANY control over this.

There are other problems as well: I've asked them maybe ten times to
fix my bill so I see all calls to our 800 numbers organized chronolog-
ically, not by where they were routed. I keep getting told by the New
York office that this will be taken care of, and it never is.  (And it
IS possbile to do this -- we have three programmable 800 numbers: two come
billed by routing number, and one of them is organized by the chronological
order of calls. I told them as much, and STILL the NY office can't get
it right.) They also have the tendency to call you ON your 800 number,
or at least the NY office does. When I inquired about this, they said
"Oh no, we only call you at your reach number!", but when the bills came,
the ANI was the NY sales office. (They quickly put a stop to this when I
called their main office in Virginia and complained).

I can get into more detail about specific problems I have found with
C&W's service; e-mail me if you are interested.

I must add, however, that overall the service is quite acceptable, and
if you have a simple problem they are very responsive to you.

I still can't get over the fact that after *I* called Deborah Stone at
*her* request that neither she nor anyone else would return my calls.
I am very upset and frustrated with them about the whole ANI -> CID
incident. Many other carriers deliver real time ANI (albeit at a
cost), why can't C&W just continue to deliver it over CID? Or if there
is some legal prohibition against this (which I doubt), at the VERY
LEAST they could call me back and discuss it with me, instead of
ignoring my requests to be kept informed.


Doug        [e-mail]  //  [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Bing Gao)
Subject: COMPSAC 94 -- Call for Papers
Date: 23 Feb 1994 15:08:07 GMT
Organization: Univ. of Florida CIS Dept.


            CALL FOR PAPERS and Panel Session Proposals

                           COMPSAC 94

               The Eighteenth Annual International
          Computer Software and Applications Conference

                Conference:  November 9 - 11, 1994
             International Convention Center, Taipei

     Professional Development Seminars:  November 7 - 8, 1994
             Science and Technology Building, Taipei


The conference is a major international forum for researchers,
practioners, managers and policy makers interested in computer
software and applications as well as software industry.  Original
papers and panel session proposals on various research and practical
aspects as well as future trends are invited.  It is anticipated that
leaders and experts from industry, academia and governments will
participate in the program.  The following topics are examples of
sessions planned for the conference.  Special sessions facilitating
the presentation of timely results from the industry will be arranged
for those papers with presentation material only.

* Software Development and Maintenance Paradigms and Environments

* Software Quality Assurance, Process Improvement and Maturity Models

* Software Reliability, Security and Safety

* Risk Assessment and Management of Large-Scale Software Projects

* Re-engineering, Reverse Engineering, Reuse and Customization

* Software Metrics and Modeling

* Software Development for Distributed and Parallel Processing systems

* Co-design of Hardware and Software for Application Specific Systems

* Interoperability in Systems and Tools

* Large-Scale Software System Integration

* Formal Methods

* AI Tools and Techniques

* Data and Knowledge Bases

* Computer-Aided Support for Document Preparation

* Advances in CASE

* Interactive Computing and Groupware

* Multimedia Systems and Virtual Reality

* Software Engineering Education

* Applications:  Government Services, Telecommunications, Banking
  Systems, Health Care, Entertainment, Consumer Electronics.

* Industry Trends:  Downsizing, Outsourcing, Off-Shore Software Support.

* Legal and Social Issues of Computer Software


Information for Authors for formal papers (included in the proceedings):

* Mail six copies of an original (not submitted or published
elsewhere) paper (double space) of 3000-5000 words.

* Include the title of the paper, the name and alliiation of each
author, a 150-word abstract and no more than 8 keywords.

* Include the name, position, address, telephone numbers, and if
possible, fax numbers and e-mail address of the author responsible for
correspondence of the paper


Information for Authors for providing presentation material only:
                                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^
* The presentation material of all accepted papers in this category
will appear in a bound conference record.

* Mail six copies of an original paper with the title and a 300-word
abstract to the Program Chair.

* Include the name, position, address, telephone number, and if
possible, fax number and e-mail address of the author responsible for
the correspondence of the presentation.


Information for Panel Organizers:

* Send six copies of panel proposals to the Program Chair.

* Include the title, a 150-word scope statement, proposed session chair
and panelists and their affiliations and locations, the organizer's
affiliation, address, telephone and fax numbers and e-mail address.


IMPORTANT DEADLINES:

* March 1, 1994 all papers and panel proposals due.

* April 1, 1994 panel organizers notified of acceptance.

* April 20, 1994 organizers of accepted panel proposals provide final
information on session chairs and panelists.

* May 16, 1994 au;thors notified of acceptance.

* July 12, 1994 camera-ready copies of accepted papers and panelists'
  position papers to be included in the conference proceedings due.

* September 20, 1994 camera-ready copies of presentation material of
  accepted paperd to be included in the conference record due.


Program Chair

C. V. Ramamoorthy
University of California at Berkeley
Department of Electrical Engineering
  and Computer Science
Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A.
Tel: [phone]   Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]


Conference Chair

Yun Kuo
Institute for Information Industry
11th Floor, 106 Hoping E. Road, Sec. 2
Taipei (10636), Taiwan


For further information, contact:

Stephen S. Yau
COMPSAC Standing Committee Chair
University of Florida
Department of Computer and Information
  Sciences
301 Computer Science and Engineering Building
Gainesville, FL 32611, U.S.A.
Tel: [phone]  Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]


Sponsored by IEEE Computer Society, the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers, Inc., and hosted by the Institute for Information
Industry.

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #99
*****************************


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Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 11:48:01 CST
From: TELECOM Moderator <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: TELECOM Digest V14 #100

TELECOM Digest     Wed, 23 Feb 94 11:48:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 100

Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Looking For Low Cost Phone System (Keith Danekind)
    Re: Area Code Closeness (Jim Derdzinski)
    Re: Area Code Closeness (Carl Moore)
    FCC FTP Site Operatonal (Robert J. Keller)
    Re: Digital Cellular Phones (David Boettger)
    Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers (Christopher Vance)
    Re: These Cell Phones Don't Work - Why? (Steve Kuo)
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls ([e-mail])
    Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls (William H. Glass)
    Re: Don't Trust the Phone Company (Mark Brader)
    Re: Get Paid For Receiving Commercial Email (Scott Hinckley)
    Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free (Martin McCormick)
    Re: History of Numbers in UK (Dale Worley)
    Re: RBOC Names (Carl Moore)
    Re: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin (Will Martin)
    Re: Percentage of DTMF Circuits (Donald Campbell)
    Re: AirTouch Communications (Terry Gilson)
    Re: Clipper Debate (A. Padgett Peterson)
    Re: Vermont Gets Ready for NNX Area Codes (Carl Moore)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie.
Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations
and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
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To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

    ** Article submission address only: [e-mail] **

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
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TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated
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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 22 Feb 1994 07:02:19 GMT
Organization: Colorado State University -- Computer Science Department
Subject: Looking For Low Cost Phone System
From: [e-mail] (keith danekind)


The small company for whom I work is growing and we need to expand our
phone system.  Currently we have two incoming lines, the second of
which has call waiting, and a data line that is shared by a fax
machine and a modem.  We are currently not able to handle the phone
traffic and the boss would like an automated solution rather than
hiring a receptionist to answer the calls.  We are interested in call
routing to one of several phones and voice mail.  A PC based PBX would
be great!  Basically, we would like the phone system to greet the
caller and ask him or her for an extension number.  The system would
then route the call based on the touch-tones entered.  The budget for
this system is $5000 or less.  Does anyone have any suggestions on how
to do this or where I might find more information?  Thanks in advance.


Keith Danekind   Colorado State University
Internet: [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 23 Feb 94 01:15:07 EST
From: Jim Derdzinski <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Area Code Closeness


Paul Robinson asked in issue #92:

> I sometimes wondered why, when the new area code system was being intro-
> duced, that something akin to the Zip Code(R) system wasn't created,
> where the U.S. and Canada were broken into perhaps six or eight areas,
> and in each area the states were assigned a block of numbers corresponding
> to their prior usage, multiplied by 3 or 10, e.g. California would probably
> be assigned all of the numbers, say, 220-299, while the 320-399 group
> might encompass Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and
> Hawaii.  Then you might have the 820-899 or 920-999 (or both) groups
> being used for the "non-assigned" number codes the way 700, 800 and
> 900 numbers are now.

The Editor noted that this was done to make it easier to dial the most
widely used codes (i.e. larger cities, centers of commerce, etc.) on
the old rotary dial sets.

Another story that I had heard was that AT&T had somehow concluded
that people made fewer dialing mistakes when the codes were staggered
across the country versus a smooth logical pattern like the ZIP codes.
The staggered pattern was supposed to force people to pay attention to
their dialing.  (Of course, it doesn't work, as I've dialed a few
wrong long-distance numbers myself.)

At any rate, the continuity of a pattern like that would have been
interrupted sooner or later with the introduction of new codes.

BTW, am I by chance the only one who hates the newer X1X and X0X local
prefixes?  I always get them confused with area codes when taking
messages or calling them.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 94 17:15:58 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Area Code Closeness


Flaw: 713 includes Houston, not Fort Worth.  Fort Worth is 817.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 14:53:00 -0500
From: Robert J. Keller <[e-mail]>
Subject: FCC FTP Site Operatonal


The FCC's anonymous ftp site is operational.  There is not much there
yet, but at least it is on-line.  Here is the text of an FCC News
Release issued today, and a copy of the README file I picked up at the
site.


Bob Keller (KY3R)    [e-mail]    Tel [phone]
[e-mail]        CompuServe 76100,3333    Fax [phone]


                News media information  202/632-5050
                Recorded listing of releases and texts
                            202/632-0002
NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
1919 M Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20554

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the
full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.  See _MCI_v._
FCC_, 515 F.2d 385 (DC Circ 1974)

                        February 22, 1994

        FCC TO MAKE DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE ON INTERNET

    On February 22, the FCC will begin making some of its
information available through Internet.  Starting today, the FCC Daily
Digest, the FCC News Releases, some Public Notices, and speeches by
Commission officials will be accessible.  The file name by which each
document can be accessed will appear in the Daily Digest.  In the
future, the Commission will be making more of its documents available
through Internet.

    The FCC's Internet address is ftp.fcc.gov

                - FCC -

Office of Public Affairs contact:  Rosa Prescott at [phone].

ftp.fcc.gov
README:

            CONSTRUCTION AREA

Welcome to the FCC's online Archives.  In the very near future we will
be providing anonymous ftp access to the Daily Digest, Press Releases,
Public Notices, and many other FCC staples.  We also plan to provide
mailservs and mailing list subscriptions to some services.

Since we have only been on the internet since February 15, 1994, we
are still under construction.  Services will be added on slowly.
Please submit any comments or suggestions to [e-mail].  Please
do not send me requests to be added to mailing lists as announcements
will be made regarding this at a later date.

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 14:20:00 GMT
From: david boettger <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Digital Cellular Phones


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Bob
Goudreau) writes:

>> Well, then, you'd best not bring your cellphone to Canada. Both Bell
>> Mobility (Ontario and Quebec) and Cantel (the 'other' provider country-
>> wide) and I believe most (all?) of the other regional providers across
>> Canada are either converting, or have completed conversion to digital
>> service capability.

> Careful.  I think that when Alex says "all digital", he means exactly
> that -- a cellular system that using nothing but digital signaling.
> Dual-mode systems, which combine support for the old (analog) AMPS
> system with support for one of the new digital systems (TDMA or CDMA)
> are *not* all-digital.

> Now, have Bell and Cantel actually stopped supporting AMPS, thus
> requiring all subscribers to replace their equipment?  Sounds unlikely.

If you're going to use this definition, there are no "all digital"
cells in commercial operation; there are merely cells which have some
channels dedicated to digital traffic and some which are dedicated to
analog traffic.  Of course, if you're using Northern Telecom
equipment, the point is moot because channels can be assigned to
analog or digital traffic on a per-call basis. :-)


David Boettger   [e-mail]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (CJS Vance)
Subject: Re: 200 "Exchange" Within 1-900 Numbers
Organization: University College, ADFA Canberra, Australia
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 00:00:41 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John R
Levine) writes:

>> is for instance 1-900-000-0000 available?

> Probably not.  Many local switches are programmed to reject numbers of
> the form NNX-1XX-XXXX and NNX-0XX-XXXX locally, and not send them to
> long distance carriers.  I suspect that a lot of switches would reject
> 100 and 000 prefixes in 700, 800, or 900 numbers as well.

Well, here in Australia our 008 numbers (currently being moved to
1800) are of the form 008 XXXXXX (1800 XXXXXX).  It's always dialled
with the prefix, so why cut out 20% of the number space?  Same with
0055 XXXXX, moving to 1900 XXXXXX.  I thought you lot had advanced
exchanges over in the US ...


Christopher

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Steve Kuo)
Subject: Re: These Cell Phones Dont Work - Why?
Date: 23 Feb 1994 00:38:30 GMT
Organization: Oakland University, Rochester, MI USA
Reply-To: [e-mail]


In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Sean
Petty) writes:

> The customers on the other end were quite unhappy.  Aparently their
> cellular phones had almost instantly ALL stopped working.  It had us

> Anyhow, the other day Comcast published a letter saying: "The following
> phones are not compatible with our system -- all Motorola Model 8000-D's,
> All Harris Equipment, All Sony Portables that have a Black label under
> the battery, and All Panasonic HP 500's that haven't been upgraded."

> Why are these phones different from all others that make them
> incompatible?

Maybe these phones only supported 666 channels?  By checking the
station class mark you can tell if your phone has extended channel
capability (832 channels).  The Motorola 8000-D sounds pretty old and
may only support 666 channels.  If the SCM is 00 to 07, then it only
has 666 channels, if it's 08 to 15, then its 832 channels.


Steve Kuo, N8OPH, [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 07:51:54 -0800
From: [e-mail] (puma)
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls


> The ACLU has no policy one way or the other on Caller ID.  The ACLU
> concerns itself only with Bill of Rights issues, and more specifically
> First Amendment rights in test cases.  In California where Caller ID
> is not in use, rape crisis centers were a driving force among groups
> against Caller ID.  They're concerned that (as an example) a woman
> calling to order a pizza could be harrassed by unwanted calls if the
> pizza dude thought her voice was arousing.

The larger pizza chains here collect ANI data and use a database.
They usually ask if you want the same order as last time, etc., and
often call back and verify if you are a first-time customer.

The places not using ANI (caller-ID was just approved here and not yet
implemented) ask for your number and call back to verify.  You don't
want to provide your number, that's fine, come in and use the counter
service.

It's not only the practical joke / unwanted pizza problem -- there's
also the crime situation.  Orders need to be verified as legitimate so
they know they won't be sending delivery people to vacant houses to be
robbed by someone in the bushes.  True, you could still do that, but
at least they would have a number where you were at one time, a clue
of sorts.


[e-mail]

------------------------------

From: William H. Glass <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Harrassing One-Ring Calls
Date: 22 Feb 94 18:51:08 CST
Organization: Management Graphics, Inc.


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think what the people are saying is
> that the burden of dialing two extra digits *each time around* when
> they want to retain some privacy on their end should not fall on them
> all the time.  PAT]

This is beginning to sound like the argument about whether the toilet seat
should be left up or down.


Bill Glass


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: This is true, it is ... or whether one should
clean out the bathtub after one is finished using it or *before* one gets
into it. Years ago when we had boarding houses with a common bathroom for
all residents that was a subject of concern: what do you do about people
who won't clean up the bathroom after they have used it, forcing the next
person to have to clean it *before* he can use it?  His sense of scruples
tells him to clean it up after he is finished also, but that way he gets
stuck cleaning it twice. Likewise, some residents would always manage to
use all the paper and never bother to leave a new roll, forcing the next
person to begin the process by rushing off to look for some. Courtesy is
no longer the default as it once was in the USA. So many times now, we
are forced into behaving like the people we dislike only from a sense of
survival. We can either do things right (and do them twice as we adjust
for what others are lacking) or we can get on the bandwagon with all the
other fools. Years ago we used to expect the best from people; now it
seems we expect the worst from people, and often that is what we get.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Mark Brader)
Subject: Re: Don't Trust the Phone Company
Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, Canada
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 07:46:15 GMT


In my recent posting, Pat's reformatter deleted my indentation and
left it unclear which words were quoted and which not.  For the record,
Michal Jankowski wrote THIS (in comp.risks / Risks Digest):

> Another possibility is that his wife had called your wife recently and
> he actually pressed `redial' on his phone instead of activating
> `abuser-combating feature'. It's easy to misdial some keys when you
> are angry.

And I wrote THIS:

| And it's particularly easy if, as in our area, the two features are
| activated as *66 and *69 ...

> Mark Brader, SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, utzoo!sq!msb, [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The above inserted manually in this
issue without any reformatting so as to clarify any misunderstanding.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Scott(Mac Info HQ))
Subject: Re: Get Paid For Receiving Commercial Email
Organization: Computer Science Dept., Univ. of Alabama-Huntsville
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 07:47:20 GMT


Well, at $0.065/message and $200-$500/yr that menas 8-21 messages of
unknown length you have to read each day. If each message takes only
one minute to read (unlikely) that will be $3.90/hr. Personally, my free
time is worth more than that.


INTERNET: [e-mail]
AT&TNET : [phone] (24hr voicemail)


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Except as I read the original message,
they are giving a free internet connection and email account as part of
the deal, so the value of those has to be factored in as well.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Martin McCormick)
Subject: Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free
Organization: Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 15:43:21 GMT


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(Brian Behlendorf) writes:

> email ads, which don't happen much anyways and probably won't.

    That's for darn sure.  For a while, I was getting a pretty
regular pounding from a vendor who was always wanting to sell us
software we couldn't use and wouldn't do much about the stuff that we
had bought that didn't work right.  I just put a line in my .forward
file to route anything with certain key subject or address information
into a folder called Junk.

    Every so often, I would look at the subject lines of all those
messages to be sure that nothing important was being trashed and then
just zap the whole thing.  It was good for a little smile, anyway.


Martin McCormick WB5AGZ   Stillwater, OK
O.S.U. Computer Center Data Communications Group

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Dale Worley)
Subject: Re: History of Numbers in UK
Date: 23 Feb 1994 04:33:18 -0500
Organization: Village of Cambridge, Public-Access Internet


Richard Cox ([e-mail]) wrote:

> With all that effort to reduce register holding times, it's a bit
> odd that telcos still charge *extra* for tone dialing!

That's because the rate system is not designed to reflect costs, or
even to promote "economically rational" behavior in some grand
collectivist fashion, but rather to provide ways that business and
high-volume residential users can subsidize low-volume residential
users.  (Most voters are low-volume residential users.)  This is known
as "Keeping Grandma's phone bill down."  Since tone dialing is "new"
and since Grandma doesn't have a tone-dial phone, tone dialing is
extra.


Dale

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 94 17:25:25 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: RBOC Names


And similarly, I am seeing publicity about the name change to Bell
Atlantic here on the east coast.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 02:58:14 CST
From: Will Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: AT&T Says That They Can't Resolve my Calls' Origin


[e-mail] (John R Levine) wrote:

> Does your office have a PBX with direct inward dialing?  If so, it's
> true, the billing number that AT&T sees is the ANI billing number for
> the trunk on which the call happens to be sent, which as you've
> discovered bears no relationship to the number of the phone on your desk.

As a matter of fact, not even the local telco operator can resolve the
correct number in this circumstance.

Last week, here in 314-land, at the government office building where I
work, we had what turned out to be a "database error" in the PBX
servicing us, which made a lot of the local phone numbers in St.
Louis, including my home number, appear to be "busy" when we tried to
call them. (It was a fast busy instead of a regular busy, so I
suspected an internal problem, which is what it turned out to be.)
While diagnosing the bug, I tried going thru the local SW Bell
operator and, when I told her I was calling from a number in the 331
exchange, she said "No, you're not." Luckily, from TELECOM Digest
experience, I knew what the problem was, and asked her, "You're
showing 421-XXXX, right?" She said "Yes" and I told her that it was
the billing number.  She accepted that and tried dialing a couple
numbers for me. (The problem got fixed shortly afterwards.)

I would think this would cause a problem for the telco. It sure sounds
like a security hole when it comes to tracing annoying or threatening
calls. Identifying a culprit within a really big organization if
someone is using one of its phones to make such calls could be nearly
impossible.  Will digital telephony change this, perhaps by forcing
any PBX connected to the telco after some future date pass the real
calling number on to the telco switch via some side-channel digital
pathway? Or is this situation an un-correctable arrangement mandated
by deregulation?


Will


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Do government bureaucrats make obscene
phone calls? I know university presidents do occassionally (remember
American University in Washington DC a couple years ago?).   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 00:10:34 GMT
Organization: Cyclops
From: Donald Campbell <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Percentage of DTMF Circuits


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

> What percentage of the world's telephone voice circuits are DTMF?
> What percentage of the telephone instruments are DTMF? The reason I
> ask, is one of the proposals for routing inbound fax uses additonal
> digits after the # to provide routing information and it occured to me
> this solution would only work on DTMF capable circuits.

Surely the DTMF tones are just transmitted as any other sound on the
voice channel?

Here in NZ, well over 99.x percent of lines are connected to NEC NEAX
61 series electronic switches, and most of all the other older
switches are DTMF capable.

And we have never charged extra for it (Tone Dialing), and I still
can't understand how they could do that in the US.


[e-mail]  (Donald Campbell)
Christchurch, New Zealand. 43 35's 172 44'e

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (Terry Gilson)
Subject: Re: AirTouch Communications
Date: 23 Feb 1994 02:33:37 GMT
Organization: Delphi Internet Services Corporation


> Is there anybody who likes the name of PacTel's new spin-off
> communications division: AirTouch Communications?  I was reading an
> article regarding the name decision and they brought up the fact that
> UAL's name change to Allegis failed because the name itself was not
> popular.  Does anybody else see this happening to Airtouch?

To me, after dealing with this very tough, competitive, professional
(relatively speaking) company for nine years, I find this new name a
little ... how shall we say ... anemic.


Terry

------------------------------

From: [e-mail] (A. Padgett Peterson)
Subject: Re: Clipper Debate
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1993 10:00:00 CST


> If I don't care who reads it, I'll just send it.  If I want privacy, I
> will encrypt it. The fact that it goes through the Clipper afterwards
> makes little difference to me.

Finally people are starting to understand what I have been saying for
the last year 8*). The *big* difference is that people will no longer
be able to easily tell what you encypted and what you haven't.

Am coming to the conclusion that the "debate" is not about technical
considerations at all, it is about power and money. The fact is that
if the government can deliver Clipper phones for a $25 surcharge and
Capstone modems/ethernet cards for $75, they will have filled a void
(and in a year, if anyone else had an equivalent product, it should be
available by now).

Heard the same yammerheads bleating about Caller-ID but it is *very*
effective in keeping unwanteds off dial-ups and can limit the need for
tokens to the truely mobile. Like what the government has promised
with C/C, for the authorized users it is invisible but a solid layer
of protection (I do not trust *anything* 100%) against intrusion.

I just want some to play with. *Then* I'll make a technical assessment.


Warmly,

Padgett


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: It is like the 'war on drugs' and the
jerry-rigging of the phones to not accept coins or have rotary dials.
Nothing is one-hundred percent foolproof, but it is the *preponderance*
of difficulties and obstacles which cause some people inclined to get
involved (in whatever; drugs, phone phreaking, etc) to decide it just
is not worth the extra hassles involved. Ditto with Clipper; just add
a little more confusion and uncertainty to the process; make things a
bit harder, etc.  Quite effective, really. After all, most Americans
are not geniuses ... far from it. :)   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 23 Feb 94 10:56:44 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Vermont Gets Ready For NNX Area Codes


Responding to [e-mail]:

> A flyer in my latest phone bill reveals that Vermont's new toll
> dialing plan is 1-802-NNX-XXXX, the same as will be implemented in
> Massachusetts.  Permissive dialing starts on February 18 and ends May
> 18.

They'd send that to you in Massachusetts?  (Delaware phone bills have
been getting notices about area 610 in Pennsylvania, however.)  Did
you hear anything about Rhode Island?  Would New York state be excluded
 from the "region"?  (I take it New York state would be using seven-digit
dialing within area code.)

> Personally, I find the new plan to be a big pain in the neck, since,
> due to a peculiarity of exchange boundaries, it'll require that I dial
> most free local calls within our town with 11 digits.

You're near an area code boundary?  Local within area code should be
just seven digits.  What are the circumstances here?

Here is the latest I have for the New England areas, based on what you
have written about Vermont and New Hampshire.  What about Maine?  What
about pay phones in New Hampshire?

207, Maine; 413,508,617, Massachusetts; 603, New Hampshire (17 July
  1993); 401, Rhode Island; 802, Vermont; 1993-1994
  (all New England areas except Connecticut)
  (in 413: Feb-June 1993; full cutover 21 Sept 1993; 1+NPA+7D for
   local calls to another area code permissive 1 Mar to 8 Apr 1993)
  (7D on all calls within area code, except for the following usage
   of 1+NPA+7D for all toll calls:
   ordered in Oct 1993 for Massachusetts;
   announced Jan 1994 for Rhode Island;
   permissive 18 Feb 1994, mandatory 18 May 1994 in Vermont;
   optional for New Hampshire, with per-line option to block 7D for
   toll within area code)

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #100
******************************