Received: by bu-cs.BU.EDU (5.58/4.7) id AA28773; Tue, 17 Jan 89 02:43:35 EST Message-Id: <8901170743.AA28773@bu-cs.BU.EDU> Date: Tue, 17 Jan 89 2:15:05 EST From: The Moderator Reply-To: TELECOM@bu-cs.BU.EDU Subject: TELECOM Digest V9 #16 To: TELECOM@bu-cs.bu.edu TELECOM Digest Tue, 17 Jan 89 2:15:05 EST Volume 9 : Issue 16 Today's Topics: Hello Direct Catalog Re: Alternative Operator Services? Telemarketing Hardware Re: Network Access Fee Up December 1 New File Available [Moderator's Note: Over the weekend, the mailer went out of order. On Monday morning I remailed issue 13 from Friday, rerouted through Harvard. As a result, I was unable to get this issue out. Today you are receiving *two digests* -- number 16 and number 17. Patrick Townson] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 13 Jan 89 12:02:41 mst From: rrw%naucse.UUCP@arizona.edu (Robert Wier) To: arizona!noao!ncar!husc6!harvard!bu-cs.bu.edu!telecom@arizona.edu Subject: Hello Direct Catalog Cc: naucse!rrw@arizona.edu Hello Telecomers -- I recently received a new catalog from a company called Hello Direct (800-444-3556)(800-HI-HELLO), located in San Jose, which contains a number of products relevent to topics discussed in recent months on the net. Some of the more interesting items they have listed are: A call forwarding re-router which can be changed from remote locations. Requires a single line with Centrex type call forwarding at Central Office. $149 (Not sure if this would work with standard TT ESS equip. Anyone know?) A 2 line call forwarder that will work without Centrex for $355. A voice mail system which runs on a PC $349 Automatic Call timer (start/stop when phone goes off/on hook) $30 Group III battery operated FAX machine with celluar phone adaptor, about $1600 Various combinations of phone sets without dials, and restricted access phones $70 - $160 Call restrictors - Since there has been a lot of interest in these on the net, I will include an extended description. The single line model can be custom programmed. Factory settings disallows 976: 1 or 0 followed by 976, area code followed by 976. 900: 1 or 0 followed by 900. 1 plus area code (long distance). 411: 1 followed by 411, 555: 1 or 0 followed by 555; 1 or 0 followed by area code and 555 (directory assistance). Has capacity to allow/disallow up to 23 different phone number of 21 digits, or other combinations of phone numbers up to 484 digits. Remote programming with security code (5 digits). Override passcode (4 digits). Rotary or TT programmable. Also allows timed calls from 1 to 15 minutes. (note- Can't tell if it is battery operated or not. The picture does not look as if it contains a battery...there have been problems reported with other battery powered units that the call restriction goes away when the battery goes dead). STRONG DISCLAIMER: I have no connection with HELLO DIRECT, and am *NOT* recommending their products. I, in fact, have not actually seen any of these units. But it might be worthwhile getting their catalog if you have any interest along these lines. -Bob Wier at Flagstaff, Arizona Northern Arizona University ...arizona!naucse!rrw | BITNET: WIER@NAUVAX | *usual disclaimers* ------------------------------ To: uunet!comp-dcom-telecom@uunet.UU.NET From: orion@nuchat (Roland Dunkerley III) Subject: Re: Alternative Operator Services? Date: 14 Jan 89 20:10:16 GMT To: marko@apple.i.intel.com.ogc.edu Cc: orion%nuchat@uunet.UU.NET In article <472@gandalf.littlei.UUCP>, marko@apple writes: >Last night I was paying bills and opened my phone bill. Well the usual PR >junk was stuffed in there with the bill. I normally glance at it to be >sure they aren't trying to sneak one by, like a rate increase hearing or >something. Anyway, the brochure had a blurb about alternative operator services >and how you could be billed for their use when you are away from home and using >your credit card. It went on to say that you should ask what operator you are >using and ask for a different one if it is not the one(company?) you >normally use. > >Now I understand that. What I don't understand is how do I know what I want? >How do I get the best rate say eight or nine times out of ten? Does anyone >know more about this? > There was a big discussion on this subject in comp.dcom.telecom a while back, follow-ups have been directed there. The places to look out for AOSes are Airports, Hotels, and Non-Local Operating Company Coin Operated Computer Operated Telephone (I'm sure I've slaughtered the acronym, someone please tell me the right way). The best thing to do is to ask the operator what company he/she works for, and what outlandish rate they are going to try and charge you, be especially careful making what you may think to be AT&T credit card calls - If the operator doesn't say "AT&T" they usually aren't. If you want any more info on this, someone else on Telecom-Digest may have the relevant back issues. Oh, addressing the last question, usually any AOS is going to have their rates Hiked way way up, the only way to tell is to ask (or read it on the phone, I've seen phones in houston that charged 50c a minute for all domestic LD. >Mark O'Shea >SDA Roland Pleasant Dunkerley III KSC *** (orion@nuchat.UUCP) (uunet.UU.NET!nuchat!orion) *** South Coast Computing Services *** We service Publicly Redistributable software - reasonable rates *** Inquire within ------------------------------ To: mit-eddie!comp-dcom-telecom From: mit-amt!geek@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU (Chris Schmandt) Subject: Re: Telemarketing Hardware (was: Remote Method To Switch Incoming Lines) Date: 14 Jan 89 03:29:02 GMT In article peterh@otc.oz (Peter Holdaway) writes: >In article pdg@chinet.chi.il.us (Paul Guthrie) writes: >> >>By the way, if anybody is interested I have a Unix device driver for >>Dialogic boards (in beta test). > >What sort of Unix and what sort of bus are we talking about here ? > Dialogic currently has a System V driver. Their boards are 8 bit PC bus. I hope to be converting their drivers to SunOS (BSD) in the next couple of months, and a Mach port after that. If anybody is interested in this as a product, they should call Dialogic (Parsippany, NJ, AC 201) as that's likely to make it happen faster. Ask for Jim Shinn (President) and tell him who sent you! I've been trying to convince them that the Sun 386i is a nice platform for voice/phone hacking! There's also work at Olivetti Research Center, Menlo Park, in an "audio server" called VOX that is similar in spirit to the X window graphics server. Good bet that Dialogic will be the first hardware supported. The VOX code may become public domain, again in the spirit of X. It's the *right* way to handle multiple lines/conversations in a multi-process environment. Chris Schmandt ------------------------------ To: comp-dcom-telecom@rutgers.edu From: moscom!de@cs.rochester.edu (Dave Esan) Subject: Re: Network Access Fee Up December 1 Date: 12 Jan 89 20:53:24 GMT In article telecom@bu-cs.BU.EDU (TELECOM Moderator) writes: >X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.uucp >X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 8, issue 191, message 8 > > > AT&T WATS rates will be reduced 4 percent effective January 1, 1989. > In addition, AT&T will bill calls individually based on time and > distance. The current hourly pricing method will be discontinued. Is this all WATS calling, or just the PRO-WATS (formerly the Pro-America) setup? I have been patiently waiting for a report deleting most of ATT's FCC #2, but to no avail. -- --> David Esan rochester!moscom!de ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jan 89 00:23:52 EST From: telecom@bu-cs.BU.EDU (TELECOM Moderator) To: telecom Subject: New File Available The messages from Mr. Dupuy and Mr. Statton on the subject of area code assignments and the prefix assignments in 800-900 have been compiled into a special file called [TELECOM Digest Guide to North American Area Codes], or 'guide.to.areacodes' within the telecom-archives. In a general announcement on USENET, I've made this special file available by request to anyone who writes to ask for it. Or they can take it via ftp if they have that ability. If you would like to have those messages, which originally appeared in Volume 9 Issues 2 and 15, ask for your own copy, or ftp it. I found the messages quite good and felt certain the general net readership would probably want to have a copy; at least of the numerical listings if not the technical discussion, but it is included also. The file has of course been placed in the public domain to be copied and distributed as desired, subject only to my requirement that subsequent republications credit [TELECOM Digest] and the authors of the messages used therin. Patrick T. ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest *********************