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TELECOM Digest Mon, 8 Jan 2007 21:15:00 EST Volume 26 : Issue 008
Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson
Phone Charges to be Reduced for Families of Inmates in NY (Danny Burstein)
Nokia-Siemens JV Subject to Restrictions, Report (USTelecom dailyLead)
DISH Network(TM) Launches DishDVR Advantage Package (Monty Solomon)
DISH Network(TM) Introduces TV On The Go (Monty Solomon)
DISH Network Offers Free High Definition DVR (Monty Solomon)
Sling Media and Palm Expand Mobile TV Viewing Experience (Monty Solomon)
Bill Gates Unveils Windows Home Server at 2007 International (M Solomon)
New Motorola Digital Cable Set-tops Have Industry-Leading (Monty Solomon)
Re: Should Kids Have Cell Phones in School? (jtaylor@NOSPAM.hfx.andara.com)
Re: Should Kids Have Cell Phones in School? (Henry)
Re: Should Kids Have Cell Phones in School? (Losa Hancock)
Re: Skype as a Replacement For My Phone (T)
Re: Skype as a Replacement For My Phone (harold@hallikainen.com)
Re: Skype as a Replacement For My Phone (Steve Crow)
Re: The Best Phone Company in America (Steven Lichter)
Re: Telecom Update #561 (Canada) (jmeissen@aracnet.com)
Teens Same Worldwide [Movie, Texting, Cell Phones] (Lisa Hancock)
Re: Verizon to Offer TV Shows on Cellphones (Rick Merrill)
Asterisk is Used in U.S. Prisons? (ronaldl79@gmail.com)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 18:41:05 EST
From: Danny Burstein <dannyb@panix.com>
Subject: Phone Charges to be Reduced For Families of Inmates in New York
The Governor today announced that the State Deofrtment of Correctional
Services will reduce excessive telephone charges paid by the families
of inmates at state correction facilities. This action precedes a
previously scheduled argument slated for Tuesday, January 9, before
the New York State Court of Appeals, during which the plaintiffs are
challenging the legality of the previous administration's policy
relating to the telephone costs.
"Long seen as an unfair tax on inmate families, the newly proposed
rates will charge only the cost of the call, allowing families to
maintain contact with their loved ones, without the undue financial
burden of a State commission on the rate. ...
Rest:
http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/0108071.html
_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
dannyb@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thanks for passing this along; another
item on prison phones and Asterick appears later in this issue.
So Danny, exactly _what_ happened in NYC early this morning? All we
heard here most of the morning on the radio was that someone or some
(terrorist?) organization had released a huge quantity of 'gas' all
over your city. It is uncertain what was being attempted; Mayor B.
thought it might have been an attempt to 'gas everyone to death', but
the mixture was not of sufficient strength to do any damage. Apparently
everyone could smell it, however. Any ideas? Was it terrorists at work?
By the way, its great the state decided to give a break to the
families of inmates. Prison phone systems have always been a terrible
rip off most of the time. PAT]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 12:07:31 CST
From: USTelecom dailyLead <ustelecom@dailylead.com>
Subject: Nokia-Siemens JV Subject to Restrictions, Report
USTelecom dailyLead
January 8, 2007
http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/fUiAfDtusXjyjdCibuddQpBb
TODAY'S HEADLINES
NEWS OF THE DAY
* Nokia-Siemens JV subject to restrictions, report says
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH
* Vonage inks Wi-Fi deal with EarthLink
* Consolidation weighs on Tellabs
* Verizon launches MediaFlo-powered mobile-TV service
* Google, EarthLink come to San Francisco Wi-Fi terms
* Vodafone reviews Hutchison Essar's financials
HOT TOPICS
* AT&T outlines new management structure
* AT&T chief: Wireless "at heart" of company
* Analysis: 2007 looks good for AT&T
* AT&T named "Company of the Year" by Forbes
* Analysis: What the AT&T deal will mean for consumers:
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
* BT rolls out new Fusion Wi-Fi handsets
* Networks look to send shows to TV via Web
* Hybrid devices bring computers, cell phones together
REGULATORY & LEGISLATIVE
* Report: FCC to get tough on pretexting
Follow the link below to read quick summaries of these stories and others.
http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/fUiAfDtusXjyjdCibuddQpBb
http://www.dailylead.com/ustelecom/ustelecom_passiton.jsp
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 16:09:14 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: DISH Network(TM) Launches DishDVR Advantage Package
LAS VEGAS, Jan 08, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH) and its DISH
Network(TM) satellite TV service announced today from the 2007
International Consumer Electronics Show the rollout of its DishDVR
Advantage Package, the first-ever DVR bundle offered by a pay-TV
provider.
The DishDVR Advantage Package saves customers 7 percent over items
purchased separately. For $49.99 per month, DISH Network customers
will receive America's Top 200 with local channels where available and
a dual-tuner standard definition receiver. The offer also includes
DISH Network's 18-month Home Protection Plan, which provides priority
technical support, free replacement of equipment, video cabling and
power surge repairs, reduced priced in-home service and free
installation when a customer moves.
The price of the DishDVR Advantage Package has no hidden charges,
therefore the advertised price is what customers will see on their
bills. The package will be available to customers starting Feb. 1,
2007.
- http://www.quote.com/home/news/story.asp?story=63201828
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 16:12:03 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: DISH Network(TM) Introduces TV On The Go
LAS VEGAS, Jan 08, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH) and its DISH
Network(TM) satellite TV service today introduced the MobileDISH
in-car satellite service, a programming package by DISH Network
combined with cutting-edge antenna technology from RaySat(TM). The
MobileDISH technology allows DISH Network customers to watch live
satellite television from their vehicles, even while in motion.
- http://www.quote.com/home/news/story.asp?story=63202272
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 16:13:15 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: DISH Network Offers Free High Definition DVR
LAS VEGAS, Jan 08, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH) and its DISH
Network(TM) satellite TV service announced today that it will offer
new DISH Network customers the highly-acclaimed, high definition
ViP622 DVR(TM) receiver for free as part of the Digital Home Advantage
Program. The ViP622 DVR is the first HD DVR in the satellite industry
to be offered with no upfront cost to new subscribers, giving viewers
a unique opportunity to experience the exciting world of HD and
commercial-free TV.
- http://www.quote.com/home/news/story.asp?story=63202309
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 09:53:34 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Sling Media and Palm Expand Mobile TV Viewing Experience
Sling Media and Palm Expand Mobile TV Viewing Experience With
Introduction of SlingPlayer Mobile for Palm OS
- Jan 8, 2007 08:30 AM (BusinessWire)
LAS VEGAS, Jan 08, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Sling Media, Inc., a digital lifestyle products company, and Palm,
Inc. (NASDAQ:PALM), a leader in mobile computing, today announced
SlingPlayer(TM) Mobile for Palm OS(R), making it possible to watch
television on the 3G-enabled Palm(R) Treo(TM) 700p smartphone.(1) The
new software, expected to be available Q1 '07, will be demonstrated at
the Anytime-Anywhere Tech Zone in the Sands Expo & Convention Center,
Sling Media booth, No. 69430.
- http://www.quote.com/home/news/story.asp?story=63193074
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 11:18:11 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Bill Gates Unveils Windows Home Server at the 2007 International
LAS VEGAS, Jan 08, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ --
In his keynote address Sunday at the 2007 International Consumer
Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates unveiled
Microsoft Corp.'s (NASDAQ:MSFT) plans for an innovative consumer
software product available later this year: Windows(R) Home Server.
Delivered on hardware from leading partners, Windows Home Server will
help families with multiple PCs connect their home computers, digital
devices and printers, in order to easily store, protect and share
their treasured photos, music, videos and documents. By automatically
backing up home PCs, centralizing a family's digital "stuff" and
allowing access to it away from home, Windows Home Server will help
simplify and enhance family life.
- http://www.quote.com/home/news/story.asp?story=63194379
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 15:40:07 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: New Motorola Digital Cable Set-tops Have Industry-Leading Features
LAS VEGAS, Jan 08, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ --
Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT) today brings together all-digital advanced
home entertainment experiences and innovative new styling with the
introduction of the company's portfolio of fully redesigned digital
cable set-tops.
The announcement was made at the 2007 International Consumer
Electronics show (8-11 January, Las Vegas Convention Center) where
Motorola is displaying the new products at Stand #8545.
The new Motorola DCH Series will enable consumers to enjoy a superior
digital cable viewing experience. The products deliver high-definition
video that can be scaled to 720p or 1080i resolution, surround sound
audio, a hard drive for time-shifting of TV shows and storage of
customer-created media, and advanced processing -- all for bringing a
full world of on-demand and interactive digital cable programming into
the connected home.
Motorola DCH set-tops are also built to deliver the Motorola Follow Me
TV experience, which enables consumers to place-shift video, pictures,
music, and more throughout their home and to their compatible mobile
devices. The product family includes an array of interfaces including
-- High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)(R), optical and coaxial
digital audio outputs, IEEE 1394a, USB, and Ethernet -- for seamlessly
linking the set-top with home theater systems or media networks.
- http://www.quote.com/home/news/story.asp?story=63199721
------------------------------
From: jtaylor@NOSPAM.hfx.andara.com
Subject: Re: Should Kids Have Cell Phones in School?
Date: Sun, 07 Jan 2007 11:48:46 GMT
On Sat, 06 Jan 2007 03:42:01 GMT, Herb Stein <herb@herbstein.com>
wrote:
> <hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com> wrote in message
> news:telecom26.5.2@telecom-digest.org:
>> Should kids be even allowed to bring a phone into the building? If
>> so, should it be allowed with them?
>> I am curious as to what other people think of this issue. It is
>> presently controversial.
>> Generally speaking I don't think kids "need" cell phones; for a kid
>> they're generally a luxury rather than a need.
>> I don't buy the argument that parents need to be able to reach their
>> kids "since 9/11". "9/11" was a once in a lifetime event. Other
>> disasters, natural or man-created can of course happen, but they are
>> rare, too.
> I, for one, agree that no school child needs a cell phone. But then
> I'm an old guy. I don't think they need helmets when riding a bicycle
> either.
I think you're right on both, but the second is something that is
supported by studies; the first needs definition of what ways in which
it might be a problem, and then work to decide if those are indeed the
case.
------------------------------
Subject: Re: Should Kids Have Cell Phones in School?
From: henry999@eircom.net (Henry)
Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2007 20:26:22 +0200
Organization: Saunalahti Customer
Steven J. Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:
> We just got a phone for our teenage girl. It's great because it offers
> safety and convenience.
> But she'd better not ever have it turned on during school.
Hel-lo!
(1) Parents say 'Don't ever do that!'
(2) At the very first opportunity, teenager does 'that'.
Cheers,
Henry
------------------------------
From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Re: Should Kids Have Cell Phones in School?
Date: 8 Jan 2007 07:57:48 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Steven J. Sobol wrote:
> We just got a phone for our teenage girl. It's great because it offers
> safety and convenience.
The convenience part I can understand, especially with the demise of
common pay phones.
Just out of curiosity for discussion purposes, how does it offer
"safety"?
That is an argument I hear very often as justification for giving a
good child a phone (and indeed why I originally got one myself).
For myself, I got one primarily in the case my car breaks down. If
your daughter is driving, then that is a reason, especially nowadays
with few pay phones out there. (However, in ten years I have yet to
use the cellphone for that purpose.)
If the child isn't yet driving, I wonder about the safety issue. In
other words, when I was a kid that was never an issue. My parents'
biggest worry about me outside the home was traffic safety, being hit
by a car carelessly crossing a major street. I think that was the
leading cause of accidents for kids in those days. When I was older
and going further via the subway, they were nervous about muggings on
the subway (with good justification). I did not run around late at
night.
Anyway, I wonder if today's pre-driving kids are exposed to so many
dangers out there? I can't help but wonder if the biggest danger is
unsupervised younger kids looking for something to do and peer group
pressure, such as pushing a hesitant 14 y/o to go to the woods or an
empty house to smoke or drink. In my day parents were home and are
whereabouts, esp pre-16, were pretty closely monitored and structured
without cell phones. We wouldn't allowed to go that far from home to
begin with.
------------------------------
From: T <nospam.kd1s@cox.nospam.net>
Subject: Re: Skype as a Replacement For My Phone
Organization: The Ace Tomato and Cement Company
Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2007 13:30:07 -0500
In article <telecom26.7.5@telecom-digest.org>, joeofseattle@yahoo.com
says:
> dterrors@hotmail.com on 5 Jan 2007 11:59:06 -0800 wrote:
>> Can I drop my phone service and use Skype instead? The Skype site
>> says "Skype is not a replacement for your ordinary telephone" But
>> why not?
>> Has anyone done that?
> The reason they say that it is not is among things that it's not as
> robust as regular telephone service. If you lose your internet
> connection for any number of reasons you no longer have VOiP service
> either. It also cannot connect to your local 911 emergency reporting
> service as well.
I agree that the ISP is the biggest stumbling block but many people
don't realize how often the incumbent telecom providers go down at the
most inopportune moments.
As to E-911 services, VoIP providers have had that for some time
now. I know Vonage does and have had occasion to use the service a
time or two.
------------------------------
From: harold@hallikainen.com <harold@hallikainen.com>
Subject: Re: Skype as a Replacement For My Phone
Date: 7 Jan 2007 12:08:57 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com
This statement may also be an attempt to be exempt for the FCC rules
requiring interconnected VoIP services to offer E911 service. See
http://www.hallikainen.com/FccRules/2007/9/ . In particular, 9.3
defines an interconnected VoIP provider as "(3) Requires Internet
protocol-compatible customer premises equipment (CPE)." While many
VoIP providers allow use of CPE, they also allow a standard computer
with special software to make and receive calls. This MAY get around
the "requires" portion of this rule, allowing them to offer VoIP
without E911 support. Just a thought, not a legal opinion!
Harold
------------------------------
From: Steve Crow <steve.crow@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Skype as a Replacement For My Phone
Date: 7 Jan 2007 05:05:28 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com
dterrors@hotmail.com wrote:
> Can I drop my phone service and use Skype instead? The Skype site says
> "Skype is not a replacement for your ordinary telephone" But why not?
> Has anyone done that?
It's called "CYA." With no 911 capability and the inherent reliability
issues, it makes sense for them to make some effort to discourage
people from using Skype as their primary phone system.
Regardless, I'm in the process of doing it. Skype is replacing my cell
phone, which replaced my home phone years ago. How and why?
Here's how. My approach is a bit more ... interesting. I'm running Skype
on my laptop, desktop, and PDA and am establishing a portable wi-fi
hotspot using a Sprint Novatel S720 PCMCIA card and the Linksys
WRT54G3G-ST router (it directly accepts the PCMCIA card, dials to
Sprint's data network, and serves wi-fi). The router will be mounted in
the trunk of my car, possibly with a mag-mount wi-fi antenna for better
hotspot range, and will of course be portable for indoor use. I chose
to use a PDA over a Skype phone for compatibility with commercial
hotspots. I'm also using Grand Central as my primary inbound number and
have it set to ring a backup cell phone, as well as a SIP number over
at Gizmo I'm test-driving. No matter what system I'm using (VoIP or
POTS) callers will find me.
You can find more information on my project here:
http://www.stevecrow.net/welcome/2007/1/1/a-crazy-idea-but-it-would-work.html
Why this setup? I found that much of what I was doing with my cell
phone was data-related. Web browsing, e-mail, messaging, tethering the
laptop to the data connection. I was using a phone to accomplish
predominantly data activities, doing very little actual "phone stuff."
It makes more sense to go data first and let my phone service be
secondary.
Your situation may vary, of course.
I did take the precaution of entering the direct-dial numbers for the
local PSAP's into my Skype phone list such that they appear at the top
of the list. In the event I need quick access in an emergency, the
local PSAP numbers are right at the top and I can call them easily. I
hope that is never necessary.
------------------------------
From: Steven Lichter <diespammers@ikillspammers.com>
Organization: I Kill Spammers, Inc.
Subject: Re: The Best Phone Company in America
Date: Sun, 07 Jan 2007 15:28:36 GMT
Steven J. Sobol wrote:
> In article <telecom26.6.7@telecom-digest.org>, Steven Lichter wrote:
>> Cox and Time-Warner got into telephones years before the others, so it
>> would not surprise me that they would build backup systems. I had a
>> friend of mine that went to work for Time-Warner in south Riverside
>> county; he was telephone company trained.
> But Verizon and its predecessors were in the phone business long
> before Cox or Time Warner, and they make you buy your own battery
> backup ...
> I think it's not a "we have more of a clue because we've been
> providing phone service longer" thing, it's a "we'll differentiate
> ourselves by spending some extra money so we can better service the
> customer" thing.
> Steve Sobol, Professional Geek ** Java/VB/VC/PHP/Perl ** Linux/*BSD/Windows
> Victorville, California PGP:0xE3AE35ED
> It's all fun and games until someone starts a bonfire in the living room.
I'm well aware of Verizon being in business long before and how the
system operates; I spend 30 years with GTE until I retired, in COE and
built many of the systems from the Step to 5ESS. A Cox CO that is in
operation is a NT system and has battery backup for their systems, not
having been in the office in some years, I'm not sure it it supplies
battery to its customers over the coax, maybe now fiber, but I would
guess that the modem in the customers home would go down; that is a
major problem, that regular phone customers may not have; but how many
people that you know have just regular phones? I have wireless phone
that runs on AC, they have battery backup, but that is for memory, so
phone company customers may have dial tone, but still can't use their
phone or even DSL. I have AT&T (SBC/PacTel) for my service and have not
had problems, but then I have a full backup system, plus we have solar
electric panels on our house which supply our power needs and most of
the year send power back into the grid. As with the cable companies,
Verizon is deploying Fiber Optic cable and I think they will have many
of the same problems as cable companies have.
You said that your cable company was Charter Communications, we have
them here in Riverside, I would guess that they are better then the
first few we had over the years, but I still stick with the LEC,
mainly because I get a retirement concession from Verizon for my phone
service and if I had cable service I would not get it.
The Only Good Spammer is a Dead one!! Have you hunted one down today?
(c) 2007 I Kill Spammers, Inc. A Rot In Hell Co.
------------------------------
From: jmeissen@aracnet.com
Subject: Re: Telecom Update #561 (Canada)
Date: 7 Jan 2007 08:25:04 GMT
Organization: Aracnet Internet Services
> OUR NEW LOOK: Beginning with this issue, the e-mail edition of Telecom
> Update will be published in HTML instead of plain text. We will
> fine-tune the design over the next few weeks, to make Canada's
> most-widely-read telecom publication even more readable and usable. We
> welcome your comments and suggestions: please email them to
> ianangus@angustel.ca.
Big mistake. HTML email is a primary vehicle for spam and phishing.
Some organizations are going as far as banning HTML email.
I for one will never subscribe to a newsletter which does not provide
a text-only option.
John Meissen jmeissen@aracnet.com
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Nor will I, and I have suggested to Ian
Angus that this may be a mistake by their company. PAT]
------------------------------
From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Off Topic: Teens Same Worldwide: [Movie, Texting, Cell Phones]
Date: 8 Jan 2007 09:39:34 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com
OFF TOPIC (mostly)
I watched the Italian movie "Caterina in the City", about an Italian
young teen who moves from a small town to Rome and has to adjust.
Cute movie, I recommend it.
What was amazing was that the attitude of the kids in school was
exactly the same as kids in a comparable U.S. school. I guess I
expected that European kids would be better behaved and respectful
toward their teachers and each other. They weren't. (The kids also
shoplifted in dept stores, something I figured was a U.S. only game.)
There were also pronounced economic and political class differences
between the kids. The "spoiled princess" girls were just as
irritating as their American counterparts.
Just like here, the kids all had their cell phones. A girl and a boy
met and were texting each other every day.
Historically, I understand that the landline telephone system of
Europe was never as developed as that of the U.S. Telephone service
was more expensive, less reliable, and less available (waiting lists)
compared to the U.S. Travelers always reported back to me the
troubles of foreign telephone service. Less developed countries (ie
Soviet bloc) had very poor service, many places sharing a corner pay
phone instead of a phone in each apt.
I don't know how land line service quality is in Europe today (did
they ever get it working well?), but I've read that contrary to the
U.S., wireless phone service took off faster and is more advanced and
widespread than the U.S.
Could anyone comment on the state of wireless and landline telephone
services in Western Europe?
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 07 Jan 2007 07:52:14 -0500
From: Rick Merrill <rick0.merrill@NOSPAM.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Verizon to Offer TV Shows on Cellphones
Steven J. Sobol wrote:
> In article <telecom26.6.1@telecom-digest.org>, Reuters News Wire wrote:
>> The programs would be among the first full-length television shows to
>> be offered to cellular subscribers in the United States, the Times
>> said. The deal could help make mobile phones more competitive with
>> Apple Computer's iPod, after Apple said in 2005 it would offer shows
>> from the ABC network for sale, the paper added.
> Alright. Now the handset manufacturers just need to start releasing
> phones with 15" screens. :)
Or that project from an 'eyeglass' directly onto the retina ...
------------------------------
From: ronaldl79@gmail.com
Subject: Asterisk is Used in U.S. Prisons?
Date: 6 Jan 2007 22:23:40 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com
So says "The Voice of Asterisk," Allison Smith, in a new interview:
http://www.ronaldlewis.com/interviews/2007/01/interview-with-allison-smith-north.html
(Check out the bonus near the end regarding a hilarious prompt she
recorded for Asterisk -- too funny!!)
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Regards prison phone systems, also see
the first message in this issue today from Danny Burstein reporting
on changes in the pricing structure of phone calls in New York prisons.
------------------------------
End of TELECOM Digest V26 #8
****************************
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