Return-Path: Received: by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.7.4/NSCS-1.0S) id KAA06117; Tue, 20 Aug 1996 10:40:31 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 10:40:31 -0400 (EDT) From: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu (TELECOM Digest Editor) Message-Id: <199608201440.KAA06117@massis.lcs.mit.edu> To: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V16 #423 TELECOM Digest Tue, 20 Aug 96 10:40:00 EDT Volume 16 : Issue 423 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Club Wired: Simson Garfinkel on ISDN, 21 Aug, 4 pm PDT (Ron Hogan) Pacific Bell Offers Ten Tips for Prepaid Phone Cards (Mike King) Encryption and Telnet (Derek Balling) Who Runs the InterNIC? (Joshua Rehman) Need Reverse Directory (Michael Muderick) Guatemala Country Code Change? (Julie Lumine) Telecom Corruption Scandal (Dr. Jai Maharaj) CPSR Conference October 19-20 in DC (Monty Solomon) Request to Participate in Internet Survey (Emad Kawas) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ron@hotwired.com (Ron Hogan) Subject: Club Wired: Simson Garfinkel on ISDN, 21 Aug, 4 pm PDT Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 19:32:20 -0800 Organization: Grifter Information Technologies Simson Garfinkel writes the Technology column for Packet, HotWired's new Web commentary and analysis channel. He's also written about computers for a lot of other magazines, including Wired. Join Simson and host Janelle Brown on Wednesday, 21 August at 4 p.m. PDT (23:00 GMT) to reveal what the telcos aren't telling you about ISDN. I'd tell you what some of that is, but they didn't tell *me*, either. So bug Simson and Janelle with all your questions, or see PacketChat's home page at http://www.hotwired.com/packetchat/ Talk.com (http://talk.com) is the all-new version of HotWired's popular chat room feature, utilizing Java to create a colorful new way of doing the text-based chat thang. For those of you whose browsers don't work with Java, chat.talk.com will give you telnet access. Club Wired is restricted to registered users of HotWired ... see the URL below to sign up. Ron Hogan ron@hotwired.com The HotWired Network http://www.hotwired.com/ ------------------------------ From: Mike King Subject: Pacific Bell Offers Ten Tips for Prepaid Phone Cards Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 17:51:11 PDT Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 08:26:39 -0700 From: sqlgate@list.pactel.com Subject: Pacific Bell Offers Ten Tips for Prepaid Phone Cards FOR MORE INFORMATION: (Bay Area) Rebecca Perata (415) 394-3701 Dick Fitzmaurice (415) 394-3764 (Sacramento/San Joaquin County) Dave Miller (916) 972-2811 (San Diego/Orange County) John Britton (619) 237-2430 (Los Angeles) Linda Bonniksen (213) 975-5061 David Dickstein (213) 975-4074 Pacific Bell Offers Ten Tips for Prepaid Phone Cards SAN FRANCISCO--The prepaid phone card, the latest convenience to capture consumer attention, has invaded grocery and drug stores, copy centers, gas stations, truck stops and newsstands, making its way into consumer hearts and wallets everywhere. Additionally, this summer, the colorful telephone tools have become highly successful promotional items and are quickly becoming one of the hottest new consumer items around. But not all prepaid cards are created equal. To navigate through all the choices, clutter and hype, Pacific Bell reminds consumers to consider the following ten tips before purchasing a prepaid phone card: 1 Determine if the card is represented by an established telecommunications company that will ensure consistent voice quality and customer service. Some companies offering prepaid phone cards have gone out of business, leaving customers, distributors and retailers who sell their cards, with a worthless pieces of plastic. 2 Check the card's expiration date and make sure there is enough time to use it up. 3 Make sure the card has a printed 800 number and 24-hour customer service that is accessible. Some providers do not have enough capacity to handle customers' calls -- leaving the customer indefinitely on hold. 4 Find out how much it costs to use a prepaid phone card. For example, Pacific Bell offers a flat rate of 40 cents per minute for local, local toll and domestic long distance calls. International rates vary by region. Rates from other companies can be as high as 60 cents per minute, which affects the calling time available on the card. 5 Find out in what increments calls are billed. Some companies bill in one-minute increments so that if the caller talks for one minute and one second, two minutes are deleted from the card's time allotment. Others, like Pacific Bell, bill in 6 second increments, rounding down. Ensure you are billed only for actual conversation time and not for call set-up time. 6 Some prepaid card companies charge customers a surcharge for first use of the card. Be sure there aren't any hidden surcharges. 7 Ensure that the card's rate is valid for all desired calling areas. For example, some cards offer a flat rate for calls within the U.S., but charge significantly more for calls to Mexico. 8 Inspect the card's packaging. All a thief needs to use the time you've purchased, is the 800 number and authorization code. Ensure that the authorization code has not, or could not be compromised. For example, Pacific Bell applies a "scratch-off" coating on all prepaid cards to secure the authorization code. 9 Some prepaid phone card companies, like Pacific Bell, also offer cards with Spanish-language capabilities. With the Pacific Bell card, Spanish-speaking operators also are available to assist Spanish-speaking customers with their prepaid phone card calls. 10 A prepaid phone card is like cash. You can't lose more than the face value of the card, but you can't get it back, either. How to Use the Pacific Bell Prepaid Phone Card * Customers dial an 800 number to reach the network, then dial in their card number. When customers dial in their card number, a recorded message will tell them the value left on the card. * After customers have dialed the desired telephone number, the message will tell them how many minutes they can talk to that location before the card runs out. * A message -- which only the caller can hear -- will indicate when there is one minute of talk time left on the card. * Customers who wish assistance with their card can signal for a live operator, either English- or Spanish-speaking. * The back of the prepaid phone card will have instructions printed in both English and Spanish. * After a prepaid phone card has either expired, or the time or amount exhausted, there still may be some life left in it. Some cards can be recharged by retailers, or by using the 800 number and a credit card. Pacific Bell Prepaid Phone Cards can be purchased from Pacific Bell payment locations, selected retail outlets, including Chevron stations, Pic 'N Save and Save Mart stores, Northern California and Nevada Raley's/Bel-Air supermarkets, Nob Hill Foods and Quick Stop markets. In addition, customers interested in ordering any of the Pacific Bell Prepaid Phone Cards by phone, or locating the retail outlet nearest them, may call 1-800-600-0094. Pacific Bell is a subsidiary of Pacific Telesis Group, a diversified telecommunications corporation based in San Francisco. ------------- Mike King * Oakland, CA, USA * mk@wco.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 17:01:00 EST From: Derek Balling Subject: Encryption and Telnet Pat and readers: We have a customer who has international locations using the Internet, and I'm at a loss on who to turn to for help in my dilemma. The usual places I might expect to find an answer have yielded none, so I'm hoping that the readers of the digest may be able to help me out. We have a customer with offices in Japan that wants to allow them to use an encrypted telnet session with their American office. The basic criteria for the software we're looking for is: 1.) Windows-based client 2.) HP9000 compatible server/daemon 3.) Exportable 4.) Secure I hope someone out there may know where I can turn. STEL (Secure TELnet, a product released by CERT-Italy) was great EXCEPT that it has no windows based client. (Which for the purposes of our customer is a requirement.) Thanks in advance, Derek J. Balling Director of Technical Operations Midwest Internet Exchange, Inc. dredd@mixi.net | http://www.megacity.org | dredd@megacity.org ------------------------------ From: joshua@uci.edu (Joshua Rehman) Subject: Who Runs the InterNIC? Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 06:05:16 GMT Organization: Univeristy of California, Irvine I am a curious internet user who wants to learn a little more about the workings of the actual network. One of the topics that has me a little confused is the registration of domain names. I have seen various other threads on that topic in this group, so I hope to get some help! Here are my questions: What facilities does the InterNIC actually use? Who pays for them? How does one register a domain name? Any other facts regarding the nature of the InterNIC would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Joshua Rehman University of California at Irvine Internet Address: joshua@uci.edu ------------------------------ From: am004d@netaxs.com (Michael Muderick) Subject: Need Reverse Directory Date: 19 Aug 1996 23:06:27 GMT Organization: Philadelphia's Complete Internet Provider At one point one of the website phone directories allowed lookup via phone number. I know. I used it. Now I can't find it. Can anyone give me the website address? TIA. Mike@Muderick.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 12:39:44 -0700 From: Julie Lumine Organization: MTC Subject: Guatemala Country Code Change? Hi! We just heard informally that the above country is changing and are not sure if someone is confusing it becouse of geographical proximity with the 809 npa changes, or if they are actually changing to a new cc. Any hard copy news? ------------------------------ From: jai@aloha.com (Dr. Jai Maharaj) Subject: Telecom Corruption Scandal Date: 20 Aug 1996 03:20:37 GMT Organization: Coconut Wireless A new corruption controversy has jolted India's drive to open its telecommunications industry to private investors. Correspondent Michael Drudge reports large sums of cash have been found in the homes of India's former communications minister. by Michael Drudge New Delhi August 18, 1996 Indian police have filed bribery charges against the former Communications Minister Sukh Ram and one of his senior aides after police found more than one million dollars (3.65 crore rupees) in cash in two of Mr. Ram's houses. The Central Bureau of Investigation, India's premier law enforcement agency, has filed charges against Mr. Ram alleging he took kickbacks from an Indian telephone equipment supplier. Also charged is Runu Ghosh, a finance director at the Telecommunications Department who had worked closely with Mr. Ram. Ms. Ghosh has been taken into custody. Mr. Ram is reportedly in Britain undergoing medical treatment. The case against Mr. Ram brings renewed controversy to India's efforts to open up the lucrative telecommunications sector to private investors. There have been persistent allegations of favoritism in awarding bids for cellular and basic telephone services. The privatization drive has been upset by lawsuits and intense political bickering. The case against Mr. Ram also adds to the problems of the Congress party, which lost the general election after a string of corruption controversies. Mr. Ram had served as Communications Minister under the former Prime Minister P-V Narasimha Rao, who himself is confronting charges that he swindled a businessman and bought votes to survive a no-confidence motion during his tenure. ------- additional report received ------ The CBI has arrested Ms. Runu Ghosh, a senior official in the Telecom Ministry under the Prevention of Corruption Act. A.I.R., August 18, 1996 The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Ms. Runu Ghosh, Director Finance in the Telecommunication Ministry last night under the Prevention of Corruption Act. CBI officials had uncovered huge amounts of cash, jewellery and incriminating documents during raids conducted at her residence and office. Earlier in the day, the CBI arrested a Sub-Divisional Officer of the Mahanager Telephone Nigam and registered a case against four other officers and a General Manager. News from A.I.R., Delhi Jai Maharaj ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 00:48:05 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: CPSR Conference October 19-20 in DC Reply-To: monty@roscom.COM Forwarded to the Digest FYI: Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 23:20:49 -0700 From: Susan Evoy COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY presents a conference on COMMUNICATIONS UNLEASHED What's At Stake? Who Benefits? How To Get Involved! OCTOBER 19-20, 1996 Georgetown University - Washington, DC Co-sponsored by the Communication, Culture, and Technology program of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Georgetown University SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 KEYNOTE SPEAKER - RALPH NADER (invited); consumer advocate and founder of the Center for the Study of Responsive Law; Green Party presidential candidate THE COMMUNICATIONS TSUNAMI - In today's world of corporate mergers and the mega-packaging of services, what's at stake for consumers and who will represent their views? What is the meaning of "public interest" in the new digital environment? Panelists will examine the ramifications and effects of the Telecommunications Act in such critical areas as universal service, the opening of local exchanges to competition, the provision of fair pricing rules, and the stewardship of the dazzling array of emerging broadband services. TOOLKITS FOR ACTIVISTS - Media giants and merger-mania dominate the public dialogue on communications issues. How can activists at the local, state, and national levels develop an effective voice in the currently one-sided debate over changes in the marketplace and the regulatory environment? How can community-based organizations use the Internet as a tool for online organizing, enhancing public interest campaigns and increasing the efficiency of their internal communications? THE INTERNET: COMMERCIALIZATION, GLOBALIZATION, AND GOVERNANCE - The accelerating commercialization and globalization of the Internet raises new and divisive problems of governance and control that will profoundly affect the future of the net and all of its users. What is the outlook in key areas like pricing schemes, access to information and services, and Internet telephony? INFORMATION RIGHTS - New information technologies and the policy responses to them raise many critical issues related to information rights on the Internet. Panelists will discuss these topics in detail, including the Communications Decency Act and freedom of speech online, copyright protection, and threats to privacy from the collection of personal information online. COMPUTERS AND ELECTIONS: RISKS, RELIABILITY, AND REFORM - There are widespread, legitimate concerns about the accuracy, integrity, and security of computer-generated vote totals. Panelists will explore the technical, social, and political origins of these concerns within the context of today's little-scrutinized election system. They will also make recommendations for changes in the areas of technology, election law, accountability, and oversight. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20 will feature WORKSHOPS on: communications access and the consumer; broadcasting and mass media; civic networking; media tactics and outreach; Internet legal issues; and using the Internet for political action. The 1996 CPSR Annual Meeting will take place Sunday afternoon. All conference attendees are welcome. ****************************************************************** REGISTRATION --- Space is limited so register early. Name ______________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________ City_________________________________State________Zip______________ Telephone____________________________E-mail________________________ Payment method: Check___Visa___MC___Card #___________Exp. Date_____ Early registration: through 9/19 Late registration: postmarked after 9/19 Early registration Late registration CPSR $60______ $70______ Non member $85______ $95______ New CPSR membership ($50 value) & registration $105______ $115______ Low income/student $25______ $35______ Saturday night buffet $25______ $30______ Additional donation to further CPSR's work ________ Total enclosed: ________ Scholarships are available. For more information contact the CPSR national office at 415-322-3778 or cpsrannmtg@cpsr.org. Make check payable to CPSR. Send the completed registration form with payment to: CPSR, PO Box 717, Palo Alto, CA 94302-0717. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CONFERENCE, CONTACT CPSR at 415-322-3778, 703-739-9320 or cpsrannmtg@cpsr.org or http://www.cpsr.org/home.html **** http://www.georgetown.edu/grad/CCT ***************************************************************** HOTEL AND TRAVEL INFORMATION The GU Conference Center has reserved a block of guest rooms operated by the Marriott and located in the Leavey Center on campus. The $85 a night rate applies until September 30. For reservations call the GU Conference Center at 202-687-3200. The closest off-campus hotel is the Holiday Inn (202-338-4600) located at 2101 Wisconsin Avenue NW where a block of rooms at $109 a night has been reserved. This rate applies until September 17. Rooms are limited so make your reservation as early as possible. United Airlines is the official airline of the conference and is offering a discount to attendees. For reservations call the United Meetings Desk at 800-521-4041. The Meeting ID Code is 503ZV. There are many restaurants and shops located in the historic neighborhood adjoining the Georgetown campus. The events on Saturday will take place in the Bunn InterCultural Center (marked on the map as ICC). This building is not accessible by car. Participants have several choices: 1- Take the blue or orange line Metro to Rosslyn and walk over the Key Bridge to campus (probably about a 15-20 minute walk). There is also a Georgetown blue and gray shuttle bus that runs from the Rosslyn (and Dupont Circle) metro station to the campus. 2- Take a taxi to the main campus entrance at the corner of 37th Street and O Streets, NW. 3- Take one of the many city buses that stops at the main campus entrance to Georgetown, 37th and O Streets, NW. 4- Drive and park in the Campus Parking Lot #3 (accessible either off M Street, just west of the Key Bridge, or at the end of Prospect Street) which is free on the weekends. This is the lot with the large P in the lower left-hand corner of the map. Participants can then walk up the driveway and around to the ICC building. Signs will be posted for your convenience. ------------------------------ From: ekawas@echidna.stu.cowan.edu.au (Emad Kawas) Subject: Request to Participate in Internet Survey Date: 20 Aug 1996 05:16:26 GMT Organization: Edith Cowan University This is a request for IT/IS proffessionla to participate in answering a master student research survey questionnaire. It is an html document. The URL is: http://echidna.stu.cowan.edu.au/es/es_survey.shtml A text version also exist for people who are intrested. I can send you this one by email. You are kindly required to send me email and I will reply with email that include the survey. Please tell everybody about it. The more people participate the better for the research and the results. Thanks in advance, Emad Kawas email: e.kawas@cowan.edu.au ------------------------------ 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 #423 ******************************