Return-Path: Received: by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.7.4/NSCS-1.0S) id MAA15940; Fri, 16 Aug 1996 12:54:31 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 12:54:31 -0400 (EDT) From: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu (TELECOM Digest Editor) Message-Id: <199608161654.MAA15940@massis.lcs.mit.edu> To: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V16 #418 TELECOM Digest Fri, 16 Aug 96 12:54:00 EDT Volume 16 : Issue 418 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Re: InterLATA Connectivity in 609? (Mark J. Cuccia) Re: InterLATA Connectivity in 609? (John R. Levine) Re: GE 916 Wireless Phone Jack System (John R. Levine) Re: GE 916 Wireless Phone Jack System (Atri Indiresan) Re: Teen's Calls From Jail Costly to Parents (Stormy Trevino) Re: 900 MHz Digital vs. Analog Cordless (Kenneth R. Teleis) Re: When Was Direct Distance Dialing Cut In? (The Old Bear) Re: USAir Orders Gag On Phones (Jean-Francois Mezei) Re: Information Wanted on Digital PBX (Jay R. Ashworth) Clarification on ISDN Rate Proposal (Robert Deward) Interswitch Voice Messaging Interface (Celine Anelone) Wireless Phone With Modem Connection? (Ken Mandelberg) Information Wanted on Furst Group (Maude Lin) Help!! Need Fiber Optic Network Provider in Washington DC. (Eric Brobeck) Transfer Powerpoint to VHS (blair@instep.bc.ca) Books About T-1/E-1 Wanted (Marc Samson) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 12:24:45 -0700 From: Mark J. Cuccia Subject: Re: InterLATA Connectivity in 609? billsohl@planet.net (Bill Sohl) wrote: > Andrew White wrote: >> I am working on a project that requires that I run a T1 circuit >> between the two LATAs in South Jersey, the Atlantic LATA and the >> Delaware LATA. These two LATAs comprise the 609 area code. > Are you sure that you are dealing with an inter-lata situation? The > 609 area code is ONE (1) lata and any two sites in the 609 area code > can be served by Bell Atlantic also. When the LATAs were created in > 1984 NJ was split into two. One was the 201 area and the other was > the 609. Since then the 201 has split into 201 and 908. New Jersey has *three* LATA's: 220 Atlantic Coastal area (NJ) 222 Delaware Valley area (NJ) 224 northern NJ area The three-digit LATA-code numbers are a Bellcore-created (or maybe a concept created by pre-divestiture AT&T, circa 1982/83, as well as the DOJ/etc) industry standard used for administrative purposes, the first digit '2' indicating Bell-Atlantic as the (primary) LEC operating in that LATA under the mid-1980's understanding of LATA's and Local Telco jurisdiction vs. Long-Distance Company operations. These codes are not intended to be routing codes used by the switching network(s) themselves, although what one Long Distance Company (interexchange carrier) does internally within its own switching network as far as routing and switching of traffic is more-or-less its own business. LATA and NPA boundaries and regions do *NOT* necessarily coincide. One LATA can contain all-or-part of one-or-more NPA(s). Conversely as well, an NPA can contain all-or-part of one-or-more LATA(s). The northern NJ LATA (#224) is primarily NPA's 201 and then the split off 908. LATA's #220 and #224 are primarily NPA 609. Atlantic City NJ is in LATA #220, Atlantic Coastal area (NJ). Trenton NJ is in LATA #222, Delaware Valley area (NJ). LATA boundaries *CAN* and many *DO* contain portions of more than one state! Some LATA's in the central plains and mountain area states contain portions of as many as *SEVEN* states! It might be that the large number of states contained in a single LATA is due to instances of only single telco switches or central office NXX codes of an adjacent state, but it does happen! What *does* remain uncertain to me is how (if) the "LATA" concept will continue under the latest regulations and legislation, where it could happen that everyone can compete with everyone else, in all aspects of the telecom industry. MARK J. CUCCIA PHONE/WRITE/WIRE: HOME: (USA) Tel: CHestnut 1-2497 WORK: mcuccia@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu |4710 Wright Road| (+1-504-241-2497) Tel:UNiversity 5-5954(+1-504-865-5954)|New Orleans 28 |fwds on no-answr to Fax:UNiversity 5-5917(+1-504-865-5917)|Louisiana(70128)|cellular/voicemail ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Aug 96 13:52:00 EDT From: johnl@iecc.com (John R Levine) Subject: Re: InterLATA Connectivity in 609? Organization: I.E.C.C., Trumansburg, N.Y. >> I am working on a project that requires that I run a T1 circuit >> between the two LATAs in South Jersey, the Atlantic LATA and the >> Delaware LATA. These two LATAs comprise the 609 area code. > Are you sure that you are dealing with an inter-lata situation? The > 609 area code is ONE (1) lata and any two sites in the 609 area code > can be served by Bell Atlantic also. Sigh. Don't you hate it when people make definitive sounding statements that are 100% wrong? New Jersey has three LATAs: 201/908 (North Jersey), western 609 (Trenton/Camden), and eastern 609 (Atlantic City.) Look in any N.J phone book if you don't believe me. The middle of 609 is mostly empty pine barrens which make a natural boundary between the two areas. NJ Bell Atlantic, or whatever they're calling it this week, provides all the local service in 609, but that's unrelated to where the LATA boundaries are. I can also report from experience that all of the phone calls between my beach cottage in Harvey Cedars and my parents' house in Princeton were handled by my long distance carrier, not Bell. Both places are in the 609 area. Trivium: Ocean County N.J. spans three LATAs, with most calls across the LATA line in fact being handled as toll calls. (Only Toms River in 908 to Barnegat in 609 is treated as inter-LATA local.) Are there any other three-LATA counties in the U.S.? John R. Levine, IECC, POB 640 Trumansburg NY 14886 +1 607 387 6869 johnl@iecc.com "Space aliens are stealing American jobs." - Stanford econ prof ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Aug 96 13:54:00 EDT From: johnl@iecc.com (John R Levine) Subject: Re: GE 916 Wireless Phone Jack System Organization: I.E.C.C., Trumansburg, N.Y. My one attempt to make one of those GE carrier things work was a complete failure. I couldn't get it to work at all. In retrospect, I think that the problem was that the house had a 220V feed and the two places I was trying to use it were fed from opposite sides of the 220. This is a problem you'll probably have in your apartment complex, too. I'd bite the bullet and pull some real phone wire. John R. Levine, IECC, POB 640 Trumansburg NY 14886 +1 607 387 6869 johnl@iecc.com "Space aliens are stealing American jobs." - Stanford econ prof [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You know, the same thing is true for me where 'wireless intercoms' are concerned. I have yet to find one that works correctly with my electrical wiring here. They always have a small hum in the background or never seem to transmit at all. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 13:58:41 EDT From: Atri Indiresan Subject: Re: GE 916 Wireless Phone Jack System I had no problem getting it to work -- I got a dialtone when I plugged it in upstairs, both in 110V sockets. My concern is privacy/noise, and I still need to talk to my neighbor about it. I'll get back to you as soon as I have more information. Thanks, Atri [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Do you think your neighbor will be honest about it and *actually tell you* if he can hear you on similar appliances in his home? ... "Oh no, Atri, its just fine with me, you go right ahead and keep using your wireless equipment." PAT] ------------------------------ From: Stormy Trevino Subject: Re: Teen's Calls From Jail Costly to Parents Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 12:10:24 -0700 Organization: Call America Business Communications Most of article deleted: > Zero Plus Dialing of San Antonio got the phone service by paying > hefty commissions to the jails, as it does with 100 other jails > nationwide despite complaints from its captive audience. (more clipping) Pat wrote: > the Supreme Court has said is required -- then the service is going > to come from outfits like ZPD and other con-artists who themselves > might benefit from a term of enforced penitence in an institution > somwhere. I think a correction needs to be made here. ZPDI is not an OSP or an AOS. ZPDI is a billing clearing house that contracts with OSPs and AOSs to provide their billing (since it is extremely expensive to set up LEC billing agreements for smaller carriers). To misleadingly group ZPDI with con-artists (like Integratel) is not too cool in my book. Call America (we are legit, you'll agree I think) uses ZPDI as our billing clearinghouse for our operator services and we have never had any trouble of this magnitude (of course our rates aren't sky high so I'm saved the headaches that higher rated OSPs have to deal with). The exorbitant rates are set by the OSP or AOS that provides the service. It is this very same OSP or AOS that pays the jail the commission. ZPDI doesn't pay a cent to the jail. The money ZPDI collects goes directly back to the OSP. I think this is something that is too easily lost on the majority of people who use LEC calling cards. If the person who received the bill were to look at the bill he would have seen that the calls were billed by ZPDI ON BEHALF OF ________. ZPDI would have directed the customer to contact the OSP or AOS directly if they didn't feel the charges were warranted. I know because I've dealt with customers who have contacted ZPDI about bills they have received on our behalf (most want to know who we are). I hope this helps out a little. I really didn't feel that ZPDI was treated too fairly, Pat, in your reply. Thanks, Stormy Trevino http://www.callamerica.com Call America Business Communications Customer Service Manager [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: First, I'll say without hesitation that Call America is a very legitimate company, and their 800 number service called 'MyLine' is in my opinion the best of its kind. I have used MyLine 800 service for a few years now and strongly recommend it to anyone who needs an 800 number. In fact it is probably about time to print a detailed article on the MyLine service once again for newer readers not familiar with it. Their web page noted above is a good starting point for information. The best thing Zero Plus Dialing might do to enhance its image is to be a wee bit more selective in who it chooses to accept as clients. Like Integratel, some of its clients are better than others, and some are the pits. Although it is true that ZPD refers customers with complaints direct to their client for any adjudication required, it is also true that like many of the clients of Integratel, making *actual contact* with someone at the carrier is nearly impossible. Who was the 'carrier' we attempted to locate that time in the Empire State Building responsible for a hot-chat phone service with ripoff rates and service? According to Integratel, they were only allowed to give out a street address for the company. After some effort, a phone number became available. Dialing that number at any time merely got us to an answering machine which was full of messages and would not accept any more. Calls and correspondence were never answered. ZPD has a few clients of the same genre. Now it is not the fault of ZPD or Integratel that some of their clients are really bad news in the industry, and both firms do provide a valuable service as Stormy points out by handling the often-times complex and expensive business of getting billing tapes into the systems of the local telcos. But still, you'd think both firms might set some standards of minimum compliance for their clients if for no other reason than the common misconception of the general public that Ripoffco = ZPD and vice-versa. If the billing agencies repeatedly take on clients who are ripoffs where the public is concerned, can you blame the public for its perception of ZPD/Integratel as companies 'with a reputation' for high priced calls? It may be a lose/lose proposition however. By the time the local telcos get their cut for accepting the billing and by the time the billing agency grabs some for itself, the proceeds may have thinned out enough that the original carrier has so little left over they have to charge the rates they do, especially if great gobs of their traffic has to be written off to fraud, etc. Overall Stormy, you are correct; I just wish the agencies would turn the screws a little better on some of their clients. PAT] ------------------------------ From: ken@marconi.w8upd.uakron.edu (Kenneth R. Teleis) Subject: Re: 900 MHz Digital vs. Analog Cordless Date: 16 Aug 1996 03:49:22 GMT Organization: University of Akron Amateur Radio Club Geordon Portice (gap@plotit.com) wrote: > I've been looking into purchasing a two-line 900 MHz phone, and have > seen a number of comments/complaints of sidetone and echo with certain > models. Is this only a concern with digital phones? If so, what are > the disadvantages of using a 900 MHz analog phone. > Are most 900 MHz phones analog, unless digital is specifically > advertised? More specifically, how about Panasonic, AT&T, and Uniden? I have a two line Uniden digital spread spectrum, the model number of which I can't recall. The only complaint I have is that is doesn't seem to have enough volume on the handset. If you have any background noise at all it is very difficult to hear. Otherwise the phone quality is very clear. I can walk at least a half block away with no problems. If I can be of further help to you please let me know. Regards, Ken Teleis, KZ3E/8 System Administrator University of Akron Amateur Radio Club (W8UPD) E-mail: ken@marconi.w8upd.uakron.edu [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Chances are likely if you get inside the handset and look around, there is a trim-pot in there somewhere you can adjust slightly to get more volume. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 00:20:14 -0300 From: The Old Bear Subject: Re: When Was Direct Distance Dialing Cut In? Organization: The Arctos Group - http://www.arctos.com/arctos Paul Houle writes: > I have a historical question which I hope isn't a FAQ in this > group, but which I have not been able to find an answer on the web or > the telecom archives. > I'm trying to find out exactly when DDD (direct distance > dialing) was cut-in in the US. I have the impression that there was a > specific date in the late 50s or early 60s but I've had bad luck > looking for it. This surprises me because of the fact that such a > date may be a good watershed for the development of our civilization > -- the first moment when it was possible for an individual to make a > connection across a continent without human attention. Mark Cuccia did a fine job of answering this question. I just wanted to add a personal note from my own memories ... About 1957, when I was in the 5th grade, a woman from New England Telephone came to talk at an assembly at my elementary school in Boston about "Direct Distance Dialing" and how it would work. Not many kids in those days made long distance calls, so I'm not sure why this program was conducted as part of the product roll-out. Possibly it was a good way to get all the handouts (area code maps, dialing instruction cards, etc.) into the hands of the parents. Most of the kids figured it was a "wonders of technology" topic, that being the year that the USSR launched the first Sputnik space satelite and all the schools were going nuts to get more scientific stuff into the curriculum. I also recall that following the dialing of the number, a human operating would come on the line and as "Your number please!" to which you were to respond with your own number and not the number which you were calling. Rumor had it that this was for billing purposes and if you gave someone else's number, they would be billed for your call. (I was an honest kid and never tried it, however, so I don't know if this was true.) At the beginning of "DDD", the "access code" of 1+ was not required, with the result that many people unknowingly placed wrong- number toll calls while attempting to dial a local number. (The newspaper would periodically carry some little story about a toddler who had managed to place a call to the other side of the country by playing with the telephone set. I never figured out how the toddlers managed to give their number to the operator, however.) It was only in the 1960s that collect and person-to-person calls could be placed by direct dialing with the 0+ access code. Until then, we dialled 211 (?) and asked the long distance operator to place such calls. Cheers, The Old Bear <--now feeling even older! The Arctos Group [Information Strategies for the Real Estate Industry] Post Office Box 329 - Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02167-0003 USA tel: 617.342.7411 - fax: 617.232.0025 - email: arctos@arctos.com visit our WWW site at URL: http://www.arctos.com/arctos [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: We had the same program at our school with a speaker from Illinois Bell about the same time. I was probably in 9th grade or 10th grade. If you dialed the call direct, then your number got captured by the equipment in most cases, but if you either (a) wanted to make a person-to-person call; (b) a collect/third number billing call; or (c) get assistance in dialing then we had to dial '211' (except hotels and other places requiring time and charge information for rebilling to guests on a PBX, etc dialed '811'). The operator at 211 would always ask for *your* number and you had to at least give a number on the same prefix. They could tell what prefix you were on, just not what the last four digits were. If you gave incorrect (last four) digits then that person got billed for the call instead of yourself. But international calls were a different matter: all those had to be placed manually through the operator at 211 but she only looked up the gateway point for the call and handed it off, so that as soon as you said you wished to call an international point she dialed in to the overseas operators at White Plains, NY or Oakland, CA to have them complete the call. Those operators would likewise ask for your entire number, and you could say whatever you wanted because they had no way to tell anything. But the catch was then the overseas operator would say, "Thank you. Please hang up and I will *call you back on a direct line* and try to establish the connection." If you had given incorrect information by accident or otherwise you just did not get the callback. In addition to White Plains and Oakland for many international calls, other gateways were Miami and San Diego. Now and then the gateways were outside the USA as in the case of Montreal (much of the Yukon/NWT area); Alma, Quebec (radio relay points in the eastern Arctic area); New York City Operator 478 (ships on the high seas); Paris, France (most of Africa); and Sydney, Australia (the Antartic region). PAT] ------------------------------ From: Jean-Francois Mezei Subject: Re: USAir Orders Gag On Phones Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 02:46:10 +0000 Organization: Vaxination Informatique Reply-To: jfmezei@videotron.ca > G.T.E. Airfone spokeswoman Laura Littel said she could see a need to > disconnect the phones in certain disasters. > "The only thing I could think of would be a hijacking," she said. > "Someone could use this phone to say, 'I want this plane to go to XYZ, > or I'm going to do something.' That is a potential." Au contraire. In the case of a highjacking, a quiet passenger in the back might be able to establish a connection with the ground and relay VITAL information or even leave the phone connected and hope that the ground can hear what is going on (place phone on floor under seat, or in seat-pocket etc. I think that those who decided on the gag order probably saw Die Hard II (the movie) and decided that should there be a reporter on board, it would ruin the airline's image with live coverage from the lavatory. This whole business about electronics on board has to be settled once and for all. If such integrated phones interfere with the plane's instruments during a disaster, why would they not interfere during normal times? I am even more surprised that an airline would leak/release this policy to the public. ------------------------------ From: jra@scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us (Jay R. Ashworth) Subject: Re: Information Wanted on Digital PBX Date: 15 Aug 1996 20:56:16 GMT Organization: University of South Florida reddp@ix.netcom.com wrote: > What is a "digital" PBX and when and where would it be used? Would it > carry/conduct normal telephone traffic, say between an internet > service provider and a modem over phone lines ... or is strictly for > connection of computers, e.g. mainframe and satellite systems? I'm > doing research. Thanks! A 1A ESS. :-) Seriously, a "digital" PBX is simply one in which the internal voice switching is digital rather than analog. Some companies will attempt to bill stored program control (ie: computerized) analog switched PBXs as "digital", I suppose, but if they do, they're a) lying, and b) stupid. Most of them do switch voice, but newer ones use BRi lines for the internal connection, allowing the connection of (more) standardized ISDN phones, as well as TA's for data service. This can cause some excitement with the LEC, deciding what information to believe when the PBX supplies it. Cheers, Jay R. Ashworth jra@scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us Member of the Technical Staff Junk Mail Will Be Billed For. The Suncoast Freenet *FLASH: Craig Shergold aw'better now; send no cards!* Tampa Bay, Florida *Call 800-215-1333x184 for the whole scoop* +1 813 790 7592 ------------------------------ From: bobd@well.com (Robert Deward) Subject: Clarification on ISDN Rate Proposal Date: 15 Aug 1996 21:07:08 GMT Organization: The Well, San Francisco, CA I'd like to clarify some misinformation that's been circulating concerning who opposed and who supported a proposal from Pacific Bell that FasTrak Home ISDN increase from $24.50 monthly to $29.50 and include 200 free hours of "off-peak" usage. During the peak usage period and if the 200-hour allowance were exceeded, users would have paid normal voice rates. The proposal would have replaced an earlier rate increase request by Pacific Bell. In fact, the only parties who opposed this proposal were Intel and UCAN, a consumer group headquartered in San Diego. Signing the proposal were the California Cable Television Association, Jetstream Communications, FlowPoint, and Siemens-Rolm. Unfortunately, opposition from Intel and UCAN scuttled the possibility that the California Public Utilities Commission would accept the proposal. Now the Commission will hold full scale hearings on ISDN rates, which could result in rates higher than those sought by Pacific Bell and the other parties to the proposal. Find further information at the Pacific Telesis Web site at http://www.pactel.com/cgi-bin/getrel?1250. Bob Deward, Pacific Telesis External Affairs, S.F. voice: 415-394-3646 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Aug 96 12:33:00 EDT From: Celine Anelone <0002027431@mcimail.com> Subject: Interswitch Voice Messaging Interface All: I am looking for information on "Interswitch voice messaging Interface: (ISVM) also called or ten digits SMDI. 1- Technical overview 2- What are the RBOCs offering this service? Is it tariffed anywhere? 3- What is the price per RBOC? Thanks for your help. Celine ------------------------------ From: km@mathcs.emory.edu (Ken Mandelberg) Subject: Wireless Phone With Modem Connection? Date: 16 Aug 1996 15:05:18 GMT Organization: Emory University, Dept of Math and CS Reply-To: km@mathcs.emory.edu Are there any wireless (not cellular) phones with a rj11 jack for a modem connection? Presumably a 900mhz phone would be best. Ken Mandelberg | km@mathcs.emory.edu PREFERRED Emory University | {rutgers,gatech}!emory!km UUCP Dept of Math and CS | km@emory.bitnet NON-DOMAIN BITNET Atlanta, GA 30322 | Phone: Voice (404) 727-7963, FAX 727-5611 ------------------------------ From: mlbockol@midway.uchicago.edu (Maude Lin) Subject: Informtion Wanted on Furst Group Organization: University of Chicago -- Academic Computing Services Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 04:43:53 GMT What is the general opinion about this private reseller? Thanks. Please mail me at mlbockol@midway.uchicago.edu ------------------------------ From: fv2@aol.com Subject: Help!! Need Fiber Optic Network Provider in Washington DC. Date: 13 Aug 1996 12:48:36 -0400 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Reply-To: fv2@aol.com (FV2) Our client needs access to four single or multimode fibers between two office sites in downtown Washington DC: 1255 23rd Street, NW 1875 Connecticut Ave, NW The local phone carrier -- Bell Atlantic -- no longer provides "dark" fiber; rather they only provide very expensive "circuits" (consisting of fiber + transceivers as a "circuit package". Your referral to any firm that has a network in place, that can lease these fibers or refer any one to us, would be greatly appreciated. Eric Brobeck Future View - fv2@aol.com 202-882-7400 202-882-7450 - fax 1250 Taylor St, NW Washington DC 20011 ------------------------------ From: blair@instep.bc.ca Subject: Transfer Powerpoint to VHS Reply-To: blair@instep.bc.ca Organization: InStep Mobile Communications Inc. Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 20:11:55 GMT Does anybody know how I can transfer a timed PowerPoint presentation (version 7.0 running on Windows 95 on a PC) to VHS video? Resolution should be 1024x768. Any information will be greatly appreciated! Please respond to blair@instep.bc.ca ------------------------------ From: Marc Samson Subject: Books About T-1/E-1 Wanted Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 14:24:36 GMT I was looking through the archives for a good reference on T1 and E1. I did not find anything, and was woundering if you could point us in the right direction. We have a strong background in SS7 and are doing some T1/E1 work. We are looking to get good reference material on the message structure, differences in implementation Any pointers or ideas are welcome. Thanks, Marc Samson I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to the light I have. -Abraham Lincoln ------------------------------ 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 public service systems and networks including Compuserve and America On Line. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Subscriptions are available to qualified organizations and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify: * ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu * The Digest is edited, published and compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson of Skokie, Illinois USA. You can reach us by postal mail, fax or phone at: Post Office Box 4621 Skokie, IL USA 60076 Phone: 847-329-0571 Fax: 847-329-0572 ** Article submission address: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu Our archives are located at mirror.lcs.mit.edu. The URL is: http://mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives They can also be accessed using anonymous ftp: ftp mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives A third method is the Telecom Email Information Service: Send a note to tel-archives@mirror.lcs.mit.edu to receive a help file for using this method or write me and ask for a copy of the help file for the Telecom Archives. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from the * * International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, Switzerland * * under the aegis of its Telecom Information Exchange Services (TIES) * * project. Views expressed herein should not be construed as represent-* * ing views of the ITU. * ************************************************************************* 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 twenty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. 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 V16 #418 ******************************