From editor@telecom-digest.org Fri Apr 8 13:24:56 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j38HOtW04678; Fri, 8 Apr 2005 13:24:56 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 13:24:56 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504081724.j38HOtW04678@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #151 TELECOM Digest Fri, 8 Apr 2005 13:25:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 151 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Internet Phone Service Looks Like Next Big Thing (Jack Decker) PSP Embraced by DIY Technicians | BBC NEWS | Technology (David Chessler) The Truth About Toothing (Monty Solomon) Alcatel's COO to Resign (Telecom dailyLead from USTA) Re: Telemarketing to Cellphones (DevilsPGD) Re: Telemarketing to Cellphones (Joseph) Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID (Justin Time) Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID (Sean Weintz) Re: Philly Reveals Wireless Plan (David B. Horvath, CCP) Re: USB to RJ-45 Console Cable? (Neal McLain) Re: Google Maps (Steve Sobol) Re: Sperm - Not so Mobile (T. Sean Weintz) Re: Question on Caller ID on Panasonic KX-TA624 (eljainc@ameritech.net) Re: VoIP Adapter With High REN? (Isaiah Beard) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jack Decker Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 12:00:47 -0400 Subject: Internet Phone Service Looks Like Next Big Thing http://www.freep.com/money/tech/mwendland8e_20050408.htm BY MIKE WENDLAND FREE PRESS COLUMNIST If there's any one tech trend that's marked this year so far, it has to be the use of the Internet to make and receive telephone calls. Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP (pronounced VOIP), is growing so fast that it's almost overwhelming. In fact, I think it's a safe bet to predict it's how a great many of us will soon be making most of our telephone calls from home -- and maybe work, too. The big news this week regarding VoIP was Thursday's announcement by America Online of its new Internet Phone Service, rolled out in 40 cities across the country, including Detroit. I've been testing it since midweek and will have a full review in Tuesday's Free Press. Full story at: http://www.freep.com/money/tech/mwendland8e_20050408.htm How to Distribute VoIP Throughout a Home: http://michigantelephone.mi.org/distribute.html If you live in Michigan, subscribe to the MI-Telecom group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MI-Telecom/ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Apr 2005 23:07:51 -0400 From: David Chessler Subject: PSP Embraced by DIY Technicians | BBC NEWS | Technology http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4420745.stm http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4420745.stm DIY software and hardware experts have been quick to embrace Sony's PlayStation Portable console. A glut of "homebrew" features for the device have already been released, many of which were not part of Sony's official plans for the machine. The PSP is a handheld console, which has wireless capabilities, and can play music as well as video games. Tools for web browsing and online chat are among the first to appear since the console launched in the US and Japan. The developments are not sanctioned by Sony but the firm has not commented on the homebrew tools. Messaging platform The $249 (=A3130) PSP handheld video game player went on sale in the United States on 24 March and within 24 hours one man had a working client for Internet Relay Chat (IRC), an older online messaging platform. "I was on IRC, and someone mentioned how cool it would be to use their PSP on wi-fi at Starbucks to talk to people over IRC. I said, 'I can do that', so I began working on it immediately," said Robert Balousek, creator of PSPIRC in an e-mail interview with news agency Reuters. Mr Balousek said about 100,000 people had visited the IRC client, and he is starting work on a new project that would let PSP users chat on the AOL Instant Messenger network. Hacking new video game hardware is not new but the speed at which people have started to produce their own applications for the PSP is impressive. Other "hacks" include a way to transfer TV shows recorded by the Tivo digital video recorder to the PSP, a program for reading e-books and a viewer for comics downloaded from the internet. Racing game While many of the tools are probably in development by Sony in an official sense, some PSP owners just could not wait to get started. Much of the new PSP functionality comes from using the web browser built into the racing game Wipeout Pure, which was meant to go to a Sony site. By changing some of the PSP's network settings, the browser can be pointed to an internet portal. A number of people have already set up such portals, formatted to fit in the PSP's screen and offering links and a place to enter web addresses. Other "hacks" include getting the PSP to play all games wirelessly over the internet and playing multiplayer games with only one copy of the game. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/technology/4420745.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4378661.stm http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4378661.stm Sony PSP handheld console hits US The latest handheld gaming gadget, Sony's PlayStation Portable, goes on sale in the US on Thursday. The entertainment device, which also stores images, music and video, is intended to compete with Nintendo's DS, released earlier this month in the UK. Gamers have been queuing outside shops across the US to get their hands on the gadget, which costs $250 (about =A3132). The first million sold will come with the Spider-Man 2 film on UMD, Sony's own disc format for the device. The PSP can be linked up with others for multiplayer gaming, via a wireless connection. Sony has touted the machine as the Walkman of the 21st Century and has sold more than 800,000 units in Japan since its launch there last year. But it faces stiff competition from the Nintendo DS, which sold more than the GameCube in its first few days on release in Europe. It too allows for multiplayer gaming over the air. Nintendo dominates the handheld market, with more than a 90% share of the market in the US alone. The Gizmondo combined media player, phone and gaming gadget also went on sale in the UK last week. It hopes to take a share of the handheld gaming market too. 'Few months' for Europe "The story of the PSP is it's not a gaming device as much as it is a portable entertainment device," said Michael Pachter, analyst at Wedbush Morgan Securities. He told the Reuters news agency that he expected Sony to sell about 10 million PSPs in enough time to rival Apple's iPod. There is no date for the PSP's release in Europe yet. Sony has promised to have a million units ready for its US launch, but there are fears demand may not be met. It also said it expected to ship three million PSPs worldwide by the end of its fiscal year ending 31 March. The machine's European launch was put back "a few months" last week in order to make sure enough of the devices were ready for its US launch, as well as satisfying the Japanese market. The PSP has almost as much processing power in it as the PlayStation 2 console. Hundreds of gamers gathered at US shops, some waiting for more than 36 hours, to be the first to get their hands on the gadget. A spokesman for one US shop said it expected the device to sell out on its first day. The 24 games for the mini console include Ape Academy, Formula One, Wipeout Pure and Fired Up. Movie studios, including Lions Gate Entertainment and Disney, have also announced forthcoming film titles that will be made available on the UMD format. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/technology/4378661.stm NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, BBC News. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 08:59:08 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: The Truth About Toothing Jim Hanas "Toothy Toothing," aka Ste Curran (who says he was but "part" of Toothy, the other part apparently being Simon Byron), admits to duping Wired and the rest. In response to an email from me-and to the slashdotting of my earlier post-the source of all the toothing tales pointed me to this page, where he tells how it all began, explaining how he and others invented toothing and its pied piper. There, he writes: http://www.hanasiana.com/archives/000324.html What Ever Happened to Toothing? http://www.hanasiana.com/archives/000323.html UPDATE: The Anatomy of a Hoax http://www.hanasiana.com/archives/000327.html Toothing http://www.thetriforce.com/newblog/?p=53 To Clarify An Analogy http://www.thetriforce.com/newblog/?p=55 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 12:07:25 EDT From: Telecom dailyLead from USTA Subject: Alcatel's COO to resign Telecom dailyLead from USTA April 8, 2005 http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=20681&l=2017006 TODAY'S HEADLINES NEWS OF THE DAY * Alcatel's COO to resign BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH * Adelphia creditors agree to Time Warner, Comcast bid * Rural phone carriers team up to offer video * Report: Network, telecom gear market up 13% in '04 * Cablevision tells feds it will close Voom * Group formed to promote FTTH in Asia USTA SPOTLIGHT * In USTA's Telecom Bookstore: "Softswitch Architecture for VoIP" EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES * Broadband over power line: big opportunities, hurdles * Pornography goes wireless VOIP DOWNLOAD * Convenience seen as crucial to VoIP's future * Interactive Intelligence unveils new VoIP server * Siemens, Integra5 team up to bolster cable VoIP REGULATORY & LEGISLATIVE * Philly announces Wi-Fi plan * U.S. broadband adoption falling behind Follow the link below to read quick summaries of these stories and others. http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=20681&l=2017006 Legal and Privacy information at http://www.dailylead.com/about/privacy_legal.jsp SmartBrief, Inc. 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20005 ------------------------------ From: DevilsPGD Subject: Re: Telemarketing to Cellphones Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 04:45:40 -0600 Organization: Disorganized In message Joseph wrote: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: So what harm is there in adding your > cell phone and/or VOIP number to the list just to 'be safe'? PAT] The harm is that exempt companies can purchase the DNC list and use it as a list of people to annoy. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Why, when by your presence on that list you have in effect stated 'do not bother me, I am not interested', would some 'exempt' company deliberatly call you anyway? Do they have money to waste just being malicious? PAT] ------------------------------ From: Joseph Subject: Re: Telemarketing to Cellphones Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 05:20:24 -0700 Reply-To: JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com On Thu, 07 Apr 2005 17:41:49 -0700, Telecom Digest editor> noted in response to this writer: > You are being terribly irresponsible in circulating this untrue rumor > that telemarketers will receive cell phone numbers. > http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_cell_phone_directory.htm> > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: So what harm is there in adding your > cell phone and/or VOIP number to the list just to 'be safe'? PAT] You don't get it. That's not the point of my message. This guy is spreading rumors that numbers are being released to telemarketers. If people would check things out before they post without checking things out they *need* to have their incorrect information refuted. If you want to give your number to the DNC list go for it! ------------------------------ From: Justin Time Subject: Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID Manager Date: 8 Apr 2005 05:24:18 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Not to say that this type of harassment doesn't occur. There are other remedies available that appear not to have been explored. If you had proof, then a court order to stop the harassment could have been obtained. Violation of the court order will have more impact on police action than the filing of a complaint. The question remains, other than complaining what have you done to protect yourself? [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: What I did to protect myself is switch to a different telephone company; one that knows what *77 is used for and how to implement it so it works correctly, and overall it is a lot less expensive as well ($25 per month for a large package of features _plus_ unlimited local calling, _plus_ a hundred minutes of long distance calling per month). Admittedly, that solution is not available to everyone: SBC (and many other Bell telcos) tell many customers they are 'not eligible' for porting elsewhere. And to get a 'court order', you generally have to have had the police involved first, to justify your need for a court order. The court does not hand them out willy-nilly to everyone who asks. PAT] ------------------------------ From: T. Sean Weintz Subject: Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID Manager Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 10:58:11 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Paratwa wrote: > For what its worth by sheer coincidence the idiot called from a pay > phone last night an left a message. He has probably figured out that > something isn't right since he could leave a message with the first > try on a pay phone and couldn't do it again, since I blocked it. Let's just hope he never has control of a PRI line. Way to easy to spoof CLID then. Or he could use one of those spoofing services that use their own PRI's to spoof for ya ... Be thankful this ex-boyfriend ain't to bright. You could always start a "www.psychoexboyfriend.com" website and put his messages up as MP3's for laughs ... Humiliate him publicly and he might stop. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Apr 2005 23:17:41 -0400 From: David B. Horvath, CCP Subject: Re: Philly Reveals Wireless Plan PAT -- please remove my email address as usual. This system will work until individuals start setting their personal wifi units to the city's channels (frequencies) either through stupidity (defaults) or malice (you can get one for $10 these days, if you don't like your neighbors who use the city system, you could easily block them). Remember that wifi is unlicensed (you don't need a license to have one nor or channels assigned by the government, you can use any of the legal ones at will). And since only the US Federal Government is allowed to regulate use of the radio waves. Or even worse, the ultimate in phising attacks -- setting up a local wifi AP that tracks keystrokes and then passes the data off to the Internet. Yuck! - David David B. Horvath, CCP Consultant, Author, International Lecturer, Adjunct Professor Member: ICCP Educational Foundation Board and ICCP Test Council; Chair of LPR&GC CMP ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 07 Apr 2005 22:48:35 -0500 From: Neal McLain Subject: Re: USB to RJ-45 Console Cable? JXM2119 wrote: > I would like to buy/make a cable that will have a USB > connector on one end and an RJ-45 on the other. I wrote: > If by "RJ-45" you mean an 8-position modular connector > wired to carry an Ethernet circuit, you'll need an > adapter such as Planet Technology Corp. Model PT9500. I > have two of these devices in service, connecting oldish > PCs (W98) to a Linksys router. They work great. James Carlson wrote: > RJ-45 connectors are also commonly used for all sorts of > serial links -- including async (using RS-232 levels), > sync (often RS-422), and even telecom (such as DS-1). > It's not just Ethernet. JXM2119 didn't tell us what kind signal s/he's using. I inferred Ethernet from the context of the question; if s/he has some other signal in mind, perhaps s/he should let us know. I agree that 8-position modular connectors can be wired for things other than Ethernet; that's why my response to the original question began with the word "if." But I don't agree with the use of the term "RJ-45" to identify a connector. RJ45 is a USOC (albeit apparently obsolete); not a connector. Neal McLain ------------------------------ From: Steve Sobol Subject: Re: Google Maps Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 00:41:16 -0700 Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com AES wrote: > I don't know how to solve the problem (the very real, serious, and > IMHO increasing) problem of corruption of many of our primary > information sources and media by advertising I'd willingly pay a > significant subscription fee for access to a Google equivalent that > was equally good and that I could be sure was and would remain truly > advertiser independent. There is no such thing. (No, not even public TV and radio, they have corporate sponsorships too, and have had them for quite some time.) JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638) Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / sjsobol@JustThe.net / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED "The wisdom of a fool won't set you free" --New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle" ------------------------------ From: T. Sean Weintz Subject: Re: Sperm - Not so Mobile Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 09:44:57 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com T. Sean Weintz wrote: > Damn. Now I need to take the cell phones away from my mice. How are > they supposed to call me at work to let me know when they are out of > cheese now? > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Very clever retort, but my presumption > is the researchers would rather experiment with mice than with human > children, etc. PAT] Yes, of course. But what many folks don't realize is they use specially bred mice that are VERY susceptible to tumors for these types of experiments. Which means there is a very GOOD chance that the same exposure will have no effect whatsoever on a normal healthy human. ------------------------------ From: eljainc@ameritech.net Subject: Re: Question on Caller ID on Panasonic KX-TA624 Date: 8 Apr 2005 07:19:42 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com We never had the users manual for the TA624, only the installation manual. I did find it on-line late yesterday though. Thanks for the tip. Mike ------------------------------ From: Isaiah Beard Subject: Re: VoIP Adapter With High REN? Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 10:32:14 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Thor Lancelot Simon wrote: > I am trying to switch two of three phone lines in a very large, very > old house over to VoIP. The house has quite literally twenty > extensions split between the three lines -- I think I need at least 4 > or 5 REN per line, plus the ability to drive all the wire leading to > those handsets (over 100' in some cases) without exploding the audio > output circuit in the ATA. The Linksys PAP2 supports 5 REN and seems pretty robust for such a small unit. The PAP2-NA version can be purchased separately and used on any VoIP provider that allows outside equipment, or you can get a Vonage-locked version at retail stores for around $50, usually free after mail-in rebate. E-mail fudged to thwart spammers. Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply. ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #151 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Fri Apr 8 18:24:30 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j38MOUe08423; Fri, 8 Apr 2005 18:24:30 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 18:24:30 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504082224.j38MOUe08423@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #152 TELECOM Digest Fri, 8 Apr 2005 18:20:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 152 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson More Spam! We Reach the 80 Percent Mark Here! (Lisa Minter) More Spam! Monday Morning Blues of an Office Worker (Lisa Minter) More Spam! It Really is Very Profitable (Lisa Minter) More Spam! Get Ready For Spam on Your VOIP/Cell Phone (Lisa Minter) More Spam! Judge Sentences Spammer to Nine Years (Lisa Minter) More Spam! Users To Blame For This Mess (Lisa Minter) More Spam! Spam Ain't Dead Yet, Not by a Long Shot (Lisa Minter) Telecom Update (Canada) #476 April 8, 2005 (John Riddell) Spammer Gets 9 Year Prison Sentence (Chris Farrar) Simultaneous Ring Problem With Cell Phone (Nathan Anderson) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 15:02:02 EDT From: Lisa Minter Subject: More Spam! We Reach the 80 Percent Mark Here! I have gathered up several articles dealing with the heartbreak of spam, and share several items with you today in this special report. I know PAT said maybe to respond to the bird whose email was published a couple days ago complaining that we here do not exercise enough 'editorial control over what goes out' we would simply open the gate and let it _all_ flow out in a flood at you, but Patrick decided against that. So, here are a few items hopefully of interest. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. Lisa Minter ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 14:21:15 -0400 From: Lisa Minter Subject: Monday Morning Blues of an Office Worker This link, is from http://www.HamptonRoads.com and http://www.PilotOnline.com about an office worker who found 624 items of spam in her inbox when she came to work on Monday morning. It could have been written here, except one of us usually flushes the toilet once or twice daily. The most I have ever seen was 310 in a single afternoon. http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=83188&ran=77296 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 14:18:06 EDT From: Lisa Minter Subject: Spam is Really Very Profitable For Spammers, Worm Turns a Profit By Brian Krebs For the first two weeks of October 2004, relentless waves of Internet t raffic swamped the Web site of Gaithersburg, Md.-based Harta Instruments, one of six companies worldwide that manufacture devices used to detect a vir us linked to genital warts and cervical cancer. John Lee, the company's owner, initially suspected a digital attack bent on destroying his mostly Internet-based business. Lee later learned that the flood of Web traffic came from more than 300,000 computers seeking softwar e updates at his site. The computers had been infected with the latest vers ion of the "Bagle" worm, one of last year's most prolific and insidious Int ernet viruses. The debilitating attacks have ceased now that his Web site is operating under a new name, but Lee still fumes over the incident, which he says cost his company tens of thousands of dollars in lost sales. "I don't know who was behind all of this, but they need to be caught and then shot," Lee grumbled. Barring a careless misstep by the virus author or authors, the prospects for any repercussions appear dim. The worm that targeted Lee's site was the 44th version of Bagle unleashed in 2004, a year in which teams of virus wri ters forged new alliances with junk e-mail artists to convert millions of home PCs into remote-controlled "zombies" used to fuel spam and phishing attacks. As a result of those alliances, junk e-mail and phishing attacks -- online scams that lure victims into giving up confidential information -- far out numbered legitimate e-mail communications last year. Roughly three-quarters of all e-mail in 2004 was spam or fraud-related, according to Postini, a Redwood City, Calif.-based anti-spam firm. Rent-a-Zombie Bagle was just one of countless e-mail worms unleashed onto the Internet in 2004, but the attack on Lee's site offered security experts a rare glimps e into the thriving economic and operational ties between Internet criminals and virus writers. In many ways, the Bagle virus is no different from other e-mail worms: it seizes control of a recipient's PC after they click on an e-mail attachment that harbors the virus. But Bagle also has outpaced its brethren in other areas. It would become one of 2004's most successful "multi-stage" viruses, in that it was designed to lie dormant for several days after infection, then instruct its host to download software updates from a pre-defined list of more than 130 Web sites. Bagle also was the first high-profile worm to disable the protective firewall that Microsoft Corp. enables in all distributions of Service Pack 2, a software security upgrade made available to Windows XP users in August. Symantec Corp., an Internet security firm based in Cupertino, Calif., intentionally infected some of its computers with the Bagle virus in order to monitor the worm's progress. In a 28-page report published in December, the company found that some of the PCs downloaded software that forced them to forward e-mails used in a pair of elaborate phishing scams targeting customers of SunTrust Banks. Other Bagle-infected PCs were used to spew junk e-mail. One piece of spam hawked cheap generic prescription drugs. Another advertised popular software titles -- including computer-security and anti-virus programs -- at fire-sale prices. Experts say most software sold through spam is pirated, and much of it is itself laced with viruses. Alfred Huger, senior director of security response at Symantec, said most of the infected computers were seeded with additional software over a period of several weeks. "That kind of activity suggests that the people behind the Bagle worm are either running a vast criminal enterprise or they are loaning out their network" of infected PCs to other scam artists and spammers , Huger said. It is common for attackers to sell or rent access to PCs they have compromised, according to Johannes Ullrich, chief technology officer for the SANS Internet Storm Center. In certain little-known underground chat rooms, a hacked computer in the United States can be rented for pennies per week. However, hijacked PCs in some foreign countries often fetch a higher value because they are considered harder for authorities to shutter, Ullrich added. "We've seen the asking price go as high as $25 for a single compromised home system." Recycling the Victim One reason Bagle and hundreds of other so-called "mass-mailer" worms are so prevalent is that virus authors typically reuse machines they have infected to help spawn future incarnations of their creations. Last year, hackers released new Bagle versions roughly once a week, each time using thousands of hijacked computers to "seed" the Internet with initial copies of the virus. Harta's Lee and many others responsible for maintaining the Web sites listed in Bagle's code acknowledged having inadvertently infected one or more of their personal or work computers with earlier versions of Bagle in the weeks leading up to the attacks on their sites. The attackers likely located the victims' Web sites by using one of Bagle' s built-in capabilities: eavesdropping on an infected computer's Internet c onnection for usernames and passwords that victims use to read e-mail, log in to bank sites or administer Web sites. Anthony Flanagan, a real estate development planner in San Francisco, owns a laptop that was infected with the Bagle worm in early September. Two weeks later his site buckled under the traffic of Bagle-infected PCs trying to download software that attackers had planted on his site and laptop. Flanagan's Internet service provider quickly pulled the plug on his Web site because it was crashing other sites operating on the same server. Flanagan said his site normally receives four or five visitors in a busy week, but when his ISP cut him off, the site was choking on more than 120 hits per second. "I didn't know I was infected, or that it was even possible for the virus to make its way over to my Web site," he said. Still, experts say many of the sites listed in Bagle's internal code never hosted any of the phishing or spamming software and were probably used as decoys to throw anti-virus researchers off their trail. Nevertheless, those sites were just as affected by the deluge of traffic from Bagle victims. The Web site for Union Hospital in Elkton, Md., appears to have been one such decoy. Hospital officials directed inquiries about the incident to the site's Internet service provider, Hunt Valley, Md.-based System Source. System Source co-owner Robert Roswell said the hospital's Web address, www.uhcc.com, received thousands of hits per second at the height of the attack, cutting off public access to the site for more than 24 hours. Roswell declined to say how much the attack cost, but said the company "put an enormous amount of defensive energy into keeping the site alive." "Let's just say we blew through about 10 years' worth of service contracts defending the hospital from this attack," he said. No Relief in Sight For the first three weeks of 2005, anti-virus companies saw only minor outbreaks of mass-mailing worms. But on Jan. 26, virus authors unleashed a major outbreak with several new versions of the Bagle worm. Within 24 hours, the amount of spam generated by Bagle-infected PCs increased from 140,000 junk e-mails to more than 1 million a day, according to Symantec, which recently acquired anti-spam company Brightmail. Experts say there are precious few signs that e-mail worms or the spam and scams they facilitate will fade away in the near future. The instructions for creating custom versions of Bagle and many of today's most successful e-mail worms now are freely available online. Virus authors also will continue to exploit weaknesses in commercial anti- virus software, most of which must be constantly updated with new "definitions" to be able to detect the latest viruses and worms. This allows the virus writers to stay a step ahead by releasing slightly different versions of their creations just hours apart. At the beginning of 2004, anti-virus companies took an average of 12 hours to release new definitions following a viral outbreak, according to MessageLabs, a British anti-spam company. By December 2004, that window of opportunity had shrunk by less than two hours, MessageLabs said. Still, the biggest contributor to the future success of such viruses will continue to be new, inexperienced Internet users, thousands of whom venture forth each day worldwide, said Mikko Hypponen, director of anti-virus research at F-Secure Corp. in Helsinki. "There are new users coming online all the time who know nothing about the risks of owning a computer and getting on the Internet," Hypponen said. "We're going to be fighting these e-mail worms for quite some time." Copyright 2004 The Washington Post Company NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, The Washington Post Company. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ Date: 08 Apr 2005 11:14:27 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: More Spam! Get Ready for Spam on Your Net Phone It was hardly the big conversation topic at the VON conference in San Jose last week, where companies big and small were pitching their Voice over Internet Protocol technology and products. But when conversations at the show turned to security issues, the SPIT started flying. Not literally, of course. Jeffrey Citron, chairman and chief executive of Vonage, took questions after his keynote speech and was asked how he plans to address security issues with VoIP. Clearly, he wasn't going to share his security strategy so early. "The great thing about security is that you don't have to tell everyone what you're doing," he responded. "But we understand that SPIT is an issue." The issue is not only the potential for more telemarketing calls but also voicemail spam -- the thousands of unsolicited voice messages that a spammer could send to VoIP voicemail boxes with a simple click. So far, it's not a major problem. But as VoIP grows over the next few years, you can expect that 'spitters' will be ready. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Associated Press. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: For those folks not yet familiar with the term 'SPIT', it is spam pushed over internet telephones, and it helps if you understand something about internet telephones and how they work. If I understand correctly, computers which act as switches for internet telephony have 'mailboxes' just like the email box you use for incoming/outgoing email. A piece of voicemail (or 'email') gets put in your slot, something triggers it to ring your net phone and the 'email' gets delivered to you, much like when you are using a Unix computer as I have here, new incoming 'email' triggers a message on my screen saying 'you have new mail'. Just as I can deliver this Digest en-masse to many readers using an 'exploder' style address, I presume spammers can use an 'exploder' address to send a single peice of 'email' to hundreds or thousands of users. And your voicemail box holds those pieces of 'email' which cannot get delivered right now because you are busy on some other 'email'. I am surprised the spammers (or Spitters) are not busy using them already to deliver their trash. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: 08 Apr 2005 11:13:25 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: More Spam! Sometimes One Gets Caught: Judge Sentences Spammer By MATTHEW BARAKAT, Associated Press Writer LEESBURG, Va. - A Virginia judge sentenced a spammer to nine years in prison Friday in the nation's first felony prosecution for sending junk e-mail, though the sentence was postponed while the case is appealed. Loudoun County Circuit Judge Thomas Horne said that because the law targeting bulk e-mail distribution is new and raises constitutional questions, it was appropriate to defer the prison time until appeals courts rule. A jury had recommended the nine-year prison term after convicting Jeremy Jaynes of pumping out at least 10 million e-mails a day with the help of 16 high-speed lines, the kind of Internet capacity a 1,000-employee company would need. Jaynes, of Raleigh, N.C., told the judge that regardless of how the appeal turns out, "I can guarantee the court I will not be involved in the e-mail marketing business again." The prosecutor, Lisa Hicks-Thomas, said she was pleased with the sentence and confident that the law would be upheld on appeal. "We're satisfied that the court upheld what 12 citizens of Virginia determined was an appropriate sentence; nine years in prison," Hicks-Thomas said. Defense attorney David Oblon argued in court that nine years was far too long given that Jaynes was charged as an out-of-state resident with violating a Virginia law that had taken effect just two weeks before. "We have no doubt that we will win on appeal," Oblon said outside court. "Therefore any sentence is somewhat moot. Still, the sentence is not what we recommended and we're disappointed." Jaynes declined to talk to reporters. He remains under $1 million bond. Though Oblon has never disputed that his client was a bulk e-mail distributor, he argued during the trial that the law was poorly crafted and that prosecutors never proved the e-mail was unsolicited. He also has said the law is an unconstitutional infringement of free speech. Under Virginia law, sending unsolicited bulk e-mail itself is not a crime unless the sender masks his identity. Prosecutors brought the case in Virginia because it is home to America Online Inc., the leading Internet service provider. Prosecutors have described Jaynes as among the top 10 spammers in the world at the time of his arrest, using the name "Gaven Stubberfield" and other aliases to peddle junk products and pornography. Prosecutors say he grossed up to $750,000 per month. The jury also convicted Jaynes's sister, Jessica DeGroot of Raleigh, but recommended only a $7,500 fine. Her conviction was later dismissed by the judge. A third defendant, Richard Rutkowski of Cary, N.C., was acquitted of all charges. Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, The Associated Press. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ Date: 08 Apr 2005 11:22:30 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: More Spam! Users To Blame For This Mess We have met the enemy and he is us. So says the Radicati Group, which Wednesday released preliminary results of a survey showing that it's bad behavior on the part of users -- us, in other words -- driving the spam and virus threat. And you thought it was spammers and hackers. "Frankly, it surprised us that users are still responding to 'spam' and opening 'unsolicited' mail," said Sarah Radicati, the chief executive of the Palo Alto, Calif.-based market research firm which conduced the online poll. According to Radicati's survey, 31 percent of those polled have clicked on embedded links within spam at one time or another. "Clicking on embedded links helps spammers determine 'live' accounts, which encourages repeated spam attacks," said Radicati. And enterprises can be compromised by a single miscreant. When an active account with a domain is identified, organizations are at greater risk of follow-up directory harvest attacks. Eighteen percent of users admitted that they'd clicked on the "unsubscribe" link in spam, another behavior that's exploited by spammers, who then know the address, and perhaps the entire domain, are active and so potential targets for follow-on spam campaigns. Even worse, spammers sell and trade lists with virus writers eager to accumulate bots, so by telling a spammer they're "live," users increase their risk of later receiving worms and viruses. But the most stunning statistic, said Radicati, was the last: more than 10 percent of the respondents have purchased products advertised in spam. "With the near-zero cost of sending out huge volumes of spam, the fact that more than one in ten users are purchasing products is clearly continuing to drive the economics of spam," said Radicati. "Although one person's spam may be another person's information," she said, "it's clear that education isn't working. Either the spam product offers are just too good to pass up, or users still have an enormous lack of awareness of the danger of clicking on e-mailed links." Companies need to do a much better job, she said, of educating their employees. "They're not," Radicati said. "They may say 'don't do this' and 'never do that,' but there's simply not much formal training." Our continued bad habits, she said, explains why e-mail security threats -- spam, worms, phishing -- continue to explode. "Anti-spam technology routinely achieves 90 percent plus catch-rates, yet no technology in the world can protect an organization if users exercise bad e-mail behavior." NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, The Associated Press. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ Date: 08 Apr 2005 11:25:42 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: More Spam! It Ain't Dead Yet by Lance Ulanoff - PC Magazine In the past few weeks, I have heard reports that spam is finally dying. But to paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated. The reality at least according to companies tracking and stopping/catching spam for other major corporations and an unscientific survey of my own readers is that spam remains a major problem for both companies and individuals. Roughly 80-85 percent of the world's e-mail is spam. Thanks to the innovative technologies provided by McAfee, MailFrontier, FrontBridge, MessageLabs, and others, we're seeing less of it on our desktops and in our in-boxes. But we need to face facts. Spam hasn't disappeared. It's just being corralled briskly into holding pens for you and your company to evaluate, ignore, and eventually delete. On the whole, however, it still costs companies millions of dollars to manage spam. The CAN-SPAM Act has not been the panacea the U.S. government planned and has done little to stem the flow of spam onto desktops and corporate servers. More than a year after its passage, some companies, like enterprise antispam provider MX Logic, estimate that as little as 13 percent of spam mail complies with the law (by allowing recipients to opt out of getting any more spam from the same sender), down from a 16 percent compliance rate in September 2004. Perhaps the biggest development in the war against spam occurred late last year in a Virginia courtroom, when jurors voted to convict Jeremy Jaynes and his sister Jessica DeGroot for sending bulk e-mails under false e-mail addresses. These were no small-time mom-and-pop felons who did a little black-hat business. Jaynes and DeGroot were listed as number eight on the spam watchdog group Spamhaus's list of most-wanted spam purveyors. The conviction is potentially very good news. But the ruling did have its share of oddities. The trial took place in Virginia, but that's not where the spammers are from; it's simply where the servers they used were located. More interestingly, the jury seemed torn over the severity of DeGroot's and Jaynes's crime, recommending a nine-year prison term and just $7,500 in fines. I'd say they got that part backwards. I don't know what putting these kinds of criminals behind bars will do. Better to bar them from buying and using computers and the Internet for five to ten years. Likewise, spam-catching costs corporations around the world millions of dollars each year in software, servers, and other resources. So, $7,500 is little more than a nod toward the spammers' real fiscal responsibilities. If Jaynes did, as prosecutors charged, make $24 million from his enterprise, he should be fined at least that much. In Germany, they're now promising hefty fines for spammers. The U.S. government should hurry up and do the same. Still, the judicial victory should embolden prosecutors to go after other spammers on Spamhaus's list. Oddly, I have yet to hear about another spammer going to trial or jail, or even being arrested. I guess the next logical step is for companies to go after spammers themselves with civil lawsuits. In theory, some major corporations should be suing Jaynes and DeGroot. They should work with state and federal officials to time those civil suits to hit at the same time the spammers face criminal charges. It could be a hugely effective one-two punch. On the other hand, if those who believe spam is dying are right, we can sit back, do nothing and let CAN-SPAM take its course. With a 13 percent compliance rate, those death throes should continue for another 50 or 60 years. Copyright 2005 Ziff Davis Inc. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Ziff-Davis. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ Subject: Telecom Update (Canada) #476, April 8, 2005 Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 15:32:50 -0400 From: John Riddell ************************************************************ TELECOM UPDATE ************************************************************ published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group http://www.angustel.ca Number 476: April 8, 2005 Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous=20 financial support from: ** ALLSTREAM: www.allstream.com ** AVAYA: www.avaya.ca/en/ ** BELL CANADA: www.bell.ca ** CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA: www.cisco.com/ca/ ** ERICSSON: www.ericsson.ca ** MITEL NETWORKS: www.mitel.com/ ** SPRINT CANADA: www.sprint.ca ** UTC CANADA: www.canada.utc.org/ ************************************************************ IN THIS ISSUE: ** VoIP Providers Given 90 Days to Implement 9-1-1 ** CRTC Promises VoIP Decision by May 12 ** Ottawa Sees No Need to Rewrite Telecom Act ** Union to Vote on Entourage Offer ** Resellers Can Now Use Bell Third-Party VoIP ** Bell Forms Small-Business IT Services Division ** Shaw to Increase Internet Access Speeds ** Telus to Extend High-Speed Access in Rural B.C. ** MCI Rejects Qwest Bid But Talks Continue ** RIM Adds 470,000 Subscribers ** Telecom Conference Calls for Papers VoIP PROVIDERS GIVEN 90 DAYS TO IMPLEMENT 9-1-1: The CRTC says that 9-1-1 service is not optional in Canada. Telecom Decision 2005-21 orders all providers of IP-based local telephone service to implement at least Basic 9-1-1 service by July 3. ** Basic 9-1-1 routes emergency calls to the correct Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). Enhanced 9-1-1 (E911) also delivers the caller's location, and gives the PSAP control of the call. ** Providers of fixed (non-nomadic) IP-based phone services, with a local number within the caller's PSAP serving area, must implement full 9-1-1/E911 service where it is available from the incumbent phone company. ** If the IP service uses "non-native" phone numbers, or is used nomadically, providers must implement an interim solution. The CRTC expresses a preference for solutions that route 9-1-1 calls to an intermediate call centre for screening and routing to the correct PSAP. ** IP telephony providers must obtain customers' express consent to 9-1-1 limitations, and must provide ongoing notification including warning stickers for customer phone sets. ** The CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC) has been given deadlines for recommending permanent solutions. www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2005/dt2005-21.htm CRTC PROMISES VoIP DECISION BY MAY 12: This week the Canadian Cable Television Association, Quebecor, and Cogeco all wrote to the CRTC challenging Bell Canada's new "Digital Voice" IP telephony service, describing it as in violation of the Commission's rules and the Telecom Act. In response, the Commission says it will issue its final VoIP decision by May 12 and will rule on these three applications after that. (See Telecom Update #475) OTTAWA SEES NO NEED TO REWRITE TELECOM ACT: Responding to recommendations made last year by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, the federal Cabinet says it doesn't believe it is necessary to rewrite or combine the Telecommunications, Broadcasting, or CRTC Acts. The government also rejects the Committee's recommendation to create a unified Department of Communications responsible for telecom, broadcasting, and cultural industries. ** The Cabinet response also says it "is not prepared to modify foreign ownership limits on broadcasting or content," but that it expects that the pending telecom review "may be helpful in shedding new light on this important issue." www.pch.gc.ca/progs/ac-ca/progs/ri-bpi/index_e.cfm UNION TO VOTE ON ENTOURAGE OFFER: Bell Canada and Entourage Technology Solutions have given their striking employees what they say is a "final offer" to settle the contract dispute. The Communication, Energy, and Paperworkers Union has recommended rejection of the proposal in Ontario and acceptance in Quebec. RESELLERS CAN NOW USE BELL THIRD-PARTY VoIP: CRTC Telecom Order 2005-123 allows any registered service provider (not just carriers) to use Bell Canada's Internet Voice Access Service to connect a retail VoIP offering to the public switched telephone network. Providers must comply with the Commission's customer privacy rules. (see Telecom Update #455) www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Orders/2005/o2005-123.htm BELL FORMS SMALL-BUSINESS IT SERVICES DIVISION: Bell Canada has completed its purchase of Nexxlink Technologies. (See Telecom Update #466) It plans to merge Nexxlink and Charon Systems, another recently acquired IT company, in a new division, Bell Business Solutions, which will provide IT services to small and medium-sized businesses across Canada. SHAW TO INCREASE INTERNET ACCESS SPEEDS: Shaw Communications plans to increase download speed of its High-Speed Internet service to 5 Mbps from 3 Mbps in seven cities of western Canada. High-Speed Xtreme download speed will be increased to 7 Mbps. TELUS TO EXTEND HIGH-SPEED ACCESS IN RURAL B.C.: Telus has promised the B.C. government to spend $110 million by the end of 2006 to extend high-speed Internet access to 119 rural communities in the province. That will leave 32 communities unserved by high-speed access, which the government proposes to provide through a separate satellite initiative. ** The B.C. government also agreed to buy $245 million worth of telecom services from Telus over four years. MCI REJECTS QWEST BID BUT TALKS CONTINUE: MCI has rejected Qwest's acquisition bid of $27.50 a share, terming it "not superior" to Verizon's rival bid of $23.10. MCI/Qwest talks are continuing today. (See Telecom Update #475) RIM ADDS 470,000 SUBSCRIBERS: Research In Motion added 470,000 BlackBerry subscribers in the last three months of 2004, bringing its total to 2.5 million. Revenue of US$405 million was up 11% on the quarter and 92% on the year. RIM took a $294-million fourth-quarter charge to resolve its patent dispute with NTP; RIM's net loss was $2.6 million. TELECOM CONFERENCE CALLS FOR PAPERS: Telemanagement Live, Canada's premier business telecom and networking event, is asking for proposals for workshops and tutorials during its October 17-19 conference in Toronto. Submissions are due by May 6; go to www.telemanagementlive.com/callforclarity.html. HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR TELECOM UPDATE E-MAIL: editors@angustel.ca FAX: 905-686-2655 MAIL: TELECOM UPDATE=20 Angus TeleManagement Group 8 Old Kingston Road Ajax, Ontario Canada L1T 2Z7 HOW TO SUBSCRIBE (OR UNSUBSCRIBE) TELECOM UPDATE is provided in electronic form only. There are two formats available: 1. The fully-formatted edition is posted on the World Wide Web late Friday afternoon each week at www.angustel.ca 2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to: join-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com To stop receiving the e-mail edition, send an e-mail message to: leave-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com Sending e-mail to these addresses will automatically add or remove the sender's e-mail address from the list. Leave subject line and message area blank. We do not give Telecom Update subscribers' e-mail addresses to any third party. For more information, see www.angustel.ca/update/privacy.html. COPYRIGHT AND CONDITIONS OF USE: All contents copyright 2005 Angus TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further information, including permission to reprint or reproduce, please e-mail rosita@angustel.ca or phone 905-686-5050 ext 500. The information and data included has been obtained from sources which we believe to be reliable, but Angus TeleManagement makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding accuracy, completeness, or adequacy. Opinions expressed are based on interpretation of available information, and are subject to change. If expert advice on the subject matter is required, the services of a competent professional should be obtained. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 16:33:49 -0400 From: Chris Farrar Subject: Spammer Gets 9 Years North Carolina spammer gets nine years; Sentence postponed while appeal is heard. Jeremy Jaynes was among the top 10 spammers in the world when arrested, prosecutors say. ASSOCIATED PRESS LEESBURG, Va. A man convicted in the U.S.'s first felony prosecution for illegal spamming was sentenced to nine years in prison today, but the judge postponed the sentence while the case is appealed. Loudoun County Circuit Judge Thomas Horne said that because the law targeting bulk e-mail distribution is new and raises constitutional questions, it was appropriate to defer the prison time until appeals courts rule. Jeremy Jaynes of Raleigh, N.C., was convicted in November for using false Internet addresses to send mass e-mail ads through an AOL server in Loudoun. A jury had recommended the nine-year prison term. Prosecutors said Jaynes used the Internet to peddle sham products and services such as a 'FedEx refund processor.' Virginia, where AOL is based, prosecuted the case under a law that took effect in 2003 barring people from sending bulk e-mail that is unsolicited and masks its origin. Jaynes told the judge that regardless of how the appeal turns out, "I can guarantee the court I will not be involved in the e-mail marketing business again." Lisa Hicks-Thomas, the prosecutor, said she was pleased with the ruling and confident that the law would be upheld on appeal. "We're satisfied that the court upheld what 12 citizens of Virginia determined was an appropriate sentence =97 nine years in prison," said Hicks-Thomas. Defense attorney David Oblon argued that nine years was far too long given that Jaynes was charged as an out-of-state resident with violating a Virginia law that had taken effect just two weeks before. Prosecutors have said Jaynes was among the top 10 spammers in the world at the time of his arrest, using the name "Gaven Stubberfield" and other aliases to peddle junk products and pornography. The jury had also convicted Jaynes' sister, Jessica DeGroot of Raleigh, but recommended only a $7,500 fine. Her conviction was later dismissed by the judge. A third defendant, Richard Rutkowski of Cary, N.C., was acquitted of all charges. ------------------------------ From: Nathan Anderson Subject: Simultaneous Ring Problem With Cell Date: Thu, 7 Apr 2005 21:17:08 -0700 Organization: First Step Internet (www.fsr.net) Reply-To: Nathan Anderson (I posted a much more detailed version of this note earlier describing exactly what I want to accomplish, why I want to do it, what I had already tried, etc., but apparently it was too much information and thus it was rejected. Clarifications will have to come in the form of replies.) I have "simultaneous ring" call forwarding at home. I want to use this feature to forward to my cell phone which does not have voicemail. If I don't answer my home phone or my cell while it's on, then it goes to my home voicemail. However, if my cell phone is off or out of range, then my cell phone company "answers" the "simulring" call with a message stating that I am not available. This happens before my home voicemail has a chance to kick in. What's the best way to avoid the latter situation so that if my cell phone is off, my home voicemail gets the call? My cellular provider is willing to work with me and entertain suggestions from me, so if anyone has any creative solution, I'm all ears. Apparently, they cannot turn off the message on an account-by-account basis (or so they think). Thanks, Nathan Anderson "You can't appreciate Shakespeare until you've read him in the original Klingon." -- General Chang, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I will tell you how I handle the same problem here: Instead of simultaneous ring, my home phone is set up for 'transfer on busy/no answer' to my cell phone. If I do not answer my home phone (or am already on a conversation) then the incoming call forwards (after 3-4 rings) to my cellular phone, then the cellular phone 'transfers on busy/no answer' to voicemail. That way, if I am out, or not in the area, my home phone rings 3-4 times, switches to the cellular which rings 4-5 times, _then_ it goes to voicemail. In other words, your voicemail has to be at the end of the line (after the cell phone) and not in the middle (attached to Inland) as you have it now. Do not let anything 'get in the way' of the voicemail (such as the phone is out of area/not turned on' message people are getting now). And I would not do it on simultaneous ring simply because there is too great a risk of callers getting the inappropriate response they are getting now. I would say do it on 'transfer on busy/no answer' so the only time the cell phone gets the call is if the landline goes unanswered, which is what you would want anyway. And if your voicemail is on the Inland line, it is always going to jump in and intercept calls whether you want to or not. Have the voicemail on the cell phone line, so you in effect get 'two chances' to answer the call (once on home line, and once on cellular) before the call is lost. And if you are out of the area, or the cell phone is unable to get the call, then voicemail will get it rather than the messages people are getting now from it. In your original message which I have here, I think you said the cell phone was timing out with inappropriate responses, busy signals, etc after a certain period of time. Unless you have some objection to the voicemail from your cellular carrier, I would use that one to insure there was always some appropriate response if you did not get the call for some reason. PAT] ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #152 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Sat Apr 9 17:00:41 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j39L0eN19046; Sat, 9 Apr 2005 17:00:41 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2005 17:00:41 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504092100.j39L0eN19046@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #153 TELECOM Digest Sat, 9 Apr 2005 17:00:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 153 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Lingo Broadband Phone is a Scam (ME123) Touch Tone Blocking (Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department Postmaster) Calif. PUC To Withdraw Appeal Of FCC's Vonage Order (Jack Decker) PPC Lawsuit: Search Engines Accused of Overcharge Advertisers (Skinner) Experts Please help (sffdsff) Re: Telemarketing to Cellphones (Joseph) Re: Telemarketing to Cellphones (DevilsPGD) Re: VoIP Adapter With High REN? (Kenneth P. Stox) Re: Google Maps (AES) Re: Sperm - Not so Mobile (John McHarry) Re: GSM-900 (jason) Re: Verizon FiOS Blocking Ports? (pvwebb) Re: Wired: Word From on High: Jam Cell Calls (Tony P.) Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID Mgr (Paratwa) Administrivia: URL Telecom-Digest.org Was Out of Order (Editor) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ME123 Subject: Lingo Broadband Phone is a Scam Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 15:24:59 -0400 This is here to let anyone researching the Lingo broadband phone system know how a customer feels about their service. After signing up with Lingo I was unable to complete any faxes nor could I connect a work-related dialup device correctly. The line quality was terrible. Callers frequently complained about echoes and dropped signals. By dropped signals I mean that the person could hear everything you said except for the last word (before a pause). On top of that there were several times that there was not a dialtone. I had to reset the phone adapter numerous times just to get a dialtone. I also had several dropped calls similar to what a cell phone would do if you lost signal suddenly. When I contacted Lingo's customer support via their website e-mail (24hr response time according to website) it took them four days to get back to me. I followed the directions to allow for a configuration change on my phone adapter and was still having all of these problems and more. On top of that they wanted me to ping about ten sites to see if their routing was the problem. Sorry it's sure as hell not worth the hassle. On top of all this they charged me $39 to disconnect so you see they make more money in the short term to have you disconnected. My feeling is that they really don't care if it works right for me because they make their money anyway. It all sounds like a great deal in the beginning at $19.95, but it is all a scam in my opinion. My recommendation is to stay as far away from this company as is humanly possible. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: If your sentences get cut off on the last word before a pause, then make the 'last word' in each sentence be 'pause'. i.e. your sentence, "How are you today pause" (then pause for reply), "I am doing fine, thank you pause" (then pause again for reply). So all you lose is the 'filler' word 'pause' each time. It is a crummy work-around I know, but it would do the job. I've never heard that particular complaint about VOIP before. I have heard that speech gets broken up sometimes, if the pipe is to full at the moment, unless you do like Vonage recommends, and use their router which tries to throttle other machines on the stream at the same time. But regards the $39 to disconnect, that's one reason that Vonage does _not_ have a current, usable credit card of mine. In the event I run out of 'next month free' coupons and have to start actually paying for the service and decide it is not worth it, then to hell with them getting any disconnect fee from me. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department Subject: Touch Tone Blocking Date: Sat, 09 Apr 2005 00:23:27 GMT I need to devise a way to keep users from playing touch tones over the paging system. If you can suggest a way to prevent users from sounding touch tones over the paging amplifier circuit post it here or E-mail direct. Be advised that my ISP's anti Spam software will generate a service message to which you will have to respond in order for me to receive your e-mail. Tom H [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: At least on the older Bell switchboards, there was a certain contact on the network (inside the switchboard) to mute your earpiece from the audio on touch tones while still playing them out over the phone. It was generally only done for switchboard operators to prevent them having to listen to the tones all the time as they placed calls. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Jack Decker Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 21:09:58 -0400 Subject: Calif. PUC To Withdraw Appeal Of FCC's Vonage Order http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=160503382&tid=5978 Voice over IP proponents on the California Public Utilities Commission made good on their pledge to withdraw the commission's original motion to appeal the FCC's Vonage Order, meaning that California's influential public utilities board no longer opposes the idea of federal-only regulation of Voice over IP. By Paul Kapustka Advanced IP Pipeline Voice over IP proponents on the California Public Utilities Commission made good on their pledge to withdraw the commission's original motion to appeal the FCC's Vonage Order, meaning that California's influential public utilities board no longer opposes the idea of federal-only regulation of Voice over IP. In a closed session during the CPUC's meeting Thursday, the commission decided to withdraw its appeal, according to a source close to the proceedings. The CPUC is expected to make a formal announcement of its decision soon, either today or early next week. How the California PUC's decision may affect other states' similar motions is unclear. But at the very least, it moves the influence of regulators from one of the country's largest telecommunications markets to the other side of the VoIP regulatory chessboard, the side in favor of national VoIP policymaking. Full story at: http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=160503382&tid=5978 How to Distribute VoIP Throughout a Home: http://michigantelephone.mi.org/distribute.html If you live in Michigan, subscribe to the MI-Telecom group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MI-Telecom/ ------------------------------ Date: 9 Apr 2005 07:14:41 -0000 From: Greg Skinner Subject: PPC Lawsuit: search Engines Accused of Overcharging Advertisers See the article here: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/050405/click_fraud_lawsuit.html?.v=1 ------------------------------ From: sffdsff Subject: Experts Please help Date: 8 Apr 2005 18:08:22 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hi Guys, I am trying to develop an application which will connect to the telephone line and when I get an incoming line it shall send a voice data on the phone line and then look for key entries from the other side ... similar to a voice mail system. I have figured out that I would need a DAA to interface to the phone line (of course a one that would have a DTMF decoder so that I can get the key entries). Now my question is how do I send the voice data out (this voice will be pre-recorded on a flash). All the places I have looked say that I would need PCM data interfaced to a DSP. I do not want to complicate the matter -- I want to make it simple by using a PIC Microcontroller. So basically this is what I plan it would look like: RJ11 <---> DAA <---> Serial Interface <---> PIC Micro <-->Flash This should take care of both voice and key entries. I have looked into tons of options but cannot figure out a "simple" way to do this PLEASE HELP! -sffdsff ------------------------------ From: Joseph Subject: Re: Telemarketing to Cellphones Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 18:50:45 -0700 Reply-To: JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com On Fri, 08 Apr 2005 04:45:40 -0600, Telecom Digest Editor wrote: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Why, when by your presence on that list > you have in effect stated 'do not bother me, I am not interested', > would some 'exempt' company deliberatly call you anyway? Do they have > money to waste just being malicious? PAT] Well, spammers make a game out of trying to get to you even though you've made it pretty clear a lot of the time that you just *don't* want to be bothered with whatever scheme they happen to be peddling. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I dunno ... the 'legitimate' telemarketers I have seen (yes, I know, maybe none of them are legitimate; it is a dreadful occupation to be in) have too big of a work load to sit and play games with their telephones. To them, time is money, and they would _prefer_ -- if the answer from you is 'no' -- to get that 'no' early on so they can move on to the next call. Now if it is a 'spammer' (and yes, I know, you may be defining all telemarketers as 'spammers') they are not going to pay attention to any list of DNC people anyway. And none of the types you have named, either 'spammers' or 'telemarketers', are going to be 'exempt from DNC' type callers. The people who actually read and obey the list are legitimate users of the list. PAT] ------------------------------ From: DevilsPGD Subject: Re: Telemarketing to Cellphones Date: Sat, 09 Apr 2005 01:36:10 -0600 Organization: Disorganized In message DevilsPGD wrote: > In message Joseph > wrote: >> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: So what harm is there in adding your >> cell phone and/or VOIP number to the list just to 'be safe'? PAT] > The harm is that exempt companies can purchase the DNC list and use it > as a list of people to annoy. > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Why, when by your presence on that list > you have in effect stated 'do not bother me, I am not interested', > would some 'exempt' company deliberatly call you anyway? Do they have > money to waste just being malicious? PAT] Just because "Dave" added a number to the DNC list doesn't mean that they won't find "John" at that number that might buy their shit. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: But they have been told, by the presence of a phone number on the list to _not_ connect with that phone number. The DNC list does not say 'do not call Dave at this number', it simply says _do not call this number_. In my opinion, the more phone numbers that can be loaded on that list, whether they are landline, residential, business, cell, VOIP or whatever, the better off the world will be. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Kenneth P. Stox Organization: Ministry of Silly Walks Subject: Re: VoIP Adapter With High REN? Date: Sat, 09 Apr 2005 18:36:49 GMT Do you need to have ringers on all of the phones? If not, simply disable the ringers as necessary. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: And not just by mechanically turning the clapper down; there still is a bit of electricity _attempting_ to ring the disabled bell. Disconnect the wires to the bell inside the phone, or get little electronic chirps for your audio signal. PAT] ------------------------------ From: AES Subject: Re: Google Maps Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 19:52:37 -0700 Organization: Stanford University In article , Steve Sobol wrote: > AES wrote: >> I don't know how to solve the problem (the very real, serious, and >> IMHO increasing) problem of corruption of many of our primary >> information sources and media by advertising I'd willingly pay a >> significant subscription fee for access to a Google equivalent that >> was equally good and that I could be sure was and would remain truly >> advertiser independent. > There is no such thing. (No, not even public TV and radio, they have > corporate sponsorships too, and have had them for quite some time.) I know. And the Business section of the NY Times reports today that GM has announced that it's terminating all its advertising in the Los Angeles Times "for an indefinite period" because it doesn't like the way the paper treats GM in its news and Auto sections. Think about that ... ------------------------------ From: John McHarry Subject: Re: Sperm - Not so Mobile Date: Sat, 09 Apr 2005 03:06:18 GMT Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net On Fri, 08 Apr 2005 09:44:57 -0400, T.Sean wrote: > Yes, of course. But what many folks don't realize is they use > specially bred mice that are VERY susceptible to tumors for these > types of experiments. > Which means there is a very GOOD chance that the same exposure will > have no effect whatsoever on a normal healthy human. Oh good, a volunteer! ------------------------------ From: Jason Subject: Re: GSM-900 Date: 9 Apr 2005 02:35:11 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hi All, Thank you for the explanation you have spent time on. it is so good to see all of them here. Do give me some time to check it out. I was tied up with some other topic. I will reply here soon. Thank you so much for people who spend time and effort in this enquiry Thank you so much. rgds and thanks Jason ------------------------------ From: pvwebb Subject: Re: Verizon FiOS Blocking Ports? Date: 9 Apr 2005 09:27:32 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com You're probably having trouble with the firewall on your DLink router. You need to set it to pass through the ports from the Linux computer. andyrankin@gmail.com wrote: > I'm very lucky to be in an area where Verizon's FiOS fiber to the > premises service is available. I have the 15/2 Mbps service and it > works great. > I'm wondering if anyone knows if Verizon blocks are inbound ports > (80, etc.)? > Also, I'm using the Verizon provided DLink DI-604 router. I'm not > having any luck getting the router to forward WAN traffic through to > specific machines on the LAN. For example, I've tried passing traffic > on port 8080 to a linux box running Apache on that port and I think I > have the router configured properly but it doesn't seem to be letting > the traffic through. I'm a bit of a novice so I'm not sure how to > determine if this is something Verizon's blocking before it gets to my > router or if I just haven't figured the router out yet. ------------------------------ From: Tony P. Subject: Re: Wired: Word From on High: Jam Cell Calls Organization: ATCC Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2005 13:34:52 -0400 In article , tom.horsley@att.net says: >> Would those who so quickly hope for a lawsuit to arise from a jammer >> interfering with an emergency wireless telephone call also claim that >> a building so constructed would similarly be grounds for action? > Judging from the crowd of folks you always see walking back and forth > and talking on their cells in parking lots, most buildings are > apparently *already* constructed this way :-). Because they're all steel frame buildings with lots of double and triple layer glass. Does wonders for killing RF signals. ------------------------------ From: Paratwa Subject: Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID Manager Organization: UseNetServer Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 13:57:41 -0500 12 Gauge pump shotgun and a bedside 38 special the wife was taught to use. Noisy outdoor dog when strangers approach. We had changed the number once and had no problems for quite a while. Unfortunately he tricked the slow brother-in-law and got the new number. I spoke to a lawyer's secretary about the situation and she said I could make an appointment with the lawyer for $100. She couldn't even discuss whether he handles this type of situation. Heck I bought this device for $100 and got immediate results. I don't have much regard for the justice system in general anyway. When we made out a police report we learned that there was a warrant for his arrest. But the police didn't have his address. So we gave them the address and we were told it was in a different police district. Unless somebody has killed somebody or is in the process of doing so the police aren't interested. Yeah we could eventually get a restraining order but what is to stop him from calling on a pay phone at 2 am w/o leaving a message -- as he does frequently. He is pretty much scum of the earth without a life and addictions to booze and casinos -- a bad combo if you live on the MS gulf coast. Eventually he'll be picked up for DUI or kill somebody driving. I prefer the tech solution. On 8 Apr 2005 05:24:18 -0700, Justin Time wrote: > not to say that this type of harassment doesn't occur. There are > other remedies available that appear not to have been explored. If > you had proof, then a court order to stop the harassment could have > been obtained. Violation of the court order will have more impact on > police action than the filing of a complaint. The question remains, > other than complaining what have you done to protect yourself? > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: What I did to protect myself is switch > to a different telephone company; one that knows what *77 is used for > and how to implement it so it works correctly, and overall it is a lot > less expensive as well ($25 per month for a large package of features > _plus_ unlimited local calling, _plus_ a hundred minutes of long > distance calling per month). Admittedly, that solution is not > available to everyone: SBC (and many other Bell telcos) tell many > customers they are 'not eligible' for porting elsewhere. > And to get a 'court order', you generally have to have had the police > involved first, to justify your need for a court order. The court does > not hand them out willy-nilly to everyone who asks. PAT] ------------------------------ From: ptownson Subject: Administrivia: A Temporary Outage Date: Sat, 09 Apr 2005 15:00:00 EDT Sometime late Friday afternoon, the _alias name_ 'telecom-digest.org' went out of order. This alias is routed through John Levine's computer in New York. It came back on line Saturday late morning or early afternoon. When this happens, any netter who requests the URL http://telecom-digest.org simply draws a blank. But, anyone who uses the real name http://massis.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives does get through (unless massis also happens to go down). Although we would _prefer_ to be known as 'telecom-digest.org' to the internet world, we can go by 'massis.lcs.mit.edu' as needed. If you tried to reach this site Friday afternoon/evening/overnight into Saturday morning and kept 'drawing blanks', please remember this and use our alternate (but original) URL, and you should get through that way. Patrick ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #153 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Sun Apr 10 17:30:24 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3ALUM229275; Sun, 10 Apr 2005 17:30:24 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 17:30:24 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504102130.j3ALUM229275@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #154 TELECOM Digest Sun, 10 Apr 2005 17:30:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 154 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Question About SKYPE and Using Lingo; Will There be a Problem? (KOS) Wierd Telephone Problems (Gladiator) Fraud Work at Home Offers From Nigeria (NOTvalid@surplus4actors.INFO) Re: Experts Please Help (Robert Bonomi) Re: Touch Tone Blocking (William Warren) Re: Touch Tone Blocking (Robert Bonomi) Re: Touch Tone Blocking (Wesrock@aol.com) Re: Touch Tone Blocking (Gordon S. Hlavenka) Re: VOIP Adapter With High REN (Robert Bonomi) Re: Administrivia: A Temporary Outage (Tim@Backhome.org) Re: Packet8 Number Portability (John Harper) Warning! Virus Has Attacked Me! (Fred Atkinson) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: KOS Subject: Question About SKYPE and Using Lingo; Will There be a Problem? Date: 10 Apr 2005 11:21:48 -0700 Hi, I currently use Lingo; was wondering if I download Skype, will I still be able to use Lingo or will this cause some type of corruption? Thanks, KOS ------------------------------ From: Gladiator Subject: Wierd Telephone Problems Date: 9 Apr 2005 13:47:04 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hello: I have this problem with my telephone at home. For incoming calls, sometimes, it would ring once then disconnect the caller. I thought it was my phone, but I bought a new one, and it was the same thing. I called my telephone company, and the technician came and said that this could be due to wiring inside the building. So, the telephone company thinks it's not their responsibility. The strangest thing is, outgoing calls seem to be fine. I can dial outside w/o problems. Anyone seen this before? Will [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've seen it lots of times. And as often as not, it is in the wiring somewhere (either 'your' wiring or possibly telco's.) Chances are there is some _tiny_ bare spot where the two wires touch, or nearly so. The amount of current in the line when the phone rings is sufficient to 'bridge the gap' and complete the connection for a half second or so. What does the calling party receive under those circumstances? Usually they will hear one or two ringing signals, then it will change to busy, or maybe it will sound like the line went dead. When you place a call -- as opposed to receive a call -- there is much less voltage on the line because the phone is not ringing. Its the increase in voltage which causes this to occur. That is why you experience no problems when _you_ place a call; the 'current bridge' is not present. How do you prove it is telco's problem and not yours, or vice-versa? Take your telephone out to the demarc, or place where the telco says your wiring begins. Disconnect where they say yours starts. Use a cell phone (or some other third-party line) to dial into _your_ number. If you have your phone plugged directly into the demarc, and the problem is present, you should hear your phone ring once (a half ring, maybe) and then go dead. Note on the phone you are using to call in what happens, i.e. busy signal, fast busy, the line goes dead, or whatever. If this happens *and you have 'your' wires pulled or disconnected at the demarc, then the problem is telco's. If it rings through normally, and you can talk to yourself (or any confederate who is assisting you), then it is NOT telco's problem. Then, reattach the wires you took down at the demarc and try the test again. Does it occur this time? If the problem occurs when your wires are connected, but _not_ when you are connected direct to the demarc, then it is indeed your problem. Try this much first, then get back to us with the results. If it is indeed in your length of wire and not telco's, then we will discuss how you go about correcting it. You'll basically have two choices in that case: fix it yourself or with your own electrician hired, _or_ pay telco (or bribe the technician) and they will fix it for you. Typically it costs less to fix it yourself, but depending on the complexity of the wiring (and distance involved and the size of your complex) it may be faster and less grief to let telco handle it. We will discuss both approaches when you get back to us with your findings. Hoping to hear again from you soon. PAT] ------------------------------ From: NOTvalid@surplus4actors.INFO Subject: Fraud Work at Home Offers From Nigeria Date: 9 Apr 2005 15:20:10 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com "Many American retailers don't ship online products overseas because of fraud. So organized crime groups overseas came up with a clever ruse. They order online goods using stolen or fake credit cards. Then, they have the packages sent to unwitting citizens in this country, who then rewrap and reship the items overseas." See http://www.fbi.gov/page2/april05/cyberthief040405.htm TO CATCH A CYBER THIEF FBI Agent Talks About His Travels to Distant Shores to Stop Internet Scams 04/04/05 [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: We talked about this the other day with the 'employment opportunity' I presented here which came to us from St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. Maybe it was a legitimate offer, or maybe not. I can't help but wonder though, what if the Russian crooks happened to unwittingly wind up doing business with some American crooks? The Russian (or Nigerian) crooks 'lured someone in' on their scheme to use fraud credit cards to drop ship to them via your 'company'. But the only thing is, the Americans don't actually do the drop shipping expected. The Russians/Nigerians do 'all the work' of stealing/abusing a credit card, talk to you to get the merchandise shipped to them, but then you don't actually ship. You abscond with the merchandise yourself, leaving the Russians/Nigerians holding an even bigger bag than before. Oooh, I bet that would really tick them off! I mean, what are _they_ going to do, call the FBI? You might call this routine 'when one con artist does business with another con artist by accident'. PAT] ------------------------------ From: bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi) Subject: Re: Experts Please Help Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 19:42:52 -0000 Organization: Widgets, Inc. In article , sffdsff wrote: > Hi Guys, > I am trying to develop an application which will connect to the > telephone line and when I get an incoming line it shall send a voice > data on the phone line and then look for key entries from the other > side ... similar to a voice mail system. I have figured out that I > would need a DAA to interface to the phone line (of course a one that > would have a DTMF decoder so that I can get the key entries). Now my > question is how do I send the voice data out (this voice will be > pre-recorded on a flash). All the places I have looked say that I > would need PCM data interfaced to a DSP. > I do not want to complicate the matter -- I want to make it simple by > using a PIC Microcontroller. > So basically this is what I plan it would look like: > RJ11 <---> DAA <---> Serial Interface <---> PIC Micro <-->Flash > This should take care of both voice and key entries. > I have looked into tons of options but cannot figure out a "simple" way > to do this. The 'simple' way is to buy it 'off the shelf'. It's called "IVR", aka "Interactive Voice Response". Inexpensive (even _free_) software to do this on a PC-type box is readily available. It may require a "voice/data" modem, or a dedicated phone-line interface card. If you insist on DIY, the answer to "how do i send the voice data out" is 'generate the analog wave-form and impress it on the phone line. If that isn't sufficient 'clue', you don't have the requisite skills to attempt such a project -- use the "simple" way, mentioned in the previous paragraph. For 'digitalized voice' stored anywhere, you have to have "something" to take that digital data, and convert it back to an _analog_ waveform, to send over the POTS circuit. DSP chips greatly simplify the process. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 09 Apr 2005 21:57:50 -0400 From: William Warren Subject: Re: Touch Tone Blocking Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department wrote: > I need to devise a way to keep users from playing touch tones over the > paging system. If you can suggest a way to prevent users from > sounding touch tones over the paging amplifier circuit post it here or > E-mail direct. Be advised that my ISP's anti Spam software will > generate a service message to which you will have to respond in order > for me to receive your e-mail. > Tom H > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: At least on the older Bell > switchboards, there was a certain contact on the network (inside the > switchboard) to mute your earpiece from the audio on touch tones while > still playing them out over the phone. It was generally only done for > switchboard operators to prevent them having to listen to the tones > all the time as they placed calls. PAT] Pat, I think he's asking how to keep people from _deliberately_ playing touch-tones over the paging system when they dial the PA access code from their phone. In other words, they've probably got some pranksters in the fire station who like to pretend they're the organist for Deep Purple, using the PA as their amplifier and the Touch Tone keypad as ntheir organ. A ham radio operator would be the best guy to ask, since hams have been using Touch Tone on FM repeaters for a while now. The only question would be if Tom H is trying to hang up on any PA access call that has Touch Tone in it, or if he wants to just mute the tone and keep the call active. William [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Maybe you are right. I used to see (or actually hear) this happen a lot in Chicago at the Transit Atrocity stations. The overhead loud speaker would come on, which was _supposed_ to be for an announcement from either one of the control tower operators, or some other employee. When the loud speaker came on, all you would hear was 'dee, dee, dee, doop' and then a hang up. Obviously someone had pressed the wrong key on his multiline phone or had started dialing without looking to see which line key was pressed down. PAT] ------------------------------ From: bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi) Subject: Re: Touch Tone Blocking Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 19:31:59 -0000 Organization: Widgets, Inc. In article , Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department wrote: > I need to devise a way to keep users from playing touch tones over the > paging system. If you can suggest a way to prevent users from > sounding touch tones over the paging amplifier circuit post it here or > E-mail direct. Be advised that my ISP's anti Spam software will > generate a service message to which you will have to respond in order > for me to receive your e-mail. Please be advised that having been *spammed* too many times by said ISP's 'anti-spam' software, because my address was *forged* as the sender of messages being 'challenged', *ALL* such 'challenges' are blocked at time of transmission. You ask for a favor, and then expect people to jump through hoops to tell you about it. "Sorry, Charlie", that dog doesn't hunt. As for your 'problem', the real solution is "training". It is a 'personnel' problem, not a 'technical' one. Technology cannot _prevent_ the problem, although it can "ameliorate" it. a DTMF decoder chip, wired to interrupt the PA leads when tones are detected is about as close as you can come. Put the decoder _in_front_ of a 50-100ms 'delay line', and you can cut the PA off _before_ the tones propagate through the delay line. ------------------------------ From: Wesrock@aol.com Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2005 20:29:33 EDT Subject: Re: Touch Tone Blocking Pat wrote: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: At least on the older Bell > switchboards, there was a certain contact on the network (inside the > switchboard) to mute your earpiece from the audio on touch tones while > still playing them out over the phone. It was generally only done for > switchboard operators to prevent them having to listen to the tones > all the time as they placed calls. PAT] Are you sure that wasn't MF tones rather than Touch-Tone? Operators ordinarily used MF signaling, not Touch-Tome. Wes Leatherock wesrock@aol.com wleathus@yahoo.com [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The *only time* I experienced this was when I filled in overnight two or three times for the regular switch- board operator at the 14 East Delaware Apartments in Chicago. A large building (20 stories, with about 150 apartments), they had a switchboard for tenants; that was about 1965 or so. Unlike most of those older high-rise buildings which had switchboards for the tenants with _rotary dials_ on them, this one had a little box built in with a touchtone pad. The tenants could hear the touch tones, but the operator could _not_. I have no idea how they wired it to do that. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 11:06:18 -0500 From: Gordon S. Hlavenka Reply-To: nospam@crashelex.com Organization: Crash Electronics Subject: Re: Touch Tone Blocking Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department wrote: > I need to devise a way to keep users from playing touch tones over the > paging system. If you can suggest a way to prevent users from > sounding touch tones over the paging amplifier circuit post it here or > E-mail direct. Use a DTMF receiver chip to detect the tones. Feed the PA audio input into the chip and connect the DV output to the PA Mute input. Probably a $5 investment in parts, or a minimal drain on your junkbox :-) You'll still get a brief burst of tone (20-50msec) at the beginning but the rest of the tone will be muted. Gordon S. Hlavenka http://www.crashelectronics.com Tragically, as many as 9625 out of every 10,000 individuals may be neurotypical ------------------------------ From: bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi) Subject: Re: VoIP Adapter With High REN? Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 20:03:21 -0000 Organization: Widgets, Inc. In article , Thor Lancelot Simon wrote: > I am trying to switch two of three phone lines in a very large, very > old house over to VoIP. The house has quite literally twenty > extensions split between the three lines -- I think I need at least 4 > or 5 REN per line, plus the ability to drive all the wire leading to > those handsets (over 100' in some cases) without exploding the audio > output circuit in the ATA. > Does anyone make equipment meant for this that I can use with a > mainstream VoIP provider? It's been suggested to me that Packet8 > might be my best chance since they build their own gear but I don't > see anything suitable on their web site. > I am basically looking for a Cisco ATA-186 (including the 2-line > capability) on steroids. Two possible solutions: 1) put in a small analog PBX. You can probably significantly reduce the number of sets, if each set can access all the lines. This also takes care of the issue of 'wire length'. Additional benefits: "intercom" calling between phones, as well as 'conference' capabilities (internal and external), without losing audio level. 2) Use a supplemental ring generator / ring extender. Viking Electronics is one of the better-known sources for such. Option 1 _is_ more expensive, but you get a *lot* more for the money. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Option 1 is exactly what I did here with my little 'TotalCom' PBX thing. And tiny little PBX/Line Sharing devices are not all that expensive these days. Two or three hundred dollars gets you a light-weight, all electronic device you mount on a wall somewhere and forget about it. Example http://sandman.com PAT] ------------------------------ From: Tim@Backhome.org Subject: Re: Administrivia: A Temporary Outage Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 07:01:41 -0700 Organization: Cox Communications ptownson wrote: > Sometime late Friday afternoon, the _alias name_ 'telecom-digest.org' > went out of order. This alias is routed through John Levine's computer > in New York. It came back on line Saturday late morning or early > afternoon. When this happens, any netter who requests the URL > http://telecom-digest.org simply draws a blank. But, anyone who uses > the real name http://massis.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives does get > through (unless massis also happens to go down). Although we would > _prefer_ to be known as 'telecom-digest.org' to the internet world, > we can go by 'massis.lcs.mit.edu' as needed. If you tried to reach > this site Friday afternoon/evening/overnight into Saturday morning > and kept 'drawing blanks', please remember this and use our alternate > (but original) URL, and you should get through that way. > Patrick Since you have the domain name you are already incurring that expense. For $19.95 a year you can have shared hosting at 24-7host.com. It's not the most reliable host in the world, but for the bucks it is value received. I have two of my domains hosted there, that I can accept having some outages. For my more demanding domain I have it hosted at Verio for $12 a month (used to be $24). [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thank you for the offer, but I do not pay for any of my domain names. Either I get them as a gift from readers (as is the case with telecom-digest.org) or I otherwise find them around for free. If I had to pay for them, I probably would just quit doing this totally. PAT] ------------------------------ From: John Harper Subject: Re: Packet8 Number Portability Date: 10 Apr 2005 10:27:43 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com kwyet wrote: > Packet8 has been ok for me. Just one thing thats been irritating. The > claims on their website at times don't jive with reality. For one, > they claimed that virtual numbers were available for Canadian area > codes. That was simply a lie. They were aware of this contradiction but > chose to ignore it for a very long time. Finally they removed the > claim. > Secondly, they claim that it takes up to six weeks to have your number > ported. That may be true for some, but it hasn't been true for me. It > has been 9 weeks for me and still no "status updates" on my account. > Their standard reply when called on this matter is, "I'll pass this to > the LNP department". > On one call to support, I was led to believe it was stalled because of > my phone company. I entered a complaint with my States's PSC only to > receive a call from my phone company saying all they need is a PON and > that Packet8 would know exactly what that is. Well ... I called > support again. Same response as quoted above. Oh ... and he also said > that the website is incorrect ... that it hasn't been updated yet to > reflect that they are backed up and the time is actually more than 6 > weeks. Support told me that 10 days ago. Does it take 10 days to > update a sentence on a website? Naw it dutton. I live in McAllen, Texas, USA. Vonage and Lingo cannot yet offer a local toll free number, so it was important that my SBC number be ported. Packet8 could not only port my SBC number, but they offered a local temparary number that could be called from the McAllen area toll free. I ruled out RoadRunner (Time Warner Cable) by price alone ($39.95/month). I signed up with Packet8 on March 7, 2005 at $19.95/month. I faxed my application to have my SBC number ported to my Packet8 account on March 8, 2005. I received my Packet8 device, hooked it up, and activated it on March 17, 2005. My old SBC phone number was ported on April 8, 2005. The transfer was almost seamless (a phone call to Packet8) when my SBC service was terminated. So far, everything seems to be working as advertised. Call forwarding, Call waiting, Caller ID, Voicemail, Etc. Also, my use history is available on the Packet8 site and is impacted within 10 seconds of my hanging up the phone. Quality of the voice is as good as my experience with SBC. I wear hearing aids and voice quality is important. So far, so good. Time will tell. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Have you yet started receiving the 'we miss you and want you back' letters and promotions from SBC? They'll start out sort of modest at first (a few free services for a couple months; then one or two offers of a $50 VISA gift card and the freebies), then some perfectly outrageous offers for DSL at a very reduced price, etc ... They may place you with a collection agency claiming you left them still owing 20-25 dollars at some point; they have a bunch of tricks designed to get you back. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Fred Atkinson Subject: Warning! A Virus Attacked my System! Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 14:24:30 -0400 Hello, everyone, A worm came through my PC. If you get any attachments that appear to be from me, don't open them. From my research, it appears to be a work called Netsky. I haven't found a way to get it off yet, but I'm working on it. Regards, Fred ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #154 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Mon Apr 11 00:05:51 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3B45o902624; Mon, 11 Apr 2005 00:05:51 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 00:05:51 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504110405.j3B45o902624@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #155 TELECOM Digest Mon, 11 Apr 2005 00:06:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 155 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Homespun 'Podcasts' Explore a Universe of Topics (Lisa Minter) H-P Seen Pressuring Kodak's Lead in Online Photos (Lisa Minter) Clearing the Paper Trail to College (Monty Solomon) Airlines Try to Stem the Flow of 'Frequent Flyer' Loot Online (Solomon) Deal May Let Comcast Grow in State (Monty Solomon) Re: Wierd Telephone Problems (Al Dykes) Re: Wierd Telephone Problems (Michael Muderick) Re: Prison Cell Phone Scandal (John Levine) Re: Warning! A Virus Attacked my System! (Steve Sobol) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 10 Apr 2005 20:01:01 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: Homespun 'Podcasts' Explore a Universe of Topics By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As millions of pilgrims streamed into Rome this past week, a Dutch priest led Internet listeners on an intimate audio tour that allowed them to pay one last visit to Pope John Paul II before he was laid to rest. Father Roderick Vonhogen brought the Catholic Church's ancient rites to life through a cutting-edge format: the podcast, a radio-style show that is distributed over the Internet. Podcasts have caught on like wildfire since they first emerged only nine months ago. Listeners can pick from roughly 10,000 shows on topics ranging from religion to wine to technology, and media companies and advertisers are taking note. For now, it's a cottage industry dominated by the likes of Father Roderick, a parish priest from the Netherlands whose low-key charm and you-are-there narratives bring the church's pomp and circumstance down to a human scale. On "Catholic Insider," listeners hear Father Roderick banter with students camped out in St. Peter's Square and describe the pope lying in state in the basilica. "It's beautiful, it really looks like he's sleeping," he whispers as a choir sings in the background. Thousands of podcasts can be found through directories like Podcast Alley http://podcastalley.com , while listeners can automatically download new shows as they become available using free software like iPodder http://www.ipodder.org . Listeners can transfer their podcasts to an Apple iPod or other portable MP3 player, and listen to them when and where they wish. A recent survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that one in three U.S. adults who own an MP3 player have listened to a podcast, though the survey's small sample size means that figure could be substantially lower. Analysts say podcasting could challenge the broadcast industry by giving consumers more control over what they hear, and when they hear it. "To radio it's a big threat, because people are fed up with radio," said digital-media analyst Phil Leigh. HOMESPUN CHARM Like the World Wide Web 10 years ago, many podcasts rely on homespun charm rather than slick presentation. Anybody with a computer and a microphone can set up their own show. "The Daily Download" is little more than a man describing his bowel movements as they happen. One of the most popular podcasts, "The Dawn and Drew Show," features the ramblings of a married couple on a Wisconsin farm. "Do we have anything to talk about? No? I guess that's the appeal, right?" Dawn said on a recent show. Several radio stations have developed podcasts of their own, typically condensed versions of their morning shows. Businesses from Newsweek to General Motors have set up podcasts, as has Democratic politician John Edwards, who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. vice president last year. Some amateur podcasters hope to quit their day jobs. Todd Cochrane hopes to attract more advertising dollars for his twice-weekly technology show "Geek News Central" by setting up a network of podcasts that meet professional standards for sound quality and family-friendly language. "We're trying to build a brand out of many individual brands," Cochrane said of his fledgling Techpodcasts.com network. Music remains a hurdle. Because no licensing rules exist, podcasters must secure permission from individual artists and songwriters before playing their songs. Most stick to independent artists, rather than those signed to major record labels. For now, the greatest opportunity lies in spoken-word podcasts which can develop faithful if narrow audiences interested in a particular subject, said analyst Leigh. As big companies have jumped into podcasting, some pioneers have worried that they could be crowded out. That doesn't bother Ryan Ozawa, whose HawaiiUP podcast explores daily life on the Hawaiian Islands. "The easier it is to put yourself out there, and the more people that do it, the more likely we are to find the next Ed Murrow ... or the next Howard Stern," he wrote in an e-mail interview. Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Reuters Limited. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ Date: 10 Apr 2005 20:05:12 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: H-P Seen Pressuring Kodak's Lead in Online Photos NEW YORK (Reuters) - Web sites that let consumers e-mail and print digital pictures have become a new battleground for companies like Kodak and Hewlett-Packard, which hope to use the growth of these sites as a conduit for selling highly profitable products like paper and printers. Eastman Kodak Co. may see its lead in the burgeoning market for online picture development -- which lets travelers, for example, share vacation pictures before they've even returned home -- pinched by recent moves at Hewlett-Packard Co. The threat comes even from retailers like Wal-Mart Stores Inc. More than 1.3 billion pictures were transmitted, or "uploaded," to online systems from personal computers in 2004, as digital cameras and camera phones went mainstream. The lion's share of those images went to Kodak's Ofoto service, which was recently renamed Kodak EasyShare Gallery. But last month H-P, the leading maker of computer printers, purchased Snapfish, which was ranked third behind Ofoto and privately held Shutterfly in a market that includes sites like Photango, dotPhoto and Google Inc. Snapfish gives H-P a heartier online component, says Infotrends analyst Jill Aldort. H-P may woo photo enthusiasts, particularly those with H-P printers, to store their pictures, she said. It's possible that H-P may offer discounts on replacement ink cartridges. "H-P is certainly going to put more marketing muscle behind Snapfish, which already had a strong brand name," she said. "I think Kodak should be concerned, but I don't think they need to stay awake at night. It makes the market more competitive." KODAK SEES BIG GROWTH POTENTIAL Kodak, which is almost 18 months into a tough transition away from its flagging traditional film business, says it is not losing sleep over the consolidation, such as H-P's move and Yahoo Inc.'s recent purchase of online site Flikr. "There is a huge upside in the market, as evidenced by the deals," said David Rich, vice president of marketing at Ofoto, now known as Kodak EasyShare Gallery. "We have over 1 billion images under management and we will double that over the next year." That big number belies the online photofinishing market's relatively small size, which reached only $160 million in revenue in 2004 and is seen growing to $630 million in 2008, according to Infotrends. That's a drop in the bucket for H-P and Kodak. CATERING TO 'ONE-HOUR PHOTO' FANS Still, analysts say it is essential that these companies solidify an online strategy, since consumers adore taking pictures, even as methods change. Digital cameras will outsell film cameras this year. And young people are more apt to e-mail pictures than print and store them in albums. But it is printing where the money is made: high-quality paper and high margin ink and toner are profit drivers for Kodak, H-P, Canon Inc. and others. What's more, users and friends make repeat trips to the sites, giving each company another chance to showcase its brand, and sell other products. "They are set to face off against each other, whereas before this, H-P was undiversified. They had these home (systems) and that was about it," IDC analyst Chris Chute said. "Kodak has been pushing into H-P's space, so now H-P is saying 'We need to get into this."' In all, about 25.9 billion total prints are expected to be made in the United States in 2005, with digital prints growing 50 percent to about 7.7 billion from 2004, industry group Photo Marketing Association projects. But some habits die hard. More and more, consumers are coming back to retail stores for digital prints. PMA says the number of pictures printed at retail will nearly double to 3.1 billion in 2005. IDC's Chute said that the so-called Internet-to-retail market is going to double to about $1 billion in 2008 revenue. In Internet-to-retail, users upload pictures to, for example, Wal-Mart's or Ritz Cameras' Web sites, which are both powered by Kodak rival Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd. They then go to local stores and pick up the pictures, days faster than a Web-only store could deliver. "The problem online is that I have to wait for my pictures, and this constituency is used to 'One-Hour-Photo.' This combines the best of both worlds," Chute said. Copyright 2005 Reuters, Limited. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Reuters Limited. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 22:57:21 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Clearing the Paper Trail to College By Alison O'Leary Murray, Globe Correspondent | April 10, 2005 When Natick resident Sean True looks at the college admissions process, he sees a problem -- too many envelopes being mailed to too many colleges. Too much paper. "For 35 years, we've heard this huge promise of a paperless future, but I just see us creating more," said True, who helped his son, Sam, a Natick High School senior, with his applications last fall. True, chief technical officer at an Internet company, is trying to cut the clutter. He has offered his expertise to the Transcript Project, the brainchild of Natick High guidance counselor Ron Miller, which seeks to transmit electronically students' grades and class standings to colleges. Sounds simple? It turns out it's not so easy. Transcripts, which document a student's academic career and can make or break an application, require special handling. Only certain members of the high school staff have access to them, and the documents must arrive at college admissions offices with assurance that they have not been tampered with or handled by any unauthorized individual. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/04/10/clearing_the_paper_trail_to_college/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 23:25:31 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Airlines Try to Stem the Trade of Frequent-Fliers' Loot Online By Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff | April 4, 2005 Airlines are stepping up scrutiny of Internet auction sites where savvy consumers and frequent business travelers are selling and bartering free vouchers, miles, and other airline awards. In recent months, hundreds of deals for airline vouchers have appeared on eBay and on Craigslist sites across the country, including Boston. Now, these tickets are being offered at even lower prices as some of the bigger promotions with American Airlines and United Airlines that promised free flights across the country or around the world are set to expire. "I travel a lot for work, have zillions of miles and vouchers, and I could never use them in my lifetime," said Tony Lito, a Worcester marketer who received two World Series tickets last fall from a couple who wanted the airline vouchers to honeymoon in Bali. "This is a perk you've earned. Why should you not benefit somehow?" The airlines don't agree. American Airlines and other carriers say they are increasingly monitoring Internet sites and handing out punishments for the sales of rewards that are explicitly prohibited. Facing stiff competition and high oil prices, financially struggling airlines say they cannot afford to have their own customers undermine award programs and profits. Although airlines often allow awards to be transferred for free to family members and friends, selling the tickets for cash or bartering them for other products, such as tickets to a U2 concert, is strictly forbidden. http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2005/04/04/airlines_try_to_stem_the_trade_of_frequent_fliers_loot_online/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 23:29:59 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Deal May Let Comcast Grow in State Deal may let Comcast grow in state Firm expected to try to join its franchises with those of Adelphia By Peter J. Howe, Globe Staff | April 9, 2005 An $18 billion bid for bankrupt Adelphia Communications Corp. by the nation's two biggest cable companies will likely lead to Comcast Corp. adding at least 26 more local cable franchises to the 212 it now owns in Massachusetts, industry analysts said yesterday. If they succeed in their bid for the nation's fifth-largest cable company, which serves 5 million subscribers, Comcast and Time Warner Inc. are likely to immediately execute a deal that trades Comcast's 21 percent stake in Time Warner -- a legacy of 1990s cable dealmaking -- back to Time Warner. In exchange, Comcast would get about 2 million current Adelphia or Time Warner customers to add to its current 21 million. As a way to maximize operating efficiencies and advertising reach, Comcast is likely to focus heavily on expanding existing clusters of cable franchises. Adelphia's local operations -- including Cape Ann, the South Shore, and Martha's Vineyard -- would fit hand-in-glove with Comcast's existing megacluster in Greater Boston and southern New England, making their 124,000 customers almost certain candidates for a swap. http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2005/04/09/deal_may_let_comcast_grow_in_state/ ------------------------------ From: adykes@panix.com (Al Dykes) Subject: Re: Wierd Telephone Problems Date: 10 Apr 2005 17:36:01 -0400 Organization: PANIX -- Public Access Networks Corp. In article , Gladiator wrote: > Hello: I have this problem with my telephone at home. For incoming > calls, sometimes, it would ring once then disconnect the caller. I > thought it was my phone, but I bought a new one, and it was the same > thing. > I called my telephone company, and the technician came and said that > this could be due to wiring inside the building. So, the telephone > company thinks it's not their responsibility. > The strangest thing is, outgoing calls seem to be fine. I can dial > outside w/o problems. > Anyone seen this before? > Will > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've seen it lots of times. And as > often as not, it is in the wiring somewhere (either 'your' wiring or > possibly telco's.) Chances are there is some _tiny_ bare spot where > the two wires touch, or nearly so. The amount of current in the line > when the phone rings is sufficient to 'bridge the gap' and complete > the connection for a half second or so. What does the calling party > receive under those circumstances? Usually they will hear one or two > ringing signals, then it will change to busy, or maybe it will sound > like the line went dead. When you place a call -- as opposed to > receive a call -- there is much less voltage on the line because the > phone is not ringing. Its the increase in voltage which causes this > to occur. That is why you experience no problems when _you_ place a > call; the 'current bridge' is not present. > How do you prove it is telco's problem and not yours, or vice-versa? > Take your telephone out to the demarc, or place where the telco says > your wiring begins. Disconnect where they say yours starts. Use a > cell phone (or some other third-party line) to dial into _your_ > number. If you have your phone plugged directly into the demarc, and > the problem is present, you should hear your phone ring once (a half > ring, maybe) and then go dead. Note on the phone you are using to > call in what happens, i.e. busy signal, fast busy, the line goes dead, > or whatever. If this happens *and you have 'your' wires pulled or > disconnected at the demarc, then the problem is telco's. If it rings > through normally, and you can talk to yourself (or any confederate who > is assisting you), then it is NOT telco's problem. > Then, reattach the wires you took down at the demarc and try the test > again. Does it occur this time? If the problem occurs when your wires > are connected, but _not_ when you are connected direct to the demarc, > then it is indeed your problem. Try this much first, then get back to > us with the results. If it is indeed in your length of wire and not > telco's, then we will discuss how you go about correcting it. You'll > basically have two choices in that case: fix it yourself or with your > own electrician hired, _or_ pay telco (or bribe the technician) and > they will fix it for you. Typically it costs less to fix it yourself, > but depending on the complexity of the wiring (and distance involved > and the size of your complex) it may be faster and less grief to let > telco handle it. We will discuss both approaches when you get back to > us with your findings. Hoping to hear again from you soon. PAT] When I was a kid we had this problem for a while. After days of troubleshooting it was discovered that the inside wire running in the rafters had sagged and come in contact with a hot water pipe. The insulation carbonized enough to short out the ring voltage put not affect calls. sh*t happens. a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m Don't blame me. I voted for Gore. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 19:49:14 -0400 From: Michael Muderick Subject: Re: Wierd Telephone Problem I've seen the problem also occur with moisture in the line, or at a jack that at one point had moisture and now has oxidation- green_ across the pins. The ring voltage just jumps across that lower than air resistance. Michael Muderick> ****************************** ------------------------------ Date: 11 Apr 2005 02:34:37 -0000 From: John Levine Subject: Re: Prison Cell Phone Scandal Organization: I.E.C.C., Trumansburg NY USA >> They should still be using public safety radio services/systems. > Hmm ... a few years ago I know many of the local police departments > back here used them. Dunno if that is still true. Our county is doing a rather expensive public safety radio upgrade system that's supposed to tie into an upgrade NY state is doing. Beyond the issue of competing with normal users in cell bands, public safety radios do some specialized tricks like having a button to put a bunch of firemen* something that acts like a party line or conference call. R's, John * - many of whom are female ------------------------------ From: Steve Sobol Subject: Re: Warning! A Virus Attacked my System! Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 19:42:53 -0700 Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com Fred Atkinson wrote: > Hello, everyone, > A worm came through my PC. If you get any attachments that appear to > be from me, don't open them. From my research, it appears to be a > work called Netsky. I haven't found a way to get it off yet, but I'm > working on it. http://www.grisoft.com/ wonderful, wonderful AV package for windows http://www.clamav.net/ ditto, but for Linux and other POSIX-ish OS's (There is a port for Windows, too, though) And don't forget to update your virus defs every day ... JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638) Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / sjsobol@JustThe.net / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED "The wisdom of a fool won't set you free" --New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle" [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I have all the computers on my network using Grisoft AVG 7.0 all the time. And they all go to look for updates between 5-7 AM, then proceed to use those new definition files to examine each computer. Its the only way to run things these days. PAT] ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #155 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Mon Apr 11 17:25:32 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3BLPV511163; Mon, 11 Apr 2005 17:25:32 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 17:25:32 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504112125.j3BLPV511163@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #156 TELECOM Digest Mon, 11 Apr 2005 17:25:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 156 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson States Scramble To Protect Data/Dozens of Privacy Bills (Monty Solomon) Reporters Get Credit for Simple ID Switch (Monty Solomon) Illinois May Require VoIP 9-1-1 (Jack Decker) Neustar Database (Herman Jones) Verizon Becomes Largest MCI Shareholder (Telecom dailyLead from USTA) Re: Wierd Telephone Problems (David) Re: Wierd Telephone Problems (Richard Crowley) Re: Clearing the Paper Trail to College (Lisa Hancock) Re: Prison Cell Phone Scandal (Wesrock@aol.com) Re: More Spam! Get Ready for Spam on Your Net Phone (Paul Vader) Last Laugh! was Re: Sperm - Not so Mobile (T. Sean Weintz) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 00:32:30 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: States Scramble To Protect Data / Dozens of Privacy Bills States Scramble To Protect Data Dozens of Privacy Bills Introduced After Spate of Security Breaches By Jonathan Krim Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, April 9, 2005; Page E01 Legislatures in more than two dozen states are considering ways to give consumers more control over personal information that is collected and sold by private firms, but many of the proposals are drawing fire from financial services companies. Bills are on the table in 28 states responding to a series of high-profile security breaches at information brokers, banks and universities that so far this year have resulted in more than 1 million Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, names and addresses falling into the hands of potential identity thieves. In the most recent case, a medical group in San Jose announced yesterday that records on roughly 185,000 current and former patients may have been exposed after two of its computers were stolen. The state activity is being closely tracked on Capitol Hill, where several House and Senate members have introduced or are preparing identity theft legislation. Generally, the various state bills do not target how thieves are obtaining data, through hacking, fraud or other means. But consumer groups and privacy advocates, who are championing many of the initiatives, say they would help shield consumers from the havoc and damage that identity theft can cause. One group of bills would allow consumers to "freeze" their credit reports so that sensitive data could not be given out to anyone without permission from the individual each time the data were requested. Identity thieves often strike by obtaining a piece of private information, such as a Social Security number, and then using it to establish credit and make purchases. Credit-freeze bills are moving through legislatures in about 20 states. In some cases, any consumer could order a freeze at any time. In other states, only people whose data have been breached would have that option. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38498-2005Apr8.html ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 12:43:51 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Reporters Get Credit For Simple ID Switch Sneaky ID thieves always one step ahead in schemes By Tom Mashberg/ Exclusive First of three parts Peter Kochansky knew he hadn't bought a Porsche, but there it was among his bills - a luxury car loan in his name for $40,000. That wasn't the half of it. As Kochansky, a lawyer from Somerville, soon learned, a notorious identity thief was racing around the country, running up credit charges and emptying bank accounts, all in Kochansky's name. The thief, Shawn Pelley, now in federal prison, always seemed a step ahead. When Kochansky canceled his credit cards, Pelley stole $7,000 from a Fleet account Kochansky shared with his wife, even though Pelley had no PIN number. http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=77741 Reporters get credit for simple ID switch By Thomas Caywood and Tom Mashberg Second in a three-part series on identity fraud. Identity theft ain't rocket science. Trust us. To test the retail credit industry's claims of tough new ID fraud protections, two Herald reporters swapped Social Security numbers and set out to steal each other's identities. Despite our lack of criminal expertise, within hours we had a $10,000 credit line at one store and a $1,300 account at another. The experiment began at Dana Ross Studios in the South End, where $60 buys a convincing-looking 'Massachusetts identification card' - complete with digital signature, holograms and a faux magnetic strip along the back. No questions asked. Cash only. We walked out with two fake IDs in 10 minutes. The cards showed one reporter's face and the other's name, Social Security number, address and age. http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=77875 Tricks of the trade from prolific prowler By Tom Mashberg Sunday, April 10, 2005 - Updated: 11:31 AM EST Shawn Pelley didn't like who he was, so he became almost anyone else. Starting in 2001, the crafty Cape Cod native used ID theft to take individuals, banks and retailers for $550,000. Loot and phony identities in hand, he led a flamboyant lifestyle and rubbed elbows with hotshots from L.A. to South Beach. Pelley, 29, finally was run to ground by U.S. marshals and is serving a 60-month sentence at a federal prison in Pennsylvania. But the skinny, 6-foot high school dropout ran up immense debts in the names of dozens of victims, many of them Massachusetts lawyers. US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan called Pelley "the most active identity theft perpetrator the major crimes unit has prosecuted." http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=77743 Scams turn victims' lives upside down By Tom Mashberg Monday, April 11, 2005 - Updated: 09:27 AM EST State Rep. Paul C. Casey is a man of the people -- the people victimized by identity theft. In 2003, he was one of a half-dozen Paul Caseys across New England defrauded by con artists who used his common name to pilfer gift cards and heaps of merchandise from area retailers. http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=77874 "You don't understand what it's like" By Thomas Caywood Monday, April 11, 2005 - Updated: 03:49 AM EST Paul K. Casey of Foxboro is the kind of guy who keeps only one or two credit cards and faithfully pays them off each month. So he knew something was fishy when he got a letter from Sears about the credit application he supposedly filled out at the chain's outlet in Kingston. http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=77873 Victim: Unsnarling fraud 'a second full-time job' By Tom Mashberg Sunday, April 10, 2005 Karen Leonard was an Army sergeant in two war zones, then braved the bar exam, but none of it matches having an identity thief run up huge bills in her name. http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=77745 Good Samaritan father, teen daughter targeted By Tom Mashberg Sunday, April 10, 2005 - Updated: 11:26 AM EST Not only did crooks steal Bill Loesch's identity, they did the same to his 12-year-old daughter. Five years ago, Loesch, a protestant minister and Codman Square health activist, rented apartments on the first and third floors of his Dorchester three-decker to tenants he thought he could trust. Instead, he said, one of them "would get home before me, steal my mail, get credit cards in my name by using my Social Security number and then go on big buying sprees. And this was a woman!" When the bills came in, the thief would intercept them and rip them up. Years went by before Loesch, 63, realized he'd been ripped off. http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=77744 Tough to recover once you're hacked By Tom Mashberg Sunday, April 10, 2005 - Updated: 11:25 AM EST The pet sitter did it. It took a while, but Sandra Pochapin of Southboro figured out how she became an ID fraud victim: The pet sitter went through her mail, pocketed a credit card and hit Lord & Taylor's for $1,200. "I didn't even know the card was going to arrive," Pochapin, a 48-year-old marketing director, said. "They sent me a card I didn't want for an account that I never used." Since 2002, Pochapin has been trying to undo the damage caused by one person with just one of her credit cards. The thief, who fled the state and was never arrested, opened false accounts from Boston to Brooklyn -- at Macy's, J.C. Penney and Cingular Wireless, and places Pochapin can only imagine. http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=77742 [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In the early to middle 1960's, as VISA franchises were first getting started in Chicago, they were known as 'Bank Americard'; named after Bank of America which was then a one or two branch bank in San Francisco. First National Bank of Chicago were the idiots responsible for VISA (Bank Americard) taking such a dreadful hit from fraud in the first few years. How much is dreadful? Oh, about five or six million dollars in fraud the first year of the program. First National Bank of Chicago -- never known for having very smart employees (see my essay elsewhere on how I had to successfully sue them in Small Claims Court to get back refunds of checks they had no business cashing in the first place) -- was issuing credit cards willy-nilly to every name on their list of accounts; just sending out the plastics without regard to the context of the 'account holder' shown on their books. They sent out credit cards (in envelopes marked 'here is your new credit card enclosed', mind you) to such account depositors as tiny babies, estates of deceased persons, escrow accounts of the courts, etc. If there was a deposit account on the books of First National Bank of Chicago, the computer printed up and mailed out a BankAmericard credit card to it. You talk about dumb! And announcing your dumbness and stupidity right on the envelope yet! And recall please, those were the days when they used to print a weekly bulletin 'hot sheet' which they distributed to all the stores, and merchants were expected to check the 'hot sheet' before accepting the card. And there were 'floor limits' which the sales authorizers used to use in those times before sophisticated computers where sales 'under the floor limit' were automatically approved. How long do you think it took the general public -- at least the larcenous members of it -- to figure out the system, and how grocery stores and gasoline stations had one floor limit (almost infinite) while electronics stores, jewelers and liquor stores had another limit (almost none at all). Everyone, but everyone, it seems, tried to rip off First National Bank's BankAmericard program. It took several years of that kind of fraud before FNB-Chicago woke up and decided to (a) try and do at least a modicum of investigation before issuing cards to 'customers' and (b) to at least be a bit discreet in mailing out the damn things. Even the dishonest employees at the Post Office got in on the act. By simply holding an envelope in their fingers and running their thumb back and forth once or twice (and noting the return address being a suspicious PO Box the bank finally started using to disguise the contents of the mailing) postal workers made off with so many credit cards it would have shocked any hardened con-man. Millions and millions of dollars in fraud in the first few years of widespread VISA/MC use by the public. Maybe its worse now-days, with a more sophisticated public and a somewhat more sophisticated banking system. Is it? Anyone know? PAT] ------------------------------ From: Jack Decker Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 11:03:45 -0400 Subject: Illinois May Require VoIP 9-1-1 http://www.tmcnet.com/tmcnet/articles/2005/illinois-voip-911-governor-rod-blagojevich.htm By David Sims, TMCnet CRM Alert Columnist The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is proposing legislation to get Internet-based phone providers to give customers the same kind of access to 911 operators as those who use regular telephone lines. In the back of everyone's mind is the incident this past February 3rd in Houston, where 17-year-old Joyce John called 911 using Internet phone provider Vonage to report that her parents had been shot by home intruders. She got a recording telling her that access to 911 service was unavailable. Help took more than 10 minutes to arrive. Both parents survived. It was later established that the Johns had multiple opportunities and reminders from Vonage to activate Vonage's 9-1-1 service but had not done so. In a blatantly emotional vote-troll, the Texas attorney general sued Vonage after the incident, probably since you don't win many votes suing registered voters who haven't followed Vonage's directions on how to activate their 9-1-1. The FCC warns on its Web site that it "may be difficult" for Internet phone customers to "seamlessly connect" with 911 dispatch centers. According to Blagojevich's office, that's because traditional phone companies have not given Internet phone providers access to more than 3,200 emergency call centers nationwide. Blagojevich spokesman Gerardo Cardenas said the governor said the companies need to figure out how to solve that problem. "We're not getting into that debate," he said. "What matters here is when you need police or an ambulance, it has to get there immediately." [Jack Decker Comment: Texas is a SBC state. Illinois is a SBC state (and we all know what they say about Illinois politics). Anyone notice a pattern here?] Full story at: http://www.tmcnet.com/tmcnet/articles/2005/illinois-voip-911-governor-rod-blagojevich.htm How to Distribute VoIP Throughout a Home: http://michigantelephone.mi.org/distribute.html If you live in Michigan, subscribe to the MI-Telecom group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MI-Telecom/ ------------------------------ From: blank777@web.de (Herman Jones) Subject: Neustar Database Date: 11 Apr 2005 10:13:40 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hi folks, I wonder if it would be able to get access to the Neustar databases. Like, list all "Herman Jones" in "California". Herman Jones tel 323.852.1083 8383 WilshireBlvd Suite 355 BeverlyHills, CA 90211 Do some companies have interfaces to the databases? Somebody with experiences on that? Thanks, Herman ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 12:43:21 EDT From: Telecom dailyLead from USTA Subject: Verizon Becomes Largest MCI Shareholder Telecom dailyLead from USTA April 11, 2005 http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=20725&l=2017006 TODAY'S HEADLINES NEWS OF THE DAY * Verizon becomes largest MCI shareholder BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH * Cablevision considers larger bid for Adelphia * CA moves into telecom market with Concord buy * AOL teams up with XM Satellite * Seven to buy SIS * Hurdles abound for cable when it comes to wireless USTA SPOTLIGHT * Newton's Telecom Dictionary -- 21st Edition, JUST RELEASED EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES * VOIPSA chief warns of dire VoIP security threats REGULATORY & LEGISLATIVE * Pay phones die hard in Maine Follow the link below to read quick summaries of these stories and others. http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=20725&l=2017006 Legal and Privacy information at http://www.dailylead.com/about/privacy_legal.jsp SmartBrief, Inc. 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20005 ------------------------------ Reply-To: David From: David Subject: Re: Wierd Telephone Problems Organization: SBC http://yahoo.sbc.com Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 13:45:30 GMT Al Dykes wrote in message news:telecom24.155.6@telecom-digest.org: > In article , Gladiator > wrote: >> Hello: I have this problem with my telephone at home. For incoming >> calls, sometimes, it would ring once then disconnect the caller. I >> thought it was my phone, but I bought a new one, and it was the same >> thing. I had this problem once due to a stand-alone caller ID unit. I capacitor in the unit would intermittently break down from the ringing voltage. David ------------------------------ From: Richard Crowley Subject: Re: Wierd Telephone Problems Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 13:39:46 -0700 Organization: Intel Corporation Gladiator wrote: > Hello: I have this problem with my telephone at home. For incoming > calls, sometimes, it would ring once then disconnect the caller. I > thought it was my phone, but I bought a new one, and it was the same > thing. > I called my telephone company, and the technician came and said that > this could be due to wiring inside the building. So, the telephone > company thinks it's not their responsibility. > The strangest thing is, outgoing calls seem to be fine. I can dial > outside w/o problems. > Anyone seen this before? Get a dog? :-) I was pleasantly surprised that this old telco "shaggy-dog story" was available online: http://www.egreeley.com/messages/1872.html [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've got no problems with 'pissing and moaning' but I happen to think that story -- and I have seen it many times -- is a terrible way to treat any animal. I cannot recommend the story, even if it is just an 'urban legend' as I suspect. Some of you have asked what happened with Buffy, the female cattle dog I had here. She learned how to jump over the fence :( and she ran off; has not been seen since. She is a *big* dog and could put her front paws on my four foot high wire fence around my yard. But she is also very muscular (like many big dogs) and learned to use her front legs to pull herself over the fence when she jumped in the air. I have sort of mixed emotions about it. I did miss her a little -- this is the dog which knocked me down on the sidewalk one day, skinning up my face and chipping my tooth and causing me to bleed -- but I know she did not mean it; now that she has been gone for more than a week I am almost certain the Independence Animal Shelter got her, and I am not going to take her back. She was just too much for me to try and deal with. PAT] ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com Subject: Re: Clearing the Paper Trail to College Date: 11 Apr 2005 07:01:31 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Monty Solomon wrote: > By Alison O'Leary Murray, Globe Correspondent | April 10, 2005 > When Natick resident Sean True looks at the college admissions > process, he sees a problem -- too many envelopes being mailed to too > many colleges. Too much paper. Actually, many years ago two key aspects were computerized: 1) Financial aid: Students filled out a standard computer-scan questionnaire which was distributed accordingly. 2) SAT scores -- presumably now sent electronically to colleges. Different school districts have greatly varying ways of preparing transcripts of high school life. Some are not computerized at all, some are highly sophisticated. The information includes more than just courses and grades, it also includes evaluations, extra curricular, discipline, attendance, etc. I think schools vary on what info they send and colleges vary on what info they want. If I were a student today, I'd be quite nervous about hackers or others getting into the data. Also, I don't want to encourage large colleges from using computers to do basic application screening. I realize that in effect is done now manually due to high volume of applications -- a clerk does a quick scan looking for basic minimums, but having a computer do it is worse -- it removes important variables. Grades are very subjective and vary tremendously from school to school. A yuppie ambitious suburban community will have a very intense school district where an "A" really is an "A". In contrast, a weak area might give an "A" just for showing up every day and not causing any trouble. When I got to college a lot of my fellow freshmen were overwhelmed by the coursework. They got straight A's in high school easily but college was much harder. A "C" student from an intense high school would be more prepared than an "A" student from a mediorce high school. The point is that grades in themselves are not enough -- the kind of school is important as well, as well as other factors. Computer scanning is not good at that subjective sort of thing. ------------------------------ From: Wesrock@aol.com Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 10:05:29 EDT Subject: Re: Prison Cell Phone Scandal In a message dated 11 Apr 2005 02:34:37 -0000,John Levine writes: > Beyond the issue of competing with normal users in cell bands, public > safety radios do some specialized tricks like having a button to put a > bunch of firemen* something that acts like a party line or conference > call. > R's, > John > * - many of whom are female The politically correct tern now is "firefighter." Some publications now have software that automatically makes the change, which leads to such absurdities as "firefighter" substituted for "fireman" even when the person in question is a steam locomotive fireman, a fireman on an antique steam power vehicle such as a tractor, or a marine steam enginer. Their job is to maintain and foment the fire, rather than to fight it. Wes Leatherock wesrock@aol.com wleathus@yahoo.com ------------------------------ From: pv+usenet@pobox.com (Paul Vader) Subject: Re: More Spam! Get Ready for Spam on Your Net Phone Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 15:54:45 -0000 Organization: Inline Software Creations Lisa Minter writes: > Jeffrey Citron, chairman and chief executive of Vonage, took questions > after his keynote speech and was asked how he plans to address > security issues with VoIP. Clearly, he wasn't going to share his > "The great thing about security is that you don't have to tell > everyone what you're doing," he responded. "But we understand that > SPIT is an issue." Security through obscurity is no security at all. * * PV something like badgers--something like lizards--and something like corkscrews. ------------------------------ From: T. Sean Weintz Subject: Last Laugh! was Re: Sperm - Not so Mobile Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 12:35:20 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com John McHarry wrote: > On Fri, 08 Apr 2005 09:44:57 -0400, T.Sean wrote: >> Yes, of course. But what many folks don't realize is they use >> specially bred mice that are VERY susceptible to tumors for these >> types of experiments. >> Which means there is a very GOOD chance that the same exposure will >> have no effect whatsoever on a normal healthy human. > Oh good, a volunteer! Not at all. Cell phones may not cause cancer or low sperm mobility, but it IS a well known fact that the goverment DOES use cell phones as relay points for their mind control beams. NO WAY you are gonna get me near a cell phone without my tin foil hat on. ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #156 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Tue Apr 12 06:17:51 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3CAHo517799; Tue, 12 Apr 2005 06:17:51 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 06:17:51 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504121017.j3CAHo517799@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #157 TELECOM Digest Tue, 12 Apr 2005 06:17:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 157 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Piercing the Peer-to-Peer Myths: Examination of Canadian (Monty Solomon) Computer-Aided Music Distribution: Future of Selection (Monty Solomon) Verizon Wireless Expands Availability of Ringback Tones (Monty Solomon) Verizon Agrees to Buy Stake Of MCI (Marcus Didius Falco) Report Critical of Philly's Wi-Fi Plan (Marcus Didius Falco) Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight (Marcus Didius Falco) Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Other Electronics? (curious) Re: Reporters Get Credit For Simple ID Switch (Wesrock@aol.com) Re: Spammer Gets 9 Years (Ed Clarke) Re: Simultaneous Ring Problem With Cell (Nathan Anderson) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 00:03:39 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Piercing the Peer-to-Peer Myths: Examination of Canadian Piercing the peer-to-peer myths: An examination of the Canadian experience by Michael Geist Abstract Canada is in the midst of a contentious copyright reform with advocates for stronger copyright protection maintaining that the Internet has led to widespread infringement that has harmed the economic interests of Canadian artists. The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) has emerged as the leading proponent of copyright reform, claiming that peer-to-peer file sharing has led to billions in lost sales in Canada. This article examines CRIA's claims by conducting an analysis of industry figures. It concludes that loss claims have been greatly exaggerated and challenges the contention that recent sales declines are primarily attributable to file-sharing activities. Moreover, the article assesses the financial impact of declining sales on Canadian artists, concluding that revenue collected through a private copying levy system already adequately compensates Canadian artists for the private copying that occurs on peer-to-peer networks. http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_4/geist/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 00:08:22 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Computer-Aided Music Distribution: The Future of Selection Computer-aided music distribution: The future of selection, retrieval and transmission by Nancy Bogucki Duncan and Mark A. Fox Abstract The Internet has made music more widely available and increased the convenience with which we can listen to music. We increasingly recognize that recorded music can take the form of digital files. The Internet and related technologies for music delivery have been made viable by advances in compression, data storage, and transmission technologies. To provide greater value to consumers, music labels need to make greater use of retrieval and selection technologies. Contents Introduction The product of music Why do we choose to experience music in different ways? Technology and the provision of value to consumers. Conclusions http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_4/duncan/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 21:05:34 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Verizon Wireless Expands Availability of Ringback Tones; Verizon Wireless Expands Availability of Ringback Tones; Customers Can Play Their Favorite Song, Soundtrack or Voice Track for Callers; New Service Now Available to More Verizon Wireless Customers - Apr 11, 2005 03:14 PM (BusinessWire) PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 2005--Verizon Wireless, the first national carrier to offer Ringback Tones -- short clips of real music that replace the standard ring callers hear when they call the Verizon Wireless phone of a Ringback Tone subscriber -- has expanded the availability of the service to include Arizona. The service is now available in most western states. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=48289993 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:49:16 -0400 From: Marcus Didius Falco Subject: Verizon Agrees to Buy Stake Of MCI's http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A40350-2005Apr9 washingtonpost.com Verizon Agrees to Buy Stake Of MCI's Biggest Shareholder $1.1 Billion Purchase an Attempt to Shut Out Qwest's Bids By Yuki Noguchi Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, April 10, 2005; Page A12 Verizon Communications Inc. said yesterday it agreed to pay $1.1 billion in cash to purchase the shares of MCI Inc.'s largest shareholder in an attempt to lock up its deal to buy MCI and shut out rival Qwest Communications International Inc. New York-based Verizon agreed to buy about 43.5 million shares -- or 13 percent of MCI's stock -- from Mexican telecom magnate Carlos Slim Helu. At $25.72 a share, MCI's market price at the time of the agreement, the price is higher than the $23.10 per share Verizon has offered to pay other MCI shareholders to acquire the company. It's the latest chess move between Verizon and Qwest, two regional phone companies locked in a two-month battle to acquire MCI of Ashburn. So far, MCI's board of directors has sided with Verizon, citing that company's greater resources and financial strength, even though Qwest is offering to pay substantially more. Analysts described Verizon's move as a significant development, but some said Qwest could still muster support for its offer. Qwest has sweetened its bid three times in its attempts to win the support of the MCI board, forcing Verizon to raise its original offer, but the MCI board spurned Qwest each time. For the past week, Qwest has been considering ways to pursue a hostile offer, including seeking the backing of MCI shareowners to vote down the proposed merger with Verizon. In buying Slim's shares, Verizon sought to reduce Qwest's maneuvering room. The deal "was an opportunity for us to purchase a block of shares under unique circumstances and is an important step forward in our acquisition of MCI," Verizon chairman and chief executive Ivan Seidenberg said yesterday in a statement. The purchase of Slim's shares, which must be approved by regulators, is expected to close in several weeks, the company said. Verizon will not be able to acquire more shares one block at a time from MCI investors because of a "poison pill" provision in MCI's charter that makes it prohibitively expensive for a single entity to accumulate more than 15 percent of the company's shares. Verizon's deal with Slim came after Denver-based Qwest said a survey it commissioned showed that a majority of MCI shareholders supported Qwest's most recent offer. The company declined to disclose details of that survey but said Slim was not among the investors it had been counting on to support the Qwest offer of $27.50 a share, or a total of $8.9 billion, in cash and stock. Verizon's offer totals $7.65 billion in cash and stock. "I don't think it's over for Qwest at all," said Martin Hyman, an independent telecommunications consultant. "It was a very clever move on Verizon's part. Obviously, it gives Verizon additional support, but this is a very, very critical acquisition from [Qwest's] standpoint." The company needs MCI's corporate customer base and its cash, he said. "It's do or die." Striking a deal with a single shareholder may create pressure for Verizon to increase its bid to the rest of MCI's shareholders, many of whom have spoken in favor of Qwest's offer or have demanded that MCI seek a better deal from Verizon. "Verizon has basically told the world what they think MCI shares are worth, and what they've said is that they're worth more than $23.10," said Patrick Comack, an analyst with Zachary Investment Research in Miami. If Verizon offers what it's paying to Slim to the rest of MCI's shareholders, that could put MCI out of Qwest's reach, Comack said. "I think today's move may make Qwest say, 'Uncle.' " Calls and e-mails requesting a comment from Slim were not returned yesterday, although his office released a statement confirming the deal. In a statement responding to Verizon's latest move, Qwest said Verizon was trying to drive a wedge between shareholders. "By entering into this deal with Mr. Slim, Verizon has both created two classes of shareholders and called into question the MCI board's previous determination that Verizon's lower offer to the other MCI shareholders was superior and fair," the statement said. Qwest spokesman Tyler Gronbach said the company previously had its own negotiations with Slim. Gronbach said Qwest is considering all of its options, including a higher bid for MCI. Verizon spokesman Peter Thonis declined to comment, as did MCI spokesman Peter Lucht. Copyright 2005 The Washington Post Company NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Washington Post Company. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 23:16:17 -0400 From: Marcus Didius Falco Subject: Report Critical of Philly's Wi-Fi Plan http://www.wirelessweek.com/index.asp?layout=newsat2direct&starting=1&pubdate=04/11/05& www.wirelessweek.com Report Critical of Philly's Wi-Fi Plan By Mark Rockwell April 11, 2005 news@2 direct WASHINGTON -- A Bell company-supported think tank has issued a report that's highly critical of the City of Philadelphia's recently announced plans for a city-sponsored, city-wide Wi-Fi network. "My principal conclusion is that the analysis and financial projections contained in [the City of Philadelphia's Wi-Fi] business plan are simply not plausible," says Thomas Lenard, senior fellow and vice president of research at the Progress & Freedom Foundation. Last Thursday, the City of Philadelphia began asking for bids on the $10 million Wi-Fi project that would provide low-cost Wi-Fi access to all Philadelphia citizens across the city's 135 square miles of territory. The project's aim is to provide low-cost, high-bandwidth connections for all Philadelphia residents for about $16 to $20 a month. The winning bidder will install the network by next summer. The city's plans call for services on the network to be marketed, sold and billed by the 430 independent, private ISPs operating in the city. "The Business Plan projects that Wireless Philadelphia [the city's plan] will be able to offer wireless broadband access to everyone, everywhere in Philadelphia, at a lower cost than competitive broadband offerings such as DSL and cable modem," Lenard says. "Notwithstanding this rosy scenario, the Business Plan asserts that this service [Wi-Fi] will not be offered by the private sector. But there is no explanation as to why the private sector would pass up such a profit opportunity." The foundation also issued an accompanying essay questioning the wisdom of local governments' involvement with the rollout of high-speed networks. The Progress and Freedom Foundation is backed by many high-tech companies, including big local wireline phone companies such as BellSouth, SBC Communications and Verizon Communications, as well as big wireless companies like Nextel Communications and T-Mobile USA. The city of Philadelphia got an exemption last fall from a state law that restricted local governments from installing wireless Internet access networks. Verizon Wireless had backed the legislation that forced the city to accelerate its installation plans and forced the city to give Verizon Wireless "right of first refusal" on any other plans for wireless network services. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Wireless Week. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 23:19:39 -0400 From: Marcus Didius Falco Subject: Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight http://www.wirelessweek.com/index.asp?layout=3Ddocument&doc_id=3D1340004344 www.wirelessweek.com Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight By Susan Rush April 8, 2005 news@2 direct Worried about "air rage" and constant phone calls, 67 percent of air travelers would prefer current airborne cell phone restrictions remain in place, according to a new air passenger poll. The survey also found that 78 percent of respondents said cell phone use during flight could hamper passengers from hearing emergency instructions. As in the days when people could smoke on airplanes, 70 percent of respondents indicated if the ban is lifted, airlines should separate out cell phone users on flights. However, not everyone in the survey was against lifting the ban on in-flight cell phone use -- 21 percent supported allowing passengers to chat during flight. The Association of Flight Attendants and the National Consumers League sponsored the survey conducted with 702 air passengers. "This survey and the popularity of the Do Not Call Registry for telemarketing illustrate the growing desire of many consumers to put up the 'do not disturb' sign and have some peace and quiet," said Susan Grant, the National Consumers League vice president for public policy. The FCC is currently reviewing rules governing the use of cell phones on aircraft. In December 2004 the commission said it would make 4 MHz of 800 MHz spectrum available to providers through an auction process, but at the time of the announcement, it stressed that whether to give the green light to enable cell phone use on board flights is an issue the industry and consumers need to hammer out. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Wireless Week. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ From: curious@nospam.com Subject: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronic Devices? Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 02:02:56 -0400 I just got a 900 MHz DSS cordless phone, and I had the perfect spot for it, right on top of my tower computer case. But then I noticed that the manual says that the base unit must be placed away from all electronic equipment, including PCs, stereos, TVs, and microwaves. What is the reasoning for this? Could the magnetic fields generated by the speakers in the phone cause any problems? ------------------------------ From: Wesrock@aol.com Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 20:02:19 EDT Subject: Re: Reporters Get Credit For Simple ID Switch Pat wrote: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In the early to middle 1960's, as VISA > franchises were first getting started in Chicago, they were known as > 'Bank Americard'; named after Bank of America which was then a one or > two branch bank in San Francisco. First National Bank of Chicago were > the idiots responsible for VISA (Bank Americard) taking such a > dreadful hit from fraud in the first few years. I don't know about the First National Bank of Chicago, but Bank of America was not then a "one or two branch bank." It was a massive operation with branches all over the West, many through subsidiaries, until they were required to limit themselves to one state, and of course they limited themself to their largest state, also their home state, California. They had hundred of branches throughout California and were the prototype for today's banks that have branches on every street corner. At a about the time they launched BankAmericard, they were the largest bank in the world, surpassing any of the New York banks. As you know, in later years they fell on less prosperous times and were eventually acquired by NationsBank, formerly North Carolina National Bank (NCNB). NationsBank, upon acquiring Bank of America, changed its name from NationsBank to Bank of America and still has its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. Wes Leatherock wesrock@aol.com wleathus@yahoo.com [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I should have originally said BoA was not very common in the Chicago and other midwest areas. To Chicago people, BoA was considered a San Francisco operation. Our local branch of BoA here in Independence did not arrive until about 1990. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Ed Clarke Subject: Re: Spammer Gets 9 Years Date: 12 Apr 2005 00:32:10 GMT Organization: Ciliophora Associates, Inc. Reply-To: clarke@cilia.org On 2005-04-08, Chris Farrar wrote: > North Carolina spammer gets nine years; Sentence postponed while > appeal is heard. Jeremy Jaynes was among the top 10 spammers in the > world when arrested, prosecutors say. > ASSOCIATED PRESS > LEESBURG, Va. A man convicted in the U.S.'s first felony prosecution > for illegal spamming was sentenced to nine years in prison today, but > the judge postponed the sentence while the case is appealed. Here's what he'll get if there's any justice: http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20050410 This signature left blank. ------------------------------ From: Nathan Anderson Reply-To: Nathan Anderson Subject: Re: Simultaneous Ring Problem With Cell Organization: EasyNews, UseNet made Easy! Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 00:54:18 GMT > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I will tell you how I handle the same > problem here: Instead of simultaneous ring, my home phone is set > up for 'transfer on busy/no answer' to my cell phone. If I do not > answer my home phone (or am already on a conversation) then the > incoming call forwards (after 3-4 rings) to my cellular phone, then > the cellular phone 'transfers on busy/no answer' to voicemail. Thanks for the response, Pat. I had thought of that actually, and I suppose that this solution is the "lesser of two evils" (since at least people will not get the "wrong message"), but this solution has several disadvantages that I was hoping to avoid: 1) If my cell phone is off, then the caller hears the average 4 rings before voicemail kicks in. If my cell phone is ON (which is true most of the time), the caller is going to have to wait for 8 rings! This has confused people in the past who just give up before voicemail even comes on to take their message ("oh, I guess he's not home and doesn't have an answering machine"). I'm sure that the number of rings before my cell phone transfers to voicemail can be adjusted, but I don't want it ringing less than 4 times otherwise I don't have much time to answer the call if I want to. 2) If my cell phone provider's voicemail system takes the call, then my cool little "Message" indicator light on my Packet8 DTA won't tell me if I have a message or not because Packet8's system didn't take the message. I will also not have a "stutter" tone on my home phone anymore to alert me of the presence of a new message. Granted, if I don't use my cellular carrier's voicemail system, then my cell phone can't alert me about new messages either, but if the call is "simulring"-transferred to my phone, I at least have a record from the phone that someone called, I missed the call, and caller ID tells me who it was. At that point I can call Packet8 voicemail from my cell to see if I have any new messages. 3) Although it is a trivial charge, with the plan that I'm on with my cellular provider, voicemail is not "standard" unless I add it on for an extra fee. If I don't have to pay that fee, I don't want to. 4) Packet8's voicemail system has some cool features (such as the ability to e-mail myself a copy of a voicemail that I'd like to keep as a WAV file attachment) that I'm sure my cellular provider cannot replicate and which I don't wish to lose. This gent claims that he managed to find a way to solve this problem without using cellular voicemail; I wonder how he did it? (hit "Complete Thread" and look at his last response): http://groups.googlecom.com/groups?selm=telecom23.408.7%40telecom-digest.org Thanks again, -- Nathan Anderson "You can't appreciate Shakespeare until you've read him in the original Klingon." -- General Chang, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well, as I see it, those are your two choices. But, bear in mind that after the first 3-4 rings (the ones going to your landline), there is a very brief pause in the ringing as the call is pulled away from your landline and switched over to your cellular. The regular people who call me at least understand that pause means the call is being shifted elsewhere. I don't think you can ever make everyone happy on this, short of spending a lot more money on a very sophisticated system. Understand, the above is relatively sophisticated for 'residential' service. And most people, in my experience, are willing to wait 7-8 rings for _something_ to kick in, although not much more than that. PAT] ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #157 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Tue Apr 12 19:30:42 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3CNUf924399; Tue, 12 Apr 2005 19:30:42 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 19:30:42 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504122330.j3CNUf924399@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #158 TELECOM Digest Tue, 12 Apr 2005 18:20:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 158 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Florida Wins First Injunction Against Spammers (Lisa Minter) Google Unveils Mobile Local Search (Lisa Minter) LexisNexis Uncovers More Consumer Data Breaches (Lisa Minter) Media Companies Target File Trading on Research Network (Lisa Minter) Cingular Sounds (Monty Solomon) Looking For Old Dialite Video (Jim) Verizon, MCI File S-4 With SEC (Telecom dailyLead from USTA) Harrassing Hangup Phone Calls From 555-555-1212 (Dale Showers) Re: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronics (GlowingBlueMist) Re: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronics (Lisa Hancock) Re: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronics (Wesrock@aol.com) Re: Verizon Wireless Expands Availability of Ringback Tones (Joseph) Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID (Steve Stone) Re: Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight (AES) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 12 Apr 2005 14:46:31 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: Florida Wins First Injunction Against Spammers MIAMI (Reuters) - The U.S. state of Florida won its first victory against "spam" electronic mail when a judge granted an injunction against two men accused of running mass emailing operations, the state prosecutor said on Tuesday. Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist said the injunction preventing the men from sending any more deceptive emails was part of his department's first prosecution under an anti-spam law passed by the state legislature last year. The men, Scott Filary, 25, and Donald Townsend, 34, both of Tampa, are accused of sending more than 65,000 emails, many with misleading subject lines and disguised origins. The emails took recipients to Web sites Crist said were engaged in fraudulent or illegal activities, such as selling pharmaceuticals and cigarettes online or providing a platform for the illegal downloading of copyrighted movies. The investigation was aided by software giant Microsoft Corp. whose Windows operating system runs more than 90 percent of the world's computers. The Florida anti-spam law allows for a fine of up to $500 per email, or $24 million in the case of the two accused spammers, Crist said in a statement. A national anti-spam law took effect at the start of 2004 but has done little to curb the flood of spam clogging email inboxes. Spam accounts for more than 80 percent of all email traffic, costing businesses billions a year in lost productivity and bandwidth. A court in Virginia jailed a North Carolina man this week to nine years in prison for sending millions of pieces of spam, although the judge postponed the sentence while the case was appealed. It was the nation's first felony prosecution of a spammer. 2005 Reuters Limited. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. ------------------------------ Date: 12 Apr 2005 14:47:31 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: Google Unveils Mobile Local Search Google's local search service for mobile will be available in the United States and Canada at http://mobile.google.com/local, or from the main Google search page on mobile devices starting Tuesday morning. Yahoo Inc. in October rolled out its mobile search service, which included local search, amid a fierce rivalry. Google Local for mobile will enable users to see 10 local search results. The service, which integrates the location of the businesses in search results on a map, also provides addresses, phone numbers and driving directions. Google's mobile local search service does not currently carry ads. Web search companies have been keen to break into the local advertising market, which the Kelsey Group expects to reach $5.1 billion in the United States by 2009. The market research firm sees local search advertising accounting for about two-thirds of that total. Local search ad spending hit $162 million in 2004, the Kelsey Group said. Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: This is a great way to get directory assistance at no charge. Send a text message from your cellular phone to the short-address '46645' (GOOGL) with the single word 'HELP' and you will get back a help file explaining how it works, including how to get directory assistance. Right now at least, it is all totally free. I've been using it on my Nokia phone via Cingular Wireless for a couple months now as part of the test. Now, you may have to pay your carrier for the cost of a text message, but still, it is much cheaper that Ripoff Bell directory assistance charges. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: 12 Apr 2005 14:48:35 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: LexisNexis Uncovers More Consumer Data Breaches WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Data broker LexisNexis said on Tuesday that identity thieves have stolen information on 310,000 U.S. citizens from its computer systems, 10 times more than its initial estimate last month. Thieves have used stolen passwords to lift Social Security numbers and other information from LexisNexis databases 59 times over the past two years, the company said. Several similar incidents recently have prompted calls for greater regulation of companies that can create comprehensive profiles of nearly every adult in the United States. "When a company like LexisNexis so badly underestimates its own ID theft breaches, it is clear that things are totally out of hand," said New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer. Identity theft costs U.S. consumers and businesses $50 billion annually, according to government estimates. After sending out letters to 32,000 people in March, LexisNexis will notify an additional 278,000 individuals whose profiles were accessed. The company, which is owned by Anglo-Dutch publisher Reed Elsevier (REL.L) (ELSN.AS), said it will improve its security measures and make sensitive information less freely available. The information accessed included names, addresses, Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers, but not credit histories, medical records or financial information, LexisNexis said. LexisNexis said it has found no instances of identity theft among the roughly 600 people who have asked it to check their credit records so far. A spokesman declined to elaborate on the breach, as the company and Secret Service are currently investigating. CIVIL-LIBERTIES CONCERNS Nearly all of the 59 incidents going back to January 2003 occurred at Seisint, a subsidiary based in Boca Raton, Florida that has drawn criticism from civil-liberties groups. One Seisint database called the Matrix allows state law enforcers to quickly zero in on criminal suspects by sifting through vast amounts personal information -- from the color of someone's eyes to the type of car they drive. LexisNexis bought Seisint in July 2004. Rival data broker ChoicePoint Inc. in February announced that identity thieves had gained access to some 145,000 consumer profiles, while Bank of America said that same month that it had lost a shipment containing sensitive details of 1.2 million U.S. government customers. LexisNexis CEO Kurt Sanford is scheduled to appear before the Senate Committee on Wednesday, along with ChoicePoint and Acxiom Corp., another data broker. "We need to examine how to ensure that security practices meet appropriate standards of care," said Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the committee's top Democrat. Also on Tuesday, Schumer and Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson introduced a bill that would require data brokers to tighten security measures and notify consumers when a security breach places them at risk for identity theft. The Republican chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, said he is considering legislation that would make it illegal to sell Social Security numbers without an individual's permission. Reed Elsevier moved to soothe investors' fears by reaffirming its earnings forecasts, saying the financial implications of the breach were expected to be manageable within the context of LexisNexis's overall growth. Its shares closed down more than 1 percent in London and Amsterdam. (Additional reporting by Bill Rigby in New York, Adam Pasick in London and Theo Kolker in Amsterdam) Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. ------------------------------ Date: 12 Apr 2005 14:49:13 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: Media Companies Target File Trading on Research Network By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Record label and movie studio investigators said on Tuesday they plan to sue more than 400 college students who used a special high-speed network to copy songs and movies. Broadband networks made college campuses hotbeds of illegal copying, but students now use an even faster network known as Internet2, trade groups for the two industries said. Designed for academic research, Internet2's extremely fast speed allows users to download a movie in 5 minutes or a song in less than 20 seconds. Existing cable or DSL broadband networks usually take an hour to download a movie and 2 minutes to download a song. "Internet2 is increasingly becoming the network of choice for students looking to steal songs and other copyrighted works on a massive scale," said Cary Sherman, president of the Recording Industry Association of America. Those targeted in the lawsuits made an average of 3,900 files available for copying over the network, Sherman said on a conference call. Users logged on to the network on Monday were sharing 99 terabytes of material, the equivalent of an entire video-rental store, said Dan Glickman, who heads the Motion Picture Association of America, on a separate conference call. The group said it sued 405 students at 18 schools. The MPAA declined to say how many lawsuits it had filed. Individuals were not named in the lawsuits, but their names will likely be uncovered as the cases move forward. Over the past two years, the RIAA has sued more than 9,000 individuals who distribute and copy their songs using "peer to peer" software like Grokster and Morpheus. The MPAA began to sue individuals in November. Media companies also have sued the software makers, but so far, courts have found they can't be held responsible for the actions of their users. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case by June. Those targeted in the latest round of lawsuits used software called i2hub, which was specifically designed for use over Internet2. The RIAA has not sued the makers of the software, Sherman said, adding "we are making no decision at this time about future action." Glickman said he had a message for the creators of the software: "We know who you are, and we strongly encourage you to stop what you are doing." Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Someone please correct me if I am wrong on this, but I thought that 'Internet2' was designed for use mostly by sites in the '.edu' domain as a way to get around, as much as possible, the mounds of spam and scam that has taken over so much of the 'regular internet'. I understand 'Internet2' is by and large not reachable from the 'regular internet' except through certain gateways, etc. Am I right on this? PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 08:57:49 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Cingular Sounds Multimedia News Release - Cingular Announces Innovative Music Program That Debuts New Singles on Wireless Phones Before They are Heard Anywhere Else 'Cingular Sounds' gives its customers a whole new way to enjoy music and the entertainment industry a powerful channel to reach tens of millions of potential listeners. Coldplay's 'Speed of Sound' will debut as a Cingular ringtone ATLANTA, April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless today announced Cingular Sounds (TM), an innovative music program that launches new singles as ringtones on wireless phones either before they are heard anywhere else, or simultaneous with their debut on radio. This will give Cingular customers a whole new way to enjoy music and the entertainment industry a powerful channel to reach tens of millions of potential listeners. To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/cingular/21599 The company will kick off "Cingular Sounds" with an exclusive 30-second ringtone from Coldplay's "Speed of Sound," the lead single from the band's forthcoming album, X&Y, which will be released by Capitol Records on June 7. Other artists spanning a broad section of musical styles -- alternative/rock, hip-hop/R&B, pop, Latin, country, and more -- will become part of Cingular Sounds in the coming weeks and months. The program will include exclusive ringtone debuts and offer weekly text message updates from a wide range of participating artists. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=48306350 ------------------------------ From: Jim Subject: Looking For Old Dialite Video Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 11:00:47 -0500 About 20+ years ago, when I worked for GTE, we had a list of video tapes we could request from GTE's main headquarters in Stamford, Conneticut. Most of the tapes were educational or safety tapes, meant to be shown for training and during employee meetings. But I remeber one tape I requested that was a short tongue in cheek video to "educate" the general public about where dial tone comes from. The tape started out showing a rock quarry, mining type operation. It went on to explain how "dialite" was extracted from the rocks and refined into dial tone. I don't know if dialite is the word used in the video, but it was something important sounding. Has anyone ever seen this, or know how I might get a copy of it again? Thanks. Jim ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 13:37:01 EDT From: Telecom dailyLead from USTA Subject: Verizon, MCI file S-4 with SEC Telecom dailyLead from USTA April 12, 2005 http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=20756&l=2017006 TODAY'S HEADLINES NEWS OF THE DAY * Verizon, MCI file S-4 with SEC BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH * Report: China's mobile phone market poised for boom * Redback reaches out to rural telcos * Yipes gets another cash infusion USTA SPOTLIGHT * USTA VoIP 101 Webinar Series Now Includes IPTV EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES * South Korea's bold mobile video experiment * Special Report: Me TV, the era of consumer choice REGULATORY & LEGISLATIVE * Senate Commerce Committee hearing focuses on USF * Former Global Crossing execs pay fines in "capacity swap" probe Follow the link below to read quick summaries of these stories and others. http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=20756&l=2017006 Legal and Privacy information at http://www.dailylead.com/about/privacy_legal.jsp SmartBrief, Inc. 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20005 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 12:31:24 PDT From: Dale Showers Subject: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I received a phone call from Mr. Showers earlier today asking if I could be of any help on this. I had no specific answers for him, and suggested he put his problem before the readers. He is not telecom-literate, but was annoyed enough by this problem he took the trouble to look me up in a Google search and see if I could help him. PAT] Dear Mr. Townson: I have been receiving calls on my cell phone and the caller id is 15555551212 but there is no one on the phone when I pick up. I try to call back to that number and it is not a good number. There is no area code of 555. If any one knows what this and how to stop it please let me know at mindlesspugs@yahoo.com . Thank you very much! Dale [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Dale said to me on the phone that he has had his number about three years and his _current cellular phone_ for a couple months. I told him I suspect he is the victim of a fax machine or a telemarketer machine. I know he is getting sort of desparate since he used Google to look up the number (found nothing) and then called me and sent me email. Anyone with ideas or suggestions please get in touch with him at mindlesspugs@yahoo.com and you wish, share your correspondence with us here. PAT] ------------------------------ From: GlowingBlueMist Subject: Re: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronic Devices? Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 09:55:47 -0500 Organization: SunSITE.dk - Supporting Open source wrote in message news:telecom24.157.7@telecom-digest.org: > I just got a 900 MHz DSS cordless phone, and I had the perfect spot > for it, right on top of my tower computer case. But then I noticed > that the manual says that the base unit must be placed away from all > electronic equipment, including PCs, stereos, TVs, and microwaves. > What is the reasoning for this? Could the magnetic fields generated > by the speakers in the phone cause any problems? Usually the problem is nothing more than radio frequency interferrence. Much like you get if you take a portable radio and get it too close to your computer or monitor. I have run into some cases where routers or even computers rebooted when a portable phone transmitter is placed too close to them due to the RFI. ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com Subject: Re: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronic Devices? Date: 12 Apr 2005 10:44:33 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com curious@nospam.com wrote: > I just got a 900 MHz DSS cordless phone.. > that the manual says that the base unit must be placed away from all > electronic equipment... All I know is that when anyone talks to me over their cordless phone, there is loud annoying "buzzing" interference when they take their phone too close to any power source. Even holding the phone near a lamp or light switch gets noise. My recommendation is to comply with the manufacturer's directives for best operation. Understandably, that is cumbersome in today's complex world where we have electronis everywhere, even in doorbells. I'll let other electronic wizards explain the technical details, but my own _guess_ is that modern electronics are so small, light, and sensitive (using very low currents), that they become very sensitive to more power "stray" signals from other sources, especially older electronics that use more powerful internal currents. To keep the cost down of consumer products, there is no shielding. I know of a hobbyist who has built extensive equipment in his garage. He took a lightning strike. His newest modern-day components were fried, but his old heavy-duty components weren't damaged at all. ------------------------------ From: Wesrock@aol.com Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 09:48:23 EDT Subject: Re: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronic Devices? In a message dated Tue, 12 Apr 2005 02:02:56 -0400, curious@nospam.com writes: > I just got a 900 MHz DSS cordless phone, and I had the perfect spot > for it, right on top of my tower computer case. But then I noticed > that the manual says that the base unit must be placed away from all > electronic equipment, including PCs, stereos, TVs, and microwaves. > What is the reasoning for this? Could the magnetic fields generated > by the speakers in the phone cause any problems? It will do no harm to the computer. But the other electronic equipment may interfere with the cordless phone transmission and reception. We had a 900 mHz cordless that sat right under a TV and had no problem. But when it finally gave up the ghost we replaced it with another cordless, which turned out to be 2.4 gHz. We then found out that 2.4 gHz is much more seriously affected to the point that it was unusable. We returned it, since that was exactly where we wanted the cordless. It is reported than 4.8 gHz is even more badly impaired by other electronic equipment. Wes Leatherock wesrock@aol.com wleathus@yahoo.com ------------------------------ From: Joseph Subject: Re: Verizon Wireless Expands Availability of Ringback Tones; Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 07:02:33 -0700 Reply-To: JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com On Mon, 11 Apr 2005 21:05:34 -0400, Monty Solomon wrote: > PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 2005--Verizon Wireless, the first > national carrier to offer Ringback Tones -- short clips of real music > that replace the standard ring callers hear when they call the Verizon > Wireless phone of a Ringback Tone subscriber -- has expanded the > availability of the service to include Arizona. The service is now > available in most western states. Sorry. Verizon was not the first. T-Mobile UK had this service literally *months* before Verizon or T-Mobile US had this service. And unlike Verizon, T-Mobile USA has this service available throughout its system. ------------------------------ From: Steve Stone Subject: Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID Manager Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 19:16:55 GMT Phonetray free works for me in these situations. A nice addition to my 'always on' home file server. All you need is an old voice modem that does callerid decode. http://phonetray.traysoft.com/freecalleridsoftware_features.htm [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Exactly how does Phonetray work? Can you explain your experience with it in more detail for us? PAT] ------------------------------ From: AES Subject: Re: Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 13:58:55 -0700 Organization: Stanford University In article , Marcus Didius Falco wrote: http://www.wirelessweek.com/index.asp?layout=3Ddocument&doc_id=3D1340004344 > www.wirelessweek.com > Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight > By Susan Rush > April 8, 2005 > news@2 direct > Worried about "air rage" and constant phone calls, 67 percent of air > travelers would prefer current airborne cell phone restrictions remain > in place, according to a new air passenger poll. > For more information go to: > http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml I don't know whether I'd have the guts (or the rudeness) to carry through on this, but if I found myself on a long flight forced to listen to endless cell phone conversations from all around me, I'd be greatly tempted to pull out a "boom-box" tape player and switch it on with some possibly unpleasant music or audio at similar volume in retaliation. Flying, which used to be a moderately pleasant occasion to relax, read, work, or just sleep, has become a more than sufficiently unpleasant experience in recent years. If cell phone users are going to pollute the audio environment in the cabin sufficiently to make it even more unpleasant for others, surely so can we music lovers ... ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #158 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Wed Apr 13 03:01:01 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3D710O27706; Wed, 13 Apr 2005 03:01:01 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 03:01:01 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504130701.j3D710O27706@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #159 TELECOM Digest Wed, 13 Apr 2005 02:55:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 159 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Book Review: Goodbye to Privacy (Marcus Didius Falco) VoicePulse Introduces Competitive Upgrade Offer to VoIP Users (J Decker) Walkie Talkie (jason) Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' (Steve Sobol) Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID Manager (-mhd) Re: Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight (Marcus Didius Falco) Re: Warning! A Virus Attacked my System! (William Warren) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 23:47:48 -0400 From: Marcus Didius Falco Subject: Book Review: Goodbye to Privacy http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/10/books/review/10COVERSAFIRE.html?8bu&emc=bu&oref=login Goodbye to Privacy By WILLIAM SAFIRE NO PLACE TO HIDE By Robert O'Harrow Jr. 348 pp. The Free Press. $26. CHATTER Dispatches From the Secret World of Global Eavesdropping. By Patrick Radden Keefe. 300 pp. Random House. $24.95. OUR mother's maiden name is not the secret you think it is. That sort of 'personal identifier' being used by banks, credit agencies, doctors, insurers and retailers -- supposedly to protect you against the theft of your identity -- can be found out in a flash from a member of the new security-industrial complex. There goes the 'personal identifier' that you presume a stranger would not know, along with your Social Security number and soon your face and DNA. In the past five years, what most of us only recently thought of as 'nobody's business' has become the big business of everybody's business. Perhaps you are one of the 30 million Americans who pay for what you think is an unlisted telephone number to protect your privacy. But when you order an item using an 800 number, your own number may become fair game for any retailer who subscribes to one of the booming corporate data-collection services. In turn, those services may be -- and some have been -- penetrated by identity thieves. The computer's ability to collect an infinity of data about individuals -- tracking every movement and purchase, assembling facts and traits in a personal dossier, forgetting nothing -- was in place before 9/11. But among the unremarked casualties of that day was a value that Americans once treasured: personal privacy. The first civil-liberty fire wall to fall was the one within government that separated the domestic security powers of the F.B.I. from the more intrusive foreign surveillance powers of the C.I.A. The 9/11 commission successfully mobilized public opinion to put dot-connection first and privacy protection last. But the second fire wall crumbled with far less public notice or approval: that was the separation between law enforcement recordkeeping and commercial market research. Almost overnight, the law's suspect list married the corporations' prospect list. The hasty, troubling merger of these two increasingly powerful forces capable of encroaching on the personal freedom of American citizens is the subject of two new books. Robert O'Harrow Jr.'s "No Place to Hide" might just do for privacy protection what Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" did for environmental protection nearly a half-century ago. The author, a reporter for The Washington Post, does not write in anger. Sputtering outrage, which characterizes the writing of many of us in the anti-snooping minority, is not O'Harrow's style. His is the work of a careful, thorough, enterprising reporter, possibly the only one assigned to the privacy beat by a major American newspaper. He has interviewed many of the major, and largely unknown, players in the world of surveillance and dossier assembly, and provides extensive source notes in the back of his book. He not only reports their professions of patriotism and plausible arguments about the necessity of screening to security, but explains the profitability to modern business of 'consumer relationship management.' "No Place to Hide" -- its title taken from George W. Bush's post-9/11 warning to terrorists -- is all the more damning because of its fair-mindedness. O'Harrow notes that many consumers find it convenient to be in a marketing dossier that knows their personal preferences, habits, income, professional and sexual activity, entertainment and travel interests and foibles. These intimately profiled people are untroubled by the device placed in the car they rent that records their speed and location, the keystroke logger that reads the characters they type, the plastic hotel key that transmits the frequency and time of entries and exits or the hidden camera that takes their picture at a Super Bowl or tourist attraction. They fill out cards revealing personal data to get a warranty, unaware that the warranties are already provided by law. "Even as people fret about corporate intrusiveness," O'Harrow writes about a searching survey of subscribers taken by Conde Nast Publications, "they often willingly, even eagerly, part with intimate details about their lives." Such acquiescence ends -- for a while -- when snoopers get caught spilling their data to thieves or exposing the extent of their operations. The industry took some heat when a young New Hampshire woman was murdered by a stalker who bought her Social Security number and address from an online information service. But its lobbyists managed to extract the teeth from Senator Judd Gregg's proposed legislation, and the intercorporate trading of supposedly confidential Social Security numbers has mushroomed. When an article in The New York Times by John Markoff, followed by another in The Washington Post by O'Harrow, revealed the Pentagon's intensely invasive Total Information Awareness program headed by Vice Admiral John Poindexter of Iran-Contra infamy, a conservative scandalmonger took umbrage. ("Safire's column was like a blowtorch on dry tinder," O'Harrow writes in the book's only colorful simile.) The Poindexter program's slogan, 'Knowledge Is Power,' struck many as Orwellian. Senators Ron Wyden and Russell D. Feingold were able to limit funding for the government-sponsored data mining, and Poindexter soon resigned. A Pentagon group later found that 'T.I.A. was a flawed effort to achieve worthwhile ends' and called for 'clear rules and policy guidance, adopted through an open and credible political process.' But O'Harrow reports in "No Place to Hide" that a former Poindexter colleague at T.I.A. "said government interest in the program's research actually broadened after it was apparently killed by Congress." The author devotes chapters to the techniques of commercial data gatherers and sellers like Acxiom, Seisint and the British-owned LexisNexis, not household names themselves, but boasting computers stuffed with the names and pictures of each member of the nation's households as well as hundreds of millions of their credit cards. He quotes Ole Poulsen, chief technology officer of Seisint, on its digital identity system: "We have created a unique identifier on everybody in the United States. Data that belongs together is already linked together." Soon after 9/11, having seen the system that was to become the public-private surveillance engine called Matrix (in computer naming, life follows film art), Michael Mullaney, a counterterrorism official at the Justice Department, told O'Harrow: "I sat down and said, 'These guys have the computer that every American is afraid of.' " Of all the companies in the security-industrial complex, none is more dominant or acquisitive than ChoicePoint of Alpharetta, Ga. This data giant collects, stores, analyzes and sells literally billions of demographic, marketing and criminal records to police departments and government agencies that might otherwise be criticized (or de-funded) for building a national identity base to make American citizens prove they are who they say they are. With its employee-screening, shoplifter-blacklisting and credit-reporting arms, ChoicePoint is also, in the author's words, "a National Nanny that for a fee could watch or assess the background of virtually anybody." From sales brochures that ChoicePoint distributed to its corporate and government customers -- as well as from interviews with its C.E.O., Derek V. Smith, the doyen of dossiers, who claims "this incredible passion to make a safer world" -- The Post's privacy reporter has assembled a coherent narrative that provides a profile of a profiler. As if to lend a news peg to the book, ChoicePoint has just thrust itself into the nation's consciousness as a conglomerate hoist by its own petard. The outfit that sells the ability to anticipate suspicious activity; that provides security to the nation's security services; that claims it protects people from identity theft -- has been easily penetrated by a gang that stole its dossiers on at least 145,000 people across the country. On top of that revelation, the company had to admit it first became suspicious last September that phony companies were downloading its supposedly confidential electronic records on individual citizens. Not only is the Federal Trade Commission inquiring into the company's compliance with consumer-information security laws, but the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating prearranged sales of ChoicePoint stock by Smith and another top official that netted a profit of $17 million before the penetration was publicly disclosed and the stock price plunged. 'ChoicePoint Data Cache Became a Powder Keg' was The Washington Post headline, with the subhead 'Identity Thief's Ability to Get Information Puts Heat on Firm.' This was followed by the account a week later of another breach of faith at a competing data mine: 'ID Thieves Breach LexisNexis, Obtain Information on 32,000.' Now that a flat rock has been flipped over, much more scurrying about will be observed. This will cause embarrassment to lobbyists for, and advisers to, the major players in the security-industrial complex. "No Place to Hide" names famous names, revealing associations with Howard Safir, former New York City police commissioner; Gen. Wesley Clark, former NATO commander; and former Senator Dale Bumpers of Arkansas. (If you hear, 'This is not about the money' -- it's about the money.) More of the press has been showing interest, especially since Congressional hearings have begun and data is being disseminated about the data collectors. A second book -- not as eye-opening as O'Harrow's original reporting but a short course in what little we know of international government surveillance -- is "Chatter: Dispatches from the Secret World of Global Eavesdropping," by Patrick Radden Keefe. This third-year student at Yale Law School dares to make his first book an examination of what he calls the liberty-security matrix. Chatter, he notes, is a once innocuous word meaning 'gossip ... the babble of a child' that in the world of electronic intelligence has gained the sinister sense of 'telltale metabolic rhythm: chatter; silence; attack.' The flurry of 'sigint' -- signals intelligence, picked up by the secret listening devices of our National Security Agency -- sometimes precedes a terrorist attack, and almost always precedes an elevation of our color-coded security alerts. Keefe does what a brilliant, persevering law student with no inside sources or a prestigious press pass should do: he surveys much of what has been written about sigint and pores over the public hearing transcripts. He visits worried scientists and some former spooks who have written critical books, and poses questions to which he would like to get answers. He doesn't get them, but his account of unclimbable walls and unanswered calls invites further attempts from media bigfeet to do better. Keefe is a researcher adept at compiling intriguing bits and pieces dug out or leaked in the past; the most useful part of the book is the notes at the end about written, public sources that point to some breaks in the fog. "Chatter" focuses on government, not commercial, surveillance, and thereby misses the danger inherent in the sinister synergism of the two. Moreover, the book lacks a point of view: at 28, Keefe has formulated neither a feel for individual privacy nor a zeal for government security. It may be, as Roman solons said, Inter arma silent leges -- in wartime, the laws fall silent -- but the privacy-security debate needs to be both informed and joined. This is no time for agnostics. For example, what to do about Echelon? That is supposedly an ultrasecret surveillance network, conducted by the United States and four other English-speaking nations, to overhear and oversee signals. "We don't know whether Echelon exists," Keefe writes, "and, if it does exist, how the shadowy network operates. It all remains an enigma." Though he cannot light a candle, he at least calls attention to, without cursing, the darkness. Keefe's useful research primer on today's surveillance society, and especially O'Harrow's breakthrough reporting on the noxious nexus of government and commercial snooping, open the way for the creation of privacy beats for journalism's coming generation of search engineers. A small furor is growing about the abuse of security that leads to identity theft. We'll see how long the furor lasts before the commercial-public security combine again slams privacy against the wall of secrecy, but at least Poindexter's slogan is being made clear: knowledge is indeed power, and more than a little power in unknowable hands is a dangerous thing. William Safire writes the On Language column for The Times Magazine. These book reviews from Sunday, April 10, 2005 issue of the Times Magazine, copyright 2005 The New York Times Company. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily, also http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/nytimes.html. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, the New York Times Company. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ From: Jack Decker Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 20:52:21 -0400 Subject: VoicePulse Introduces Competitive Upgrade Offer to VoIP Users http://press.arrivenet.com/bus/article.php/618753.html VoicePulse Introduces Competitive Upgrade Offer to VoIP Users Company Offers Cash Rewards to Consumers Switching from Competing VoIP Services JAMESBURG, N.J., April 12, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- VoicePulse Inc. announced today the launch of its new Competitive Upgrade Offer. Current and former customers of competing VoIP services will be eligible to receive a $50 cash reward in addition to the 25-plus basic and advanced features they will receive for free as part of the VoicePulse service. "We believe the experience we bring to the customer and the quality we provide in all aspects of our service -- features, call quality, price and especially customer service -- will leave a lasting impression on the customer that will make this offer very successful," says Ravi Sakaria, VoicePulse President & CEO. "Our goal has always been to provide the best customer experience. Fortunately, since many of our competitors are more focused on acquiring as many customers as quickly as possible, usually at the cost of service quality and customer satisfaction, it gives us the opportunity to demonstrate why we are the top customer-rated provider in the industry." Having won awards from highly regarded technical journals and trade magazines such as PC Magazine, PC World, and DesignTechnica, VoicePulse also boasts having the top award from Broadband Reports, which is based solely on customer reviews. More information about the offer can be found on the VoicePulse website at: http://www.voicepulse.com/plans/CompetitiveUpgrade.aspx ABOUT VOICEPULSE VoicePulse is a New Jersey-based communications company that uses its VoIP network to deliver advanced features and high-quality phone service to residential and small-business consumers. The company leads the industry in delivering innovative features and excellent customer service. CONTACT: VoicePulse Rima Vaghasiya 732-339-5100 rima@voicepulse.com How to Distribute VoIP Throughout a Home: http://michigantelephone.mi.org/distribute.html If you live in Michigan, subscribe to the MI-Telecom group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MI-Telecom/ ------------------------------ From: Jason Subject: Walkie Talkie Date: 12 Apr 2005 22:01:31 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hello All, Anyone has any idea why we only have 4 channels for a simple walkie talkie? The engineering and physics reason for this 4 channels? Kindly enlighten. Thank you, Jason [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Jason, please begin by defining for me your use of the term 'walkie talkie'. Do you refer to a Citizen's Band walkie talkie? In the USA, those have 40 channels, _not_ 4 channels. But maybe you were speaking of some different kind of instrument. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Steve Sobol Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 22:14:12 -0700 Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com Dale Showers wrote: > I have been receiving calls on my cell phone and the caller id is > 15555551212 but there is no one on the phone when I pick up. Considering that 555 isn't a valid area code and xxx-555-1212 is Directory Assistance, why do you even bother answering that number? JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638) Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / sjsobol@JustThe.net / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED "The wisdom of a fool won't set you free" --New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle" [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Because, if I understood Dale correctly in our phone call mid-day Tuesday, his phone just keeps on ringing until he _does_ answer. PAT] ------------------------------ From: -mhd Subject: Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID Manager Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 20:43:50 -0400 Steve Stone wrote: > Phonetray free works for me in these situations. A nice addition to > my 'always on' home file server. All you need is an old voice modem > that does callerid decode. > http://phonetray.traysoft.com/freecalleridsoftware_features.htm > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Exactly how does Phonetray work? Can > you explain your experience with it in more detail for us? PAT] There are tons of similar programs such as Identafone. Just Google for 'caller id software'. -mhd [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Maybe you, or someone can explain to me how to use Google search on multiple word expressions. For example, if I Google for 'Patrick Townson' I get a jillion entries, but not all of them for that entire name: I get many entries for 'Patrick' this and 'Patrick' that; ditto for various Townson(s), only occassionally in the desired context of 'Patrick Townson'. Either single or double quoting the entire expression does not seem to help and with clusters of numbers it seems to act like a calculator. What are the rules on Google Searches and where can I find them? Anyone? PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 23:44:00 -0400 From: Marcus Didius Falco Subject: Re: Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight AES responded to Marcus Didius Falco who quoted a Wireless Week article: > In article , Marcus Didius Falco > wrote: > http://www.wirelessweek.com/index.asp?layout=3Ddocument&doc_id=3D1340004344 >> www.wirelessweek.com >> Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight >> By Susan Rush >> April 8, 2005 >> news@2 direct >> Worried about "air rage" and constant phone calls, 67 percent of air >> travelers would prefer current airborne cell phone restrictions remain >> in place, according to a new air passenger poll. >> For more information go to: >> http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml > I don't know whether I'd have the guts (or the rudeness) to carry > through on this, but if I found myself on a long flight forced to > listen to endless cell phone conversations from all around me, I'd be > greatly tempted to pull out a "boom-box" tape player and switch it on > with some possibly unpleasant music or audio at similar volume in > retaliation. Another solution is to get a pair of noise-reducing headphones. There are several types, including one, designed for drummers in rock bands, that gives 29 decibels of passive noise reduction. Others use "active" noise reduction, which is tuned to reduce jet noise, but not necessarily conversation. These have inputs so you can listen to the movie, your iPod or tape player, or whatever (your white noise machine?). > Flying, which used to be a moderately pleasant occasion to relax, > read, work, or just sleep, has become a more than sufficiently > unpleasant experience in recent years. If cell phone users are going > to pollute the audio environment in the cabin sufficiently to make it > even more unpleasant for others, surely so can we music lovers ... Frankly, flying has never been pleasant. But, if you really are a music lover, check out the headphones. There is a long series of articles and tests at: http://www.thetravelinsider.info/2005/email0211.htm http://www.thetravelinsider.info/roadwarriorcontent/solitudeheadset.htm I've seen some of the noise-cancelling headphones at Walmart and Target. Also some are in the Brookstone catalog. http://www.virginpulse.com/popup/press-2004071901.htm The ones for session drummers, which are big and bulky, but may be what you want are at: http://www.protravelgear.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=134 There is also a Peltor "Racetunes" sold by American Optical that has about 22 dB in noise blocking. (The similar and slightly cheaper "Worktunes" model [which is much more widely available, including many large hardware stores] has an AM-FM radio but no provision for an input from other devices.) [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I _used to_ find flying sort of enjoyable. Back in the 1960's I flew on various occassions to New York City for weekends (leave ORD on Friday night, return on Sunday afternoon or evening. To me, it was a lot of fun to be at 20-30 thousand feet, staring out the window at night in black nothingness, with a scotch and soda, and listening on the in-flight sound system to Beethoven or Bach or whatever classical stuff American Airlines was playing. The steaks and dinner salads they served were always good, and they always had plenty of wine. One flight I took from ORD to San Francisco in 1968 I think, I traveled in a 'double decker' (the best word I can think of for it) United Airlines flight with a bar on the upper level, but you could also eat dinner sitting up there at the bar instead of in your seat on the lower level if you wished. On the trip back from San Francisco late Sunday night, I remember it was very cold and damp, and the cab _just barely_ got me to the airport in time for the flight home as it was starting to rain sort of hard. That night, the stewardess pushed a little cart full of very fancy sandwhiches and drinks back and forth in the aisle all the way home, and I gorged myself, since I had not had time to eat dinner first. And the airlines -- at least United and American -- always gave you all the food and drinks you wanted with their compliments, and free headphones to listen to music which you were expected to return to the stewardess when you departed. I don't think it is nearly as nice these days, with people being herded like cattle through checkpoints; having your stuff dumped out all over a conveyor belt to be searched, etc. And I think the stewardesses are sort of rude now, aren't they? PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 19:30:57 -0400 From: William Warren Subject: Re: Warning! A Virus Attacked my System! Steve Sobol wrote: > Fred Atkinson wrote: >> Hello, everyone, >> A worm came through my PC. If you get any attachments that appear to >> be from me, don't open them. From my research, it appears to be a >> work called Netsky. I haven't found a way to get it off yet, but I'm >> working on it. > http://www.grisoft.com/ wonderful, wonderful AV package for windows FWIW, the free version of AVG Anti-Virus is really hard to find on the GRISOFT site: they're pushing a "Professional" version for $33. However, the free version can be downloaded from a variety of Internet sites, and still works fine. William ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #159 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Wed Apr 13 15:11:05 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3DJB4A04686; Wed, 13 Apr 2005 15:11:05 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 15:11:05 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504131911.j3DJB4A04686@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #160 TELECOM Digest Wed, 13 Apr 2005 15:10:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 160 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Comcast Digital Voice - Boston and Hartford (Monty Solomon) Trade Groups to Sue People Who Share Files (Telecom DailyLead from USTA) Re: Book Review: Echelon (Charles G Gray) Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID (Dave Garland) Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID (-mhd) Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID (M. Sullivan) Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID (R. Bonomi) Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' (Anthony Bellanga) Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' (Joseph) Re: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronic Devices? (UK) Re: Walkie Talkie (Justin Time) Re: Looking For Old Dialite Video (Tim@Backhome.org) Re: Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight (Paul Coxwell) Re: Warning! A Virus Attacked my System! (Dave Garland) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 11:57:43 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Comcast Digital Voice - Boston and Hartford Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts Unveils Boston and Hartford Comcast Digital Voice Rollout Plans - Apr 13, 2005 10:35 AM (PR Newswire) BOSTON, April 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Comcast Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian L. Roberts today announced that Boston and Hartford, CT are two of the next markets to launch Comcast Digital Voice. Roberts unveiled the company's plan to begin rolling out the service next month during a speech before the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. Boston and Hartford are two of the 20 markets where the product will be available this year. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=48337586 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 12:22:53 EDT From: Telecom dailyLead from USTA Subject: Trade Groups to Sue Students Who Swap Files on Internet2 Telecom dailyLead from USTA April 13, 2005 http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=20790&l=2017006 TODAY'S HEADLINES NEWS OF THE DAY * Trade groups to sue students who swap files on Internet2 BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH * America Online in talks to sell service over cable lines * Cingular to offer latest music downloads * Qwest outfits Denver development with FTTH technology * Vonage expected to lose grip on VoIP market * China on pace to take broadband access top spot USTA SPOTLIGHT * USTA VoIP 101: "How to Deploy IPTV" Webinar Tomorrow at 1 p.m. EST EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES * Unmanned plane could provide broadband, mobile service * Mobile sports services kick into high gear * Special Report: Part III, the digital trailblazers REGULATORY & LEGISLATIVE * Rep. Barton urges Telecom Act update Follow the link below to read quick summaries of these stories and others. http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=20790&l=2017006 ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Book Review: Re: Echelon From: Charles G Gray Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 08:25:58 -0500 In his review of "Chatter", by Patrick Radden Keefe, Mr. Saffire says "What to do about Echelon?" Quoting Keefe, he says '"We don't know whether Echelon exists"'. I call your attention to a 194 page report prepared by the European Parliament, entitled "Report on the existence of a global system for the interception of private and commercial communications (ECHELON interception system)". In addition, a Google search for "Echelon NSA" will turn up over 93,000 entries. The European Parliament report can be found at: http://www2.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade2?PUBREF=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A5-2001-0264+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&L=EN&LEVEL=2&NAV=S&LSTDOC=Y You can see photographs of the Menwith Hill (UK) monitoring station at www.fas.org/irp/facility/menwith.htm. Regards, Charles G. Gray Senior Lecturer, Telecommunications Oklahoma State University - Tulsa (918)594-8433 ------------------------------ From: Dave Garland Subject: Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID Manager Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 11:12:55 -0500 Organization: Wizard Information It was a dark and stormy night when PAT wrote: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Maybe you, or someone can explain to me > how to use Google search on multiple word expressions... single or double > quoting the entire expression does not seem to help and with clusters > of numbers it seems to act like a calculator. What are the rules on > Google Searches and where can I find them? Anyone? PAT] Double quoting *should* work. Or click on "Advanced search" and put it in the "exact phrase" box. Lots more info at: http://www.google.com/help/ ------------------------------ From: -mhd Subject: Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID Manager Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 12:13:20 -0400 TELECOM Digest Editor noted in response to -mhd : > For example, if I Google for 'Patrick Townson' I get a jillion > entries, but not all of them for that entire name: I get many > entries for 'Patrick' this and 'Patrick' that; ditto for various > Townson(s), only occassionally in the desired context of 'Patrick > Townson'. Either single or double quoting the entire expression does > not seem to help and with clusters of numbers it seems to act like a > calculator. What are the rules on Google Searches and where can I > find them? Anyone? PAT] I think matching pairs in quotes get higher ranking then Google includes other results in case someone had a web page that mentioned a "Townson who goes by the name Patrick". -mhd ------------------------------ From: Michael D. Sullivan Subject: Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID Manager Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 13:16:20 GMT -mhd wrote: > Steve Stone wrote: >> Phonetray free works for me in these situations. A nice addition to >> my 'always on' home file server. All you need is an old voice modem >> that does callerid decode. >> http://phonetray.traysoft.com/freecalleridsoftware_features.htm >> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Exactly how does Phonetray work? Can >> you explain your experience with it in more detail for us? PAT] > There are tons of similar programs such as Identafone. Just Google for > 'caller id software'. > -mhd > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Maybe you, or someone can explain to me > how to use Google search on multiple word expressions. For example, if > I Google for 'Patrick Townson' I get a jillion entries, but not all of > them for that entire name: I get many entries for 'Patrick' this and > 'Patrick' that; ditto for various Townson(s), only occassionally in > the desired context of 'Patrick Townson'. Either single or double > quoting the entire expression does not seem to help and with clusters > of numbers it seems to act like a calculator. What are the rules on > Google Searches and where can I find them? Anyone? PAT] Put it in double quotes: "Patrick Townson". Otherwise, Google will assume you mean Patrick AND Townson. Michael D. Sullivan Bethesda, MD (USA) (Replace "example.invalid" with "com" in my address.) ------------------------------ From: bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi) Subject: Re: Harrasing Annoying Ex Boyfriend Phone Calls CALLER ID Manager Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 07:15:09 -0000 Organization: Widgets, Inc. In article , > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Maybe you, or someone can explain to me > how to use Google search on multiple word expressions. For example, if > I Google for 'Patrick Townson' I get a jillion entries, but not all of > them for that entire name: I get many entries for 'Patrick' this and > 'Patrick' that; ditto for various Townson(s), only occassionally in > the desired context of 'Patrick Townson'. Either single or double > quoting the entire expression does not seem to help and with clusters > of numbers it seems to act like a calculator. What are the rules on > Google Searches and where can I find them? Anyone? PAT] See that button that says "advanced search"? *USE*IT* Then "read and follow label directions". The "help" button also has useful information. If all else fails, ask the neighborhood 6-year old. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 05:55:15 -0600 From: Anthony Bellanga Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' In an ongoing effort to TRY to eliminate or at least reduce $pam, please REMOVE my email address from display in the "from" line, AS WELL AS in the "reply to" line. Dale Showers first wrote: > I have been receiving calls on my cell phone and the caller id is > 15555551212 but there is no one on the phone when I pick up. Steve Sobol replied: > Considering that 555 isn't a valid area code and xxx-555-1212 is > Directory Assistance, why do you even bother answering that number? And then Pat rang in with: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Because, if I understood Dale > correctly in our phone call mid-day Tuesday, his phone just keeps > on ringing until he _does_ answer. PAT] I don't remember Dale mentioning that his (cellular) phone "just keeps on ringing until he does answer". And I looked at the original and full message that he sent to see if he specifically said that, at least in the post. (I do remember you mentioning that he also called and spoke with you on the phone as well). So, here is the remainder of Dale's post as it previously appeared in Telecom Digest: > I try to call back to that number and it is not a good number. > There is no area code of 555. If any one knows what this and how > to stop it please let me know at [address suppressed]. > Thank you very much! Unfortunately, it does appear that the harrassing caller does "keep CALLING BACK", but that's not the same as the (cellular) phone "just keeps on ringing until he answers". Also, considering that Dale is on a CELLULAR phone as stated in the original subject line, most of us SHOULD already know that if one doesn't answer their cellular phone within a relatively short period of time (3-5 standard ring cycles in most cases, approximately 30 seconds), the calling party is then transferred to either VOICEMAIL, or else a "subscriber not available or is out of the area" message from the serving cellular switch. Also, unfortuantely, as Pat has stated several times in the past regarding Caller-ID and Privacy options from SBC, the serving telephone company on the called party's end doesn't really "block" incoming calls from KNOWN BOGUS area and/or office codes, or known bogus "formats" of same codes. - Anthony ------------------------------ From: Joseph Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 07:37:19 -0700 Reply-To: JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com On Tue, 12 Apr 2005 22:14:12 -0700, Steve Sobol wrote: >> I have been receiving calls on my cell phone and the caller id is >> 15555551212 but there is no one on the phone when I pick up. > Considering that 555 isn't a valid area code and xxx-555-1212 is > Directory Assistance, why do you even bother answering that number? Unless he's turned off his voicemail why would it continue to ring? After 4 to 6 rings at the most it should roll to voicemail. Most cell phones will let you press the "end" key to immediately silence the phone's ringer or send it to voicemail. ------------------------------ From: Alan Burkitt-Gray Subject: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronic Devices? Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 11:29:04 +0100 news:telecom24.157.7@telecom-digest.org: > I just got a 900 MHz DSS cordless phone, and I had the perfect spot > for it, right on top of my tower computer case. But then I noticed > that the manual says that the base unit must be placed away from all > electronic equipment, including PCs, stereos, TVs, and microwaves. > What is the reasoning for this? Could the magnetic fields generated > by the speakers in the phone cause any problems? I have a DAB radio (digital audio broadcasting, works on the old TV band III) next to my PC at home. When I turn the PC off, the radio switches itself on. Alan B-G Alan Burkitt-Gray, Editor, Global Telecoms Business http://www.globaltelecomsbusiness.com email aburkitt@euromoneyplc.com; tel +44 20 7779 8518 or +1 212 224 3880; fax +44 20 7779 8248. ------------------------------ From: Justin Time Subject: Re: Walkie Talkie Date: 13 Apr 2005 05:19:08 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Pat, I see two things in Jason's post. The first was the statement it was a simple walkie-talkie while the second had to do with engineering and physics. The reason is also two-fold; one - to keep it simple, and second; because not physics, but cost drove the engineering. Rodgers Platt ------------------------------ From: Tim@Backhome.org Subject: Re: Looking For Old Dialite Video Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 05:20:48 -0700 Organization: Cox Communications Jim wrote: > About 20+ years ago, when I worked for GTE, we had a list of video > tapes we could request from GTE's main headquarters in Stamford, > Conneticut. Most of the tapes were educational or safety tapes, meant > to be shown for training and during employee meetings. > But I remeber one tape I requested that was a short tongue in cheek > video to "educate" the general public about where dial tone comes > from. The tape started out showing a rock quarry, mining type > operation. It went on to explain how "dialite" was extracted from the > rocks and refined into dial tone. I don't know if dialite is the word > used in the video, but it was something important sounding. > Has anyone ever seen this, or know how I might get a copy of it again? > Thanks. > Jim As bad as those GTE steppers got in the LA outer areas in the 1960s and 1970s they could have just as well mined dial tone out of a rock quarry. ;-) Back then when I'd see a GTE service truck on the road, I would comment, "Ah, another search for the missing dial tone." ------------------------------ From: Paul Coxwell Subject: Re: Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 16:09:54 +0100 > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I _used to_ find flying sort of > enjoyable. Back in the 1960's I flew on various occassions to New York > City for weekends (leave ORD on Friday night, return on Sunday > afternoon or evening. To me, it was a lot of fun to be at 20-30 > thousand feet, staring out the window at night in black nothingness, > with a scotch and soda, and listening on the in-flight sound system to > {.......} > I don't think it is nearly as nice these days, with people being > herded like cattle through checkpoints; having your stuff dumped out > all over a conveyor belt to be searched, etc. And I think the > stewardesses are sort of rude now, aren't they? PAT] Pat, I haven't flown for several years, but I always enjoyed the actual flight. One little story which being ex-Chicago you might appreciate happened about 1993 when I had to change planes at O'Hare Airport. We'd had a very good flight from London, no hitches at all, and landed at O'Hare right on time. Then we sat waiting for the retractible walkway to be extended. After about 15 minutes the captain made an announcement that they were having technical problems and the city engineer had been called. There were audible groans from around the cabin, and a fellow passenger in the next seat said something like "That'll fix it, we'll be here for hours." Turns out he he could actually see his house from the runway and was all too familiar with the problems in the city engineer's dept. I don't know if you might have some tales of the Chicago City Engineering, but I gather from your previous posts that Chicago government doesn't always run smoothly. I think it took nearly an hour in the end. Why they couldn't have wheeled up some steps and let everybody just walk down onto the asphalt and into the terminal building, I don't know. - Paul. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I do not think they were allowed to do that (wheel up some stairs) because of the labor union to which they belong. I know that if you go to any convention or trade show at McCormick Place, you are _not_ allowed to carry in any tools to possibly be used to set up your exhibit. For example, a light bulb, an electrical extension cord, a connecting cord for a printer or monitor, etc. All that stuff is verbotin. You have to put in a work order (and Lord only knows when it will be done) to get those things attached in your exhibition booth. If they catch you with a light bulb or a multiple outlet cord, etc, the union workers take it away from you. Regards the City Engineering Department, like everything else in Chicago, it is so full of corruption. The Great Flood, back in about 1991 is a good example: Do you recall when one of the several underground tunnels (one of them which crosses under the Chicago River) sprang a leak? A city inspector, whose job it is (or was, he got fired afterward, then rehired when he appealed to the union) to walk through the tunnels frequently looking for water leakage, etc at the various points where the tunnels cross under the river, noted strenuously in a written report that someone had bored a hole in the tunnel wall, and a _small_ drip at that point was leaking, and it needed to be patched up _immediatly, ASAP_. His report was totally ignored; in fact he was humiliated when the 'authorities' (his supervisors, etc) questioned his credentials to know anything about anything. That's how they do things in Chicago; they never act on advice from experts, they always make the expert out to be a damn fool with an axe of some kind to grind instead. Anyway, three or four days later the tiny leak in the wall had turned into a major flood as the Chicago River started draining itself and much of Lake Michigan into the tunnel system and the basements and sub-basements of every single downtown building. (The old tunnel system years ago had been used to carry coal around to the furnaces in the buildings, etc, and carry garbage out; a tiny, narrow guage old fashioned railroad going past every older building downtown had a sub-basement entrance to the tunnel system for that reason.) At street level you could see nothing, of course, but all those buildings had much water (eight to ten feet high) in their basements and many of them had underground, sealed electrical transformer units supplying electric to themselves and other nearby buildings. It took the city several days to find out _exactly where_ the leak was coming from (all they knew for sure was all the underground tunnels [which are _not_ open to the public at all] were eight to ten feet under rushing water going into basements everywhere), meanwhile the water kept rushing in. Every building downtown had to be evacuated, even City Hall; all the stores had to close to protect their customers and employees. Phone service all over downtown was disrupted for three days; most electrical service was out; the banks and financial places all had to evacuate all their workers, their attornies, etc. City Hall completely lost their phone service for a few hours until they were able to set up an emergency outpost for the fire department dispatchers and other 'essential' workers (such as the centrex operators) a block down the street at the Chicago Temple Building. Finally, the _source_ of the 'leak' was discovered by a reporter for the Chicago Tribune who was crossing the river on the Clark Street bridge. He noticed something he thought 'very odd'; at one point below in the water, there was a 'whirlpool' effect, much like a bathtub would empty into a drain. He notified the City Engineering Department; after they, and Mayor Daley had properly abused and vilified him, like they do anyone who knows nothing about anything, they went to look for themselves. Their maps showed them there was a branch on the old tunnel system there, and an underwater diver confirmed that was the spot where the river and the lake were emptying out into the basements and sub-basements of downtown Chicago. With several tons of concrete powder mix poured over the Clark Street bridge into the water below at the point where the 'whirlpool' was seen, they managed to block the leak, or at least slow it down considerably, so that underwater divers could go through the tunnel to that spot and do the job right. Mayor Daley went on television later that Sunday about noon to announce to everyone 'we found the leak, and have stopped the flood.' For the next few days, everywhere downtown was an uproar, as the office workers came back from their unexpected week long holiday. Any place you walked on the sidewalk you had to navigate these huge hoses snaking out of office buildings attached to very noisy gasoline driven pumps sitting on the sidewalks disgorging their filthy river/lake water into street sewers. The office buildings were able to get maybe one or two out of their bank of elevators running; all the downtown restaurants had to stay closed for a couple of days until the Board of Health could inspect their utensils, drinking water, etc. The subway trains were only partially operating; over all it was a terrible mess. Mayor Daley promptly fired the Engineering Department employee he said had 'caused the problem' and a few maintainence people he said were 'lazy' and 'corrupt' and had ignored the Engineering Department memo. All the fired city workers appealed and got their jobs back except the one who it was alleged had bored the hole in the tunnel wall that got the whole mess started and he got his job back a few years later when the city was unable to prove who did what, despite a one year-long inquiry by the city council which found several individuals in contempt of city council for refusing to testify as to who did what, etc. Eventually they all became friends once again; that's how it goes in Chicago. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Dave Garland Subject: Re: Warning! A Virus Attacked my System! Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 11:02:34 -0500 Organization: Wizard Information It was a dark and stormy night when William Warren wrote: > FWIW, the free version of AVG Anti-Virus is really hard to find on the > GRISOFT site That is true. Fortunately, once you find it, the url is straightforward: http://free.grisoft.com ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #160 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Wed Apr 13 17:03:45 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3DL3i006096; Wed, 13 Apr 2005 17:03:45 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 17:03:45 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504132103.j3DL3i006096@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #161 TELECOM Digest Wed, 13 Apr 2005 17:03:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 161 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson MusicNet Sold to Private Equity Firm (Lisa Minter) Concerns Over ID Theft Mount / LexisNexis Breach Widens (Monty Solomon) Tougher Laws, Penalties Will Help Protect us (Monty Solomon) Not A Telemarketing Call? (Fred Atkinson) Re: Book Review: Goodbye to Privacy (Lisa Hancock) Google Searching - Advanced (jwillis@drlogick.com) Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' (Lisa Hancock) Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' (Jon Gauthier) Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' (T. Sean Weintz) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 13 Apr 2005 12:53:04 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: MusicNet Sold to Private Equity Firm Terms were not disclosed but a source familiar with the matter put the deal's value at $20 million to $30 million. RealNetworks, which owned about 40 percent of MusicNet, said it received proceeds of $7.3 million and expects another $2.7 million after escrow arrangements expire. MusicNet provides the technology to run services for other brand name digital music providers like AOL Music and Virgin Digital, rather than offering downloads and subscription services directly to the public itself. MusicNet, formed in 1999 by RealNetworks, Bertelsmann AG, EMI Group Plc Sony Corp and Time Warner Inc., which then owned Warner Music, has said it serves more than 500,000 subscribers, mostly AOL customers. Since its inception it has faced increasing competition from companies like Apple Computer Inc., which has led the market with its popular iPod player and iTunes service, and MusicMatch, which Yahoo Inc. bought for $160 million. The MusicNet sale was not unexpected since RealNetworks, which had been MusicNet's main stakeholder, bought rival Listen and its Rhapsody subscription service in August 2003. RealNetworks posted MusicNet-related losses of more than $4 million in 2004, a RealNetwork spokesman said. The company said in a statement late on Tuesday that it would provide more details about the deal during its earnings call on May 4. "RealNetworks had already indicated it was not going to put any more money into MusicNet, and to the extent they needed capital, the company was either going to have to be sold or get capital from the other partners," said Phil Leigh, an analyst with Inside Digital Media, a market research company. Experts said MusicNet has struggled because its profit margins are much lower than those of direct retailers. Other MusicNet partners include Virgin Digital, HMV Group and Trans World Entertainment. MusicNet said it will be capitalized with the funds necessary to expand the scale of its operations. "This is a natural evolution for the company," said MusicNet CEO Alan McGlade. "We've progressed nicely since the inception. Our partners' interest was not so much a big return on MusicNet, but in creating a legitimate marketplace. We have a good reputation in the industry." McGlade said there would be no major changes as result of the sale. MusicNet employs nearly 100 people, he said. (additional reporting by Sinead Carew in New York) Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 13:05:46 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Concerns Over ID Theft Mount / LexisNexis Breach Widens Concerns over ID theft mount LexisNexis breach widens; GM credit accounts at risk By Bruce Mohl, Globe Staff | April 13, 2005 Identity theft concerns mounted yesterday as LexisNexis said a security breach at one of its subsidiaries may have been 10 times more severe than an earlier estimate, and GM MasterCard rushed to replace the credit cards of customers affected by a breach at an unidentified national retailer. GM MasterCard sent letters to customers late last week telling them that "a national retailer's computer system has had a security breach and your credit card account number may be among those that were compromised." A copy of the letter was provided to the Globe by one local GM MasterCard customer. Officials at General Motors had no immediate comment and referred questions to Household Bank, which issues the GM card. Household Bank could not be reached for comment. The GM MasterCard letter said the company had not been informed of the merchant involved and probably would not be informed. "Due to the serious nature of this situation," the letter said, GM MasterCard was advising customers to have their credit cards replaced as soon as possible. LexisNexis, a provider of legal and business news, said yesterday that a review of data search activity at its Accurint subsidiary over the past two years has indicated that 59 times unauthorized persons had gained access to such personal-identifying information as Social Security numbers or driver's license numbers. Last month the Dayton, Ohio, company had said it was notifying 30,000 individuals whose personal information may have been improperly acquired. Yesterday, the company increased that number to 310,000. Of the 310,000 individuals, 6,078 reside in Massachusetts. http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2005/04/13/concerns_over_id_theft_mount/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 13:02:47 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Tougher Laws, Penalties Will Help Protect us By Tom Mashberg/ Identity Fraud Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - Updated: Apr. 13, 2005 12:31 AM EST Last of a three-part series on identity fraud. After just four days as a data entry clerk at a members' club in Philadelphia, Stephanie Mobley knew scores of Social Security numbers. She used the data, Massachusetts officials allege, to commit 12 counts of identity theft against a half-dozen Bay Staters. But if Mobley is found guilty, she faces no more than 30 months in prison. Now, officials want to toughen the penalties for identity theft to deter and punish one of the state's fastest-growing crimes. http://www.bostonherald.com/identityFraud/view.bg?articleid=78050 Life's been hell and thief still has her SS number! By Tom Mashberg/ Identity Fraud Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - Updated: 03:54 PM EST The woman who stole Cathy Caverly's identity has a lot of nerve. She still lives near Caverly's longtime residence in Stoughton. She never paid restitution -- despite promising to do so as a condition of her probation. She called a credit card firm to complain after Caverly shut off a card she was using illegally. And now, Caverly has been forced to take on the disruptive and difficult task of getting a new Social Security because the thief knows her old one. http://www.bostonherald.com/identityFraud/view.bg?articleid=78049 LexisNexis cyber goof exposed data on 310,000: Initial number doubled By Tom Mashberg and Jennifer Rosinski/ Identity Fraud Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - Updated: 12:53 PM EST Sensitive information on 10,000 Bay Staters was compromised during a security breach at a nationwide data broker -- more than twice the number initially reported -- the company said yesterday. LexisNexis announced that nationally, 310,000 people were affected by the breach, 280,000 more than was reported in March. http://www.bostonherald.com/identityFraud/view.bg?articleid=78230 ------------------------------ From: Fred Atkinson Subject: Not A Telemarketing Call? Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 12:51:02 -0400 Earlier today, I got a phone call from a caller that said I was chosen in a Vegas contest by one of my credit card companies. I immediately asked if this was a telemarketing call. She said no. She started asking questions. The first one was if I was married or single. I told her I wasn't sure that I wanted to give out information over the phone. I immediately heard a busy signal in my ear. She did not call back. I pulled up the call records on my Vonage Account. This is interesting since it is a toll-free number: 1-866-221-3437. I called that number back and got a busy when I called it. My number is on the National Do-Not-Call-list. I therefore should not have received this call at all. I suspect it was some kind of telephone scam. And they are obviously saavy enough to forge a telephone number on caller ID. So I don't think it was just some individual working alone. I could report it to FTC, but that's kind of redundant since I don't have a good number on them. Regards, Fred ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com Subject: Re: Book Review: Goodbye to Privacy Date: 13 Apr 2005 09:45:35 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Marcus Didius Falco wrote quoting the book review: > Goodbye to Privacy > By WILLIAM SAFIRE > NO PLACE TO HIDE > By Robert O'Harrow Jr. > CHATTER > Dispatches From the Secret World of Global Eavesdropping. > By Patrick Radden Keefe. > In the past five years, what most of us only recently thought of as > 'nobody's business' has become the big business of everybody's > business. This has been going on much longer than merely "five years" -- more like at least 30 years. The big three credit bureaus have been around a long time. > The computer's ability to collect an infinity of data about > individuals -- tracking every movement and purchase, assembling facts > and traits in a personal dossier, forgetting nothing -- was in place > before 9/11. But among the unremarked casualties of that day was a > value that Americans once treasured: personal privacy. That statement is greatly inaccurate. Yes, things changed on 9/11, but those changes must be reviewed carefully in context. Other incidents like Columbine have affected our privacy just as much. > The first civil-liberty fire wall to fall was the one within > government that separated the domestic security powers of the > F.B.I. from the more intrusive foreign surveillance powers of the > C.I.A. That change did not really affect personal privacy. From a national security point of view, that change was needed. The wall between the CIA and FBI was relatively recent, put in because of dislike of Nixon and Hoover and in disregard of the bigger picture. It is known now that so-called "political dissent" of the 1960s was not merely speech, but planned and coordinated revolutionary activity purposely designed to disrupt the country as much as possible -- for the goal of disruption. A number of former activists in that movement have admitted this in their memoirs, collaborated by former FBI agents and long time news correspondants. I personally heard activists of those days squirm out of tough questions about their goals and lash out at anyone questioning the "party line" they espoused. > But the second fire wall crumbled with far less public notice or > approval: that was the separation between law enforcement > recordkeeping and commercial market research. Almost overnight, the > law's suspect list married the corporations' prospect list. Interesting. Whenever the subject of "privacy" comes up, most people think of "big brother" as the govt, not the private sector. The govt really doesn't care much about you and has enough trouble linking up its own collections of data. The real threat is from the private sector. > Robert O'Harrow Jr.'s "No Place to Hide" might just do for privacy > protection what Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" did for environmental > protection nearly a half-century ago. ABC talked about this book and it sounds like a good one. > O'Harrow notes that many consumers find it convenient to be in a > marketing dossier that knows their personal preferences, habits, > income, professional and sexual activity, entertainment and travel > interests and foibles. These intimately profiled people are > untroubled by the device placed in the car they rent that records > their speed and location, the keystroke logger that reads the > characters they type, the plastic hotel key that transmits the > frequency and time of entries and exits or the hidden camera that > takes their picture at a Super Bowl or tourist attraction. I don't agree. People do like the convenience of having their preferences ready for convenience. However, almost everyone is NOT aware of rental car monitors, keystroke loggers, or hidden cameras everywhere. If people really knew how much of their life was tracked in detail and readilly available, they would be quite upset. What is disturbing is that the data collection industry fights hard and won all sorts of exemptions from laws trying to regulate their activities. Don't forget the news media is inherently anti-privacy and thus not too supportive of regulations. They make use of such data for their news stories. From the point of view of a newspaper, a person has no privacy whatsoever -- it's all "the public's right to know". An adverse story about you in a major newspaper would do far more damage to you than an obscure entry in some big database, and there's nothing you can do about it -- even if the story was wrong. (It is extremely hard to prove libel against the news media, and even if you could, the story is still out there, stored in libraries and computers, while a correction is buried.) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 14:32:30 -0400 From: jwillis@drlogick.com Subject: Google Searching - Advanced Pat Here is the link to the advanced search features of Google. Hope this helps a bit ... http://www.google.ca/help/refinesearch.html Regards, Jim Willis [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thanks for passing that along; it should be helpful. PAT] ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' Date: 13 Apr 2005 09:53:20 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Dale Showers wrote: > I have been receiving calls on my cell phone and the caller id is > 15555551212 but there is no one on the phone when I pick up. I would contact your cell phone carrier and request their assistance. You might want to speak to the tech-support unit rather than merely customer service. Keep a log of your calls to them and their response. It may be necessary to write them a written complaint. Use postal certified mail with receipt, not email; this way you have a hard record. Certified letters -- which they have to sign for -- tend to get more attention. Earlier in this newsgroup it was reported that mass market calls were originating out of VOIP lines and giving nonsensical caller id numbers like 111-111-1111. (I got such marketing calls during the political campaign -- the Dems were so desperate they called repeatedly all day long with recorded pitches. It was a nightmare.) Anyway, maybe hackers on VOIP are able to slur callerID. It's strange that a number 555-1212 would be used since that's directory assistance, and I can't help but wonder the originator purposely set that number up to be seen. That is troubling. ------------------------------ From: Jon Gauthier Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 13:59:26 -0400 Organization: The MITRE Organization Dale, You should be able to hit the "No"/"Hangup" button when you get a call from that number. Some phones allow you to disable calls from certain numbers. Some wireless providers may offer a "Deny list" capability that you edit on their website ... Jon Steve Sobol wrote: > Dale Showers wrote: >> I have been receiving calls on my cell phone and the caller id is >> 15555551212 but there is no one on the phone when I pick up. > Considering that 555 isn't a valid area code and xxx-555-1212 is Directory > Assistance, why do you even bother answering that number? > JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638) > Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / sjsobol@JustThe.net / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED > "The wisdom of a fool won't set you free" > --New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle" > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Because, if I understood Dale correctly > in our phone call mid-day Tuesday, his phone just keeps on ringing > until he _does_ answer. PAT] ------------------------------ From: T. Sean Weintz Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 15:11:33 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Dale Showers wrote: > Dear Mr. Townson: > I have been receiving calls on my cell phone and the caller id is > 15555551212 but there is no one on the phone when I pick up. I try to > call back to that number and it is not a good number. There is no > area code of 555. If any one knows what this and how to stop it > please let me know at mindlesspugs@yahoo.com . > Thank you very much! > Dale This is almost definitely a scofflaw telemarketer calling from a PRI line. By using a PRI line, can set the caller ID to be whatever he wants. You answer and get no-one on the other end because he is using a predictive dialer -- a computer dials the numbers, and connects the calls to people in the telemarketing call center only when the call is answered on your end. If no one is available in the call center to take the call, when you answer you get the classic "no one there when I answer" effect -- you just hear dead air. Unfortunately, short of having the cell provider put a trap on the line, you are NOT going to be able to track this down. ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #161 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Wed Apr 13 23:00:36 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3E30ZP09041; Wed, 13 Apr 2005 23:00:36 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 23:00:36 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504140300.j3E30ZP09041@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #162 TELECOM Digest Wed, 13 Apr 2005 23:00:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 162 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson MCI Keeps Ownership Cap (Marcus Didius Falco) Lennon Telephone Chooses Joint net.com/Pannaway (Jack Decker) Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' (Lisa Hancock) Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' (T. Sean Weintz) Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' (No Spam) Re: Google Searching - Advanced (LB@notmine.com) Re: Concerns Over ID Theft Mount / LexisNexis Breach Widens (Wesrock) Re: Book Review: Goodbye to Privacy (Marcus Didius Falco) Last Laugh! When Marketing Surveys Get Off-Track (Linc Madison) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 19:02:33 -0400 From: Marcus Didius Falco Subject: MCI Keeps Ownership Cap http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45476-2005Apr11.html washingtonpost.com Tuesday, April 12, 2005; Page E02 MCI's board of directors said it would not remove the "poison pill" provision that blocks a shareholder from owning more than 15 percent of the company's stock. The announcement came after New York-based Verizon Communications agreed to purchase 13.4 percent of MCI's shares from Mexican telecom magnate Carlos Slim Helu for $1.1 billion in cash. The provision prevents Verizon from being able to buy all of MCI by negotiating deals with other major shareholders. Verizon is trying to block Denver-based Qwest Communications International from getting enough shareholder support for a rival deal. Qwest released a statement saying that MCI's rejection of its latest offer is not consistent with shareholders' best interests. <> Compiled from reports by the Associated Press, Bloomberg News, Dow Jones News Service and Washington Post staff writers. Copyright 2005 The Washington Post Company NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Washington Post Company. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ From: Jack Decker Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 19:41:16 -0400 Subject: Press Release: Lennon Telephone Chooses Joint net.com/Pannaway http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-13-2005/0003389813&EDATE= Lennon Telephone Chooses Joint net.com/Pannaway Solution for Delivery of Feature-Rich VoIP Services http://www.net.com SHOUT2500 Helps Deliver Complete Business and Residential Voice Over IP Over Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial Cable in Central Michigan FREMONT, Calif. and PORTSMOUTH, N.H., April 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- net.com (NYSE: NWK), a global supplier of adaptive broadband technology, and Pannaway Technologies, Inc., designers and developers of converged broadband voice, video and data platforms, jointly announced today that Lennon Telephone Company, established in 1918 and under its current ownership since 1946, has selected net.com's SHOUT2500, a highly integrated IP telephony provisioning platform delivering unprecedented cost-performance metrics, for delivery of Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services to business and residential customers within their local exchange. Lennon Telephone and its subsidiaries will use the SHOUT2500 as a VoIP delivery platform to deliver low cost SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) based telephone features and services to its business and residential customers. SIP is the Internet signaling standard that enables carriers to deliver a wide variety of services through the Internet, such as telephone service, instant messaging, IP conferencing, and presence management. Additionally, Lennon Telephone will be able to use SHOUT to convert Internet-based calls to the public telephone network (VoIP to PSTN) and vice versa, as well as interconnect with legacy H.323 IP networks. Pannaway's Service Convergence Network (SCN(TM)) is a highly manageable end-to-end all IP solution that enables telcos to deliver high quality voice, video and data services over a single broadband connection. At the heart of the SCN, is Pannaway's Call Control Manager (CCM(TM)) which is a SIP registration server, proxy server, feature server and billing mediation platform that routes all calls, provides advanced CLASS features and delivers billing information for the SCN. "The Pannaway-net.com solution enables significant and immediate cost savings through the use of IP technology, as well as rapid development of new features and services. For example, with this solution in place, we are in a position to deliver traditional voice services via our hybrid fiber-coax system," said Tom Bowden, Vice President of Lennon Telephone. "Additionally, the integration of SIP and legacy signaling protocols like H.323 and SS7 in a single platform, along with the SHOUT platform's enhanced GUI based network configuration and management tools, will allow us to quickly deliver these services to our customers." About Pannaway Pannaway Technologies designs the industry's first carrier-class end-to-end IP solution for converged voice, video and data service delivery. Pannaway's innovative technology enables telecommunications companies worldwide to deliver unified services to homes and businesses at a fraction of their historical costs. The privately held company was founded in April 2002 and is headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Its founding management team, with over 90 years of collective experience in the industry, has played a pioneering role in the telecommunications equipment sector. For more information, visit http://www.pannaway.com. About net.com Network Equipment Technologies, doing business as net.com, is a leading provider of networking equipment that enables enterprises, governments and carriers to adapt to a broadband future. An architect of the networking industry, net.com has been supplying service providers, governments and enterprises around the world with bulletproof networking technology for more than 20 years. net performance. net results. net.com. Visit http://www.net.com for more information. NOTE: net.com and SHOUT are trademarks of Network Equipment Technologies, Inc. SOURCE Network Equipment Technologies, Inc. Web Site: http://www.net.com How to Distribute VoIP Throughout a Home: http://michigantelephone.mi.org/distribute.html If you live in Michigan, subscribe to the MI-Telecom group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MI-Telecom/ ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com (Lisa Hancock) Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' Date: 13 Apr 2005 14:08:21 -0700 T. Sean Weintz wrote: > This is almost definitely a scofflaw telemarketer calling from a PRI > line. By using a PRI line, can set the caller ID to be whatever he wants. Could you explain what is a "PRI" line, and characteristicss give it the power to change caller ID? Why would any subscriber have access to such a line? > You answer and get no-one on the other end because he is using a > predictive dialer -- a computer dials the numbers, and connects the calls > to people in the telemarketing call center only when the call is > answered on your end. If no one is available in the call center to take > the call, when you answer you get the classic "no one there when I > answer" effect -- you just hear dead air. I don't understand that when the fellow answers the call, why someone doesn't come on on the other end and make their sales pitch. There is usually a brief 1-2 second, but someone does come on. Obviously they don't want live people to miss their sales pitches. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The hassle is the 'predictive dialer' (which is what they call the device which 'dials ahead' and gets suckers on the line works too fast for the human beings doing the talking/selling. It thinks, based on formulas built in, that by the time it gets a sucker on the phone, an agent will be ready to talk to them. That's when the predictive dialer plays a pre-recorded message saying 'please hold, we have an important message for you' or something similar. That's when I usually hang up, and you should also. PAT] ------------------------------ From: T. Sean Weintz Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 17:25:02 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote: > Earlier in this newsgroup it was reported that mass market calls were > originating out of VOIP lines and giving nonsensical caller id numbers > like 111-111-1111. (I got such marketing calls during the political > campaign -- the Dems were so desperate they called repeatedly all day > long with recorded pitches. It was a nightmare.) Anyway, maybe > hackers on VOIP are able to slur callerID. It's strange that a number > 555-1212 would be used since that's directory assistance, and I can't > help but wonder the originator purposely set that number up to be > seen. That is troubling. Don't need VOIP to spoof caller ID at all. a standard ISDN PRI line, which most outbound call centers have, can do it easily. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: But Lisa just asked a question; she wants an explanation of an ISDN PRI line. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 17:47:30 -0400 From: No Spam Subject: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' Lisa Hancock wrote to say: (stuff snipped) > Earlier in this newsgroup it was reported that mass market calls were > originating out of VOIP lines and giving nonsensical caller id numbers > like 111-111-1111. (I got such marketing calls during the political > campaign -- the Dems were so desperate they called repeatedly all day > long with recorded pitches. It was a nightmare.) Anyway, maybe > hackers on VOIP are able to slur callerID. It's strange that a number > 555-1212 would be used since that's directory assistance, and I can't > help but wonder the originator purposely set that number up to be > seen. That is troubling. Funny; all of the (pre recorded) calls I got (except for one) were from George W Bush, Laura Bush, or the local Republican candidates. (I did get one call from the Dems, but they identified themselves as the state office of the party.). The calls I got from the Dems gave their valid phone number in Washington DC, but the calls from the Republicans showed callerID of either 000-000-0000, or restricted. Too bad that the politicians exempted themselves from the do not call list. I had opportunity to visit local offices of both parties during the 2004 campaign, and both of them were using VoIP services provided via a Lynksys wireless router (I could see phone cords running from the Linksys box to the cheap phones on the conference tables), but I don't know provider they were using. Joshua (my opinions are my own and not necessarily those of my employer, but sometimes we agree.) [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: My experiences were rather similar to yours. In addition to a call from George and Laura, a call came from a Kansas Republican. And recall please, the two documented examples of telephone mischief we heard about (and reported here in the Digest) were Republicans playing tricks on Democrats. PAT] ------------------------------ From: LB@notmine.com Subject: Re: Google Searching - Advanced Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 17:24:37 -0400 Organization: Optimum Online jwillis@drlogick.com wrote: > Pat > Here is the link to the advanced search features of Google. Hope this > helps a bit ... > http://www.google.ca/help/refinesearch.html > Regards, > Jim Willis > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thanks for passing that along; it > should be helpful. PAT] " You can reach this page by clicking (no surprise) the "Advanced Search" link on the Google home page." LB ------------------------------ From: Wesrock@aol.com Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 20:31:22 EDT Subject: Concerns Over ID Theft Mount / LexisNexis Breach Widens In a message dated Wed, 13 Apr 2005 13:05:46 -0400, Monty Solomon writes: > Concerns over ID theft mount LexisNexis breach widens; GM credit > accounts at risk > By Bruce Mohl, Globe Staff | April 13, 2005 > Identity theft concerns mounted yesterday as LexisNexis said a > security breach at one of its subsidiaries may have been 10 times more > severe than an earlier estimate, and GM MasterCard rushed to replace > the credit cards of customers affected by a breach at an unidentified > national retailer. > GM MasterCard sent letters to customers late last week telling them > that "a national retailer's computer system has had a security breach > and your credit card account number may be among those that were > compromised." A copy of the letter was provided to the Globe by one > local GM MasterCard customer. > Officials at General Motors had no immediate comment and referred > questions to Household Bank, which issues the GM card. Household Bank > could not be reached for comment. > The GM MasterCard letter said the company had not been informed of the > merchant involved and probably would not be informed. "Due to the > serious nature of this situation," the letter said, GM MasterCard was > advising customers to have their credit cards replaced as soon as > possible. I have a GM MasterCard and I have received no such letter. Nor have I received any e-mail them on the subject, although they have my e-mail address and sent me a notice a couple of days ago that my monthly bill was avilable for viewing on their web site. The web site has no warnings or advices on the subject. No unusual transactions appear on my account. As to Household Bank, notices in the last month or so have noted that the GM MasterCard is now issued by HSBC (formerly Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation). While the notice is not explicit, it appears HSBC has purchased some or all of Household Bank or its operations. Wes Leatherock wesrock@aol.com wleathus@yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 20:33:29 -0400 From: Marcus Didius Falco Subject: Re: Book Review: Goodbye to Privacy Lisa Hancock responded to Re: Book Review: Goodbye to Privacy on 13 Apr 2005 09:45:35 -0700: > Marcus Didius Falco wrote quoting the book review: >> Goodbye to Privacy >> By WILLIAM SAFIRE >> NO PLACE TO HIDE >> By Robert O'Harrow Jr. >> CHATTER >> Dispatches From the Secret World of Global Eavesdropping. >> By Patrick Radden Keefe. >> In the past five years, what most of us only recently thought of as >> 'nobody's business' has become the big business of everybody's >> business. > This has been going on much longer than merely "five years" -- more > like at least 30 years. The big three credit bureaus have been around > a long time. The credit bureaus have been around a long time. The data brokers are new. All or almost all the recent breaches have been with these data brokers. There is some thought to regulating them as credit bureaus, subject to increased safeguards. I think it's in Pennsylvania. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Actually, the brokers are not absolutely 'new'; they have been around a few years also, but no where near as long as the credit bureaus. The brokers got their start by selling the unprotected data on credit bureau reports. The stuff above the perforated line (the address history, the social security number and certain other information has never been protected; only the 'trades' -- the creditors' experience -- has ever been protected information. PAT] ------------------------------ Subject: Last Laugh! When Marketing Surveys Get Off-Track Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 18:04:11 -0700 From: Linc Madison Reply-To: lincmad@suespammers.org Organization: California resident; nospam; no unsolicited e-mail allowed My cellular phone carrier called me (on my landline) the other day to do a marketing survey. They asked me if I had any plans to add another line to my account. I told them no, I live alone, I hardly use the one cellphone, so I can't imagine adding a line at any point in the foreseeable future. The survey person persisted, though, wanting to ask me to rate on a 1-to-10 scale various offers relating to adding a line (e.g., 3 months free, or various other perks). I begged off, but it occurred to me that, had I been bored enough to sit through the whole list, my data would have been meaningless at best. I therefore came up with my own revised questionnaire. On a 1-to-10 scale, with 1 being "no way!" and 10 being "where do I sign up?!," rate the following circumstances for the degree to which they would make you more likely to add a second line to your cellular service. A. Martians invade Earth. B. You suddenly discover 27 previously unknown offspring. C. You are diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic. You need a second line to talk to the voices in your head. "Can you hear me now?" D. Both of your arms fall off. E. Both of your legs fall off. F. Both arms AND both legs fall off. G. Costa Rica declares war on Vanuatu. H. You simultaneously win every state lotto jackpot in the U.S. I. The widow of an African dictator gives you $27,500,000.00 (twenty-seven million, five hundred thousand United States dollars) to launch a new charity to PROTECT THE CHILDREN from accidental Tupperware-related injuries. J. Breakthrough scientific research reveals that telephone area code maps are the most powerful aphrodisiac ever discovered. ("Oh, baby, wrap your arms around me like 801 around 385!!") I think, in my circumstances, those are equally realistic hypothetical situations, compared to being offered 3 months free for a second line for which I have neither need nor desire. Linc Madison * San Francisco, California * lincmad@suespammers.org * primary e-mail: Telecom at LincMad dot com All U.S. and California anti-spam laws apply, incl. CA BPC 17538.45(c) This text constitutes actual notice as required in BPC 17538.45(f)(3). DO NOT SEND UNSOLICITED E-MAIL TO THIS ADDRESS. You have been warned. ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #162 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Thu Apr 14 19:36:23 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3ENaMY18969; Thu, 14 Apr 2005 19:36:23 -0400 (EDT) Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 19:36:23 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504142336.j3ENaMY18969@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #163 TELECOM Digest Thu, 14 Apr 2005 19:28:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 163 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Spam Hits Us Bad Today - Message Losses (TELECOM Digest Editor) Comcast Sued for Disclosing Customer Information (Lisa Minter) U.N. Expert Says Firms Should Do More Vs Child Porn (Lisa Minter) Cell Phone Wearing Out? (Choreboy) Is RocketVoIP Deceiving Customers Regarding Unlimited VoIP (Jack Decker) Can I Port an 800 Number Without the Old Carrier's OK? (william) Tradtional Mail Discouraged (Lisa Hancock) Re: Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight (Paul Coxwell) Bell Operating Company Employees/Retirees (sbctech) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 17:49:02 EDT From: TELECOM Digest Editor Subject: Spam Hits Us Hard Today - Message Losses Ordinarily either Lisa Minter or myself get in here and flush the spam queue a few times daily. Then we go through the 'regular' file of 'good' incoming mail and sort through it, since about 80-90 percent of the stuff in the 'good' mail file is also spam which managed to not trip the Spam Assassin rules. Then we move the 'good' stuff into a protected area where it is stored until the next issue comes out. But from the last issue of the Digest on Wednesday through the present time, neither of us came in to do the usual flush, consequently there were several hundred spams in the so- called 'good' file today. And in the middle of them, here and there, the legitimate emails. Unfortunatly, the good stuff got flushed with the volumes of spam today by accident. What you see in this issue is _all we have left_ of the good stuff. If you wrote to the Digest anytime since Wednesday night; you got an autoack and _do not_ see your email in this issue, then please resubmit it. There *has to be* a better way of sorting out the spam. I have the trigger set now at 2 (according to Spam Assassin, 5 is average for most users), but I just do not feel I can go any lower than 2; there is too much stuff otherwise hitting the spam bucket; I use the very old 'mail' from 1993 with Unix here; I wish there were someway to see entire screens full of stuff and be able to dismiss it with a single keystroke instead of the 3-4 keystrokes needed at present. Anyway, if your message from (probably during the day) Thursday is not shown here, then sorry, I don't have it. Resubmit it please. Patrick Townson ------------------------------ Date: 14 Apr 2005 14:25:46 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: Comcast Sued for Disclosing Customer Information Comcast Corp. the top U.S. cable television network operator, is being sued by a Seattle-area woman for disclosing her name and contact information, court records showed on Thursday. In a lawsuit filed in King County, Washington, Dawnell Leadbetter said that she was contacted by a debt collection agency in January and told to pay a $4,500 for downloading copyright-protected music or face a lawsuit for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Leadbetter, a mother of two teenage children, was a customer of Comcast's high-speed Internet access service. The company, Settlement Support Center LLC, based in Washington state, was using information that the Recording Industry of Association of America had obtained in a Philadelphia lawsuit over the illegal sharing of digital music files, said Lory Lybeck, the lawyer representing Leadbetter. But no court authorized Comcast to release names and addresses of its customers, or notified his client that her information had been given to an outside party, Lybeck said. "Comcast should respect the rights of privacy who pay them monthly bills," Lybeck said. Representatives from Comcast said they could not immediately comment on the lawsuit. The RIAA has filed thousands of lawsuits since September and settled several hundred for about $3,000 each. Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: If, in fact, Comcast was legally subpoened for the information, then they _had_ to give it out, or face penalties themselves. I assume that is the case, but you'd think they would have told their customer about it. When the attorney stated that 'no court had authorized the release', I suppose that's what the subpoena did: the subpoena acts as the limited authorization does it not? PAT] ------------------------------ Date: 14 Apr 2005 14:26:58 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: U.N. Expert Says Firms Should Do More Vs Child Porn By Thomas Atkins Credit card companies and technology firms should do more to combat child pornography on the Internet, a United Nations expert said Wednesday. Credit card firms may unwittingly process illegal Web transactions, Juan Miguel Petit, U.N. special rapporteur on child pornography said. "Credit card companies shouldn't wait for the problem to arrive," Petit said at a news briefing. "The international credit card companies and also the manufacturers of hardware and software ... surely know more than NGOs or governments about these problems and how to fight them." Petit also wants to force Internet service providers to remove or block access to illegal material when they see it and to oblige them to monitor their services to prevent it. Child pornography on the Internet has become one of the biggest areas of cybercrime in recent years with police forces around the world rounding up thousands of web users accused of accessing illegal sites. Credit card firm Visa International says it has already taken the battle to the enemy and pursues illegal operators. However, David Masters, spokesman for Visa, said tech-savvy operators made it a difficult problem to handle. "It's a horrific industry and we do everything we can against it," he said. "It's business we don't want and we're only too pleased to help where we can. We work very closely with law enforcement across the world." Illegal operators hide behind business fronts, meaning the only way to track them down is to troll the Web for possible abusers using high- tech search engines, he said by telephone. Horacio Gutierrez, head of Microsoft's legal and corporate department for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, said his company had engineered programs to aide police. Microsoft is also a partner of the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. "Technology companies have a critical role to play in making the Internet safe for children," Gutierrez said by telephone. "It's a multifaceted issue which really has worldwide implications." International crime-fighting body Interpol will hold a meeting in Lyon, France, Thursday with the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children, credit card companies and tech firms such as Microsoft. Gutierrez said companies, police and non-governmental organizations would explore the role of technology and the Internet industry in the growth of child pornography. Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. ------------------------------ From: Choreboy Subject: Cell Phone Wearing Out? Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 16:27:58 -0400 A relative complained to Verizon that she had trouble making calls on a trip through Georgia. Her phone is six years old. The saleswoman gave the phone to a technician who a said the transmitter was wearing out and she needed to buy a new phone. The saleswoman offered her a choice of second-hand phones. In this area the phone works as well as ever, so my relative decided not to replace it until she takes another long trip. Do cellphone transmitters normally get weak as they age? Wouldn't that cause a problem in normal use? My neighbor has two relatives who switched providers because both found Verizon's coverage unsatisfactory on trips through Georgia. Does it sound as if Verizon is conning my relative? [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: At first blush, I would say your relative got a con job. The cellphone transmitter has no idea where it is at; its job is just to radiate RF. If the phone works okay at your house, it should work as well in Georgia; I cannot imagine that Georgia has cellphone towers any further apart than cellphone towers are in your area of the country, and all that should really matter in the case of a 'transmitter getting weak from age' is how far it has to look for a tower. If it can find a tower, that should end the problem of 'old age'. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Jack Decker Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 16:09:58 -0400 Subject: Is RocketVoIP Deceiving Customers Regarding "Unlimited" VoIP A disturbing post just appeared on BroadbandReports.com -- I have removed references to RocketVoIP from the Resources for Michigan Telephone Users web site until and unless this issue is resolved. "Hi all ... I have a problem with RocketVoip (www.rocketvoip.com) They said their service is unlimited ($24.95) and suddenly they sent me an email about a week ago, telling me that I'm not qualified as a residential user and they asked me to switch to business plan. Please read the attached email. ..." http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,13170575 How to Distribute VoIP Throughout a Home: http://michigantelephone.mi.org/distribute.html If you live in Michigan, subscribe to the MI-Telecom group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MI-Telecom/ [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: This sounds a lot like our friend Sprint's old "Friday Free" plan doesn't it? Remember that one? Sprint tricked people into signing up for long distance by lying to them saying their Friday traffic would always be free to _residential_ customers. Soon thereafter we started hearing from folks who said Sprint had written them a letter saying they were not a 'qualified' residential account, so they would have to pay for their Friday calls. Sprint signed the letters with some phone name (I forget off hand what it was), and many folks, including myself tried time after time to reach the person to ask him what it was about, and what made persons 'qualified'. I don't think anyone ever did reach that person, and as to be expected, no one in Sprint customer service ever had any idea what it was about. If the original writer wants to send along the email saying they were not 'qualified', and assuming it has a good name on it, we will try to reach that person and ask them what it is all about, and to explain the qualifications required. PAT] ------------------------------ From: william@withheld_on_request Subject: Can I Port an 800 Number Without the Old Carrier's Permission? Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 23:07:00 -0400 Pat, Please strip my email address and name; TIA. Here's a question about 800 number portability which I hope you or the other readers can answer. I have switched to a small CLEC for my service -- call them ma-pa-telco. I told ma-pa-telco that I was unsatisfied with the service I was getting from my old carrier -- let's call them "Cloacal" -- so I asked ma-pa-telco to take over my 800 line. I signed a "Letter of Agency", and thought it was all done. Today, however, ma-pa-telco tells me that after seven or eight false starts, Cloacal refuses to transfer my 800 line, saying that my signature on the letter of agency is "Unauthorized" and that they won't tell me who is "authorized" to sign it. So, some questions: 1. Can ma-pa-telco force a switch? I mean, can they tell the company-in-charge-of-the-800-number-portability-database to just move the number over? 2. Can I force Cloacal to release my 800 number even though they say I'm not the "authorized" person? It's my number, right? They've certainly got plenty of signatures to check: I've been paying the bill for this ever since I bought the company. Can I just tell Cloacal to grow up and consider me as authorized? 3. Is there a procedure in place to resolve this kind of issue? When they set up the 800 portability database, someone must have thought of things like a CEO retiring or a company like Cloacal refusing to play nice with the other children. This has been going on for over a week, and now it's just silly: as far as I'm concerned, Cloacal is dragging their feet just because I got tired of them acting like Ma Bell's idiot baby bell brother and I said so to their face. At this point, the FCC should spank them and tell them to get over it. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: For starters, problems like this are often times handled very satisfactorily by Judith Oppenheimer, a reader here with several excellent web sites (begin your review of her work at http://judithoppenheimer.com which is the ICB Consultancy home page.) She has successfully cleared up things like this now and then. Generally, yes, the _owner_ of an 800 number can take it where he wants. One caveat: *who is the owner*? Signing a letter of agency does not an owner make, if the true owner has a sticky widget. Think back to when you first got the number ... did you sign any papers telling Cloacal they were the owner? Did you originally get the number from them? Who told _you_ that you are the owner of the number (not the user of the number, but the _owner_ of it?) Another caveat: do you owe any money to Cloacal on your bill with them? Telcos have a right under the rules pertaining to number portability to hold a number hostage if you do owe money. Under the law, telco has protection to assure they get paid. Still a third caveat: Is the number 'popular' or easy to remember, dial, etc? If it is -1212 or -2345 or -1234, etc and etched on people's minds and quite 'easy to remember or use', if Cloacal otherwise has any rights to the number, they are going to fight more than ever. Genuine 800 numbers (as opposed to 888, 877, 866 and yes! even 855) are not usually given up by their 'owners' without some effort. Ms. Oppenheimer will need to know all that in order to help you. But she seems to know her stuff and _who_ to talk to. Good luck with your problem. PAT] ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com Subject: Traditional Mail Discouraged? Date: 14 Apr 2005 12:35:11 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com I get the feeling organizations no longer want the public to contact them via traditional postal mail. (No more "Keep those cards and letters coming in"). I suspect this is largely due to the antrax attacks of Sept 11, but possibly other factors as well (perhaps fear of walk-in attacks.) I base this on: 1) Magazines traditionally have a "masthead" where the editors and senior staff are listed. Traditionally, the addresses of the magazine were clearly listed there as well (letters to the editor, subscriptions, ads, etc.) I notice now no addresses are shown, and maybe some are shown elsewhere in very fine print. 2) Film studios used to have their addresses listed but some no longer do. Particuarly, the WB TV network refuses postal mail and has everything returned to the sender. Some organizations -- but by no means all -- offer email or web comment screens. But these have limitations: a) A certain percentage of mail is "crank" -- obvious nonsense, etc. But writing a traditional letter still requires some effort and postage. Email is easy and one can generate a great many crank emails at the push of a button. Thus, recipients are flooded with much more crank mail than in the past, which they have to weed through. There's a greater chance a legitimate letter will be bypassed. b) Lost in the shuffle: There's a far higher response rate to traditional mail than email/web comments. Sometimes electronic means never get delivered. Other times it's lost at the recipient's site. Sometimes it's sent to someone incompetent to deal with it. (On a number of occassions I've emailed an organization with a specific question that was not addressed on their web page. Their answer was to check the web page which of course was of no help.) c) Lost with spam: Legitimate letters get mixed up with spam. d) A piece of paper is durable: A paper letter or postcard is a tangible item. An email is a fleeting image on a screen. If 10,000 people write a TV network urging to keep a TV show, they'll have bags of mail sitting on the floor and that will say something to them. If 10,000 people email them, the server will probably crash and most will never even make it through. For places with less volumes, that piece of paper sits on someone's desk and calls for attention. It's a lot easier psychologically to DEL an email than throw out a piece of paper. ------------------------------ From: Paul Coxwell Subject: Re: Study: Consumers Oppose Cell Phones in Flight Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 20:11:35 +0100 TELECOM Digest Editor noted in response to my query: > Regards the City Engineering Department, like everything else in > Chicago, it is so full of corruption. The Great Flood, back in about > 1991 is a good example: Do you recall when one of the several > underground tunnels (one of them which crosses under the Chicago > River) sprang a leak? A city inspector, whose job it is (or was, he > got fired afterward, then rehired when he appealed to the union) to > walk through the tunnels frequently looking for water leakage, etc Pat, That story certainly seems like a case of the "big wigs" being too arrogant to take notice of what they are told, then trying to pass the blame afterward. I'm not at all familiar with Chicago. The longest I've ever spent there was a couple of hours one Sunday afternoon waiting for a connecting train at Union Station to go west. I just wandered around downtown a little, and looking at the map I guess I must have been close to some of the spots you mentioned. The union issue has been a huge problem in the past in Britain. I have a friend who worked for London Transport on the buses at one time, and he says he almost caused a strike one day by doing a little servicing. It seems he was "allowed" to change a filter in his job, but to get at one of them meant removing a small access panel in the wooden floor. A union boss spotted this and kicked up a fuss. Apprently he was expected to call the fitter/carpenter to come out and remove the panel, a procedure which could involve a wait of several hours. After changing the filter, he was then supposed to request the fitter to come out again to replace the cover. A half-hour job would suddenly take all day to complete. Apparently the rules also required a bus to go out on an hour-long test drive after _any_ service work was done on it, even just replacing a blown bulb. The unions sure had that lot wrapped up tightly. > attached in your exhibition booth. If they catch you with a light bulb > or a multiple outlet cord, etc, the union workers take it away from you Isn't that called theft? What happens if somebody refuses to give it up? ;-) - Paul [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I don't know that they literally 'take it away from you'; just that you'll be very pressured to go along with their plans, just like you mentioned on your busses. PAT] ------------------------------ From: sbctech Subject: Bell Operating Company Employees/Retirees Date: 14 Apr 2005 11:38:33 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hello Fellow Coworkers, Many of us have lost contact with good friends. Divestiture, retirement and other circumstances have played a roll in our loss. This is our new searchable Bell Operating Company Employee database. It is hosted on the sbceic.com website which is operated by SBC/Bell Operating Company Employees/Retirees. We invite all Bell Operating Company Employees/ Former Employees/Retirees to join our community for chats, forums, projects at sbceic.com sbceic.com Your Fellow Coworkers [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thanks for sending this message along. Between divestiture, layoffs, retirements, etc the ranks have really been decimated have they not? I hope this message helps you pull your ranks together just a little. And the rest of you, don't forget: Our good friend King Spam really did a number on my mailboxes today. What you see here today is what you get. I'll go back to my hourly flushing of the spam box tomorrow and try to take better care of real, legitmate messages. PAT] ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #163 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Fri Apr 15 15:32:27 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3FJWRL28876; Fri, 15 Apr 2005 15:32:27 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 15:32:27 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504151932.j3FJWRL28876@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #164 TELECOM Digest Fri, 15 Apr 2005 15:22:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 164 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Getting Serious About the War on Spam (Lisa Minter) India Moves to Silence Cellphone Spam (Lisa Minter) Congress Aims to Thwart Identity Theft (Lisa Minter) Web Censors In China Find Success (Marcus Didius Falco) Packet8 Joins 'Unfee' Trend (Jack Decker) Texting is Slower Than Morse (Colin) Re: Traditional Mail Discouraged? (FrazNor@gmail.com) Re: Traditional Mail Discouraged? (Henry) Re: Spam Hits Us Hard Today - Message Losses (Supak Lailert) Re: Spam Hits Us Hard Today - Message Losses (Lisa Hancock) Re: Spam Hits Us Hard Today - Message Losses (John Schmerold) Re: Comcast Sued for Disclosing Customer Information (Barry Margolin) Re: Can I Port an 800 Number Without the Old Carrier's Permission? (Tim) Re: Walkie Talkie (Jason) Last Laugh! Passenger Found Dead After Plane Lands at O'Hare (M Falco) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 11:29:57 -0400 From: Lisa Minter Subject: Getting Serious About the War on Spam http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0414/p02s01-usju.html Byline: Patrik Jonsson Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor (RALEIGH, N.C.) From the outside, it was just another middle-class tract house with a fountain in the front yard. Inside, it was anything but homey. Instead of family pictures on the mantle, computer servers were stacked in closets, 12 high-speed wires snaked into the house, and monitors were stacked on top of one another. Welcome to Exhibit A in the nation's intensifying fight against spam. From here, Jeremy Jaynes, a Raleigh businessman who rose to No. 8 on a list of "spam kingpins," broke the nation's toughest spam law by churning out more than 100,000 unsolicited e-mails a month. In fact, he was moving closer to 10 million a day. He was sentenced late last week in Leesburg, Va., to the stiffest penalty ever given to a spammer: Nine years in a state prison. 'They're no longer ghosts' In part, it underscores Americans' changing attitudes about the sanctity of the inbox. And even as the unsolicited e-mail flows on, experts say the case sends a potent message to would-be Internet solicitors: We know where you live. "If there's ever going to be a deterrent effect, it's not in the potential for [a long] jail sentence, but the fact that spammers can in fact be found, that they're no longer ghosts," says Anne Mitchell, director of the Institute for Spam and Internet Public Policy in San Jose, Calif. Still, the junk keeps coming. In 2001, only 8 percent of e-mail was junk; today, that number hovers near 75 percent, and could jump to 95 percent, thanks to new methods where "spam gangs" hijack servers to churn out huge amounts of e-mail at one time. The consequences are dramatic. One study from Nucleus Research, a technology-research company in Wellesley, Mass., figures companies lose around $1,934 per year per employee on spam. Even David Oblon, Jaynes's lawyer, admits his firm had to hire an outside company to sift through the thousands of daily spam messages. A change in public attitudes. Still, new spam-sifting programs, a slew of civil lawsuits, and antispam activists are having an impact -- if not on the volume of spam, on the stakes. Michigan and Utah, for instance, will launch statewide registries this summer that put children on "Do not spam" lists; a similar proposal is on the table in Illinois. And attitudes toward the Internet are changing, as revealed by a new Pew Internet and American Life Project study that finds that fewer Americans today are suspicious of the Internet because of spam than a year ago. One reason: fewer pornographic messages. Though critics say the federal CAN-SPAM law, signed into effect on January 1, 2004, simply legitimized the practice by regulating it, the law has helped dramatically curb the number of pornographic messages being sent. Spam filters, which have become a competitive edge for the big Internet-service providers, are vacuuming up a large chunk of unwanted ads. Marketers, too, have grown more concerned about a consumer backlash. "There's been a huge paradigm shift in the direct-marketing community when they finally got that there was a real spam problem, and that if they didn't police themselves, their own business model would just go away," says Ms. Mitchell. The loss of anonymity -- and innocence. At the same time, anonymity seems a little harder to maintain as spammers appear in handcuffs on the evening news -- or, like Jaynes, in squinty-eyed mug shots. In Raleigh, he was just another young businessman riding a rising tide of technology investments. Millions knew him -- though they didn't know it -- because they'd seen his his web alias, Gaven Stubberfield, in their inbox. A former restaurateur and direct mailer, he earned $750,000 a month as a spam magnate. His lawyer insists his services were legitimate -- and claims that the government broke interstate commerce agreements and trampled on his First Amendment rights to speak freely. The judge in the case allowed Jaynes to stay out of jail until the appeals courts can sift through the case. One caveat: Jaynes has to go back to using paper and stamps if he wants to write a note to someone. "Without warning or a cease and desist letter, the government swept in and wanted to make a statement," says Oblon. "This prosecution is going to have no effect on email advertising around the world." Much of the focus is on the Virginia case, because the state claimed jurisdiction based on the fact that more than half of all Internet commerce flows through servers in the Old Dominion. Florida just filed a case against a spam house registered with 350 domains and 75 websites hawking cigarettes and pharmaceuticals. The two men were caught by a Microsoft "trap" set up to identify and isolate spam messages. Earlier this year, Microsoft sued 213 alleged spammers, many of them anonymous "John Does," in 97 separate lawsuits -- all while a growing number of spammers are getting in touch with their lawyers. Oblon says the Jaynes case is about a loss of innocence -- with plenty of blame to go around. "There was a time, when e-mail first started being used, that there shouldn't be any commercial activity, that it was all about exchanging ideas, and let's all smell the roses," says Oblon. "Now it's all commercial." (c) Copyright 2005 The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor -- an independent daily newspaper providing context and clarity on national and international news, peoples and cultures, and social trends. Online at http://www.csmonitor.com NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, the Christian Science Publishing Society. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 11:26:16 -0400 From: Lisa Minter Subject: India Moves to Silence Cellphone Spam http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0414/p06s01-wosc.html byline: Vir Singh Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor (NEW DELHI) Harsh Pathak was thrilled to get a cellphone. The young corporate lawyer could stay in touch with friends and family while on the move. And he found it easier to schedule meetings. Then he started getting calls from a lot of people he did not know. His number, it turns out, had been acquired by telemarketers -- thanks to a highly organized network devoted to collecting personal information -- who peppered him with calls. Banks wanted him to take out loans. Insurers wanted to send out sales representatives. Ironically, even cellphone companies called, asking him to switch to their service. "They would call in the middle of a meeting when you were trying to explain something to someone," he says. "Then, after the call, you lost your thought and had to start explaining the thing all over again." What made these intrusions even more irritating were the steep "roaming" charges he incurred for receiving calls outside his local network. As India's economy booms, the rising ranks of cellphone users find it hard to enjoy something already rare in this country of 1 billion people: privacy. But that may change after a landmark action by the Supreme Court in February, based on a complaint Mr. Pathak filed. That court asked the government and a clutch of major telephone companies and financial institutions named as defendants in the suit to take steps to protect cellphone users from unsolicited calls. The suit called for a new law and asked that financial institutions and telephone companies protect their clients from an "endemic invasion of privacy." In his petition, Pathak suggested that India consider adopting privacy-protection measures similar to those in other countries, including the federal do-not-call registry in the United States. The Supreme Court can only advise the government on the need for legislation, but India's parliament responds often to these requests. Before it can, however, the government agencies and private parties named as defendants will have to provide an official response to the Supreme Court. That means a cellphone privacy law is at least two years away. For now, though, the court's action is compelling executives to consider the consequences of actions that have long been a standard practice in the financial-services industry. According to Vivek Tankha, the attorney who argued the case for Pathak, one defendant, a cellphone service provider, has placed full-page ads in newspapers assuring customers that it would help them to block unwanted calls. "I have never been thanked so much in my life as I have for this case," he says. Cellphone companies say they support customer privacy. The Cellular Operators' Association of India said it is "in full support of the Supreme Court's notice and will offer all cooperation." The case received major media coverage in one of the world's fastest-growing cellphone markets, where unwanted calls and text messages are a nuisance for tens of millions of subscribers. Cellphone users here in India's capital say the number of calls from telemarketers has fallen a bit during the past year to about two or three a week. But Reva Singh, a magazine editor, still finds them "inexcusable." "I don't know who gives them the right to claim my time," she says, adding that she felt "obliged to listen and be polite" before saying no to sales pitches. In the absence of a law, privacy advocates say, there can be no effective controls on telemarketers. Cellphone users risk having their numbers leaked from the moment they sign up with a provider. Banks deny that they share information about clients, yet they can hardly be accused of going out of their way to protect privacy. One of Mr. Tankha's encounters with a sales agent reveals just how serious this problem can be. "I was shocked when I got calls from a company stating that I should invest in mutual funds, as I had excess funds in my bank account," he says. Some users don't allow themselves to get upset by the calls. "I'm sort of indifferent, but I try to be polite," says Gitanjali Sethi, a law student. "I'm not going to buy anything over the phone." Ms. Sethi knows a thing or two about telemarketers, having worked for one part-time. She says numbers are culled from forms filled out by customers. For example, someone opening a bank account provides a lot of personal information. Often, there is a box the person can check so as not to receive sales calls and promotions by mail. "But this is not always mentioned or displayed prominently." She says even "respected companies" share information with one another. Businesses with complementary products -- such as a cellphone service provider and a cellphone maker -- often do this, because both firms gain from reaching each other's clients. Stopping such practices will require a huge effort, even with the Supreme Court's backing, and even if India adopts a law, acknowledge Pathak and Tankha. But for now, they are happy that the top court has set the ball rolling. "At least the debate has started," said Tankha. "Once we start a debate, the solutions also start to emerge." (c) Copyright 2005 The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor-- an independent daily newspaper providing context and clarity on national and international news, peoples and cultures, and social trends. Online at http://www.csmonitor.com NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, The Christian Science Publishing Society. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ Date: 14 Apr 2005 18:23:50 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: Congress Aims to Thwart Identity Theft By TED BRIDIS, Associated Press Writer Responding to outrage from consumers whose personal information has been stolen from companies, Congress is primed to pass new laws to try to prevent break-ins and to require businesses to confess to customers when private data is taken. The government's new interest in requiring such embarrassing disclosures reverses years of efforts by the FBI and U.S. prosecutors to shield corporations that have been victims of hackers from bad publicity by keeping such crimes out of headlines. But now, consumers want to know if their private information has been stolen. The Senate is considering at least two proposals to crack down on companies suffering breaches of private customer information. The Federal Trade Commission's chairwoman has endorsed the idea and the Senate Judiciary Committee's chairman hinted this week that a new law might be inevitable. "We may well face a necessity for some really tough legislation," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa. The new push for government action responds to frustrated constituents who are among more than 10 million victims of identity theft each year, some of them twice or three times. It comes after years of reluctance by most companies to voluntarily report break-ins that put customers' financial information at risk. "Congress is primed to take a very serious look at this and pass comprehensive legislation," said Sen. Charles Schumer , D-N.Y., sponsor for one bill. "Nobody has given this problem the focus it deserves. This is a high priority." A California law already requires disclosures to victimized consumers who live there, and roughly 30 states are looking at similar laws. "The last thing a merchant wants to do is tell all his longtime customers he's been hacked and lost all their information," said Keath Nupuf, chief technology officer for CardCops Inc. of Malibu, Calif. The company monitors Internet chat rooms and other hacker communications for stolen credit card numbers, then notifies merchants and consumers to block bad purchases. CardCops contacted 80 consumers earlier this week to report their card numbers and other personal details were circulating among Internet thieves, Nupuf said. The card numbers were pilfered from merchants that range from mom-and-pop shops to Fifth Avenue retailers. "One guy was blowing a blood vessel," he said. "He was going to drive across country and kill the merchant." Peiter "Mudge" Zatko, a computer expert who consulted for the White House during the Bush and Clinton administrations, often is hired by companies to tighten security and clean up the digital mess after a data breach. Zatko said victim companies "almost never" tell the FBI or customers when sensitive data is stolen. "Maybe they have a government contract and it would look bad," Zatko said. "Maybe they're trying to keep it quiet so they don't scare the financial markets." Sometimes companies warn customers. Howard Schmidt, a former White House adviser, said thieves took a computer this year from the store where he buys eyeglasses. The computer contained his credit and medical information, Schmidt said, but the owner contacted his customers and encouraged them to watch for fraudulent purchases. "That was a good thing," Schmidt said. "I want to do business with these guys." In a twist, the FBI and Justice Department have worked aggressively to shield the identities of corporations that have been hacking victims. To encourage businesses to contact them after such break-ins, U.S. investigators and prosecutors have publicly promised to seal court records, keep top executives off witness stands and use protective orders to keep details of these crimes out of the headlines. "There is still some reluctance to call law enforcement, some hesitancy because of the negative impact on reputation," said Amit Yoran, the Bush administration's former top cyber-security official. He said requiring companies to acknowledge a break-in "may be of value, but it should not be done as a knee-jerk reaction to the handful of high-profile and significant disclosures of the past few weeks." The FTC chairwoman, Deborah Majoras, estimated consumers lost $5 billion and businesses lost $48 billion because of identity theft in 2003. The FTC is studying how it can use existing banking statutes and laws against consumer fraud to prosecute companies that fail to report serious breaches. Majoras said government should consider requiring companies to tell customers about break-ins when thefts put them at financial risk. She also endorsed minimum security requirements for businesses that collect sensitive personal information. "The challenge is to come up with a way of defining when notice should be sent and when it doesn't make sense," said Joel Winston, associate director at the FTC's division for financial practices. Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 23:08:04 -0400 From: Marcus Didius Falco Subject: Web Censors In China Find Success http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51712-2005Apr13.html Web Censors In China Find Success; Falun Gong, Dalai Lama Among Blocked Topics By Jonathan Krim Washington Post Staff Writer The Chinese government is succeeding in broadly censoring what its citizens can read on the Internet, surprising many experts and denting U.S. government hopes that online access would be a quick catalyst for democratic political reform. Internet users in the world's most populous country are routinely blocked from sites featuring information on subjects such as Taiwanese independence, the Falun Gong movement, the Dalai Lama and the Tiananmen Square uprising in 1989, according to a study to be released today by a consortium of researchers from Harvard University, the University of Toronto and Cambridge University in England. The study, which evaluated China's Internet practices over the past year, found the government employed an aggressive array of tactics, including blocking certain keyword searches and whole Web sites, and forcing cyber-cafes to keep records of users and the Web pages they visit. "China operates the most extensive, technologically sophisticated and broad-reaching system of Internet filtering in the world," the study said. Researchers said they worry that China's censorship system could become a model for other countries looking to keep the lid on Internet use. China's success at censorship is even more remarkable to researchers because the country is promoting economic growth using technology. An estimated 100 million Chinese use the Internet, nearly half of whom who have high-speed connections. "The Chinese are successfully developing a market economy at the same time they are continuing to accomplish control over the Internet and the media," said C. Richard D'Amato, chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which monitors and promotes economic progress in China. D'Amato said the jury "is not only out, it's way out" on whether the Internet is playing the democratizing role the United States had hoped. The study also undermines the popular notion that the Internet is an organism that is difficult to tame. "The Internet is wildly misunderstood," said Rafal Rohozinski, director of the Advanced Network Research Group at Cambridge, who participated in the study. "It is built around very specific chokepoints" that can be controlled. Using tests conducted inside and outside China, researchers were able to identify censorship at many of those points. Filters are placed on the main "backbone" networks that carry Internet traffic, the study said. A handful of licensed Internet providers also perform their own filtering. Major Chinese search engines filter out or block keywords that would enable surfers to see certain sites. Providers of Web log, or blogging, services block certain posts. Text messaging software has built-in forbidden lists of keywords, which halt service temporarily if used. Chinese authorities perform these tasks largely using U.S. hardware and software. For example, Cisco Systems Inc. routers, machines that move Internet traffic around, are capable of recognizing individual portions of data, a technology that helps battle worms and viruses. That same technology can be used to distinguish certain content. Companies such as Cisco and Google Inc. have been accused of aiding China's censorship by tailoring their products to suit the government's needs. The study did not confirm those allegations, which the companies have denied. Some reports on Chinese censorship also claim that the country has as many as 30,000 "Internet police" dedicated to the task, but the study did not confirm that estimate. Still, it identified 11 government agencies that share responsibility for controlling Internet use in the country. Despite wholesale blocking of Web sites dedicated to news on Taiwan or Tibet, for example, Chinese surfers still can get access to many Western news and culture sites. Researchers said the filtering efforts seem to shift regularly, so that at certain times a CNN site on Tiananmen Square was accessible, for example. Rohozinski said the censorship efforts seem to primarily target sites written in Chinese. Copyright 2005 The Washington Post Company NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Washington Post Company. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I wonder why it would not be feasible to route all our internet traffic _through China_ and have them adjust their filter mechanisms to censor out all spam. It would be a good way for Americans and Chinese people to work together on a very worthwhile, useful project. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Jack Decker Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 10:54:28 -0400 Subject: Packet8 Joins 'Unfee' Trend http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/62523 Packet8 Joins 'Unfee' Trend; $1.50 'Regulatory Recovery Fee' in May Like the wireless companies and landline incumbents before them, the VoIP industry has slowly succumbed to adding "regulatory recovery fees" to their bills. These aren't official government mandated fees, they're simply rate hikes disguised as fees so you'll blame Uncle Sam instead of the company responsible. Packet8 is the latest to employ this tactic, and will begin adding a $1.50 regulatory recovery fee on your bills effective May 1. [Comment: As many of you know, I think this is a particularly sleazy tactic that allows companies to advertise one price but actually charge another. I think it is absolutely wrong and constitutes deceptive advertising, and I wish that the attorney generals of some of the states would get together and sue the companies that engage in this practice. If you want to raise your rates, then raise your rates, but don't just make up bogus fees that you are not required to charge and tack them on to get a defacto rate increase, while still advertising the lower price.] Article + reader comments at: http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/62523 How to Distribute VoIP Throughout a Home: http://michigantelephone.mi.org/distribute.html If you live in Michigan, subscribe to the MI-Telecom group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MI-Telecom/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 23:33:07 +1000 From: Colin Subject: Texting is Slower Than Morse The Sydney Morning Herald reports on a challenge between 93 year old telegraph operator transmitting morse code to an 82 year old with a manual typewriter, and youngsters sending a text message. The text message was received 18 seconds after the message was already on paper. http://smh.com.au/articles/2005/04/14/1113251739401.html Regards, Colin Sutton ------------------------------ From: FrazNor@gmail.com Subject: Re: Traditional Mail Discouraged? Date: 14 Apr 2005 19:25:43 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com > 2) Film studios used to have their addresses listed but some no longer > do. Particuarly, the WB TV network refuses postal mail and has > everything returned to the sender. Actors sending in pictures and resumes to film/TV studios often send them in clear plastic envelopes. Associated Bag makes a nice plastic envelope/bag that I have used instead of #10 envelopes. I fold over open end and use the mailing label and self-adhesive stamp to seal it closed. ------------------------------ From: henry999@eircom.net (Henry) Subject: Re: Traditional Mail Discouraged? Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:45:29 +0300 Organization: Elisa Internet customer wrote: > I get the feeling organizations no longer want the public to contact > them via traditional postal mail. (No more "Keep those cards and > letters coming in"). > I suspect this is largely due to the antrax attacks of Sept 11 ... 'Largely'? I think that's silly. It is obviously an economic decision, pure and simple. Cheers, Henry ------------------------------ From: Supak Lailert Subject: Re: Spam Hits Us Hard Today - Message Losses Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 16:56:57 +0700 Hi Pat, I don't know about your current SpamAssassin set up but have you updated the latest rules from http://www.rulesemporium.com/ regularly? From my SpamAssassin installation I found that the spams "evolve" to get around SpamAssassin and only the latest rules will be able to catch those advance spam messages. Cheers, Supak ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com Subject: Re: Spam Hits Us Hard Today - Message Losses Date: 15 Apr 2005 07:38:20 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com TELECOM Digest Editor wrote: > There *has to be* a better way of sorting out the spam. There have been several efforts to outlaw it, but none have passed. Do the 'spam interest groups' have that powerful of a lobby to keep such bills from passing? Or are there other Internet activists who, for their own reasons, are opposed to such laws and regulation? Are there technical reasons of the Internet itself that prevents restricting spam? P.S. The real "Spam" is a pork luncheon meat made by the Hormell Company. Been around for years. During the WW II it was given to soldiers who complained about it. The problem was not with the food itself -- people liked it -- but rather than monotony of the same food served over and over again. We take long lasting packaged food for granted these days, but during WW II it was a difficult challenge for the army Quartermaster Corp to preserve food made in the U.S. to withstand long sea voyage to Europe or Asia, keep in all sorts of climatic conditions, and be tasty. The official US Army history series ('green books') admit it was tough for them to do. Cooking stoves used gasoline, but required unleaded because the lead would clog the gear. BUT, leaded gas was needed for vehicles and they didn't want to have to ship both leaded and unleaded gasoline. The logistics of supplying millions of men overseas were incredible. Take a look at the Quartermaster Corp WW II history 'green book'. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: To address your postscript first, even the Hormell Company likes to poke fun at what happened to their product 'Spam' when the internet people got done with it. Have you seen those various commercials playing on TVLand? There are variations on the theme but always with the same results. In one, a houseguest is complimenting the family cook on the meal which has been served, which consists of some spam. As the cook describes how she prepared the meal, each time she speaks the word 'spam' we see her mouth up close, speaking the word deliberatly. The houseguest asks if a second serving might be available, whereupon the cook says. "oh certainly, we always have more _spam_"; a very large delivery truck crashes through the wall and dumps thousands of cans of the canned meat product all over the table where they sit eating. In a second one, the family is sitting at the table eating dinner, but one family member is sitting at the family computer typing something (appears to be the 'erase' key) with an angry, hateful look on his face as he brays loud enough for everyone to hear him, "**M O R E S P A M!!**, and the very same truck crashes the wall of the house and dumps its load (several thousand cans of spam) all over the table and the computer, completely burying the computer and the man who had been doing the complaining. A very brief message at the end of both tells us it came from Hormell Company. Now the first part of your message, summed up thusly: Can't *they* do anything about it? I can tell you that much of the software used in email was constructed thirty years ago when spam was unheard of; it is not easily adaptable for modern times. I can also tell you there was a time many years ago when the very notion of censoring email and/or Usenet messages was unthinkable. And some of us, myself at least, put messages on Usenet saying, "when it eventually gets to the point that the cesspool has to be cleaned out and censoring of email and Usenet news becomes 'thinkable' by then it will be too late." And just think, in the middle/late 1980's around here, we were shocked and offended by that guy on Staten Island who sold magazine subscriptions on the net posing as a foreign exchange female college student, and then 'Spam King' if anyone still remembers him. But ... as offended as we were, the idea of 'outing' them and violating _their_ privacy was still considered 'unthinkable'. And for those of us who had all our wits about us (yes, I used to be that way prior to the advent of my diseased brain) to say it was 'thinkable' and proceeded to do everything in our power to expose those a==holes with highly personal messages giving their home addresses, home phone numbers, Social Security Numbers and even (in one instance) their State of New York Driver's Records (and yes, unnamed reader, I _do_ remember when you graciously forwarded me the files on the internet magazine salesman) all _we_ got for our efforts to expose these creatures was grief. The magazine salesman and Spam King put tremendous heat on the Trustees of Northwestern University, and in their horror that the unthinkable had occurred, and one of the creatures had been (a) censored and (b) had their 'privacy invaded' in turn put the heat on the sysadmin at Northwestern to get my Unix accounts killed. Trouble with that was, that like any good pre-ISP-days netter, I was a 'university Unix system account collector', between Boston University, MIT, Harvard, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of California at Berkeley and a few other places, I had more unix accounts than you could number -- and still have a couple of them around, even despite my brain disease, so the loss of Northwestern only put a slight crimp in my schedule. The magazine salesman and his friend Spam King did not put TELECOM Digest out of business as they claimed. So Lisa, to further elaborate on your question "can't anything be done", there are some politics involved with spam even today. There are still some netters, that though they bitch and moan about all the spam still don't want to get down to the real business of putting them all to sleep once and for all. Thankfully, more and more people on the net are getting to the point of 'thinking' about it. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 18:54:22 -0500 From: John Schmerold Subject: Re: Spam Hits Us Bad Today - Message Losses Pat, We'd be happy to filter it for you. Our filter has been doing an excellent job of cleaning up spam. We see what you see. On week-ends 10% of all mail is ham, 5% maybe spam (lunchmeat), rest is spam. During the week ham goes to 20%. There would be no charge, however, we may end up putting a "Scanned by Katy Computer & Wireless" banner at bottom of scanned messages. All I need you to do is point your mx record for your domain to mx1.schmerold.com In addition, I need to know where you want me to send your mail, I assume that would be: mail2.iecc.com One more thing, when we do this for you, your SPAM is deleted, we only send ham & lunchmeat. John Schmerold Katy Computer & Wireless 20 Meramec Station Rd Valley Park MO 63088 636-861-6900 v 775-227-6947 f ------------------------------ From: Barry Margolin Subject: Re: Comcast Sued for Disclosing Customer Information Organization: Symantec Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 21:22:55 -0400 In article , Lisa Minter wrote: > But no court authorized Comcast to release names and addresses of its > customers, or notified his client that her information had been given > to an outside party, Lybeck said. "Comcast should respect the > rights of privacy who pay them monthly bills," Lybeck said. > Representatives from Comcast said they could not immediately comment > on the lawsuit. > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: If, in fact, Comcast was legally subpoened > for the information, then they _had_ to give it out, or face penalties > themselves. I assume that is the case, Why do you assume that, when the article clearly says "But no court authorized Comcast to release names and addresses"? Barry Margolin, barmar@alum.mit.edu Arlington, MA *** PLEASE post questions in newsgroups, not directly to me *** [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The reason I assume that, Barry, is because otherwise there are inconsistencies in the report. We know that the recording industry is very fond of blind lawsuits; i.e. John Doe 1 through John Doe 1^19 and every John Doe in between. They say that is needed since ISP's will not help them without _first suing and obtaining a subpoena_. I believe they did the same thing in this case. If they didn't, how did they arrive at her name, by asking Comcast 'pretty please'? I know what the article said, but somehow I feel the reporter was misinformed by the lady's lawyer and did not investigate further. After all, the recording people had no way of knowing that Comcast would just turn over; no other ISP's to date have cooperated. And once the subpoena is there, that's all the 'authorization' Comcast needed, right? PAT] ------------------------------ From: Tim@Backhome.org Subject: Re: Can I Port an 800 Number Without the Old Carrier's Permission? Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 05:40:13 -0700 Organization: Cox Communications Indeed it's all about ownership. And, some folks who have transferred vanity numbers to Vonage might be in for an unpleasant surprise when they try to transfer that number from Vonage. ------------------------------ From: Jason Subject: Re: Walkie Talkie Date: 15 Apr 2005 07:07:27 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hi, I refer to walkie talkie that being use in private company and just within the company itself. Any idea? Thank you, Jason [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Chances are likely that the radio you refer to by its generic name 'walkie talkie' was actually a UHF radio operating in something other than the traditional citizen's band frequency. My clue is your reference to 'private company' and 'within the company itself'. Maybe like a radio a security service would use in its work. Those will typically have two or four 'channels' which is all they seem to need. I don't know why they don't have more channels in them; probably they don't need more, and more would make the unit too cumbersome. Any other ideas, anyone? PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 00:13:42 -0400 From: Marcus Didius Falco Subject: Last Laugh! Passenger Found Dead Hour After Plane Lands at O'Hare Nice to see they're alert in Chicago. I guess they wanted to make sure he had time to vote. http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-dead14.html www.suntimes.com Passenger found dead hour after plane lands at O'Hare A passenger was discovered dead aboard American Airlines Flight 154 from Tokyo to Chicago on Wednesday afternoon, police said. The man apparently suffered a heart attack and was found by a cleaning crew about 5 p.m., an hour after the aircraft landed at O'Hare Airport, said Chicago Police Officer Matt Jackson. Authorities were notified and the man was pronounced dead at the scene, a detective said. An autopsy is set for today. The name of the 66-year-old man, whose passport shows he was a U.S. citizen, was not being released by authorities pending notification of his family. The passenger had been scheduled to get on another flight to Indianapolis, his final destination, said Tim Smith, American Airlines spokesman. After the plane had been moved from Terminal 5 to another terminal for cleaning, a crew found the man in a bathroom, Smith said. Lisa Donovan Copyright 2005 The Sun-Times Company ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #164 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Fri Apr 15 16:53:00 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3FKr0Y29779; Fri, 15 Apr 2005 16:53:00 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 16:53:00 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504152053.j3FKr0Y29779@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #165 TELECOM Digest Fri, 15 Apr 2005 16:53:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 165 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Skype Adds New Services for Internet Phoning (Lisa Minter) Telecom Update (Canada) #477, April 15, 2005 (John Riddell) FCC to TV/Radio Stations: Identify 3rd Party VNRs (Danny Burstein) Verizon to Carry Starz Movie Channels (Telecom dailyLead from USTA) Re: Cell Phone Wearing Out? (ron@oakes.net) Re: Cell Phone Wearing Out? (GlowingBlueMist) Re: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronics (Hudson Leighton) Re: Is RocketVoIP Deceiving Customers Regarding Unlimited (Isaiah Beard) Re: Getting Serious About the War on Spam (Danny Burstein) Re: Bell Operating Company Employees/Retirees (sbctech) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 15 Apr 2005 12:40:03 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: Skype Adds New Services for Internet Phoning Skype, the fast-growing Internet telephony company, launched on Friday a voice mail and phone access service in eight countries including the United States, stepping up competitive pressure on incumbent operators. Skype, whose software allows people to make free phone calls over the Internet, said users could now get up to three phone numbers which will allow them to be reached by phone from any ordinary handset, fixed or mobile. Previously Skype users could only be reached from a computer connected to the Internet. "This makes Skype much more ubiquitous," Skype Chief Executive and co-founder Niklas Zennstrom told Reuters. Skype, which launched its Internet software only 20 months ago and never advertised it once, counts 34 million registered users -- a little more than the population of Canada. The company's growth is driven largely by the global migration of consumers toward Internet-routed communications which cost significantly less than cable, satellite and radio telephony. Internet-based telephony was, until recently, mainly used by corporations. Skype said its Internet telephony software passed the mark of 100 million downloads on Friday. The company said its new voice mail and call-in service, called SkypeIn, would cost 10 euros ($13) for three months or 30 euros ($39) for 12 months. Voice mail only costs 5 euros ($7) for three months and 15 euros ($19) for a year. "The new services represent an important new source of revenue for the company," Zennstrom said. The Luxembourg-based business said its existing pre-pay service which enables users to make calls from their computer to ordinary phones at low prices around the world, already counted 1.2 million registered users. The company, however, declined to say how much revenue the pre-pay service, called SkpeOut, had generated since it was launched in August 2004. Zennstrom said he expected about half those subscribing to SkypeOut would want to get the new SkypeIn service. Skype said subscribers to SkypeIn would be able to get a personal phone number in the United States, Hong Kong, Britain, France, Sweden, Norway, Finland or Denmark. However, in some countries such as France, an address will be needed to obtain a phone number. "Anyone may call the user at their SkypeIn number wherever the user travels, providing huge cost savings compared to mobile roaming rates and flexibility for Skype users to receive calls at home, at the office, hotel or anywhere," the Luxemburg-based company said in a statement. Skype said it was seeking to roll out its new SkypeIn service in other countries soon. The company announced in February an agreement with Motorola to preload Skype software on Motorola handsets, boosting its access to the wireless market. Zennstrom said he was expecting the first Skype pre-loaded handsets -- designed by i-Mate, a small Dubai based company, to come to market as early as this month but he did not say in what countries. Zennstrom co-founded Kazaa, the computer peer-to-peer file-sharing software that enabled millions to download music from the Internet for free and caused much pain to record companies. Skype now threatens to do the same to incumbent telecom operators. Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. ------------------------------ Subject: Telecom Update (Canada) #477, April 15, 2005 Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 15:17:18 -0400 From: John Riddell ************************************************************ TELECOM UPDATE ************************************************************ published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group http://www.angustel.ca Number 477: April 15, 2005 Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous financial support from: ** ALLSTREAM: www.allstream.com ** AVAYA: www.avaya.ca/en/ ** BELL CANADA: www.bell.ca ** CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA: www.cisco.com/ca/ ** ERICSSON: www.ericsson.ca ** MITEL NETWORKS: www.mitel.com/ ** SPRINT CANADA: www.sprint.ca ** UTC CANADA: www.canada.utc.org/ ************************************************************ IN THIS ISSUE: ** Ottawa Announces Telecom Review Panel ** Rogers, Bell to Launch Cellphone TV ** Two New CRTC Commissioners Named ** Businesses Urged to Begin 10-Digit Conversion ** Bell Offers Accelerated Dialup ** Aurora Cable to Launch Phone Service ** Global Telecom Spending Up 9.4% ** CRTC Okays Bell "Dry Copper" DSL Offering ** Telus-Shaw Dispute on Hold Until VoIP Decision ** Cisco Buys Server Switch Maker ** Verizon Gets 13% of MCI ** European Businesses Offered Flat-Rate IP Calling ** Nortel to Miss 1Q Reports Deadline ** RIM Lines Up Suppliers in Israel ** Telecom Coalition Launches Website ** Cogeco Revenue, Profit Rise ** Shaw Net Income Up 87% ** Wireless Industry Leaders to Address Calgary Conference OTTAWA ANNOUNCES TELECOM REVIEW PANEL: Industry Minister David Emerson this week confirmed the appointment of a three-person Telecom Policy Review Panel, to report by the end of 2005. As we reported in Telecom Update #475, the panel members are Gerri Sinclair, former head of Microsoft's MSN.ca; Hank Intven, former Executive Director Telecom at the CRTC, now a partner at McCarthy Tetrault; and Andre Tremblay, former CEO of Microcell Telecommunications. ** The panel has been asked to make recommendations that will improve Canada's competitiveness, including the telecom regulatory framework, access to advanced telecom services (including high-speed connectivity), and adoption of information and communications technology. ** The panel will receive submissions from interested parties, hold public consultation, and commission reports on some specific issues. ** Industry Canada says it is already addressing several policy issues that can be fixed in the shorter term, including telemarketing, wireless number portability, and giving the CRTC fining authority. www.ic.gc.ca/cmb/welcomeic.nsf/261ce500dfcd7259852564820068dc6d/85256a5d 006b972085256fe0005b8149!OpenDocument ROGERS, BELL TO LAUNCH CELLPHONE TV: Rogers Wireless and Bell Mobility are preparing to launch television service over their cellular networks. Both will use MobiTV, a Java application that has already been deployed by some U.S. cellular carriers. ** Rogers Mobile Television will offer eight to ten channels by the end of June for a promotional price of $9 a month plus data charges. ** Bell says it will launch in early May with about a dozen channels for $10 a month plus data charges. TWO NEW CRTC COMMISSIONERS NAMED: Heritage Minister Liza Frulla this week announced the appointment of two new CRTC commissioners: Elizabeth Duncan, an accountant and former cable industry executive in Nova Scotia, and Helen Ray del Val, a former senior counsel with BC Tel. They will represent the Atlantic and Pacific regions, respectively. www.news.gc.ca/cfmx/CCP/view/en/index.cfm?articleid=3D137559 ** Denis Carmel, CRTC Director General Communications, will be leaving the Commission staff this spring or summer to take a post elsewhere in the civil service. He will stay at the CRTC until a replacement is named. BUSINESSES URGED TO BEGIN 10-DIGIT CONVERSION: Ten-digit local dialing will officially begin in Area Codes 519, 613, 450, 514, and 819 in June 2006, but a coalition of carriers in the affected areas says that in most cases 10-digit dialing works now. They are urging businesses to begin reprogramming equipment now. See www.dial10.ca for details. BELL OFFERS ACCELERATED DIALUP: Bell Canada now offers a free service, Dial-Up Accelerator, that it says makes dialup access speeds up to five times faster. The technology is from Waterloo, Ontario-based SlipStream Data. AURORA CABLE TO LAUNCH PHONE SERVICE: Aurora Cable Internet plans to provide "full-service standard-feature" phone service by July 1 in its serving area north of Toronto. Aurora will resell PSTN local loops provided by FCI Broadband and is also working with FCI to develop a Voice over IP service. GLOBAL TELECOM SPENDING UP 9.4%: Dublin-based Research and Markets says that worldwide telecommunications revenue totaled US$2.1 trillion in 2004, up 9.4% from 2003. The U.S. market accounted for over one-third of global telecom spending. CRTC OKAYS BELL "DRY COPPER" DSL OFFERING: In Telecom Order 2005-144, the CRTC approves an amendment to Bell Canada's Gateway Access tariff that will allow competitors to use Bell unbundled loops to provide high-speed access to end customers who don't subscribe to any voice service over the loop. Bell says it has had "many requests for this capability." www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Orders/2005/o2005-144.htm TELUS-SHAW DISPUTE ON HOLD UNTIL VOIP DECISION: The CRTC says that it will deal with Telus's complaint against Shaw (that the cableco's telephone service does not comply with its CLEC obligations -- see Telecom Update #475) after the Commission releases its VoIP decision, due by May 12. CISCO BUYS SERVER SWITCH MAKER: Cisco Systems has agreed to buy Topspin Communications, a five-year-old maker of high- performance "server fabric switches" used in grid computing, for US$250 million in cash and share options. When the deal is completed, Topspin will become part of Cisco's Data Center, Switching, and Wireless Technology Group. VERIZON GETS 13% OF MCI: Verizon Communications has purchased the 13.4% stake in MCI held by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helu, paying $2 more per share than it is offering other MCI shareholders in a public takeover bid. Verizon has also filed a registration statement confirming its plan to buy all of the long distance carrier for US$7.6 billion. EUROPEAN BUSINESSES OFFERED FLAT-RATE IP CALLING: Colt Telecom Group plc has launched IP telephony service for businesses in Austria, Belgium, France, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and UK. It offers unlimited local, national, and international calls within those countries for a flat rate of 24.50 euros per user, per month. NORTEL TO MISS 1Q REPORTS DEADLINE: Nortel Networks says it will file its first-quarter financial report by the end of May, missing the deadline set by Canadian and U.S. security regulators. The 2004 annual report is to be filed in April. RIM LINES UP SUPPLIERS IN ISRAEL: Continuing its run of BlackBerry marketing agreements, Research In Motion announced deals April 14 with Cellcom Israel and Partner Communications, which together have 4.7 million subscribers in Israel. TELECOM COALITION LAUNCHES WEBSITE: The Coalition for Competitive Telecommunications has launched a website to provide information on its policy initiatives and activities. ** The site provides details on the previously announced Business Telecom Networking Dinners the Coalition will hold in conjunction the 2005 Canadian Telecom Summit (May 30) and the Telemanagement Live 2005 conference and trade show (October 18). www.telecomcoalition.ca COGECO REVENUE, PROFIT RISE: Cogeco Cable reports sales for the three months ending February 28 of $55.3 million, 9.7% more than a year earlier. Net income was $5.6 million, up from $0.6 million. Cogeco added a net 12,781 Internet customers. ** CEO Louis Audet says Cogeco's forthcoming Internet phone service will not match Videotron's pricing ($16-$30 a month), which he calls "needlessly low." SHAW NET INCOME UP 87%: Shaw Communications' profit for the three months ended February 28 was $32.1 million, an 87% increase over the same period a year ago. Service revenue of $550 million was up 7.1%. Shaw gained 32,539 Internet customers, a 3% increase. WIRELESS INDUSTRY LEADERS TO ADDRESS CALGARY CONFERENCE: Wireless Communications 2005, to be held in Calgary May 17-18, will feature addresses by noted U.S. analyst Andrew Seybold and executives of Virgin Mobile Canada, Vonage Canada, Rogers Wireless, and Research In Motion. For information: www.wirelessconnections2005.com. TO SUBMIT AN ITEM TO TELECOM UPDATE=20 E-mail ianangus@angustel.ca HOW TO SUBSCRIBE (OR UNSUBSCRIBE) TELECOM UPDATE is provided in electronic form only. There are two formats available: 1. The fully-formatted edition is posted on the World Wide Web late Friday afternoon each week at www.angustel.ca 2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to: join-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com To stop receiving the e-mail edition, send an e-mail message to: leave-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com Sending e-mail to these addresses will automatically add or remove the sender's e-mail address from the list. Leave subject line and message area blank. We do not give Telecom Update subscribers' e-mail addresses to any third party. For more information, see www.angustel.ca/update/privacy.html. COPYRIGHT AND CONDITIONS OF USE: All contents copyright 2005 Angus TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further information, including permission to reprint or reproduce, please e-mail rosita@angustel.ca or phone 905-686-5050 ext 500. The information and data included has been obtained from sources which we believe to be reliable, but Angus TeleManagement makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding accuracy, completeness, or adequacy. Opinions expressed are based on interpretation of available information, and are subject to change. If expert advice on the subject matter is required, the services of a competent professional should be obtained. ------------------------------ From: Danny Burstein Subject: FCC to TV/Radio Stations: Identify 3rd Party VNRs Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 17:57:14 UTC Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and UNIX, NYC (VNR = Video News Release) This came to a head in the past few weeks when various folk got all upset about the Bush associates producing video clips which tv stations ran as "news" without identifying the source. Despite people suddenly discovering this annoyance, VNRs have actually been around for decades. You think that five minute clip about car safety (prominently showing a specific car's side impact airbags ...) was put together by your local station? Hah. I laugh at your kung fu. Now that they were jogged, the FCC sent a reminder to stations that they're supposed to identify the producers/distributers ... "With this Public Notice, the Commission reminds broadcast licensees and cable operators that air VNRs, as well as all entities and individuals involved in the production and provision of the material at issue here, of their respective disclosure responsibilities under the Commission's sponsorship identification rules ... http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-84A1.txt [a] http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-84A1.doc [b] http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-84A1.pdf [c] [a] messed up ascii [b] Word [c] pdf (most FCC material is available all three ways. URLs are identical except for the trailing extension) _____________________________________________________ Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key dannyb@panix.com [to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:13:56 EDT From: Telecom dailyLead from USTA Subject: Verizon to Carry Starz Movie Channels Telecom dailyLead from USTA April 15, 2005 http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=20835&l=2017006 TODAY'S HEADLINES NEWS OF THE DAY * Verizon to carry Starz movie channels BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH * P. Diddy sees gold in mobile phone music * Comcast's Internet service experiences technical problems USTA SPOTLIGHT * SUPERCOMM: TIA's and USTA's premiere event EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES * Sorting out the Wi-Fi shuffle * MSOs embrace faster modem technology VOIP DOWNLOAD * VeriSign targets financial companies with new VoIP service * VoIP challenges regulators * VoIP facilitates recording phone calls * Vonage in marketing deal to sell VoIP to college students REGULATORY & LEGISLATIVE * California PUC backs off VoIP appeal * Florida Senate OKs municipal telecom networks Follow the link below to read quick summaries of these stories and others. http://www.dailylead.com/latestIssue.jsp?i=20835&l=2017006 Legal and Privacy information at http://www.dailylead.com/about/privacy_legal.jsp SmartBrief, Inc. 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20005 ------------------------------ From: ron@oakes.net Subject: Re: Cell Phone Wearing Out? Date: 15 Apr 2005 11:33:41 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Choreboy wrote: > A relative complained to Verizon that she had trouble making calls on > a trip through Georgia. Her phone is six years old. The saleswoman > gave the phone to a technician who a said the transmitter was wearing > out and she needed to buy a new phone. The saleswoman offered her a > choice of second-hand phones. One possibility is that the six-year-old phone is an analog (AMPS) only phone. Six years ago, 1999, CDMA was just starting to roll out and relatively few manufacturer had phones out (Qualcomm, Sony and towards the end of the year Motorola and Samsung, IIRC). Right now Verizon Wireless is in the process of reducing their analog coverage to the minimum that they can get away with in preparation to shutting down the analog system once they are allowed. Therefore, it is possible that the trouble making calls was that the area being visited had poor analog coverage, but Choreboy's relative's home area still as good analog coverage. If this is case the technician still made an incorrect statement; either due to ignorance, or because of some policy that blames analog coverage woes on the phone rather than a business decision. If the phone is an analog only phone, upgrading it will eventually become a necessity as the FCC is eventually going to allow the carriers to turn analog off. Ron Oakes ------------------------------ From: GlowingBlueMist Subject: Re: Cell Phone Wearing Out? Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:36:21 -0500 Organization: Octanews Choreboy wrote in message news:telecom24.163.4@telecom-digest.org: > A relative complained to Verizon that she had trouble making calls on > a trip through Georgia. Her phone is six years old. The saleswoman > gave the phone to a technician who a said the transmitter was wearing > out and she needed to buy a new phone. The saleswoman offered her a > choice of second-hand phones. > In this area the phone works as well as ever, so my relative decided > not to replace it until she takes another long trip. > Do cellphone transmitters normally get weak as they age? Wouldn't > that cause a problem in normal use? My neighbor has two relatives who > switched providers because both found Verizon's coverage unsatisfactory > on trips through Georgia. Does it sound as if Verizon is conning my > relative? > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: At first blush, I would say your > relative got a con job. The cellphone transmitter has no idea where it > is at; its job is just to radiate RF. If the phone works okay at your > house, it should work as well in Georgia; I cannot imagine that Georgia > has cellphone towers any further apart than cellphone towers are in > your area of the country, and all that should really matter in the > case of a 'transmitter getting weak from age' is how far it has to > look for a tower. If it can find a tower, that should end the problem > of 'old age'. PAT] As the cell phone continues to work just fine in her local area I agree totally that there most likely was nothing wrong with the phone itself. I would be more inclined to suspect that either she was out of range of cell towers during parts of the trip or due to the age of the phone hers might have an analog style transmitter versus a digital one. Quite a few of the new towers being built only support the newer digital style phone as they can support more than one call at a time in the same bandwidth a single analog phone call would use. If she likes her present phone and does not want to "upgrade" she might want to consider purchasing a TracPhone or other type of prepaid phone for traveling. The model I use will first try to make a digital connection and then switch to analog if that is all that is available, making it compatible with the older towers as well as the new ones. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 12:54:58 -0500 From: hudsonl@skypoint.com (Hudson Leighton) Subject: Re: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronic Devices? Organization: MRRP In article , GlowingBlueMist wrote: > wrote in message > news:telecom24.157.7@telecom-digest.org: >> I just got a 900 MHz DSS cordless phone, and I had the perfect spot >> for it, right on top of my tower computer case. But then I noticed >> that the manual says that the base unit must be placed away from all >> electronic equipment, including PCs, stereos, TVs, and microwaves. >> What is the reasoning for this? Could the magnetic fields generated >> by the speakers in the phone cause any problems? > Usually the problem is nothing more than radio frequency > interferrence. Much like you get if you take a portable radio and get > it too close to your computer or monitor. > I have run into some cases where routers or even computers rebooted > when a portable phone transmitter is placed too close to them due to > the RFI. I know of several server rooms that do not allow any cordless phones, cellphones, bluetooth, etc. in the room, you can't even bring them in if they are turned off, one room has old Ma Bell 2500 phone on very long cords for you to use of you need to talk to tech support while working on a machine. -Hudson -- http://www.skypoint.com/~hudsonl ------------------------------ From: Isaiah Beard Subject: Re: Is RocketVoIP Deceiving Customers Regarding "Unlimited" VoIP Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 15:11:28 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Jack Decker wrote: > A disturbing post just appeared on BroadbandReports.com -- I have > removed references to RocketVoIP from the Resources for Michigan > Telephone Users web site until and unless this issue is resolved. > "Hi all ... I have a problem with RocketVoip (www.rocketvoip.com) They > said their service is unlimited ($24.95) and suddenly they sent me an > email about a week ago, telling me that I'm not qualified as a > residential user and they asked me to switch to business plan. Please > read the attached email. ..." > http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,13170575 FWIW, Packet8 does the same thing to it's customers: http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,12942543 It's unfortuante that these guys are redefining the word "unlimited." E-mail fudged to thwart spammers. Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply. ------------------------------ From: Danny Burstein Subject: Re: Getting Serious About the War on Spam Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 19:25:48 UTC Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and UNIX, NYC In Lisa Minter writes: [ lots snipped ] > http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0414/p02s01-usju.html > (RALEIGH, N.C.) From the outside, it was just another middle-class > tract house with a fountain in the front yard. Inside, it was anything > but homey. Instead of family pictures on the mantle, computer servers > were stacked in closets, 12 high-speed wires snaked into the house, > and monitors were stacked on top of one another. > From here, Jeremy Jaynes, a Raleigh businessman who rose to No. 8 on > a list of "spam kingpins," broke the nation's toughest spam law by > churning out more than 100,000 unsolicited e-mails a month. In fact, > he was moving closer to 10 million a day. Ok, this guy contracted for high speed internet connectivity from someone or another. Why did anyone else accept any packets from this organization? Let the spammer continue to pay the local company. And let the two of them send all the garbage they want to each other. There's no requirement (barring a few unique circumstances) for anyone else to answer the doorbell when they ring. _____________________________________________________ Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key dannyb@panix.com [to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded] ------------------------------ From: sbctech Subject: Re: Bell Operating Company Employees/Retirees Date: 15 Apr 2005 11:28:13 -0700 PAT, We would like to thank you for your support. Yes, our ranks have suffered along with many other telecommunications brothers and sisters. The sbceic.com website is our effort to stay in touch and stay informed. We enjoy Telecom Digest, keep up the good work. The sbceic community [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You are quite welcome. I am wondering if I should add you to our page of telecom links, where it will be permanently noted by interested parties. In your wildest imagination, did you ever think, 25 years ago, telecommunications would change as much as it has? I know I didn't think so. PAT] ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #165 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Fri Apr 15 21:20:30 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3G1KTp02698; Fri, 15 Apr 2005 21:20:30 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 21:20:30 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504160120.j3G1KTp02698@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #166 TELECOM Digest Fri, 15 Apr 2005 21:20:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 166 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson South Korea Cracks Down on Online Porn (Lisa Minter) AS5350, TCL and DTMF Tone (Victor Cappuccio) VoicePulse Lowers Startup Costs and Drops Tax (Jack Decker) Internet Pioneer: VoIP is NOT Telephony (Jack Decker) Mitigating Identity Theft (Dave Garland) Re: Texting is Slower Than Morse (Pete Romfh) Re: Texting is Slower Than Morse (Wesrock@aol.com) Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' (spam trap) Re: Getting Serious About the War on Spam (John Levine) Re: Spam Hits Us Hard Today - Message Losses (Lisa Hancock) Re: Walkie Talkie (Wesrock@aol.com) Re: Clearwire May Block VoIP Competitors (cphipps@gmail.com) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 15 Apr 2005 16:42:41 -0700 From: Lisa Minter Subject: South Korea Cracks Down on Online Porn South Korea Cracks Down on Online Porn By BURT HERMAN, Associated Press Writer The world's most wired country is raiding cyberspace's red-light district in a campaign pitting Confucian morals against modern technology. Since January, the main prosecutor's office in Seoul has issued arrest warrants for about 100 people charged with spreading obscene material under South Korea's telecommunications law, a crime carrying penalties of up to a year in jail or a nearly $10,000 fine. In a highly publicized case last month, police in the southern city of Busan arrested the operator of a Web site that offers a forum to arrange swaps of sex partners. The 36-year-old man, whose name hasn't been released, is charged with spreading obscene material and remains jailed while the investigation continues, said Busan police officer Lee Nam-sik, who is heading the probe. The campaign comes amid a wider moral crackdown starting last year, when penalties for prostitution-related crimes also were doubled. Korea has an active sex trade both online and off. According to the Korean Institute of Criminology, the amount spent on prostitution alone amounted to $23.6 billion in 2002, the last year for which figures were available. At a recent Cabinet meeting, where the campaign against prostitution was discussed, President Roh Moo-hyun stressed the need for establishing a "healthy consumption culture," implying money should be spent on things other than the sex trade. In a country where more than 70 percent of homes have high-speed Internet connections, access to cyberporn is easy. That means traditional taboos in Korea's conservative, Confucian-based society have quickly shattered, said Lee Mee-sook, a sociology professor at Paichai University in the central city of Daejeon. "The code of ethics became weak, and people started satisfying their sexual desires through the Internet anonymously," she said. On a busy street in the center of the South Korean capital Seoul, "adult" Internet cafes aren't hard to find. In the cafes, customers can surf the Web in private booths, as opposed to the open rows of computers found in typical cybercafes. Authorities "can't really control it because it's the Internet, it's impossible," said Lee, 28, a worker at the Red Box adult Internet cafe, who gave only his last name. "We should have the freedom to see whatever we want." Web operators insist that adult content appearing on mainstream sites has been rated by the Korea Media Rating Board, the agency responsible for setting age recommendations for everything from films to computer games, and complain that prosecutors have overstepped their authority. "The portal sites are being accused for what they thought was legal," said Lee Yeun-woo of Kinternet, an organization that represents popular portals such Yahoo Korea, Daum and Naver. "The fine actually isn't that much. But we want to prove what those sites did wasn't illegal and want the prosecutors to prove what was wrong." To get around laws regulating Web site content, some sex sites are based on Web servers outside South Korea. The Ministry of Information and Communications is asking Internet providers to block access to them as well. Many Korean Web sites require users to enter their national identification card numbers to confirm their age to access adult content. But tech-savvy children can use programs to create false numbers or simply use their parents' IDs instead. South Korea's constitution guarantees freedom of speech, but contains the caveat that such expression should neither "violate the honor or rights of other persons nor undermine public morals or social ethics." The law doesn't define obscenity, but Jun Ji-yun, a law professor at Seoul's Yonsei University, said it was understood to be something that "brings sexual disgrace to people." Given the sheer volume of Internet pornography, prosecutors realize they face an uphill battle. They are focusing on larger Web portals and other well-known sites first, in hopes that their investigation will draw attention to the issue and serve as a warning, said Kim Dae-hyun, a Seoul prosecutor. "There are so many crimes and so many pornography sites out there," he said. "We cannot deal with all of them with such a limited amount of people here." AP reporter In-young Bang contributed to this report. NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, Associated Press. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well, take the word of someone who knows what pornographic spam is all about: I get literally tons of it everyday from South Korea, always in those ascii-attempts-to-translate Korean into English, you know, the '@@@@@@@@' characters. But I have installed a Korean language pack from Microsoft I think, and been able to see the _real thing_ as they put it out, and some of it will indeed curl your hair. They are downright weird, even in their porn. Now, an issue or two ago, I suggest a 'good neighbor policy' where we Americans route all our email/Usenet stuff through China for handling and I suggest we include South Korea in that. Now you know how the Chinese government feels about South Korea; they won't listen for a minute to any of that stuff; they'd just as soon nuke them and be done with it. Imagine the Chinese government having to hire a couple million more censors to sit there and trash that stuff all day before they sent our email and news back to us here in the USA. PAT] ------------------------------ From: vcappuccio@gmail.com (Victor Cappuccio) Subject: AS5350, TCL and DTMF Tone. Date: 15 Apr 2005 14:07:22 -0700 Hola a todos, I was wondering if I can do this: Can a AS5350 running a TCL Script, detect when the call is completed and generate a DTMF Tone (like a #) and send it to a Billing Call Control System? Thanks in advance, Saludos, Victor ------------------------------ From: Jack Decker Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 18:31:57 -0400 Subject: VoicePulse Lowers Startup Costs and Drops Tax A VoicePulse press release some of you might find interesting. VoicePulse offers service in as many or more Michigan ratecenters than any of the other major VoIP providers, and seems to receive far more positive comments than other providers on the BroadbandReports.com VoIP forum. Note, if any members of the press are reading this, an e-mail that came to me with this release said that Ravi Sakaria, the President & CEO of VoicePulse, is available for comment - contact Chris Liu, VoicePulse Public Relations, at 732-339-5106 to arrange an interview. Personally, I'd like to see the VoIP companies that actually offer numbers in all of Michigan's area codes (rather than just rateceters in the Detroit and Grand Rapids areas) get some publicity in the major media, and VoicePulse is in my opinion the top company in that regard, especially after this announcement. http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/?d=76351 VoicePulse Lowers Startup Costs and Drops Tax Company lowers first month cost by $50 and drops unwanted tax JAMESBURG, NJ (April 15, 2005) - VoicePulse Inc. announced today a promotion that reduces the startup costs of their most popular nationwide calling plan, the America Unlimited Special Offer, by $50. The America Unlimited Special Offer allows consumers to make the jump to Voice-over-IP (VoIP) for only $24.99/month for unlimited local & US long distance calling. "We've been able to build and maintain an efficient operation without sacrificing customer satisfaction or service quality," says Ravi Sakaria, VoicePulse President & CEO. "Combined with our increased scale, this translates into lower costs for VoicePulse and savings for our customers." In addition, VoicePulse has stopped charging Federal Excise Tax (FET), saving customers an additional 3% each month. VoicePulse is now the only broadband phone service provider that does not charge any unnecessary taxes or regulatory fees other than common sales tax. "There is no clarity regarding whether or not the Federal Excise Tax applies to VoIP service, so we have decided to err in favor of the consumer," says Sakaria. VoicePulse continues to pay Federal Excise Tax to its underlying telecommunications providers, as those services are still regulated and subject to taxes and tariffs. VoicePulse has won awards from highly regarded technical journals and trade magazines such as PC Magazine, PC World, and DesignTechnica. VoicePulse also boasts having the top award from Broadband Reports, which is based solely on customer reviews. ABOUT VOICEPULSE VoicePulse is a New Jersey based communications company that uses its VoIP network to deliver advanced features and high-quality phone service to residential and small-business consumers. The company leads the industry in delivering innovative features and excellent customer service. For more information about VoicePulse, please contact: Rima Vaghasiya 732-339-5100 rima @ voicepulse.com How to Distribute VoIP Throughout a Home: http://michigantelephone.mi.org/distribute.html If you live in Michigan, subscribe to the MI-Telecom group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MI-Telecom/ ------------------------------ From: Jack Decker Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 18:28:16 -0400 Subject: Internet Pioneer: VoIP is NOT Telephony http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=354 4/15/2005 Internet pioneer: VoIP is NOT telephony -Posted by Russell Shaw @ 2:32 am My colleague Renai LeMay at ZDNet Australia has just had the professional privilege of hearing remarks by one of the technology world's smartest men. Vint Cerf. The Vint Cerf that developed the TCP/IP protocol that makes the Internet work. And more than 30 years after that singular (hey, I just realized how Cingular got its name) feat of innovation, there Cerf was yesterday, addressing an Internet governance forum in Sydney. Vint Cerf does not want VoIP to be regulated. His fear, though -- one that I share, is because VoIP "looks like telephony," regulatory bodies all over the world will knee-jerk assume that it needs to be governed. "My concern here is the fact that VoIP looks like, and sounds like telephony," Cerf told the group. "This is horribly misleading. To leap to that conclusion is extremely dangerous. VoIP is really just another application on the Internet. Nothing special about it." Oh, boy. This is a fitting statement for April 15, but how I wish that revenue-hungry state and local governments in the U.S. got it. But they haven't. Here in the U.S., too many jurisdictions are going to keep longingly looking at VoIP as a cash cow -- and will keep trying to figure out ways to glean money from it. The above is from: http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=354 ------------------------------ From: Dave Garland Subject: Mitigating Identity Theft Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 19:50:27 -0500 Organization: Wizard Information excerpted from Bruce Schneir's CryptoGram http://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram-0504.html Bruce Schneir is an important figure in the field of computer and systems security. Mitigating Identity Theft Unfortunately, the solutions being proposed in Congress won't help. To see why, we need to start with the basics. The very term "identity theft" is an oxymoron. Identity is not a possession that can be acquired or lost; it's not a thing at all. Someone's identity is the one thing about a person that cannot be stolen. The real crime here is fraud; more specifically, impersonation leading to fraud. Impersonation is an ancient crime, but the rise of information-based credentials gives it a modern spin ... The crime involves two very separate issues. The first is the privacy of personal data. Personal privacy is important for many reasons, one of which is impersonation and fraud ... The second issue is the ease with which a criminal can use personal data to commit fraud. It doesn't take much personal information to apply for a credit card in someone else's name. It doesn't take much to submit fraudulent bank transactions in someone else's name. It's surprisingly easy to get an identification card in someone else's name. Our current culture, where identity is verified simply and sloppily, makes it easier for a criminal to impersonate his victim. Proposed fixes tend to concentrate on the first issue -- making personal data harder to steal -- whereas the real problem is the second. If we're ever going to manage the risks and effects of electronic impersonation, we must concentrate on preventing and detecting fraudulent transactions. Fraudulent transactions have nothing to do with the legitimate account holders. Criminals impersonate legitimate users to financial institutions. That means that any solution can't involve the account holders. That leaves only one reasonable answer: financial institutions need to be liable for fraudulent transactions. They need to be liable for sending erroneous information to credit bureaus based on fraudulent transactions. They can't claim that the user must keep his password secure or his machine virus free. They can't require the user to monitor his accounts for fraudulent activity, or his credit reports for fraudulently obtained credit cards. Those aren't reasonable requirements for most users. The bank must be made responsible, regardless of what the user does. If you think this won't work, look at credit cards. Credit card companies are liable for all but the first $50 of fraudulent transactions. They're not hurting for business; and they're not drowning in fraud, either. They've developed and fielded an array of security technologies designed to detect and prevent fraudulent transactions. They've pushed most of the actual costs onto the merchants. And almost no security centers around trying to authenticate the cardholder ... That's an important lesson. Identity theft solutions focus much too much on authenticating the person ... once you understand that the problem is fraudulent transactions, you quickly realize that authenticating the person isn't the way to proceed. Again, think about credit cards. Store clerks barely verify signatures when people use cards. People can use credit cards to buy things by mail, phone, or Internet, where no one verifies the signature or even that you have possession of the card. Even worse, no credit card company mandates secure storage requirements for credit cards. They don't demand that cardholders secure their wallets in any particular way. Credit card companies simply don't worry about verifying the cardholder or putting requirements on what he does. They concentrate on verifying the transaction. This same sort of thinking needs to be applied to other areas where criminals use impersonation to commit fraud. I don't know what the final solutions will look like, but I do know that once financial institutions are liable for losses due to these types of fraud, they will find solutions ... Right now, the economic incentives result in financial institutions that are so eager to allow transactions -- new credit cards, cash transfers, whatever -- that they're not paying enough attention to fraudulent transactions. They've pushed the costs for fraud onto the merchants. But if they're liable for losses and damages to legitimate users, they'll pay more attention. And they'll mitigate the risks. Security can do all sorts of things, once the economic incentives to apply them are there ... Doing anything less simply won't work. ------------------------------ From: Pete Romfh Subject: Re: Texting is Slower Than Morse Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 17:17:10 -0500 Organization: Not Organized Colin wrote: > The Sydney Morning Herald reports on a challenge between > 93 year old telegraph operator transmitting morse code to > an 82 year old with a manual typewriter, and youngsters > sending a text message. The text message was received 18 > seconds after the message was already on paper. > http://smh.com.au/articles/2005/04/14/1113251739401.html > Regards, > Colin Sutton And telegraph operators can spell also. No silly abbreviations. I'm forwarding this (by email not morse code) to all the young whippersnappers around the office. They probably say I'm a crochety old fart. And they're exactly correct. =;) Pete Romfh, Telecom Geek & Amateur Gourmet. promfh at hal dash pc dot org ------------------------------ From: Wesrock@aol.com Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 19:40:14 EDT Subject: Re: Texting is Slower Than Morse In a message dated Fri, 15 Apr 2005 23:33:07 +1000, Colin writes: > The Sydney Morning Herald reports on a challenge between 93 year old > telegraph operator transmitting morse code to an 82 year old with a > manual typewriter, and youngsters sending a text message. The text > message was received 18 seconds after the message was already on > paper. > http://smh.com.au/articles/2005/04/14/1113251739401.html > Regards, > Colin Sutton This is not surprising to anyone who has worked with capable Morse operators. My first experience with them when I was writing the play-by-play for University of Oklahoma football games with a Morse operator beside me sending the copy as I wrote it. (Newspapers carried play-by-play accounts in their early editions up to the deadline for that edition in the days before there was television coverage of everything. Later editions, of course, would carry a regular story.) Later, when I was a newsman for United Press in Dallas, which had responsibility for many college football games throughout the Southwest, we were always delighted when a Morse operator showed up with this key and sounder. For most of the games Western Union used teletypewriters with just ordinary key punchers, not usually very skilled. But the Morse operators they sometimes sent were always skilled press operators -- even at that time, in the early and middle 1950s, declining in numbers. In the very competitive news business, their usuable output was well ahead of Western Union teletypewriter operators. Wes Leatherock wesrock@aol.com ------------------------------ From: spam trap Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Harassment from '555-555-1212' Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 17:07:05 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Lisa Hancock wrote: > T. Sean Weintz wrote: >> This is almost definitely a scofflaw telemarketer calling from a PRI >> line. By using a PRI line, can set the caller ID to be whatever he wants. > Could you explain what is a "PRI" line, and characteristicss give it the > power to change caller ID? PRI = Primary Rate Interface. It's a standard High Capacity ISDN line, with 23 B channels and 1 D channel. Generally attached to a PBX system. The "B" channels function as phone lines, while the D channel is iused for signalling. The caller ID info is (I believe) passed back to the CO via the D channel. > Why would any subscriber have access to such a line? Well, where I work we have it beacuse a) it's cheaper than 23 individual business lines, and 2) Much more flexible. I have about 50 or so DID numbers pointed at our two PRI lines -- when someone calls in, the CO passes the DNIS info (eg - what number did the person dial to get us?) to our PBX, and it uses that info to route the call to the correct extension. I also set the outgoing caller ID for calls made to individual extensions to whatever number I have set up to be the DID for that extension. When an outgoing call is made, the system grabs whatever of the 46 B channels I have happens to be free - the caller ID will always be set to the DID number of the extension making the call. I depend on our ability to set the outgoing caller ID. >> You answer and get no-one on the other end because he is using a >> predictive dialer -- a computer dials the numbers, and connects the calls >> to people in the telemarketing call center only when the call is >> answered on your end. If no one is available in the call center to take >> the call, when you answer you get the classic "no one there when I >> answer" effect -- you just hear dead air. > I don't understand that when the fellow answers the call, why someone > doesn't come on on the other end and make their sales pitch. There is > usually a brief 1-2 second, but someone does come on. Obviously they > don't want live people to miss their sales pitches. Yes, but it would seem they have more outgoing lines than they have salespeople to answer them. Common enough -- we all get those hang up sales calls from time to time I think. > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The hassle is the 'predictive dialer' > (which is what they call the device which 'dials ahead' and gets > suckers on the line works too fast for the human beings doing the > talking/selling. It thinks, based on formulas built in, that by the > time it gets a sucker on the phone, an agent will be ready to talk to > them. That's when the predictive dialer plays a pre-recorded message > saying 'please hold, we have an important message for you' or > something similar. That's when I usually hang up, and you should also. > PAT] ------------------------------ Date: 15 Apr 2005 21:09:10 -0000 From: John Levine Subject: Re: Getting Serious About the War on Spam Organization: I.E.C.C., Trumansburg NY USA > Ok, this guy contracted for high speed internet connectivity from > someone or another. That would be MCI. > Why did anyone else accept any packets from this organization? Good question. They're consistently #1 on the Spamhaus hit parade. R's, John [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Then why are they not getting cut off from the rest of the world until they make an effort to get rid of their spam traffic? Is it possibly because your superiors at ICANN and their mouthpiece Vint Cerf are so well funded by MCI that they do not allow (by heavy pressure or otherwise) anyone to put a permanent halt on MCI's traffic? Why is ICANN so silent on the volumes of spam the rest of the net has to endure day after day? Is it because ICANN and Vint Cerf are actually more interested in appeasing the spammers and commercial interests rather than the vast majority of the netizens? John, instead of answering a question with the statement 'good question' why is no one (in authority on the net) actuall, physically cutting off MCI by refusing to accept any or all of their traffic until the spam stops? PAT] ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com Subject: Re: Spam Hits Us Hard Today - Message Losses Date: 15 Apr 2005 14:10:55 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: ... Have you seen those various > commercials playing on TVLand? As an aside, I don't watch TV Land much anymore. I liked them and Nick originally when they showed a lot of classics from the 1950s and early 1960s -- great shows that hadn't been seen for years. But now it's mostly 1980s/1990s stuff and just another station running syndicated reruns. I don't need a specialty cable network to watch "Cheers". > Now the first part of your message, summed up thusly: Can't *they* do > anything about it? I can tell you that much of the software used in > email was constructed thirty years ago when spam was unheard of; it is > not easily adaptable for modern times. IMHO, that is a major weakness of the Internet. I don't know the technical details, but the idea of "anonymous" relay sites is foolish on a public network. When the Internet was a tightly closed community, it could get away with no security (although I'm surprised college kids didn't try pranks with it even way back.) But what works in a closed community simply will not work in an open one. It is ridiculous to me that we spend so much money on anti-virus software and other protections when the network itself should be hardened to protect the bad stuff from getting out on it. Despite all the protection and savvy people, my employer was knocked out of commission on several occasions from 'worms' and the like that flooded the emails. That kind of weakness is scary. Adding locks on the door will not prevent crime in the streets from entering -- we must clean up the crime in the first place. > I can also tell you there was a time many years ago when the very > notion of censoring email and/or Usenet messages was unthinkable. I remember that controversy well. Again, once the Internet became a public network rather than a private one the rules needed to change. I never bought into that early "anything goes" philosophy -- because that philosophy never existed anywhere else. Contrary to myth, college campus conversation never was as freewheeling, open, or as wideranging as educators want us to believe -- there was always some sort of constraint AND moderation of them. In the 1960s it was trendy in some places to use foul language or explicit sex talk on campus. Most kids participated because it was fun to break the rules and they enjoyed doing something in class that they're parents would freak out over. But such talk also made a lot of people uncomfortable (even if they didn't say so at the time), and such people avoided from such discussions. So, what was supposedly a _wider_ discourse was actually a _narrower_ one. In normal society, there are social and legal rules that normally prevent things from getting out of hand. Freedom of speech is protected, but someone who attempts to monopolize it and prevent others from speaking will eventually get knocked day. The overall society isn't perfect but it usually works out. On the other hand, the Internet being technical rather than face-to-face presents a completely different set of challenges. The old social norms and enforceability don't work. I have seen several Usenet groups become worthless because of high volume abusive postings that drown out legitimate discourse. Further, there's something about email that lets people say nasty things they otherwise wouldn't say in other media. Maybe because it's so easy to type it fast and send it without proofing as we once did when we typed or handwrote letters, or when speaking to someone face to face. And then of course there's anonymous email that is often used to harass and intimidate or worse. > So Lisa, to further elaborate on your question "can't anything be > done", there are some politics involved with spam even today. There > are still some netters, that though they bitch and moan about all the > spam still don't want to get down to the real business of putting them > all to sleep once and for all. Thankfully, more and more people on the > net are getting to the point of 'thinking' about it. PAT] Is it still the pioneer "netters" who fight efforts to block spam, or are corporate interests involved somewhat? IIRC, some spam fighting techiques were opposed by mainstream corporations because they can send out mass emails, too. (Sears fought against automated computer phone messages because it uses them to set up service call appts. I think they should spring to hire real people to do that.) Thanks for your observations. What scares me is that the pendulum might swing far in the other direction and draconian steps will be taken to "protect us". [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: What you term 'pioneer netters' are the only ones who know anything about the system at all. Corporate interests don't know beans about it. All they know is that when Gore invented the internet, he included 'cheap email' with it. If the 'pioneer netters' decided to shut the whole thing down -- bring it all to a sreaming halt for a couple days -- my feeling is ICANN and their mouthpiece Vint Cerf would soil their pants, right, John??? They take our registration money (paid for the domain names) and went off to Argentina in South America last week for a convention, where they could kiss each other's backsides and compliment each other on the fine job they are doing on the net. As has been said many times in the past, ICANN hopes to rip off the net entirely from most of us and give it to commercial interests, and MCI is one of the principals in the scheme. What I do not understand is why ICANN does not cut to the chase and declare this to be all one big SpamNet, where the rest of us innocent bystanders is 'allowed to send messages if we wish'. Instead of using Spam Assassin and the like, the rule will just just toss it all out except for persons X, Y and Z provided _we_ have paid fees to use it. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Wesrock@aol.com Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 19:54:18 EDT Subject: Re: Walkie Talkie In a message dated 4/15/05 2:37:59 PM Central Daylight Time, editor@telecom-digest.org writes: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Chances are likely that the radio you > refer to by its generic name 'walkie talkie' was actually a UHF radio > operating in something other than the traditional citizen's band > frequency. My clue is your reference to 'private company' and 'within > the company itself'. Maybe like a radio a security service would use > in its work. Those will typically have two or four 'channels' which > is all they seem to need. I don't know why they don't have more channels > in them; probably they don't need more, and more would make the unit > too cumbersome. Any other ideas, anyone? PAT] The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and Family Radio Service (FRS) have many, many channels,some of them shared and interoperable between the two services, and multiple identifying tones available on each channel to mute the receiver unless its tones are received to avoid having to listen to all the other transmissions on that channel. There are also many business services, some for itinerant use, some for fixed use, some designated for particular types of business, that all serve as walkie talkies. Not only security people, but many store people (stockers, managers, checkers, the cleaning and maintenance staffs and many other store employees) use to communicate with each other, usually with the receive volume turned up so high that all the customers are annoyed as they shop. Many people find it interesting to monitor all the walkie talkie communications at athletic events, car races, parades, etc., as part of their enjoyment of the sport. Wes Leatherock wesrock@aol.com ------------------------------ From: cphipps@gmail.com Subject: Re: Clearwire May Block VoIP Competitors Date: 15 Apr 2005 16:54:23 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Jack Decker wrote: http://www.crn.com/sections/breakingnews/dailyarchives.jhtml?articleId=159905955 > Clearwire May Block VoIP Competitors > Vonage says it's been blocked; Company's terms of service "prohibits" > use of certain high-bandwidth applications. > By Paul Kapustka, > Advanced IP Pipeline 2:32 AM EST Fri. Mar. 25, 2005 > Someday, customers of wireless broadband provider Clearwire Corp. may > be able to use Voice over IP services. But right now, Craig McCaw's > newest company is giving its customers the silent treatment by > apparently blocking outside VoIP providers from its network. > In what the company claims is an effort to preserve the performance of > its pre-standard WiMAX network, Clearwire says it reserves the right > to prohibit the use of a wide range of bandwidth-hungry applications, > a list that apparently includes VoIP as well as the uploading or > downloading of streaming video or audio, and high-traffic Web site > hosting. According to the company's terms of service, Clearwire > reserves the right to restrict access or terminate service to > customers who don't comply with its rules. > While a company executive claimed the restrictions were necessary to > ensure network performance reliability, Clearwire could not explain > how that issue would be resolved when it offers its own VoIP services > in the near future. Earlier this month, Clearwire signed an agreement > with Bell Canada under which Bell Canada will provide VoIP systems and > services for Clearwire, at a date and price yet to be announced. > Full story at: http://www.crn.com/sections/breakingnews/dailyarchives.jhtml?articleId=159905955 > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Aren't there, in most communities a > choice of other highspeed data services, such as AOL? PAT] ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management (MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35 credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including data, video, and voice networks. The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum. Classes are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning. Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at 405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at http://www.mstm.okstate.edu ************************ In addition, gifts from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert have enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V24 #166 ****************************** From editor@telecom-digest.org Sat Apr 16 16:24:42 2005 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id j3GKOfF13564; Sat, 16 Apr 2005 16:24:42 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 16:24:42 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200504162024.j3GKOfF13564@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V24 #167 TELECOM Digest Sat, 16 Apr 2005 16:25:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 167 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Tufts Warns Alumni on Breach / Computer Attack Exposed Names (M Solomon) Retailer Knew Last Fall About Security Breach (Monty Solomon) Battle Against Spam Shifts to Containment (Monty Solomon) New Technology Poses Peril: VOIP Not Handling Emergency (Jack Decker) Re: Spam Hits Us Hard Today - Message Losses (Tom Lynn) Re: Spam Hits Us Hard Today - Message Losses (shlichter1@aol.com) Re: Getting Serious About the War on Spam (John Schmerold) Re: Cell Phone Wearing Out? (Joseph) Re: Internet Pioneer: VoIP is NOT Telephony (Tim@Backhome.org) Re: Can I Port 800 Number Without Old Carrier's Permission? (DevilsPGD) Re: Web Censors In China Find Success (Kaminsky) Re: Is RocketVoIP Deceiving Customers Regarding Unlimited (Tom Lynn) Re: Mitigating Identity Theft (mc) Re: Why Must a Cordless Phone be Away From Electronic Devices (Tony P.) Re: Texting is Slower Than Morse (Tony P.) Re: Texting is Slower Than Morse (mc) Re: Last Laugh! Passenger Found Dead Hour After Plane Lands (Tim) Re: Last Laugh! Passenger Found Dead Hour After Plane Lands (Joseph) Last Laugh! Honesty on the Internet (TELECOM Digest Editor) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 22:12:07 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Tufts Warns Alumni on Breach / Computer Attack Exposed Names Tufts warns alumni on breach Computer attack exposed names, numbers to theft By Hiawatha Bray, Globe Staff | April 12, 2005 For the second time in a month, a Boston-area college is warning thousands of alumni that their personal information may have been stolen from a computer system used for fund-raising. Tufts University last week began sending letters to 106,000 alumni, warning of 'abnormal activity' on a computer that contained names, addresses, phone numbers, and, in some cases, Social Security and credit card numbers. http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2005/04/12/tufts_warns_alumni_on_breach/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 22:14:59 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Retailer Knew Last Fall about Security Breach Retailer knew last fall about security breach that recently roiled credit card companies By Hiawatha Bray, Globe Staff | April 15, 2005 A computer security breach at Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. that has recently roiled two major credit card companies actually occurred last fall. But Polo only made the problem public yesterday. http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2005/04/15/retailer_knew_last_fall_about_security_breach_that_recently_roiled_credit_card_companies/ Breach in security reaches 2d credit firm MasterCard, Visa refuse to identify retailer whose computer system was hit By Bruce Mohl, Globe Staff | April 14, 2005 The scope of a computer system breach at a national retailer widened yesterday to involve the customers of a second major credit card firm, but those companies refused to divulge the name of the retailer. The existence of the security breach first surfaced this week when HSBC North America began notifying 180,000 of its GM MasterCard customers that their credit card information had potentially been compromised. HSBC, which issues the GM cards, urged each customer to replace their card as quickly as possible. http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2005/04/14/breach_in_security_reaches_2d_credit_firm/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 21:41:57 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Battle Against Spam Shifts to Containment By ANICK JESDANUN AP Internet Writer NEW YORK (AP) -- There's a new strategy in the spam battle: Call it containment. Filters for blocking junk e-mail from inboxes have improved to the point that doing much more will needlessly kill legitimate e-mail, said Carl Hutzler, America Online Inc.'s anti-spam coordinator. So e-mail gatekeepers are shifting gears. Now they're getting more aggressive at keeping spam from leaving their systems in the first place. EarthLink Inc., for instance, is phasing in a requirement that customers' mail programs submit passwords before it will send out their e-mail. Like most Internet providers, EarthLink previously made sure only that a computer was associated with a legitimate account. Now that viruses can co-opt computers and use them to send spam, that's no longer secure enough. So Earthlink sent out new software, made automated tools available for