Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa05695; 9 Apr 93 3:57 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA23286 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Fri, 9 Apr 1993 01:23:08 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA31797 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Fri, 9 Apr 1993 01:22:03 -0500 Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 01:22:03 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304090622.AA31797@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #251 TELECOM Digest Fri, 9 Apr 93 01:22:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 251 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson I'm Sorry ... (TELECOM Moderator) Re: Routing Calls via Alternate Providers (Al Varney) Re: Using LD Carrier to Call Next Door Illegal (Dub Dublin) Re: Telephones in the Army in the Korean War (Pete Lancashire) Re: Time Changing, and Civilized Areas of the USA (Ted Hadley) Re: Pac Bell Caught Red Handed Jonathan Sadler) Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch (Richard Lucas) Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch (Fred E.J. Linton) Calling 800 Numbers to Harrass Their Owners (Tim Crowley) Re: NPA-NXX by County Database (Carl Moore) Re: Artificial Diseased Voice Generator (Harold Hallikainen) Re: Modem Recommendations Sought (Nigel Ballard) Re: Toll Restriction vs Subscriber Line Access Charges (Martin Harriss) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 23:30:18 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: I'm Sorry ... Due to circumstances beyond my control the Digest has to be put 'on hold' at this time. I'm getting out a couple issues early Friday morning to clear as much of the queue as I can. I received an eviction notice today and the telephone company quite coincidentally notified me that my phones will be placed on incoming only service effective Friday until I get the bill paid. When I've resolved the problem of the rent and the phone bill I'll try to resume publication. To those of you who assisted by your subscriptions to the Orange Card and the 800 / 1+ services, I give my thanks. Although remittances based on the residuals have not yet come in, I beleive I'll be able to use that money to at least get the phone turned back on later this month. If you have questions about the Orange Card or the 800 / 1+ programs you can direct them to the customer service offices of those companies. Those programs and my participation are still intact. My main problem is I cannot do the Digest if I have no telephone or place to live. Please DO NOT send further articles to the telecom account until you hear from me that the Digest is again operational. I send my best wishes to all of you, and my apologies that things have turned out the way the did. Patrick Townson ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 16:52:57 CDT From: varney@ihlpl.att.com Subject: Re: Routing Calls via Alternate Providers Organization: AT&T Network Systems, Lisle, IL In article oppedahl@Panix.Com (Carl Oppedahl) writes: > In jacksch@insom.eastern.com (Eric > Jacksch) writes: >> We've finally come out of the dark ages and the past few months have >> seen a number of non-bell companies begin to provide long distance >> services. In order to use these services, residential customers are >> provided with a local seven digit access number and a ten digit or so >> PIN. While it is simple to get the computer to dial this, it is a bit >> of a nusiance for voice calls. >> Does anyone know where to get a box which will route the calls? The >> company I deal with makes them availible for business customers, but >> not residential. They are connected between the phone and the line, >> detect off-hook, simulate dialtone, and then when dialing is complete, >> they dial local calls direct and long distance calls via the service >> provider. > This post reminds me of 1980 or so, when all non-AT&T carriers were > stuck offering their service this way. It was called feature group D > or B access; the former if the call cost money, the latter if the call > was a 950-XXXX free call. Actually, Feature Group D defines the method of access TO the IXC. Whether you use 10XXX+ or 950-XXXX to indicate which carrier, a FG-D carrier can still receive the call over the same circuits. FG-B access TO an IXC was specified to only work for 950-XXXX calls. Access via any other dialing pattern, such as a "local service number" is only specified in a standard way for Feature Group A (line side) carriers. The "toll-saver" boxes for businesses basically work by providing a simple algorithm for doing call blocking (say, 1-900) and digit prefixing. For inter-LATA calls, it can prefix 10XXX or 950-XXXX to the numbers, and some can handle PINs for the 950 calls. Not much more or less intelligent than a typical COCOT phone. But you have to really make a lot of calls in order for the provider to make back their investment -- typically by getting a cut of the toll revenue as an aggregator. For residential use, how about getting phones with many digit memory buttons, and put your access number on one and the PIN on another button? If the phone is fairly "dumb", it doesn't prevent you from manually using several memory buttons to dial a single call. > I can't believe that now, in 1993, any carrier is still stuck with > this. It should be a straightforward matter for any carrier to get a > 10XXX prefix that would route calls to it. And it should be possible > for any customer to simply call up the local telco and ask that all > calls go to any particular carrier. Carl, it's not the carrier (in most places) that's stuck -- it's the carrier's choice to use a more primitive but cheaper interface to the TELCo. In many places, it's the absolute cheapest interface to the telephone network (maybe cheaper than PBX, tie trunks, etc.). You pay by usage, but for some types of calls and volume, it makes sense to some providers to stick with it. 10XXX prefixes are in short supply, and Bellcore is frowning on non-IXC uses of these codes or the 950-XXXX numbers. And current systems are not designed to route ALL calls to a particular carrier, only those marked "inter-LATA". Al Varney - just my opinion, of course ------------------------------ From: hwdub@chevron.com (Dub Dublin) Subject: Re: Using LD Carrier to Call Next Door Illegal Reply-To: hwdub@chevron.com Organization: Chevron Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 21:03:44 GMT In article 5@eecs.nwu.edu, coleman@twinsun.com (Mike Coleman) writes: > I was just told that using, say, my Sprint calling card, via their 800 > number to call next door (within the same LATA), was illegal. > Is this (nonsense) really true? Is it enforced? In my mind, this thread ties in nicely with the one about free 911 service. I have used my calling card to place these types of calls in situations where I _really needed_ to call someone, but I'm broken down in the middle of nowhere, noplace is open, and I have no quarters for the pay phone. I should be able to do this if I want to -- the cost will act as a deterrent to doing it routinely. Note that in this case no one is required to supply something for me to use this "right." The FUNDAMENTAL difference between _rights_ and "likes" is that a true right does not require anyone to give anything up. For instance, you have a right to free speech -- but I'm not obligated to provide you with a soapbox. This right presents no obligation on me to give you anything, or even to listen to you. Contrast this with the current procession of newfound "rights" we are being accosted with as taxpayers: "rights" to free healthcare, housing, food, higher education, jobless benefits, etc. -- all of these require that someone else give up something. It's time we limited rights to the true and inalienable rights -- not just redistribute economic or other priveleges. (Walter Williams wrote an excellent column on this a few weeks ago.) In case you haven't guessed, I would be VERY opposed to having to pay part of my phone bill to continue service to some deadbeat who won't pay his. Lifeline service is available at a very reasonable cost (I'm guessing that the existing Lifeline rates are _already_ subsidized by the rest of us...), but it is NOT a _right_ -- someone has to pay for it! Dub Dublin hwdub@cyberia.hou281.chevron.com Chevron Information Technology (713) 596-3199 ------------------------------ From: petel@sequent.com (Pete Lancashire) Subject: Re: Telephones in the Army in the Korean War Organization: Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 20:27:25 GMT dwn@dwn.ccd.bnl.gov (Dave Niebuhr) writes: > The telephones and the switchboard were of that era and I know that a > crank was used to charge the batteries in those units. The question The crank was to generate ringing voltage. The 'phone system other than having push to talk, an adaption of the (a) Bell local battery exchange. I used to have a four and a twelve line army switch board made in the 1940. And still have the manuals for an expandable switchboard, up to I think 100 subscribers and ten trunks. > is: were there lines installed over the countryside? I assume that Usually the army 'net' at the time was separate from what ever existed of the local phone system(s), although in Europe Signal Corp 'employees' did make use of the existing lines, mostly as trunk lines. > there were since I seem to remember that someone said the lines were > down once or twice. > If so, maybe someone from that era could enlighten us on telecom > during the Korean War with a perspective of being there at the time. I'm not from that era. But have studied the military point to point communication systems used in WWII and what was use in Korea was in concept not much different. > There are some excellent telecom history files in the archives and > hopefully more can be added. I'd like to see more about the multiplex scheme that was developed by Western Electic/BTL. Not may people have heard about it. It saved the US Amry in WWII a lot of time and material. I have a Bell Labs report on it, they were very proud of the scheme, not only a working field multiplex systems in the 1940's but even the cable was made in standard lenghts, with 'quick (dis)connect' connectors. Pete Lancashire petel@sequent.com ------------------------------ From: tedh@cylink.COM (Ted Hadley) Subject: Re: Time Changing, and Civilized Areas of the USA Organization: Cylink Corp. Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 16:18:01 GMT Although not the USA, if I am not mistaken, the former USSR (the Commonwealth of Russian States?) uses _permanent_ daylight savings time. They simply leave their clocks ahead one full hour all year long. I, personally, favor this approach. The problem is not in wanting to go to work earlier, but rather in convincing one's boss that 4:30 pm (not 5:30) is the correct quitting time. Ted A. Hadley tedh@cylink.COM "Credo qvia absvrdvm est" -- Tertullian Cylink Corporation, 310 N. Mary Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086 USA 408-735-5847 All opinions expressed are my own, and probably not liked by my employer. [Moderator's Note: Particularly if you continue to start at 9 AM rather than 8 AM! :) PAT] ------------------------------ From: sadler@lachman.com (Jonathan Sadler) Subject: Re: Pac Bell Caught Red Handed Organization: Lachman Technology, Inc., Naperville, IL Date: Thu, 08 Apr 1993 14:54:27 GMT Actually, Illinois Bell has a similar problem. In the past year, I've had five phone bills printed prior to the due date for the previous month. Since I pay all of my bills at the local drug store on the due date, Illinois Bell ended up assessing a late fee for each of these months. Each of these months I had to call them up and ask for the late charge to be reversed ... My bill for the month of March showed up yesterday -- again, it is due after the date my bill is printed. Will they ever learn? Jonathan Sadler Lachman Technology, Inc. -- Back from the grave sadler@lachman.com 1901 North Naper Blvd, Naperville, IL 60563-8895 sadler@cs.wisc.edu (708) 505-9555 x379 FAX: (708) 505-9574 ------------------------------ From: rlucas@bvsd.Co.EDU (Richard Lucas) Subject: Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch Organization: Boulder Valley School District Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 01:20:09 GMT In article dwjz@bnr.ca (D.W.J.) writes: > Ottawa is the home of the National Research Council (NRC) which owns > the atomic clock that is the standard of all time keeping in Canada. > If you want to listen to it, call 613-745-1576. Boulder, with NIST (the former Nat'l Bureau of Standards), offers a really 'good time' (tied to the atomic clock) at 303-499-7111. Rick Lucas (rlucas@bvsd.co.edu) Debate Coach, Fairview HS, Boulder, Colorado ------------------------------ Date: 8-APR-1993 22:43:45.62 From: Fred E.J. Linton Subject: Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch Laurence Chiu mentioned that one could ... > ... dial POPCORN in most any area codes and get the time. The New Haven exchanges of area 203 dial SPRINGS (777 4647) for the time of day (preceded by a short SNET "better service tip"). Fred E.J. Linton Wesleyan U. Math. Dept. 649 Sci. Tower Middletown, CT 06459 E-mail: ( or ) Tel.: + 1 203 776 2210 (home) or + 1 203 347 9411 x2249 (work) ------------------------------ From: turmoil@halcyon.com (Tim Crowley) Subject: Calling 800 Numbers to Harass Their Owners Date: Thu, 7 Apr 1993 19:12:18 -0500 The George Bush '92 campaign here in Seattle had to change it's phone number at least three times because it was posted on telephone polls with suggestions that it be flooded with hate calls. I thought it was great! Seeeeee Ya turmoil@halcyon.com [Moderator's Note: Since you feel telephone harrassment is a great sport, perhaps you'll provide your number here so that it can be posted around the net with the suggestion people flood you with obnoxious calls, and you won't even have to pay for the calls unless you give us an 800 number. This is wrong. It is not a question of it being George Bush, or anyone else. A few years ago, {The Advocate}, a newsmagazine for the gay community published a very positive story about a neurotic, very disturbed man in Georgia who used his computer and modem to trash Jerry Falwell's 800 line to the tune of $150,000 (yes, one hundred fifty *thousand* dollars) in one month alone. They were very pleased by the financial damage which had been done. The guy was arrested and charged criminally; in addition, Falwell's organization sued him in a civil action to recoup their losses; of course they could not collect nickle one because the guy was a total loser to begin with. Falwell changed his 800 number; {The Advocate} published the new one and encouraged people to load his automatic call distributor and service representatives with silent hangup calls, bogus calls for merchandise sent to wrong addresses, fraud credit card orders, etc. I wrote a letter to {The Advocate} to the person who was then the publisher and told him if those were the kind of games he liked to play, that his publication's own 800 number ran the risk of being polluted beyond recovery. I asked him what he would think about a message seen by millions of Americans saying "if you don't like the gay lifestyle and you want to register your opinion, call 800-xxx-xxxx. And while your at it, waste their time by putting in bogus phone orders for magazine subscriptions, etc. " ... "Well, um, " he said, "I hadn't thought about that ...". I suggested he start thinking about it. I did not like Bush; I don't like Falwell; but games like you suggest are totally wrong no matter who is the victim. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 10:45:12 EDT From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) Subject: Re: NPA-NXX by County Database I do NOT know of such (and be cautioned -- some phone prefixes cross county lines). What I've been doing on the side is making notes by zipcodes and noting what phone prefixes serve each zipcode (or group of zipcodes, for a multi-zipcode city); then, if possible, I note the zipcode for the place name of each prefix used. FOR EXAMPLE (old area code 301, now 410): Havre de Grace, MD 21078 served by 939 prefix. Parts of zipcode 21078 served by 734 and 272,273 prefixes (Churchville and Aberdeen respectively, which are the names of post offices with zip codes 21028 and 21001 respectively). Notice that some phone prefixes have place names which are not names of post offices. The zip code directory (from the postal service) lists the county where each post office is located. Perhaps we discuss this via direct email? ------------------------------ From: hhallika@tuba.calpoly.edu (Harold Hallikainen) Subject: Re: Artificial Diseased Voice Generator Organization: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Date: Thu, 08 Apr 1993 19:21:43 GMT In article David Leibold writes: > From the recent pages of {The Globe and Mail} comes word of a new > device entitled FoneSick Illness Replicator, a $139.95 product of > Millennium Technologies Inc. > The idea is that you can use this thing to change your voice to one of > four types: cold, flu, pneumonia or bronchitis. An adjustment control > can change the severity of the voice alteration (and thus the impress- > ion of disease on the other party's part). This reminds me of something I heard at a teaching retreat put on by the school where I teach ... seems a student left a message on the instructor's voicemail in a really bad sounding voice saying he/she was too sick to make it to the exam that day. At the end of the message, the student realized that he/she had not given his/her name, so in a normal voice was something like, "Oh ... this is so-and-so". It is interesting how we spend all this creative energy to produce a product to help people lie. Perhaps we should design something that does some good for society? Harold Hallikainen ap621@Cleveland.Freenet.edu Hallikainen & Friends, Inc. hhallika@oboe.calpoly.edu 141 Suburban Road, Bldg E4 phone 805 541 0200 fax 544 6715 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-7590 telex 4932775 HFI UI ------------------------------ From: Nigel@dataman.demon.co.uk (Nigel Ballard) Subject: Re: Modem Recommendations Sought Organization: Infamy Inc. Reply-To: Nigel@dataman.demon.co.uk Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 14:08:36 +0000 John, YORIKO in the UK sells a SUPERB Internal modem for 179 Pounds plus VAT. It's got an onboard 16550, it's V32bis as well as 14,400 fax. And cos it's got the Rockwell chipset, will also work set to Japanese SPEED-DIAL, most useful in the UK if you are unlucky enough to be in a pulse dial region. Now I know they do an external version, but it would not have the advantagous NS16550A UART. Why not give them a bell for info, or look out their advert in {Computer Shopper}. Tel:0732-872826 Cheers, NIGEL BALLARD | Int: nigel@dataman.demon.co.uk BOURNEMOUTH | Cis: 100015.2644 RADIO-G1HOI UNITED KINGDOM | AMAZING! and all down two wires ------------------------------ From: martin@bdsgate.bdsi.com (Martin Harriss) Subject: Re: Toll Restriction vs. Subscriber Line Access Charge Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 16:58:36 GMT Organization: Beechwood Data Systems In article John Higdon writes: > But even so, as was discussed at length some time back, the name on > the charge has no bearing on the purpose of the charge. Regardless of > the name, "access", the purpose was to compensate LECs for the loss of > long distance revenue as a result of divestiture. If you call it a > "Mandated Subsidy" (a much more accurate description), then you will > not feel the need to discuss matters such as interLATA access. But surely "Mandated" is too strong a word here. The LEC's do not have to charge it, but they are allowed to if they so feel like it. If I had a monopoly and I was allowed to charge my millions of clients $3.50 a month (more, I think, for business lines) essentially for doing nothing, I know that I sure as hell would! I'm believe that if more of the gerenal public knew what this charge was for (i.e to line the pockets of the LEC's) it would quite quickly go away. Martin Harriss martin@bdsi.com ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #251 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa08558; 9 Apr 93 5:09 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA22465 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Fri, 9 Apr 1993 02:09:45 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA01171 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Fri, 9 Apr 1993 02:09:01 -0500 Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 02:09:01 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304090709.AA01171@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #252 TELECOM Digest Fri, 9 Apr 93 02:08:45 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 252 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson I'm Sorry ... (TELECOM Moderator) Canadian Phone-Sex TV Ads Softened (Marketing Magazine via Nigel Allen) NYNEX/NY <-> BAMS/DC Call Delivery (Douglas Scott Reuben) Red Boxes (was Free Calls With a Captain Crunch Whistle?) (Maxime Taksar) SkyPagers: Looking For More Information (Timothy M. Stark) ATT Universal Card Problem? (Laurence Chiu) Line-In-Use Indicator? (Ben Cox) Help for Book -- I'm Sure Some of You Have Bits to Add (Richard J. Smith) Information Wanted on High Speed Buses (Tom Sommer) Latest Prodigy News: New Charge For Users (00mtsummers@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu) Help or Instruction Manual Needed For Displayphone (John Ross) I Received First Orange Card Bill (Carl Moore) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 23:30:18 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: I'm Sorry ... Due to circumstances beyond my control the Digest has to be put 'on hold' at this time. I'm getting out a couple issues early Friday morning to clear as much of the queue as I can. I received an eviction notice today and the telephone company quite coincidentally notified me that my phones will be placed on incoming only service effective Friday until I get the bill paid. When I've resolved the problem of the rent and the phone bill I'll try to resume publication. To those of you who assisted by your subscriptions to the Orange Card and the 800 / 1+ services, I give my thanks. Although remittances based on the residuals have not yet come in, I beleive I'll be able to use that money to at least get the phone turned back on later this month. If you have questions about the Orange Card or the 800 / 1+ programs you can direct them to the customer service offices of those companies. Those programs and my participation are still intact. My main problem is I cannot do the Digest if I have no telephone or place to live. Please DO NOT send further articles to the telecom account until you hear from me that the Digest is again operational. I send my best wishes to all of you, and my apologies that things have turned out the way they did. Patrick Townson ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 04:35:00 -0400 From: ndallen@r-node.hub.org (Nigel Allen) Subject: Canadian Phone-Sex TV Ads Softened Organization: R-node Public Access Unix - 1 416 249 5366 Phone-Sex Ads Softened (from {Marketing} magazine, Toronto, April 5, 1993) By Jim McLegunn The Telecaster Committee of Canada has moved to rein in the methods phone-sex services use to advertise themselves on television. The committee, which approves commercials aired on Canadian private television, toughened its guidelines on 976 lines after a spate of criticism from the public and the media. [Note from NDA: The committee has no jurisdiction over advertising on radio or in newspapers. Individual radio stations and newspapers make their own decisions on what advertising they will accept.] Some people objected to sexual imagery in the advertising, while others claimed the spots could mislead viewers. The revised guidelines do not affect spots approved before March 8, 1993, which can air indefinitely. Major changes include: Advertising for 976 services cannot feature negative or degrading sex-role portrayals, or sexual innuendo and provocativeness. It cannot imply that the model seen and/or heard in the commercial is the one who will answer calls to the sex line. It must make clear that long-distance charges apply, and cannot use the term "toll charges," which the committee said many people do not understand. It must state the price of the call, including taxes. It must state that callers must be 18 years of age or older. It must identify the advertiser under the name listed with Bell Canada [i.e., in the phone directory or with directory assistance] Pat Beatty, the committee's executive director, says many commercials airing under the previous guidelines "were selling the girl and not the service. They would show a model mouthing 'Call me.' But you weren't calling them -- they were just models appearing in the ads." Beatty said some callers didn't realize that long-distance charges applied, and that many of the services are based outside Canada -- in the U.S., Venezuela and, ironically, the Virgin Islands. Sex-line advertisers are complying with the new guidelines, using third-person references ("call them"), longer explanations of the service and more discreet camera shots in their ads. Nigel Allen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada ndallen@r-node.hub.org ------------------------------ Date: 8-APR-1993 14:51:23.69 From: Douglas Scott Reuben Subject: NYNEX/NY <-> BAMS/DC Call Delivery NYNEX/NY (SID 00022) and BAMS/DC (SID 00018?) have recently started call delivery between their two systems. I just heard of this addition yesterday, and today called a NYNEX/NY customer who was in DC to confirm it. (I called NYNEX for the roam port for DC to reach the guy, and the customer service representative very casually tells me that a port is no longer needed, as if everyone knew ...!) I think I'll have to eat my words about how the "B" side always lags behind the "A" in terms of networking; it seems in this case that the "B" side has at least temporarily surpassed the "A". The "A" carrier in NY (Cell One/NY) currently delivers calls to MOST of CT, Springfield, Mass, ComCast of New Jersey, Sussex Cellular of New Jersey, ComCast Metrophone/Philly, and ComCast/Delaware. It also delivers to other non-adjacent cities via the NACN, such as Albany, San Francisco, Miami, most of Canada, etc. However, locally, CONY does not connect with many neighboring systems (such as Orange County, NY). Also, in markets that are connected, roam rates are usually $.99 per minute. NYNEX and other local "B" carriers have a $.75 per minute rate in all call delivery markets (incoming and outgoing calls). A NYNEX/NY customer can now get calls in: Washington/Baltimore (00018), Philly/DE/South Jersey/North East PA (Allentown, Bethlehem, Reading; maybe even further west), all of New Jersey (including Sussex, Ocean County, and Atlantic City), Orange County, NY (00486?), Poughkeepsie, NY, Albany, NY, all of Mass (Boston, Pittsfield, Franklin County), all of Connecticut (including Litchfield County, not connected on the "A" side to Metro Mobile), and Rhode Island, and southern New Hampshire. Phew! A rather sudden and major improvement on the "B" side in terms of networking. In my opinion, quite impressive. (BTW, features work in SOME markets, and from what I am told calls will STILL not go back to voicemail if unanswered in the visited market. Anyone care to confirm or refute this?) Doug dreuben@eagle.wesleyan.edu // dreuben@wesleyan.bitnet ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 14:25:03 -0700 From: Maxime Taksar KC6ZPS Subject: Red Boxes (was Free Calls With a Captain Crunch Whistle?) In article , marcb@access.digex.com (Marc Blackwood) writes: > Radio Shack makes a tone dialer that can be modified easily. > Replacing the crystal inside to make the device run faster yield the > correct coin signaling tone. The tone requirements are: > 5 - quarter > 3 - dime > 1 - nickel > This is called a "red box". I saw one demonstrated recently. > Interesting stuff. The amount of misinformation on this topic is simply amazing! PAT -- do you think, perhaps, that this should go in the FAQ? I believe I've already posted something on this topic. In the US, the vast majority of coin phone use the ACTS (I believe this stands for Automated Coin Telephone System or Signalling, but I could very well be wrong on the terminology). The same signalling format is used both by the LECs and AT&T for coin service. Contrary to what has been posted here recently, there *is* a degree of Out of Band (OOB) signalling involved. It's just that what is transmitted OOB is a precisely one binary condition -- whether or not there is a real coin on the tray (I'll let someone else explain how coin phone coin mechanisms work). For a local call, the phone will signal this only if the full amount needed has been depositted (e.g. 20 cents here in sunny California). For a toll call (I believe the phone can tell the difference because the switch reverses line voltage -- someone please correct me if I'm wrong), any of a nickel, dime, or quarter will set the required "bit". Because of the way the OOB signalling behaves, "Red Boxes" only do interesting things for toll calls. So what do they do? They simulate the tones that the coin phone would send if coins were inserted. These "tones" are actually just one sound that is timed and spaced differently to represent the different coins. The sound itself is dual-tone, made by mixing a 1700Hz sine wave and a 2200Hz sine wave. Take a look at the DTMF frequencies: it should become relatively obvious why a DTMF encoder can be modified to make the "Red Box" sound. The following table represents the timing for each coin. The numbers represent timing in milliseconds. Numbers with asterisks (*) around them represent sound, plain number represent silence. nickel *80* dime *80* 40 *80* quarter *80* 40 *40* 40 *40* 40 *40* 40 *40* Spacing between each coin is in the hundreds of milliseconds, I would guess, but I've never cared enough to find out. Any comments, questions, or corrections are appreciated. Maxime Taksar KC6ZPS mmt@RedBrick.COM ------------------------------ From: tstark@access.digex.com (Timothy M. Stark) Subject: SkyPagers: Looking For More Information Date: 8 Apr 1993 19:29:52 -0400 Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA I am looking for more information about skypagers (aka SkyTel pagers) about their services. Can you give me a listing of pager companies with service information? If so, I will appreciate that. Thank you! I am looking for specific options about skypagers: * 800 Number * TDD/Modem Access for deaf people * Mexico/Canada/USA-wide service * Additional services for roaming service, etc.. * Affordable service pricing Timothy Stark Digex: tstark@access.digex.net (Preferred) 837 North Van Dorn St Portal: Timothy_M_Stark@cup.portal.com Alexandria, Va. 22304-2723 TDD: (703) 212-9731 Pager: (703) 702-4078 ------------------------------ From: LCHIU@HOLONET.NET Subject: ATT Universal Card Problem? Organization: HoloNet National Internet Access BBS: 510-704-1058/modem Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 02:41:52 GMT Recently I caught the tail end of a news item about the ATT Universal card. It seemed to be about ATT's misrepresentation of the card's discount structure -- i.e. you get 10% off calls but they fail to mention that the calling card surcharge is 80 cents. Trouble is it was on a Chinese News channel and the speed of the Cantonese spoken taxed my comprehension abilities somewhat! I never saw a similar item on a local news station or in the newspapers. Can anybody elaborate on this? I have a vested interest as a ATT Universal card holder. Thanks, Laurence Chiu Walnut Creek, CA ------------------------------ Subject: Line-In-Use Indicator? Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 21:49:13 CDT From: thoth@uiuc.edu (Ben Cox) Reply-To: thoth@uiuc.edu (Ben Cox) I'm looking for a design for a simple line-in-use indicator. All I want is a box I can put between the wall and the phone that will light a LED when the line is in use. All the designs I've seen for this are part of the phone (or coupler) and are triggered by the hookswitch, rather than by activity on the line. Is such a device possible? Unfortunately, although I know what the line looks like when nobody's on it (48V DC), I don't know much about what to look for when it's in use (does the 48V disappear? Are the other signals just superimposed on it?). Thanks in advance for any help. Ben Cox thoth@uiuc.edu [Moderator's Note: This comes up all the time here. Perhaps one or more readers will send you the schematics directly via email. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 11:31:01 PDT From: pierpont@snax.enet.dec.com Subject: Help for Book -- I'm Sure Some of You Have Bits to Add "Navigating The Internet Workshop List" Remember me? I bombarded you with e-mail from November to January with the workshop "Navigating the Internet: An Interactive Workshop." I hope you've used the Internet enough now to consider yourself an expert. Several notes. I'm inputting the evaluation into a database. I'm about a third of the way through at 377. I'll send you results when I'm done. Those of you who are librarians and are going to ALA in New Orleans if you want to get together let's meet at the Cafe Pontalba off of Jackson Square in the French Quarter on June 27th about 7:30. That is a bit after the library school reunions so we can have ours at that time. I've been asked to write a book on the Internet and I could use your help. In particular, I'd like to hear from those of you that use the Internet and how it has been helpful in your job, coursework, research or in any other way. Do you have any favorite Internet resources that would be of interest to others to learn? Do you have any anecdotes, stories or 'faux pas' that you would like to share with new users of the Intenet. (I have a few of the latter!) I'd appreciate any stories you have that might tell people about your favorite place to hang-out on the net, best place to get marvelous things, best tricks to do a particular thing on the net. Where to go for MAC stuff, meteorology, or space stuff, sound related stuff, graphics, etc. Stories from outside the U.S. would be especially welcome. We're also looking for your tips and opinions on technical issues. Things like commercial connections (MCI, Compuserve, the WELL and others) and software that you use to access the Internet. If you have anything you'd like to contribute, I'd appreciate hearing from you. Let me know if you want your name and Internet address to go with the story. The ten best contributions in the authors' estimation will recieve a FREE copy of the book!!! Your stories will not only help with the book but will add spice to future workshops. Thanks in advance. Richard J. Smith rs@usl.edu University of Southwestern Louisiana Durpre Library Lafayette, LA 70503 ------------------------------ From: sommer@tpdhp.teleglobe.com (Tom Sommer) Subject: Information Wanted on High Speed Buses Organization: Teleglobe Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 14:47:35 GMT I am looking for a good survey paper which compares high speed digital buses. This includes the likes of Futurebus +, VMEBus, Quickring, etcetera. I'd like a chart which contains comparisons of information such as electrical (throughput, arbitration scheme, sync/async, etc), physical (# slots, connector, board size, hot swappable, etc), and cost (interface chips, connector, backplane, etc). Recent publication is a must. I've been using DiGiacomo's book "Digital Bus Handbook" but it does not offer comparitive information and is several years old. I'm also looking for information on building a switch rather than bus based system. The ultimate application for all this is a multimedia hub so information along those lines is also appreciated. ------------------------------ From: 00mtsummers@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu Subject: Latest Prodigy News: New Charge For Users Date: 8 Apr 93 09:50:06 EST Organization: Ball State University, Muncie, In - Univ. Computing Svc's I would like to inform you of what is recently going on on *P*. This is as close to real news as USENET gets. *P* has decided to institute a timed rate on their bulletin board system. As you may not know, it is extreamly slow. The users of the boards have all become angry. Those with *P* access can quickly get a comprehension of how many people feel this way by JUMPing to PRODIGY BB and selecting the topic "Pricing Plans". Wow! Try the subject BB FEES PETITION and see a note with so many replies that the computers cannot handle any more. There is a massive boycott planned on 4/15. Amazing that one small change could upset so many people! Many on that topic are searching for another service to use. I am trying to direct them to Internet, the best value in the business, through the use of NIXPUB. Unfortunatly, NIXPUB doesn't seem to be too acurate. [Moderator's Note: I have recently put a complete copy of Nixpub in the Telecom Archives under the file name 'public.access.sites' and will try to finish up my work there (in the archives) and have the file on line and available before I lose my phone service Friday. The Telecom Archives is available using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. PAT] ------------------------------ From: John Ross Subject: Help or Instruction Manual Needed for Displayphone Organization: UTCC Public Access Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 11:47:22 -0400 I have inherited an old Northern Telecom Displayphone, which unfortunately did not come with an instruction or user's manual. Does anyone out there have one of these? Thanks, John ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 10:36:46 EDT From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) Subject: I Received First Orange Card Bill It arrived in what the postal service calls a "flat": an envelope large enough to handle a flat 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet. I received five sheets of paper (apparently the top one, as in my local phone bill, is to go in the return envelope along with my payment). The bill in which the envelope was sent had 52 cents postage, H meter 342322, Merrifield, VA. Return address is Long Distance Service, Inc., 8180 Greensboro Drive, 4th Floor, McLean, VA 22102. The payment is to be mailed to same firm name but at P.O. Box 9670, McLean, VA 22102-0670. Phone 703-442-0220, fax 703-448-6792. On the invoice, one of the lines having zero amount is "GROSS RECEIPTS SURCHARGE: MD (2%), DC (9.7%)". I don't know why I get that line. The calls I made were from Delaware to Maryland and vice versa. I made seven calls for a total of 14.2 minutes (billing is in six second increments, and six seconds is 1/10 minute). At 25 cents a minute, this would be $3.55 (it came out as $3.57 because of rounding, given four calls each of 0.5 minute duration, charged at 13 cents each). In the itemized list, the column I don't quite understand is FRM (From?). What is it telling me? I made two calls, partly for test purposes right at the outset, from my Newark (Del.) residence phone to Aberdeen, MD, and they are showing MAK in FRM column. Other calls were from Maryland to Delaware, and they display BAL (Baltimore, right?) in FRM column. Front page says customer number must be present on checks. Would that be the account number displayed elsewhere on that page? (Itemized list has that number plus an "authcode" and an "acctcode".) The itemized list has a call at 2:10 PM to a certain number for 0.5 minutes and that same number at 2:12 PM to that same number for 10.4 minutes, both on March 30. If I tried calling twice, I do not recall getting through the first time. (I did call that same number again on April 1.) [Moderator's Note: You must be on a different billing cycle than me. I got the first card (about a week before anyone on this list) and I still don't have my first bill yet. PAT] ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #252 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa08716; 9 Apr 93 5:11 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA11830 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Fri, 9 Apr 1993 02:45:10 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA01648 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Fri, 9 Apr 1993 02:44:30 -0500 Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 02:44:30 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304090744.AA01648@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #253 TELECOM Digest Fri, 9 Apr 93 02:44:30 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 253 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson I'm Sorry ... (TELECOM Moderator) Re: AT&T Blacklisting? (Mike McNally) Re: AT&T Blacklisting? (Charles Mattair) ISDN on Local Loop Pairs (Michael J. Hayes) Re: FAX-Machine/FAX-Modem (David Y. Chang) Re: Pac Bell Caught Red Handed (Jeff Sicherman) TDD Specification In Telecom Archives (Curtis E. Reid) Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch (Mark Walsh) GTE Mobilenet Woes in CA (Dave Rand) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 23:30:18 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: I'm Sorry ... Due to circumstances beyond my control the Digest has to be put 'on hold' at this time. I'm getting out a couple issues early Friday morning to clear as much of the queue as I can. I received an eviction notice today and the telephone company quite coincidentally notified me that my phones will be placed on incoming only service effective Friday until I get the bill paid. When I've resolved the problem of the rent and the phone bill I'll try to resume publication. To those of you who assisted by your subscriptions to the Orange Card and the 800 / 1+ services, I give my thanks. Although remittances based on the residuals have not yet come in, I beleive I'll be able to use that money to at least get the phone turned back on later this month. If you have questions about the Orange Card or the 800 / 1+ programs you can direct them to the customer service offices of those companies. Those programs and my participation are still intact. My main problem is I cannot do the Digest if I have no telephone or place to live. Please DO NOT send further articles to the telecom account until you hear from me that the Digest is again operational. I send my best wishes to all of you, and my apologies that things have turned out the way the did. If you need to reach me, you can still do so through my Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. Patrick Townson ------------------------------ From: vail!m5@cs.utexas.edu (Mike McNally) Subject: Re: AT&T Blacklisting? Date: 8 Apr 93 13:58:37 GMT telecom@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM Moderator) writes: > ...I am saying that from a purely pragmatic, or practical standpoint, it > is better to have organizations like AT&T or the federal government > remain neutral to us -- if not necessarily friendly with us -- than it > is to have them as enemies or antagonists. If anything, this situation calls *not* for BBS operators to bend over further in efforts to "appease" the system, but rather for everyone to raise public consciousness bring down the Big Brothers who now feel free to wield this kind of oppressive power. > ...and if you don't mind -- I've got a warrant here -- we'll seize all > your equipment *which even resembles something electronic* while we set > about proving our case. Give us six months, a year or two years to work > on it, won't you? After the successful litigation and establishment of damage-award precedent by Mr. Steve Jackson, I suspect that the Secret Service et al will be somewhat less cavalier. > ... And, you could be considered a co-conspirator. This turns my stomach. > Police officer comes to your door with AT&T man (purely a hypothetical > example, you understand) ... it only happens somewhere in these United > States once every couple weeks or so ... Once again, this must stop. *That* is where the energy of every "good citizen" must be directed. > "I know my rights!" you loudly proclaim, "get a warrant to come in my > house." Most people would not say that, but from what you are saying, > you probably would. "The innocent need not fear." I guarantee you that I'd "say that". > Police officer and AT&T man look at each other and snicker. This is believable, and revolting. I wonder whether I could get a police officer to accompany me and snicker when I visit the AT&T office to complain about an egregious billing error? > He calls on his radioo ... in the cop's estimation, you're an asshole; > you know your rights and he certainly knows his as an officer. His *rights* as an officer, or his *power*, vested in him by the gun on his belt and the festering corrupted system that put it there? > There are laws which say the authorities can act in a rather heavy > handed manner when they want to prosecute you if they choose to do so. !!!!!!!!! > They also get to have their equipment seized and sit in jail > if it comes to that ... they're nobody special. Oh boy. i.e., they have no special exemptions from the outrageous abuses likely to be committed against the citizenry by the "authorities". > Where your advice, John, is very irresponsible is because of the large > number of young people running BBSs who are naive enough to think > their knowledge of the constitution will protect them from the govern- > ment. When young people cease to have this "naive" view of the Constitution, my love for this country will dry up and blow away. > They know their rights ... but they have yet to be bopped over > the head with a policeman's billy club for their impudence. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.......... > I do not have the time, or money, or inclination to argue with the > government. I'd prefer they ignore me. If/when they do come to see me, > I'll have my papers in order ... Fine. Sit in your hole and just hope they leave you alone. It's not for me, brother, and I rejoice in the knowledge that there are people like John around who are similarly committed. I am confident that if Sam Adams could read what you've written here, he'd immediately begin signing up volunteers. I'd be first in line. Call me a naieve wide-eyed air-head, but this plucks a big string for me. Elevating blood pressure prevents me from continuing. I don't run a BBS, but more than anything this discussion has made me want to. [Moderator's Note: You say 'when young people cease to have this view, your love for America will dry up and blow away ...' Well, mine already has dried up. How about that ... This isn't the same place I was born and raised in, not by a long shot. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Apr 93 11:22:53 CDT From: mattair@synercom.hounix.org (Charles Mattair) Subject: Re: AT&T Blacklisting? Organization: Synercom Technology, Inc., Houston, TX In article PAT writes: > [Moderator's Note: I'm not sure I agree entirely with your dire > outlook. I don't think things are *quite* that bad, but I must say > you did a great job of helping me make my point: knowing that the > [etc...] PAT: They are that bad. Read comp.org.eff.talk, sci.crypt or most of the privacy groups for a while. Civil Forfeiture is a serious problem WRT to law enforcement these days and in many ways is more corrupting than "mob" money ever was. While not directly related to telecom and computer seizures, the article included below will illustrate the problem. The article was extracted from a thread concerning the FBI wire tap proposal. I have more comments after the article. Xref: synercom sci.crypt:1391 comp.org.eff.talk:2770 From: mbeckman@mbeckman.mbeckman.com (Mel Beckman) Newsgroups: sci.crypt,comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: Prof. D. Denning's trust in the FBI Date: Wed, 31 Mar 93 00:48:27 PST Organization: Beckman Software Engineering Message-ID: <01050810.tt6mrh@mbeckman.mbeckman.com> Reply-To: mbeckman@mbeckman.com In article <1993Mar30.161012.3079@guvax.acc.georgetown.edu> denning@ guvax.acc.georgetown.edu writes: > I said that the events that Marc and the other CACM commentators of > my article referred to did not occur under the current wiretap > statutes, which date back to the 1968 wiretap law and the 1978 Foreign > Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Dorothy, But in your article, and in online discussions, you many times pointed to the laws against illegal wiretapping and said "those laws will protect citizens against illegal taps." But the taps on King and the others *were* illegal under any wiretapping laws that were in force at the time, which seems good evidence that we can't count on such laws for protection from offensive government taps. Here is what you can expect from the government: in Ventura County, CA, where I live, the LA County Sheriff's Dept. raided a (later shown to be innocent) rancher's house near Malibu. They broke down his front door, and when the alarmed rancher appeared with a gun, they shot and killed him. Their "probable cause" for obtaining a warrant was spectrographic indications from an aircraft survey that marijuana was growing on the rancher's property. No plants or drugs or contraband or evidence of any crime was ever found. The rancher, Don Scott, had no record. A subsequent aircraft survey still showed the same "spectrographic" evidence (never before used to obtain a warrant). The ranch was in Ventura county, and the warrant was for a nonexistent LA county address. The Ventura county sheriff started an investigation, as he was never consulted in the raid (as required by law). The investigation, released today, revealed the LA county sheriff had the rancher's property assessed before the raid, and had prepared paperwork for asset forfeiture in anticipation of success. Also today, the LA sherrif's own investigation conclued the shooting was "justified" because the rancher had a weapon in his hand when his door was kicked in. Earlier reports, however, said that the elapsed time between kicking the door in and shooting the rancher was under five seconds. [This time has now been verified.] My point is that the motivations of individuals in government are no more immune to corruption than anybody's. The system can be manipulated (in this case, perhaps out of a desire to cash in on an 8-million dollar asset seizure) to obtain warrants, and such warrants often are executed unsafely, with devastating results to innocent civilians. You simply cannot trust the law as a practical restraint against official abuse. This article was written shortly after the incident and certain of the facts have proven to be incorrect as initially reported. There actually was no spectroscopic evidence, this was confusion on the reporter's part. The LA county DA, after some amount of prodding, ruled that excessive force was used. The {Ventura County Star Free Press} reports that the Ventura County DA has stated that he now has incontravertable evidence that the LASD deliberately obtained the warrant using false evidence. Unfortunately, juristictional issues may prevent Ventura from directly filing charges. I can also send you a series of articles from the {Pittsburg Press} detailing abuses in civil forfeiture in you are interested. Believe ... Charles Mattair (work) mattair@synercom.hounix.org (home) cgm@elmat.synercom.hounix.org ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 20:43 GMT From: Michael J. Hayes <92700977@vax1.dcu.ie> Subject: ISDN on Local Loop Pairs I am currently working on modelling the transmission properties of copper "voice-grade" pairs in the local loop. Implementation of ISDN here in Ireland requires 2B+D+housekeeping= 160 kbit/s. This "high" bit-rate is not what the copper was designed for, but it works surprisingly well, up to a point. It has been said that a call can be set up on a 0.50 mm copper pair of length six loop kilometers. Can anyone tell me is this claim true or false? I know from my tests on an 800 metre length of this stuff that the high-frequency components of the signal die off into background noise after a couple of hundred meters (which is probably a good thing, because if they reached the far end, they would be behind time and cause inter-symbol interference.) Has anyone else done testing/know of tests like this? I would be much obliged to hear. Email or post to group, but please email me personally if your posting isn't published / is truncated. Thanks. MiX. email main: in%"92700977@vax1.dcu.ie" email secondary: in%"mjhayes@ca.dcu.ie" paper: Michael J. Hayes, Dept. of Computer Applications, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, IRELAND ------------------------------ From: davidyc@unix386.Convergent.COM (David Y Chang) Subject: Re: FAX-Machine/FAX-Modem Date: 9 Apr 93 03:07:27 GMT Organization: Unisys/Convergent, San Jose, CA > Hi there ... sorry to trouble you, but I have been unable to find > references to the ftp site where the telecom archives are kept in the > past little while. > I'm specifically interested in the recent (one or two months ago) > discussion on connecting a FAX machine to a FAX modem directly, to be > able to use the FAX machine as a scanner/printer. I've been watching for this kind of product and the one I bought and used is called "FaxScanner" which allows you to scan images from a fax machine and stores as PCX file on your PC via a PC-FAX, but it doesn't work the other way around (i.e. use FAX machine as a printer by sending FAX from a PC-FAX) which it really should theoretically. Product : FaxScanner Company : SVA Software, Inc. Coral Gables, FL 33146 Phone : (305)446-9905 David Y Chang - Unisys Corp., San Jose, CA INET: davidyc@convergent.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 23:30:10 -0700 From: Jeff Sicherman Subject: Re: Pac Bell Caught Red Handed Organization: Cal State Long Beach In article richgr@netcom.com quotes the {Los Angeles Times}: > A CA PUC judge has recommended that Pac Bell be fined $65 million for > repeatedly charging its customers improper late fees. This stems from > Pac Bell routinely assessed customer's late payment charges because of > delays in the company's own bill processing operations. [ deleted ] > The suit was originated by a San Francisco consumer group known as > TURN (Toward Utility Rate Normalization). "Its unprecedented for a > fine of this size" said Thomas Long, a staff attorney for TURN. > [Moderator's Note: I strongly suspect the fine (or at least the size > of it) will be reversed or reduced on appeal, as telco is certain to > do. Some consumer groups frankly have no idea what they are talking > ahout most of the time. PAT] Nor do some Moderators, who, though they have no specific knowledge about the merits of the case under discussion, the behaviors of the parties to it, or the history of the dispute, feel qualified to throw some reactionary, generic remarks at it to show their superiority. Jeff Sicherman ------------------------------ Date: 08 Apr 1993 09:44:45 -0500 (EST) From: Curtis E. Reid Subject: TDD Specification For Telecom Archives TDD Specifications are now available in the Telecom Archives. The archives can be accessed using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Curtis E. Reid CER2520@ritvax.isc.rit.edu Rochester Institute of Technology/NTID REID@DECUS.org (DECUS) 52 Lomb Memorial Drive 716.475.6089 TDD/TT 475.6895 Voice Rochester, NY 14623-5604 U.S.A. 716.475.6500 Fax (Business Use Only) [Moderator's Note: Curtis gave me this file a few weeks ago, but I've been mentally occupied with other things and did not get a chance to work on the archives for a couple weeks until Thursday (partially), and I will try to finish straightening out the newly arrived files on Friday morning if I can do so before my phone is shut off. PAT] ------------------------------ From: walsh@optilink.com (Mark Walsh) Subject: Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch Date: 8 Apr 93 21:09:22 GMT Organization: Optilink Corporation, Petaluma, CA Here in 707 land, POP-xxxx works as it did in 415 (now 510) land where I grew up. I had thought that this POP-xxxx thing was universal. A few years back, I was on business in 617 and called it at about midnight from my hotel, only to wake somebody who refused to believe that such a thing as POP-xxxx exists. As we all know by now, this time comes off of a WWV/WWVH clock. A few years ago, people calling POP-xxxx found that it was off by an hour. To make a long story short, someone had bumped a switch that read "Normal/Daylight Savings." > [Moderator's Note: Why did anyplace have any exchange for this other > than the most logical one which we used here in Chicago 'WEATHER'. I > think London used WEATHER for a long time also, maybe they still do. PAT] When I was a kid, NWS was 936-1212. Mark Walsh (walsh@optilink) -- UUCP: uunet!optilink!walsh Amateur Radio: KM6XU@WX3K -- AOL: BigCookie@aol.com -- USCF: L10861 ------------------------------ From: dlr@daver.bungi.com (Dave Rand) Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1993 22:30:56 PDT Subject: GTE Mobilenet Woes in CA Recently, thanks in part to our Esteemed Moderator's long distance programs, I had occasion to look at the long distance portion of my GTE Mobilenet Cellular telephone bill. I saw several calls that I had made that seemed to be higher in cost than I would otherwise expect. Thinking that perhaps rates were different on cell phones, I called GTE Customer service. After the mandatory wait for a representative, I was told that: 1) GTE uses AT&T as their primary outgoing long distance service; 2) Sprint is used as a backup; 3) AT&T Direct Dial rates are charged for any calls outside of your service area, plus airtime; 4) A selected long distance carrier is not available from GTE; 5) AT&T would have to rate any calls, as GTE did not have any rating information, and they "selected the cheapest service for you automatically"; I checked the calls in question with AT&T, and found that the AT&T rates were about 1/3rd of the GTE billed rates. A 0.30/min call on GTE would cost 0.10/min on AT&T. A call to GTE again confirmed that they charge only the AT&T rates -- no surcharge. I asked to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor confirmed the story. I asked *HIM* to call AT&T and check their rates. A very nervous supervisor called me back a few minutes later, and promised to check in to it further -- apparently there *WAS* a surcharge, or something ... that was 04/02/93. He promised a call back 04/05/93. On 04/06/93, I called again, and was given the same "we charge AT&T rates" story. I again asked for a supervisor, explained the situation, and asked for a timely resolution. On 04/07/93, I also asked for the telephone numbers of the CPUC. They gave me disconnected numbers (both 800 and 415). They did, however, promise me an answer by 10 AM. At 4 PM, a *VERY* worried and upset supervisor called me to explain that they still didn't have a good answer, and would I please give them another day or two to solve the problem. Today, I spoke with the head of the Customer Service department -- Gail Carpenter (number available on request). GTE Mobilnet apparently did not notice that AT&T had changed its rates, and has been billing customers with an old billing tape for the past few *YEARS*. They promised that I would receive a credit for my calls billed in error. I asked them if they were going to notify any other customers ... According to Ms. Carpenter, GTE Mobilnet has no plans at this time to notify existing or past customers of their error. She indicated that the decision to do so (or not) would be done at "a higher level". There is no expected date of such a decision. She further indicated that it would be "very hard" to re-rate all of the calls made by customers over the years. If you are a GTE Mobilnet Customer, or if you would like more information, please feel free to contact me. Dave Rand 10288 0-700-FOR-RAND {pyramid|mips|bct|vsi1}!daver!dlr Internet: dlr@daver.bungi.com ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #253 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa18796; 9 Apr 93 19:15 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA13414 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Fri, 9 Apr 1993 16:45:14 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA14041 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Fri, 9 Apr 1993 16:44:24 -0500 Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 16:44:24 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304092144.AA14041@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #254 TELECOM Digest Fri, 9 Apr 93 16:44:15 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 254 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson One Last Time ... (TELECOM Moderator) Workshop - ATM in the Government Sector (Michael R. Brown) Re: Stupid Switch Tricks (Warren Burstein) Re: Answering Machine Feature (Mark Steiger) Re: How to Busy Out a Line? (Warren Burstein) Re: Jacking In at the Demarc (John Gilbert) Where to Find Official Docs on ... (Michael Cox) Re: 911 Service for Deadbeats (Rebecca Snyder) Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch (Rob Boudrie) Re: NPA-NXX by County Database (Rob Boudrie) Looking For Panel Mounted 1-A Keyset (Warren Tucker) Atmel, Intel and Flash Memories (Tyler R. Holcomb) Max RS-232 Cable Lengths at 9600 Baud (George A. Perkins) Re: A Very Interesting Intercept (Michael Jennings) Re: Line Busy Out (Floyd Davidson) Re: I Received First Orange Card Bill (Matt Simpson) Re: Truly Amazing, Truly Amazing (Michael Lyman) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 14:30:00 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: One Last Time ... Through the courtesy of someone whose office I visit a lot, I was able to check in for my personal mail this afternoon and decided to make a real quick issue of the Digest with things which came in during the wee hours of the morning on Friday. I hate to see anyone left out with an article if it is at all possible to include them. Things are sort of grim for me right now; but we'll stay in touch, I'm sure. Pat T. ------------------------------ From: Michael R. Brown Subject: Workshop - ATM in the Government Sector Organization: Advanced Telecommunications Group Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 12:40:59 GMT ATM Networking for the Late 1990's The MITRE Corporation and the ATM Forum are pleased to announce a 1 day workshop on ATM networking in the government sector, to be held on 27 April 1993. The focus of this workshop is on the government's need for broadband network technology and services, and industry's plans for to meet these needs over the next 5-10 years. Senior representatives from the Government and Industry will discuss a wide range of issues including requirements, technology developments, early (ATM) trial results, and product and service plans. Workshop sessions include: Keynote Speakers Dr. Bob Lucky Vice President, Bellcore Mr. John Grimes Deputy ASD, Defense-wide C3 Mr. Don Scott Associate Director FTS2000, GSA ATM Networking Standards Richard Vickers Senior Manager, Northern Telecom Mike Goguen Senior Product Manager, Synoptics Glen Estes Director of ATM Technology, Bellcore ATM Networking - Early Trials Hank Dardy Supervisory Research Physicist, NRL Dan McAuliffe Director, Telecom Division, Rome Labs Scott Anderson Fujitsu America Federal Government Requirements Dr. Dave Signori Associate Director, DISA Col. John Barnes Project Manager, Pentagon IM&T Dan Scott Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA Cindy Peak Manager, Comm Systems Engineering, FAA Vendor and Carrier Plans Eric Cooper President, Fore Systems Bob Halligan VP & GM, Government Systems Division Gil Falk Director, Strategic Systems, BBN Robert Doyle Director of Marketing, Gov Systems, Sprint John Strickland Director, Broadband Services, USWest In addition to these sessions, vendor demonstrations will be conducted throughout the workshop. Given the recent interest in related initiatives such as NREN, NII, and Global Grid, this workshop offers a unique opportunity for government and industry officials to discuss potential applications of this enabling technology. The workshop will be held at : The MITRE Corporation Hayes Auditorium 7525 Colshire Drive McLean, VA 22102 For registration information contact: Linda Ericson lericson@mitre.org 703.883.5948 703.883.5914 (FAX) ------------------------------ Michael R. Brown mrb@mitre.org Advanced Telecommunications Group 617.271.7390 The MITRE Corporation 617.271.7231 MS B280 Burlington Road Bedford, MA 01730 ------------------------------ From: warren@worlds.COM (Warren Burstein) Subject: Re: Stupid Switch Tricks Date: 9 Apr 93 14:04:04 GMT Reply-To: warren@nysernet.org Organization: WorldWide Software In oppedahl@Panix.Com (Carl Oppedahl) writes: > I suspect a wet phone line somewhere between your home and the CO. Or > a weak short. Your theory about the ringing voltage burning through > the obstruction is actually quite apt. Do you suppose there's a dog tied up in the yard? warren@nysernet.org [Moderator's Note: This of course is part of an old, old story we've published here many times before. It goes to show that truth can often times be stranger than fiction. If the story's true, that is. :) PAT] ------------------------------ From: MARK.STEIGER@tdkt.kksys.com (MARK STEIGER) Date: Fri, 09 Apr 1993 15:07:09 -0600 Subject: Re: Answering Machine Feature Organization: The Dark Knight's Table BBS: Minnetonka, MN (Free!) >> To bring this back to answering machines, I am continually amazed t >> they continue to use such antiquated technology as analog magnetic >> tape. How difficult/expensive would it be to put a small hard driv >> (10MB or 20MB, say) inside an answering machine, and record digitiz >> voice on it? At 64Kbps/sec using u-law encoding (we're shooting fo >> "phone-quality" here, after all), that's a bit less than 8K/sec. A >> 10MB hard disk would hold a bit over 20 minutes of messages, minus >> little for housekeeping and data structures. This would allow for >> easy time/date stamping, random access to messages (including delet >> a message in the middle of the "tape"), and probably better-quality >> sound as well. If you really want to save space, use 2-bit or 3-bi >> ADPCM encoding (19.2Kbps and 28.8Kbps, respectively). A 10MB hard >> drive then holds 72 minutes and 48 minutes, respectively. > That's fine while it works. What does the non-electronic customer do > when their storage device breaks? > Replacement cassette tapes holding up to 90 minutes cost less than $1 > each. Hard drives and non-volatile memory chips aren't anywhere near > that cheap. > It's true that ANYthing produced in the massive quantities demanded b > consumer items like answering machines would become cheap enough, but > at the moment magnetic tape products are; computer storage products > aren't. Which one would a company want to risk their profit margin > on? Personally, what I do is run "The Complete Answering Machine" on my computer. It runs totally in the background. I am running a BBS under desqview along with other applications and it doesn't miss a beat. It can deliver outbound messages, notify me when a message comes in, and it can handle 999 mailboxes. If you're looking for a great sounding machine that uses a hard drive, this is the one to get ... I don't work for the CAM company. Just a happy customer ... Mark Steiger, Sysop, The Igloo BBS (612) 574-2079 Internet: mark@tdkt.kksys.com Fido: 1:282/4018 Simnet: 16:612/24 ------------------------------ From: warren@worlds.COM (Warren Burstein) Subject: Re: How to Busy Out a Line? Date: 9 Apr 93 13:49:15 GMT Reply-To: warren@nysernet.org Organization: WorldWide Software In roy@mchip00.med.nyu.edu (Roy Smith) writes: > Personally, I'd suggest using a 2W resistor somewhere around > 600 to 1000 ohms. It needs to be small enough to make sure it looks > like a phone off hook, but large enough that you don't draw an > unreasonable amount of current. The power rating has to be large > enough to not burn up if you get 100V ringing voltage. 100V into 1K > is 10W, but I would guess that for the low-duty cycle ringing signal, > a 2W resistor would do fine. Make it 5 or 10 if you're worried about > that. I suspect current limiting on the line won't allow you to > actually draw that much power anyway. Well since 600 ohms looks like an off-hook phone, would it be safe to rely on the telco to not deliver ring to it for longer than it takes for them to figure out that the phone is off-hook? If so, I would guess that a smaller wattage resistor would be able to take the ring voltage for this brief interval, which I would guess off the top of my head lasts a few milliseconds. I've taken apart el-cheapo brand telephones on the way to the trash; they don't have anything in them that I would think is designed to dissipate 2W. I wonder why no one has come out with a black-and-white "generic" telephone yet. warren@nysernet.org ------------------------------ From: johng@comm.mot.com (John Gilbert) Subject: Re: Jacking In at the Demarc Organization: Motorola, Land Mobile Products Sector Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 15:17:44 GMT In article Russell Nelson writes: > That happened to me also. I have a two-line set with in-use > indicators on both lines. I saw that someone was using one of the > lines and it couldn't be anyone in the house. I picked up on the > line, and asked the lineman what was going on. He said that he was > just calling back to the office. Since I pay flat rate, I didn't > care. Most of the numbers that the linemen call at the telco seem to be programmed for "free terminating service." This way you don't pay message units when they borrow your line and they don't have to carry quarters for coin phones. John Gilbert johng@ecs.comm.mot.com ------------------------------ From: mcox@access.digex.com (Michael Cox) Subject: Where to Find Official Docs on ... Date: 9 Apr 1993 08:00:50 -0400 Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA I am trying to find the name of official (government or otherwise) documents that discuss the OSI model and where I can get them. My situation is that I am designing a system that involves dial-up modems. One requirement is that they follow the OSI standards. Now, even if a vendor says his modem supports v.32 which, I think, is part of the OSI model, what document can I refer to that says v.32 is in the OSI model? Also, any other documents that talk about LAN media (10BaseT/2/5) and the protocols (Ethernet TCP/IP) as being part of the OSI model would help. And, finally, is anyone familiar with the AT&T FTS 2000 system? What is it? Can I use regular modems (USRobotics, Hayes, etc) on this system or do they need to be a special type? Oh, one more thing. Where can I learn more about how a MUX operates? I can FTP so FTP sites would be appreciated! Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide. Michael Cox Work: mcox@access.digex.com Play: aj639@cleveland.freenet.edu Fido: 1:109/456.0 ------------------------------ From: msnyder@prism.nmt.edu (Rebecca Snyder) Subject: Re: 911 Service for Deadbeats Organization: New Mexico Tech Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 20:08:42 GMT One problem with DEBTline -- since the deadbeat is only recieving calls from bill collectors, there really isn't much in it for them to keep their phone plugged in. ------------------------------ From: rboudrie@chpc.org (Rob Boudrie) Subject: Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch Organization: Center For High Perf. Computing of WPI; Marlboro Ma Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 18:13:26 GMT In article rothen+@pitt.edu (Seth B Rothenberg) writes: > In New York City, the number for time used to be NER-VOUS until they It still is NER-VOUS (actually, NER-xxxx) in the Boston (617) area code. ------------------------------ From: rboudrie@chpc.org (Rob Boudrie) Subject: Re: NPA-NXX by County Database Organization: Center For High Perf. Computing of WPI; Marlboro Ma Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 18:11:21 GMT In article mkenny@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (michael r. kenny) writes: > Does anyone know of a database commercial or other that has the > NPA-NXX's that are within a county? If you want to find a PLUS system ATM which is near you, call 1-800-THE-PLUS. You will be asked to touch tone in the area code and first three digits of the phone number you are calling from. If any machines are near you, the recording will tell you about them. Very convenient for locating ATM's based on NPAs. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 9 Apr 93 12:56:40 EDT From: wht@n4hgf.Mt-Park.GA.US (Warren Tucker) Subject: Looking For Panel-Mounted 1A Keyset Maybe some of the historian/archeologists in here can help me. I am a quadriplegic computer programmer who spends a good bit of time on the phone while typing at the computer. (OK, I am a "low quad" who has use of arms and wrists, but no hands.) I'm having a workstation built to take advantage of what capability I have. We've solved most of the problems, but the telephone is a problem. I've seen multi-line "subscriber sets" (1A-ish, like a reshaped 565 or 630 set) integrated into equipment. The phone is just a dial and a few buttons on a panel, with a headset jack "under the table" somewhere. While a number of these things have been obviously custom, I'm sure there must be some off-the-shelf stuff around. (I don't think I'm up to the 200-line ringdown arrays I've seen in some old film about SAC installations, heh heh). My workaday telecom experience ends in 1982, so I'm still in love with the simple 1A2 I already understand. It is all "hard copper" and keeps the flexibility that digital or "home PBX" stuff excludes. Besides, I'm poor and I have a bunch of it already :-). I'm open to any (low-cost I hope) suggestions that will give me a flat-faced multi-line phone based on the old 1A arrangement (or at least has one T/R/A/A1 circuit). Could some kind soul please give me a clue? As an aside, does anyone know of a junk dealer with 400 cards and other 1A archeological artifacts? I got a price on a 400 card the other day of $45 from someone who treated me like I was some time-displaced H. G. Wells :-). Please E-MAIL as well as posting. THANKS!!!!!!!!! Warren Tucker (404)587-5766 n4hgf!wht or wht@n4hgf.Mt-Park.GA.US ------------------------------ From: tylerh@cco.caltech.edu (Tyler R. Holcomb) Subject: Atmel, Intel, and Flash Memories Date: 9 Apr 1993 17:35:41 GMT Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena I am seeking informatin on a company call Atmel that makes flash memories. In particular, I want to know: 1. Is this a "good" company? In particular, do they seem "well run" and do they have satisfied customers? 2. If (and when) does Intel plan to re-enter this market? 3. I understand that the Atmel products have "proprietary" features that differentiate them from "commodity" flash memories. How important are these features? What types of users find these features most useful? Do these features "lock-in" users and and build "brand loyalty?" THank you for your input. Tyler Holcomb tylerh@juliet caltech.edu ------------------------------ From: george@crayola.East.Sun.COM (George A. Perkins) Subject: Max RS-232 Cable Lengths at 9600 Baud Date: 9 Apr 1993 16:00:02 GMT Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc. Reply-To: george@crayola.East.Sun.COM Folks, Can someone tell me what the EIA says are the max cable lengths for RS-232 at differing baud rates? Specifically I am interested in 9600, but if you have 1200, 2400 and 19,200 I would be interested in that as well ... Please reply to me at "george.perkins@east.sun.com". Thanks, George A. Perkins Systems Engineer Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation 6200 Courtney Campbell Causeway Suite 840 Tampa, FL 33607 Phone: (813) 289-7228 Fax: (813) 281-0219 EMail: george.perkins@East.Sun.COM ------------------------------ From: M.J.Jennings@amtp.cam.ac.uk (Michael Jennings) Subject: Re: A Very Interesting Intercept Organization: University of Cambridge, DAMTP Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 14:53:28 GMT In article DLEIBOLD@VM1.YorkU.CA (David Leibold) writes: > I tried the +81 45 33 0000000 number with the Unitel long distance > service. Completion time was quite fast, especially considering that I > forgot to end the overseas digit string with a '#' to speed up the > call completion. Nice music, with the English intercept announcement > first, then the Japanses one, then repeat of the English one at which > time I disconnected. The connection did sound a bit scratchy, though > the results weren't expected to be high-fidelity stereo. > I haven't tried this through Bell Canada's service, though I note the > recent posting regarding Bell's own intercept for this. > All international calls placed in Canada (other than to the U.S.) > would be routed through Teleglobe, the monopoly international carrier. > Thus the intercept would be a Bell thing, while Unitel just lets the > other end intercept the call. I tried it from a payphone belonging to Cambridge cable (the local cable television company (which also provides telephone services)), which I think gets its long distance connections via Mercury (British Telecom's one major competitor for long distance calls). The first couple of times I simply received an engaged signal, but eventually I did get the same message and music, English first, followed by Japanese. (Fast connection, very clear line). Has anybody tried this from a non-English speaking country, or does it just give an English message for anything that is not Japanese? Michael ------------------------------ From: floyd@hayes.ims.alaska.edu (Floyd Davidson) Subject: Re: Line Busy Out Organization: University of Alaska Computer Network Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 14:12:57 GMT In article hhallika@tuba.calpoly.edu (Harold Hallikainen) writes: > So, I agree with John that users need not worry about most of > the part 68 regulations, except for 68.102, which requires that > terminal equipment be registered (is that resistor or bridging clip > registered? Is it a "transparent extension cord"?). If telcos have > no problem with a line short for make-busy, then maybe we should > petition the FCC for a rule change. Meanwhile, we probably otta > follow the rules. Certainly one should follow the rules ... and if you intend on the manufacture or sale of Customer Premise Equipment, please do read and understand part 68. It does NOT apply to me, I just use or work on the stuff. Others have claimed that a short on the cable causes too much current which leads to a trouble call ... but I don't know of any switch that does that. All line switchers that I know of do get excited about an off hook that does not result in a call attempt within a preset amount of time. None can tell the difference between a dead short and an off-hook phone (technically there isn't any difference). What happens as a result depends ... but usually it is exactly as John described: Nothing. And two years later it will work fine if you remove the short. There are exceptions, but the telco will cheerfully call you up and inform you of how they view your short if they don't like it. There won't be a charge either. Floyd floyd@ims.alaska.edu A guest on the Institute of Marine Science computer system at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. Salcha, Alaska ------------------------------ From: sysmatt@aix3090b.uky.edu (Matt Simpson) Subject: Re: I Received First Orange Card Bill Organization: University Of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 08:29:20 GMT I got my first Orange Card bill yesterday, too. Much the same as the previous description. Flat envelope, I didn't notice the postage. Five sheets of paper, including all kinds of irrelevant information. I had one 0.5 minute call ... total cost, including tax, $0.14. Including the 0.29 it's going to cost me to mail them a 0.14 check, total cost comes to 0.43. I still saved money over the 0.95 MCI would have charged me to make that call with their card. But it hardly seems profitable for the company. Pat - Do you know if they have any plans to offer either billing to Visa/MC or billing via LEC bill, to reduce their overhead in handling small individual bills such as this? [Moderator's Note: Yes, they are now set up to bill to VISA/MC. Call the customer service number on the bill, although I think there is a minimum they are willing to bill that way. I'd say for a 14 cent bill you could easily hold it over a month before paying. No one is going to get rich or go broke from the 14 cents. :) PAT] ------------------------------ From: Michael_Lyman@sat.mot.com (Mike Lyman) Subject: Re: Truly Amazing, Truly Amazing ... Feds Reply-To: Michael_Lyman@sat.mot.com Organization: Motorola Inc. - Satellite Communications Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 15:28:02 GMT In article 1@eecs.nwu.edu, naddy@mips.ruessel.sub.org (Christian Weisgerber) writes: >In , is written: > I wonder, is the signal only digitally encoded or digitally encoded > and *additionally* encrypted? Yes on both counts. On the air interface between the base station ( BSS ) and mobile station ( MS ) the signals are digitally encoded. Traffic channel rate is 13 Kb/s. In addition to this, ciphering is done to protect the signalling channel such that user data privacy is provided then, encryption is provided for all voice traffic. As an aside, the GSM system also assigns "alias" subscriber numbers which are changed automatically with ( usually ) every call -- the subscribers real phone number is never ( well, almost never ) used over the air. > I'm getting a little paranoid over this, but in Germany when you buy > an approved wireless phone you are told that it is impossible to > listen in to it. Bullsh*t. In fact it's only impossible to listen in > with another (unmodified) wireless phone -- just get a scanner and > you're in. For GSM, the level of privacy for both signalling and voice is considerable. Just to give you an idea, encryption keys change for each call made by the subscriber and the encryption algorithms use the changing physical properties of the radio channel. As a matter of fact, GSM is SO secure that several European governments including Britain are insisting that the scrambling algorithm ( called A5 in GSM ) be modified to allow at least government operatives ( read "undercover eavesdroppers" ) to listen in on suspected criminal activities. Agencies such as GCHQ, the British government's listening post near Cheltenham and the FBI in America are concerned that the A5 scrambling algorithm provided with the GSM Mobile Stations is equivalent to many military systems and in fact when exported may be adapted for military applications. Vendors of GSM equipment are starting to run into export problems due to the nature of the encryption / ciphering. Although there are some industrious "scanners" out there, I dare say that listening in on a GSM conversation will be a bit of a job. Michael Lyman Motorola - Iridium Phoenix, Arizona [Moderator's Note: I don't know when I will be able to get the next issue of the Digest out, so I loaded this one with everything on hand as of this writing. Thanks for your notes to me thus far, I hope to be able to resume the Digest at an early date ... nothing definite yet however. PAT] ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #254 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa05693; 12 Apr 93 19:05 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA05147 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Sun, 11 Apr 1993 14:22:17 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA31518 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Sun, 11 Apr 1993 14:21:46 -0500 Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1993 14:21:46 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304111921.AA31518@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #255 TELECOM Digest Sun, 11 Apr 93 14:21:45 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 255 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson A Quick Visit to a Friend's Office (TELECOM Moderator) How Real is SCI at This Point? (Tom Sommer) Cellular Reprogramming Handbooks (Anton Mitchell) Re: Leukemia From LF Magnetic Fields? (Jamie Hanrahan) Re: Leukemia From LF Magnetic Fields? (Mark Fraser) Re: First Cellular Telephones Go Into Service In Cuba (John R. Levine) Re: Secret DTMF Voice/Data/Fax Switch? (James J. Alles) Re: Does Anyone Remember Who Makes the Distintive Ring Box? (Jack Winslade) Cellular Systems Simulation Project (Rick Dennis) NAPLPS/JPEG Group For ONLINE Apps (Ed Pimintel) Re: Pac Bell Caught Red Handed (Bill Campbell) Re: Win/NT to Make CO Sw (Craig Ford) Re: Truly Amazing, Truly (Laurence Chiu) Good Source For Telecom Supplies? (Gabe M. Wiener) Tip/Ring, Red/Green, etc. (Steve Summit) Re: Can I Get a Modem Jack For My NORSTAR? (Larry D. Tumbleson) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM Moderator) Subject: A Quick Visit to a Friend's Office Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1993 13:45:00 CDT I got a friend to let me use his office this afternoon (Sunday) since they don't need their terminals, etc today. Checking in for mail, I find despite several notes saying 'do not send mail please' the telecom mail queue is as full as always. So, here is some of what has come in since I last created an issue. I'm otherwise working on this end to get things corrected, but nothing is definite yet. PAT] ------------------------------ From: sommer@tpdhp.teleglobe.com (Tom Sommer) Subject: How Real is SCI at This Point? Organization: Teleglobe Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1993 20:59:54 GMT I am looking for comments on how real the IEEE's Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI) is at this point. SCI allows for a 1 gigabyte/sec interconnection scheme for up to 64K processors. SCI is IEEE P1596. Questions that come to mind include has anyone built a system that uses it, does anyone make chipsets which are available to handle the interface, if someone has used it -- what was their experience, what applications currently need 1 gigabyte/sec, etc. ------------------------------ Organization: City University of New York Date: Sunday, 11 Apr 1993 08:55:34 EDT From: EH1QC@CUNYVM.BITNET Subject: Cellular Reprogramming Handbooks Does anyone have reviews of the several books advertised about cellular phones. I have seen two books listed in Radio Electronics, such as Cellular Telephone Hackers Guidebook by Dynaspek and another one by Spy Supply called Cellular Telephone Modification Handbook. I was wondering if they are worth the 69 and 79 dollar price tags. Any reviews or views on these books would be great. Thanks. Anton Mitchell ------------------------------ From: Jamie Hanrahan Subject: Re: Leukemia From LF Magnetic Fields? Date: 11 Apr 93 05:54:39 PDT Organization: Kernel Mode Systems, San Diego, CA In article , hhallika@tuba.calpoly.edu (Harold Hallikainen) writes: > A report in {Microwave News} summarized in CE states that > Sweden's National Board for Industrial and Technical Development > (NUTEK) announced that it will act on the assumption there is a link > between exposure to power frequency magnetic fields and cancer, > especially childhood cancer. Oh, please. Not again. > Finally, although there seems to be a cause and effect > relationship, no one knows how the low frequency electromagnetic > fields actually affect the body. Um, in the absence of a known mechanism, it's impossible to establish a "cause and effect relationship". You can establish a statistical correlation, but that isn't "cause and effect". If you HAD a suspected mechanism you could design experiments to see whether it really works or not. In the absence of a suspected mechanism, you can't pick out one aspect of the subjects' environment and assume that that's the *cause*. Simply plotting one set of numbers against another doesn't establish anything except that two *might* be related. Remember the _post hoc_ fallacy? That's what you've got here. You might as well conclude that children's cancer causes magnetic fields ... More realistically, there is suspicion that living near power distribution transformers and capacitors (which used to contain PCBs, known carcinogens), wooden utility poles (formerly preserved with materials we now know contain carcinogens), and utility easements (often defoliated with ... but you get the idea) is the real problem. In other words the cancer rates would have been the same had the power lines been somehow shielded so as to not emit magnetic fields. Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Systems, San Diego CA Internet: jeh@cmkrnl.com Uucp: uunet!cmkrnl!jeh CIS: 74140,2055 ------------------------------ From: mfraser@wimsey.bc.ca (Mark Fraser) Subject: Re: Leukemia From LF Magnetic Fields? Organization: Wimsey Information Services Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1993 03:11:20 GMT The studies that showw an increase in superstition during recessions or other hard times are also fascinating. PErsonally, I think the rumors about leukemia etc. are originated by demented and superstitious seniors named Ursula who keep goats under power lines and think that space ships are poisoning her cats too. I also don't deny that there could be some link. Creosote from power pole treatment? Pesticides in the carrot patch? I need better evidence than a statistical correlation that could be right 5 % of the time but which could be corrupted by the phase of the moon. Mark ------------------------------ Subject: Re: First Cellular Telephones Go Into Service In Cuba Organization: I.E.C.C. Date: 11 Apr 93 10:10:12 EDT (Sun) From: johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us (John R. Levine) > I'm SO sure! C'mon, are people THAT dumb? After all the news stories > all around the world about how easy and cheap it is to eavesdrop on > cellular phone calls, ... What makes you think that they don't eavesdrop on wired phone calls? Who do you think owns the wires? Regards, John Levine, johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us, {spdcc|ima|world}!iecc!johnl ------------------------------ From: jjast7@pitt.edu (James J Alles) Subject: Re: Secret DTMF Voice/Data/Fax Switch? Date: 11 Apr 93 03:13:49 GMT Joel M. Hoffman (joel@wam.umd.edu) wrote: > Is there a machine that will monitor a call on the receiving end, and > listen for DTMF tones and then transfer the call appropriately? What > I'd like is to leave a modem on my voice line in answer mode, but have > an answering machine on the line also. When most people call, they > just get the answering machine (with no annoying message to "press 1 > to leave a message, now). But if a caller presses, say, the number 7, > the call is transfered to the modem. > Any ideas? Yes, a product, now sold by Damark. I bought one, yet to be installed on my second line. An input port, a answering machine port, and four extension ports. It gives you intercom capability, also. Made by Areanex. It is neat -- it produces a ring signal out to the extension ports. Peace, JA ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Apr 93 11:29:28 CST From: Jack.Winslade@axolotl.omahug.org (Jack Winslade) Subject: Re: Does Anyone Remember Who Makes the Distintive Ring Box? Reply-To: jack.winslade%drbbs@axolotl.omahug.org Organization: DRBBS Technical BBS, Omaha In a message dated 27-MAR-93, Gregory Youngblood writes: > I've recently come across a situation where one of those boxes that > recognizes the different incoming ring signals that some telcos can > provide would be ideal. > Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the company or anything > else. I think you're thinking of the Ring Director made by Lynx Automation. I have the four-line version and it's been working fine for over two years. Hello Direct sells some different models of the Lynx line. Good day. JSW Ybbat (DRBBS) 8.9 v. 3.14 r.1 Department of Redundancy Department (1:285/666.0) ------------------------------ From: rad@eusdatl.attmail.com Date: 11 Apr 93 16:03:19 GMT Subject: Cellular Systems Simulation Project I am currently taking a class in parallel architecture. I have selected a project that involves the simulation of a cellular phone network. Does anyone out there have any good references for the factors involved in modelling a cellular system? The project must be reasonable enough to be completed in nine weeks, so it can't be too complex. Please reply directly to attmail!rickdennis or rickdennis@attmail.com. Thanks in advance! Rick Dennis AT&T Information Management Services Systems Development Organization-Conversant Systems Suite 600 email: attmail!rickdennis 5555 Oakbrook Parkway Phone: (404) 242-1552 Norcross, GA 30093 ------------------------------ Subject: NAPLPS/JPEG Group For ONLINE Apps From: edimg@willard.atl.ga.us Date: Sun, 11 Apr 93 13:47:33 EDT Organization: Willard's House BBS, Atlanta, GA -- +1 (404) 664 8814 I have proposed that all of us in the promotion of NAPLPS/JPEG form a consortion/task force to openly discuss ways, method, procedures, algorythms, applications, implementation of NAPLPS/JPEG standards. These standards should facilitate the creation of REAL_TIME Online applications that make use of Voice, Video, HiRes graphcis, Fax plus more ... This would be a NOT-FOR PROFIT group with bylaws and charter. It would have public domain software repository just as GNU & OSF. This would give us more clout in getting access to other upcomming technology. Already many corporation have decided to support this endeavor, so do not delay joining if you are a developer. For a name I am proposing ONG "Open Naplps Group" or something along these lines. In addition I will attempt to form a Usenet newsgroup and allocate a directory on SIMTEL for such software. This group would have a quarterly NAPLPS/JPEG newsletter as well as a hardcopy version. I hope that all of you that would like to see CMCs based the NAPLPS/JPEG G R O W decide to join and mutually benefit from this NOT-FOR_PROFIT endeavor. If you would like to get involve write to me at: IMG (Inter-Multimedia Group) P.O. Box 95901 Atlanta Ga. 30347-0901 Data: 404-985-1198 zyxel 14.4k Voice: 404-985-1763 internet: epimntl@world.std.com Cis: 70611,3703 edimg@willard.atl.ga.us (Ed pimentel) gatech!kd4nc!vdbsan!willard!edimg emory!uumind!willard!edimg Willard's House BBS, Atlanta, GA -- +1 (404) 664 8814 ------------------------------ From: bill@Celestial.COM (Bill Campbell) Subject: Re: Pac Bell Caught Red Handed Organization: Celestial Software, Mercer Island, WA Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1993 16:47:17 GMT In Jeff Sicherman writes: > In article richgr@netcom.com quotes the > {Los Angeles Times}: >> A CA PUC judge has recommended that Pac Bell be fined $65 million for ?> repeatedly charging its customers improper late fees. This stems from ?> Pac Bell routinely assessed customer's late payment charges because of >> delays in the company's own bill processing operations. :> [Moderator's Note: I strongly suspect the fine (or at least the size :> of it) will be reversed or reduced on appeal, as telco is certain to :> do. Some consumer groups frankly have no idea what they are talking :> ahout most of the time. PAT] Nor do some Moderators, who, though they have no specific knowledge :about the merits of the case under discussion, the behaviors of the :parties to it, or the history of the dispute, feel qualified to throw :some reactionary, generic remarks at it to show their superiority. I would agree with this from personal experience. I'm involved with a dispute with Tandy Radio Shack Credit where they consistently took 10-15 days to process my payments assessing a $15.00 "Late Charge" to an account. I have very strong feelings on this subject because I refused to pay these "Late Charges", Tandy filed an adverse credit report, and I cannot refinance my house as a result. INTERNET: bill@Celestial.COM Bill Campbell; Celestial Software UUCP: ...!thebes!camco!bill 6641 East Mercer Way uunet!camco!bill Mercer Island, WA 98040; (206) 947-5591 ------------------------------ From: Craig.Ford@p0.f2001.n106.z1.fidonet.org (Craig Ford) Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1993 08:51:20 -0600 Subject: Re: Win/NT to Make CO Switch In article , bcapps@atlastele.com (Brent Capps) writes in part: >> "Gates boldly predicted that NT servers running multimedia >> applications over ATM WANS, PBXs, cable TV and high-speed >> backbones would make central telephone switches obsolete." > Heh heh heh. I recall ten years ago the PBX/CO manufacturers were > claiming that their own multimedia applications would soon make LANs > obsolete. Remember CO-based LANs? > NT, AT&T, etc. lost a bundle chasing after that will o' the wisp. As > long as Gates is about to start shoveling bags of money out the > window, I wonder if he'd mind throwing some of it my direction ... If you take a look at his hiring practicies over the past 18-36 months, I'm not so sure he can't pull it off. There are some awfully talented teleco-wizards working in Redmond these days (Eg. besides dead president's portraits in green ink on white paper, why would Toby Nixon go to work for Billy-Boy????). Craig Ford | Futures Past Systems, Ltd. | (713)-425-3498 FAX INTERNET: Craig.Ford@f2001.n106.z1.fidonet.org | (713)-458-0237 BBS CIS: 74276,2374@compuserve.com | Origin: Dayze of Futures Past Systems [H14-V32B 713-458-0237] (1:106/2001) ------------------------------ From: Lchiu@holonet.Net Subject: Re: Truly Amazing, Truly Organization: HoloNet National Internet Access BBS: 510-704-1058/modem Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1993 04:13:54 GMT In a message to comp.dcom.telecom <04-08-93 12:30>, naddy@mips.ruessel. sub.org writes: > In , is written: >> The GSM system is digital and sends phone calls in an encoded or ?> encrypted signal. This encryption makes it virtually impossible to tap >> the radio signals sent out on GSM handsets. > I wonder, is the signal only digitally encoded or digitally encoded and > *additionally* encrypted? I have heard talk of a new system called Digital AMPS. Does such a system exist? If so how would it compare with GSM. Is encryption involved. Apparently phones which can use this new system scan for a digital signal, if none found then they look for an analogue one. Laurence Chiu Walnut Creek, CA ------------------------------ From: gmw1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Gabe M Wiener) Subject: Good Source For Telecom Supplies? Organization: Columbia University Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1993 04:17:11 GMT Can anyone recommend some good mail-order sources for telecom supplies? I usually order tools from Jensen, but I'm looking for things like 66-blocks and other such items that prove useful for doing your own telecom installations and networking. Gabe Wiener - Columbia Univ. gmw1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu 72355,1226 on CI$ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1993 12:10:19 -0700 From: scs@eskimo.com (Steve Summit) Subject: Tip/Ring, Red/Green, etc. I'm sure this sort of thing gets discussed here from time to time, but it probably can't hurt to see it again. I'm doing some wiring, and I'd like to know *definitively* what the correct polarity is, in a number of situations. (I know that many DTMF generators have bridge rectifiers such that they don't care about polarity, and that a simple empirical test suffices for those that do care, but as I say, I'm trying to be definitive this time.) I'd like to know, for each of the following, which is ring and which is tip: 1. The red wire, and the green wire. 2. The negative wire, and the positive wire, when on-hook (if you wish to show off, you may also discuss polarity reversals when ringing/answering). 3. In 25-pair cable, the blue/white wire (blue with a white stripe), and the white/blue wire. 4. On a modular plug, with the pins numbered as in: 123456 _________ /\ \\\\\\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \________\ \/___\ \__/ \ \ \ \ (cable) (where the other end of the cable is connected to an instrument), pin 3, and pin 4. 5. On a modular plug (as above) wired for two lines, pin 2, and pin 5. 6. On a modular plug wired for three lines, pin 1, and pin 6. 7. For a second line, the black wire, and the yellow wire. 8. For a third line, in 6-wire modular cable, the white wire, and the blue wire. 9. In a 1A2-style ribbon connector, pin 1, and pin 26. 10. In a 66-style punch-down block mounted vertically, the top line, and the bottom line, of a pair of terminals (there may not be a definitive answer for this one). 11. For a simple piece of red/white bell wire, the red wire, and the white wire. I think I have answers for some of these, but I don't want to bias anyone's replies by revealing them prematurely :-) . Finally, and I hope I'm not sounding too particular, but since parity problems are so easy to get wrong, and since it's so easy to "resolve" them empirically, I'd really appreciate it if you could back your answer(s) up with a reference. (That's actually part of my question; I'd love to know what the official reference is for this sort of thing. I had no luck trying to answer these questions in what I thought was a good engineering library.) Please respond by mail, and I will post a summary once I have some answers. Steve Summit scs@eskimo.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1993 17:10:09 +0000 (GMT) From: tumbleld@ucunix.san.uc.EDU (Larry D Tumbleson) Subject: Re: Can I Get a Modem Jack For My NORSTAR? Organization: University of Cincinnati In article j4scott@sms.business.uwo.ca (Jason Scott) writes: > I have a Norstar in my office. My modem won't work in the jack. Can I > get a splitter, or something to allow my modem to work on it? The Norstar key switch only has digital station ports. To hook up an analog device, such as a modem or fax machine, you need to get an analog terminal adaptor. You would hook the adaptor into your station port and your analog device into the adaptor. If you have the money another option would be to get a DCI, a digital computer interface. This will work as a 9600 baud modem for internal station to station calls and a 2400 baud for calls outside your Norstar. The nice thing about the second option is that you can plug your phone into the DCI and use both simultaneously on one station port. The digital station set using the B2 channel and the DCI the B1. The DCI is kind of expensive though. You will have to guage your needs and balance them against the cost/benefit. Rick Goodrich PROSTYLE@delphi.com ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #255 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa10077; 13 Apr 93 6:31 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA06064 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Tue, 13 Apr 1993 03:48:06 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA06070 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Tue, 13 Apr 1993 03:47:06 -0500 Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1993 03:47:06 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304130847.AA06070@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #256 TELECOM Digest Tue, 13 Apr 93 03:47:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 256 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Just Me and the Cleaning Lady (TELECOM Moderator) Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch (Jack Winslade) Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch (Robert L. McMillin) Re: Pac Bell Caught Red Handed (Jim Graham) Re: Sears Catalog 800 Number - Down or Overloaded? (Robert L. McMillin) Re: Does Anyone Remember Who Makes the Distintive Ring Box? (Bill Campbell) Re: Truly Amazing, Truly (Dan J. Declerck) Re: ISDN Goes Hollywood! (Liron Lightwood) Re: AT&T Blacklisting? (Robert L. McMillin) Help Us Install ISDN (was Connecting Work to Home via ISDN) (Peter Gordon) Help with Call Management (USR10144@cbos.uc.edu) When to Not Replace Old Technology With New (Rajan Srikanth) Update: ATM Networking in the Government Sector (Michael R. Brown) Mitel PBX Mailing List (Dave Johnston) Need Computer Interface to a Pager (Will Estes) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: Just Me and the Cleaning Lady Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1993 00:18:00 CDT These folks have been nice to let me come in and out late at night the past couple of days ... but it cannot be abused; I cannot stay all night or come around during the day. I am accumulating the money I need to make peace with Mother; maybe another week or so before it all gets paid off. Here is a few more messages from the queue. Patrick ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Apr 93 11:14:38 CST From: Jack.Winslade@axolotl.omahug.org (Jack Winslade) Subject: Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch Reply-To: jack.winslade%drbbs@axolotl.omahug.org Organization: DRBBS Technical BBS, Omaha In a message dated 05-APR-93, TELECOM Moderator notes: > I know that in New York City for many years, the Time-of-Day was > available by dialing NERVOUS. It was a service sponsored by some > jewelers, I think. Perhaps some old time ... Back in the early 1970's, dialing 637/NE7-{anything} would get you the time. I don't remember it being sponsored by anyone. I always assumed it was NYT. The 'official' number was 637-1212, but somehow the name NERVOUS was popular. Good day! JSW Ybbat (DRBBS) 8.9 v. 3.14 r.1 Department of Redundancy Department (1:285/666.0) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Apr 93 16:03 PDT From: rlm@helen.surfcty.com (Robert L. McMillin) Subject: Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch In Lost Angels and vicinity, we mark time with recordings like, "at the sound of the riot, the time will be..." :-(. We've always had it as UL3-1212 as far back as I can remember. Robert L. McMillin | Surf City Software | rlm@helen.surfcty.com | Dude! #include [Moderator's Note: Yeah? Well then get ready to synchronize your time pieces when the Jury in El Lay comes back with their verdict. Is it true what a knowledgeable snitch in the Justice Department has said: that the Assistant US Attorney in Los Angeles was instructed by higher authority to try and tamper with two recalcitrant jurors -- using cash if necessary, and threats of exposure about something the feds have on one of the two -- to get a 'proper decision' in the matter? Nah, the United States government wouldn't operate that way ... even when they are really scared of the likely possibility the defendants will be found not guilty, they would not try anything like that ... would they? Of course not; the US Injustice Department is not corrupt even though half the software in the place is stolen or pirated -- only Usenet moderators who peddle telephone calling cards on the side are to be considered corrupt for 'commercializing the Internet'. PAT] ------------------------------ From: jim@n5ial.mythical.com (Jim Graham) Subject: Re: Pac Bell Caught Red Handed Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1993 16:07:30 GMT In article sadler@lachman.com (Jonathan Sadler) writes: [regarding paying on time and still getting charged late fees] I've run into this problem quite a few times -- not just with phone service (though when I was using Sprint, this was the cause of all three strikes against them that caused them to lose a customer), and in each case, I was able to make one quick phone call to my bank and determine that my check had cleared before the date payment was due (sometimes well before), and yet there was a late charge (usually saying I hadn't paid at all). > Each of these months I had to call them up and ask for the late charge > to be reversed ... I have a very simple solution to all of this ... it looks something like this on the bill (usually in bright red ink and lots of big, ugly caps): [late charge and past due amount crossed out, net amount due adjusted accordingly] YOUR RECORDS ARE IN ERROR. CHECK NUMBER xxxx FOR $ xx CLEARED [bank name] ON [date]. I TRUST YOU WILL CORRECT YOUR RECORDS IMMEDIATELY. [IMMEDIATELY underlined several times] And if, such as was the case with Sprint, this has happened before, and I have another option for the service (not applicable otherwise), they also see something along the lines of: MUST I GO TO [company xyz] TO GET ACCURATE BILLING? With Sprint, on strike two, someone who, if memory serves, was fairly high up sent me a long, detailed apology. On strike three, they lost a customer (and I made sure they understood *EXACTLY* why). Oh yeah, with Sprint, there was *NO* due date on the bill at all (I understand they have fixed that particular part of the problem now). The way I see it, if I'm going to pay my bills on time (and I make a point of doing just that), I expect them to credit me for paying on time. Anyway, enough rambling. Got lots of stuff to do today, including some really important stuff (grabbing my cast net and going fishing again to get the ones that escaped from the net this morning). jim #include INTERNET: jim@n5ial.mythical.com | j.graham@ieee.org AMATEUR RADIO: n5ial@w4zbb (Ft. Walton Beach, FL) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Apr 93 15:46 PDT From: rlm@helen.surfcty.com (Robert L. McMillin) Subject: Re: Sears Catalog 800 Number - Down or Overloaded? Talking about Sears' going out of business sale ... > Overloaded. Since they are closing up catalog sales this year, they > are offering 30% off everything except electronics and tools/hdw. > This is on top of existing sale prices. Toys are 50% off (MERRY > CHRISTMAS!). Their call volume is extensive. If you do get through, > you might get the message where they ask odd area codes to call on odd > numbered days and even on even days. Boy, does this ever favor people in big cities like Los Angeles (818, 714, 310, 213, 619, 818 are all within the L.A. county borders). Robert L. McMillin | Surf City Software | rlm@helen.surfcty.com | Dude! #include ------------------------------ From: bill@Celestial.COM (Bill Campbell) Subject: Re: Does Anyone Remember Who Makes the Distintive Ring Box? Organization: Celestial Software, Mercer Island, WA Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1993 15:18:51 GMT In Jack.Winslade@axolotl.omahug.org (Jack Winslade) writes: > In a message dated 27-MAR-93, Gregory Youngblood writes: >> I've recently come across a situation where one of those boxes that >> recognizes the different incoming ring signals that some telcos can >> provide would be ideal. > I think you're thinking of the Ring Director made by Lynx Automation. > I have the four-line version and it's been working fine for over two > years. We too have been using the Lynx units for several years now with no major problems. Their customer support has been excellent (and they're only about 20 miles from here :-). Lynx Automation, Inc. 2100 196th Street SW #144 Lynnwood WA 98036 (206) 744-1582 There is a possiblity of noise problems due to ground loops when using these automatic switch boxes. Lynx pointed out to me the possibility of ground loops when I complained about noise on the line with their box. The solution is to disconnect the outer two wires on each modular connector. Bill INTERNET: bill@Celestial.COM Bill Campbell; Celestial Software UUCP: ...!thebes!camco!bill 6641 East Mercer Way uunet!camco!bill Mercer Island, WA 98040; (206) 947-5591 ------------------------------ From: declrckd@rtsg.mot.com (Dan J. Declerck) Subject: Re: Truly Amazing, Truly Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1993 20:11:59 GMT In article Lchiu@holonet.Net writes: > In a message to comp.dcom.telecom <04-08-93 12:30>, naddy@mips.ruessel. > sub.org writes: >> In , is written: >>> The GSM system is digital and sends phone calls in an encoded or >>> encrypted signal. This encryption makes it virtually impossible to tap >>> the radio signals sent out on GSM handsets. >> I wonder, is the signal only digitally encoded or digitally encoded and >> *additionally* encrypted? The system is digitally encoded, and optionally at the option of the base-site operator/manufacturer digitally *encrypted* also. > I have heard talk of a new system called Digital AMPS. Does such a > system exist? If so how would it compare with GSM. Is encryption > involved. Apparently phones which can use this new system scan for a > digital signal, if none found then they look for an analogue one. Digital AMPS, basically applies TDMA to analog AMPS channels by slicing up the spectrum into 3 timeslots (the mobiles per channel). It uses analog signalling, then if a digital Base is available, can initiate the Voice coding and timeslot control of TDMA. Thus mobiles must be dual mode ... both analog and digital. I'm not sure if any digital AMPS systems are in commercial service as of yet. Dan DeClerck EMAIL: declrckd@rtsg.mot.com Motorola Cellular APD Phone: (708) 632-4596 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1993 00:19:08 +1000 From: Liron Lightwood Subject: Re: ISDN Goes Hollywood! Regarding the use of ISDN to deliver CD quality audio to the home. I was under the impression that this currently requires 256 Kb/s at present, thus requiring four or so B channels (1 B channel = 56 or 64 Kb, not sure which in the US). Does anyone know how many B channels are being used in the demo to deliver the CD quality audio? Would such a service require more than one ISDN line to deliver the audio? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Apr 93 19:23 PDT From: rlm@helen.surfcty.com (Robert L. McMillin) Subject: Re: AT&T Blacklisting? Yes, I know the thread is dead (officially), but Pat, I find your willingness to knuckle under to petty authority (a choice phrase gleaned from Matt Groening) uncharacteristic, and damn near pathetic. You would cede our civil rights because it's convenient to let the government take them rather than fight. That's cowardice. The men who founded this country were willing to stick their necks out to give birth to new and unheard of freedoms in a new and unheard of country. You mock their bravery by proposing to let the datacops snag whatever they want in the name of "cooperation." If we meekly cooperate in the destruction of our civil liberties, we have only ourselves to blame when the constitution turns out to be a hollow shell. Robert L. McMillin | Surf City Software | rlm@helen.surfcty.com | Dude! #include [Moderator's Note: Don't confuse civil liberties with civil rights; they are two different things. And don't misunderstand. I *know* what is going on and I don't like a lot of what is going on. Eventually, I suppose I will get riled up and do something. I do not make mock of the Founder Fathers. It is difficult to know 'what the founders intended'; or indeed, to decide if what they intended should have any bearing on what we wish to do today. President Rodham-Clinton will demonstrate how hollow the constitution is during the next four years: Watch for an historic event during the term of the resident president now in power when a portion of the Bill of Rights is *repealed* -- the Second Amendment will be history before this term is finished. The Reagan/Bush bashers said it would be that hot team that trumped up a national emergency to get martial law installed and the Bill of Rights repealed or suspended. I say the current president will do it at least with the Second. I've already written Jim and Sarah Brady and our man in Washington and suggested while they're at it, why not repeal the First Amendment also; like the Second, it has become quite a nuisance in recent years. If it is true that a 'well-regulated militia' refers to the Army, thus freeing the people of the 'need to bear arms' and obliviating the need for the Second, I suggest that since the Government Printing Office and my competitor the {New York Times} publish lots of speech every day, there is no 'need' for the rest of us to speak out about anything; why not kill the First also. So just give them what they want; if you don't, they'll take it at gun point anyway. The difference between us, Roger, is that you'll continue playing the role of Bad-Ass until they point a gun in your face as they inevitably will and tell you to shut up. I already know the guns are there; the paperwork up to that point is a mere formality intended to humor the people. I'll go along with the joke; I got worn out from protesting back in the seventies sometime. PAT] ------------------------------ From: pgordon@freenet.victoria.bc.ca (Peter Gordon) Subject: Help Us Set up ISDN (was Connecting Work to Home via ISDN) Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1993 14:55:54 -0700 (PDT) Greetings! Here on the wet, wind-swept coast of British Columbia, we folks of the Victoria Free-Net Association have talked our local telco into providing us a major grant of their services -- including ISDN access to a couple of locations here in town. The catch is, no one on our committee has any experience with ISDN technology. According to the note below, you may have an electronic journal with some recent information which could help us. Could you please forward this to me, along with any other information or advice which you feel could benefit us? I am most concerned about the hardware requirements at the residence end of the ISDN connection. Thanks a million! [Moderator's Note: His letter went on to refer to an article published here recently of Wil Dixon's. I forwarded this to Wil and put it here in the hopes our resident ISDN-experts will correspond with the Victoria Free-Net and help them get things going. Thanks! PAT] ------------------------------ Date: 11 Apr 93 16:33:00 -0400 From: USR10144@cbos.uc.edu Subject: Help With Call Management When our office moves, we'll be getting a new AT&T Merlin Legend PBX system. Unfortunately, we don't have funds for call management software. I am looking for inexpensive software for telephone call traffic management. I am hoping to find freeware or shareware. Although it would be a plus to have call management/accounting software, I am primarily interested in software that would run on an IBM compatible PC and provide call traffic analysis. I want to be able to ensure we have enough of the right trunks and that the PBX/trunks are performing as they should. The PBX will have an SMDR port to provide data to the PC. If you are aware of any free/shareware or inexpensive commercial software, please drop me a note. I'll summarize responses for the Digest. Thank you. ------------------------------ From: srikanth@garnet.berkeley.edu (Rajan Srikanth) Subject: When to Not Replace Old Technology With New Date: 12 Apr 1993 01:54:25 GMT Organization: University of California, Berkeley At the Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley, we are doing a study of what factors influence the decision to replace or not replace old information technology/products with new information technology/products. *** If you were involved with such a technology replacement situation, we *** would like to include you in our study. We are especially interested in *** responses from people who evaluated a replacement but DECIDED AGAINST. Your participation will contribute to the progress of information technology! In exchange for your participation, we would be happy to give you information about our findings- to help you in future decision making. We are interested in all technology areas and are especially interested in the areas of DATABASES, IMAGING, and CLIENT-SERVER technology. For example, we are looking for companies who considered replacement of a non-relational database with a relational database. Or, replaced older applications with new generation (e.g. client-server) applications. If you can help, please provide us a regular (not just email) postal address. To contact us, send email to: (Asst. Professor) Rajan Srikanth at srikanth@garnet.berkeley.edu or call him at 510-643-9994 or call (MBA Student) Rehan Syed at 415-312-8420. If we are not in when you call, please leave a message indicating when you can be called back. Thanks very much for your interest! ------------------------------ From: Michael R. Brown Subject: Update - ATM Networking in the Government Sector Organization: Advanced Telecommunications Group Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1993 13:14:03 GMT *** Update on "Workshop - ATM in the Government Sector"**** Due to the overwhelming response to the "ATM in the Government Sector" workshop posting, MITRE has decided to limit enrollment to Governent (Federal, State, and Local) at this time. However, consideration will be given to a follow-up session if there is sufficient interest. Please refer any further questions, comments, or suggestions to the undersigned below. Michael R. Brown mrb@mitre.org Advanced Telecommunications Group 617.271.7390 The MITRE Corporation 617.271.7231 (fax) MS B280 Burlington Rd Bedford, MA 01730 ------------------------------ From: Dave Johnston Organization: Santa Rosa Junior College Date: 12 Apr 93 12:49:17 PST Subject: Mitel PBX Mailing List Reply-To: dave@cs.santarosa.edu As a result of my previous TELECOM Digest posting and the volumes (well 11 actually) of interest I've received, a Mitel PBX Mailing List was created. The list is intended to provide a forum for users, installers, technicians, engineers and other interested parties to discuss Mitel PBX equipment. The entire Mitel product line is fair game, including the Entrepreneur, SX-5, SX-10, SX-20, SX-50, SX-100/200, SX-200D, SX-200 Light, SX-2000 and SX-2000 Light and their assorted variations. The address for joining the list is: mitel-request@odie.santarosa.edu The list address is: mitel@odie.santarosa.edu Thanks, Dave Johnston, WD6AOE Santa Rosa Junior College Supervisor, Campus Data/Telecom 1501 Mendocino Ave. dave@cs.santarosa.edu Santa Rosa, CA 95401 Voice +1 707 527 4853 Fax +1 707 524 1542 ------------------------------ From: westes@netcom.com (Will Estes) Subject: Need Computer Interface to a Pager Organization: Mail Group Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1993 23:01:27 GMT Does anyone know of a way to interface a computer to a pager? I need some way that the pager data can be sent to a computer instead of to human via a pager. Maybe there is a board that slips into a computer? The actual application for this is that a windmeter is going to send wind data every hour to a pager number, which will then get read by an Internet-attached host and fed by email to interested parties. I think this would be a good question for a mailing list or newsgroup on computer operation centers, so if you know of such a group maybe you could point me there. Will Estes Internet: westes@netcom.com ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #256 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa24884; 15 Apr 93 3:51 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA14523 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Thu, 15 Apr 1993 01:31:03 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA29244 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Thu, 15 Apr 1993 01:30:32 -0500 Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 01:30:32 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304150630.AA29244@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #257 TELECOM Digest Thu, 15 Apr 93 01:30:30 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 257 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Roll Your Own PBX / Internal Phone System (Robert J. Granvin) New York Telephone Using Sun Platform (Sun Press Release via Mike Bender) Deregulation of Telcos in Texas (Mike Coyne) Residential ISDN (Russ Wilton) Southern Bell Anonymous Call Rejection (Atlanta Constitution via L Reeves) Where Can I Find Phrack? (Jinmo Ahn) We Want Your Work (Bowyer Jeff) Bell Canada Phases Out Rotary (Pulse) Dialing (Andrew M. Dunn) Information Needed on Bahamaian Phone System (Tom Perrine) Telco Uses My Lines (James Gleick) Re: Test Equipment (Keith Willox) Re: Pac Bell Caught Red Handed (jeanc@pro-cynosure.cts.com) Re: Information Needed About Plex (John Edmond Auckett) Re: A Very Interesting Intercept (Andrew M. Dunn) Re: Win/NT to Make CO Switched Obsolete? (Tony DeSimone) AI/Exp Sys in Telecom Information Needed (rsl30@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: rjg@umnstat.stat.umn.edu (Robert J. Granvin) Subject: Roll Your Own PBX/Internal Phone System? Organization: School of Statistics, University of Minnesota Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1993 21:43:40 GMT I got a fun one. :-) And I admit I know NOTHING other than proper wiring schemes and that I haven't even bothered to talk to our local phone companies (the latter because I already know there's NO way we can afford it ... :-) Anyways, I volunteer for a group that is, like most non-profits, incredibly broke. We have two phone lines to handle our voice and data needs. That is all we can essentially afford to do. We continue to run wire all over the place so that each desk can have a phone at it if desired. This has become a real mess and I plan to scrap the existing wiring and replace it all with something logical. At the same time, I will be RE-installing a PC with voicemail capability. It will sit as a "front end" on the voice line and answer. It has the ability to issue the sequences necessary to forward the call to another physical telephone number, which is how we'll manage voice communications. Data will suffer, to a degree. In any case, the ultimate solution (Especially after a bunch of new offices are built in the long-distant future :-) is that we find some ability to develop our own internal telephone network -- to be able to call up a specific phone or at least be able to forward incoming calls to a specific phone (as opposed to the current procedure -- expecting SOMEONE to answer that ringing nightmare and YELL for the person who the call is for). I realize I'm talking about a small office PBX. But I also realize that it is something that is way beyond our budget or abilities to acquire. I also realize that we do NOT need any other special features -- we don't need long distance control. reporting, area code tables, etc. etc. etc. Just the ability to deal with a single phone internally. Is there any way to do this cost effectively, cheaply or better yet, on your own? Has anything of this nature ever been done with hardware enhanced common-market (i.e., PC) computers? As usual, I greatly appreciate any insights that people may have, and also appreciate EMAIL as time prevents me from keeping up with many newsgroups. Robert J. Granvin User Services Specialist School of Statistics - University of Minnesota rjg@stat.umn.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Apr 93 10:58:20 PDT From: Michael.Bender@Eng.Sun.COM (Duke of Canterbury) Subject: New York Telephone Using Sun Platform Here's something that was sent via our internal e-mail that I thought that telecom readers might find interesting: SUN SPARC PLATFORM TO BE USED FOR ADVANCED TELEPHONE SERVICES MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. --April 14, 1993-- For the first time in U.S. history, telephone customers can get flexible, low-cost private line services so they can tailor their communications network to fit their business needs. New York Telephone's NYNEX Enterprise Services is using more than 100 SPARCserver(TM) systems from Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) to deliver advanced communication capabilities, including multimedia services for the transmission of voice, data and video, to customers. NYNEX Enterprise Services was introduced today by New York Telephone. The services are available immediately in specified areas within the New York City area. A private line is a direct channel, leased from a carrier, between specified points. In the past, private line services offered by carriers like New York Telephone were inflexible, expensive and difficult to maintain. By using technology based on open systems, like the Sun(TM) SPARC(R)/Solaris(R) platform, New York Telephone was able to build Enterprise Services on a system that is scalable, flexible and interoperable. Private line services will now be less expensive and the services available can be changed or modified without interrupting private line access. New York Telephone can now deliver to its ever-growing customer base in the financial services, retail, insurance, publishing and healthcare markets advanced features like bandwidth-on-demand, flexible provisioning and proactive trouble reporting. As a result, customers can use their private lines efficiently and avoid losing time making changes to their services or recovering from a system shut-down. Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation, a subsidiary of Sun Microsystems, Inc., is the world's leading supplier of open client-server computing solutions. The company has its headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. # # # Sun Microsystems, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation, Sun, the Sun logo, and the Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. All SPARC trademarks, including the SCD Compliant logo, are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. SPARCserver is licensed exclusively to Sun Microsystems, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. All other products are referred to herein by the trademarks as designated by the companies who market those products. For reader inquiries, telephone 1-800-821-4643. This announcement was made today, April 14, 1993. For more information, please contact: Lauren Swingle, SMCC PR at (415) 336-7273. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ mike bender DOD# 007 415-863-8913 (home) 1991 FJ1200bender@oobleck.eng.sun.com 415-336-6353 (work) ------------------------------ From: coyne@thing1.cc.utexas.edu Subject: Deregulation of Telcos in Texas Date: 14 Apr 1993 14:19:27 GMT Organization: At UT? You must be kidding Yesterday thousands of telephone company representatives and employees rallied at the state capitol in support of a bill to deregulate telephone rates in Texas. According to the story in our student newspaper, they want to switch to a regulatory system based on rates of return to a price-based calculation. They claim it will enable them to install fiber optic networks and give them flexibility to compete with 800/900 based competition. It is opposed by newspapers who claim it forces them to compete with the phone company. The article and TV reports, frankly, did not make much sense. But then there are two thinga a man ought not to see. One is how sausage is made, and the other is how laws are made. This is especially true in Texas. Somebody has been advertising on TV to get us to call 800-669-6903 to learn about how we can get Texas into the technology future with fiber optic communication etc. Other than that, there has been very little hint of what is going on. There has certainly been no reportage of any issues in Texas papers. Can any of your readers shed light on this matter? If you liked unregulated cable -- you'll love unregulated telcos. Mike Coyne Coyne@thing1.cc.utexas.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1993 09:14:14 MDT From: Russ Wilton Subject: Residential ISDN Hi: I manage a Northern Telecom Meridian exchange which supports digital (ISDN) telephones. Each telephone requires it's own pair of wires running back to the exchange, so multiple phones on the same number are done by programming the exchange, not by just wiring them in parallel off a single pair. This is not a problem on a university campus, but I'm sure it would not be acceptable for residential service. So how do they connect multiple extensions in a house to an ISDN circuit? Does it allow the same functionality as with analog phones? That is, can two people on different extensions talk simultaneously to a third remote party? If so, how do they mix the signals? This is beginning to sound like I need a short course on ISDN. :-) Any pointers to a good ISDN reference book would be appreciated. Thanks. Russell D Wilton E Mail: WILTON@HG.ULeth.CA Telecommunications Manager Voice: (403) 329-2525 Computing Services FAX: (403) 382-7108 University of Lethbridge 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, Alberta, CANADA T1K 3M4 ------------------------------ From: lesreeves@attmail.com Date: 14 Apr 93 01:04:25 GMT Subject: Southern Bell Anonymous Call Rejection Southern Bell will begin offering Anonymous Call Rejection May 6 to to it's Georgia customers. The service will route callers who have selected to have their number identify as "private" to a recording informing the caller that the number they are calling is rejecting calls from private numbers. Numbers may be set to identify as "private" in Georgia permanently for no charge. Per-call selection of "private" is not available in Georgia. "Anonymous Call Rejection" can be activated and deactived by pressing a code. Cost of the service, which becomes available May 6, is $2.75 a month for residential customers. Southern Bell thinks the new service will boost demand for the controversial caller identification service, which has about 40,000 Georgia subscribers." ------ Atlanta Constitution 4/08/93 -------- ------------------------------ From: Jinmo Ahn Subject: Where Can I find Phrack? Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1993 04:38:15 -0400 Organization: Senior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA I'm looking for a ftp site which has back issues of {Phrack}. Could someone tell me where I can find it? Thanks, Jim ------------------------------ From: Bowyer Jeff Subject: We Want Your Work Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1993 09:55:42 GMT Reply-To: jbowyer@cis.vutbr.cs Organization: Technical University of Brno, Czech Republic We want you to announce your work on our mailing list! Do you use a program that has a non-English interface? Have you converted any software to support more than one language for its interface? Will you sponsor a conference that might concern software with a non-English interface? Please tell us! INSOFT-L on LISTSERV@CIS.VUTBR.CS Internationalization of Software Discussion List Internationalization of software relates to two subjects: 1. Software that is written so a user can easily change the language of the interface; 2. Versions of software, such as Czech WordPerfect, whose interface language differs from the original product. Topics discussed on this list will include: -- Techniques for developing new software -- Techniques for converting existing software -- Internationalization tools -- Announcements of internationalized public domain software -- Announcements of foreign-language versions of commercial software -- Calls for papers -- Conference announcements -- References to documentation related to the internationalization of software This list is moderated. To subscribe to this list, send an electronic mail message to LISTSERV@CIS.VUTBR.CS with the body containing the command: SUB INSOFT-L Yourfirstname Yourlastname Owner: Center for Computing and Information Services Technical University of Brno Udolni 19, 602 00 BRNO Czech Republic INSOFT-L-REQUEST@CIS.VUTBR.CS ------------------------------ From: amdunn@mongrel.UUCP (Andrew M. Dunn) Subject: Bell Canada Phases Out Rotary (Pulse) Dialing Organization: A. Dunn Systems Corporation, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada Date: Wed, 15 Apr 93 05:29:58 GMT Well, it had to happen! After years of people complaining about being charged more for TouchTone (which actually costs less to provide), Bell Canada has solved the problem. They've phased out rotary service. But, of course, you still pay the surcharge for TouchTone. Now _everybody_ pays it. Sheesh. To quote from a Bell information circular: "Starting March 8, 1993, Touch-Tone(tm) became the standard service offered to individual-line residence and business customers who move or request a new telephone line. This change was recently approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Rotary-dial service will continue to be available to customers who do not now have Touch-Tone, until such time as they move or request a new individual telephone line. Rotary-dial service will also continue to be offered to customers ordering a two-party line or a four-party line ... Touch-Tone service provides customers with speed and ease of dialing, as well as access to interactive voice-response systems (IVR). These systems are automated services such as ... Prior to standardization, close to 92 per cent of customers ordering new individual-line service requested Touch-Tone. Touch-Tone will continue to be offered at the existing monthly rates ..." Yeah, right. Andy Dunn or ------------------------------ From: tep@sdsc.edu (Tom Perrine) Subject: Information Needed on Bahamaian Phone System Date: 14 Apr 1993 17:51:43 GMT Organization: San Diego Supercomputer Center @ UCSD Reply-To: tep@sdsc.edu I am looking into the state of phone service in the Bahamas. The specific things I need information about are the availibility of the following services: Data links to the U.S. (probably X.25 or maybe satellite); cellular (which standard, and the availability); The specific area is a small island that is due North of Great Exuma (about 15 minutes by boat), which already has a microwave link to Great Exuma. Anyone have any contact at the Bahama PTT? Thanks, Tom E. Perrine (tep) | tep@SDSC.EDU San Diego Supercomputer Center | Voice: +1 619 534-8328 P. O. Box 85608 | FAX: +1 619 534-5177 San Diego CA 92186-9784 ------------------------------ From: gleick@Panix.Com (James Gleick) Subject: Telco Uses My Lines Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1993 21:07:08 GMT It drives me nuts to find NYTel repairmen using my phone lines, presumably from the terminal on the street, to make calls to the office or even (I believe) personal calls. I assume personal calls are against the rules, but the phone company contends (though somewhat fuzzily) that there's nothing wrong with the repairmen picking up a handy line to call in to call in to the office. Am I not paying for these lines? When pressed, the phone company promises to have the box, or the file, or something, marked so that the repairmen will use someone else's line. However, experience shows that this is a sham -- if anything is getting marked, the repairmen either don't see it or ignore it. Any thoughts? Is this really allowed? Jim ------------------------------ From: philp@hpqmoitt.sqf.hp.com Subject: Test Equipment Available Date: Wed, 14 Apr 93 9:10:30 BST To: Norman Gillaspie Hi Norman, I'm responding to your message requesting information on DS0 Test Equipment. Your request for information was passed on to me by one of our engineers who is on Unix -- unfortunately I'm not. Can you fax or telephone me with information on your fax number, or address so that I can send you information on our products. My telephone number is - (UK) 031-331-7388 fax number - (UK) 031-331-7443 Sorry about the delay in contacting you but I've been trying to get an address or node I could use. Best regards, Keith Willox Hewlett Packard South Queensferry Scotland. ------------------------------ From: jeanc@pro-cynosure.cts.com Subject: Re: Pac Bell Caught Red Handed Organization: ProLine [pro-cynosure] Date: Mon, 12 Apr 93 21:14:47 EDT OUCH!! That really *stinks*!! I hate big corporations ... grumble, grouch, groan...! j.a.c. ProLine: jeanc@pro-cynosure Internet: jeanc@pro-cynosure.cts.com UUCP: crash!pro-cynosure!jeanc ------------------------------ From: s851708@minyos.xx.rmit.OZ.AU (John Edmond Auckett) Subject: Re: Information Needed About Plex Date: 14 Apr 1993 14:43:13 GMT Organization: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology chandy@seas.smu.edu (Alexy Chandy) writes: > Could somebody give me some information on Plex? I think it is used > for programming switches and may resemble Pascal. Plex is a language for programming signalling protocols (any-one correct me if I am wrong). As far as I know it is used exclusively by Erricson for inhouse software developement on AXE exchange equipments. I have never seen any Plex source code so I wouldn't know if it was procedural like Pascal. ------------------------------ From: amdunn@mongrel.UUCP (Andrew M. Dunn) Subject: Re: A Very Interesting Intercept Organization: A. Dunn Systems Corporation, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada Date: Tue, 13 Apr 93 16:17:50 GMT In article msb@sq.com (Mark Brader) writes: >> The number to try is +81 45 33 000 0000. > Using Bell Canada from Toronto, I got a Bell intercept: "We're sorry, > because of technical difficulties we are unable to route your call. > 416 22." It works from Kitchener, Ontario (area code 519). I got the KDD recording with the music. Neat! Andy Dunn or ------------------------------ From: news@cbnewsh.att.com Date: Wed, 14 Apr 93 00:58:32 GMT Subject: Re: Win/NT to Make CO Switched Obsolete? Reply-To: tds@hoserve.att.com (Tony DeSimone) Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories On Wed, 7 Apr 1993 14:38:12 GMT, deej@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (david.g.lewis) said: > I feel I must agree with my distinguished colleague from Ericsson > ... When someone shows me an NT server/LAN/WAN/Cable TV network that > can handle 150 million calls per day and will have < four minutes > per year downtime, I'll start believing it. Well, I certainly hope my distinguished colleague from Illinois is right ... still, I'm nagged by a similar sentiment that might have come from some three-letter company about a decade ago: "When someone shows me a desktop computer that can handle a multi-gigabyte disk farm and a dozen tape drives and will support hundreds of 3270 terminal sessions, I'll start believing it." I guess if users had been as insistent as providers about doing things the same old way, IBM wouldn't be where it is today. Not that I'm really worried about the Windows NT gassing. Still, some of the stuff some of the workstation and router vendors are doing is enough to make me nervous. Of course there's always billing to screw them up ... ------------------------------ From: rsl30@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu Subject: AI/Exp Sys in Telecom Information Needed Date: 15 Apr 93 00:32:44 CST Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services I am interested in recent publications (last two or three years), mainly books or general articles, on AI/Expert Systems in Telecommunications, Intelligent Networks, or Network Management. If you know of such publications, please send me an e-mail, with some description, if available. Thanks in advance. Merzad ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #257 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa21721; 16 Apr 93 4:55 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA21060 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Fri, 16 Apr 1993 01:27:40 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA00823 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Fri, 16 Apr 1993 01:26:53 -0500 Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 01:26:53 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304160626.AA00823@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #258 TELECOM Digest Fri, 16 Apr 93 01:26:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 258 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Re: Telco Uses My Lines (Fred Goldstein) Re: Telco Uses My Lines (John Nagle) Re: First Cellular Telephones Go Into Service In Cuba (Robert Wiegand) Re: Need Computer Interface to a Pager (Bob Frankston) Re: Free Calls With a Captain Crunch Whistle? (Thomas Grant Edwards) Re: Truly Amazing, Truly (Laurence Chiu) Re: Where Can I Find Phrack and Chaos Digest? (jbcondat@attmail.com) Re: Where Can I Find Phrack? (Frederick Dean) Re: NYNEX/NY <-> BAMS/DC Call Delivery (Scott Eckelman) Re: Bell Canada Phases Out Rotary (Pulse) Dialing (Harold Hallikainen) Re: Residential ISDN (Fred Goldstein) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before sumbitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: goldstein@carafe.dnet.dec.com (Fred Goldstein) Subject: Re: Telco Uses My Lines Reply-To: goldstein@carafe.dnet.dec.com (Fred Goldstein [k1io; FN42jk]) Organization: Digital Equipment Corp., Littleton MA USA Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 17:37:16 GMT In article , gleick@Panix.Com (James Gleick) writes: > It drives me nuts to find NYTel repairmen using my phone lines, > presumably from the terminal on the street, to make calls to the > office or even (I believe) personal calls. ... > Any thoughts? Is this really allowed? This is one of my pet peeves about NYNEX too! A couple of weeks ago I reported a problem with a line to my house. They dispatched somebody. It was daytime and I wasn't home. The protector was outside so he had no real need to come in, or at least that's the understanding I had with the repair supervisor. But he left without fixing anything. Why? Because he couldn't call the CO up to run the tests. He would have had to come into the house and use my other, working phone line. No cellular phones. No land mobile radios. Nothing in the trucks at all. When they need to communicate, they need a live phone line, and think it's their right to beg, borrow or steal one. And this is part of the same conglomerate that owns the local cellular (B) carrier. Fred R. Goldstein goldstein@carafe.tay2.dec.com k1io or goldstein@delni.enet.dec.com voice:+1 508 952 3274 Standard Disclaimer: Opinions are mine alone; sharing requires permission. ------------------------------ From: nagle@netcom.com (John Nagle) Subject: Re: Telco Uses My Lines Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest) Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 18:59:17 GMT gleick@Panix.Com (James Gleick) writes: > It drives me nuts to find NYTel repairmen using my phone lines, > presumably from the terminal on the street, to make calls to the > office or even (I believe) personal calls. I assume personal calls > are against the rules, but the phone company contends (though somewhat > fuzzily) that there's nothing wrong with the repairmen picking up a > handy line to call in to call in to the office. You might build a device which connects to your phone line and detects off-hook voltage without off-hook current. This indicates a phone off-hook upstream of the device, so if placed just past your demark, it indicates someone is using your line. Use this to turn on a tape recorder. This should give you ammunition to deal with the problem. John Nagle ------------------------------ From: wiegand@rtsg.mot.com (Robert Wiegand) Subject: Re: First Cellular Telephones Go Into Service In Cuba Reply-To: wiegand@rtsg.mot.com Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 18:34:25 GMT mc/G=Brad/S=Hicks/OU=0205925@mhs.attmail.com writes: >> CELCUBA is now marketing its service among diplomatic missions, >> foreign companies and trade representatives ... > I'm SO sure! C'mon, are people THAT dumb? After all the news stories > all around the world about how easy and cheap it is to eavesdrop on > cellular phone calls, do they really think that ANY of those groups > are going to use cellular service inside a Communist country? Or > anywhere, for that matter? Do you really believe the regular phone lines in Cuba are any more private? The government can just as easily tap the regular phones as well. Bob Wiegand ------------------------------ From: Bob_Frankston@frankston.com Subject: Re: Need Computer Interface to a Pager Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 16:31 -0400 Simple answer. If your pager is 555-1234 and you want to send the message "98-25-26", then send ATDT5551234@98*25*26 Where the first part is the standard dial string, the @ waits for silence and the *, in some systems, is a dash. No board necessary, just a com port. ------------------------------ From: tedwards@eng.umd.edu (Thomas Grant Edwards) Subject: Re: Free Calls With a Captain Crunch Whistle? Date: 15 Apr 1993 21:24:28 GMT Organization: Project GLUE, University of Maryland, College Park In article Joe@nyx.cs.du.edu writes: > Let me begin by saying that it is a shame that I feel that I have to > forge this note. It is much better to use anonymous remailers. If you do not trust an anonymous remailing service, then use multiple cypherpunk sites. By multiply encrypting your message with PGP, and sending it through multiple cypherpunk sites, there is no way to link you to your message or recipient, even by the individual remailing sites. Thomas [Moderator's Note: Anonymous articles are generally not accepted here at telecom. There are some exceptions, but very few. PAT] ------------------------------ From: LCHIU@HOLONET.NET Subject: Re: Truly Amazing, Truly Organization: HoloNet National Internet Access System: 510-704-1058/modem Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 01:47:41 GMT In a article to Comp.dcom.telecom, Declrckd@rtsg.mot.com had the following to say about Re: Truly Amazing, Truly > In article Lchiu@holonet.Net writes: >> In a message to comp.dcom.telecom <04-08-93 12:30>, naddy@mips.ruessel >> sub.org writes: >>> In , is written: [ . some stuff about GSM deleted ... ] >> I have heard talk of a new system called Digital AMPS. Does such a >> system exist? If so how would it compare with GSM. Is encryption >> involved. Apparently phones which can use this new system scan for a >> digital signal, if none found then they look for an analogue one. > Digital AMPS, basically applies TDMA to analog AMPS channels by > slicing up the spectrum into 3 timeslots (the mobiles per channel). It > uses analog signalling, then if a digital Base is available, can > initiate the Voice coding and timeslot control of TDMA. Thus mobiles > must be dual mode ... both analog and digital. > I'm not sure if any digital AMPS systems are in commercial service as > of yet. The reason I asked was because I have been told by a friend in the Telecom industry in New Zealand that Telecom New Zealand, who are currently the only cellular provider, are planning (or have already done so) to install Digital AMPS. The equipment may already be in place. This presumably is to counter the upcoming competition from Bell South who have been granted a licence to operate the second cellular service in the country. They will be using GSM. Laurence Chiu Walnut Creek, CA ------------------------------ From: jbcondat@attmail.com Date: 15 Apr 93 23:59:59 GMT Subject: Re: Where Can I Find Phrack and Chaos Digest? In article , Jinmo Ahn writes: > I'm looking for a ftp site wich has back issues of {Phrack}. Could > someone tell me where I can find it? You can found _Phrack_ on a lot of ftp sites, e.g. * kragar.eff.org [192.88.144.4] in /pub/cud/phrack * uglymouse.css.itd.umich.edu [141.211.182.91] in /pub/CuD/phrack * halcyon.com [192.135.191.2] in /pub/mirror/cud/phrack * ftp.ee.mu.oz.au [128.250.77.2] in /pub/text/CuD/phrack * nic.funet.fi [128.214.6.100] in /pub/doc/cud/phrack * orchid.csv.warwick.ac.uk [137.205.192.5] in /pub/cud/phrack Some others very interesting underground e-journals or newsletters are available on the same ftp sites, like _Chaos Digest_. Only change "phrack" by "chaos" in the precedent ftp list and ask for chaos-1.xx, with xx as the issue number. If you don't have an ftp access, don't hesitate to send and e-mail message to ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com with the following message in the body of the text: connect ftp.eff.org chdir /pub/cud/chaos get chaos-1.15 quit . If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me! Jean-Bernard Condat Chaos Computer Club France [CCCF] B.P. 8005 E-Mail: jbcondat@attmail.com 69351 Lyon Cedex 08, France Phone: +33 1 40101775 Fax: +33 1 47877070 Editor of _Chaos Digest_ the French computer security e-journal Available on request at: cccf@altern.com or by: ftp.eff.org, in /pub/cud/chaos/chaos.1-xx (xx=issue nbr) ------------------------------ From: deanrd@merle.acns.nwu.edu (Frederick Dean) Subject: Re: Where Can I Find Phrack? Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois. Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 15:27:12 GMT Here is a listing of anonymous ftp sites from an archie search of "phrack"... peacock% archie phrack Host cs.dal.ca Location: /pub/comp.archives DIRECTORY drwxrwxrwx 512 Jan 28 14:12 phrack Host cs.ubc.ca Location: /pub/archive/mirror/EFF/cud DIRECTORY drwxr-xr-x 1024 Aug 26 1992 phrack Host bric-a-brac.apple.com Location: /pub/stud_reps DIRECTORY drwxr-xr-x 512 Jul 1 1992 phrack Host titania.mathematik.uni-ulm.de Location: /pub/info DIRECTORY drwxrwxr-x 512 May 25 1992 phrack Host uxc.cso.uiuc.edu Location: /pub DIRECTORY drwxr-xr-x 1536 Aug 13 1992 phrack Host f.ms.uky.edu Location: /pub3/mailing.lists DIRECTORY drwxr-xr-x 1024 Jan 19 02:29 phrack Host nic.funet.fi Location: /pub/doc/cud DIRECTORY drwxr-xr-x 1024 Jan 13 05:53 phrack Location: /pub/doc DIRECTORY drwxrwxr-x 3584 Aug 24 1991 phrack Location: /pub/doc/phrack DIRECTORY drwxrwxr-x 1024 Feb 14 1992 phrack Host nic.cic.net Location: /pub/nircomm/gopher/e-serials/alphabetic/p DIRECTORY drwxr-xr-x 1024 Apr 2 09:19 phrack Host kragar.eff.org Location: /pub/cud DIRECTORY drwxr-xr-x 1024 Mar 31 12:54 phrack Host src.doc.ic.ac.uk Location: /usenet/comp.archives/hackers/journals DIRECTORY drwxr-xr-x 512 May 3 1991 phrack Host clover.csv.warwick.ac.uk Location: /pub/cud DIRECTORY drwxr-xr-x 1024 Jan 7 05:02 phrack Rick Dean deanrd@nwu.edu ------------------------------ From: scott@uswnvg.com (Scott Eckelman) Subject: Re: NYNEX/NY <-> BAMS/DC Call Delivery Date: 14 Apr 93 18:42:19 GMT Organization: U S WEST NewVector Group, Inc. Douglas Scott Reuben (DREUBEN@EAGLE.WESLEYAN.EDU) wrote: > (BTW, features work in SOME markets, and from what I am told calls > will STILL not go back to voicemail if unanswered in the visited > market. Anyone care to confirm or refute this?) Inter-switch call delivery is offered in two ways: 1. Manufacturer proprietary 2. IS41 Rev A. I don't know too much about the first case (it's proprietary, after all), but 'regular' IS41A call delivery works like this: 1. mobile roams in another market. Visited switch detects roamer by one of three methods: a. Roamer makes a call. b. Roamer receives a call. c. Switch has autonomous registration turned on, and the phone sends registration messages to the switch at regular intervals. 2. Visited switch passes 'Registration Notification' message to home switch. Home switch answers with the customer's service profile if the customer is good, or a denied reason if the customer is invalid. (delinquent account, stolen phone, wrong serial number). 3. Home switch receives an incoming call for the mobile. Since the mobile is not in the home market, home switch sends a 'Routing Request' message to the visited switch. 4. If the mobile is busy, visited switch sends back a 'busy' message to the home switch. If the mobile has CFBusy activated, the home switch will forward the call to the appropriate number, e.g., voice mail. If not, the home switch will provide busy tone to the caller. If the mobile is idle, the visited switch sends back a temporary number (tldn) to the home switch. 5. Home switch routes the call to the temporary number through the customer's preferred interexchange carrier (PIC) if the home switch is an RBOC, or to whatever IXC the home carrier chooses if it's not an RBOC. 6. Roaming switch receives the call to the temporary number, looks up which mobile it assigned the tldn to, and pages the mobile. 7. If the mobile is busy, or does not answer, and the service profile received (step 2) indicates that the customer has CFbusy or CFN/A active, it sends a 'Redirection Request' message back to the home switch indicating that the mobile is either busy or not answering. 8. Home switch tears down the tldn/IXC connection, and forwards the incoming call to the appropriate number. With the MFJ and recent rulings from Judge Green, RBOCS are restricted to the following: 4. The RBOC must always receive a tldn, and never a 'busy' message, even if the mobile is busy. The call _must_ be given to the customer's PIC. This means that the visited switch software must be modified for non-standard IS41 to always send back a tldn, or an intermediary clearinghouse must provide the tldn to the home switch. 5. Home switch routes the call to the temporary number through the customer's preferred interexchange carrier. 6. Roaming switch receives the call to the temporary number. If the tldn was assigned by the roaming switch, it pages the mobile. If not, it requests the mobile associated with the tldn from the intermediary clearinghouse, then pages the mobile. 7. If the mobile is busy, or does not answer, and the service profile received (step 2) indicates that the customer has CFbusy or CFN/A active, it sends a 'Redirection Request' message back to the home switch indicating that the mobile is either busy or not answering. This is where it gets a little tricky -- depending on how you read the most recent ruling, the RBOC home switch may have to ignore this 'Redirection Request' message and not forward the call. One interpretation is that an RBOC may not tear down the IXC call. Other interpretations suggest that this is ok, since the IXC has at least had a shot at delivering the call, and the call may then be forwarded to voice mail or elsewhere as appropriate. Depending on the RBOC lawyers, the home switch will either ignore or handle the Redirection message. If it ignores the message, the visited switch will provide either a busy tone or an announcement that the mobile is not answering and the caller will not get routed to the customer's voice mail. ------------------------------ From: hhallika@tuba.calpoly.edu (Harold Hallikainen) Subject: Re: Bell Canada Phases Out Rotary (Pulse) Dialing Organization: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 17:49:07 GMT So, are switches going to stop accepting pulse dialing? Harold ------------------------------ From: goldstein@carafe.dnet.dec.com (Fred Goldstein) Subject: Re: Residential ISDN Reply-To: goldstein@carafe.dnet.dec.com (Fred Goldstein) Organization: Digital Equipment Corp., Littleton MA USA Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 17:30:16 GMT In article , Russ Wilton writes: > So how do they connect multiple extensions in a house to an ISDN > circuit? Does it allow the same functionality as with analog phones? > That is, can two people on different extensions talk simultaneously to > a third remote party? If so, how do they mix the signals? You don't really want ISDN phones in a house: It doesn't provide the bridging capability that we take for granted. Some Centrex features can simulate it by automatically making a three-party conference, but it's a kludge. Better to have an analog terminal adapter for the phones, with the ISDN left digital for data devices. Gandalf, Motorola-UDS and Xancomm, among others, provide analog TA capabilities. > This is beginning to sound like I need a short course on ISDN. :-) > Any pointers to a good ISDN reference book would be appreciated. > Thanks. Far be it from me to plug my own works... :-) But I did write a book, "ISDN In Perspective", which might make nice bathroom reading. It's from Addison-Wesley with ISBN 0-201-50016-7. Be forewarned, it's not unopinionated. Fred R. Goldstein goldstein@carafe.tay2.dec.com k1io or goldstein@delni.enet.dec.com voice:+1 508 952 3274 Standard Disclaimer: Opinions are mine alone; sharing requires permission. [Moderator's Note: Fred, your reviews are always welcome here, opinion- ated or not. Keep sending 'em in! PAT] ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #258 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa27450; 16 Apr 93 23:49 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA09858 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Fri, 16 Apr 1993 21:01:51 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA13101 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Fri, 16 Apr 1993 21:01:19 -0500 Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 21:01:19 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304170201.AA13101@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #259 TELECOM Digest Fri, 16 Apr 93 21:00:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 259 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Crossed Lines Day (Randy Gellens) Scheduling/Control Systems For Video Teleconferences (Chuck Ludinsky) Magazine Review: Disaster Recovery (Bob Ackley) Why Wasn't Bell Labs Part of the Original Arpanet? (Ronda Hauben) In Search of SNMPPP 56K CSU/DSU (Steve Baum) Wanted: "Snergy: Technical Integration in the Bell System" (Ronda Hauben) AT&T / NT Integration/Networking etc ... (Frank Blau) Correction to NYNEX <-> DC Delivery (Douglas Scott Reuben) How Are 900 Numbers Terminated? (Yoav Weiss) Cellular Protocol Analyzer Information (Roupen Nahabedian) Testing Phone Lines For a Modem (pls@cup.portal.com) Undersea Fiber Optics (Tracy Richardson) Mysterious Charges on Phone Bill (Joe Roden) Minor But Puzzling Problem (Ed Casey) Re: Win/NT to Make CO Switched Obsolete? (Lynne Gregg) Information On Signalling System 7 and PABX's (John Edmond Auckett) Anonymous Messages (Jason Garner) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: MPA15AB!RANDY@TRENGA.tredydev.unisys.com Date: 15 APR 93 18:03 Subject: Crossed Lines Day Yesterday, there was an odd message on my voice mail. I could hear, quite plainly, a receptionist for a different company answer the phone, and converse with a caller, who asked to speak with someone (not me), was told he wasn't in, and left a message (with the receptionist, not voice mail). In the background, I could hear another conversation moderately well. Further in the background were many other conversations, but very faint. Today, I had a doctor's appointment. As I was talking to the secretary, she asked if I got her "strange message" on my voice mail yesterday. She had tried to call me, and had gotten someone else's voice mail. She hung up and called back, and got my voice mail, but it didn't respond to her pressing any keys. In her call, she could hear, very loudly, half of a conversation with a rude woman who was going on and on about losing her cigarettes on a walk. While the secretary was telling me this, another patient overheard, and told us that when she tried to make a call yesterday (at about the same time) she heard other conversations, including one with a woman talking about a pregnancy. Both my office and the doctor's office are on (714) 380, which last time I checked was a 1AESS due to be converted to a 5ESS at some point this year. Randy Gellens randy%mpa15ab@trenga.tredydev.unisys.com| A Series System Software if mail bounces, forward to| Unisys Mission Viejo, CA rgellens@mcimail.com| Opinions are personal; facts are suspect; I speak only for myself| ------------------------------ From: cjl@mbunix.mitre.org (Ludinsky) Subject: Scheduling/Control Systems For Video Teleconferences Organization: The MITRE Corp., Bedford, Ma. Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 12:56:05 GMT Does anyone know of any scheduling and control systems for video teleconferences on private T1-based networks? Such a network would consist of a relatively large number of "smart" multiplexers or digital acess and cross-connect systems (DACS) that are interconnected in a mesh network using T1 lines. User connections to the network would also be via one or more T1 lines from the user's site to a network node (multiplexer). A multiplexer at the site would combine inputs from two or more video codecs for transmission over the T1 access line. The scheduling/control system would support a dialog with site users, allow the users to identify and reserve available time periods and system resources for scheduled conferences, then, at the appropriate times, issue commands to the multiplexers/DACS, codecs, and ancillary equipment (e.g., multipoint control units) to establish the connections and appropriately configure the equipment. Any leads/ideas would be greatly appreciated. Please reply via e-mail. Regards, Chuck Ludinsky cjl@mitre.org ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 01:10:43 CST From: Bob.Ackley@axolotl.omahug.org (Bob Ackley) Subject: Magazine Review: Disaster Recovery Reply-To: bob.ackley@axolotl.omahug.org In a message of <31 Mar 93 19:12:44>, Seth B Rothenberg (11:30102/2) writes: > We've seen a lot of discussion lately about disaster recovery, so I > thought it would be a nifty topic for my paper for my Impact Analysis > class, a cross listing between the School of Business and our Master > of Telecom program. I am interested in comments/references anyone can > suggest. (For example, I was duly impressed with CBS' ability to > recover from the WTC blast.) There is a magazine called 'Disaster Recovery' aimed primarily at those in charge of such things for large computer installations. Most material and articles should also be applicable for communications recovery. There is also an organization specifically for such people and 'Disaster Recovery' is their professional journal, I suppose it's somewhat similar to the NFPA in Boston. Check the index of periodicals/ publications at your library. Bob's Soapbox Plattsmouth (1:285/1.7) ------------------------------ From: ae547@yfn.ysu.edu (Ronda Hauben) Subject: Why Wasn't Bell Labs Part of the Original Arpanet? Date: 15 Apr 1993 22:45:55 GMT Organization: St. Elizabeth Hospital, Youngstown, OH Reply-To: ae547@yfn.ysu.edu (Ronda Hauben) I'm doing some research for a paper about the development of the net for a communications conference. From my research about the early days of the Arpanet, it seems that Bell Labs was not part of the original Arpanet. Given the important role that Bell Labs has played in the development of new technology in the U.S. (and world), this seemed a bit of a surprise to me. I wondered if anyone knew if that was true and if so why. Thanks, Ronda Hauben write for a copy of the Fall '92 Amateur Computerist Special Supplement on P.O. Box 4344 "The Wonderful World of Usenet News" Dearborn, MI 48126 ae547@yfn.ysu.edu or ronda@umcc.ais.org ------------------------------ From: stevebau@netcom.com (STEVE BAUM) Subject: In Search of SNMPPP 56K CSU/DSU Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest) Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 22:52:16 GMT I am looking for a SNMP manageable 56K CSU/DSU or one that has a net management systemthat is SNMP compatible. I am also looking a Netview LPDA maneable 56K CSU/DSU other than IBM and AT&T. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. ------------------------------ From: ae547@yfn.ysu.edu (Ronda Hauben) Subject: Wanted: "Snergy: Technical Integration ... in the Bell System" Date: 15 Apr 1993 23:06:11 GMT Organization: St. Elizabeth Hospital, Youngstown, OH Reply-To: ae547@yfn.ysu.edu (Ronda Hauben) I wondered if anyone could suggest how I might find a copy of the book about Bell Labs called "Synergy: Technical Integration and Technical Innovation in the Bell System" by H.W. Bode which was privately printed by Bell Labs in 1971. I have looked in the University of Michigan library which is my local library and it wasn't listed. I am working on a paper on the development of the global computer network. I have found the role of Bell Labs in the development and propagation of unix as an important contribution to the development of the current global network. I hoped to draw some perspective from the history of the Royal Society in England and the role that experimen- tation and science played there in contributing to new forms and principles of production. I have found Bell Labs an interesting parallel and felt that the book "Snergy" would be helpful in the research I am doing but it seems hard to locate. Thanks, Ronda Hauben write for a copy of the Fall '92 Amateur Computerist Special Supplement on P.O. Box 4344 "The Wonderful World of Usenet News" Dearborn, MI 48126 ae547@yfn.ysu.edu or ronda@umcc.ais.org ------------------------------ From: fblau@well.sf.ca.us (Frank Blau) Subject: AT&T / NT Integration/Networking etc ... Organization: The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 18:06:24 GMT I am looking for information on integration of a heterogeneous phone network, consisting of AT&T G1, System 75, NT Option 21, and NT Option11. The only piece of software that I've seen that does this is the TFMS package from TDS in Plano TX. Does anyone know of any others. I want to be able to do remote administration, ACD/CMS reporting, cable inventory, etc ... All hopfully running under UNIX on a Sequent ... Thanks, Frank Blau Preferred Health Care ------------------------------ From: dreuben@eagle.wesleyan.edu Subject: Correction to NYNEX <-> DC Delivery Date: 16 Apr 93 06:22:45 EDT Organization: Wesleyan University I posted recently about NYNEX getting Call-Delivery to DC, Albany, Boston, etc. I stated, *ERRONEOUSLY*, that both incoming and outgoing calls had no daily surcharge. This is not the case. ALL calls placed/rec'd in BAMS/DC WILL be will a roam charge. So how do you know if you are in the BAMS/Philly system (no charge?) and the BAMS/DC system? Well, you don't. And unless you want to put the SID for DC into your phone (assuming you can), if you are on the border between two systems, you are taking chances with a roam charge when you answer a call. (Sort of like the Springfield/Franklin County Mass split for Cell One/Boston and Cell One/NY customers.) Calls rec'd in Albany have no daily charge; calls placed in Albany do. Calls rec'd in Boston have no daily charge, and no one seems to know about placed calls. As to Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Mid-Hudson, Eastern PA, Philly, Atlantic City, etc ... I dunno ... they give different answers each time I ask (how nice! :( ), so I figure 'get a name, and if I'm billed say "so and so told me otherwise"'. Anyhow, PLEASE check to see how roam charges are levied in each one of NYNEX's auto-call delivery markets. IMHO, its ridiculous to have such an inconsistent policy -- and leave it to NYNEX to diminish from the otherwise superior utility of their delivery system with these inane charges/roaming agreements. Doug dreuben@eagle.wesleyan.edu // dreuben@wesleyan.bitnet ------------------------------ From: yoav@tau.ac.il (Yoav Weiss) Subject: How Are 900 Numbers Terminated? Organization: Tel-Aviv University Computation Center Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 11:38:58 GMT Hi all, Here in Israel, we have a (relatively) new service called 056, which is identical to the 1-900 of the USA. I heard that for every 1-900 number which exists, there is a regular-toll line, that connects to the same line. Is that true? What if I run a company, using 900? Can people find my regular number, and call it directly for no fee? Is there a way for them to find it? Thanks in advance. Yoav Weiss, ISRAEL yoav@datasrv.datasrv.co.il [Moderator's Note: I can only address the USA system for 900 numbers. Some do and some do not have 'regular' lines. It depends on how it was set up when installed. The carrier servicing your 900 numbers can set it up so there is a 'private' or 'leased' line direct from his switch to you. Unless you have a very high volume of 900 traffic (in which case microwave -- or some form of local telco bypass -- between the carrier and yourself might be cost effective), the most common way to get the private or leased circuits between the carrier and yourself is via the telco. But, this can be expensive; the cost of the wire pairs between the 900 carrier and yourself (via telco) will drive the cost of the 'carriage' -- or what you have to pay the carrier for the call before adding on your own fees -- up quite a bit unless you can keep the leased lines packed or loaded with calls most of the time in order to amortize or spread the cost a little thinner among all calls. So, the real low traffic (like what? maybe a dozen calls per day?) 900 information providers sometimes opt for having the 900 carrier just drop their calls on a POTS line with call-forwarding attached; a 900 call comes in, it gets redialed or call-forwarded out to the person or company receiving the call on a 'regular' line, possibly a line with distinctive ringing on it so they can identify the call (as coming from 900) before they answer. This can be a real inexpensive, simple way to receive 900 calls, on your phone at home for example. The other side of the coin is if someone finds out the number to which the 900 carrier is forwarding calls, *they* can dial that number also. The information provider assumes the call is coming in via 900, but it is not. They get no fees for that call as a result, and the caller only gets charged for a call to the regular number also. Here in Chicago there were a number of information providers of all stripes (sex, astrology, tarot, etc) downtown in the Opera Building a few years ago -- or at least that is where the 900 carrier dropped off their calls. The calls all went outbound from there on 312-609-xxxx. Fortunatly (for the IPs), not too many people knew that. So, it is an applications thing: you don't have the volume of traffic to justify T-1 or telco bypass on your 900 numbers; you want to keep the carriage costs down to a minimum; then you use the 900 ==> POTS ==> call for- warding routine ... but keep those numbers *very confidential* and preferably in some exchange unrelated to the rest of your lines, and with a real obscure numbering sequence, etc to make it harder for the phreaks and crackers to find them. Your choice: definitly pay more to start with or risk earning less later on. PAT] ------------------------------ From: nahabed@ntmtv.com (Roupen Nahabedian) Subject: Cellular Protocol Analyzer Information Wanted Reply-To: nahabed@ntmtv.com (Roupen Nahabedian) Organization: Northern Telecom Inc, Mountain View, CA Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 16:49:23 GMT I'm looking for infomration on celluar CAI (Common Air Interface) PROTOCOL ANALYZERS such as amps, CT2, etc. Make, model, views and reviews would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Roupen Nahabedian nahabed@ntmtv.com ------------------------------ From: pls@cup.portal.com Subject: Testing Phone Lines For a Modem Date: Thu, 15 Apr 93 23:20:01 PDT I'm having problems using my modem at 9600 baud. The line sounds fine for voice although the levels seem abnormally low. Is there any testing I can do with simple test equipment that might isolate the problem to either the line or the modem? PLS ------------------------------ Organization: Penn State University Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 14:23:46 EDT From: TLR108@PSUVM.PSU.EDU Subject: Undersea Fiber Optics I am doing a paper on Undersea Fiber Optics and was wondering if you could give me some in-depth information on these questions. * How is it put together? * When was the whole project started? * What you can do with it? * Advantages and Disadvantages? * How long have they used it? If you can think of anything else I could use for my paper I would really appreciate it. Thanks a lot :) Tracy Richardson ( tlr108@psuvm.psu.edu ) ------------------------------ From: roden@Aig.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Joe Roden) Subject: Mysterious Charges On Phone Bill Reply-To: roden@aig.Jpl.Nasa.Gov Organization: NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 18:00:11 GMT Can anyone explain to me how I could receive a charge on my phone bill when someone called me from a hotel while using her own AT&T calling card? We got a $9 charge for a 12 minute call from Zero Plus Dialing, Inc., for a call that they claim was made on our calling card. We've called the company, and they are "researching" it. They claim that the call was made on our calling card, but they can't tell which of our cards was used. We have Pac Bell and MCI calling cards. The caller received no charges on her own bill. Thanks, Joe Roden [Moderator's Note: The party calling you from a hotel used one of the AT&T calling cards with a scrambled number -- a number which has no direct, obvious relationship to the telephone number to which it is assigned. They were probably tricked into thinking their call was being placed over AT&T when in fact 'Zero Plus Dialing' intercepted the call. Once 'Zero Plus Dialing' got the call and realized they had no way to bill the calling party (the rip off carriers are no longer getting a free ride via the AT&T data base, etc) they simply decided to reverse the charges, putting them through to *your* line instead. I've received many complaints about this outfit; almost as many as Integretel. Perhaps I should do a corporate records search for 'Zero Plus Dialing, Inc' and publish the names and addresses of their corp- orate officers and their attorney. Let *them* start handling customer service inquiries. Not to toot my own horn too much, but there are calling cards available (since January) which eliminate all this hassle once and for all at 25 cents per minute calling with no sur- charge. Request the Orange Card file from 'ptownson@eecs.nwu.edu'. PAT] ------------------------------ From: m19701@mitre.org (ejc) Subject: Minor But Puzzling Problem Organization: mitre.org Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 19:05:22 GMT Greeting, Help ... With a teenage daughter in the house I was finding it difficult to maintain the peace and talk to the world at the same time so I had a second phone number added. It is the same four-wire line; she's on red-green and I've got black-yellow. The final result is alot of "cross-talk". We can heare each other whilst talking on our respective lines. Additionally, I seem to have developed a slight buzz on the line(s). The worst part is that my modem doesn't really like it. Especially at 9600 or higher (I tend to get disconnected). The problem got so disturbing that I rewired the house putting each phone plug on its own line from a terminal and my modem on a direct line to the grey junction box. The buzz remains as does the cross-talk although not as bad. All wires are terminated (no loose hanging wires anywhere) and no two bare wires are touching (from where I can legally enter the grey box to the phone jacks). No phone wires (location wise) have changed their general location. Some do run near, with, or across electrical and cable wiring. I am beginning to feel that the problem has always been here but the second line with cross talk has caused the problem to manifest itself into a real headache. Is there a filter or something I can add to quiet the lines? Or do I need to get the phone company to run a seperate line (yeah, right) from the pole/box, whatever)? Anyone else ever have this problem and how was it solved? Thanks, ed casey m19701@mitre.org or m19701@mwvm.mitre.org [Moderator's Note: Responses from anyone? There are a lot of things this fellow should check out; he may need telco assistance also. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Lynne Gregg Subject: Subject: Re: Win/NT to Make CO Switched Obsolete? Date: Thu, 15 Apr 93 07:46:00 PDT > When someone shows me a desktop computer that can handle a > multi-gigabyte disk farm and a dozen tape drives and will support > hundreds of 3270 terminal sessions, I'll start believing it. Stranger things have happened ... It's the NETWORK that supports the devices ... try lashing together some RS/6000's (the serial optical will connect to high speed devices, channels, or networks). Believe it! A small net of RS/6000's can outperform a Cray (a take up a lot LESS SPACE). Lynne ------------------------------ From: s851708@minyos.xx.rmit.OZ.AU (John Edmond Auckett) Subject: Information on Signalling System 7 and PABX's Wanted Date: 16 Apr 1993 14:47:18 GMT Organization: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Any help/info greatly appreciated. JA (s851708@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au) [Moderator's Note: Well, that is an awfully big topic. Can you narrow it down a little, or did you have specific questions? PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 02:55:27 -0700 From: jgarner@netcom.com (Jason Garner) Subject: Anonymous Messages Why don't you accept anonymous messages? There have been many times I wanted to comment on something posted here but won't because signing my name to it would incur the wrath of the government or worse, telco (this may seem like a toungue-in-cheek joke but if you'd ever seen the surveillance equipment telco has you wouldn't think it was so funny). Without sounding paranoid, I know that there are many things that THEY don't want you to know but, in fact, should be known to the general public. Are you a fascist Pat? (or just an attorney). Moderator's Note: I'm a facist. PAT] ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #259 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa29405; 17 Apr 93 0:56 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA32441 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Fri, 16 Apr 1993 21:44:33 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA22557 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Fri, 16 Apr 1993 21:44:02 -0500 Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 21:44:02 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304170244.AA22557@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #260 TELECOM Digest Fri, 16 Apr 93 21:44:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 260 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson White House Encryption Proposal (Steve Forrette) Information Needed on Bellcore V&H (Jeffrey P. Bakke) Problems With the GSM Subscriber Units (Samir Soliman) Another Way of Expanding Calling Area? (Carl Moore) Re: Roll Your Own PBX/Internal Phone System (David S. Roland) Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch (Lukas Zahas) Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch (Cliff Barney) Re: A Very Interesting Intercept (Charles Hoequist, Jr.) Re: Win/NT to Make CO Switched Obsolete? (Al Varney) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 16:34:52 -0700 From: Steve Forrette Subject: White House Encryption Proposal [Moderator's Note: Steve caught this item and sent it in. Thanks! PAT] THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release April 16, 1993 STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY The President today announced a new initiative that will bring the Federal Government together with industry in a voluntary program to improve the security and privacy of telephone communications while meeting the legitimate needs of law enforcement. The initiative will involve the creation of new products to accelerate the development and use of advanced and secure telecommunications networks and wireless communications links. For too long there has been little or no dialogue between our private sector and the law enforcement community to resolve the tension between economic vitality and the real challenges of protecting Americans. Rather than use technology to accommodate the sometimes competing interests of economic growth, privacy and law enforcement, previous policies have pitted government against industry and the rights of privacy against law enforcement. Sophisticated encryption technology has been used for years to protect electronic funds transfer. It is now being used to protect electronic mail and computer files. While encryption technology can help Americans protect business secrets and the unauthorized release of personal information, it also can be used by terrorists, drug dealers, and other criminals. A state-of-the-art microcircuit called the "Clipper Chip" has been developed by government engineers. The chip represents a new approach to encryption technology. It can be used in new, relatively inexpensive encryption devices that can be attached to an ordinary telephone. It scrambles telephone communications using an encryption algorithm that is more powerful than many in commercial use today. This new technology will help companies protect proprietary information, protect the privacy of personal phone conversations and prevent unauthorized release of data transmitted electronically. At the same time this technology preserves the ability of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to intercept lawfully the phone conversations of criminals. A "key-escrow" system will be established to ensure that the "Clipper Chip" is used to protect the privacy of law-abiding Americans. Each device containing the chip will have two unique "keys," numbers that will be needed by authorized government agencies to decode messages encoded by the device. When the device is manufactured, the two keys will be deposited separately in two "key-escrow" data bases that will be established by the Attorney General. Access to these keys will be limited to government officials with legal authorization to conduct a wiretap. The "Clipper Chip" technology provides law enforcement with no new authorities to access the content of the private conversations of Americans. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this new technology, the Attorney General will soon purchase several thousand of the new devices. In addition, respected experts from outside the government will be offered access to the confidential details of the algorithm to assess its capabilities and publicly report their findings. The chip is an important step in addressing the problem of encryption's dual-edge sword: encryption helps to protect the privacy of individuals and industry, but it also can shield criminals and terrorists. We need the "Clipper Chip" and other approaches that can both provide law-abiding citizens with access to the encryption they need and prevent criminals from using it to hide their illegal activities. In order to assess technology trends and explore new approaches (like the key-escrow system), the President has directed government agencies to develop a comprehensive policy on encryption that accommodates: -- the privacy of our citizens, including the need to employ voice or data encryption for business purposes; -- the ability of authorized officials to access telephone calls and data, under proper court or other legal order, when necessary to protect our citizens; -- the effective and timely use of the most modern technology to build the National Information Infrastructure needed to promote economic growth and the competitiveness of American industry in the global marketplace; and -- the need of U.S. companies to manufacture and export high technology products. The President has directed early and frequent consultations with affected industries, the Congress and groups that advocate the privacy rights of individuals as policy options are developed. The Administration is committed to working with the private sector to spur the development of a National Information Infrastructure which will use new telecommunications and computer technologies to give Americans unprecedented access to information. This infrastructure of high-speed networks ("information superhighways") will transmit video, images, HDTV programming, and huge data files as easily as today's telephone system transmits voice. Since encryption technology will play an increasingly important role in that infrastructure, the Federal Government must act quickly to develop consistent, comprehensive policies regarding its use. The Administration is committed to policies that protect all Americans' right to privacy while also protecting them from those who break the law. Further information is provided in an accompanying fact sheet. The provisions of the President's directive to acquire the new encryption technology are also available. For additional details, call Mat Heyman, National Institute of Standards and Technology, (301) 975-2758. --------------------------------- QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S TELECOMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVE Q: Does this approach expand the authority of government agencies to listen in on phone conversations? A: No. "Clipper Chip" technology provides law enforcement with no new authorities to access the content of the private conversations of Americans. Q: Suppose a law enforcement agency is conducting a wiretap on a drug smuggling ring and intercepts a conversation encrypted using the device. What would they have to do to decipher the message? A: They would have to obtain legal authorization, normally a court order, to do the wiretap in the first place. They would then present documentation of this authorization to the two entities responsible for safeguarding the keys and obtain the keys for the device being used by the drug smugglers. The key is split into two parts, which are stored separately in order to ensure the security of the key escrow system. Q: Who will run the key-escrow data banks? A: The two key-escrow data banks will be run by two independent entities. At this point, the Department of Justice and the Administration have yet to determine which agencies will oversee the key-escrow data banks. Q: How strong is the security in the device? How can I be sure how strong the security is? A: This system is more secure than many other voice encryption systems readily available today. While the algorithm will remain classified to protect the security of the key escrow system, we are willing to invite an independent panel of cryptography experts to evaluate the algorithm to assure all potential users that there are no unrecognized vulnerabilities. Q: Whose decision was it to propose this product? A: The National Security Council, the Justice Department, the Commerce Department, and other key agencies were involved in this decision. This approach has been endorsed by the President, the Vice President, and appropriate Cabinet officials. Q: Who was consulted? The Congress? Industry? A: We have on-going discussions with Congress and industry on encryption issues, and expect those discussions to intensify as we carry out our review of encryption policy. We have briefed members of Congress and industry leaders on the decisions related to this initiative. Q: Will the government provide the hardware to manufacturers? A: The government designed and developed the key access encryption microcircuits, but it is not providing the microcircuits to product manufacturers. Product manufacturers can acquire the microcircuits from the chip manufacturer that produces them. Q: Who provides the "Clipper Chip"? A: Mykotronx programs it at their facility in Torrance, California, and will sell the chip to encryption device manufacturers. The programming function could be licensed to other vendors in the future. Q: How do I buy one of these encryption devices? A: We expect several manufacturers to consider incorporating the "Clipper Chip" into their devices. Q: If the Administration were unable to find a technological solution like the one proposed, would the Administration be willing to use legal remedies to restrict access to more powerful encryption devices? A: This is a fundamental policy question which will be considered during the broad policy review. The key escrow mechanism will provide Americans with an encryption product that is more secure, more convenient, and less expensive than others readily available today, but it is just one piece of what must be the comprehensive approach to encryption technology, which the Administration is developing. The Administration is not saying, "since encryption threatens the public safety and effective law enforcement, we will prohibit it outright" (as some countries have effectively done); nor is the U.S. saying that "every American, as a matter of right, is entitled to an unbreakable commercial encryption product." There is a false "tension" created in the assessment that this issue is an "either-or" proposition. Rather, both concerns can be, and in fact are, harmoniously balanced through a reasoned, balanced approach such as is proposed with the "Clipper Chip" and similar encryption techniques. Q: What does this decision indicate about how the Clinton Administration's policy toward encryption will differ from that of the Bush Administration? A: It indicates that we understand the importance of encryption technology in telecommunications and computing and are committed to working with industry and public-interest groups to find innovative ways to protect Americans' privacy, help businesses to compete, and ensure that law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to fight crime and terrorism. Q: Will the devices be exportable? Will other devices that use the government hardware? A: Voice encryption devices are subject to export control requirements. Case-by-case review for each export is required to ensure appropriate use of these devices. The same is true for other encryption devices. One of the attractions of this technology is the protection it can give to U.S. companies operating at home and abroad. With this in mind, we expect export licenses will be granted on a case-by-case basis for U.S. companies seeking to use these devices to secure their own communications abroad. We plan to review the possibility of permitting wider exportability of these products. ------------------------------ From: bakke@plains.NoDak.edu (Jeffrey P. Bakke) Subject: Information Needed on Bellcore V&H Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 16:53:16 GMT Organization: North Dakota Higher Education Computing Network This seems to be the place to ask this question. My employer has an old copy of the Bellcore V&H tape (two years old?) that he assigned to me to see if there i a way to get the Long/Lat coordinates of a areacode+prefix from the tape. I think that information is contained in the data but I can't make heads or tails of the format. This is what I'm looking at: ROCHESTER,MN 507-286-XXXX Location: Approx 43deg 52' N and 92deg 30' West The corresponding record in the Bellcore tape lists: 0591604326 00620010310000507286000126 009631310060ROCHESTER MN09158600 I can spot the Location name and the AREA+PRE but I can't figure where coordinates may be. Area the coordinates stored LONG/LA or is it some other funky format. Any and all information would be appreciated. And yes, I did call Bellcore. They said, "Gee sorry, its an old tape. Buy our new one for $350 and we'll talk to you" -- Thanks ever so much. Jeffrey P. Bakke bakke@plains.NoDak.edu UUCP : ...!uunet!plains!bakke BITNET : bakke@plains.bitnet [Moderator's Note: We have a regular reader here who presents an analysis of the 'State of The Network' once each quarter as the new tapes come out. Perhaps he will respond and explain things. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 09:57:48 -0700 From: Samir Soliman Subject: Problems With the GSM Subscriber Units Recently I learned that using GSM portables inside vehicles cause some problems. Either the GSM waveform or the way they turn the power up or down can accidentally activate the airbag system also can interfer with the automobile automatic break system (ABS). Also it has been noticed that the GSM mobile interferes with people with hearing aids! The problem has to do with the GSM waveform more than the frequency band. Does anyone have more information on these issues? There there any recent articles that address these problems. Samir Soliman Qualcomm Incorporated ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 14:30:39 EDT From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) Subject: Another Way of Expanding Calling Area? In previous notes to the Digest, I have discussed that, given an exchange area near Baltimore and Washington, you may find that the prefixes serving it have differing local calling areas. Normally, the prefix with the smallest calling area is expected to be the one found on the pay phones there, but now I notice an exception: Glenwood and vicinity, Maryland (Howard County, west of Baltimore along I-70): 410-489 has no local service to Baltimore city; 410-442 (Woodstock service) is local to Baltimore metro area; and I recently found 442 in use on C&P pay phones, although I also stopped in a shopping center where at least one store was using 489. ------------------------------ From: dsr@roland.com (David S. Roland) Subject: Re: Roll Your Own PBX/Internal Phone System Organization: Roland Projects, Inc Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 20:16:05 GMT In article of comp.dcom.telecom, rjg@umnstat.stat.umn.edu (Robert J. Granvin) writes: > ... I volunteer for a group that is, like most non-profits, > incredibly broke. We have two phone lines to handle our voice and > data needs. That is all we can essentially afford to do. > At the same time, I will be RE-installing a PC with voicemail > capability. It will sit as a "front end" on the voice line and > In any case, the ultimate solution (Especially after a bunch of new > offices are built in the long-distant future :-) is that we find some > ability to develop our own internal telephone network -- to be able to > call up a specific phone or at least be able to forward incoming calls > to a specific phone (as opposed to the current procedure -- expecting > SOMEONE to answer that ringing nightmare and YELL for the person who > the call is for). > I realize I'm talking about a small office PBX. But I also realize.... I recommend a PC ISDN BRI interface card. All of the issues that you speak of are perfect for ISDN. Put your office on CENTREX, and use BRI only on your main "gateway" number. If you choose a board with a voice interface (I know of only two), you can provide an integrated solution. Display information that is sent to the ISDN device contains called number (and where available, calling number). The ISDN interface allows you to "answer", speak your message, collect routing information (such as extension), and forward the call to what ever desk you want. (I understand you want to do this under PBX control). But in addition, with the display information that you receive with the incoming call, you can request access codes to be entered before you transfer them into a modem or other secure device. If you get Caller ID, you can verify the caller based on the incoming number. Further, with ISDN you will get the data connection capability without modems (of course you can still use the analog ones too). The ISDN interface opens up an opportunity to provide ACD type services without being an ACD. It allows you to provide additional information and voice services that are not available any other way. The KEY is which hardware, and software to purchase and that depends on how you configure your system. Roland Projects provides software in this arena especially within a UNIX environment. Hope I helped. Dave <<----Ask me about the Residential (ISDN based) Information Appliance ---->> ROLAND PROJECTS, Inc. - P.O. Box 491/Fairport, New York 14450/(716) 223-0007 Interactive Voice Response Application and System Telecommunication Software ------------------------------ From: lzahas@acs2.bu.edu (Lukas Zahas) Subject: Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch Date: 16 Apr 93 06:18:33 GMT Organization: Boston University, Boston, MA, USA In article walsh@optilink.com (Mark Walsh) writes: > Here in 707 land, POP-xxxx works as it did in 415 (now 510) land where > I grew up. I had thought that this POP-xxxx thing was universal. A > few years back, I was on business in 617 and called it at about > midnight from my hotel, only to wake somebody who refused to believe > that such a thing as POP-xxxx exists. I tried the same thing when I came to Boston for school. After two years, someone finally told me that the number is 637-xxxx. It seems to be less common knowledge than POPCORN is in the Bay Area. The weather report number is the same as in the Bay Area -- WEather 6-xxxx. (I first found out that one from a question on Jeopardy). ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 12:25:16 PDT From: Cliff Barney Subject: Re: The Use of POPCORN to Set Your Watch San Franciscans have used POPCORN for years. However actually all one needs is the 767 prefix; after that, any four digits will do. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 09:30:00 +0000 From: Charles (C.A.) Hoequist Subject: Re: A Very Interesting Intercept In Digest issue 243, msb@sq.com (Mark Brader) writes: > However, the accents were still interesting. The sentence > was said with a *very faint* accent which I took to be French -- > probably the speaker is a highly bilingual Quebecois. The numeric > code was in a different voice and "22" was clearly "twenny-two". > For a considerable period which ended a few years ago, all Bell Canada > recordings that I heard were done by a single speaker, named something > like Carole Gault if I correctly remember the newspaper article about > her retirement. Now some of them are quite poor, sounding offhand and > amateurish. I suspect the poor quality of some of these are due to freelancing by local telcos, rather than a new voice being used. There are any number of IVR application generators out there which allow you to roll your own. I know, for example, that New Brunswick Tel does exactly that, and I doubt they're alone. The current 'voice of Bell Canada' (if you will) is a fluent bilingual named Claudia Theriault. She started doing Bell work around 1988-1989, but I suspect the intercept you heard is older (intercepts are pretty stable -- most of them have been around a long time). The numeric code is definitely not her voice. I've both recorded and 'coached' Claudia, and she *never* says 'twenny'. Charles Hoequist, Jr. | Internet: hoequist@bnr.ca BNR, Inc. | voice: 919-991-8642 PO Box 13478 | fax: 919-991-8008 Research Triangle Park NC 27709-3478 USA ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 13:47:54 CDT From: varney@ihlpl.att.com Subject: Re: Win/NT to Make CO Switched Obsolete? Organization: AT&T In article tds@hoserve.att.com (Tony DeSimone) writes: > On Wed, 7 Apr 1993 14:38:12 GMT, deej@cbnewsf.cb.att.com > (david.g.lewis) said: >> I feel I must agree with my distinguished colleague from Ericsson >> ... When someone shows me an NT server/LAN/WAN/Cable TV network that >> can handle 150 million calls per day and will have < four minutes >> per year downtime, I'll start believing it. > Well, I certainly hope my distinguished colleague from Illinois is ^^^^^^^^ Actually, David is at Holmdel ... > right ... still, I'm nagged by a similar sentiment that might have > come from some three-letter company about a decade ago: > "When someone shows me a desktop computer that can handle a > multi-gigabyte disk farm and a dozen tape drives and will support > hundreds of 3270 terminal sessions, I'll start believing it." > I guess if users had been as insistent as providers about doing things > the same old way, IBM wouldn't be where it is today. > Not that I'm really worried about the Windows NT gassing. Still, some > of the stuff some of the workstation and router vendors are doing is > enough to make me nervous. Of course there's always billing to screw > them up ... One can always imagine faster CPUs/memories to compensate for inefficient OS application support. But speed alone can't compensate for an architecture that isn't reliable (both hardware and software). Initial versions of ESS(tm) central offices had about 75% of their software concerned with diagnostics, fault detection, fault recovery and routine internal testing of redundant hardware. I'm sure the number is somewhat less today, but the point is that an un-reliable or un-testable hardware base can't be saved by using a fancy OS. If Windows NT can support high-speed switching, why couldn't it support real-time FAA radar displays, on-board aircraft controls and defense radar threat analysis? Want to have Windows controlling BART? Al Varney - just my opinion ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #260 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa04129; 17 Apr 93 3:16 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA08645 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Sat, 17 Apr 1993 00:55:07 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA25476 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Sat, 17 Apr 1993 00:54:20 -0500 Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 00:54:20 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304170554.AA25476@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@delta.eecs.nwu.edu Subject: Telecom Archives Index of Files - Spring, 1993 TELECOM Digest Sat, 17 Apr 93 00:50:00 CDT Special: Telecom Archives Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Telecom Archives Index of Files - Spring, 1993 (TELECOM Moderator) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 23:00:00 CDT From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: Telecom Archives Index of Files - Spring, 1993 A couple times each year I specifically update the indexes to the Telecom Archives files and present them here as a reference tool for users searching for specific files. The indexes will be presented below, but first, a few words about what you will be seeing. I have captured the directory 'telecom-archives' and several of the sub- directories. The directories labeled 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, etc are the files of back issues of this Digest. We have almost 12 year's worth, going back to the start of the Digest in August, 1981. The further back we go, the more likely an issue here and there is missing, but most of the several thousand back issues are available. The file 'telecom-recent' is the most recent (at any given time) bunch of back issues. This file contains issues x01 through x50 *or* issues x51 through x00. In other words, it gets flushed after the fiftieth and hundredth issues. Currently, the file opens with issue 251 as an example. It will be closed and moved to the 1993.volume.13 file when we reach issue 300, and a new 'telecom-recent' file will begin with issue 301. The file 'index-vol.9-10-11.subj.Z' is a HUGE file which contains all the subjects during the years 1989-91 in alphabetical order. You take it back to your site (be sure to use 'I', or binary mode to haul it!), then you uncompress it. Use 'grep' to search for subjects and authors. The file 'index-vol.12.subj.Z' is the same thing for 1992. The other files which begin with the word 'index' are mirrors, or copies of the directories. One of the most popular files in the archives is 'areacode.guide', a complete and detailed list of USA area codes in numerical order. The sub-directory dealing with security issues has also been very popular among archives visitors. The 'country.codes' sub-directory has had a lot of additions done to it recently as well, and is seeing a lot of traffic. How to obtain the files: As is briefly noted in the Digest masthead, anyone with anonymous ftp access can get any of the files for free; just go pull them. Just ftp lcs.mit.edu then login 'anonymous'. You should give your username@site.domain as your password. Then, you would 'cd telecom-archives'. You can also use 'gopher' to go to the archives, and I think 'web' will work at some sites. If you wish, you can use an ftp <=> email service. You can get the past two year's or so of back issues from the Net Exchange BBS operated by PC Pursuit, and the last year's worth more or less from Compuserve in the TELECOM Forum Library #1. Then too, there is a dialup you can use to a BBS where quite a few Archives files are kept (sorry, I cannot remember the number off hand, please write and mention it in a ply. Caveat Emptor to UUCP users, people at Fido sites, and those similarly situated where telephone connections or limited-traffic gateways are concerned (or if you are at a site where your email is metered and you have to pay for it): -- Many Archives files are quite large. The back issues files are the biggest, as you will see from the indexes below. *Before* you send away via ftp <=> email server or whatever, please consult your postmaster and or site administrator. Notify that person you are expecting very large files. Accept their counsel on the how/when/where aspects of it. Sites handling each other's UUCP traffic tend to get hostile at their neighbors when a user begins hauling great gobs of stuff back and forth, keeping toll-charged phone lines up for hours at a time. Even on the Internet, ftp is best done late at night or on weekends as resources are not infinite. Newsgroups and mailing lists are not to get first priority. Just a couple weeks ago, our site here (eecs.nwu.edu) slowed down to almost a halt; the admin looked at the mailq and saw me in there gobbling all those cpu's -- I got a no non- sense note: DO NOT RUN SENDMAIL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY ON A BIG LIST LIKE YOURS! I ask the same of you where the Telecom Archives is con- cerned. Be considerate. Now let's look at the directories: First, the main directory: total 5688 drwxrwxr-x 15 telecom telecom 6144 Apr 10 04:55 ./ drwxrwxr-x 24 root wheel 1024 Apr 10 01:05 ../ dr-xr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 512 Mar 2 1991 1981-86.volumes.1-5/ dr-xr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 512 Mar 2 1991 1987.volumes.6-7/ dr-xr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 512 Mar 2 1991 1988.volume.8/ dr-xr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 512 Oct 27 1991 1989.volume.9/ dr-xr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 1024 Oct 27 1991 1990.volume.10/ dr-xr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 1024 Jan 1 1992 1991.volume.11/ dr-xr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 1024 Jan 2 01:05 1992.volume.12/ drwxr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 512 Apr 10 03:38 1993.volume.13/ -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 17903 Oct 25 22:03 19th-century-telegraphers -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 40940 Mar 4 13:50 800.collect.callbacks -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 663 Jan 27 1991 READ.ME.FIRST -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 25799 Sep 12 1990 abernathy.internet.story -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 17389 Oct 1 1992 ada.phone.requirements -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 14124 Mar 24 1992 air.fone.frequencies -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 13983 Apr 19 1992 alascom.story -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 3551 Jan 27 06:12 ans.mach.exclusion.scheme -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 68508 Mar 14 1991 aos-new.fcc.proposals -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 68224 Nov 20 1990 aos-rules.procedures -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 60505 Feb 24 1991 apple.data.pcs.petition -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 18580 Jan 1 01:07 area.210-512.split.tx -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 18238 Nov 9 1990 area.214-903.split.tx -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 34805 Jul 30 1991 area.301-410.split.md -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 41444 May 19 1992 area.404-706.split.ga -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 34771 Jan 31 08:25 areacode.guide -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 9444 Apr 10 01:06 areacode.history -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 10662 Jan 31 08:05 areacode.program.in.c -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 20987 Jan 31 08:32 areacode.script -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 8734 Dec 13 1991 att-reach.out-calculator -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 474 Feb 11 1990 att.service.outage.1-90 -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 18937 Aug 1 1989 auto.coin.collection -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 16833 Nov 3 23:06 autovon-dod.phone.co -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 18962 Jun 20 1992 autovon.instructions -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 5795 Jan 27 02:40 bellcore.public.documents -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 8526 Dec 29 20:44 boing.zip -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 4788 Jun 10 1990 books.about.phones -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 21206 Nov 18 1991 breaux.bill.call.blocking -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 23355 Feb 14 22:28 cable.role.in.telephony -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 61504 Jul 30 1990 caller-id-legal-decision -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 4569 Feb 2 1992 caller-id-specs.bellcore -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 6807 Feb 2 1992 caller.id.specs -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 35488 Aug 22 1992 cellular.and.900.in.uk -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 39449 Dec 14 1990 cellular.carrier.codes -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 16188 Mar 14 1991 cellular.fraud.abernathy -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 2755 Mar 14 1991 cellular.fraud.prevention -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 17016 Aug 5 1990 cellular.phones-iridium -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 24455 Feb 6 1991 cellular.program-motorola -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 15141 Aug 1 1989 cellular.sieve -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 298 May 31 1990 cellular.west.germany -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 16292 Mar 18 1990 class.ss7.features -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 40784 Feb 25 12:37 clinton.hi-tech.speech -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 15023 Sep 30 1990 cocot-in-violation-label -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 38981 Oct 12 1990 cocot.complaint.sticker -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 52871 Apr 10 00:57 coming.of.the.fibersphere -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 70477 Sep 5 1990 computer.bbs.and.the.law -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 37177 Aug 22 1992 computer.in.hotel -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 23944 Aug 1 1989 computer.state drwxr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 512 Apr 10 01:37 country.codes/ -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 11267 Feb 25 1990 cpid-ani.developments -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 436 Mar 16 1991 deaf.communicate.on.tdd -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 86136 May 19 1992 deregulated.telecom.mkt -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 15877 Sep 1 1990 dial.tone.monopoly -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 28296 Sep 29 1990 dialup.access.in.uk -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 9087 Jan 27 02:56 dialups.to.internet -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 29980 Oct 29 1991 docket.87-215 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 13622 Aug 18 1991 e-mail.system.survey -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 16367 Sep 1 1990 e-series.recommendations -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 3422 Jan 20 1990 early.digital.ESS -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 62602 Aug 1 1989 ecpa.1986 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 97987 Aug 4 1990 ecpa.1986.federal.laws -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 39956 Jul 14 1990 elec.frontier.foundation -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 5922 Feb 22 1991 email.middle-east.troops -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 20660 Sep 5 1990 email.privacy -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 8504 Jan 27 1990 enterprise-funny-numbers -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 8234 Sep 26 1991 exploring.950-1288 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 19836 Nov 20 1990 fax.products.for.pc -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 24706 Oct 29 1991 fcc.modem.tax.action -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 33239 Aug 1 1989 fcc.policy -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 19378 Aug 1 1989 fcc.threat -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 484 Jan 14 1990 fcc.vrs.aos-ruling -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 9052 Aug 1 1989 find.pair -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 47203 Aug 1 1989 fire.in.chgo.5-88 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 1998 Jan 27 1990 fire.in.st-louis.1-90 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 377 Jan 27 1990 fires.elsewhere.in.past -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 1247 Feb 10 1990 first.issue.cover -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 62927 Feb 22 11:02 frequently.asked.question -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 14105 Nov 24 1990 genie.star-service -rw-r--r-- 1 map telecom 118496 Jul 31 1992 glossary.acronyms -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 43101 Jan 27 1991 glossary.isdn.terms-kluge -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 115757 Jul 31 1992 glossary.naval.telecom -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 42188 Jan 14 1990 glossary.phrack.acronyms -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 67113 Jan 14 1990 glossary.txt -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 68804 Feb 2 1990 hi.perf.computing.net -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 9444 Apr 9 00:03 history.of.area.splits -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 2337 Jan 27 1990 history.of.digest -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 17129 Jan 5 1992 history.of.stock.ticker -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 27984 Nov 23 1991 history.of.teletype -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 30996 Feb 26 1992 history.of.western.union -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 53628 Dec 6 1991 house.of.reps.bill.3515 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 32625 Mar 29 1990 how.numbers.are.assigned -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 31520 Aug 11 1991 how.phones.work -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 15302 Jan 20 1991 how.to.post.msgs.here -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 54041 Dec 13 1991 hr.3515.federal.law -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 1616 Nov 20 1990 index-canada.npa.files -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 0 Apr 16 19:36 index-country.codes -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 411 Nov 20 1990 index-minitel.files -rw-r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 0 Apr 10 05:53 index-telecom.archives -rw-r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 1936 Feb 1 10:23 index-telecom.security -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 343 Jan 20 1991 index-tymnet.info -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 568541 Jan 1 1992 index-vol.9-10-11.subj.Z -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 220055 Jan 2 15:06 index-volume.12.subj.Z -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 9087 Jan 27 02:42 internet.dialup.access -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 43671 Nov 16 01:09 internet.txt -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 936 Mar 3 1991 intro.to.archives -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 19745 Mar 12 13:50 isdn.paper -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 12896 Nov 20 1990 isdn.pc.adapter-hayes -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 73366 Feb 15 12:40 ixo.program.scripts -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 42150 Feb 14 22:33 ixo.tap.protocol -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 10590 Aug 11 1991 lata.names-numbers.table -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 4816 Aug 1 1989 lauren.song -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 801 Aug 1 1989 ldisc.txt -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 2271 Aug 1 1989 ldnotes.txt -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 13675 Aug 1 1989 ldrates.txt -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 12961 Aug 18 1991 lightning.surge.protect -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 12260 Jan 20 1990 london.ac.script -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 12069 Mar 5 1990 london.codes.script -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 15604 Aug 1 1989 mass.lines -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 19158 Nov 16 01:03 mcimail.interconnect -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 463 Aug 1 1989 measured-service dr-xr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 512 Nov 20 1990 minitel.info/ -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 36641 Aug 1 1989 mnp.protocol -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 106028 Aug 22 1992 modem.for.digital.data -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 103336 Jan 28 1992 modem.tutorial -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 2450 Jan 20 1990 modems.and.call-waiting -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 30981 Feb 9 1992 modems.and.hotel.phones -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 29973 Aug 11 1991 monitor.soviet.xmissions -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 23449 Jan 18 1992 motorola.programming -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 7597 Feb 10 1990 named.exchanges -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 16590 Oct 21 1990 net.mail.guide -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 3014 Jan 27 1990 newuser.letter -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 32815 Mar 25 1990 nine.hundred.service -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 190125 Jan 31 08:05 norway.goes.8.digits -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 2795 Aug 3 1991 npa.510.sed.script -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 45105 Mar 2 1991 npa.800-carriers.assigned -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 17618 Feb 2 1992 npa.800.carrier.list -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 13779 Sep 19 1990 npa.800.prefixes -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 45109 Mar 2 1991 npa.800.revised -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 35934 Dec 13 1991 npa.809.prefixes -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 15488 Nov 20 1990 npa.900-carriers.assigned -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 15099 Mar 8 1991 npa.900.how.assigned dr-xr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 1024 Jan 5 1992 npa.exchange.list-canada/ -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 16534 Feb 11 1990 nsa.original.charter-1952 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 9886 Jan 23 1990 occ.10xxx.access.codes -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 6847 Mar 2 1991 occ.10xxx.list.updated -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 7714 Jul 23 1991 occ.10xxx.new.revision -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 8593 May 5 1990 occ.10xxx.notes.updates -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 14354 Aug 12 1990 octothorpe.gets.its.name -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 85802 Apr 19 1992 ohio.decree.on.caller-id -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 8504 Jan 27 1990 old.fashioned.coinphones -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 2756 Jan 27 1990 old.hello.msg -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 3417 Feb 22 01:27 orange.calling.card -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 60707 Aug 18 1991 pager.bin.uqx -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 13079 Aug 22 1991 pager.ixo.example -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 70153 Aug 1 1989 pc.pursuit -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 5492 Aug 1 1989 pearl.harbor.phones -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 41112 Jun 20 1992 phone.hardware.you.build -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 11489 Sep 29 1991 phone.home-usa -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 28922 Aug 11 1991 phone.patches -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 38772 Aug 1 1989 pizza.auto.nmbr.id -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 14189 May 6 1991 radio-phone.interfere.1 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 11696 May 6 1991 radio-phone.interfere.2 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 8452 May 6 1991 radio-phone.interfere.3 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 17950 Jan 14 1990 rotenberg.privacy.speech -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 4184 Jul 27 1991 sprint.long-dist.rates -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 20526 Jun 11 1991 st.louis.phone.outage -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 9764 Jan 20 1990 starline.features -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 46738 Jan 18 1990 starlink.vrs.pcp -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 103069 Apr 26 1990 sysops.libel.liability -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 3864 Aug 22 1992 tat-8.fiber.optic -rw-r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 5921 Apr 8 13:50 tdd.specificaitons -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 27533 Feb 9 1990 telco.name.list.formatted -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 31487 Jan 28 1990 telco.name.listing -rw-rw-r-- 1 ptownson telecom 85906 Apr 10 02:04 telecom-recent -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 610 Sep 5 1991 telecom-recent.read.first drwxr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 1024 Apr 10 04:55 telecom.security.issues/ -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 32160 Feb 26 1992 telex.from.internet -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 21831 Jan 20 1991 telsat-canada-report -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 11752 Aug 1 1989 telstar.txt -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 14429 Jan 18 1992 test.numbers -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 18138 Sep 29 1991 toll-free.tolled.list dr-xr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 512 Dec 10 1990 tymnet.information/ -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 26614 May 29 1990 unitel-canada.ld.service -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 75793 Apr 8 13:43 unix.public.access.sites -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 427 Sep 20 1991 usa.direct.service -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 116 Oct 22 1990 white.pages -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 37947 Aug 1 1989 wire-it-yourself -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 4101 Aug 1 1989 wiring.diagram -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 24541 Aug 1 1989 zum.debate Next, a look at just one of the sub-directories with back issues. There are too many to do them all, but this example, '1992.volume.12' will give you an idea of how the files there are organized when you go looking for them. This convention works back through the start of Volume 8. Before that, check it out! total 17195 dr-xr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 1024 Jan 2 01:05 ./ drwxrwxr-x 15 telecom telecom 6144 Apr 17 01:14 ../ -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 900594 Jan 20 1992 vol12.iss001-050 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 921470 Feb 1 1992 vol12.iss051-100 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 905907 Feb 20 1992 vol12.iss101-150 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 920896 Mar 7 1992 vol12.iss151-200 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 886584 Mar 22 1992 vol12.iss201-250 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 948652 Apr 7 1992 vol12.iss251-300 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 936106 Apr 29 1992 vol12.iss301-350 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 895354 May 20 1992 vol12.iss351-400 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 884860 Jun 6 1992 vol12.iss401-450 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 936120 Jun 21 1992 vol12.iss451-500 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 898774 Jul 15 1992 vol12.iss501-550 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 986567 Aug 2 1992 vol12.iss551-600 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 941731 Aug 22 1992 vol12.iss601-650 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 951483 Sep 11 1992 vol12.iss651-700 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 952503 Oct 2 1992 vol12.iss701-750 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 986788 Oct 25 04:13 vol12.iss751-800 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 990138 Nov 16 02:07 vol12.iss801-850 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 1053771 Dec 12 15:09 vol12.iss851-900 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 593668 Jan 2 01:03 vol12.iss901-928 As you can see, these are large files. All the sub-directories for the years 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993 are this size and use this same naming convention for the files. Just change the 'vol' number in the file name. Next is the sub-directory 'telecom.security.issues': total 1054 drwxr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 1024 Apr 10 04:55 ./ drwxrwxr-x 15 telecom telecom 6144 Apr 10 05:55 ../ -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 24515 Sep 3 1991 atm-bank.fraud -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 6144 Mar 14 1991 cellular.fraud.abernathy -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 2755 Mar 14 1991 cellular.fraud.prevention -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 13343 Feb 25 1990 computer.fraud.abuse.act -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 27395 Jun 23 1990 craig.neidorf.indictment -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 9354 Jul 30 1990 craig.not.guilty -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 67190 Jun 23 1990 crime.and.puzzlement -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 62602 Aug 12 1990 ecpa.1986 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 97987 Aug 12 1990 ecpa.1986.federal.laws -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 6303 Apr 10 04:54 herb.zinn.story -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 21918 Dec 2 1990 illinois.computer.laws -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 28935 May 19 1990 jolnet-2600.magazine.art -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 30751 Mar 7 1990 jolnet-attctc.crackers -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 43365 Jan 28 1990 kevin.polsen -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 35612 Apr 1 1990 legion.of.doom -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 20703 Aug 12 1990 len.rose-legion.of.doom -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 2516 Jun 14 1991 len.rose.in.prison -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 184494 Jun 22 1991 len.rose.indictment-1 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 192078 Jun 22 1991 len.rose.indictment-2 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 15355 Feb 1 10:16 sentencing.guidelines -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 67099 Nov 4 1990 telecom.usa.call.block-1 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 31995 Nov 20 1990 telecom.usa.call.block-2 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 10833 Nov 20 1990 telecom.usa.call.block-3 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 6344 May 24 1992 virgin.islands.phreak -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 14821 Sep 12 1990 war.on.computer.crime Next, the 'country.codes' index: total 733 drwxr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 512 Apr 16 23:50 ./ drwxrwxr-x 15 telecom telecom 6144 Apr 10 05:55 ../ -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 11370 Feb 9 1990 country.code.list-covert -rw-rw-r-- 1 telecom telecom 9150 Jan 31 1990 country.code.list-djl -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 6089 Dec 27 1991 introduction-read.first -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 190125 Jan 31 09:29 norway.goes.8.digits -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 645 Dec 27 1991 zone.1 -rw-r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 267 Apr 10 01:37 zone.1.canada.area.codes -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 35934 Apr 10 01:34 zone.1.npa.809.countries -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 35128 Jan 27 02:50 zone.2 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 31857 Dec 27 1991 zone.3 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 37294 Dec 27 1991 zone.4 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 141455 Apr 8 13:47 zone.4.uk.44.detailed -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 56224 Jun 20 1992 zone.5.codes.50-54 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 60921 Jun 20 1992 zone.5.codes.55-59 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 27587 Dec 15 1991 zone.6 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 8787 Nov 16 01:11 zone.7 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 17716 Nov 16 01:11 zone.8 -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 43018 Sep 27 1992 zone.9 The Canadian area code/place name file: total 228 drwxr-xr-x 2 ptownson telecom 1024 Nov 20 11:39 ./ drwxrwxr-x 6 telecom telecom 4608 Nov 20 11:28 ../ -rw-r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 0 Nov 20 11:39 index.to.canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 1351 Feb 4 1990 introduction-canada.lists -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 15019 Apr 22 1990 npa.204.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 14708 Apr 22 1990 npa.306.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 17978 Apr 14 1990 npa.403.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 15907 Jul 20 22:31 npa.416.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 15592 Feb 3 1990 npa.418.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 10441 May 26 08:17 npa.506.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 11647 Feb 2 1990 npa.514.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 13538 Sep 12 18:55 npa.519.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 16701 Jul 20 22:32 npa.604.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 12444 Mar 29 1990 npa.613.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 12016 Feb 2 1990 npa.705.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 12899 May 3 1990 npa.709.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 5566 Feb 7 1990 npa.800.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 10479 May 5 1990 npa.807.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 15645 Feb 3 1990 npa.819.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 12839 Mar 29 1990 npa.902.exchanges-canada -r--r--r-- 1 ptownson telecom 1762 Apr 11 1990 updates.to.above.files The Tymnet and Mintel sub-directories are listings of dialup numbers and other items for use with those services. So, that's about it. There are additions to the Archives on an almost weekly basis, so please remember that what you see here is only a picture of what it looks like today. Have a nice weekend, and enjoy your visit(s) to the Telecom Archives! Patrick T. ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest Special Issue: Telecom Archives ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa07449; 17 Apr 93 5:00 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA17447 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Sat, 17 Apr 1993 02:43:31 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA18108 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Sat, 17 Apr 1993 02:42:56 -0500 Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 02:42:56 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304170742.AA18108@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #261 TELECOM Digest Sat, 17 Apr 93 02:40:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 261 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Using the Accelerated Index to Subjects and Authors (TELECOM Moderator) Bell Canada Phasing Out Rotary Dialing (David Leibold) Eastern Europe Telecommunications Mailing List (David Leibold) Deregulation of Telcos in Texas (James Hartman) Need PD IXO Pager Software For PC (Dub Dublin) Re: Roll Your Own PBX/Internal Phone System? (David H. Close) Re: Telco Uses My Lines (Gary Breuckman) Re: Minor But Puzzling Problem (Brian T. Vita) Re: Residential ISDN (Bob Frankston) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 01:56:55 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: Using the Accelerated Index to Subjects and Authors I have been asked to elaborate further on the Subject/Author Accelerated Index to the Digest. A project I started two years ago was a compilation of the subjects and authors in the Digest. I began with volume 9, which is when the present style of header information started. (You will notice we are indented by five spaces, with subject followed by author name in parenthesis). Prior to volume 9 the style was different, and getting those subject titles would tax a good programmer, which I am not. So we have volumes 9,10, and 11, covering the years 1989, 1990 and 1991 in one file, and volume 12 which covers 1992 in another file. The 1993 titles will be merged into the latter file at the end of this year. These files are compressed in the archives. What you do is ftp them to your site, *then* uncompress them. Don't uncompress them in the archives, heh heh! Then you 'grep' them as desired or if you actually want to print out a file many thousands of lines long, you can send it to your printer if desired. The list is in alphabetical order, with any reference to 'Re:' ignored in the sort. Where subjects have the same name (with one being the 'original' and the remainder being 'Re:' followups), then the sort continues further by author's FIRST name then last name. For example, two articles with the same name, the first by Adam Smith and the second by John Bunyan would appear in that order, because A comes before J. Due to oddities in the file, it is suggested you use the most liberal arguments to 'grep': 'grep -iw' seems to work best and avoids missing a possible hit because of upper/lower case differences, the way words are presented in the line, etc. It is also a good idea to include the argument in single quotes so grep will avoid misunderstandings about what you want when symbols like {, [ , ^, etc could appear in a subject name. Experiment with search keys. Too broad a search key will produce reams of titles and authors ... too narrow a search may miss the hit you are looking for. The output to your screen will look something like this: Let's say you were grepping for an article by Mr. Bunyon: 12/101-150 My Mind to Me a Kingdom Is (John Bunyan) This is interpreted as follows: Volume 12, the file of issues 101-150. So you would then go to the archives using anonymous ftp. cd telecom-archives cd 1992.volume.12 get vol12.iss101-150 The lowest numbers you will see on the right side are 09/xxx-xxx meaning Volume 9. The largest number at the present time will be 12. When you get the proper file back to your site, then you would grep further to find where the article was in the file. For more help within the accelerated index itself, grep 'intro'. Each of the index files has several lines at the top keyed that way with helpful text. Let me know if you really have a hard time finding something. Patrick Townson ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 23:43:01 EDT From: David Leibold Subject: Bell Canada Phasing Out Rotary Dialing Below is material from the CRTC regarding Bell Canada's new mandatory touch tone network access for new and changed installations. Bell Tariff Item 70 sets out the local monthly rates for primary exchange (local) service. There is now a rider which requires the Touch-Tone service according to rates specified in Item 2150.5, namely $3.80 extra/month for business service, and $2.55/month for residential service, or a special $1.90/month rate for those with certified disabilities. (All rates in CAD$, incidentally.) This proceeding was buried in the general stream of tariff approvals. There was no formal public proceeding or public notice issued regarding this change which effectively raises local phone rates for those who previously wanted rotary dial service without the touch tone rate. While this was technically available to the public, it takes a bit of an inside jon to find out such plans before it's too late. Bell Canada's application letter was as follows: -------------- 1992 12 23 Mr. G.G. Henter, Executive Director, Telecommunications, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2 Dear Mr. Henter: Associated with Tariff Notice No. 4653 Attached for the Commission's approval are proposed revisions to the Company's General Tariff Items 70, 2150 and 2300 to provide for the grandfathering of rotary dial access service and the standardization of Touch-Tone (TT) access service for individual line customers. Under the Company's proposal, which is similar to those recently approved by the Commission for MT&T and NBTel, TT access will be the standard service offering for individual line customers. Customers who request installation of an individual line service or a move of their existing individual line service to a different premises will be provided TT access at existing tariffed rates. Individual line customers who have rotary dial access service will be able to retain their rotary service until such time as they move to other premises. Rotary dial access service will also continue to be available for all two and four-party line service customers. In conjunction with the grandfathering of rotary dial access for individual line services, the Company also proposes to no longer provide the 500-type telephones, in item 2300.1, for new installations, except for two and four- party line customers. The implementation of TT access as the standard service offering for individual line customers on new installations and moves is consistent with both the Company's plans to increase revenues through increased penetration and customer expectations of the service. The Company has made TT access technically feasible throughout its territory and has actively promoted the service, with the result that the TT access penetration rate was 75.4% overall as of October 1992. Touch-Tone's ease of dialing and its ability to facilitate customer access and use of a growing number of services, including the Company's various calling services, have also helped increase Touch-Tone's penetration as well as the penetration for calling services, with the resultant increase in overall revenues from local services. Because of the current level of penetration and because more than 90% of customer requests for new installations or moves already involve Touch-Tone, the Company's view is that the gradual process of standardizing TT access by grandfathering rotary dial access will minimize disruption for customers and to the Company's operations. The Company proposes to implement the standardization of TT access on 1993 03 08 and will advise customers of the change via bill inserts. At current monthly rates, the Company expects that the implementation of TT access will generate additional revenue of approximately $2.3 million in 1993 and $8.2 million in 1994. At the monthly rates proposed in Tariff Notice No. 4552 the impacts are expected to be $2.6 million and $9.0 million respectively. The Company respectfully requests approval of the proposed tariffs by 1993 01 22. In the event that the Commission is unable to approve the proposed tariffs by 1993 01 22 the Company requests that the Commission allow 45 days between the approval date and the effective date to facilitate implementation of the proposed changes. Yours very truly, Director General - Regulatory Matters Attachment [Approved by Telecom Order CRTC 93-23, issued 14 January 1993] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 23:59:16 EDT From: David Leibold Subject: Eastern Europe Telecommunications Mailing List There is a mailing list for discussions of Eastern Europe telecommunications. This is on a listserv at UBVM.BITNET, list EUEARN-L. Recent posts include progress of e-mail networks in eastern Europe, among other things. To subscribe, send mail to LISTSERV@UBVM.BITNET with the first text line set up as: SUBSCRIBE EUEARN-L Firstname Lastname (with the Firstname Lastname part being your name that you will register under) The listserv should return a message with details on how to use the mailing list, but once that happens, you will receive the EUEARN-L postings. dleibold1@attmail.com dleibold@vm1.yorku.ca ------------------------------ Subject: Deregulation of Telcos in Texas From: phaedrus@unkaphaed.jpunix.com (James Hartman, Sysop) Date: Sat, 17 Apr 93 00:32:32 GMT Organization: Unka Phaed's UUCP Thingy, Houston, TX coyne@thing1.cc.utexas.edu writes: > Somebody has been advertising on TV to get us to call 800-669-6903 to > learn about how we can get Texas into the technology future with > fiber optic communication etc. [...] That "somebody" includes -- guess who! -- Southwestern Bell! Reading that fine print as it sped by made me immediately want to talk to my representatives in Austin and tell them NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. Anything that SWB wants so badly that they need to advertise it on TV can only mean that we're gonna get reamed again. James Hartman (phaedrus@unkaphaed.jpunix.com) Listen to "Weightless" Friday mornings on KPFT 90.1 Houston at 3:00 a.m. ------------------------------ From: hwdub@cyberia.hou281.chevron.com (Dub Dublin) Subject: Need PD IXO Pager Software for PC Organization: Chevron Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 05:32:10 GMT I've tried the more common ways to get this kind of info, and I haven't had any luck. I need a PD/free program for a PC to send a message to an Alphanumeric pager using the IXO (same as TAP, I think) protocol. I'm currently using tpage 2.0 (with a lot of my own hacks to make it work - that's another story) on UNIX to do this, but I need something that will work on the PC. (Before anyone suggests it, it would be easier to start over than to port the tpage programs to the PC...) Also, there is apparently some way to send an alpha message to an alpha pager using only DTMF signalling (assuming, of course, that my paging company's terminal can handle this...) If someone can provide me with info on this protocol as well, I would really appreciate it. If there is enough interest in this subject, I'll summarize and post the results. Dub Dublin Chevron Information Technology Company hwdub@chevron.com (713) 596-3199 [Moderator's Note: Just the very information you are seeking is in the Telecom Archives. Check out the ixo files. There are two or three you should pull and review for programming examples, etc. PAT] ------------------------------ From: dhclose@cco.caltech.edu (David H. Close) Subject: Re: Roll Your Own PBX/Internal Phone System? Date: 17 Apr 1993 02:29:08 GMT Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena rjg@umnstat.stat.umn.edu (Robert J. Granvin) writes: > I realize I'm talking about a small office PBX. But I also realize > that it is something that is way beyond our budget or abilities to > acquire. Have you considered used equipment? There are quite a few vendors who specialize in used key systems suitable for your needs. Depending on your organization, you might even be able to arrange a donation ... Dave Close, dhclose@alumni.caltech.edu, BS'66 Ec ------------------------------ From: puma@halcyon.com (Gary Breuckman) Subject: Re: Telco Uses My Lines Organization: Northwest Nexus Inc. (206) 455-3505 Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 03:06:52 GMT In article gleick@Panix.Com (James Gleick) writes: > It drives me nuts to find NYTel repairmen using my phone lines, > presumably from the terminal on the street, to make calls to the ... > Am I not paying for these lines? Any thoughts? Is this really allowed? A group I am with has a line set up as a "info-line" with an answering machine that members can call for late-breaking events, etc. Now that the local telco is charging for outgoing calls, the person in charge of the line and billing noticed two outgoing calls charged for one month. All previous months had no calls outgoing and of course there is no telephone set on the line. It was only 12-cents, but he pushed the issue and the telco sent an itemized list of the calls (number,time and duration). Despite his assurances that previous months had no calls and there was no instrument on the line, they insisted that he review the list first to see if he recognized the numbers before they would issue a credit -- what a waste of time all around. I don't think they (the telco) were concerned about the fraud issue or tried to explain it. [Moderator's Note: After 'looking it over', I'd have identified both numbers (as being internal numbers at telco) then called back telco and yelled for awhile ... using phrases like 'theft of service'. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: 17 Apr 93 01:14:03 EDT From: Brian T. Vita <70702.2233@CompuServe.COM> Subject: Re: Minor But Puzzling Problem > It is the same four-wire line; she's on red-green and I've got black-yellow. I think that your problem is right here ... most of the red/green/black/ yellow telephone wire that I've seen is straight quad. The individual conductors lay straight next to each other. A better wire for your application would be two twisted pairs (while your at it, you might want to install three or four pair to make future expansion easy). The twisted pairs tend to keep crosstalk at a minimum. BTW -- have you checked for crosstalk at the demarc with your house wiring disconnected? Brian Vita CSS, Inc. Somewhere on Compu$erve ------------------------------ From: Bob_Frankston@frankston.com Subject: Re: Residential ISDN Date: Sat 17 Apr 1993 02:22 -0400 I want residential ISDN but it seems strange that I would have to have a line for each extension running back to the CO. Given the state of technology isn't there a small box that would be a local (i.e., house-level, economical) ISDN switch? This would be a requirement for a 90's implementation of ISDN. If there is no such economical device, then ISDN ain't very interesting. ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #261 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa23161; 18 Apr 93 4:45 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA31936 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Sun, 18 Apr 1993 02:27:47 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA24891 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Sun, 18 Apr 1993 02:27:09 -0500 Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1993 02:27:09 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304180727.AA24891@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #262 TELECOM Digest Sun, 18 Apr 93 02:27:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 262 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson A Mailing List Ripped Off (TELECOM Moderator) Computer Professionals Call For Debate on Encryption (Dave Banisar) Re: White House Encryption Proposal (EFF Statement via Andrew Blau) Re: Zero Plus Dialing (Alan Munn) Re: Zero Plus Dialing (Jason Garner) Re: Minor But Puzzling Problem (Carl Oppedahl) Re: Telecom Archives Index of Files - Spring, 1993 (Eric Engelmann) Re: Crossed Lines (Brian T. Vita) How to Receive All Chaos Digest Issues (Jean-Bernard Condat) Re: Calling 800 Numbers to Harass Their Owners (S. Spencer Sun) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1993 00:27:40 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: A Mailing List Ripped Off I am sorry to report that due to an error by myself in leaving one of the mailing lists used by the Digest in a position where it could be read by outsiders, a bozo came along and did just that: copied it all out (several hundred names on that list) and no doubt is using it for his own purposes by now. It has been fixed so it should not happen again, but I guess I should never underestimate the extent to which some people will go to invade the privacy of others. What is so sad is the way so many net people squall and squeal and carry on about their own privacy so much, then think nothing of cracking right into someone else's account and personal files to rip them off. Admittedly, I left a sneaky way into the file I had forgotten about, but still, don't you feel violated when that kind of thing happens? I know I do. Anyway, sorry, and if you get strange mail, you'll know why. Thank goodness he only got one of the mailing lists, only about 600 names and net addresses were copied out. Patrick Townson ------------------------------ Organization: CPSR Civil Liberties and Computing Project From: Dave Banisar Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 16:43:02 EST Subject: Computer Professionals Call For Debate on Encryption April 16, 1993 Washington, DC COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS CALL FOR PUBLIC DEBATE ON NEW GOVERNMENT ENCRYPTION INITIATIVE Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR) today called for the public disclosure of technical data underlying the government's newly-announced "Public Encryption Management" initiative. The new cryptography scheme was announced today by the White House and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), which will implement the technical specifications of the plan. A NIST spokesman acknowledged that the National Security Agency (NSA), the super-secret military intelligence agency, had actually developed the encryption technology around which the new initiative is built. According to NIST, the technical specifications and the Presidential directive establishing the plan are classified. To open the initiative to public review and debate, CPSR today filed a series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with key agencies, including NSA, NIST, the National Security Council and the FBI for information relating to the encryption plan. The CPSR requests are in keeping with the spirit of the Computer Security Act, which Congress passed in 1987 in order to open the development of non-military computer security standards to public scrutiny and to limit NSA's role in the creation of such standards. CPSR previously has questioned the role of NSA in developing the so-called "digital signature standard" (DSS), a communications authentication technology that NIST proposed for government-wide use in 1991. After CPSR sued NIST in a FOIA lawsuit last year, the civilian agency disclosed for the first time that NSA had, in fact, developed that security standard. NSA is due to file papers in federal court next week justifying the classification of records concerning its creation of the DSS. David Sobel, CPSR Legal Counsel, called the administration's apparent commitment to the privacy of electronic communications, as reflected in today's official statement, "a step in the right direction." But he questioned the propriety of NSA's role in the process and the apparent secrecy that has thus far shielded the development process from public scrutiny. "At a time when we are moving towards the development of a new information infrastructure, it is vital that standards designed to protect personal privacy be established openly and with full public participation. It is not appropriate for NSA -- an agency with a long tradition of secrecy and opposition to effective civilian cryptography -- to play a leading role in the development process." CPSR is a national public-interest alliance of computer industry professionals dedicated to examining the impact of technology on society. CPSR has 21 chapters in the U.S. and maintains offices in Palo Alto, California, Cambridge, Massachusetts and Washington, DC. For additional information on CPSR, call (415) 322-3778 or e-mail . ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 19:51:37 -0500 From: Andrew Blau Subject: Re: White House Encryption Proposal The following is extracted from an EFF statement released yesterday in response to the Clinton Administration's cryptography statement: The Clinton Administration today made a major announcement on cryptography policy which will affect the privacy and security of millions of Americans. The first part of the plan is to begin a comprehensive inquiry into major communications privacy issues such as export controls which have effectively denied most people easy access to robust encryption, and law enforcement issues posed by new technology. However, EFF is very concerned that the Administration has already reached a conclusion on one critical part of the inquiry, before any public comment or discussion has been allowed. Apparently, the Administration is going to use its leverage to get all telephone equipment vendors to adopt a voice encryption standard developed by the National Security Agency. The so-called "Clipper Chip" is an 80-bit, split key escrowed encryption scheme which will be built into chips manufactured by a military contractor. Two separate escrow agents would store users' keys, and be required to turn them over law enforcement upon presentation of a valid warrant. The encryption scheme used is to be classified, but the chips will be available to any manufacturer for incorporation into its communications products. This proposal raises a number of serious concerns. First, the Administration has adopted a solution before conducting an inquiry. The NSA-developed Clipper Chip may not be the most secure product. Other vendors or developers may have better schemes. Furthermore, we should not rely on the government as the sole source for the Clipper or any other chips. Rather, independent chip manufacturers should be able to produce chipsets based on open standards. Second, an algorithm cannot be trusted unless it can be tested. Yet, the Administration proposes to keep the chip algorithm classified. EFF believes that any standard adopted ought to be public and open. The public will only have confidence in the security of a standard that is open to independent, expert scrutiny. Third, while the use of the use of a split-key, dual escrowed system may prove to be a reasonable balance between privacy and law enforcement needs, the details of this scheme must be explored publicly before it is adopted. What will give people confidence in the safety of their keys? Does disclosure of keys to a third party waive an individual's Fifth Amendment rights in subsequent criminal inquiries? These are but a few of the many questions the Administrations proposal raised but fails to answer. In sum, the Administration has shown great sensitivity to the importance of these issues by planning a comprehensive inquiry into digital privacy and security. However, the "Clipper Chip" solution ought to be considered as part of the inquiry, and not be adopted before the discussion even begins. Andrew Blau Electronic Frontier Foundation 202-544-9237(v) Associate for 666 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E. 202-547-5481(f) Telecommunications Policy Washington, DC 20003 blau@eff.org ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 17 Apr 93 21:56:06 -0400 From: amunn@gibbs.oit.unc.edu (Alan Munn) Subject: Re: Zero Plus Dialing It seems that some pay phones around Chapel Hill are "serviced" by Zero Plus Dialing. I placed a call to LA *which didn't connect* and received a bill with my phone bill for $7.76! They charged me for a three minute call. When I got the bill, I called them up 800-456-7587 and complained. They didn't argue at all, just took my phone number and told me a credit would appear on my next bill (which it did.) My guess is, though, that they make quite a bundle on those folks who don't check their bills too closely, or place a lot of payphone calls without worrying about the LD carrier. Someone from ATT mentioned something about reporting payphones which deny 10xxx access. I don't think I've come across one yet that *allowed* it. Could s/he get e-mail me the information. Thanks. I did notice that the payphones at the Virginia interstate rest stops have signs telling you that there's no 10xxx access along with the 800 numbers to reach MCI, ATT and Sprint. Alan [Moderator's Note: All the 'genuine Bell' payphones around here allow it even if the default carrier on the phone is other than AT&T. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 17 Apr 93 22:06:40 -0700 From: jgarner@netcom.com (Jason Garner) Subject: Re: Zero Plus Dialing I've had problems with this company as well. The PUC says that they're a "billing agent" solely and do not provide long distance service. I disputed some Allnet charges. Allnet removed them and they later showed up on my bill as ZPD Long Distance. Apparently, this company exists just to bill for calls that there already may be some problem with (hence the large number of complaints against it) and when a company like MCI or Allnet doesn't want to risk their reputations by pressing the matter (or investigating) they just turn it over to ZPD. ZPD is foreign owned and based out of Texas. Since you get so many billing complaints perhaps you could set up some sort of system where people could send the complaints directly to your archive to be stored by company name. When someone has a grievance against a company they could search the archive to find similar situations to bolster their case to the PUC etcetera. I'm sure you have an abundance of free time in which to do this. DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed here are not opinions at all. They are the words of God HIMSELF! [Moderator's Note: One of the things I'd like to do eventually here as part of my enterprises is operate such an archive where people could share information with each other about those companies. PAT] ------------------------------ From: oppedahl@Panix.Com (Carl Oppedahl) Subject: Re: Minor But Puzzling Problem Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 23:31:30 GMT In Digest <04.17.93.A@eecs.nwu.edu> is written: >> It is the same four-wire line; she's on red-green and I've got >> black-yellow. > I think that your problem is right here ... most of the red/green/black/ > yellow telephone wire that I've seen is straight quad. The individual > conductors lay straight next to each other. > A better wire for your application would be two twisted pairs (while > your at it, you might want to install three or four pair to make > future expansion easy). The twisted pairs tend to keep crosstalk at a > minimum. > BTW -- have you checked for crosstalk at the demarc with your house > wiring disconnected? Both suggestions are right on point. In my experience, the wire that has pair one as blue/white and white/blue, and pair two as orange/white and white/orange, and so on, tends to be twisted pair. And anybody doing their own wiring should install network interface jacks at the demarc point ... so that tests of this kind are easy to do just by plugging in two phones. Carl Oppedahl AA2KW (intellectual property lawyer) 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112-0228 voice 212-408-2578 fax 212-765-2519 ------------------------------ Date: 18 Apr 1993 03:16:00 -0400 (EDT) From: Eric Engelmann 38488 Subject: Re: Telecom Archives Index of Files - Spring, 1993 I think it would be interesting to put all the archives on CD-ROM with a text search tool to locate articles on different equipment. Could you make a WILD guess as to how many people would buy a copy if it cost, say, $79? Are there copyright issues? I produce a number of CD-ROMs already, and this sounds like a fun project. [Moderator's Note: Gee, you read my mind. Another goal of my enterprise is to make the Telecom Archives popularly available on a wide variety of media such as CD-ROM, a direct dialup phone number, etc. I think people might pay $79 for such a product. We'd have to issue updates now and then however, as the archives is always growing. You'd have to clear it with the Holy Fathers in Usenet first though. I think you are expected to work on it for nothing and give it away free. I even had one of 'em ask me today if I got individual permission from each person who had been in the Digest in the past four years before creating the master index of subjects and author's names. I replied that if he was trying to cause me to have a heart attack, he was doing a damn good job. I'd say go with it if you can make just a few to test out interest. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: 18 Apr 93 00:47:36 EDT From: Brian T. Vita <70702.2233@CompuServe.COM> Subject: Re: Crossed lines > A better wire for your application would be two twisted pairs (while > your at it, you might want to install three or four pair to make > future expansion easy). The twisted pairs tend to keep crosstalk at a > minimum. A footnote to my earlier post ... If you're going to run extra pair, be sure to ground the extra pair(s) at one end. Failing that, you may end up hearing an occassional "Radio Free Europe" or "Voice of America" broadcast. ------------------------------ From: jbcondat@attmail.com Date: 18 Apr 93 03:59:59 GMT Subject: How to Receive All Chaos Digest Issues Bonjour, You may have written me to receive the new computer security e-journal called Chaos Digest. The Digest presents some security aspects: frauds, hacking, swapping, legislation, phreaking ... The delivery costs are extremely expensive on the CCCF AT&T account, and if you would receive all issues, don't hesitate to subscribe. SUBSCRIBE: Send a message to: linux-activists-request@niksula.hut.fi with a mail Header or First line containing the following informations: X-Mn-Admin: join CHAOS_DIGEST BACK ISSUES: Available on some ftp anonymous, like: * kragar.eff.org [192.88.144.4] in /pub/cud/chaos * uglymouse.css.itd.umich.edu [141.211.182.91] in /pub/CuD/chaos * halcyon.com [192.135.191.2] in /pub/mirror/cud/chaos * ftp.cic.net [192.131.22.2] in /e-serials/alphabetic/c/chaos-digest * ftp.ee.mu.oz.au [128.250.77.2] in /pub/text/CuD/chaos * nic.funet.fi [128.214.6.100] in /pub/doc/cud/chaos * orchid.csv.warwick.ac.uk [137.205.192.5] in /pub/cud/chaos Ask for file "chaos-1.xx" with "xx" as the issue number. If you have some question, don't hesitate to ask me, directly! Jean-Bernard Condat CCCF, B.P. 155, 93404 St-Ouen Cedex, France Phone: +33 1 47874083, Fax: +33 1 47877070 InterNet: jbcondat@attmail.com or cccf@altern.com ------------------------------ From: spencer@phoenix.princeton.edu (S. Spencer Sun) Subject: Re: Calling 800 Numbers to Harass Their Owners Reply-To: spencer@phoenix.princeton.edu (S. Spencer Sun) Organization: Society for Promotion of Entropy in the Universe (SPEU) Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1993 07:08:01 GMT Speaking of overloading 800 numbers, a friend of mine who graduated last year mailed me and some mutual friends (one also '92, one a fellow '94) about 1-800-NEW-WORD, provided by one of the major dictionary publishers... each day it had a new "interesting" word and explained the definition and origins of it (the day he told us about it, the word was kludge" and since we're all CS majors ... :-) ) Note use of past tense ... apparently the way this friend found out about it was because it was posted to the net somewhere. It doesn't seem to have survived very long past that, because it's been disconnected now ... (not that I think it was because of any malicious dialing in this case ... probably just the sheer volume of the Internet ...) sss / PU Class of '94 Dept of Computer Science ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #262 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa12655; 19 Apr 93 3:12 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA05597 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Mon, 19 Apr 1993 00:50:51 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA02555 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Mon, 19 Apr 1993 00:50:00 -0500 Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 00:50:00 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304190550.AA02555@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #263 TELECOM Digest Mon, 19 Apr 93 00:50:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 263 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Lucky Number? (TELECOM Moderator) Caller ID Display Suggestions Wanted (Tad Cook) Information Sought on Video Phone (John Conwell) Re: White House Encryption Proposal (Richard Osterberg) Re: Need PD IXO Pager Software For PC - Clarification (Dub Dublin) Needed: Someone to Scan a Large Article For Archives (TELECOM Moderator) From the Archives: Old Fashioned Coin Telephones (Various, January 1988) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1993 23:17:39 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: Lucky Number? The {Chicago Tribune} for Sunday, April 18, 1993 began a multi-part series on the changing face of telecommunications. In the first article, entitled "Lucky Number?" {Tribune} writer Jon Van discussed the coming of 640 new area codes two years from now and 'lifelong personal telephone numbers'. An Uncertain Prize in Technology Race ===================================== (some excerpts follow) ... "The portable, personal phone number -- one that will reach *you* rather than reach your home or office -- is nearly here. "You may get this number from your local phone company, but it might also come from a cellular company, a cable-TV firm, or someone else entirely. And, once assigned, the number may become yours for life regardless of who is supplying your phone service. In fact, some regulators support making not only your telephone number, but your area code, portable. If you live now in Elmhurst (a Chicago suburb) but move to Omaha, your area 708 telephone number might move with you. "Whether many people will actually want lifelong personal phone numbers is anyone's guess. But the likelyhood they'll have that choice illus- trates just how fundamentally what used to be a monopoly business, local telecommunications, is changing." .... .... Later in the article, Mr. Van discusses Ameritech (the regional Bell Company here) plans for competition. He notes that the firm is inviting competition to vie for its customers. In return, Ameritech wants government regulations eliminated or cut significantly. And how would those competitors install their network? Well, the competitors would rent our network, said one Ameritech executive. .... .... Mr. Van reports that Ameritech is not alone in this approach. He noted that Pacific Telesis has split into two companies, one retaining the traditional regulated monopoly telephone services and the other becoming an unregulated firm selling cellular and other communication services. On the east coast, Bell Atlantic recently announced it intends to defy earlier court rulings and deliberatly offer television services in the Washington, DC area; a Bell Atlantic spokesperson said the company intends to challenge the government restrictions placed on it and (if successful) forge the way for other telephone companies to enter fields of their choosing. .... The article discusses in some technical detail how the existing 144 area codes are used and the reason for the expansion with 640 more codes beginning in about two years. Ron Connors, a spokesman for Bellcore is quoted in at length in the article. An interview with George Gilder is included in a sidebar, focusing on 'light fiber' and 'dark fiber'. 800 number portability, now just about two weeks away is mentioned, with notice given that the sure loser in 800 portability will be AT&T, which presently dominates the market. A discussion of Ameritech's 'Wisconsin Health Information Network' is part of the article, and its plans to expand this medical communications network into other states in the near future. The failed 'Picturephone' service of the 1960-70's is discussed along with the new video phone services being offered today. Overall, this was an excellent start to a series which will be published occassionally in the {Chicago Tribune}. If you would like to have the complete article, let me know, as there was far too much to run it all here. ----------------------- To get a copy sent to your fax: (my preference) ... Write me and send a dollar for the toll charges or two dollars if outside the USA. Be sure to include your fax number and anything I need to know to connect. To get a copy sent on paper through the mail: I'll send it to you for the cost of copying and postage if you write me and include a LONG self-addressed, stamped envelope with *two* stamps on it and a dollar bill to feed the Metro Office Building community copy machine downstairs in the building where my office is located. If you are outside the USA, send me the dollar in US currency if you happen to have any, otherwise skip it and just send the the LONG self-addressed envelope. Send Postal Union coupons good for two ounces, or give me three US dollars in total, etc. I think it will come out on four or five legal-size (8.5 by 14 inch) sheets of paper, and weigh in at a little over an ounce. Write to: Patrick Townson ATTN: Tribune Telecom Article Post Office Box 1570 Chicago, IL 60690-1570 USA If you prefer to get it directly from the {Chicago Tribune} then write: Chicago Tribune Public Service Department 440 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611 USA Ask for "Business News, Section 7", Sunday, April 18. The paper costs $1.50 on Sunday and they like getting the postage, so I guess you would send them a couple dollars. Patrick Townson ------------------------------ Subject: Caller ID Display Suggestions Wanted Date: Sun, 18 Apr 93 15:33:36 PDT From: tad@ssc.com (Tad Cook) U S West is finally introducing Caller ID in Seattle on May 5. I have two lines at home on residential Centrex service. I looked at the Hello Direct Catalog, and their single line display boxes that show both name and number are about 80 bucks each. Anyone have any cheaper suggestions? Does anyone make a lower cost CLID decoder that handles two lines? Tad Cook | Phone: 206-527-4089 (home) | MCI Mail: 3288544 Seattle, WA | Packet: KT7H @ N7DUO.WA.USA.NA | 3288544@mcimail.com | Internet: tad@ssc.com or...sumax!ole!ssc!tad ------------------------------ From: John Conwell Date: 18 Apr 93 11:58:13 EDT Subject: Information Sought on Video Phone Does anyone know when Bellcore introduced the Video Phone? I seem to think it was at a 1960s Consumer Product Show. Also, if a truly interactive video phone is available for residential use today. I am aware of Sony's teleconferencing, although I don't know the particulars. Thanks for any info. T.T.F.N! {Ta Ta For Now!} J.F.C. [Moderator's Note: The {Chicago Tribune} article I mentioned earlier in this issue said 'the failed Picturephone project' was being marketed heavily in 1964-65. This was a comment from A. Michael Noll, Dean of the School of Communications at UCLA who was employed by the old Bell System at the time. 'Video phone' is the name for it now; 'Picturephone' was the name back then. Of course there was no Bellcore back then and there is no Bell System now. PAT] ------------------------------ Subject: Re: White House Encryption Proposal From: osterber@husc8.harvard.edu (Richard Osterberg) Date: 18 Apr 93 23:25:29 GMT OK ... this all seems rather stupid ... doesn't it? What's to stop all these "Criminals" that we'll have warrants to wiretap from simply adding *more* encryption to the telephone system? If they simply encrypt before going through a Clipper Chip and then decrypt on the other end of the Clipper Chip ... then we'd be right back where we started. Or did I miss something here? Rick Osterberg osterber@husc.harvard.edu 617-493-7784 617-493-3892 2032 Harvard Yard Mail Center Cambridge, MA 02138-7510 USA ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1993 22:38:46 -0500 (CDT) From: Dub Dublin Reply-To: Dub Dublin Subject: Re: Need PD IXO pager software for PC - Clarification Pat: Thanks for checking, but I had already checked the archives. The only thing there for the IXO/TAP protocol (at least that I could find) is the same tpage program I'm already using on UNIX (but without the fixes that will let it work reliably -- it kind of sucks as distributed), a HyperCard IXO/TAP program, and a description of the IXO/TAP protocol. I don't really want to roll my own here -- I was searching to see if someone on the Net has already written such a program FOR THE _PC_. Unless you have another suggestion, please post this note to the net and lets see if we can find something out there to do this job! Thanks, Dub Dublin Chevron Information Technology Company email: hwdub@chevron.com phone: (713) 596-3199 PROFS: never again... ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 1993 23:38:00 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: Needed: Someone to Scan a Large Article Kevin Bluml very kindly sent me a copy of New York Telephone's publi- cation 'FIRE: The Second Avenue Story' -- the detailed account (from the company's perspective) of the disasterous fire which devastated the company's Second Avenue Building, February 27, 1975; the fire which knocked out phone service in lower Manhattan for a month. I'd love to put this in the Telecom Archives, but it is far to much for (even me!) to type. There are about twenty pages of text, and quite a few pictures, maybe forty pages in total. If someone with a scanner would be so kind as to take this into their care, returning the finished work to the Digest for publication here then placement in the Archives, I'll be happy to mail it out to you. If by chance you already have a copy of 'FIRE' and want to scan it, that would be even better. Please let me know. PAT ------------------------------ From: Various Writers Subject: From the Archives: Old Fashioned Coin Phones (January, 1988) Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 00:30:00 CDT By request, a reprint of some items from a popular thread which appeared in the Digest during January, 1988 which originally was entitled 'Enterprise and Other Funny Phone Numbers'. Enjoy! --------- Date: 7 Jan 88 22:39:45 GMT From: decvax!ima!johnl@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (John R. Levine) Organization: Not enough to make any difference Subject: Re: Enterprise Numbers and other funny phone numbers In article <2257@cup.portal.com> Patrick_A_Townson@cup.portal.com writes: >OTHER MORE OR LESS STANDARDIZED PHONE NUMBERS IN THE 1930'S - 1950'S: >... >Coin phones always began with a 9, as in 9xxx. This was universally >recognized ... Well, not quite universally. My phone number is -9650 and as far as I can tell hasn't been changed since the house got dial service, other than changing the prefix from UNIversity to the equivalent 864. (I'm not that old, but the number came with the house.) I note that -9649 is indeed a payphone in a nearby bar. -9950 used to be the local business office, causing a certain number of strange calls. My understanding is that they put special relays on pay phone lines that bounced when they connected, making a distinctive ticky-ticky sound that the operator could recognize. For that matter, when you make a toll call from a payphone, how does the long distance company know that it's a payphone? Special trunks? Special bits in ANI messages? Only AT&T does anything interesting with direct dialed calls from payphones, but the other LD companies at least know to block them. John Levine, ima!johnl ------------------------------ Date: 8 Jan 88 05:32:22 GMT From: ptsfa!perl@ames.arpa (R. Perlman) Organization: Pacific Bell Marketing Subject: Re: Enterprise Numbers and other funny phone numbers In article <838@ima.ISC.COM> johnl@ima.UUCP (John R. Levine) writes: >In article <2257@cup.portal.com> Patrick_A_Townson@cup.portal.com writes: >>OTHER MORE OR LESS STANDARDIZED PHONE NUMBERS IN THE 1930'S - 1950'S: >>... >>Coin phones always began with a 9, as in 9xxx. This was universally >>recognized ... > >Well, not quite universally. My phone number is -9650 and as far as I can tell >hasn't been changed since the house got dial service, other than changing the >prefix from UNIversity to the equivalent 864. Actually you are both right! In step-by-step offices the 4 and 9 levels were ofter tied together when all line thousands groups were'nt needed. A non-coin would be assigned the number -4xxx and a coin -9xxx, in fact it didn't matter whether you dialed a 4 or nine, you get the same number. BTW, Operators have listings by area code showing all the NNXs (actualy NXXs) that have coin stations. Usually only 1 code per CO has coin lines. If a number (for 3rd number or collect calling) is a -9xxx & is in a coin NNX then the Operator checks with Rate & Route for a "coin check" to see if the number is indeed a coin box. -- Richard Perlman 1E300 2600 Camino Ramon, San Ramon, CA 94583 ------------------------------ Date: 8 Jan 88 16:59:14 GMT From: codas!ablnc!maxwell@bikini.cis.ufl.edu (Robert Maxwell) Organization: AT&T, Maitland, Florida Subject: Re: Enterprise Numbers and other funny phone numbers > >Coin phones always began with a 9, as in 9xxx. This was universally > >recognized ... > Well, not quite universally. Back in the days before the TSPS operator positions, the operators had an indexed list at their positions that they used for identifying area codes that listed almost every city or exchange in the USA. One of items also listed in this index was the pay phone number series in any exchange that used a special group of numbers. It has been a few years since I last saw one, but I do remember the numbers for pay phones could be anything from an exchange + 1 digit (ie: 321-9) to a group of numbers (ie: 321-7800 to 321-8299). As I remember the instructions with the list, this was a group to be checked for possible pay phone, not necessarily an absolute list. I don't consider myself very old, but I can remember when the phones were so automatic, you didn't have to turn a dial or push buttons, you would just speak the number you wanted into the mouthpiece and the connection would be made. :-) > For that matter, when you make a toll call from a payphone, how does > the long distance company know that it's a payphone? Special trunks? > Special bits in ANI messages? Only AT&T does anything interesting with > direct dialed calls from payphones, but the other LD companies at > least know to block them. With ESS offices, the programming takes care of handling special needs for a given line. It is reasonably simple to prevent charging LD calls to a given line, no matter which company you use for LD. The same basic technique that gives you 1+ dialing to your LD company can control how the calls are accepted from a pay phone. Bob Maxwell AT&T DP&CT | All standard (and most non_standard) Maitland, FL ihnp4!ablnc!maxwell | disclaimers apply. ------------------------------ Date: 12 Jan 88 06:43:03 GMT From: portal!cup.portal.com!Patrick_A_Townson@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU Organization: The Portal System (TM) Subject: Re: Enterprise Numbers and other funny phone numbers Perlman points out a method of detecting coin service which is correct. If in fact the receiving number is coin; and if the caller insists on making the call collect, and provided some fool on the receiving end agrees to accept the collect call then he has to deposit the money as if he were making the call. The only problem is, the distant operator cannot supervise the collection properly. The operator tells called party to hang up and wait a minute....she calls inward in the city in particular, and asks for assistance from a local operator in manipulating the coin collection table; assistance in dumping the coins in the box, collecting for overtime, etc. The local operator calls the coin box, gets the money and connects the parties. Does anyone on here remember when coin phones had on the top for nickles, dimes and quarters AND had no trap door on the coin return AND had regular -- not armored -- cable to the handset? As little kids we rarely paid for calls. We either applied ground to the line through a tiny pin hole in the handset cord (which we put there, of course) or we used a coat hanger bent in a funny way which we stuck up the coin return. We would deposit the money which fell on the table inside. The process was the operator would apply the tip and ring one way to throw the table and toss the money in the box or would apply it in reverse to throw the table in the direction of the return slot, to give the money back if there was no answer, etc. To make long distance calls, we would use the same quarter(s) over and over. The operator would ask for two dollars -- in would go two or three quarters (clung clung clung)...."just a minute operator, I am looking for more change!..."and that coat hanger would go up the return slot and trip the table, sending our quarters down the chute and back to us.... "Ok operator, here is the rest of the money...." and if we were fast enough, or the operator was not suspicious, the coat hanger could be used to retrieve the three quarters ...some operators immediatly collected when there was an answer, especially if they suspected hanky panky on the other end...some would not wait for the full collection, but grab the coins as they came in, hitting that ring key over and over knowing the brat-child on the other end of the line had been thwarted in the process.... Some of the older exchanges in downtown Chicago years ago had to have the assistance of a special "trunk operator" to return the money if a call was not complete. Your operator would give up on completing the call and tell you to hold on...after a few seconds and a click, someone would answer "Wabash trunking"....and your operator would say something like "return on circuit 5096"....and the phone would clatter and your coins would fall back out to you. And there was also (downtown) the Franklin Coin Central Office which handled nothing but pay phones in the downtown area. --------------------- If you have other favorite threads from the past, feel free to supply them for use on a space available basis. Be sure to include the date they appeared in the Digest if possible. ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #263 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa21107; 19 Apr 93 19:45 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA27615 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Mon, 19 Apr 1993 16:30:47 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA29608 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Mon, 19 Apr 1993 16:30:02 -0500 Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 16:30:02 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304192130.AA29608@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #264 TELECOM Digest Mon, 19 Apr 93 16:30:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 264 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Wireless City (S. Spencer Sun) 3DO Demo (Robert L. McMillin) USA - Intro to Telecom Area Codes Required (Colin Smale) Re: White House Encryption Proposal (Dream Weaver) Re: From the Archives: Old Fashioned Coin Phones (Jan, 1988) (Dave Niebuhr) Re: From the Archives: Old Fashioned Coin Phones (Jan, 1988) (Les Reeves) Re: A Very Interesting Intercept (rathinam@saifr00.cfsat.honeywell.com) Re: Information Sought on Video Phone (Sandy Kyrish) Re: Information Sought on Video Phone (Joe Bergstein) Re: Information Sought on Video Phone (Jim Rees) Re: Information Sought on Video Phone (Jon P. Knight) Re: Caller-ID Devices (A. Padgett Peterson) Motorola UDS V.32 to MAC Info Needed (Rhett Glover) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: spencer@phoenix.princeton.edu (S. Spencer Sun) Subject: Wireless City Reply-To: spencer@phoenix.princeton.edu (S. Spencer Sun) Organization: Society for Promotion of Entropy in the Universe (SPEU) Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 16:54:20 GMT Taken from the current (May 1993) issue of _Discover_, page 21, all typos are my fault. At 12:01 AM on December 2, 1992, Quitaque, Texas, was cut off from the rest of civilization. But the 513 residents of this rural town 80 miles northeast of Lubbock did not notice the difference. Moments later Quitaque (pronounced KIT-a-kway) [why do publications, the NY Times e.g., insist on providing the pronunciation of foreign names/places halfway through the first paragraph, instead of after the FIRST USAGE where it would make the most sense? -- Spencer] became the world's first "wireless city" -- that is, the first whole community whose telephone calls are transmitted by radio signals rather than overhead or underground cables. From each of the 400 or so telephones in Quitaque, an underground wire leads to a "cluster box" that serves 24 phone lines. Next to each cluster box stands a 30-foot pole bearing an antenna. The antenna beams and receives 454-megahertz digital radio signals to and from a radio transmission tower ten miles to the east, in Turkey, Texas. From there the signal travels to a switching station 30 miles northeast of Quitaque in Lakeview. When a Quitaque resident picks up the phone, a dial tone returns to him from Lakeview in about 40 milliseconds; even when he dials another Quitaquean, the call is routed through Lakeview. The high-frequency digital signal delivers better sound quality than an analog cellular phone, and unlike analog signals it is encoded in such a way as to make eavesdropping prohibitively expensive. In addition, the range of the digital system is greater than that of analog cellular phones; anyone within 37 miles of the Turkey transmitter can be connected to the network by installing a cluster box and antenna. Some isolated ranches north of Quitaque are now getting telephone service for the first time. Residents of Quitaque itself are getting modern conveniences -- call waiting, call forwarding, speed dialing, and teleconferencing -- that had been unavailable on their antiquated system. "We're glad to be the first, and I'm excited by all the features," says Quitaque mayor Elgin Conner. "The major advantage of this product is what it does for rural America," says Reynold (Bob) Wolter of InterDigital Communications Corporation, the firm that patented the technology. InterDigital is planning to install a similar system in Haviland, Kansas, later this year. but since telephone cable is already strung all over the United States, the greatest market for digital radiotelephony may be in Third World countries that are just now developing a telecommunications infrastructure -- or have recently lost one. After the Gulf War, for instance, InterDigital provided telephone service to the royal family of Kuwait. sss / PU Class of '94 Dept of Computer Science ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 05:14 PDT From: rlm@helen.surfcty.com (Robert L. McMillin) Subject: 3DO Demo Last Thursday night I got to see a demonstration of the 3DO game box at the Electronic Cafe in Santa Monica. The hardware consisted of what essentially was late beta (pre-production) silicon, code-named 'blue'. Everything was running out of a Macintosh Quadra and two PC clone boxes that supposedly had Quadra guts lying in them because of the larger capacity available. The name 3DO is a take on audio -- video -- 3DO; some of the software wags say that it really means "Three Dollars Only", referring to their licensing arrangements, which are much more agreeable than those Nintendo enforces. The 3DO Company will put out its first stock offering some time in the second quarter, probably May. 3DO only licenses its technology, manufacturing nothing. (They should ask Chips & Technologies how that works out if your competitors are your customers!) Two people led the demo, one from the marketing side of the 3DO organization and one from the engineering side. The engineer was really quite funny. I guess he needed a sense of humor: as he brought up the 'red' (first beta) hardware, it proceeded to break! That was really too bad, because most of the demo software was designed to run on the 'red' machine. Later on, he was able to move the 'blue' chipset over to the 'red' machine and cripple it appropriately for us to see the demo. We saw a lot of texture mapping on shaded polygons. For instance, they brought up a cube with three images on it, each image appearing on two faces of the cube. My guess is that they can draw shaded polys til the cows come home, but really good texture mapping isn't quite there yet, or may not even be in the plans. It may be hard to do a fly-through of a forest, for instance, the way you could with an SGI box, because you'd need to texture map large areas. Full-motion animation in the best compression mode looks as good as VHS videotape. They cut a tape of their Japanese show, which they later compressed and put on a 3DO CD (which runs at double speed, for a net bandwidth of ~300 KB/s). This will be a very nice effects box for home video use, and they have anticipated this use of it. Each disk holds a half-hour of full-motion video in the best compression mode. We saw clips from "Backdraft" (to prove the box doesn't drive video into color saturation), "Jaws", and the "old" trailer from "Jurassic Park." (My friend at Paramount assures me that the new one is much cooler.) They are using AT&T for their silicon foundry, which is odd, since Matsushita is really the big force behind 3DO. On the other hand, Matsushita doesn't have that much experience building digital systems, either. The first production boxes will carry the Panasonic label, natch. AT&T is very interested in selling networked versions of these boxes, possibly with ISDN or some other similar interface for networked game play. The Panasonic machines will arrive in October, and the AT&T machines some time in 1994. Robert L. McMillin | Surf City Software | rlm@helen.surfcty.com | Dude! #include ------------------------------ From: colin@integow.integrity.nl (Colin Smale) Subject: USA - Intro to Telecom Area Codes Required Date: 19 Apr 93 16:51:14 GMT Organization: Integrity BV, Woerden, Holland My company has a fax product for Unix and Windows which is currently being marketed in Europe. We are seeing a lot of interest in our product in America. We would like to be able to produce a version for the North American market, but I think we are rather spoiled by the simple area code system which (in most European countries) years of state monopoly has produced. Can anyone help me get hold of an 'idiots guide' to the US telephone system so we can get our product set up properly? Questions which spring to mind include: When does one need to dial a '1' before a ten-digit number? When does one need to dial a '1' before a seven-digit number? Is it acceptable to use ten digit numbers exclusively, even within one's own area? If a phone is connected to a private exchange, what is the conventional digit to obtain an outside line? Would a product such as ours be expected to explicitly choose a LD carrier by using prefix codes? If so, how does that work? How many of these things need to be configurable because they are liable to vary from state to state for example? Well, that's a rough description of my problem. Can anyone help? Is there perhaps a few pages in a US phone directory which describe the procedures that someone might be able to fax to me? Please reply be mail as I don't get to read this group often. If anyone asks, I'll summarise to the net. Thanks in advance! Colin Smale colin@integrity.nl Integrity Software Consultants BV Woerden, Holland [Moderator's Note: Unfortunatly things are not yet totally standardized in the USA regards when and when not to use 1+ on long distance and/or inter/intra LATA calls. The front pages of any given telephone book would give instructions peculiar to that location. The general rule -- although as noted, exceptions exist -- is that you either dial seven digits or you dial 1 plus ten digits. In the Telecom Archives, some files of interest will be 'areacode.guide', 'history. of.area.splits' and others with 'area' or 'npa' as the first word. PAT] ------------------------------ From: trh42502@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Dream Weaver) Subject: Re: White House Encryption Proposal Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 14:13:50 GMT Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana In article osterber@husc8.harvard.edu (Richard Osterberg) writes: > OK ... this all seems rather stupid ... doesn't it? What's to stop all > these "Criminals" that we'll have warrants to wiretap from simply > adding *more* encryption to the telephone system? If they simply > encrypt before going through a Clipper Chip and then decrypt on the > other end of the Clipper Chip ... then we'd be right back where we > started. Or did I miss something here? This is exactly the reason for the uproar in some groups. Most agree that the Clipper Chip increases security, by adding a layer of encryption that is difficult for the average hacker to break and a bother for authorities. There also seems to be a consensus that to make this workable ALL other private cryptology and nonregistered keys will be outlawed. Tom Hilquist Internet:t-hilquist@uiuc.edu Disclamer: I didn't write this! Email for PGP Public Key PGP 2.2 Key fingerprint = 20 FF CA 46 1D B8 CD 55 F7 9D 71 B0 BD B7 B3 B5 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 09:15:49 EDT From: dwn@dwn.ccd.bnl.gov (Dave Niebuhr) Subject: Re: From the Archives: Old Fashioned Coin Phones (January, 1988) In TELECOM Digest V13 #263 many people wrote about Old Fashioned Coin Phones (January, 1988) and the mention of using a 9 as the first number in a phone number (XXX-9XXX) and how it was used for coin phones. Yesterday, I received a call from my wife's boss and his number is XXX-9XXX. Someone also mentioned that one exchange would carry the 9XXX as the coin phone numbers leaving any other exchanges in that community or communities available to use that series. I would tend to suspect that is the case here since he called from the third oldest exchange in that community and there were coin phones available prior to that. Dave Niebuhr Internet: niebuhr@bnl.gov / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, LI, NY 11973 (516)-282-3093 Senior Technical Specialist: Scientific Computer Facility ------------------------------ From: lesreeves@attmail.com Date: 19 Apr 93 15:52:23 GMT Subject: Re: From the Archives: Old Fashioned Coin Phones (January, 1988) Re: Enterprise numbers and other funny phone numbers. As late as 1977, it was still possible to,uh-hum,"access" TTC (Terminating Toll Completing) Codes. The Rate and Route operator (TTC code 141) provided validation of Bell Coin Phones. When Rate and Route answered you blurted out "Checking for coin; NNX-XXXX" and R&R would look it up in the multi-leaf. This was long before TSPS/TOPS had a database in which such information now resides. If the number was non-coin, it could receive collect calls. [Moderator's Note: Besides doing coin number look ups, Rate and Route (which was a service operated by Illinois Bell in Morris, IL for all the Bell System companies) located dialing codes used by operators to place calls to 'inward' in other cities, etc. They also did the look- ups for 'Enterprise' numbers and other stuff. But you *could* call 'collect' to a payphone -- there had to be someone there willing to stick the money in the box of course, and the operator placing the call had no control over the collection of the coins in the box so she had to call 'inward' in the city where the pay station was located and ask them for assistance in grabbing the coins as they went in the phone. Those calls were rare I imagine. PAT] ------------------------------ From: rathinam@saifr00.cfsat.honeywell.com Subject: Re: A Very Interesting Intercept Organization: Honeywell Air Transport Systems Division Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 07:02:20 GMT Ok, so many different people called that number, which the original poster described as giving "A very interesting intercept" although he/she didn't tell us what exactly it was. From the postings on this topics, it seems like there is something of some "interest" in this intercept, but since not everyone is getting the same intercept (since they call from different area codes, I am assuming), WHAT DID THE ORIGINAL POSTER OF THE MESSAGE hear -- and what did he/she find interesting? I can tell you to call 1-800-BAD-TIME and listen because I think there is something "very interesting" ;-) [BTW, I am NOT asking you to]. Or may be a 900 # ;) rathinam@saifr00.cfsat.honeywell.com Opinions, if any expressed, are mine and may not represent my employer's. [Moderator's Note: Perhaps someone who got through to the annoucement will transcribe it and mail it to this reader. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 13:30 GMT From: Sandy Kyrish <0003209613@mcimail.com> Subject: Re: Information Sought on Video Phone John Conwell asked when the Picturephone was introduced: the answer is the 1964 World's Fair. It used 1 MHz of bandwidth as I recall. (From the literature, not from a purchase!) I believe I remember a demonstration of one at Hemisfair '68 in San Antonio Texas ... AT&T is not having success with its residential videophone; it is cutting prices. IMHO, as a member of the teleconferencing industry, it will be a good while before residential videophones will be available. We are all very excited now because business vidphone prices have dropped to $13,000 each, and we all salivate at the tantalizing thought of $5,000 vphones coming around through use of the Pentium chip and the like. So there's a pretty far drop from $5K to home prices -- people don't spend $5K on TVs, stereos, even computers really. And to say that people might be willing to buy lesser quality at a lesser price -- well, what's out there for $13K now, over dual 56 kbps lines, is not the most fabulous image quaity in the world. Drop to a single 56K line, take out the heavy duty image processing, and you will get what you pay for -- not much. While people were willing to put up with a noisy phone line for cheap LD prices, what's the point of having a fuzzy, jerky video image. There's a big difference between hiss in the background that doesn't really obscure speech, and a "noisy" video image. And, the only real way to do heavy duty compression of video is with digitalization, so you won't see much til ISDN to the home. Sandy Kyrish 320-9613@mcimail.com ------------------------------ From: Joe.Bergstein@p501.f544.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Joe Bergstein) Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 09:29:43 -0500 Subject: Re: Information Sought on Video Phone In a message on Sun. 4/18, John Conwell asked: > Does anyone know when Bellcore introduced the Video Phone? I > seem to think it was at a 1960s Consumer Product Show. AT&T introduced the original video phone at the 1964 Worlds Fair in Flushing Meadow New York. > Also, if a truly interactive video phone is available for > residential use today. Both AT&T and MCI are selling versions of a slow motion interactive video system available for residential use. I believe the cost is around $1,000 per unit. [Moderator's Note: So is Sharper Image or DAK, or one of those catalogs. I forgot the price; they are the slow scan variety. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Jim.Rees@umich.edu Subject: Re: Information Sought on Video Phone Date: 19 Apr 1993 15:53:18 GMT Organization: University of Michigan CITI In article , John Conwell writes: > Does anyone know when Bellcore introduced the Video Phone? I seem to > think it was at a 1960s Consumer Product Show. If you mean the Picturephone, I think the first public installation was a three-way hookup between the 1964 New York World's Fair (Bell System exhibit building), the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and Disneyland. This is from memory so I could have it all wrong. PAT, do you remember when the one in Chicago was removed? And, while we're on the subject, do you remember the tic-tac-toe machine made out of Strowger switches? (Maybe it was crossbar, I'm not sure.) [Moderator's Note: After the New York Fair, Chicago MSI hooked it up to Disneyland for awhile if I recall correctly. The 'phone company' had a wonderful exhibit at MSI for many years. Yes, I remember the tic-tac-toe game, where you dialed your selection with a rotary dial, watched the stepper switch move and your choice light up on the display board. They also had a pay phone which was a speakerphone; demonstrations on a cross bar switch and other stuff. I lived directly across the street from MSI (56th and Hyde Park Blvd) for a number of years in the 1960-70 period. There was seldom a weekend I did not go over for lunch in the cafeteria and an hour or two brousing. When the Picturephone was operating, it was left continuously connected to the World's Fair. Anyone on that end who walked past stared into the camera at whoever walked past on the other end. Depending on the chemistry of the people involved, quite often the people on both ends who as luck had it walked past at the same time would sit down and chat. I talked to a lot of neat people on that thing. Chicago MSI happens to be one of the two buildings still remaining from the World's Fair of 1892-93 in Chicago, commonly known as the Columbian Exposition. PAT] ------------------------------ From: jon@hill.lut.ac.uk (Jon P. Knight) Subject: Re: Information Sought on Video Phone Organization: Dept of Comp. Studies, Loughborough University of Tech., UK. Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 08:20:39 GMT In article John Conwell writes: > Also, if a truly interactive video phone is available for residential use today. I am aware of Sony's teleconferencing, although I don't know the particulars. In the UK, British Telecom have recently released an interactive video phone which can be used for either business or residential use. I don't know much about the technical details (Richard Cox or one of the other uk.telecomers who read this forum might like to fill in the details), but I do know that they cost 300-400 pounds each (with a special deal on buying more than one - handy! ;-) ) and are advertised to work practically everywhere in the world except for some Third World countries (I'm not sure why they can't be used in those countries; it could be either political reasons or something to do with the poor telephone service offered). Jon Knight, Research Student in High Performance Networking and Distributed Systems in the Department of _Computer_Studies_ at Loughborough University. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 08:43:58 -0400 From: padgett@tccslr.dnet.mmc.com (A. Padgett Peterson) Subject: Re: Caller-ID Devices Tad Cook asks about Caller-ID devices. Well I have two and both connect to my PC for call filtering. The first was purchased about a year ago and is aptly named "Whozz Calling" and came from a copmany in Atlanta. It consists of a box with rj-11 in, rj-11 out and a serial cable for the PC. When a call comes in a database is queried and if accepted a signal is sent back to the box to let the call through to the "out" rj-11. If not in the db or marked "do not answer", the calling party just hears unending rings. This cost about $80.00 US. The other is a Supra 14,4 FAX Modem that I paid just under $300 for (I understand that they have an internal for $200 now and a 2400 baud for less). $20 US puchased the optional Caller-ID ROM and I wrote a PROCOMM + .ASP file to do essentially the same as the above. I also have a Gemini box purchased for $35 US at Home Depot that just records/displays the time and number. The downside of all this is that Southern Bell charges $7.50 US per month per line for Caller-ID service and IMHO the coverage is not broad enough. The last ten calls to come into the one line I have it on were all "Out of Area" (call blocking produces a different message). In fact calls from a subdivision less than three miles away (yes, it is inside my LATA and a free call) comes in as "Out of Area". Overall I am running about one in four identified calls. This is not worth $7.50 a month and if I were not using it for testing, would have it taken out. Warmly, Padgett ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 10:51:41 EST From: Rhett Glover Subject: Motorola UDS V.32 to MAC Info Needed Hello net land, I picked up a Motorola UDS V.32 modem, Model # LCD RM 16M SA, at a computer auction this weekend. Only problem is ... no documentation!. Can anyone help me get this thing hooked up to my Quadra 700? Any pointers to Documentation would be appreciated. Thanks, Rhett Glover USAF Air Warfare Center Eglin AFB Fl 32542 904 882-9341 gloverr@uv4.eglin.af.mil ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #264 ******************************  ^A^A^A^A Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa16460; 20 Apr 93 6:06 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA09769 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Tue, 20 Apr 1993 03:15:51 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA29612 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Tue, 20 Apr 1993 03:15:03 -0500 Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 03:15:03 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304200815.AA29612@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #265 TELECOM Digest Tue, 20 Apr 93 03:15:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 265 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in "Secure" Phone System (Jim Hart) Followup: How to Busy Out a Line (Jeff Wasilko) Looking to Sell PBX's (Bonnie J. Johnson) Still Another New AT&T Plan (TELECOM Moderator) Emergency Changes Made by Data Broadcasting News (Darren Ingram) Re: CD-ROM Archives (Steve Forrette) Strange Intercept on Personal 800 Number (Brian Gordon) Re: Information Sought on Video Phone (John R. Levine) Reaching Out and Touching Someone, Anyone (Mark Brader) Re: Wireless City (Sean Malloy) Re: Mysterious Charges on Phone Bill (Russell Blau) Re: A Very Interesting Intercept (Paul Robinson) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jhart@agora.rain.com (Jim Hart) Subject: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in "Secure" Phone System Organization: Open Communications Forum Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 19:47:49 GMT All the world should be made aware of the National Security Agency (NSA) wiretap chip, called the "Clipper Chip" in confusion with Intergraph's popular CAD station chip. The wiretap chip is being put in AT&T's new line of "secure" phones sold as a "privacy system" to domestic and international customers alike. The announcement, and the endorsement by naive Clinton Adminstration rookies, has been posted in sci.crypt. (If you are in another country and did not get to see these posts, please request and I will repost them publicly with international distribution). In this chip, the "private" encryption keys are in fact stored at the NSA's headquarters. This allows the NSA to monitor and store billions of of domestic and international telephone calls between businessmen, diplomats, government leaders, lawyers and psychiatrists and religious leaders and tax accountants and their clients, tourists, and everyday citizens. The NSA has spent several $billions on terabyte disk archives; they can search telephone calls recorded on these archives at their leisure with more $billions worth of high-speed computers. The U.S. government will soon be spending $28 billion per year for such intelligence purposes. Furthermore, NSA refuses to divulge its top-secret code in the chip, which may allow it to wiretap even if political pressure is applied on them to give up their key-archive system. It's time to take action now: * Boycott AT&T -- this is in your own best interest; you're an idiot if you use a phone service that has demonstrated its lack of respect for your privacy. * Lobby governments to take the following actions: -- Forbid the import of key-escrow phones, which jeopardize national security as well as the integrity of business and privacy of citizens; -- Forbid domestic government agency key-archiving schemes; -- Remove obsolete Cold-War restrictions on private use of electronic cryptography for private communications; -- (In U.S.) Publish the NSA Clipper algorithm immediately; -- Get government out of the crypto business; * Develop an open, international, non-archive, free market system of cryptography as a de facto standard for real telephone privacy. Accept no NSA-crackable weak algorithms, top-secret algorithms, key archiving, or secret government collusion with megacorporations like AT&T. jhart@agora.rain.com ------------------------------ From: Jeff@digtype.airage.com (Jeff Wasilko) Subject: Followup: How to Busy Out a Line Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 22:58:45 EST Organization: Air Age Publishing, Wilton CT USA Reply-To: jeff@digtype.airage.com A few weeks ago I asked for the best way to busy out a line. A few people wanted to know why I needed to busy the line out: after hours, our Auto Attendant transfers calls to our answering service via two OPX lines when the customer wants to place an order. The problem was that we have three lines in the 800 hunt group, and only two OPX lines to our answering service. Unfortunatly our phone system and auto attendant (a Norstar) is really stupid in the way it handles analog lines, forcing us to limit incoming calls to two at a time. Many people suggested 600-1000 ohms or so ohms across tip and ring, and others suggested a dead short would be the same to the CO. After talking to the test board tech, I installed a switch to short tip to ring, and it's been working fine for two weeks. The test board tech marked our records about the fact that we are busying out the line in case an error is ever generated. We've had it busied out over a three-day weekend (Easter) and we get dial tone back in less than a minute every time when we remove the short. Thanks for everyone's help. Jeff Jeff's Oasis at Home. Jeff can also be reached at work at: jwasilko@airage.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 15:55:55 EDT From: Bonnie J Johnson Subject: Looking to Sell PBX's Two 4600 GTD Electronic digital PBX telephone switches; Manufactured by Automatic Electric; Feature rich, 15,000 line capacity when connected by tie lines; Software version on switch 1-1321, switch 2-1411; Recent change terminals for adds, moves and changes and traffic studies; Seven attendant consoles; Battery power plant used for back up; Available January 1994. Any ideas netters might have other than overseas and the salvage yard? ty, bj ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 22:49:58 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: Still Another New AT&T Plan A letter in the mail today from AT&T tells of still another plan for long distance calling, called "Simple Savings", and later it is said to be part of "The 'i' Plan. There are so many of these things anymore, it is even starting to get confusing to me! This deal is based on your making $30 per month or more in long distance calls. If you do, then you get a 25 percent discount on calls to any one area code of your choice, and 15 percent discount on your calls to all other area codes. These discounts will be automatically deducted from your bill each month. This sounds a lot like the old 'Pick a Point' plan that Illinois Bell used to offer (maybe still does) on calls within their LATA in Illinois. I guess this turns out to be a better deal than Reach Out America, depending on your application; the time of day you make your calls, etc. To sign up, you call AT&T at 1-800-358-8231, extension 3269, tell them which area code you want, then continue calling as always. The two things I am curious about are a caveat emptor at the bottom of the letter which says 'subject to billing availability' and some code numbers. I guess they must bill for this through the local Bells like most of their other calling plans; apparently they are still at the mercy of those billing offices which do not have the software installed yet. At the very bottom of my letter, in small print is this legend: It includes one of my phone numbers, which I replaced with xxx. C31 312 xxx xxxx Y 074 VEI IWS SS01 9627 $ I think the 074 refers to the billing office at Illinois Bell here in Chicago. Does anyone know what the other letters and numbers mean? Most important, note the dollar sign on the right side ... does this mean I'd get money for leaving them then being lured back by the promise of some filthy money? :) I wonder how much? :) Or does the lack of figures after the dollar sign mean I get nothing? :( Patrick Townson ------------------------------ From: dingram@dims.demon.co.uk (Darren P. Ingram) Subject: Emergency Changes Made by Data Broadcasting News Organization: Darren Ingram Media Services Reply-To: dingram@dims.demon.co.uk Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 22:47:14 +0000 This may interest some of you ... IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR DATA BROADCASTING NEWS READERS TELE-satellit, the operators of the facsimile polling service currently used by DBN, have advised that this service is to be withdrawn by the end of May 1993. Unfortunately it will not be possible to get a pollable fax service operational by this time. Arrangements have been made to ensure a faxed out or mailed out service for DBN readers, and in time a new polling service should be available. In order to be kept advised of developments, please fax the following sheet back to DBN. You will not be under any obligation by doing so, but it will enable DBN to advise you on the best methods of receiving Data Broadcasting News. You are advised to fax +44 (0) 203 717 418 immediately, as this fax service will shortly be discontinued and you may not have any point of contact with DBN. We hope that you will remain an avid reader of Data Broadcasting News, so please fax today. Darren Ingram, Editor. ---------- FAX TO +44 (0) 203 717 418 (0203 717418 IN UNITED KINGDOM) OR POST TO DBN, 184 BROOKSIDE AVENUE, COVENTRY CV5 8AD, UK [ ] Please send me details of the various ways of reading Data Broadcasting News after the fax polling service closes. I understand that I will not be under any obligations whatsoever. [ ] Please send me details of Satnews, the sister title to Data Broadcasting News, which provides a fortnightly insight into the worldwide satellite and cable markets. [ ] Please send me details of Tele-satellit, the monthly GERMAN language glossy features magazine. Name: Address: Country: Telephone: Facsimile: Darren P. Ingram / DIMS (dingram@dims.demon.co.uk) - Views expressed do 184 Brookside Avenue, Whoberley, Coventry CV5 8AD UK - not automatically Tel:+44 203 717 417/Fax:+44 203 717 418/Tlx 94026650 - represent those of 24-HOUR response number:+44 374 108 268 - DIMS or its clients News, features, marketing & PR support and research/consultancy services ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 14:06:07 -0700 From: Steve Forrette Subject: CD-ROM Archives Sounds like a great idea to me. I'd certainly be willing to pay $79, although I think that many people might find that price a bit too high. They key part of it in my opinion would be the searching. I've tried sometimes to find an article in the archives that I remembered reading, but the volume of information in the back issues is so great that it takes a lot of time under the current system. Steve Forrette, stevef@wrq.com [Moderator's Note: Yes, the Telecom Archives in its present condition is hard to search at times. One of the reasons I compiled the subject and author index was to partly ease the task of locating things in the past, but there is still a lot of work to be done there. As my own personal circumstances change for the better -- and they will, they always have because I keep looking up! -- I'll be able to spend more time making the archives what they ought to be. Ditto here in the Digest, where I see many things in the editing and layout which need attention. I am oppressed by things undone. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 12:34:50 PDT From: Brian.Gordon@Eng.Sun.COM (Brian Gordon) Subject: Strange Intercept on Personal 800 Number Over the weekend, one of the kids was at a "retreat" at Camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains (in CA). The only accessible phone was a Pac*Bell payphone (although I though that that was the heart of GTE territory). When he tried to call the home 800 number (a Pac*Bell Personal 800 number, to be exact), the call was intercepted by an operator (presumably Pac*Bell, but he didn't think to ask) who wanted to know if he was calling from jail. When (s)he was satisfied that the call was from a normal pay phone, (s)he wanted to know whose 800 number he was calling. When (s)he was told that it was just our own home 800 number, (s)he was shocked and said (s)he had never heard of such a thing -- but the call did go through. Of course, since there was now a long line at that one and only phone, he could then only talk for a few seconds ... I wonder if Pac*Bell still has switchboards in somebody's living room? ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Information Sought on Video Phone Organization: I.E.C.C. Date: 19 Apr 93 16:41:45 EDT (Mon) From: johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us (John R. Levine) > Does anyone know when Bellcore introduced the Video Phone? AT&T, also known at that time as the Bell System, introduced the Picturephone with great fanfare at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. I used one of the demos there to talk to other family members in the next booth. At that time the major technical problem was that the bandwidth was prohibitively expensive. That problem has largely gone away (128KB ISDN is enough for the kind of cruddy video that picturephones provide) and now the issue seems to be that except for group-to-group teleconferencing there isn't a lot of interest in it. Regards, John Levine, johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us, {spdcc|ima|world}!iecc!johnl ------------------------------ From: msb@sq.sq.com (Mark Brader) Subject: Reaching Out and Touching Someone, Anyone Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, Canada Date: Mon, 19 Apr 93 18:10:40 GMT A co-worker recently posted the following wrong-number story to a local newsgroup, and I thought it worth forwarding here. For foreign readers: both the Subject line and the last line are plays on slogans in Bell Canada advertisements. My home phone number must be similar to Bell's for the area that I live in and over the last six months I've had several calls but the one on sunday was the best one yet. It went something like this ... Me: Hallo Caller: This is Bell, right? Me: No, it's not. Caller: Oh, well anyway, my answering machine doesn't do blah, blah, blah Me: This is not Bell! Caller: Oh, it's not, oh, um ... but can I tell you anyway? Me: No! Ma Bell's surrogate partner answering your call! Forwarded by: Mark Brader, SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, utzoo!sq!msb, msb@sq.com ------------------------------ From: scm3775@tamsun.tamu.edu (Sean Malloy) Subject: Re: Wireless City Date: 20 Apr 1993 00:08:44 -0500 Organization: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX This sounds very similar to a GTE (of all people ;-) offered service called UltraPhone. According to a guest lecturer in one of my telecom classes whose name escapes me, GTE is testing the service in remote areas, such as West Texas, where the current facilities are well below average, but the low subscriber-density makes it undesirable to lay new cable. I'm going from sketchy notes and handouts, but I'll relate what I remember. An UltraPhone CO Terminal terminates up to 6 T1 spans which go out to a Radio Carrier Station (of which the antenna is a part of). Here, the T1s are compressed (RELP), multiplexed (TDM), modulated (16 PSK), and transmitted. According to the speaker, the compression gets a VG channel down to 16kbps or so before transmission (which I personally find stunning, since he also claims that the system can handle 9600 fax -- though they had some "problems" with that at first). The subscriber location has a transceiver located near the premesis (usually located at the top of a pole, he claims) which receives, I believe, 16 channels. One of the channels is used for control and signaling, and the customer station tunes itself to the appropriate channel when a call is made or recieved. The subscriber station takes the incoming digital signal and expands it into a standard VG line, which is hardwired to the customer premesis. The subscriber station communicates nearly continuously with the RCS, and the status of a station can be monitored at the CO Terminal. Each Radio Carrier Station can serve up to 564 customers (obviously with a fair amount of blocking) in a 37.5 mile radius from the station. The distance limitation has to do with sychronization, and not with transmitter power. Forward radio path (network station to subscriber) is 454.025 to 454.650 MHz. Reverse radio path is 459.025 to 459.650 MHz. 20kHz bandwidth per channel, 25kHz bandwidth spacing, 5kHz guard band. No switching (concentration?) is done at the RCS, so if one subscriber wants to call his neighbor who is served by the same RCS, the call still has to be switched at the CO. Sean C. Malloy - Texas A&M University - scm@tamu.edu ------------------------------ From: Russell.Blau@f459.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Russell Blau) Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1993 13:29:00 -0500 Subject: Re: Mysterious Charges on Phone Bill roden@Aig.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Joe Roden) wrote: > Can anyone explain to me how I could receive a charge on my phone bill > when someone called me from a hotel while using her own AT&T calling > card? > [Moderator's Note: The party calling you from a hotel used one of the > AT&T calling cards with a scrambled number -- a number which has no > direct, obvious relationship to the telephone number to which it is > assigned. They were probably tricked into thinking their call was > being placed over AT&T when in fact 'Zero Plus Dialing' intercepted > the call. Once 'Zero Plus Dialing' got the call and realized they had > no way to bill the calling party (the rip off carriers are no longer > getting a free ride via the AT&T data base, etc) they simply decided > to reverse the charges, putting them through to *your* line instead. > I've received many complaints about this outfit; almost as many as > Integretel. Pat, it may interest you to know that Zero Plus Dialing Inc. is *not* an operator service provider. It is a billing clearinghouse that compiles and process billing records on behalf of a number of different OSPs and forwards these to the local phone cos. for collection. Therefore, assuming your scenario is accurate, it was one of ZPDI's client companies that decided to put the call through as a collect call, not ZPDI itself. ZPDI simply received an apparently legit call record for a collect call and sent it along to the LEC. [Moderator's Note: In a personal note to me, Mr. Blau pointed out that his experience with Zero Plus Dialing, Inc. had been when errors of this sort were pointed out to them, they either corrected them or made a referral direct to their client. I hope Joe Roden will post a note soon following up and letting us know how ZPDI handled his case. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 01:21:36 -0400 (EDT) From: Paul Robinson Reply-To: Paul Robinson Subject: Re: A Very Interesting Intercept Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA I am the original poster of the message. The interrupt tells the caller they have called an invalid number in Japan. The interesting thing was not that some systems won't complete the call, but that the recording was in clear, American English *before* the announcement in Japanese: (music in background) "This is the KDD international telephone office in Japan. The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and dial again. This is a recording." (new voice) "Okida a KDD day. Okakinima fa dee o dango wa .... " Paul Robinson -- TDARCOS@MCIMAIL.COM ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #265 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa06898; 21 Apr 93 4:06 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA11660 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Wed, 21 Apr 1993 01:37:50 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA30220 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Wed, 21 Apr 1993 01:36:56 -0500 Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 01:36:56 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304210636.AA30220@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #267 TELECOM Digest Wed, 21 Apr 93 01:34:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 267 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson GTE in California (Tony Harminc) Bell of PA A/C Split - Work Effort (David Horvath) Need: Coupler With Answer Supervision (Jim Fenton) Supercomm Atlanta (Les Reeves) Radio Transmitter Information Needed (Yuxing Tian) Problems in Austin TX (Monty Solomon) Acoustic Modem Vendors Wanted (Mike Crowe) Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (James Gleick) What States or PUCs Have Caller ID? (David Schanen) Looking for Database Software (Tony Dal Santo) NPA Stuff Wanted For United States (Aaron Woolfson) Bell Canada Restricts International Calls From Pay Phones (Mark Brader) From the Archives: Telecom Humor (Douglas W. Martin) Re: Need Computer Interface to a Pager (Ken Thompson) Re: Telco Uses My Lines (Patton Turner) Re: A Mailing List Ripped Off (Lynne Gregg) Re: CD-ROM Archives (Bob Frankston) Re: Still Another New AT&T Plan (Gil Kloepfer Jr.) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 00:18:43 EDT From: Tony Harminc Subject: GTE in California I was in California recently, and passed through several parts of GTEland on the way down the coast from SF to LA. Some curiosities and questions: A bank of pay phones in Santa Monica with numbers like nxx-9401, nxx-9502, nxx-9603. Coincidence, or some GTE pay station numbering scheme ? (Two of the three were out of order, BTW.) In either Santa Monica or Santa Barbara (I forget) a manhole cover labeled "B T Co.". Wasn't this a Bell System name? This led me to wonder about the history of GTE and the Bell System before the breakup and before LD competition. Was the Bell System ever the provider of local service in what are now GTE locations? And how did GTE make LD connections in those dim and distant days? Did GTE have lines between (say) Santa Barbara and Santa Monica? How about closer places such as Santa Monica and GTE parts of LA that would now be in one LATA? GTE pay phones in a couple of cases listed AT&T as the 0+ carrier, but actually used something else. It was MCI in one case (which was OK with me and accepted my Bell Canada calling card) but one in Santa Monica said nothing at the calling card ka-bong, but after entering the number (I know - I should have listened) said what sounded like "Encore". I didn't let it go through -- are they teleslime or reasonable? And is it accepted that GTE lists AT&T but actually uses another carrier? (I tried 10xxx and it did work.) What idiot designed those payphone keypads that break a fingernail on each use? The tiny rectangular keys with sharp metal bits on each side. What on earth was the point? I notice that newer phones have more normal keypads. And finally a non GTEland question: at the hotel in San Francisco, the 0+ ka-bong said the (one word) name of the hotel. It's a small hotel, and although part of a small chain its name is not that of the chain/owner. Is this common ? (10xxx worked fine.) Tony Harminc ------------------------------ From: dhorvath@sas.upenn.edu (David Horvath) Subject: Bell of PA A/C Split - Work Effort Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 18:06:11 EDT I got a telephone call today from a contract programming broker in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania area. Bell of Pennsylvania (a Bell Atlantic company) is looking for seven to thirteen IBM mainframe assembly and COBOL programmers. According to the broker, the additional staff needs are due to the area code split in the area. From our brief conversation, it seemed like they needed seven people yesterday and another six in the very near future. Any ideas why the heavy needs? I'm not affilitated with the contract broker *or* Ma Bell. If you're looking for work as a contractor and *know* IBM mainframe assembler very well and also know COBOL, I'd be willing to give you the name and number of the broker. David Horvath ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 17:10:36 PDT From: fenton@esd.WJ.COM (Jim Fenton) Subject: Need: Coupler With Answer Supervision For an upcoming demo, I need to find a coupling device to which I can feed audio that will answer when the line "rings", supply the audio over the line, the hang up when the far end does. Who might make such a device? Jim Fenton Watkins-Johnson Company, San Jose, CA 408 435-1400 ------------------------------ From: lesreeves@attmail.com Date: 20 Apr 93 20:02:14 GMT Subject: Supercomm Atlanta Patrick, I plan to go to Supercomm Wednesday. Are there any vendors or particular industry groups that might interest you or TD? I went by the press room yesterday and got copies of of all releases and annoucements they had. It was slim pickings but the show did not actually begin until today. [Moderator's Note: I'll leave it to your option and let you be the Digest press correspondent. Bring us back a report on the show in general, and a vendor or two or three of your choice. Have a nice time. With all the money I'm supposed to be making from the commercialization of the net these days with the Orange Cards, etc, maybe I should use the liberal expense account the Digest Mega- corporation gives me to fly down today and cover the show myself. I'd fly first class of course ... ... be sure and turn in your expense account to the Comptroller of Digest Currency when you get back. :) PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 14:17:41 -0500 From: Yuxing Tian Subject: Radio Transmitter Information Needed Hello, Does anybody know where I can get technical information of small radio transmitters, like the one used on wild animals. Thanks in advance. Yuxing [Moderator's Note: It appears to me you might be in Chicago, in which case you could try contacting the Lincoln Park Zoological Society, managers of the Lincoln Park Zoo here. I think they may use them on occassion in their wildlife exhibition areas sometimes. They'll know who/where to ask if they do not have the answers. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 15:16:59 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Problems in Austin TX I reached the following recording today trying to reach a business in Austin, TX. "Due to telephone company facility trouble, your call cannot be completed at this time. Please try your call later. 512 4T" This recording was on both their 800 and direct dial numbers. [Moderator's Note: After getting your note, I queried 512-555-1212. She knew of nothing amiss after asking the supervisor. Maybe it was just a fluke, a very temporary failure of some sort. PAT] ------------------------------ From: mwc@stimpy.handheld.com (Mike Crowe) Subject: Acoustic Modem Vendors Wanted Date: 20 Apr 1993 13:08:43 GMT Organization: Hand Held Products, Inc. Greetings, We are looking for a small, battery powered acoustic modem system with muffs for a battery powered application. We have located the company below, but would also like any information on other companies who may have similar products. We have located a company called 'Unlimited Systems Inc.' in San Diego, CA. They make a Konexx Modem/Acoustic coupler that is powered by a 9 volt battery, has integrated muffs, uses V.22bis/group3, and will send data at 2400 baud (9600 baud on digital lines). Their modem number is 305. Has anyone had experiences, positive or negative, with this company/product? Any information would be appreciated. Mike Crowe, Hand Held Products, Charlotte, NC Views expressed herein do not reflect the views of Hand Held Products ------------------------------ From: gleick@Panix.Com (James Gleick) Subject: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 13:14:54 GMT David Feldman, author of "Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?" and other Imponderables books, is asking for help with several telephone-related mysteries for his next book. Can anyone offer knowledgable assistance with any of the following? 1) Why are there (so often) no windows in telephone company buildings? 2) How were area codes assigned? The most populous areas seem to have the lowest numbers, but is there any geographic logic? 3) Why were the old crank phones (at least as depicted in movies) placed so high on the wall the users stretched to reach them. 4) Why do marketers sometimes have one 800 number nationally and another within their own area? 5) Why does an unlisted number cost extra? Does it really cost the phone companies money? 6) Why do telephone poles extend far above the highest wire or crosspiece? 7) Where do utilities get telephone poles? Are they from special logs? Are there particular specifications? Thank you in advance. Comments may be posted here or e-mailed to Dave in care of: James Gleick gleick@panix.com [Moderator's Note: By all means, post the answers here. A couple of the questions should have fascinating answers. PAT] ------------------------------ From: mtv@halcyon.halcyon.com (David Schanen) Subject: What States or PUCs Have Caller ID? Date: 20 Apr 1993 13:06:37 -0700 Organization: Northwest Nexus Inc. Thanks! David Schanen ------------------------------ From: tony@mtu.edu (Tony Dal Santo) Subject: Looking for Database Software Organization: Michigan Technological University Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 16:24:25 GMT I am looking to buy some software for storing information about our network. The information I want to store includes the wiring plan (twisted pair, coax, fiber), along with host information like IP address, Ethernet address, administrator, etc. This software should also be able to store the information for the phone system (phone number, circuit origin, cable pair, etc). The ability to store billing info is a big plus. Does anyone know of some software that can meet some or all of these needs? If so, I would REALLY like to hear about it. I would appreciate replies by mail (tony@mtu.edu) since my news feed isn't the most reliable. Thanks, Tony Dal Santo tony@mtu.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 00:18:40 -0700 From: Aaron Woolfson Subject: NPA Stuff Wanted For United States Hi! I am trying to locate a few files which would help me greatly in my efforts. I am searching for a listing of NPA.xxx.exchanges-united states for area code 201 through 919 -- basically all of the NPA exchanges, etc. Also it would be nice to be able to get longitude/ latitude and lata- number for each prefix or switch serving a group of prefix'es ... I didn't want to send Bellcore the $990 for their stuff. Anyway, thanks a million! Aaron ... awoolfso@unix1.cc.uop.edu Are there also any other ftp'able sites which have such an extensive amount of telecommmunications data? Thanks! [Moderator's Note: I expect at least a couple people here who collect this information in great quantities will be in touch with you soon. Other than our own Telecom Archives, I do not know of an ftp-able site with an extensive set of telecom files. But ours has only started! Wait until I get the time to work on it right ... I would like to add all the npa-usa files to ours over the next couple months or so. PAT] ------------------------------ From: msb@sq.sq.com (Mark Brader) Subject: Bell Canada Restricts International Calls From Pay Phones Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, Canada Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 16:35:56 GMT I didn't send this in sooner because I expected that Nigel Allen or someone else would do so, but I haven't seen it in comp.dcom.telecom. According to a note on my last phone bill from Bell Canada: Due to a growing fraud problem, it is now no longer possible to make Calling Card or credit card calls from Bell payphones to overseas destinations. Temporarily, card reader payphones will not accept cash for calls to China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Macao or Hong Kong. Please call your business office for more information. Bell Canada's service area, of course, includes most of Ontario and Quebec and the eastern Northwest Territories. The restrictions were also noted in the newspapers, but I didn't see any further information there -- I'm particularly surprised that credit card calls need to be cut. Mark Brader, SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, utzoo!sq!msb, msb@sq.com [Moderator's Note: We did have mention of this a month or two ago. But if the card reader phones won't accept cash to those points, and telco refuses to allow credit, then *what can* the card reader phones be used for where international calls are concerned? PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 08:55:12 -0700 From: martin@cod.nosc.mil (Douglas W. Martin) Subject: From the Archives: Telecom Humor Sorry, I lost both the poster and the date, but if we're going to requote the story of the dog ringing the phone, we mustn't forget this one. Subject: More True Stories of Telephony One of the best telephone jokes I've ever heard. And like any good telephone joke, it strikes a chord in all of us from the industry. If you haven't worked with Special Services, you may not appreciate it fully ... Did you hear about the Telephone Man who was drafted into the Army? Seems he did well enough until he got out on the rifle range. As the sergeant approaches, he notices the Telephone man has his M-16 on full automatic and is blazing away firing rounds at a phenomenal rate. There's a rapidly growing pile of spent cartridges on the ground next to him. The Sergeant lifts his field glasses to observe the accuracy of this over confident trainee, and sees absolutely no marks on the target. Now, Sergeants are painstakingly trained by Uncle Sam to build the confidence and ability of all boot camp soldiers, so the Sergeant sizes up the situation and acts: "Soldier, you've wasted hundreds of perfectly good rounds of ammuntion and a thousand dollars of the taxpayer's good money and you haven't hit the target once! What in the [several arcane military terms deleted] is wrong here?" Now the Telephone Man knows he must immediately analyse the situation and correct the problem. His years of technical training from Ma Bell are called into play: The Telephone Man looks down the barrel of the gun. Then he carefully inspects the chamber. (Probably looking for the KS number so he can refer to the correct BSP for this weapon, no doubt.) He then rams a cartridge home into the chambers, arms the weapon, puts his finger over the end of the barrel and pulls the trigger. Of course, this neatly blows off the tip of his finger. The Telephone Man inspects the end of his finger, and thinks for a moment ... "Well, gee, Sarge, I don't rightly know what the problem is ... but it must be at the other end, 'cause its leaving here just fine!" Doug Martin martin@nosc.mil ------------------------------ From: Ken Thompson Subject: Re: Need Computer Interface to a Pager Date: 20 Apr 93 17:26:58 GMT Organization: NCR Corporation Wichita, KS Bob_Frankston@frankston.com writes: ) ATDT5551234@98*25*26 ) Where the first part is the standard dial string, the @ waits for ) silence and the *, in some systems, is a dash. ) No board necessary, just a com port. ... and a modem! Ken Thompson N0ITL NCR Corp. Peripheral Products Division Disk Array Development 3718 N. Rock Road Wichita KS 67226 (316)636-8783 Ken.Thompson@wichitaks.ncr.com ------------------------------ From: turner@Dixie.Com Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 17:06 EDT From: rsiatl!turner@rsiatl.UUCP Subject: Re: Telco Uses My Lines Fred Goldstein writes, refering to Nynex: > No cellular phones. No land mobile radios. Nothing in the trucks at > all. When they need to communicate, they need a live phone line, and > think it's their right to beg, borrow or steal one. And this is part > of the same conglomerate that owns the local cellular (B) carrier. This seems to be a growing trend. I have noticed several telco's sending techs out with only pagers. Most of the affected techs I have talked to (Special Service, Toll, Cable, most everybody but residental installers) don't like it worth a damn, for safety reasons in addition to having problems calling into the office. I suggested to one craftsperson who shot cable problems on several mountaintops that he take it up with the CWA. He said their union reps prefer it because it reduces accountability (his words). At least one tech with a rural co-op in SC disconnected his land mobile to make room for a ham rig. He did still have an IMTS !! rig in the van. With some of the dispatch/test equipment combos out there, they have no choice but to steal your pair in order to get their next ticket. I suppose the cellular contract has to be bid out to prevent cross subbing? If the proposed Part 90 changes are implemented, the telcos may have to buy new radios anyway. I wonder if they will go cellular, or steal even more pairs. What happens if all you have are Special Service circuits? Patton Turner KB4GRZ FAA Telecommunications turner@dixie.com ------------------------------ From: Lynne Gregg Subject: Re: A Mailing List Ripped Off Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 14:25:00 PDT Patrick, Actually, I'd like to know who else is out here on the Digest. It doesn't particularly disturb me that one individual happened to obtain a copy. But, I believe in full disclosure. Many of the internet mail list servers support REVIEW and WHO commands, so users can obtain subscriber lists. Sometimes it can be handy to know Who's Who out here in the interland! I'd like to know WHO's out here with us. Regards, Lynne [Moderator's Note: Like almost all mailing lists, there are people who ask to be added with the explicit understanding their name and net- address will NOT be given out to anyone. Not everyone necessarily wants everyone else to know who/where they are. I've always respected the privacy of readers here by keeping the lists confidential, letting users who want to correspond with others make their own arrangements. The telecom lists are not for sale or free giveaway, and believe me, a few companies have asked, usually the second way, and after resistance by myself, the first way. It still won't happen. Now the person who grabbed one of the lists the other day agrees his act was inappropriate and claims he destroyed the copies he made ... but then he adds there is nothing to prevent him from compiling a list of authors in each issue and using that instead. Well yes, there is: I could do like one Digest does and only print the names without the net addresses, forcing all correspondence to come through me, but that seems to me to unethically and needlessly restrict the exchange of mail and informa- tion between users. He's probably busy compiling his author's list now; so he can show his stuff one of these days with a splash mailing to everyone. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Bob_Frankston@frankston.com Subject: Re: CD-ROM Archives Date: Tue 20 Apr 1993 21:06 -0400 For reference, the street price for CD's of data is now about $29 or less. On the other hand, it would be helpful to have a full telecom reference disk. 600MB can provide lots of reference info. Perhaps more info from the mythical (yeah, I know they are real to some people) V&H tapes, dialing codes for all the cities in the world. Perhaps even a magic table that tells when one needs to dial one to each one exchange from another within a dialing area as well as other anomalies. For small amounts of info, going to the archives online is fine, but if making large amounts of data available locally would be valuable. Of course, the more valuable, the higher the price and/or the wider the distribution. [Moderator's Note: Ah, just give me a few months alone with the archives to whip them into shape. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 20:42:23 -0500 From: Gil Kloepfer Jr. Subject: Re: Still Another New AT&T Plan Organization: Southwest Systems Development Labs, Sugar Land, TX In Pat's article, he writes: > [...] I am curious about are a caveat emptor at the bottom of > the letter which says 'subject to billing availability' Must be, in part, due to all the complaining I did after Sugar Land Telephone (an independent) claimed not to be able to bill for one of the services I tried to order a year ago (something about still negotiating with AT&T regarding the billing arrangements). Since I work for the company which provides SLT's software (not SSDL, but my daytime job), I was able to locate someone who said that our software did, indeed, support it (the plan I was inquiring about). My own experience is that some of the independent local phone companies need some training on how to handle these calling plans as well as in customer relations. I never did get the AT&T calling plan I originally asked for, and I'm scared to death to try to change it now! Gil Kloepfer, Jr. gil@limbic.ssdl.com / ...!ames!limbic!gil ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #267 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa08766; 21 Apr 93 5:06 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA12731 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Wed, 21 Apr 1993 02:33:37 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA23890 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Wed, 21 Apr 1993 02:33:03 -0500 Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 02:33:03 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304210733.AA23890@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #268 TELECOM Digest Wed, 21 Apr 93 02:33:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 268 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in Phone System (J. Maddaus) Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in Phone System (S. Forrette) Re: White House Encryption Proposal (Brent Capps) Re: Wireless City (Jim Kresse) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 16:52:28 EDT From: jsm@angate.att.com Subject: Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in "Secure" Phone System Organization: AT&T In article , jhart@agora.rain.com (Jim Hart) writes: > All the world should be made aware of the National Security Agency > (NSA) wiretap chip, called the "Clipper Chip" in confusion with > Intergraph's popular CAD station chip. The wiretap chip is being put > in AT&T's new line of "secure" phones sold as a "privacy system" to If you are implying that your average everyday AT&T phone available through AT&T Phone Center Stores contains Clipper, you are wrong. > domestic and international customers alike. The announcement, and the > endorsement by naive Clinton Adminstration rookies, has been posted in > sci.crypt. (If you are in another country and did not get to see > these posts, please request and I will repost them publicly with > international distribution). > In this chip, the "private" encryption keys are in fact stored at the > NSA's headquarters. This allows the NSA to monitor and store billions NOT TRUE ... See below > of of domestic and international telephone calls between businessmen, > diplomats, government leaders, lawyers and psychiatrists and religious > leaders and tax accountants and their clients, tourists, and everyday > citizens. The NSA has spent several $billions on terabyte disk > archives; they can search telephone calls recorded on these archives > at their leisure with more $billions worth of high-speed computers. > The U.S. government will soon be spending $28 billion per year for > such intelligence purposes. Furthermore, NSA refuses to divulge its > top-secret code in the chip, which may allow it to wiretap even if Why should they? > political pressure is applied on them to give up their key-archive > system. > It's time to take action now: > * Boycott AT&T -- this is in your own best interest; you're an > idiot if you use a phone service that has demonstrated its lack of > respect for your privacy. > * Lobby governments to take the following actions: > -- Forbid the import of key-escrow phones, which > jeopardize national security as well as > the integrity of business and privacy of citizens; > -- Forbid domestic government agency key-archiving schemes; > -- Remove obsolete Cold-War restrictions on private use of > electronic cryptography for private communications; > -- (In U.S.) Publish the NSA Clipper algorithm immediately; > -- Get government out of the crypto business; > * Develop an open, international, non-archive, free market system of > cryptography as a de facto standard for real telephone privacy. > Accept no NSA-crackable weak algorithms, top-secret algorithms, key > archiving, or secret government collusion with megacorporations like > AT&T. Please take two anti-paranoia pills and call your doctor in the morning! Sorry, but the misinformation in this article forces me to respond. Standard disclaimer's apply, I speak for myself and not my employer. This is just not true. The current offering is in stand-alone devices which YOU can buy at YOUR discretion. There is no purposefully crippled telephone system. No one is forcing you to attach these devices to your telephone or buy a telephone which has the Clipper chip in it. Even if you attach one of the Telephone Security Devices to your phone, it does nothing unless you push the little red button, i.e. you have the choice of enabling/disabling the security feature completely on each call. There is however a strong need for multi-national U.S. companies such as AT&T to be able to secure voice/data/fax from foreign agencies and competitors. This is a documented need that DOES NOT impact your rights as an individual for privacy from anyone, including the government. As far as that is concerned, you can be no worse off than you are currently with no voice protection. To put it bluntly, the only reason you may consider your telephone conversation private is because any number of foreign agencies, companies and individuals have made a conscientious decision that your phone conversations are not worth listening to! I do take issue with the current thread in some Usenet groups that implicates AT&T (and therefore I presume those working on the TSD and other secure products) as subverting a person's individual right to privacy by offering a product line with the Clipper chip installed. As a Product Manager who's function in life is to place a TSD (with Clipper) in the cellular market-place, I would hope that most would realize that many things are said on Usenet that are based upon assumptions gleaned from reading more between the lines than really exists. The facts are that there is no government mandate to prevent people from choosing the encryption scheme of their choice. There are others available. You can purchase them now. What the government has said you can not do all along is export them, UNLESS you get their prior approval which is not often granted. Clipper is a compromise. In my mind, it is the best compromise (actually the only viable one I've seed to date) obtainable now. Despite the whining on other news groups, I have never seen a solution suggested that satisfies the needs of law enforcement and U.S. business in an equitable manner. The decision to use Clipper was not made lightly or without investigation by knowledgeable people in AT&T (and we do have what I would consider to be experts in the field). For your edification, I am attaching a post which appeared on sci.crypt that will explain a bit more about Clipper. Hope you find it interesting. John S. Maddaus Product Manager Secure Cellular Communications AT&T Bell Laboratories jsm@angate.att.com Subject: THE CLIPPER CHIP: A TECHNICAL SUMMARY Date: 19 Apr 93 18:23:27 -0400 Organization: Georgetown University The following document summarizes the Clipper Chip, how it is used, how programming of the chip is coupled to key generation and the escrow process, and how law enforcement decrypts communications. Since there has been some speculation on this news group about my own involvement in this project, I'd like to add that I was not in any way involved. I found out about it when the FBI briefed me on Thursday evening, April 15. Since then I have spent considerable time talking with the NSA and FBI to learn more about this, and I attended the NIST briefing at the Department of Commerce on April 16. The document below is the result of that effort. Dorothy Denning THE CLIPPER CHIP: A TECHNICAL SUMMARY Dorothy Denning April 19, 1993 INTRODUCTION On April 16, the President announced a new initiative that will bring together the Federal Government and industry in a voluntary program to provide secure communications while meeting the legitimate needs of law enforcement. At the heart of the plan is a new tamper-proof encryption chip called the "Clipper Chip" together with a split-key approach to escrowing keys. Two escrow agencies are used, and the key parts from both are needed to reconstruct a key. CHIP STRUCTURE The Clipper Chip contains a classified 64-bit block encryption algorithm called "Skipjack." The algorithm uses 80 bit keys (compared with 56 for the DES) and has 32 rounds of scrambling (compared with 16 for the DES). It supports all 4 DES modes of operation. Throughput is 16 Mbits a second. Each chip includes the following components: the Skipjack encryption algorithm F, an 80-bit family key that is common to all chips N, a 30-bit serial number U, an 80-bit secret key that unlocks all messages encrypted with the chip ENCRYPTING WITH THE CHIP To see how the chip is used, imagine that it is embedded in the AT&T telephone security device (as it will be). Suppose I call someone and we both have such a device. After pushing a button to start a secure conversation, my security device will negotiate a session key K with the device at the other end (in general, any method of key exchange can be used). The key K and message stream M (i.e., digitized voice) are then fed into the Clipper Chip to produce two values: E[M; K], the encrypted message stream, and E[E[K; U] + N; F], a law enforcement block. The law enforcement block thus contains the session key K encrypted under the unit key U concatenated with the serial number N, all encrypted under the family key F. CHIP PROGRAMMING AND ESCROW All Clipper Chips are programmed inside a SCIF (secure computer information facility), which is essentially a vault. The SCIF contains a laptop computer and equipment to program the chips. About 300 chips are programmed during a single session. The SCIF is located at Mikotronx. At the beginning of a session, a trusted agent from each of the two key escrow agencies enters the vault. Agent 1 enters an 80-bit value S1 into the laptop and agent 2 enters an 80-bit value S2. These values serve as seeds to generate keys for a sequence of serial numbers. To generate the unit key for a serial number N, the 30-bit value N is first padded with a fixed 34-bit block to produce a 64-bit block N1. S1 and S2 are then used as keys to triple-encrypt N1, producing a 64-bit block R1: R1 = E[D[E[N1; S1]; S2]; S1] . Similarly, N is padded with two other 34-bit blocks to produce N2 and N3, and two additional 64-bit blocks R2 and R3 are computed: R2 = E[D[E[N2; S1]; S2]; S1] R3 = E[D[E[N3; S1]; S2]; S1] . R1, R2, and R3 are then concatenated together, giving 192 bits. The first 80 bits are assigned to U1 and the second 80 bits to U2. The rest are discarded. The unit key U is the XOR of U1 and U2. U1 and U2 are the key parts that are separately escrowed with the two escrow agencies. As a sequence of values for U1, U2, and U are generated, they are written onto three separate floppy disks. The first disk contains a file for each serial number that contains the corresponding key part U1. The second disk is similar but contains the U2 values. The third disk contains the unit keys U. Agent 1 takes the first disk and agent 2 takes the second disk. The third disk is used to program the chips. After the chips are programmed, all information is discarded from the vault and the agents leave. The laptop may be destroyed for additional assurance that no information is left behind. The protocol may be changed slightly so that four people are in the room instead of two. The first two would provide the seeds S1 and S2, and the second two (the escrow agents) would take the disks back to the escrow agencies. The escrow agencies have as yet to be determined, but they will not be the NSA, CIA, FBI, or any other law enforcement agency. One or both may be independent from the government. LAW ENFORCEMENT USE When law enforcement has been authorized to tap an encrypted line, they will first take the warrant to the service provider in order to get access to the communications line. Let us assume that the tap is in place and that they have determined that the line is encrypted with Clipper. They will first decrypt the law enforcement block with the family key F. This gives them E[K; U] + N. They will then take a warrant identifying the chip serial number N to each of the key escrow agents and get back U1 and U2. U1 and U2 are XORed together to produce the unit key U, and E[K; U] is decrypted to get the session key K. Finally the message stream is decrypted. All this will be accomplished through a special black box decoder operated by the FBI. ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND DISTRIBUTION NOTICE. All information is based on information provided by NSA, NIST, and the FBI. Permission to distribute this document is granted. ------------------------------ From: stevef@wrq.com (Steve Forrette) Subject: Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in "Secure" Phone System Date: 20 Apr 1993 20:53:43 GMT Organization: Walker Richer & Quinn, Inc., Seattle, WA In article jhart@agora.rain.com (Jim Hart) writes: > In this chip, the "private" encryption keys are in fact stored at the > NSA's headquarters. This is not true. There will be two key escrow agencies, which have not been named as of yet. > Furthermore, NSA refuses to divulge its top-secret code in the chip, > which may allow it to wiretap even if political pressure is applied on > them to give up their key-archive system. This is really stupid on the part of the government, IMHO. How do they expect to build public confidence in a system where public scrutiny of the algorithms is not possible? One reason mentioned for them keeping it secret is to prevent other companies from producing a compatible chipset that doesn't have the keys deposited with the escrow agencies. > * Boycott AT&T -- this is in your own best interest; you're an > idiot if you use a phone service that has demonstrated its lack of > respect for your privacy. So I guess you don't plan on using any phone, ever again? I don't see how introducing the Clipper Chip in cordless phones does anything to compromise personal privacy. If the government wishes to listen in on your calls, it is far more efficient to just place a tap at the telco (which would pick up all of your calls), rather than park a van in front of your house and intercept only your cordless telephone calls. But, this technology will provide some measure of protection from non-government interceptions, which at least for me are much more of a concern. Since the current telephone system (landline, cordless, cellular, etc) has absolutely no encryption of any kind in it, you don't plan on using it at all? > * Lobby governments to take the following actions: > -- Forbid the import of key-escrow phones, which > jeopardize national security as well as > the integrity of business and privacy of citizens; > -- Forbid domestic government agency key-archiving schemes; > -- Remove obsolete Cold-War restrictions on private use of > electronic cryptography for private communications; > -- (In U.S.) Publish the NSA Clipper algorithm immediately; > -- Get government out of the crypto business; I couldn't agree more. > Accept no NSA-crackable weak algorithms, top-secret algorithms, key > archiving, or secret government collusion with megacorporations like > AT&T. There is no secret collusion going on here -- it seems to me that AT&T is being quite open about their use of the Clipper Chip. I think we need to have a much more reasoned approach to opposing government proposals such as the Clipper Chip. It has uses which can benefit society (such as in protecting the link layer of cellular and cordless telephones), and other areas where society's privacy concerns could be severely compromised (such as statutes restricting non-approved encryption systems). Let's not spend our time worrying about the former. Steve Forrette, stevef@wrq.com ------------------------------ From: bcapps@atlastele.com (Brent Capps) Subject: Re: White House Encryption Proposal Organization: Atlas Telecom Inc. Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 16:07:57 GMT In article trh42502@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Dream Weaver) writes: > Most agree that the Clipper Chip increases security, by adding a > layer of encryption that is difficult for the average hacker to break > and a bother for authorities. There also seems to be a consensus that > to make this workable ALL other private cryptology and nonregistered > keys will be outlawed. I seriously doubt whether a prohibition like this would stand up to a court challenge. This would be tantamount to the government setting up an official approval process for certain kinds of speech (encrypted) which it is clearly forbidden to do under the First Amendment. Brent Capps bcapps@agora.rain.com (gay stuff) bcapps@atlastele.com (telecom stuff) ------------------------------ From: jim@atvl.panasonic.com (Jim Kresse) Subject: Re: Wireless City Reply-To: jim@atvl.panasonic.com Organization: Panasonic ATVL Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 16:02:13 GMT In article 10@eecs.nwu.edu, scm3775@tamsun.tamu.edu (Sean Malloy) writes: > This sounds very similar to a GTE (of all people ;-) offered service > called UltraPhone. According to a guest lecturer in one of my telecom > classes whose name escapes me, GTE is testing the service in remote > areas, such as West Texas, where the current facilities are well below > average, but the low subscriber-density makes it undesirable to lay > new cable. I used to work for International Mobile Machine (IMM, now known as InterDigital Communications), which built these systems. With some refinements (such as the cluster box), it is the same system which GTE uses in West Texas. > I'm going from sketchy notes and handouts, but I'll relate what I > remember. > An UltraPhone CO Terminal terminates up to 6 T1 spans which go out to > a Radio Carrier Station (of which the antenna is a part of). Here, > the T1s are compressed (RELP), multiplexed (TDM), modulated (16 PSK), > and transmitted. According to the speaker, the compression gets a VG > channel down to 16kbps or so before transmission (which I personally > find stunning, since he also claims that the system can handle 9600 > fax -- though they had some "problems" with that at first). The RELP actually runs at less than 16kbps. The original system could only handle data up to 1200 bps. I worked on a modification to the system to add 2400 bps data and fax capability (and yes, it was difficult to do!). > The subscriber location has a transceiver located near the premesis > (usually located at the top of a pole, he claims) which receives, I > believe, 16 channels. One of the channels is used for control and > signaling, and the customer station tunes itself to the appropriate > channel when a call is made or recieved. The subscriber station takes > the incoming digital signal and expands it into a standard VG line, > which is hardwired to the customer premesis. Only one time slot on one RF channel is used for control and signaling. > The subscriber station communicates nearly continuously with the RCS, > and the status of a station can be monitored at the CO Terminal. > Each Radio Carrier Station can serve up to 564 customers (obviously > with a fair amount of blocking) in a 37.5 mile radius from the > station. The distance limitation has to do with sychronization, and > not with transmitter power. > Forward radio path (network station to subscriber) is 454.025 to > 454.650 MHz. Reverse radio path is 459.025 to 459.650 MHz. 20kHz > bandwidth per channel, 25kHz bandwidth spacing, 5kHz guard band. > No switching (concentration?) is done at the RCS, so if one subscriber > wants to call his neighbor who is served by the same RCS, the call > still has to be switched at the CO. This was at least partially due to the fact that it was desired that the system look like a subscriber loop carrier system instead of a switch. Jim Kresse jim@atvl.panasonic.com Standard disclaimers apply ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #268 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa27629; 22 Apr 93 2:45 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA04623 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Wed, 21 Apr 1993 23:58:22 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA19890 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Wed, 21 Apr 1993 23:57:16 -0500 Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 23:57:16 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304220457.AA19890@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@delta.eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #266 TELECOM Digest Tue, 20 Apr 93 14:22:30 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 266 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in Phone System (James Ebright) Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in Phone System (Henry Mensch) Re: Information Sought on Video Phone (Jim Rees) Re: Information Sought on Video Phone (John Marvin) Re: USA - Intro to Telecom Area Codes Required (Carl Moore) Re: USA - Intro to Telecom Area Codes Required (Richard Cox) Re: Still Another New AT&T Plan (John C. Fowler) Re: Problems With the GSM Subscriber Units (Nigel Elliot) Re: Wireless City (Bill Walker) Re: Telecom Archives Index of Files - Spring, 1993 (Ed Greenberg) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jebright@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (James R Ebright) Subject: Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in "Secure" Phone System Organization: The Ohio State University Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 13:40:03 GMT In article jhart@agora.rain.com (Jim Hart) writes: > All the world should be made aware of the National Security Agency > (NSA) wiretap chip, called the "Clipper Chip" in confusion with > Intergraph's popular CAD station chip. The wiretap chip is being put > in AT&T's new line of "secure" phones sold as a "privacy system" to [...] > In this chip, the "private" encryption keys are in fact stored at the > NSA's headquarters. This allows the NSA to monitor and store billions > of of domestic and international telephone calls between businessmen, > diplomats, government leaders, lawyers and psychiatrists and religious > leaders and tax accountants and their clients, tourists, and everyday > citizens. [...] Well, they CLAIM this isn't true. And I doubt it is. NSA would not design an encryption scheme for the public market that they could not crack even WITHOUT the keys :) But we may never know, because, as the original poster points out, the NSA won't let the public know just how the chip works. While the chip will keep kids and scanners from listening in on your conversations, It certainly won't stop Big Brother or the friends of Big Brother or Big Brother wannabees. The trap door which will always let the govenment listen to your conversation is justified because only bad people like drug dealers would not like that :) Of course, I wonder how many big time drug dealers are going to use the government's wiretap phone? There are plenty of real encryption systems available to them ... (the only thing WE have is PGP!). The real problem with this new technology is it makes it very easy for the government to do centralized wiretaping. It effectively automates the system for them. > -- Remove obsolete Cold-War restrictions on private use of > electronic cryptography for private communications; Hey ... right now there are NO restrictions for electronic cryptography in the US ... the Clintons are getting ready to put them ON! And I voted for them :( George Orwell got the year wrong ... Where is Thomas Jefferson now that we really need him? Bitch to your congressperson ... political pressure works, I hope. Information farming at... For addr&phone: finger THE Ohio State University jebright@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Jim Ebright e-mail: jre+@osu.edu [Moderator's Note: Many people believe the Clintons will oversee the dismantling of the Bill of Rights during their term in office. For example, the Second Amendment will most likely be repealed during their term. National Identity Cards, to be issued at the time a person is born, will begin. The Clipper Chip is just one of several distasteful things we'll see during the president's term in office. PAT] ------------------------------ From: henry@ads.com (Henry Mensch) Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 06:18:06 -0700 Subject: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in "Secure" Phone System Reply-To: henry@ads.com jhart@agora.rain.com (Jim Hart) wrote: > In this chip, the "private" encryption keys are in fact stored at the > NSA's headquarters. If you're going to publish such a warning, you ought to (at least) tell the whole story ... the proposal states that incomplete keys will be kept at two separate government agencies, and petitions must be made to both in order to get a complete, useful key. (I don't advocate this approach; I just think it's important to tell the whole story). # henry mensch / booz, allen & hamilton, inc. / [Moderator's Note: And it will be almost as hard to get approval from both agencies for use of the keys as it is now for a police officer standing at your door to get a search warrant on the fly if you insist on the officer 'respecting your rights'. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Jim.Rees@umich.edu Subject: Re: Information Sought on Video Phone Date: 20 Apr 1993 16:07:02 GMT Organization: University of Michigan CITI Here is a very old message I have from the proud owner of an original Picturephone. Date: mon, 26 aug 85 03:42:50 From: ... Subject: Picturephone data Well, the Picturephone has the following dimensions - Base -to- top of head 15 1/4 inches head height 9 1/4 inches head width (at bottom) 8 inches screen 5 1/4w x 4 3/4h circular base 10 1/2 inches weight 26 pounds control box 6w x 3 1/2h * Ok, the face plate and internal frame is made out of case aluminum. The face plate is matt black with the camera "eye" on top and the tv screen below it. The base is made of magnesium (?) and is plated in matt finish nickel (?). The cover is not-so-high impact plastic (green in this case, most were beige) and can be taken off by removing two screws on the bottom. Vent slots are located on the top and bottom of the unit. The base has a neck that sticks up at a 45 deg angle from the back of the base (where the cables go in and out). The control box is the little box that has the following controls: ----------------------------------------------------------------- | - - | | | | ---------- ----------- ----------- | | | | | | BRIGHT | PRIVACY | ON OR | VU SELF | ZOOM | | | | | | | | QUIET | | | | | | - | | | | - | | - | | | | - | | | | | | | | | | | | | | VOLUME | | OFF | | HEIGHT | | | | | | ---------- ----------- ----------- | | | | - - | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- The three middle boxes are flat-top rocker switches, the thin things are thumbwheel pots. The Picturephone had a few major drawbacks. 1) It didn't really run on normal phone lines. They had to be conditioned and couldn't contain any non-picturephone repeaters or other hardware attached. Normal local lines worked ok but long distance lines (normal) were out. 2) For each two PP's there was a power supply, line control, audio video filter/amps and other misc junk in a box about 3w x 2.5h x 1.5d (ft). these boxes had tons of option connections that were used to "tune" the lines. Audio and video were sent on separate lines. 3) The video ran at 1/2 the normal TV sweep freq. with 1/2 (or less) the number of lines and about 1/2 the resolution (per line). 4) You had to know someone else with one. The picture tube was a custom-blown job and the vidicon tube went out of production so long ago that Hitachi doesn't even have the part number on record! There are no IC's in the unit. Connection to the head is through a 25 pair ribbon connector (like a standard keyset). I hate to say this but I doubt that I am going to get rid of this fossil but I can check with the only other guy I know with one that might want to get rid of his (not too likely). My unit showed up when the construction crew were putting in a new hallway to an old building. They had to break through a wall and connect the new building with the old. The room that they had to turn into a hallway was a very old storage room with some old unclaimed video test gear and about 45 dead Picturephones (in their original boxes). The construction crew said that if they didn't get moved in 24 hours, they'd be chucked in the dumpster (a flatbed tractor trailer that gets hauled once every two weeks). My department sucked-up about four of them and the rest got trashed. I ended up with one of the four remaining Picturephone test-sets in existence as well. Too bad there's no way to power them up! (No one has any idea about the schematics -- let alone the custom parts labled "AX-1" and "AX-4", etc.) Well, so much for that, I've got to go to bed ... I hope that's answered your questions about it. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 02:11:54 -0600 From: John Marvin Subject: Re: Information Sought on Video Phone In article , John Conwell writes: > Does anyone know when Bellcore introduced the Video Phone? I seem to > think it was at a 1960s Consumer Product Show. As mentioned previously, it was introduced at the 1964 Worlds Fair. Now, does anyone know how many Picturephones were manufactured? Were they ever actually used for anything other than demonstration purposes (i.e. were there any commercial customers)? One reason I ask is that we had three or four of the Picturephones installed in our high school physics laboratory (1973-1974). Our physics teacher obtained them from a friend who worked for Western Electric. We were led to believe that these phones were the actual ones installed at the 1964 Worlds Fair, and that there were not many others in existence. John Marvin jsm@fc.hp.com [Moderator's Note: There were others. Here in Chicago, all the Picture Phone customers were on the 312-467 exchange. At the IBT Building downtown, they had something called the 'video shopping mall' with three or four Picture Phones, each in an individual booth. You sat down in one then could call for free to one of about a dozen business places which had them installed to display their merchandise. You could order over the phone and pay with your Diners or Amex card. (We did not have VISA (it was called 'BankAmericard' originally) in those days; it got underway about the same time. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 11:05:43 EDT From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) Subject: Re: USA - Intro to Telecom Area Codes Required (I've been supplying the archive file history.of.area.splits ; let me know if you want that file and cannot get the archive yourself. It has a few notes in it about dialing instructions, which are expanded on below.) The original author wrote: > When does one need to dial a '1' before a ten-digit number? As far as I know, you can always insert a 1 before a 10 digit number. This would even be true in published instructions which tell you to dial area code + 7 digits (i.e. may omit leading 1): 1. local calls to another area code (I know of Washington DC and Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas) 2. long distance calls from San Jose, California, and from parts of New York City area (Long Island suburbs and southern Westchester) to other area codes. Some other places, such as New York City, used to make other-area-code long distance calls that way but now have to use leading 1, due to their need for N0X/N1X prefixes. The remaining examples I cited should go away (I have received definite word for the California case) when it is time to accommodate NNX area codes. > When does one need to dial a '1' before a seven-digit number? As explained in the history.of.area.splits file mentioned above, 1+7D should be going away in preparation for the NNX area codes. Many areas are still using it at this writing for long distance within an area code. > Is it acceptable to use ten digit numbers exclusively, even > within one's own area? I doubt it. That setup does appear with the Orange Card (noted recently in the Digest) and with the phone service I once used from on board an airplane. If you don't always require a 10 digit number, you have to use leading 1 to signal "area code follows", or you get situations that can only be resolved with time-out (example: 413-abcd versus 413-abc-defg, where 413 is the area code in western Massachusetts). > If a phone is connected to a private exchange, what is the > conventional digit to obtain an outside line? 9 is often used for this. My office has such, but I do NOT get a second dial tone. > Would a product such as ours be expected to explicitly choose > a LD carrier by using prefix codes? If so, how does that > work? If you do not supply a prefix code (of the form 10xxx), you will get the default LD carrier assigned to that telephone. So you are not REQUIRED to make explicit choice here. > How many of these things need to be configurable because they are > liable to vary from state to state for example? Most of the above varies from place to place; some instructions have been made statewide-uniform and/or areawide-uniform. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 11:35 GMT From: Richard Cox Subject: USA - Intro to Telecom Area Codes Required Reply-To: mandarin@cix.compulink.co.uk colin@integow.integrity.nl (Colin Smale) asked: >> How many of these things need to be configurable because they are >> liable to vary from state to state for example? Whenever you are designing telecom equipment, you should always make it configurable, because the network administrators are bound at some stage to come along and change things. When they do, some equipment will continue to work -- while other equipment will fail. If you were the supplier of the equipment that failed, you may make a few quick bucks or guilders selling the modifications: but you can be sure that next time, customers will go to the suppliers who made sure their equipment would not need modification! Richard D G Cox Mandarin Technology, Cardiff Business Park, Llanishen, CARDIFF, Wales CF4 5WF Voice: +44 222 747111 Fax: +44 222 711111 VoiceMail: +44 399 870101 E-mail: mandarin@cix.compulink.co.uk - PGP2.2 public key available on request ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Apr 93 14:45 GMT From: John C. Fowler <0003513813@mcimail.com> Subject: Re: Still Another New AT&T Plan I got a similar letter a month or two ago. After scrutinizing the plan closely enough to determine that "no startup charges apply," I figured, why not? So I signed up. I've already received one bill, which saved nearly $15. There's no code on my original introductory letter, but they did print a similar code on my confirmation letter. In my case, it's: C16 303 545 xxxx Y 078 VE1B VEW ATL OCPZ1 ATL L68 E Again, for comparison, Pat's was: C32 312 xxx xxxx Y 074 VEI IWS SS01 9627 $ So it looks like they have more info on me, but they wouldn't be willing to pay me anything to switch. :-) John C. Fowler, 351-3813@mcimail.com ------------------------------ From: elliotn@rtsg.mot.com (Nigel Elliot) Subject: Re: Problems With the GSM Subscriber Units Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 11:07:01 GMT > Recently I learned that using GSM portables inside vehicles cause some > problems. Either the GSM waveform or the way they turn the power up or > down can accidentally activate the airbag system also can interfer > with the automobile automatic break system (ABS). Also it has been > noticed that the GSM mobile interferes with people with hearing aids! > The problem has to do with the GSM waveform more than the frequency > band. Does anyone have more information on these issues? There there > any recent articles that address these problems. I think you'll find the problem lies with the systems that fail (ie their EMI immunity) rather than with the GSM mobiles ! ------------------------------ From: wwalker@qualcomm.com (Bill Walker) Subject: Re: Wireless City Organization: Qualcomm, Inc. Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 16:54:23 GMT In article , scm3775@tamsun.tamu.edu (Sean Malloy) wrote: > This sounds very similar to a GTE (of all people ;-) offered service > called UltraPhone. According to a guest lecturer in one of my telecom > classes whose name escapes me, GTE is testing the service in remote > areas, such as West Texas, where the current facilities are well below > average, but the low subscriber-density makes it undesirable to lay > new cable. It should sound similar to Ultraphone. It's from the same company (it may even be the same system, or a variation on it). Ultraphone was a product of International Mobile Machines (IMM), which, after the acquisition of SCS Mobilecom, changed its name to Interdigital Corp. Interestingly, the Ultraphone system was originally developed by M/A-COM Linkabit under contract to IMM. The founders of Linkabit later founded Qualcomm, the company I work for, and we are competing with IMM/Interdigital in the cellular telephone area. Bill Walker - WWalker@qualcomm.com - QUALCOMM, Inc., San Diego, CA All opinions expressed are mine, and do not reflect those of my employer. ------------------------------ From: edg@netcom.com (Ed Greenberg) Subject: Re: Telecom Archives Index of Files - Spring, 1993 Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest) Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 17:03:49 GMT In article EENGELMANN@worldbank.org (Eric Engelmann 38488) writes: > I think it would be interesting to put all the archives on CD-ROM with Walnut Creek CDROM sells compilations of various archives, such as SIMTEL-20 and CICA Windows. They get $24.95 for those two, and between $25 and $100 for others. Most of their stuff is compilations. I expect they could do one of the digest archives, but the big questiona is how much volume there would b. Edward W. Greenberg | Home: +1 408 283 0511 | edg@netcom.com 1600 Stokes St. #24 | Work: +1 408 764 5305 | DoD#: 0357 San Jose, CA 95126 | Fax: +1 408 764 5003 | Ham Radio: KM6CG ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #266 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa00693; 22 Apr 93 4:08 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA06121 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Thu, 22 Apr 1993 01:05:16 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA31885 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Thu, 22 Apr 1993 01:04:32 -0500 Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 01:04:32 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304220604.AA31885@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #269 TELECOM Digest Thu, 22 Apr 93 01:04:30 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 269 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (James Turner) Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (Dale Farmer) Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (Steve Forrette) Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (Jon Gauthier) Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (Carl Moore) Re: Problems in Austin TX (Fritz Whittington) Re: Problems in Austin TX (Syd Weinstein) Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in Phone System (Joel Levin) Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in Phone System (James Ebright) Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in Phone System (Arthur Rubin) Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in Phone System (Ron Dippold) Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in Phone System (John Levine) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 11:32:19 EDT From: turner@buffalo.HQ.Ileaf.COM (James Turner) Subject: Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries In comp.dcom.telecom is written: > David Feldman, author of "Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?" and other > Imponderables books, is asking for help with several telephone-related > mysteries for his next book. Can anyone offer knowledgable assistance > with any of the following? > 1) Why are there (so often) no windows in telephone company buildings? Because no windows means no bombs thrown through them. Also probably makes them less vulnerable to weather-related problems like hurricanes and tornados. Since most of an old office was the (fairly massive) crossbar or step switch, and a lot of the rest was batteries and incoming cable, you ended up with a big building with no windows. > 4) Why do marketers sometimes have one 800 number nationally and > another within their own area? Because they can get a better rate for their instate calling customers from the local Baby Bell, but need a national 800 number for their out of state customers. For example, say State Street Bank in Boston wants to set up 800 service for their customers. New England Telephone (Nynex) offers them a plan that allows anyone in the 617/413/508 area code to call them for .19c/minute. This is lower than what ATT/MCI/SPRINT can offer under their national 800# plans, but since New England Telephone is not allowed to offer 800 service outside their area, State Street must make arrangements for a different 800 number provided by a national carrier. With 800 number portability, it might be possibile to have an 800 number go to a regional provider for in-state calls and a national provider for national calls, but I don't think they're going to make the switches that smart. > 5) Why does an unlisted number cost extra? Does it really cost the phone > companies money? There is probably some minor administrative costs associated with it, since they have to flag them in the company database so that they are not printed or given out by directory assistance. But the basic answer is no, since many BOCs will not list the second number coming into a home (the data line, for example) as long as the primary number IS listed. It's a phone company moneymaker, pure and simple. James M. Turner Member, Technical Staff Interleaf, Inc. (617) 290-0710 turner@HQ.Ileaf.com uunet!leafusa!turner ------------------------------ From: dale@access.digex.com (Dale Farmer) Subject: Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries Date: 21 Apr 1993 12:55:11 -0400 Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA James Gleick (gleick@Panix.Com) wrote: > 1) Why are there (so often) no windows in telephone company buildings? I guess, (I have no basis in fact here tho) that it was a requirement to withstand enemy bombardment of US cities prior to the end of WW2 that was not such an unreasonable fear. Later on for fallout protection from the nuclear war. Telco as important infrastructure for the aftermath and eventual recovory. > 2) How were area codes assigned? The most populous areas seem to have the > lowest numbers, but is there any geographic logic? Beats me. > 3) Why were the old crank phones (at least as depicted in movies) placed > so high on the wall the users stretched to reach them. Short actors? :-) > 4) Why do marketers sometimes have one 800 number nationally and another > within their own area? Because thats the way mother sold them to use :-) > 5) Why does an unlisted number cost extra? Does it really cost the phone > companies money? Any special handling of a number costs extra. not listed, not published, multiple names per number, whatever ... > 6) Why do telephone poles extend far above the highest wire or crosspiece? Why bother cutting them off, It's so high up there, and then it will fall down and knock down the wires and who is it bothering anyway ... :_) > 7) Where do utilities get telephone poles? Are they from special logs? Are > there particular specifications? Out in the forest... Wooden ones not too short, not too tall, not to thick, not too thin, just right. Dale Farmer ------------------------------ From: stevef@wrq.com (Steve Forrette) Subject: Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries Date: 21 Apr 1993 19:16:38 GMT Organization: Walker Richer & Quinn, Inc., Seattle, WA In article gleick@Panix.Com (James Gleick) writes: > 4) Why do marketers sometimes have one 800 number nationally and another > within their own area? It's usually one 800 number for out-of-state, and another for in-state. Back in the Dark Ages (early 1980's and before), this was a required configuration for 800 service. Although the requirement is no longer in place, some companies still want to maintain both old numbers so that existing customers using old reference material will be able to get through. > 5) Why does an unlisted number cost extra? Does it really cost the phone > companies money? There are at least two reasons here: First, telephone services in many cases are not priced in relation to their cost, but rather the perceived value to the consumer. Take for example TouchTone dialing, which actually reduces the telco's cost, but is often surcharged because the customer perceives that they are getting an extra service. Second, having an unlisted number works against the telco's desire for there to be as many telephone calls as possible. If someone wants to call you, but can't get your number because it's unpublished, then they can't place a revenue-generating call. Steve Forrette, stevef@wrq.com ------------------------------ From: exujlg@exu.ericsson.se (Jon Gauthier) Subject: Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries Reply-To: exujlg@exu.ericsson.se Organization: Ericsson Network Systems, Inc. Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 21:47:46 GMT > 1) Why are there (so often) no windows in telephone company buildings? One good reason, if not the real one, is for security: it would be real easy for someone with a .30-06 to partially knock out service in an exchange. A few years ago, I investigated the use of underground telecom environmental vaults/huts for our contract with USWest. Talk about no windows ... > 2) How were area codes assigned? The most populous areas seem to have the > lowest numbers, but is there any geographic logic? Notice that the area codes for large metro areas use lower-numbered digits. Back in the days of rotary phones (remember those?), since the vast majority of calls were to these large metro numbers, it made economic sense to assign those to low numbers. Since older stepper- and XY-type switches progressively seized circuits as they recieved dial pulses, assigning low numbers in high traffic areas enabled circuits to be held for shorter setup times -- therefore increasing the overall traffic capacity of the system. More income for no more capital outlay. A little simplistic, but you get the general idea ... Jon L. Gauthier Ericsson Network Systems, Inc EXU/IS/N Systems Programmer P.O. Box 833875 +1 214 997-0157 Richardson, TX 75083-3875 exujlg@exu.ericsson.se or exu.exujlg@memo.ericsson.se ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 10:08:12 EDT From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) Subject: Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries To (partially?) answer some items: > 2) How were area codes assigned? The most populous areas seem to have the > lowest numbers, but is there any geographic logic? I have shipped a copy of history.of.area.splits. It does mention the (long-since-obsolete) practice of putting N0X area codes into states or provinces with only one area code and N1X area codes into states or provinces with more than one area code. I don't know about geographic logic, but I do have a FORTRAN program called "nclicks" which counts the number of dial clicks in area codes ("0" means 10 clicks, any other single digit has its face value); notice that the fewest dial clicks for the current area codes are found in 212,312,213 (area codes for New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles). > 4) Why do marketers sometimes have one 800 number nationally and another > within their own area? I don't know about now, but previously there was a distinction between calling toll-free within a state (commonly used 800-NN2 for this) and calling toll-free from out of state. > 5) Why does an unlisted number cost extra? Does it really cost the phone > companies money? I read a while back that it does mean extra time and effort to have to remove someone's number from the list which otherwise goes to press. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 13:07:33 CDT From: fritz@mirage.hc.ti.com (Fritz Whittington) Subject: Re: Problems in Austin TX In comp.dcom.telecom is written: > I reached the following recording today trying to reach a business in > Austin, TX. > "Due to telephone company facility trouble, your call cannot be > completed at this time. Please try your call later. 512 4T" > [Moderator's Note: After getting your note, I queried 512-555-1212. > She knew of nothing amiss after asking the supervisor. Maybe it was > just a fluke, a very temporary failure of some sort. PAT] The phones in the TI plant in Austin were reported to be cut off from the outside world for most of Tuesday, due to a cable cut somewhere. Fixed now; I don't have any further details. Fritz Whittington Texas Instruments, P.O. Box 655474, MS 446 Dallas, TX 75265 Shipping address: 13510 North Central Expressway, MS 446 Dallas, TX 75243 fritz@ti.com Office: +1 214 995 0397 FAX: +1 214 995 6194 Since I am not an official TI spokesperson, these opinions contain no spokes. ------------------------------ From: syd@dsi.com (Syd Weinstein) Subject: Re: Problems in Austin TX Date: 21 Apr 1993 13:28:58 -0400 Organization: Datacomp Systems, Inc., Huntingdon Valley, PA Reply-To: syd@DSI.COM Monty Solomon writes: > I reached the following recording today trying to reach a business in > Austin, TX. > "Due to telephone company facility trouble, your call cannot be > completed at this time. Please try your call later. 512 4T" A major fiber cut in Austin caused this. Directory Info probably went to another city, which was not effected. Sydney S. Weinstein, CDP, CCP Elm Coordinator - Current 2.4PL21 Datacomp Systems, Inc. Projected 3.0 Release: ??? ?,1994 syd@DSI.COM or dsinc!syd Voice: (215) 947-9900, FAX: (215) 938-0235 ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in "Secure" Phone System Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 09:24:19 -0400 From: Joel B Levin In a comment on a message by jebright@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (James R Ebright), Our Moderator writes: > [Moderator's Note: Many people believe the Clintons will oversee the > dismantling of the Bill of Rights during their term in office. For > example, the Second Amendment will most likely be repealed during > their term. National Identity Cards, to be issued at the time a person > is born, will begin. The Clipper Chip is just one of several > distasteful things we'll see during the president's term in office. PAT] Let's not be hysterical. The Second Amendment controversy is a matter of interpretation, which may undergo changes, but don't bet on its repeal. As far as the Clipper Chip, don't forget that it has been under development for at least FOUR years, and the contracts for its manufacture were let over a year ago. And just what great fan of the Bill of Rights was in charge during that time? /J ------------------------------ From: jebright@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (James R Ebright) Subject: Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in "Secure" Phone System Organization: The Ohio State University Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 15:02:02 GMT In article jsm@angate.att.com writes: > In article , jhart@agora.rain.com (Jim > Hart) writes: >> Furthermore, NSA refuses to divulge its >> top-secret code in the chip, which may allow it to wiretap even if > Why should they? You are putting you employer in the position of selling folks condoms that might very well have holes in them. :( One of the basic tenents of cryptography is you MUST assume others will get access to the code, -- REAL security is available only when, even knowing the code, eavesdroppers can't decrypt the message. Open, public scrutiny of the encryption scheme is necessary for confidence. In other words, TEST YOUR CONDOMS BEFORE YOU SELL THEM ... > There is however a strong need for multi-national U.S. companies such > as AT&T to be able to secure voice/data/fax from foreign agencies and > competitors. Agreed ... so do it! But the clipper chip fails to meet even minimal cryptography practices. Build a TSD (telephone security device) that DOES! > This is a documented need that DOES NOT impact your rights as an > individual for privacy from anyone, including the government. So you admit we do have a right to privacy! Good. I agree. > As a Product Manager who's function in life is to place a TSD (with > Clipper) in the cellular market-place, I would hope that most would > realize that many things are said on Usenet that are based upon > assumptions gleaned from reading more between the lines than really > exists. Well, I have NEVER previously seen a White House statement that said Americans MAY NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS WHICH CAN NOT BE INTERCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT. And the White House Clipper statement said just that! It didn't say we didn't. But it EXPLICITLY didn't say we did. Check it out. BTW ... the public is not going to have a lot of confidence in this and the tying of this to the issue of Big Brother is going to be a big headache for your employer. I hope your compensation is not tied to actual sales of these units. > For your edification, I am attaching a post which appeared on > sci.crypt that will explain a bit more about Clipper. Hope you find > it interesting. > > THE CLIPPER CHIP: A TECHNICAL SUMMARY > Dorothy Denning > April 19, 1993 Dorothy Denning is quite notorious in the crypt community as an apologist for giving the govenment the right to read your mail ... I notice you didn't post any of the annotated versions of this document found in sci.crypt. Information farming at... For addr&phone: finger THE Ohio State University jebright@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu Jim Ebright e-mail: jre+@osu.edu Support Privacy: Support Encryption [Moderator's Note: As a matter of fact, the condom manufacturers do perform quality control tests on their products. PAT] ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in "Secure" Phone System From: a_rubin%dsg4.dse.beckman.com (Arthur Rubin) Date: 21 Apr 93 16:48:24 GMT Reply-To: a_rubin@dsg4.dse.beckman.com (Arthur Rubin) TELECOM Moderator notes: > [Moderator's Note: And it will be almost as hard to get approval from > both agencies for use of the keys as it is now for a police officer > standing at your door to get a search warrant on the fly if you insist > on the officer 'respecting your rights'. PAT] Not if the agencies are the ACLU and EFF. (Note: the proposal did state that one agency would be a non-governmental agency.) Arthur L. Rubin: a_rubin@dsg4.dse.beckman.com (work) Beckman Instruments/Brea 216-5888@mcimail.com 70707.453@compuserve.com arthur@pnet01.cts.com (personal) My opinions are my own, and do not represent those of my employer. ------------------------------ From: rdippold@qualcomm.com (Ron "Asbestos" Dippold) Subject: Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in "Secure" Phone System Organization: Qualcomm, Inc., San Diego, CA Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 19:46:46 GMT stevef@wrq.com (Steve Forrette) writes: > compromise personal privacy. If the government wishes to listen in on > your calls, it is far more efficient to just place a tap at the telco > (which would pick up all of your calls), rather than park a van in > front of your house and intercept only your cordless telephone calls. That, however, requires a valid warrant (tap at telco). I also believe they're more concerned about end to end encryption rather than handset to cradle and/or phone to telco precisely because of that ability. Hence the timing of the chip. Once they get it established they can start cracking down on and cease approving other encryption methods. After all, only drug dealers, child pornographers, civil libertarians, and other scum could possibly want encryption the government can't listen to. Is there anyone who actually thinks they can keep those two keys secure? It should perform one significant purpose, however -- make local police far more dependent on the feds, which fits neatly with Clinton's National Police Force wishes. I'm not coming down on AT&T for this, it's just another business opportunity. But this, along with the National ID card, increased espionage budgets, and other items, after only four months, is slightly scary. [Moderator's Note: You haven't seen the worst of it from that hot team which got elected last November. Watch and see. PAT] ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Warning: AT&T Putting NSA Wiretap Chips in "Secure" Phone System Organization: I.E.C.C. Date: 21 Apr 93 15:01:10 EDT (Wed) From: johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us (John R. Levine) > [Moderator's Note: Many people believe the Clintons will oversee the > dismantling of the Bill of Rights during their term in office. ... > blah blah blah Can I pleasantly request that we send the political diatribes somewhere else? There's plenty to say about Clipper and other telephone encryption without shooting political flames, and plenty of other places on the net to talk politics. (Indeed, the political comments are the only one of the zillion kvetches about the TELECOM Digest with which I have any sympathy.) You might also consider reports that Clipper has been in development for about four years, which means that the initial idea and most of the implementation happened under Reagan and Bush. Granted, Clinton has gone along with the plan, but it's not his initiative. And speaking of Clipper wiretaps, did you see the part in Dorothy Denning's note that says that the escrowed keys are based on the chip's serial number and two nominally secret scrambling keys, so anyone who knows they scrambling keys can decode messages sent by any Clipper chip. Now THAT's creepy. Regards, John Levine, johnl@iecc.cambridge.ma.us, {spdcc|ima|world}!iecc!johnl [Moderator's Note: And thanks also to several other writers who commented on this topic but couldn't be included for space reasons. PAT] ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #269 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa02769; 22 Apr 93 5:13 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA24293 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Thu, 22 Apr 1993 02:01:40 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA24245 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Thu, 22 Apr 1993 02:01:06 -0500 Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 02:01:06 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304220701.AA24245@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #270 TELECOM Digest Thu, 22 Apr 93 02:01:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 270 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Korea Goes CDMA (Ron Dippold) International Telephone Dialing (Marida Ignacio) Intelligent Telephone Boards/Boxes (Monty Solomon) Overview of Telephone Network Wanted (Rod Kline) Contel Cellular Offer in VT (Garrett Wollman) Small, PC-Based PBX? (Carl W. Neihart) "From" Data in Orange Card Bill (Carl Moore) New Fraud: Outright Thievery! (Steve Forrette) Re: Caller-ID Devices (Mike Ikotin) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: rdippold@qualcomm.com (Ron "Asbestos" Dippold) Subject: Korea Goes CDMA Organization: Qualcomm, Inc., San Diego, CA Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 22:06:29 GMT I don't normally pass the Qualcomm press releases onto here, thus sparing everyone dozens of them regarding companies signing on for CDMA, etc., but this one seemed of enough general interest. A brief CDMA history (public announcements only) follows. CDMA CHOSEN AS CELLULAR STANDARD FOR KOREA -Ministry of Communications Selects CDMA: Commercial Service To Begin 1995- SAN DIEGO Q April 21, 1993 - The Korean Ministry of Communications (MOC) announced that it has selected Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) for the Korean cellular telephone system. QUALCOMM Incorporated, (NASDAQ:QCOM), the developer of CDMA technology, indicated that the MOC has set a 1995 date for commercial CDMA service. According to Director General, Mr. In Hak Lee of the Radio Regulatory Office of the MOC, CDMA was selected after a careful evaluation of both TDMA and CDMA technologies. The basis for the selection was CDMA's multiple advantages. "CDMA has larger capacity, six or seven times that of TDMA, and provides excellent voice quality," he said. "Also, we can expect to save 30% of the system installation and operating expenses by using CDMA," Lee continued. With the selection of CDMA, the schedule for digital service implementation in Korea, originally planned for 1997, has been advanced two years. The schedule outlined by Mr. Lee now calls for prototype equipment in September 1994, followed by commercial field trials in early 1995 and commercial service later that year. CDMA subscriber and infrastructure equipment for the Korean network will be supplied by Korean manufacturers. Four major Korean cellular telephone equipment manufacturers and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) of Korea will participate in the implementation of digital cellular equipment based on QUALCOMM's CDMA technology. "ETRI and the manufacturers will work closely with QUALCOMM to realize the early commercial deployment of CDMA network and subscriber equipment in Korea in 1995," said Dr. Seung Taik Yang, President of ETRI. "ETRI intends to make the first implementation of CDMA in Korea a showcase for other Asian countries." Each of the ETRI designated manufacturers, Goldstar Information & Communications, Ltd., Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd., Maxon Electronics Co., Ltd., and Samsung Electronics Co., has signed an agreement with QUALCOMM for the joint development of cellular telephone subscriber and infrastructure equipment. Maxon will produce subscriber equipment only, while the other three companies will develop both subscriber and infrastructure equipment. In addition to providing equipment for the Korean market, these manufacturers will provide alternate sources of CDMA equipment for networks in the U.S. and other countries interested in implementing CDMA. "The Korean MOC's choice of CDMA for its digital network demonstrates the growing international acceptance of the CDMA technology developed by QUALCOMM as a next generation mobile technology," said Irwin Jacobs, QUALCOMM's Chief Executive Officer. "With their new schedule for commercialization, Korea will parallel U.S. carriers in the implementation of CDMA." Three U.S. carriers, Bell Atlantic Mobile, PacTel Cellular and U S WEST NewVector Group, have announced purchases of, or plans to implement, CDMA networks in their U.S. cellular markets. U S WEST NewVector's plans include CDMA installation in its Seattle market beginning in late 1993 with commercial service available in late 1994. QUALCOMM Incorporated develops, manufactures, markets, licenses and operates advanced communications systems and products based on digital wireless technology. QUALCOMM's products include the OmniTRACSR system and digital wireless telephone systems and products based on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology. The company also develops and markets a range of VLSI devices. ### OmniTRACS is a registered trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. CDMA PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS March 17, 1993 QUALCOMM Evaluates InterDigital Corporation's CDMA patents and determines they are either not necessary to build CDMA equipment compliant with the draft CDMA standard or embody technology first invented, developed and belonging to QUALCOMM. The draft CDMA standard was approved on March 15th by TR45.5 Subcommittee and issued to members of TIA for ballot. Ballots are due by April 16, 1993. March 17, 1993 Four Manufacturers Sign on For Korean CDMA Development. Goldstar, Hyundai, Maxon & Samsung Electronics were chosen by ETRI to participate in the implementation of CDMA in Korea. Each company has signed an agreement with QUALCOMM to jointly develop CDMA cellular subscriber and infrastructure equipment. March 2, 1993 QUALCOMM Introduces Hand-Held CDMA Portable Phone. The CD-7000 is the industry's first CDMA/analog portable telephone and can operate as a digital CDMA phone wherever CDMA service is available, and otherwise as a high-quality standard analog phone. Production quantities will be available in Fall 1993. March 2, 1993 QUALCOMM Announces Design for Mobile Station Modem (MSM) ASIC, which replaces previous CDMA subscriber three-chip set. The MSM chip reduces portable phone power requirements by 50%, as well as increases portable talk time, and is immediately available to licensed CDMA subscriber equipment manufacturers. March 2, 1993 FCC Grants QUALCOMM Experimental PCS License to conduct field trials and studies in the 1850-1990 MHz band. The company will demonstrate the feasibility of using its CDMA digital cellular system for personal communications services (PCS). February 22, 1993 QUALCOMM Introduces First Dual-Mode CDMA-AMPS Mobile Phone. The CD-3000 operates as a digital CDMA phone wherever digital service is available, and otherwise as a high-quality standard analog phone. This is the first in a series of CDMA-based cellular telephones designed by QUALCOMM. January 18, 1993 QUALCOMM and GTE conduct joint CDMA Trials in Tampa, Florida. The 30-day trial, funded by GTE Mobile Communications, will validate previous findings, and confirm benefits of CDMA for cellular applications in the Tampa market. December 21, 1992 CDMA Digital Cellular Technology Nears Standardization. Technical parameters and baseline text for a CDMA digital cellular standard adopted by TIA TR45.5 Subcommittee after unanimous vote to begin validation and verification process. December 3, 1992 Telecom Australia's Research Laboratories (TRL) signs contract for CDMA digital cellular telephone equipment for testing in Australia in the 800MHz band. QUALCOMM will provide several base stations, a switch, several mobile units and CDMA-specific test equipment, as well as its proprietary distributed antenna. November 23, 1992 Telesis Technologies Laboratory (TTL), a subsidiary of Pacific Telesis, announce joint testing of CDMA PCS system (1850 - 1990 MHz) in San Diego. Tests are currently underway and will continue through first quarter of 1993. September 30, 1992 CDMA goes to Wall Street. LOCATE and Bear, Stearns sign contract for CDMA technology and equipment for PCS applications. Contract covers equipment to be used for testing prior to CDMA implementation on Wall Street at Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc. September 21, 1992 QUALCOMM successfully completes CDMA cellular demonstration in Geneva with Swiss PTT. Trials were conducted in the 800 - 900 MHz band and allowed the Swiss to compare CDMA with European GSM standard. August 20, 1992 Ameritech announces first dual digital cellular trial of CDMA and TDMA technology. The trials will be based in Chicago metropolitan area beginning in September and lasting 60 days. August 18, 1992 QUALCOMM & ETRI announce commencement of Phase II of contract to jointly design and develop CDMA-based digital cellular system for metropolitan area in Korea. July 15, 1992 Mitsubishi Electric Signs CDMA Technology Support Agreement, positioning themselves to join as licensee. June 10, 1992 A resolution of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association's Board of Directors requests expeditions development of a CDMA wideband spread spectrum digital cellular standard. June 4, 1992 Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems, Inc. announces plans to conduct field trials of CDMA digital technology in its Washington, D.C. cellular system. May 28, 1992 Demonstrations of a CDMA-based digital cellular system are completed in the Federal Republic of Germany in cooperation with Deutsche Budespost Telekom (DBP Telekom). Data garnered during the trials will be assessed for possible use in both mobile and fixed location wireless loop applications. May 21, 1992 QUALCOMM is awarded U.S. patent number 5,101,501 for its method of providing a "soft" hand-off in a CDMA digital cellular telephone system. To date seven CDMA patents have been issued, with 16 pending. April 16, 1992 American Personal Communications (APC) announces a multimillion dollar contract with QUALCOMM for the purchase of CDMA equipment to test APC's Frequency Agile Sharing Technology (FAST) in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area. April 13, 1992 Nokia Mobile Phones announces they have signed a multimillion dollar licensing agreement with QUALCOMM for CDMA technology. March 9, 1992 QUALCOMM'S CDMA Digital Cellular Common Air Interface (CAI) specification is accepted as a contribution by the Telecommunications Industry Association's subcommittee TR45.5 as a proposed wideband spread spectrum standard. March 2, 1992 QUALCOMM announces that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted the company an experimental license to conduct trials demonstrating personal communications services (PCS) in the 1850-1990 MHz band. March 2, 1992 Matsushita Communications Industrial Co., Ltd. signs a support agreement with the company for CDMA technology. January 3, 1992 Northern Telecom signs a multimillion dollar licensing agreement with QUALCOMM for CDMA technology. It joins previously announced licensees AT&T, Motorola and OKI telecom. December 6, 1991 The company announces the successful completion of formal Phase Two field validation tests of CDMA with the participation of 14 carriers and manufacturers. Results of the trials show increases in capacity in excess of 10 times the current analog system, as well as improvements in quality. November 22, 1991 U.S. patent number 5,056,109 is awarded to the company for its method of controlling transmission power in CDMA digital cellular systems. October 7, 1991 QUALCOMM announces availability of its CDMA Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) chip set. The ASIC's are offered to manufacturers under licensing agreement. August 29, 1991 U.S. West NewVector Group joins the CDMA field trial evaluation team. August 7, 1991 OKI telecom, a participant in the CDMA field trials, signs a licensing agreement with QUALCOMM for CDMA technology. July 31, 1991 Formal Phase Two field validation trials of CDMA technology begin. July 25, 1991 Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems, Inc. signs on as a CDMA field trial evaluation team member. July 23, 1991 Toronto-based Bell Cellular announces they will participate in CDMA field trials. July 17, 1991 GTE Telecommunications joins as a member of the CDMA field trial evaluation team. May 23, 1991 The Korean Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and QUALCOMM sign a joint development agreement valued at $17 million to develop digital cellular network and subscriber equipment using CDMA technology. May 10, 1991 Alpine/Alps Electric and QUALCOMM create joint venture to manufacture, market and distribute CDMA digital cellular telephones and other wireless products worldwide. [ lots of early development here... ] ------------------------------ From: maridai@comm.mot.com (Marida Ignacio) Subject: International Telephone Dialing Organization: trunking_fixed Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 16:49:56 GMT Does anyone know of a compilation, a telephony handbook, or any book that contains _telephone dialing plans_ all over the world (ie. North America - 1+/0+, 411, 611,911, area code, etc.; Mexico - 91+ for LD, 95+ for US, 98+ for international?; etc.)? I have to make a design proposal for the telephone interface/product I handle at work to improvise a control/restriction per subscriber on top of the different dialing plans all over but it should be flexible enough to be usable and non-restricting for international market. Currently, this product is structured mainly for North American dialing standard and this has been causing restrictions and prohibitions when configured as so and utilized in other parts of the world. Upon grasping the 'jungle' of plans out there, this would help me establish a very flexible (and maybe simple) design that can be feasible and can easily be implemented for my product. Thanks for any help. Marida (maridai@ecs.comm.mot.com) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 05:38:44 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Intelligent Telephone Boards/Boxes We are looking for some telephone interfaces (boards/boxes) to hook up to a computer which will be running one of Unix/DOS/Mac. We want to be able to communicate with a database on the computer using DTMF and the telephone interface. It would be nice if the telephone interface came with a set of library routines (preferably in C++) which we could use to write our own programs. We would also like to be able to record and playback voice using the computer's hard disk for storage. Does anyone here have any experience with, or knowledge of, any products which might meet our needs? Thanks, Monty ------------------------------ From: infmx!rod@uunet.UU.NET (Rod Kline) Subject: Overview of Telephone Network Wanted Organization: Informix Software, Inc. Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 22:24:59 GMT I am attempting to get an overview of the telephone network in the United States. I am hoping someone out there can point me to a good source of information. The most ideal overview would describe the connections necessary for a call to make if from a home in California to a business in New York or Washington. I am trying to understand how calls are routed to the different long distance carriers, what things are different in the prime long distance carriers, and key technology necessary for our current system. Please respond to rod@informix.com Thanks for any help. Rod Kline ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 07:44:38 -0400 From: Garrett.Wollman@UVM.EDU Subject: Contel Cellular Offer in VT I was listening to the radio the other day (it was an accident, I assure you!) and heard an adversisement for Contel Cellular, the `B' side carrier here in (at least Northern) Vermont. (I'd love to know how it is that Contel got the `B' license rather than NETel, considering their comparative landline service areas. The `A' side is a Cell One franchise.) What they are offering is free airtime on weekends for six months, to all customers who sign up for full-year contract before the end of this month. Now I don't even want a pager, never mind a cell phone, but since I haven't heard of this particular gimmick before, I thought Digest readers might be interested in it, even though none of you live here. :-) Garrett A. Wollman wollman@emba.uvm.edu uvm-gen!wollman UVM disagrees. ------------------------------ From: neihart@sunquest.com (Carl W Neihart) Subject: Small, PC-Based PBX? Date: 21 Apr 1993 17:35:29 GMT Organization: Sunquest Information Systems Inc., Tucson I am looking for a very small, inexpensive PBX and voice mail system to be used for a small office of about 20 people. Something with a max of 24 lines and four trunks or similar would be ideal. It would also be nice if it were a card that went into a dedicated PC, and controlled by software running in Windows. Does anyone know of a company that makes such a beast? Regards, carl neihart 4/21/93 neihart@sunquest.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 11:23:06 EDT From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) Subject: "From" Data in Orange Card Bill There was an earlier blurb from me about the bill I got for the Orange Card. I have mentioned that sometimes I read the data from the FROM portion of the call detail, and I only got a three-letter descriptor for some sort or region in the single Orange Card bill I have received at this writing. I previously mentioned making an occasional trip on unfamiliar roads and making phone calls along the way and then checking the FROM data, and the Orange Card bill does not seem to supply this. But I am using the Orange Card from places whose phone prefixes I am already familiar with. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 18:20:42 -0700 From: Steve Forrette Subject: New Fraud: Outright Thievery! We've all heard of toll fraud as a way to steal telecommunications resources. Now the crooks have escalated the ante. I've heard of a report of a company on the East Coast that was having some minor troubles with their PBX. A technician showed up at the door and asked for directions to the PBX closet. Since they had been having some trouble, the company showed this person the way without checking any credentials. About five minutes later, the phones went completely dead. Of course, they went up to the PBX closet, and found that several boards from the PBX had been yanked out of the main cabinet, and that the 'repairman' had taken flight out the back door. I guess there must be money to be made in 'aftermarket' system boards for popular PBX's. I wonder how many large sites have this risk in their disaster recovery plans? Steve Forrette, stevef@wrq.com [Moderator's Note: Firms would be well advised to keep their telecom facilities room under lock and key, with only one or two employees authorized to unlock and remain in the premises while work is going on anytime a 'different person than the regular guy' comes out from the vendor to do repairs. And don't hesitate to ask for ID or call the vendor to confirm the person's identity who is there. PAT] ------------------------------ From: ikotin@nmelh9 (Mike Ikotin) Subject: Re: Caller-ID Devices Organization: NorThern Telecom, Australia Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 22:51:50 GMT In article , padgett@tccslr.dnet. mmc.com (A. Padgett Peterson) writes: > Tad Cook asks about Caller-ID devices. Well I have two and both > connect to my PC for call filtering. The first was purchased about a > year ago and is aptly named "Whozz Calling" and came from a copmany in > Atlanta. It consists of a box with rj-11 in, rj-11 out and a serial > cable for the PC. > When a call comes in a database is queried and if accepted a signal is > sent back to the box to let the call through to the "out" rj-11. If > not in the db or marked "do not answer", the calling party just hears > unending rings. This cost about $80.00 US. > The other is a Supra 14,4 FAX Modem that I paid just under $300 for (I > understand that they have an internal for $200 now and a 2400 baud for > less). $20 US puchased the optional Caller-ID ROM and I wrote a > PROCOMM + .ASP file to do essentially the same as the above. > I also have a Gemini box purchased for $35 US at Home Depot that just > records/displays the time and number. In Australia, we are just exploring the allowing of CLI to be passed to households and busineeses. Now the product you described, specifically the 'box' and 'modem' arrangment is no where to be seen around here. But more of interest, is the 'database' product, which you describe. Can you possibly elaborate on the product, features, cost and availiability as it sounds like a good concept, which I'd like to look at for the future down here. I especially agree with your comments on CO based call screening and the costs, and my issue with all this is the time we have taken in Australia to implement such functionality. Later, Mike Ikotin NorTel ( NT ) Australia DID: 613 206 4655 Internet: ikotin@nmelh9.bnr.ca These views are my own, not of my employer at all. ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #270 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa03145; 22 Apr 93 5:26 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA02566 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Thu, 22 Apr 1993 02:45:38 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA17347 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Thu, 22 Apr 1993 02:45:00 -0500 Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 02:45:00 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304220745.AA17347@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #271 TELECOM Digest Thu, 22 Apr 93 02:45:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 271 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Re: Need PD IXO Pager Software For PC - Clarification (James J. Menth) Re: Need Computer Interface to a Pager (Brad Houser) Re: Radio Transmitter Information Needed (Al Stangenberger) Re: Radio Transmitter Information Needed (Yuxing Tian) Re: Wireless City (Larry Svec) Re: Bell of PA A/C Split - Work Effort (Syd Weinstein) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jjm@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (james.j.menth) Subject: Re: Need PD IXO Pager Software For PC - Clarification Organization: AT&T Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1993 13:06:43 GMT In article Dub Dublin writes: > Thanks for checking, but I had already checked the archives. The only > thing there for the IXO/TAP protocol (at least that I could find) is > the same tpage program I'm already using on UNIX (but without the > fixes that will let it work reliably -- it kind of sucks as > distributed), a HyperCard IXO/TAP program, and a description of the > IXO/TAP protocol. > I don't really want to roll my own here -- I was searching to see if > someone on the Net has already written such a program FOR THE _PC_. > Unless you have another suggestion, please post this note to the net > and lets see if we can find something out there to do this job! Pat: Sorry for the length but feel free to trim as necessary. Here is a copy of the README file for a MS-Windows based IXO (TAP) paging package available free to end users (I got mine by return email) It works fine and has a cute icon included in the .exe. Note that not-for-profit unmodified distribution is allowed. Jim at Little Rock jjm@cbnewsb.cb.att.com -------------------- v0.95 swIXO by RTFM UN*X SOLUTIONS and beachSystems copyright 1992 Robert Swirsky and Steven Warner Swixo is designed to enable you to easily and quicky send text messages to alpanumeric pagers. Some paging systems disallow "manual" mode of page entry, only permitting IXO messages, presumably to discourage users from not using expensive messaging services. Swixo uses IXO protocol, so you should be able to use it on any system. IF YOU ARE UPGRADING FROM A PREVIOUS VERSION OF SWIXO, PLEASE DELETE SWIXO.EXE AND SWIXO.IXO FILES BEFORE RUNNING THE PROGRAM. 0. AS-IS, No Warranty, License to use. Swixo belongs to RTFM UN*X solutions and beachSystems. You are granted a license to use the software, provided to do not modify anything, and you do not sell it. You may distribute it to others, and are encouraged to do so. You may register with us for the enhanced version. DO NOT modify the .ZIP file or the 'authenticity flags' will be reset. Swixo is used entirely at YOUR OWN RISK. There is no warranty of any kind, either express or implied. If any law excludes us from providing software to you in this manner, then the license to use is VOID, and you must not use swIXO. 1. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS swIXO will operate on any machine that is running Microsoft Windows, version 3.1. swIXO requires a serial port, with a connected modem. Some knowledge of your modems setup commands will be helpful. 2. SOFTWARE INSTALLATION The distribution disk contains a .ZIP file, which when UNZIPPED should have given an authenticity notice. If it did not, then do not use swixo. See #0 above. To install swIXO, create a directory for swIXO on your hard disk, and copy the file swixo.exe, which was created from the .ZIP file. Start windows, and add swIXO to a program manager group, using NEW ... Start swXIO by double-clicking on the icon. swIXO will automatically create the file SWIXO.IXO, which contains setup information and other runtime parameters. You may delete the file SWIXO.IXO, to return swIXO to default settings later. 3. GETTING GOING swIXO requires a modem and serial port. Modem cards should work okay, but are untested. The free version of swIXO only supports COM1: and COM2: The first time you run swIXO, you must use the SETTINGS ... menu choice to define your system to swIXO. The default settings should work okay. If your modem has any funky strings that need be sent, then put them here. When you are done with this screen, click OK. RS-232 settings: Baud rate - Select the baud rate that swIXO should use to talk to your modem. If your modem uses a fixed DTE, then go ahead and use 9600. In this case you will need to add commands to the dial string that tell your modem to dial at 300 or 1200 baud. Most paging systems use 300 baud. Some use 1200. Experiment here and see what works best for you. Some paging system modems will get upset if your modem tries to negotiate an error free connection, and/or compression. (MNP3,4,5, LAP-M, V42.bis) etc.. You might have better luck if you initially put strings to temporairly disable these features into the dial string. On a Hayes modem this is commonly &Q0, and on a multi-tech modem, use &E0. Word Length, Stop Bits, Parity. Leave these at 7 bits, 1 stop bit and even parity. This is what most paging systems like to see. These settings are provided in case your situation is unusual. Modem Control: RESET: The sequence of characters that swIXO needs to send to get your modem to reset. If you modem does not need to be reset, or if dropping DTR will reset your modem, then leave this field BLANK. This text is automatically terminated with a C/R. use a tilde ~ to add a one second delay. If your modem becomes busy after sending reset or dropping dtr, add tildes ~ to make swIXO wait for the modem to become ready again. DIAL PREFIX: The characters you want swIXO to send before the telephone number in the dial string. We use ATV1Q0 as a default, which uses tone dialing, and verbose word responces. USE ATH0 TO HANGUP: Check this box if your modem will not hangup upon loss of DTR. GIVE UP TIME: Put the amount of time that swixo should wait for carrier, and the paging system. 40-60 seconds is about right. Modem reply strings: CONNECT: The string your modem sends when it receives carrier. BUSY: The string your modem sends when the line is busy. FAIL: The string your modem send if it never gets carrier. 4. SENDING PAGES To send pages, make sure you did the SETTINGS ... (#3) at least once since you installed swIXO. On the swXIO main screen is a picture of an ADVISOR pager. Click anyplace on the pager to send a page. The ENTER PAGE dialog will pop up, and provide you with some options. The Message to send area is where you type the text that you want to be transmitted to the pager. If you are sending to a POCSAG pager, you may use upper and lower case, along with most punctuation. If your pager is GSC, you may use only UPPER case, and limited punctuation. See appendix for pager identifications. You may enter up to 199 characters into the message screen. Note: some paging systems may impose limits less than this. The PAGER ID box is where you put the digital address of tha pager you wish to transmit to. Your paging company will provide you with this number. Sometimes this number is identical to the telephone number used to send NUMERIC only pages to this pager. PAGING SYSTEM PHONE #: This is the dial-in phone number that your paging service has provided to allow modem entry of alpha pages. It is usually the same number for everyone on the system. Your paging company will provide this number for you. PAGER TYPE POCSAG/GSC: Check the radio button indicating the type of pager you are sending to. Use GSC if you don't know (or care). If you want to use lowercase and punctuation, you might want to experament. See the appendix. CLEAR: Will erase the message text area. SAVE DEFAULT: Press this button to save the contents of this screen as the default. Very handy if you send pages to the same person most of the time. RECALL: A cool, handy feature that will cause swIXO to fill out the ENTER PAGE screen in the same way as the last 10 pages. This will allow you review pages and send one again easily. try it! CANCEL: Close this window and return to the main swixo screen. OK, SEND PAGE: Swixo will send your page when you press this. You will see dialog messages that describe the process, and complain when something goes wrong. When your page is accepted, swIXO will reply with 'PAGE SUCCESSFUL'. 5. PROBLEMS: ---MODEM WON'T DIAL--- Be sure you have used the settings screen to set up all RS232 parameters for your modem. Be sire settings are correct, and that cables are okay. Be sure your RESET string has enough delay in it so that your modem is READY when dialing begins. ---CANNOT LOG INTO PAGING SERVICE--- Be sure you are using the correct paging system phone number. Disable error correction and compression on your modem. Try using 300 baud. Your paging system may have a password on it. Swixo does not support passwords in this release. ---MODEM WON'T HANG UP--- We strongly suggest you set your modem to hang up with DTR. If you absolutely cannot do this, check the ATH0 box in the RS232 settings section of SETTINGS ... ---PAGE IS INCOMPLETE--- You may have a GSC pager, and are sending with POCSAG checked. Check the GSC button. Your paging system may have the MAX character limit set to less than 199. Send fewer characters. A. Appendix A GSC or POCSAG. GSC: Golay Sequential Code. POCSAG: Post Office Code Standard Advisory Group. (who thought of this stuff??) It is difficult to tell which is better, GSC or POCSAG, unless you like reading UPPERCASE LETTERS and no punctuation. GSC is UPPERCASE only, and seems to be popular with paging companies because it is faster to transmit in batch mode.. If you have a MOTOROLA ADVISOR, look on the back for the model number of your pager. It usually starts with A05 or A03. (A05 means 5-year warranty by the way, dunno anout A03). The 8th character in your model number will tell you POCSAG/GSC. Example: A03KLB5662AA ^ If the 8th character is 3 or 9, POCSAG. 6, GSC. The example is a GSC pager. B. TECH SUPPORT Swixo comes with NO technical support. We will however be happy to assist you by email with your problems or questions. Since this is a beta release, your comments and input are particularly welcome. Please email your technical questions and input to: rtfm@boy.com C. REGISTER! If you would like to register your copy of swIXO, you may send $20 to: S Warner RTFM/ BeachSystems 35451 Dumbarton Ct. Newark, CA 94560 Please email for availability. Registered users will receive the latest copy when available, and the enhanced copy when available. The enhanced copy will have an improved page database, and pager management features such as ENABLE and DISABLE a pager. D. MUMBO JUMBO Motorola and Advisor are trademarks of Motorola. Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, MS Windows are trademarks of Mircosoft corporation. ------------------------------ From: bhouser@sc9.intel.com Subject: Re: Need Computer Interface to a Pager Organization: Intel CTD Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 15:09:12 GMT In article , westes@netcom.com (Will Estes) writes: > Does anyone know of a way to interface a computer to a pager? I need > some way that the pager data can be sent to a computer instead of to > human via a pager. Maybe there is a board that slips into a computer? > The actual application for this is that a windmeter is going to send > wind data every hour to a pager number, which will then get read by an > Internet-attached host and fed by email to interested parties. Maybe I am missing something, but: Why not have the windmeter dial the computer directly? Brad Houser Intel Corporation bhouser@sc9.intel.com >>> ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 09:02:51 PDT From: forags@nature.berkeley.edu (Al Stangenberger) Subject: Re: Radio Transmitter Information Needed I know of two manufacturers of radio telemetry equipment for wildlife. Both are quite good according to our researchers, and can build equipment for anything from mice to elephants. Telonics 932 E. Impala Drive Mesa, AZ 85204-6699 (602) 892-4444 ABM Instrument Co. 2356 Research Drive Livermore, CA 94550 (510) 449-2286 Al Stangenberger Dept. of Forestry & Resource Mgt. forags@nature.berkeley.edu 145 Mulford Hall - Univ. of Calif. uucp: ucbvax!ucbnature!forags Berkeley, CA 94720 BITNET: FORAGS AT UCBNATUR (510) 642-4424 FAX: (510) 643-5438 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 16:18:26 -0500 From: Yuxing Tian Subject: Re: Radio Transmitter Information Needed Thank you very much. You guys are really kind. Yuxing Tian Computer Science student DePaul University [Moderator's Note: That's what the net is about: people helping others to find the answers they are seeking. Telecom-related questions are welcome from all here: this Digest is reserved neither for the highly technical telecom person nor the novice. The telecom mailing list has readers from both ends of the spectrum. Between myself and the far more technical readers, almost all telecom questions are answerable here and welcomed. PAT] ------------------------------ From: svec@rtsg.mot.com (Larry Svec) Subject: Re: Wireless City Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 21:55:20 GMT How cost effective is such an approach? Aren't those frequencies in the IMTS Telephone/Paging band thus limiting the total available channels, and if so, what does that do to the 500 subscriber limit? Can it send fax or data? Larry Svec - KD9OF home: 708-526-1256 e-mail: uunet!motcid!svecl VHF: 145.150- work: 708-632-5259 fax: 708-632-3290 UHF: 443.575+ ------------------------------ From: syd@dsi.com (Syd Weinstein) Subject: Re: Bell of PA A/C Split - Work Effort Date: 21 Apr 1993 14:45:04 -0400 Organization: Datacomp Systems, Inc., Huntingdon Valley, PA Reply-To: syd@DSI.COM dhorvath@sas.upenn.edu (David Horvath) writes: > I got a telephone call today from a contract programming broker in the > Philadelphia Pennsylvania area. Bell of Pennsylvania (a Bell Atlantic > company) is looking for seven to thirteen IBM mainframe assembly and > COBOL programmers. According to the broker, the additional staff > needs are due to the area code split in the area. > From our brief conversation, it seemed like they needed seven people > yesterday and another six in the very near future. Any ideas why the > heavy needs? Bell of PA does billing for themselves and many of the LD outfits under contract. They need to modify those 'dumb' billing apps to handle the 'free calling across A/C' stuff that will come into play. I am sure there were lots of 'assumptions' in the original code that the new split will destroy. Sydney S. Weinstein, CDP, CCP Elm Coordinator - Current 2.4PL21 Datacomp Systems, Inc. Projected 3.0 Release: ??? ?,1994 syd@DSI.COM or dsinc!syd Voice: (215) 947-9900, FAX: (215) 938-0235 ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #271 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa08869; 22 Apr 93 19:55 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA11086 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Thu, 22 Apr 1993 16:57:45 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA11187 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Thu, 22 Apr 1993 16:57:10 -0500 Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 16:57:10 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304222157.AA11187@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #272 TELECOM Digest Thu, 22 Apr 93 16:57:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 272 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (David G. Lewis) Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (Dave Niebuhr) Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (rfranken@cs.umr.edu) Re: USA - Intro to Telecom Area Codes Required (Dave Bonney) Re: USA - Intro to Telecom Area Codes Required (rfranken@cs.umr.edu) Re: Cell Rate Plans (Lynne Gregg) Ordering Information for ISDN Application Catalog (Steve Rogers) OCPZ1 - Still Another AT&T Plan (dquist@ben3b01.attmail.com) Information Request: Telecom Benchmarking Consortium (Barry Friedman) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: deej@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (david.g.lewis) Subject: Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries Organization: AT&T Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 14:35:01 GMT In article gleick@Panix.Com (James Gleick) writes: > David Feldman, author of "Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?" and other > Imponderables books, is asking for help with several telephone-related > mysteries for his next book. Can anyone offer knowledgable assistance > with any of the following? Sure, I'll take a crack. Some of these I'm sure of (and may, given sufficient time and energy, be able to document); others are hypotheses. However, if anyone wins $10,000 on Jeopardy because they use my answers, I want a cut ... > 1) Why are there (so often) no windows in telephone company buildings? Two reasons, I can think of. One, security: it's harder to break into a windowless building. Two, climate control: windows do not insulate as well as solid wall; more importantly, windows pass sunlight which heats inside air, and the last thing you need in a telco CO is more heat. (Hypothesis, but I might be able to find something in NEBS to back it up.) > 2) How were area codes assigned? The most populous areas seem to have the > lowest numbers, but is there any geographic logic? The North American Numbering Plan was introduced in 1947, when a great deal of the interoffice signaling (as well as all the customer loop signaling) used dial pulses. Dial pulse is like "rotary dialing" on a telephone -- a "1" sends one pulse, a "2" sends two pulses, and so on up to 10 pulses for a "0". Therefore, the amount of time taken to signal an address is directly proportional to the sum of the digits of the address (with 0 = 10) (as opposed to MF signaling, where the amount of time taken to signal an address is directly proportional to the *number* of digits in the address, or common-channel signaling, where the amount of time taken to signal and address is independent of the address). The lower the sum of the digits, the less time taken to signal the address, and the less usage of network facilities for signaling. Therefore, to make the most efficient use of the network, those Numbering Plan Areas having the most incoming traffic were assigned the Numbering Plan Area Codes (area codes) with the fewest dial pulses required: New York = 212 (five pulses), LA = 213, Chicago = 312 (six pulses), Dallas = 214, Detroit = 313, Pittsburgh = 412 (seven pulses) (keep in mind we're talking 1947 here...), and so on. I don't know for certain how "deep" the Bell System went into this -- whether they used a strict allocation for all NPAs, or only for the few most heavily used - but knowing how we used to operate around here, I would not be surprised to find a strong negative correlation between 1945-46 traffic volumes and sum of area code digits ... (Some of this can be referenced in EOBS (Engineering and Operations in the Bell System); other parts would require more digging ...) > 3) Why were the old crank phones (at least as depicted in movies) placed > so high on the wall the users stretched to reach them. No idea. > 4) Why do marketers sometimes have one 800 number nationally and another > within their own area? Welcome to the wonderful world of telecom regulation. Intrastate and interstate telecommunications are regulated by different agencies -- intrastate by the 50 individual state utility commissions, and interstate by the FCC. In some states, long distance companies are prohibited by law from providing intraLATA (local) services; only the local telephone company is permitted to provide these services. However, the local telephone companies are prohibited by the terms of the AT&T divestiture agreement from providing interLATA (long distance) services. Therefore, if a company wants to provide an 800 number for both local and distant customers, they have to get 800 service from two different providers -- the local telco and a long distance company. As of today (for the next week or so, anyway), these must be different 800 numbers. The famous "800 Number Portability" regulation, which takes effect May 1, will enable companies to have a single 800 number which is handled by different companies based on such factors as time of day, calling location, and so on, so we may see this quirk disappearing over time. (This would require some digging to get all the correct references, but I'm sure they're out there.) > 5) Why does an unlisted number cost extra? Does it really cost the phone > companies money? This will draw the usual run of "no, it's just a telco's way to suck more money out of people", but there is *some* justification. Subscribing to telephone service is a highly automated process. As with any highly automated processes, doing anything "different" from the default will add an incremental cost. For telephone service, the default is to put the number into the directory listing. Not putting the number into the directory listing requires something *different* to be done in any number of automated systems. The order entry system has to have a "non-published" flag which the service rep has to enter. The non-pub flag has to propagate to the work order system, to the directory services bureau (directory assistance) system, to the system that generates the paper directory, and to any number of other systems. All of these systems have to be developed by someone, and the incremental cost of development to support non-published numbers has to be recovered. So I would claim the answer is "yes, it does cost the phone companies money, but whether it costs as much as they charge for is a question that I'm not going to go near." As to references, well, I'm sure there are any number of tariff filings with detailed economic justifications of charges for non-published numbers, but I'm certainly not going to try to read them ... >6) Why do telephone poles extend far above the highest wire or crosspiece? My hypothesis would be that it is to provide room for adding more wires or crosspieces, especially in the days before carrier systems (multiplexing) and fiber. However, I don't know for certain. >7) Where do utilities get telephone poles? Are they from special logs? Are > there particular specifications? I know the answer to the second and third questions are "yes", but I don't know the details. However, a quick check of my Bellcore document catalog reveals a document entitled "Wood Utility Poles Generic Requirements", TR-NWT-000060, Issue 2, July 1991: "This Technical Reference contains Bellcore's view of criteria, technical background, general information and proposed generic requirements for wood telephone poles best suited to meet the typical needs of an Operating Telephone Company." Cost is $36.00; order by calling 1-800-521-CORE (1-800-521-2673). In addition to the information, Bellcore TRs generally have the name of a contact at Bellcore who can provide more information, so I'm sure that by ordering this you can track down probably the most knowledgeable person in the United States on the subject of telephone poles. David G Lewis AT&T Bell Laboratories david.g.lewis@att.com or !att!goofy!deej Switching & ISDN Implementation [Moderator's Note: Originally the idea behind two 800 numbers (on for in-state and one for out of state) was not that two carriers had to be involved; it was only AT&T involved -- they were the only 800 suppliers in the old days. It did have to do with the intra/inter-lata tariff however. Calls which arrived intra-state had to be billed at one price and calls from interstate at another price. I believe the equipment in those days required two separate numbers to do this. Likewise if a customer wanted 'banded' service (incoming calls only from a certain WATS band (one through six were interstate with one being closest to you and six being furthest away; band seven was the very local area and band eight was intrastate) they had to have different numbers for each band. That's the way the CO and billing offices could deal with it. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 10:28:45 EDT From: dwn@dwn.ccd.bnl.gov (Dave Niebuhr) Subject: Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries In TELECOM Digest Volume 13 : Issue 269 James M. Turner wrote: >> 5) Why does an unlisted number cost extra? Does it really cost the phone >> companies money? > There is probably some minor administrative costs associated with it, > since they have to flag them in the company database so that they are > not printed or given out by directory assistance. But the basic > answer is no, since many BOCs will not list the second number coming > into a home (the data line, for example) as long as the primary number > IS listed. It's a phone company moneymaker, pure and simple. In NYTel land, a primary number can be unlisted or listed. It makes no nevermind to them as long as there is a legitimate billing name and address. Dave Niebuhr Internet: niebuhr@bnl.gov / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, LI, NY 11973 (516)-282-3093 Senior Technical Specialist: Scientific Computer Facility ------------------------------ From: rfranken@cs.umr.edu Subject: Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 11:05:33 CST gleick@Panix.Com (James Gleick) wrote: > 5) Why does an unlisted number cost extra? Does it really cost the phone > companies money? I believe that phone companies will sell their white pages listing on magnetic media to companies (telemarketers, most likely) ... the more names in the book, the more money the electronic version is worth ... so, in a way, an unlisted number does cost them money, because the white pages are worth less. Brett (rfranken@cs.umr.edu) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 15:27:42 GMT From: dab@wiretap.spies.com (Dave Bonney) Subject: Re: USA - Intro to Telecom Area Codes Required In was written: > [a FAX product...] We would like to be able to produce a version for > the North American market, but I think we are rather spoiled by the > simple area code system which (in most European countries) years of Having lived in Europe, I don't think I'd call it 'simple' ! :-) > state monopoly has produced. Can anyone help me get hold of an 'idiots > guide' to the US telephone system so we can get our product set up > properly? > Questions which spring to mind include: > When does one need to dial a '1' before a ten-digit number? Usually, but not always. > When does one need to dial a '1' before a seven-digit number? Sometimes, but in some areas never. > Is it acceptable to use ten digit numbers exclusively, even > within one's own area? No, although there are/were some geographical areas where this is/was permitted. > If a phone is connected to a private exchange, what is the > conventional digit to obtain an outside line? Usually it's a '9', but like any PBX, it may be almost anything. e.g. '8', '99', '7', '80', etc. > Would a product such as ours be expected to explicitly choose > a LD carrier by using prefix codes? If so, how does that > work? No, but it might be advisable. I would suggest the ability to prepend up to possibly 16 digits. (And with a 'pause' capability.) > How many of these things need to be configurable because they are > liable to vary from state to state for example? All. See the Moderators Note. > Well, that's a rough description of my problem. Can anyone help? Is > there perhaps a few pages in a US phone directory which describe the > procedures that someone might be able to fax to me? > [Moderator's Note: Unfortunatly things are not yet totally > standardized in the USA regards when and when not to use 1+ on long > distance and/or inter/intra LATA calls. The front pages of any given And probably never will be totally standardized. Also:- As long as you may be working behind a PBX, allow for non-standardization! > telephone book would give instructions peculiar to that location. The > general rule -- although as noted, exceptions exist -- is that you > either dial seven digits or you dial 1 plus ten digits. In the Telecom It's becoming truer, but not a 'general rule'. > Archives, some files of interest will be 'areacode.guide', 'history. > of.area.splits' and others with 'area' or 'npa' as the first word. PAT] Regards, David A. Bonney <---> Telephone +1 (508) 692-4194 <--- ] dab [ A Telecommunications Professional Now Unemployed In Westford MA ] [No Employer, No Disclaimer. Just My Own Thoughts. ] [ Inquiries to MCIMail 422-4552 or Internet ] [ With a guest account at ] ------------------------------ From: rfranken@cs.umr.edu Subject: Re: USA - Intro to Telecom Area Codes Required Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 11:06:44 CST Carl Moore writes: > As far as I know, you can always insert a 1 before a 10 digit number. > This would even be true in published instructions which tell you to > dial area code + 7 digits (i.e. may omit leading 1): >> Is it acceptable to use ten digit numbers exclusively, even >> within one's own area? > I doubt it. That setup does appear with the Orange Card (noted You cannot ALWAYS insert a 1 before a ten digit number ... in some places, the rule "1 means toll and the abscense of 1 means non-toll" is enforced strictly, and so if you have a number in a different NPA that is non-toll, you can't dial 1 first. (I believe Omaha, NE is one such place. They are in 402, and Council Bluffs, IA is in a different area code but is a local call ... I'm fairly sure that their switches reject 1+712+XXXXXXX (I think 712 is the Council Bluffs area code ... It's been a while since I was in Omaha). Also, your doubts about ten digits always working are confirmed ... In both Omaha, NE and St. Louis MO (And countless other places, no doubt), calls to the same NPA must NOT use ten digits. There places enforce a 'one and only one way to call a number' dialing plan :) (Unless, of course, you count 10XXX codes). Brett (rfranken@cs.umr.edu) ------------------------------ From: Lynne Gregg Subject: Re: Cell Rate Plans Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 08:10:00 PDT Garrett Wollman wrote: > I haven't heard of this particular gimmick before, I thought Digest > readers might be interested in it, even though none of you live > here. :-) Free cell airtime on weekends and other off-peak times is not uncommon. Not offered in all areas, though. Check with your carriers and ask for the most favorable rate packages. Lynne ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 16:20:30 GMT From: srogers@tad.eds.com (Steve Rogers) Subject: Ordering Information for ISDN Application Catalog Organization: EDS Technology Architecture, Dallas North American ISDN Users' Forum Catalog of ISDN Applications "A Catalog of National ISDN Solutions for Selected NIUF Applications" was approved by the North American ISDN Users' Forum (NIUF) Plenary in February 1993. The catalog provides a user-friendly description of 34 solutions fully implementable on the National ISDN - 1 platform and 4 PRI based solutions implementable in a proprietary manner in NI-1 or in a standard manner in NI-2. It also contains the most complete compendium to date of available National ISDN-1 terminal equipment. Fully more than 120 products from 60 suppliers are described in the document. The Catalog takes a "cookbook" approach. A brief description of the application is followed by a recipe of what type of equipment the user needs to purchase along with what type of service the user needs to order from his or her local service provider. The solutions are cross-referenced to suppliers who claim to support them with equipment. This allows the user to readily pursue the implementation of his or her critical applications. In addition, the Catalog provides technical notes and hints for implementation of the National ISDN based solutions. "A Catalog of National ISDN Solutions for Selected NIUF Applications" can be ordered from the National Technical Information Services (see below) or you can download the catalog by anonymous ftp as follows: ftp isdn.ncsl.nist.gov User name: anonymous passwd: "you can type any password" cd niucatalog dir get "filename of the file you want" File niudoc.sit.hqx and niudoc.sit are the same files, but niudoc.sit.hqx is a bin hex file. .sit, .cdr, and .niu files must be downloaded as binary files. The catalog was produced on a Macintosh with Microsoft Word 4.0. The .cdr and .niu files were created with CorelDraw and WordPerfect 5.1. Before printing the Macintosh file, you need to "unpack" the file. This is done by using a Shareware package called, sit or unsit. This package can be found on the following machine: WUARCHIVE.WUSTL.EDU ftp wuarchive.wustl.edu User name: anonymous passwd: "your user@machine" directory: mirrors/rascal.ics.utexas.edu/compression file: stuffit_1.5.1 If you have questions or problems with the document please contact: Dawn Hoffman National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) North American ISDN Users' Forum (NIUF) Secretariat Bldg 223, Rm. B364 Gaithersburg, MD 20899 301-975-2937 FAX: 301-926-9675 email: dawn@isdn.ncsl.nist.gov To order a paper or fiche copy of the catalog, please contact: National Technical Information Services 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 General Information: 703-487-4650 Ordering Information: 1-800-553-6847 FAX: 703-321-8547 NTIS Order Number PB93-162881 Hard Copy: $44.50 Microfiche: $17.50 Steve Rogers srogers@tad.eds.com EDS Dallas, Texas ------------------------------ From: dquist@ben3b01.attmail.com Date: 22 Apr 93 11:41:38 GMT Subject: OCPZ1 - Still Another AT&T Plan John C. Fowler <0003513813@mcimail.com> wrote re: Still Another New AT&T Plan: >> There's no code on my original introductory letter, but they did print >> A similar code on my confirmation letter. In my case, it's: >> C16 303 545 xxxx Y 078 VE1B VEW ATL OCPZ1 ATL L68 E The three digit code after the NPA-NXX-LINE # is usually a Customer Code. The OCPZ1 stands for Optional Calling Plan (OCP). Z1 = Simple Savings Plan Simple Savings Plan allows you to pick one NPA you call "MOST" often and gives you a 25% discount. Plus a 15% discount on all other area codes in the US. For a more detailed description, or further information, one should call the AT&T residence service center at 1-800-222-0300. Dave ------------------------------ From: Barry (B.L.) Friedman Subject: Information Request: Telecom Benchmarking Consortium Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd. Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 15:21:59 GMT [Moderator's Note: Mr. Friedman passed along this request from Colin McRae. PAT] Does anyone have any contact names for the 'Telecommunications Benchmarking Consortium'. I am told that it consists of approximately 18 companies -- including AT&T, MCI and Ameritech. Colin McRae Manager, Global Product Performance - Support Platform PHONE: (613) 765 4006 ESN: 395 4006 FAX: (613) 765 2518 ESN: 395 2518 FAX: (613) 765 4060 ESN: 395 4060 ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V13 #272 ******************************   Received: from delta.eecs.nwu.edu by mintaka.lcs.mit.edu id aa26334; 23 Apr 93 4:26 EDT Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA29091 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist-outbound); Fri, 23 Apr 1993 01:41:34 -0500 Received: by delta.eecs.nwu.edu id AA32031 (5.65c/IDA-1.4.4 for telecomlist); Fri, 23 Apr 1993 01:41:01 -0500 Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1993 01:41:01 -0500 From: TELECOM Moderator Message-Id: <199304230641.AA32031@delta.eecs.nwu.edu> To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #273 TELECOM Digest Fri, 23 Apr 93 01:41:00 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 273 Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson Another Kevin Poulsen Indictment (Ronald Marks) Rochester Tel Discusses Call Return (Don Wegeng) Found! Dos -> AlphaNumeric Pager Software [non-Windows] (Anne Mitchell) Faxmail Service in Manhattan (NYTel 212 Territory) (sameer@atlastele.com) Looking For Serial/SCSI/SBUS DID Capable FAX Modem (Sam Lipson) Did I Get Slammed? (Russell Kroll) ATM Information (Sean Stanek) ATM, the Ambiguous TLA (Todd Inch) ATM vs. FDDI vs. Fast Ethernet (Christina Lee) SCAN (Shared Check Authorization Network) (Justin Fidler) NTT Telephone Cards: How do They Work? (Anand Datragailda) Talk Tickets: New Debit Cards From AT&T/US Fibercom (TELECOM Moderator) Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (Tony Waddell) Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (Robert L. McMillin) Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (Tim Schmitt) Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries (Brian T. Vita) ---------------------- TELECOM Digest is an e-journal devoted mostly -- but not exclusively -- to discussions on voice telephony. The Digest is a not-for-profit public service published frequently by Patrick Townson Associates. PTA markets a no-surcharge telephone calling card and a no monthly fee 800 service. In addition, we are resellers of AT&T's Software Defined Network. For a detailed discussion of our services, write and ask for the file 'products'. The Digest is delivered at no charge by email to qualified subscribers on any electronic mail service connected to the Internet. To join the mail- ing list, write and tell us how you qualify: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu. Before submitting articles for publication, please read a copy of our file 'writing.to.telecom'. All article submissions MUST be sent to our email address: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu -- NOT as replies to comp.dcom.telecom. Back issues and numerous other telephone-related files of interest are available from the Telecom Archives, using anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu. Login anonymous, then 'cd telecom-archives'. At the present time, the Digest is also ported to Usenet at the request of many readers there, where it is known as 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Use of the Digest does not require the use of our products and services. The two are separate. All articles are the responsibility of the individual authors. Organi- zations listed, if any, are for identification purposes only. The Digest is compilation-copyrighted, 1993. Reprinting encouraged, but credit the Digest and the author, and send us a copy. Send tithes and love offerings to PO Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690. :) Phone: 312-465-2700. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 12:05:36 -0600 From: ad216@freenet.HSC.Colorado.EDU (RONALD MARKS) Subject: Another Kevin Poulsen Indictment Reply-To: ad216@freenet.HSC.Colorado.EDU Computer hacker indicted; two others plead guilty A federal indictment was unsealed Wednesday against a computer hacker accused of rigging radio station promotional contests and compromising law enforcement investigations. The 19-count federal indictment charges Kevin L. Poulsen, 27, of Los Angeles with computer fraud, interception of wire communications, mail fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice. Poulsen was featured on the television show "Unsolved Mysteries" after skipping bail for a separate San Francisco indictment that charged him with illegally retaining secret Defense Department documents. Ronald M. Austin, 29, and Justin T. Petersen, 32, both of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to computer fraud charges for their role in rigging giveaway contests by radio stations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Schindler said the trio used computers to seize incoming telephone lines to ensure they would be the correct callers to the stations. During a two-year period, the three defendants fraudulently won two Porsches, $22,000 in cash, and two trips to Hawaii from three different radio stations, he said. Poulsen also is charged with using his computer skills to attempt to access sensitive government files and setting up his own wiretaps to record private conversations. He also allegedly compromised law enforcement investigations by hacking into Pacific Bell computers to obtain information about court- ordered wiretaps and undercover businesses operated by the FBI. If convicted, Poulsen faces a maximum of 100 years in prison and $4.7 million in fines. Austin pleaded guilty to five counts and admitted his role in removing computer equipment belonging to Poulsen in order to prevent its seizure by FBI agents. He faces a maximum of 25 years in prison and $1 million in fines when he is sentenced June 14. Petersen admitted to using computers to hack into TRW and Telenet computer systems. He also detailed his participation with Poulsen, including how the two physically broke into buildings containing Pacific Bell computers to obtain manuals and passwords about computer operating systems. Petersen faces a maximum of 40 years in prison and fines of $1.5 million when he is sentenced May 3. ------------------------------ From: wegeng.henr801c@xerox.com (Don Wegeng) Subject: Rochester Tel Discusses Call Return Reply-To: wegeng.henr801c@xerox.com Organization: Xerox Corp., Henrietta, NY Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 21:37:43 GMT My latest bill from Rochester Telephone contained the following message, offered without comment: *** Call Return Update *** Call Return allows a customer to return the most recent incoming call. If you receive anoyance calls due to this service, please use CALL TRACE (*64) and call our Annoyance Call Bureau at 777-5749. Don Wegeng wegeng.henr801c@xerox.com ------------------------------ From: shedevil@leland.Stanford.EDU (Anne P. Mitchell, JD) Subject: Found! Dos -> AlphaNumeric Pager Software [non-Windows] Reply-To: shedevil@gw.home.vix.com (Anne P. Mitchell, J.D.) Organization: Fathers Rights & Equality Exchange Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 22:48:48 GMT I found a paging company which has written its own software. The company is MetroCall, and the software is called "MetroText". It retails for $29.95. It even has a function so that you can send a page directly from your DOS prompt. MetroCall's # is (415) 572-1055. Ask for Bob Carpenter. Tell him Anne Mitchell sent you from the Internet [I told him I was going to post about this]. ------------------------------ From: sameer@atlastele.com Subject: Faxmail Service in Manhattan (NYTel 212 Territory) Organization: Atlas Telecom Inc. Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 20:52:39 GMT Hi all, I want to know if there is a Enhanced Faxmail Mailbox service available from NYTel/NYNex 212 area code folks. Something similar to the Faxtra/US West Enhanced Fax offering. The Droid in the NYTel Biz office didn't even know what enhanced fax services were. Thanks, Sameer ------------------------------ From: dirac!srl@uunet.UU.NET (Sam Lipson) Subject: Looking For Serial/SCSI/SBUS DID Capable FAX Modem Organization: I-Kinetics, Inc., Cambridge, MA USA Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1993 01:00:50 GMT I'm looking either for a "stand-alone" (e.g. serial), SCSI or SBUS interface DID Fax Modem -- or a box which will decode the DID signals (put the called number out an RS-232 port?), and present a nomal telephone line interface (out, say an RJ-11) where I'd hook up my regular FAX modem. The specific application is routing incoming FAesX, for which I need the called number from the trunk. I have to believe that someone at least makes a box that allows you to plug a normal telephone type instrument into a DID trunk, and gives the called number via some digital interface. DID -- Direct Inward Dial. There are at least two PC-bus products I know of -- GammaFax CPD and Brooktrout unfortunately the host computer for this project is a Sun. I'll post relevant responses. Thanks, Sam Lipson srl@i-kinetics.com ------------------------------ Subject: Did I Get Slammed? From: rkroll@unkaphaed.jpunix.com (Russell Kroll) Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 20:07:30 GMT Organization: Unka Phaed's UUCP Thingy, Houston, TX Well, it looks as if I've been 'slammed' on one of our lines. Today, one of the people at my house attempted to place a long distance call from 713-270 to Colorado Springs. The result was an error message with something like 'operator 8. Your phone is not signed up with American Telephone' ... and right then, there was a loud be-boop on the line ... which repeated over and over. We are AT&T customers on all three of our lines, and use them as the default carrier. No one authorized any change of long distance provider. Is this considered 'slamming'? Is this legal? And who do I complain to? Thanks, rkroll@unkaphaed.jpunix.com (Russell Kroll) Unka Phaed's UUCP Thingy, Houston, TX, (713) 481-3763 1200/2400/9600/14400 v.32bis/v.42bis [Moderator's Note: One problem ... if the call would NOT complete because you were NOT a customer of Company X, then it would seem you were NOT slammed. AT&T does not refer to itself over the phone lines as American Telephone and Telegraph -- at least not to my knowledge. They always play the tone then say 'AT&T'. Did the person attempting to place the call use 10-something in front of the number, producing the mentioned result from "American Telephone" about your not being a customer? Had you been slammed, your call(s) would have gone through without question ... any questions that is until you saw your bill the following month. Had you been slammed, *some* company would have picked up that call and processed it. Is it possible the announce- ment came from the other end; that the person being called had call- forwarded his line somewhere on a carrier code *he* couldn't use? It would be helpful to know at what point the intercept occurred (in the midst of his dialing; after it dummy-rang once or twice in the local switch; or after the call had set up and was processing somewhere in Colorado City.) It would also be helpful to know if other long distance call attempts (to other numbers) produce the same results; calls to the same number at different times, etc. If for some reason that line (did you try your other lines to check the results, and try the orig- inal line a second or third time?) was 'defaulted' in error by the local telco to 'no carrier', then generally the intercept is not from any particular carrier, but simply 'your call cannot be completed as dialed'. Can you provide more specifics and further test results? PAT] ------------------------------ Organization: Penn State University Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 17:54:53 EDT From: Subject: ATM Information A friend and I are doing a research paper on ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), the new telecommunications transmission method that is supposed to be the hot test item in development. Through many journels we have found lots of useful things but are still looking for some critical information. We would like to know: When and where it was developed/first introduced (general history); Who developed it; and What future does it have in communications? also, If anyone could provide us with ANY OTHER useful information, PLEASE post it dirrectly to the newsgroup. Thanks A LOT (in advance), Sean Stanek ------------------------------ From: toddi@mav.com (Todd Inch) Subject: ATM, the Ambiguous TLA Organization: Maverick International Inc. Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 21:54:48 GMT In article rboudrie@chpc.org (Rob Boudrie) writes: > If you want to find a PLUS system ATM which is near you, call > 1-800-THE-PLUS. You will be asked to touch tone in the area code and > first three digits of the phone number you are calling from. If any > machines are near you, the recording will tell you about them. Presumably by ATM, you mean "Automated Teller Machine". Now that there is some new fancy networking something (that I obviously haven't gotten around to reading about) called "ATM", can someone (PAT?) specify a standard/definition for us (TD/c.d.t readers), or should I just become a more "context-sensitive" reader? I can't wait 'til ATM's communicate via ATM's. ------------------------------ From: clee@ssdslc22.asl.dl.nec.com (Christina Lee) Subject: ATM vs. FDDI vs. Fast Ethernet Organization: NEC America, Inc. Irving, Texas Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 21:15:22 GMT Anyone have info comparing these three besides price? I've read bits and pieces but nothing real informative. I'd appreciate any info. clee [Moderator's Note: Automatic Teller Machines, I suppose? I guess not in the context of FDDI and Ethernet. I just couldn't resist using my Moderator privileges to toss all three of these in one issue, one after another! :) Todd Inch, you think *you're* confused! :) PAT] ------------------------------ From: Fidler, Justin Subject: SCAN (Shared Check Authorization Network) Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 17:00:00 EDT Recently, in the Washington, D.C. area, I've noticed that a lot of retail stores now have a device that will read the numbers from the bottom of a check. They all seem to have a sticker on them saying "SCAN: Shared Check Authorization Network" When I was paying by check the other day at a local store, when it scanned my check, all the numbers on the bottom appeared on the display of the cash register, then there was a pause of about four seconds, during which the registed said "Processing ... Please Wait." My question to Telecom readers is this: How exactly does this work? I'm not asking about OCR, I want to know if this device is connected to some type of network that dials up a nationwide clearinghouse with information on each person's account, or exactly how it works? Does it only check that the account is valid, or does it also check the account to see if funds are available? Justin Fidler jrf@b31.nei.nih.gov Opinion of author only. [Moderator's Note: Both; all three actually. And before long, the money will be debited right out of your account on the spot. Instant debit is the direction things are going. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Ops Mgr Subject: NTT Telephone Cards - How do They Work? Sender: bridge@tigger.jvnc.net (Anand Datragailda) Reply-To: lee%polarsun@rna.rockefeller.edu Organization: JVNC Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 20:29:21 GMT I recently returned from a trip to Hawaii and something that struck me as odd was the fact that NTT Telephone cards with a Hawaiian motif were being sold there at $15.00 a pop for 500 "credits". What are these cards and how are they used? Do they have a mag stripe embedded in them? The one I bought was real flimsy and doesn't seem to be thick enough to harbour such a stripe. The salesman at the souvenir shop mentioned that when its used, the payphone will stamp out a tiny bit of the card. Wonder how long before this gets popular in the US. Lee [Moderator's Note: Hawaii *is* part of the USA, but I'm sure you meant to say 'the mainland'. Actually, they are starting to catch on here. AT&T's largest reseller/aggregator, US Fibercom is ironing out the details now. See the details in the next message. PAT] ------------------------------ From: TELECOM Moderator Subject: Talk Tickets - New Debit Cards From AT&T/US Fibercom Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1993 00:15:00 CDT When the largest aggregator/reseller of AT&T decides to get involved, then you can assume a trend is probably underway. The program, to be known as 'Talk Tickets' will not use mag stripes. Instead, there will be little carboard tickets, almost like bus or train tickets. Tickets will be available in several denominations including $5, $10 and $20 sizes. Each ticket will have a unique serial number on it. All calls will go to an 800 number where voice prompting will tell the person to enter their ticket number and the number they wish to call. Furthermore, all calls with ride with Mother (of course!), and at the 800 number there will be such nice extras as your own personal speed dialing directory, voicemail, news, and a couple other features. The tickets will be composed of 'units', each unit costing fifty cents. Call anywhere in the USA at fifty cents (or one unit) for three minutes. If you talk six minutes, you use two units, etc. International calls are permitted; I am not sure how many units (or fifty cent decrements) will be required. You pay for voicemail, news and the other features in the same way, by unit (or fifty cent) decrements. As the cards expire in value, you can call an operator on line who will accept your VISA/MC to load them up again ... or you can just buy a new card, as you wish. Each time you call the 800 number, the computer will tell you how many units remain unused. Now the nice part: AT&T/US Fibercom said to me they thought telecom readers would make a nice beta-test group for this new product, so if I would just give them my mailing lists they'd see to it that everyone got a chance to particpate. Nooo ... can't do that, but maybe if I'm feeling in a good mood *I'll* talk about your tickets, I told the man, and if I had some *sample tickets* to send readers, they'd probably be willing to try them out before anyone else got a chance to use them, and report back. So he is going to talk to his bosses and see if a special-issue of $2 tickets (good for four units, or twelve minutes of talk time or some voicemail/talk combination) could be arranged for y'all ... at 16.7 cents per minute, that's not a bad price for domestic calls from payphones, hotels, etc. Plus if I understood correctly, there will be additional discounts on volume purchases. I should have more details in a few days, and probably some sample cards worth a couple dollars each. I can't say or commit to anything firm until that time. One good thing about a program like this: fraud is limited to the value of the ticket. More news when I have it. Anyone interested in trying it out let me know; there won't be any obligations except to write back to the Digest with your honest opinion of how well they work, etc. Your reponses will be seen by concerned persons. Patrick ------------------------------ From: aawadde@ns.PacBell.COM (Tony Waddell) Subject: Re: Author Queries: Phone Mysteries Organization: Pacific * Bell Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1993 21:13:24 GMT In article turner@buffalo.HQ.Ileaf.COM (James Turner) writes: >> 5) Why does an unlisted number cost extra? Does it really cost the phone >> companies money? > There is probably some minor administrative costs associated with it, > since they have to flag them in the company database so that they are > not printed or given out by directory assistance. But the basic > answer is no, since many BOCs will not list the second number coming > into a home (the data line, for example) as long as the primary number > IS listed. It's a phone company moneymaker, pure and simple. The administractive costs to keep a person's number out of the phone book and out of directory assistance records is indeed minor. But I doubt that it's much of a money maker. I used to work in the business office quite a number of years ago (1974-1983). At Pacific Telephone, the monthly fee for an unlisted number was fifteen cents. I think it's about 50 cents now. I don't know if any studies were ever made about the true cost of an unlisted number (to the TELEPHONE COMPANY), but I would suspect that it exceeds the revenue brought it. As a former service rep, I can tell you that we spent a great deal of time explaining to callers who wanted someone's unlisted number that we couldn't give it out, etc. etc. And I'm sure that operators had a much harder time with it than service reps ever did. Then there's always the customer who insists it's an emergency, so the operator has to call the unlisted party and relay a message to call the other party back. So while the cost of an unlisted number may be negligible, I'll bet the cost of what it causes is quite high. Again, I'm speaking of when it was a mere 15 cents. Now that the fee has gone up, maybe it creates a little profit. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 22 Apr 93 18:52 PDT From: rlm@helen.surfcty.com (Robert L. McMillin) Subject: Re: Author Queries: Phone