TELECOM Digest     Thu, 8 Mar 2007 00:27:00 EST    Volume 26 : Issue 66

Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Verizon-Vonage Patent Case in Hands of Jury (Peter Kaplan, Reuters)
    Fake Caller ID, was: Walmart Worker Taped Reporter's Calls (Danny Burstein)
    CommunicationsDirect News Daily Update (communicationsdirect_daily)
    AT&T, Verizon Customers to Use Cell Phones (USTelecom dailyLead)
    Re: Old Interurbans (was Skokie Swift) (Lisa Hancock)
    Re: 511 Traffic Phone Lines May Raise Crash Risk (Lisa Hancock)
    Re: Phone Call Routing (Sam Spade)
    Re: Unlisted Phone Number (Charles Gray)
    Re: Innocent Teacher Convicted in Computer Porn Case (mc)

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Date: Wed, 07 Mar 2007 22:25:55 -0600
From: Peter Kaplan, Reuters <reuters@telecom-digest.org>
Subject: Verizon-Vonage Patent Case in Hands of Jury


By Peter Kaplan

A federal jury on Wednesday began reviewing evidence in Verizon
Communications Inc.'s $197 million patent infringement case against
Internet phone service provider Vonage Holdings Corp.

The eight-member jury deliberated for about three hours and sent the
judge several notes asking for clarification of some terms used in the
lawsuit.

Although the panel asked to work into the night, U.S. District Judge
Claude Hilton sent jurors home and said deliberations would resume at
10 a.m. ET (1500 GMT) on Thursday.

In closing arguments, a lawyer for Verizon told jurors that Vonage had
built its business based on Verizon's patents and said Vonage should
be forced to pay damages.

Going forward, Vonage also should be ordered to pay Verizon a royalty
of $4.93 per telephone line per month for its voice-over-Internet
protocol (VoIP) technology, said Verizon lawyer Dan Webb.

"This company has done very well with our patents and our technology
for a number of years," Webb told jurors.

Verizon claims that Vonage is infringing on five patents on technology
devised by Verizon engineers in the mid-1990s that is central to
Internet phone service.

The patents cover technology that allows calls made through the
Internet to be connected to traditional phone numbers; that enable
Internet phone service to use features such as call waiting and
voicemail; to coordinate billing; and to connect through a wireless
network.

Vonage insists that Verizon's patents were invalid and were not
infringed upon by the Vonage system.

LARGER EFFECT ON VoIP

Vonage's lawyer, Roger Warin, said Verizon is using the patent
infringement allegation to try to destroy Vonage and thwart
competition.

"We didn't take their (intellectual) property," Warin said.

Warin provided for jurors what he said were differences between the
technology that Vonage uses and the patents owned by Verizon.

And Verizon's patents were invalid anyway, he said, because the
technology was invented earlier by Net2Phone, another provider of VoIP
service.

If the jury finds that Vonage infringed Verizon's patents, the judge
could issue an injunction barring Vonage from using the technology.

Vonage has said that the outcome of the case would not disrupt its
business.

One investment advisory firm said the lawsuit is important because it
spotlights the extent to which VoIP relies on open standards rather
than proprietary technology. "The outcome of the case against Vonage
will likely spill over to the larger VoIP sector," said Stifel
Nicolaus & Co in a report.

Vonage has struggled to turn a profit, and its share price has fallen
sharply since its initial public offering last May at $17. On
Wednesday afternoon, Vonage edged down 17 cents to $5.05 on the New
York Stock Exchange.

Copyright 2007 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. And, discuss this and other topics in our forum at
http://telecom-digest.org/forum (or)
http://telecom-digest.org/chat/index.html

For more news and headlines, please go to:
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/newstoday.html

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

From: Danny Burstein <dannyb@panix.com>
Subject: Fake Caller ID, was: Walmart Worker Taped Reporter's Phone Calls
Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 03:47:44 UTC
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and UNIX, NYC


In <telecom26.65.2@telecom-digest.  org> Julie Creswell, NY Times
<nytimes@telecom-digest.org> writes:

 [ snip ]

> It is unclear whether the technician was able to sort Mr. Barbaro's 
> calls from those other Times reporters might have made to Wal-Mart since 
> all calls from the newspaper's New York office register on caller ID 
> screens as a series of numeral 1s.

I've had numerous phone conversations with people at different offices
of the NY Times, and yes, indeed, the CNID they send out is 111-1111
(I don't recall if there was an "area code" of similar digits).

I've complained to my correspondents about it, telling them that it's
pretty ugly that they (the NY Times), choose to hide the ID. Oh, and
that many people and businesses will /dev/null calls (apparently)
coming from that number figuring it's a telemarketer.

Hmm, come to think of it ... what happens when they call a law
enforcment type? As we just discovered in the Libby verdict, lying to
the Feds is actionable ...

_____________________________________________________
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: NY Times has always been, in their own
mind at least -- an exception to all the rules. PAT]

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

Subject: CommunicationsDirect News Daily Update - March 07, 2007
From: communicationsdirect_daily <communications@communicationsdirectnews.com>
Reply-To: communicationsdirect_daily-owner@communicationsdirectnews.com
Date: Wed,  7 Mar 2007 11:33:53 EST


********************************
PricewaterhouseCoopers Presents
The CommunicationsDirect Daily Update
For March 07, 2007
********************************

Neuf Cegetel Swings into Profit, Outlines FTTx Offer
http://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/120/23121?11228

     The French alternative fixed-line telco, Neuf Cegetel, has swung
     back into profit for the 2006 financial year. Net profits rose to
     213 million euro (US$279.4 million), up by 407 million euro.
     Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation
     (EBITDA) more than doubled to 544 million euro. Revenues
     increased by 5.3% to 2.9 ...

Regulator Set to Drop Plan to Splinter KPN's Network
http://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/140/23119?11228

     The Netherlands' telecoms regulator, OPTA, looks set to abandon
     plans to mandate KPN to spin off its network into a separate
     business. OPTA had considering compelling KPN to spin off its
     network assets into a new business, in a manner akin to the
     United Kingdom's Openreach approach. However, OPTA's new position
     follows on ...

Phoning in Your Performance
http://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/150/23115?11228

     Thanks to the Internet, and sophisticated new software, it's now
     possible for a garage band to hold a jam session with members
     located in garages scattered around the world.  Boca Raton,
     Fla.-based startup eJamming is offering a music-oriented
     peer-to-peer-based service that even the RIAA might approve
     of. The company's ...

AlcaLu Tunes Up Redundancy
http://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/140/23110?11228

     Alcatel-Lucent is beefing up high-availability features on its
     switches and routers, playing up one of the features that's
     helped it gain ground against Cisco Systems Inc. and Juniper
     Networks Inc. High availability generally involves having backups
     available -- a second switch fabric that can take over after
     the ...

AT&T Homezone Taps Wireless
http://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/140/23107?11228

     AT&T's Homezone now makes it possible for customers to manage
     their TV recordings via their wireless handsets. The Homezone
     service, which was introduced last fall, integrates AT&T Yahoo!
     High Speed Internet, AT&T DISH Network satellite television and
     AT&T Home Networking services via a single set-top device.  A ...

FCC's Video-Franchise Order Garners Mixed Reception
http://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/130/23104?11228

     The Federal Communications Commission adopted and released its
     Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
     regarding video franchising, and the fur has begun to fly.  In
     the Order, the commission concludes that the current operation of
     the franchising process constitutes an &quot;unreasonable barrier
     to entry that ...

Google Spy: Big Team Picking Up Phone
http://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/150/23102?11228

     A Silicon Valley insider claims that 100 people are working on a
     new mobile device at Google. Speculation about Google launching a
     device has been rife particularly since Apple Inc. unveiled
     the iPhone this January. Now, Polaris Venture Partners general
     partner Simeon Simeonov, claiming to have insider knowledge, has
     added a ...

Government, Healthcare Take Lead in Mobile Data Use
http://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/120/23100?11228

     SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The use of wireless data in commercial
     applications has grown dramatically in the past decade, from $600
     million in 1996 to $7.2 billion in 2006, reports
     In-Stat. Government and Healthcare verticals have the highest
     adoption rates of wireless data, the high-tech market research
     firm says. Financial Services, ...

Your feedback on our e-letter is always welcome. Send email to
CommunicationsDirect Editor <telecom_direct_editor@us.pwc.com>

Copyright (C) 2007 PricewaterhouseCoopers.

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

Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 12:18:30 CST
From: USTelecom dailyLead <ustelecom@dailylead.com>
Subject: AT&T, Verizon Customers to Use Cell Phones


USTelecom dailyLead
March 7, 2007
http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/gpxAfDtusXnfjfCibuddCzVn

TODAY'S HEADLINES


NEWS OF THE DAY
* AT&T, Verizon customers to use cell phones to program DVRs
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH
* EarthLink packages DSL, TiVo
* Verizon aims to connect with video, games
* Cisco, IBM team up for unified communications
* BigBand demos wideband IPTV solution
* FTTP orders give ADC a boost
* Yahoo! makes Windows Mobile push
* Sprint Nextel board member resigns
* Analyst bullish on Texas Instruments' prospects
USTELECOM SPOTLIGHT
* McCormick calls for action to spur broadband deployment
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
* Microsoft expects windfall as businesses shift to VoIP
* Nokia partners with University of Cambridge for nanotech research
* Sierra Wireless to purchase AirLink for $27 million
* Report: Online TV promos less than sum of parts
* Merrill Lynch says MySpace can be cash cow
REGULATORY & LEGISLATIVE
* United Nations targets world's e-waste

Follow the link below to read quick summaries of these stories and others.
http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/gpxAfDtusXnfjfCibuddCzVn

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

From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Re: Old Interurbans (was Skokie Swift)
Date: 7 Mar 2007 07:42:32 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com


On Mar 1, 7:13 pm, Neal McLain <nmcl...@annsgarden.com> wrote:

> Unfortunately, most of the history of the old interurbans has been
> lost.

There are a great many books on the history of interurbans.  Some deal
with interurbans in general, others are detailed stories on a specific
line.  Some are out of print, but new ones are being published.

Do an author search on William Middleton who has been a prolific
writer on the subject.  Also, www.morningsunbooks.com has new books
out.

A brand new interurban is running between Trenton NJ and Camden NJ,
operated by NJ Transit.

[dupe of prior lost post]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Another excellent interurban line for
many years was the Chicago, South Shore and South Bend Railroad
(the electric orange train which ran between Randolph Street in 
downtown Chicago and South Bend, Indiana. In its hey-day, it ran every
thirty minutes round the clock between those two points, with six or
eight car trains. It ran on its own tracks all the way from South Bend
to 115th Street/Kensington Station in Chicago, at which point it leased
the Illinois Central tracks for the remainder of its trip. (ICRR was
also an electric train with overhead catenary-style wires. Quite a few
years back, they cut down service to South Bend to once per hour, then
eventually just a few trains daily. Now I understand they only run the
train as far east as Gary, Indiana and possibly one or two trains 
daily to Michigan City, or possibly further east to South Bend. All of
their 'own' stations -- that is, east of the split-away from Illinois
Central at 115th Street are in terrible decay, just like CTA's
stations.  PAT]

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

From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Re: 511 Traffic Phone Lines May Raise Crash Risk
Date: 7 Mar 2007 14:09:26 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com


On Mar 6, 4:06 pm, bon...@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi) wrote:

> Its not so much 'talking on the radio' per se, but the _kind_ of
> conversations that go on.  ...

This is very true and very significant.  Some claim it is the hand-
held unit that is the problem and a headset solves it.  Wrong, that is
a dangerous misconception.  It's the cell phone conversation itself
that is dangerous for drivers (and pedestrians, too.)

Also, radio conversations are much more brief and terse:

"GO TO 1234 MAIN STREET, NOW!"

Not:

"yeah, we got a call on Main St., lemme see, was that 4321, 2134, oh,
here it is, 1234 Main.  Yeah, that's the brick building with those
cute hanging plants outside just like my sister has.  You remember
her, she had that holiday party last year where you got SO drunk?  Oh
man, you were plastered!  My sister was pissed at you!  Whaddaya mean
I was drunk, too?  No way!  I had two beers and that was it!  And I
didn't go around bragging that my girlfriend had the biggest boobs
like you did.  Anyway, go over to Main St, whereever the hell that was
and check it out."

> It is also true that police officers _do_ have more training on the
> subject than "Joe Sixpack' does.  I don't know of a civiian 'drivers
> ed' course that touches on the matter, nor a state license exam that
> addresses it.

My employer sent those of us who used company cars to a driver
training class, taught in the same facilities as police officers are
taught in.  These had the driving simulator machines.  Our course was
nothing like a cop's course but it was tough.

Talking on a cell phone and driving ought to be illegal except in
emergencies.  Plain and simple.  I see way too many dangerous mistakes
by driver's yakking around, oblivious to their surroundings, even when
honked at by motorists.  Also, yakkers block traffic by stopping at
green lights, going too slowly, and ending up in the wrong lane.  At
my toll gate there's always a cell phone yakker in the wrong lane
messing things up for everyone else.  They don't even stop talking
when they realize their mistake!

Pedestrians shouldn't cross streets while on their cell phone either.
They're just as distracted and a target to get run over.

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

From: Sam Spade <sam@coldmail.com>
Subject: Re: Phone Call Routing
Date: Wed, 07 Mar 2007 05:51:24 -0800
Organization: Cox


Nothing personal, but I have to chuckle at this one.

The switched public network has been around in its present form since 
the 1950s.  Before that it was similar and evolved into the nationwide, 
and then worldwide automatic network.

There has been huge amounts of material published on the technical 
workings of the telephone system

You would learn a lot more my doing a bit of research rather than 
posting such a query here.

John Schmerold wrote:

> How are phone calls routed and who is responsible for what?

> I understand what happens when I plug http://www.google.com into my web 
> browser, my computer connects to a name server, it contacts its name 
> server until the IP address is determined. Then my router contacts its 
> router until I'm connected to Google.

> When it comes to phone calls I'm baffled. When I pick up the handset
> at the house to call my brother's house across the street, they may or
> may not both be in the same switch, handled by the same carrier,
> delivered via the same physical connections.

> Who is responsible for this routing and how does one go about protecting 
> the route to your phone number.

> The point of this exercise is performance and security.

> 1. Performance
> When we get VOIP service from a supplier, how can we determine 
> their ability to perform. On a simple level, we can ping their SIP 
> server. Fast, consistent ping may mean good service. However we don't 
> know if we just connecting to a sip server that connects to another sip 
> server that may or may not have a good connection.

> 2. Security

> What if our supplier goes out of business? How do we get our number?
> How long does it take? etc etc.

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

Subject: Re: Unlisted Phone Number
Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 08:02:45 -0600
From: Charles Gray <charles.gray@okstate.edu>


Unless something has changed recently, you can have a phone number
"unlisted unpublished", which means that it won't be printed in the
phone directory and directory assistance will not give it out.  You
can have an "unpublished" number, which means that DA will give it
out, but it won't be printed in the directory.  I don't know if the
charges are/were different or not.  I've always had mine "unlisted
unpublished".


Regards,

Charles G. Gray
Senior Lecturer, Telecommunications
Oklahoma State University - Tulsa
(918) 594-8433

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

From: mc <look@www.ai.uga.edu.for.address>
Subject: Re: Innocent Teacher Convicted in Computer Porn Case
Organization: BellSouth Internet Group
Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2007 22:39:26 -0500


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think almost any police officer will
> tell you it is imperative in the case of (pre-detirmined by police)
> 'criminals' that their name be 'dragged through the mud'. After all,
> if you cannot be assured that someone has lost his credibility, there
> is always a chance that a judge/jury may agree with _him_ instead of
> with _you_.  Or am I just watching and reacting to too much CSI/SVU
> on television?  PAT]

Pat, where do you get all this expert knowledge of police officers?
I've known a number of them fairly well (one was my father, eventually
killed in the line of duty) and I can assure you they go to
considerable length to try to avoid accusing the innocent.

A number of frightening scenarios have been described here, but
getting back to the "innocent teacher" that the thread was initially
about -- What was the trial like?  Has anybody seen any transcripts or
accounts of the trial?  Or any account of the event from a neutral
third party?


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I got all my expert knowledge on police
from watching CSI/SVU each day on Channel 37 on our cable, and by
reading Dick Tracy in our Sunday comics in the Independence Reporter.
And since I am only in my mid-sixties age wise, and have been gay for
about fifty of those years, I am probably still too immature to know
very much about police and their relationship with gay citizens over
the years. I have started to notice, however, that there is a big 
<<ve r y w i d e>> difference between police in a place like Cook County,
Illinois -- Chicago -- from whence I fled feeling very much
imposed/put upon/nauseated actually in the late 1990's and here in
Independence, Kansas which I regard as my 'real home' since I was born
in this area and spent a few years here as a young child before
reaching retirement age and moving back here.  Gee whiz, around here
they (police) are actual human beings with fairness, honesty and
compassion in their minds, and we even have (gasp!) a couple cops with
'alternative' lifestyles around here.  PAT]

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


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End of TELECOM Digest V26 #66
*****************************