Return-Path: Received: by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.7.4/NSCS-1.0S) id NAA22449; Tue, 20 Aug 1996 13:11:37 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 13:11:37 -0400 (EDT) From: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu (TELECOM Digest Editor) Message-Id: <199608201711.NAA22449@massis.lcs.mit.edu> To: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu Bcc: Subject: TELECOM Digest V16 #426 TELECOM Digest Tue, 20 Aug 96 13:11:00 EDT Volume 16 : Issue 426 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson New Area Codes Unveiled For Large Portion Of 415, 916 Regions (Mike King) Is Nynex Being Straight With Us? (waitingis@aol.com) Anyone Know New GETS Home Page Address? (Andy Yee) Free: Mitel Smart-1 PAV Chaining Box (Steve Bagdon) T1 Direct Dial In Standards (Zohar Golan) Wireless Freedom Rings at GOP Convention (Mike King) GSM Course Wanted (Shawn Malone) Re: New California Area Codes Unveiled (John Cropper) Re: A Particularly Vicious Bulk E-mailer (John Cropper) Re: Timed Local Internet Calls (Christian Van Boven) Re: Who Runs the InterNIC? (John Agosta) Re: Microwave Rural Phone System? (Robert Beeman) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mike King Subject: New Area Codes Unveiled For Large Portion Of 415, 916 Regions Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 14:25:27 PDT Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 14:59:48 -0700 From: sqlgate@list.pactel.com Subject: New Area Codes Unveiled For Large Portion Of 415, 916 Regions FOR MORE INFORMATION: John Lucas (415) 542-9509 Dave Miller (916) 972-2811 Dick Fitzmaurice (415) 394-3764 Bill Kenney (916) 972-6604 New Area Codes Unveiled For Large Portion Of 415, 916 Regions 650 New Area Code For San Francisco Region; 530 To Be Added In Northern California SAN FRANCISCO -- The California Area Code Administrator announced Friday that the 650 area code will be assigned to the geographical area south of San Francisco being split off from the 415 area code. He also announced that 530 will be the new area code for a very large portion of the existing 916 area code, generally to the east, north, and west of Sacramento County. The numbers represent California's 17th and 18th area codes, assigned to areas whose boundaries were approved by the California Public Utilities Commission earlier this month. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the CPUC has ordered the 650 area code to go into effect on August 1, 1997. It will cover most of San Mateo county, and the northern portion of Santa Clara county, plus a very small portion of Santa Cruz county (see map). This area was split off from the remainder of the current 415 area code, including Marin County and the city and county of San Francisco. Under the 916 geographic split, most of Sacramento County, south Placer County, including the cities of Roseville, Loomis and Rocklin, and the city of West Sacramento in Yolo County will keep the existing 916 area code. The remainder of the 916 region, which includes all or portions of 23 Northern California counties with more than 1 million residents and businesses, will receive the new 530 area code and must change that portion of their phone number. This area includes all of Nevada, Yuba, Sutter, Colusa, Sierra, Butte, Glenn, Plumas, Tehama, Lassen, Shasta, Trinity, Modoc and Siskiyou counties and the rest of Placer County, the majority of Yolo County (excluding West Sacramento), the 916 portions of El Dorado and Alpine counties and small portions of Solano, Mendocino, Lake and Humboldt counties as well as the Mono County community of Coleville. The 530 area code is expected to take effect for these areas on November 1, 1997. "One of the most difficult challenges in developing these relief plans was to keep as many communities of common interest as possible in the same area code, but at the same time obtain the longest life span for both the existing and the new area codes," said Bruce Bennett, California area code relief coordinator. "It's a delicate balancing act. We need to minimize inconvenience to the largest possible number of people, while making sure these area codes last as long as possible," Bennett added. Industry estimates indicate that the new 530 area code should last about 18 years while the remainder of the existing 916 area code will have enough numbers to accommodate growth through the year 2002, Bennett said. Similarly, the new 650 area code for the southern San Francisco peninsula is expected to last about 11 years while the remaining portion of the old 415 area code should last until mid-2002. While customers in the new 650 and 530 area codes will have to change the first three-digit portion of their telephone number, the new area codes will not affect the price of telephone calls in any of these areas, Bennett said. Call distance determines the price and is not impacted by the creation of a new area code, he explained. "It's also important for customers to know that PBXs, auto-dialers and other telecommunications equipment will have to be re-programmed to recognize the new area codes," said Bennett. "Historically, area codes always had either a "1" or a "0" as the middle digit for identification purposes, but all of those codes have been used up and are gone." These new number combinations will allow area codes to be any three digits from 220 to 999, creating an additional 5 billion telephone numbers, Bennett said. The estimated 3 million residents and businesses who will need to change to the new 650 or 530 area codes will get to keep their existing seven-digit telephone numbers. When the new area codes are introduced next year, there will be a permissive dialing period of at least 6 months where callers can dial existing numbers in either the old area code or the new one. Plans for the two area code splits were collectively developed by a telecommunications industry group representing more than 30 companies. They included Pacific Bell, GTE, Contel, Roseville Telephone Co., Evans Telephone Co., Citizens Utilities, Foresthill Telephone Co., AT&T, MCI, SPRINT, AirTouch, Pagenet, AT&T Wireless, MFS Communications Co., Teleport Communications Group (TCG), the California Cable Television Association and others. --------------- Mike King * Oakland, CA, USA * mk@wco.com ------------------------------ From: waitingis@aol.com (Waiting Is) Subject: Is Nynex Being Straight With Us? Date: 19 Aug 1996 21:10:55 -0400 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Reply-To: waitingis@aol.com (Waiting Is) I have a technical question concerning Nynex's ability to modify an existing alternative optional calling plan and how long this modification should reasonably take to implement. The existing plan has only been offered to four of their exchanges in Maine by order of the PUC (Public Utilities Commission) and is as follows: It offers a choice of one-way local unlimited calling to a couple of nearby exchanges for a $6.00 per month fee or a block of time for $3.00 for the first hour and each subsequent minute at $.05 per minute. Nynex is contending that to change the $6.00 per month fee to $3.00 per month would take "at least 18 months to implement." (Nynex's words) Is this true? What exactly is involved in setting this up? Our PUC claims that they cannot disprove what Nynex is telling us. As we are at a critical point in our negotiations with them, it would be helpful to know definitively if they are misleading us. I personally find it doubtful that Nynex's system is that antiquated to cause such a delay, but need someone who is familiar with this type of stuff to give me the straight scoop. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Pat ------------------------------ From: nde@mail.visi.com (Andy Yee) Subject: Anyone Know New GETS Home Page Address? Date: Tue, 20 Aug 96 14:18:41 GMT Organization: New Directions Engineering, Inc. It seems that the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) has either moved or hidden their home page. Can anyone still get into their homepage? This is the address I have: http://164.117.147.223/~nc-pp/html/gets.htm Andy Yee, President, ex-Winternet customer, New Directions Engineering Inc. Personal Home Page: http://www.visi.com/~nde "Democrats...They think that all government is good; it can make you healthier, taller, improve your golf game... Republicans, on the other hand, think that all government is bad. Then they get elected to office and PROVE IT." - P. J. O'Rourke ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 06:53:34 -0400 From: bagdon@rust.net (S and K Bagdon) Subject: Free: Mitel Smart-1 PAV Chaining Box I've had this darn thing lying around for the last two years. If anyone needs it (much less knows what it is!) for an expirement, or even has a *use* for it, let me know. Just looking for the cost of shipping ($3-$4?). Unit currently has the CCC rom in it, and it is either 2 or 4 port capable (unit has 4 RJ-11 plugs on it). Unit does *not* produce beeps on pickup and verification - remember, it's a PAV box with a CCC rom in it. Includes manual, power supply, 'trick plug' to reset the unit, etc. Complete. Hey, it's free, what more do you want? :-) Steve B. bagdon@rust.net (h) USFMDDKT@ibmmail.com (w) http://www.rust.net/~bagdon Katharine aNd Steve (KNS) ------------------------------ From: Zohar Golan Subject: T1 Direct Dial In Standards Organization: NICE Systems Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 20:57:30 GMT Hello everybody, I'm looking for the standards for Direct Dialing In (DDI or DID) in digital T1 trunks. If anyone can tell me where can I find those standards or what standards I need, it would be very helpful to me. Bye, Zohar Golan Zoharg@nice.com ------------------------------ From: Mike King Subject: Wireless Freedom Rings at GOP Convention Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 14:24:13 GMT Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 13:03:54 -0700 From: sqlgate@list.pactel.com Subject: Wireless Freedom Rings at GOP Convention FOR MORE INFORMATION: Linda Bonniksen John Britton (619) 237-2430 Wireless Freedom Rings at GOP Convention More Than 400,000 Wireless Calls Completed on SAN DIEGO--More than 600 people holding new wireless phones from Pacific Bell Mobile Services made approximately 400,000 calls and short-text messages during the 1996 Republican National Convention in San Diego. Frank Casazza, vice president of operations for Pacific Bell Mobile Services, said the network performed flawlessly among customers with high expectations. "The GOP convention has been a great test of our network, and a sign that we're ready to launch this new technology," Casazza said. The new wireless technology is Personal Communications Services (or PCS. Unlike cellular, PCS is a 100 percent pure digital service. Being digital, PCS does away with static, cross-talk, eavesdropping, and a form of electronic theft known as "cloning." For convention organizers, PCS made the difference between order and chaos. "We could not have put on the convention as smoothly without PCS," said Patrick Garahan, telecommunications director for the Republican National Convention. "We were able to react to situations as they occurred. If we needed to reach somebody, we just dialed them up. We're all walking around with these little phones in our pockets." As the convention's official provider of wireless telecommunications technology, Pacific Bell Mobile Services built and operated California's first PCS network offering coverage across a 500-square mile area that included the San Diego Convention Center, downtown hotels, tourist attractions, the airport, major transportation corridors and the coastline. "I kept the phone on all the time and never had a problem," said Jack Ford, executive director of the San Diego Host Committee. Ford, whose PCS phone rang as he walked to the convention's podium opening night, marveled at the technology's simplicity. "The combination of improved sound quality with voice mail and short-text messaging all in one phone simplified my telecommunications needs," he said. "I didn't have to carry 18 different products to stay in touch." Manufacturers Nokia, Motorola and Ericsson provided more than 600 phones to the convention. The Nokia and Motorola phones came in bold stars-and-stripes designs, while the Ericsson model displayed the convention logo featuring the GOP's trumpeting elephant. PCS phones integrate the features of a phone, pager and personal digital assistant. The phones also can be plugged into laptop computers for wireless e-mail, faxing, and access to the Internet and corporate file servers. Recent improvements in battery life offer longer "talk" and "standby" time. "My phone has been on all the time. I think the battery's going to last the whole convention." said Arthur Bruzzone, chairman of the San Francisco Republican Party. "The best thing about PCS was being able to set up an office within an hour of landing in San Diego," Bruzzone said. "PCS has given me a central point from which to send and receive calls, messages and voice mail." After the convention closes, Pacific Bell Mobile Services will prepare for an end-of-year consumer product launch in San Diego. The company plans to broadly distribute PCS phones through drug stores, consumer electronics stores and warehouse retailers. Industry analysts expect PCS to cost less than existing cellular service, particularly in California where cellular subscribers pay among the highest rates in the nation. Pacific Bell Mobile Services is the wireless communications subsidiary of Pacific Bell. Pacific Telesis Group, the parent company of Pacific Bell and Pacific Bell Mobile Services, is a diversified telecommunications company headquartered in San Francisco. --------------- Mike King * Oakland, CA, USA * mk@wco.com ------------------------------ From: smalone@vfb25aces.vf.lmco.com Subject: GSM Course Wanted Date: 20 Aug 1996 15:20:50 GMT Organization: Lockheed Martin Corp, Valley Forge PA Does anyone know of any short courses on GSM in the US or Europe? Looking for a "professional" type course like those offered by George Washington University and some private companies. Thanks, Shawn Malone Lockheed Martin Corp. smalone@vfb25aces.vf.lmco.com 610-354-3214 ------------------------------ From: psyber@usa.pipeline.com (John Cropper) Subject: Re: New California Area Codes Unveiled Date: 20 Aug 1996 12:10:40 GMT Organization: Pipeline On Aug 15, 1996 15:39:02 in article , 'Tad Cook ' wrote: > In the San Francisco Bay Area, the CPUC has ordered the 650 area code > to go into effect on August 1, 1997. It will cover most of San Mateo > county, and the northern portion of Santa Clara county, plus a very > small portion of Santa Cruz county (see map). This area was split off > from the remainder of the current 415 area code, including Marin > County and the city and county of San Francisco. Is 8/1/97 the proposed mandatory date, or the beginning of permissive dialing? > The 530 area code is expected to take effect for these areas on > November 1, 1997. Same question here ... John Cropper NiS / NexComm PO Box 277 Pennington, NJ USA 08534-0277 Inside NJ : 609.637.9434 Outside NJ: 888.NPA.NFO2 (672.6362) Fax : 609.637.9430 email : psyber@usa.pipeline.com ------------------------------ From: psyber@usa.pipeline.com (John Cropper) Subject: Re: A Particularly Vicious Bulk E-mailer Date: 20 Aug 1996 12:01:02 GMT Organization: Pipeline On Aug 16, 1996 09:50:44 in article , 'Dave Keeny ' wrote: > I wonder if anyone has heard of or had dealings with: > Tim Luedtke > Owner, First Look > P.O. Box 770441 > Orlando, FL 32877 > (407)438-8892 Phone > (407)438-7083 Fax > He's been advertising bulk e-mail services, search engine > registration, and the like for some time now, under various e-mail > accounts (at least four that I know of). In his latest incarnation > (see the "New Bulk Email Program" thread in misc.consumers) an > individual who complained to him was threatened with 300,000+ > e-mailings. Luedtke made good with his threat, from his > 1stlook@digital.net account. The recipient called Luedtke's ISP and > they pulled his account within 30 minutes. > Within a couple hours, apparently, Luedtke was back again, this time > flinging mailbombs from A1stlook@aol.com. I don't know how else to > combat this type of miscreant other than to let others know who he is > and how he operates so that, with any luck, his own reputation will > drive him out of business. Too bad he has no 800 number ... Call each provider in sucession (as he bombs you), and file formal complaints. You might also want to contact your provider, explain the situation, and have steps taken at their level to filter out anything he would throw your way. As well, file a complaint with the FCC on the grounds of harassment (indirectly, but harassment nonetheless) by phone (since he is probably using a dial-up connection with AOL). If you *really* want to get nasty, and don't mind paying for a few telephone calls, dial up some fax-back services and have them send him some rather large technical manuals via his fax number. It never hurts to share information (at least not you). :-) John Cropper NiS / NexComm PO Box 277 Pennington, NJ USA 08534-0277 Inside NJ : 609.637.9434 Outside NJ: 888.NPA.NFO2 (672.6362) Fax : 609.637.9430 email : psyber@usa.pipeline.com ------------------------------ From: Christian Van Boven Subject: Re: Timed Local Internet Calls Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 22:38:12 +0200 Organization: EUnet Belgium, Leuven, Belgium Stewart Fist wrote: > Since I am getting different information from Telstra insiders and > Telstra outsider/critics and telecommunications consultants, I'd like > to hear the opinions of those of you who know about these switches, > and who don't have any local vested interest. The switches are > Ericsson AXEs and Alcatel System 12s. > Is Telstra's CEO Frank Blount right when he claims that long-held > Internet calls block Telstra's exchanges, and are therefore unfair to > other normal customers - needing, as he says (when he is lobbying the > politicians) to become "timed-local calls"? Probably he is. In the old circuit-switched based world, Erlang's law shows you it is nonsense to provide more then 25% capacity assuming the normally observed connection time distribution. > If so. Is there some mechanism that allows the carrier to do this - > to identify which calls on a line are to an ISP (other than just > looking for modemised data) - bearing in mind that Telstra also has a > mandatory requirement to maintain the option of 25 cent, fixed price > local calls? That should be easy, using the Intelligent Network concept. You can simply identify the called number and depending on that charge the caller. If the called number is an ISP number, you can instruct the originating switch to trigger a higher "tick rate". This is already implemented in most countries around the world (e.g. green and special higher rate numbers). The former can only be implemented if all ISP numbers are known; anybody can find them looking into the relevant FAQ's on the user groups. > Or are the Telstra critic's right in claiming that a modern Ericsson AXE > and Alcatel System 12 digital exchange doesn't block at any conceivable > load-increase imposed by long-held Internet calls? And therefore, there is > no technical justification for timed-local call-charging specifically aimed > at Internet users. Once again, delving into statistics (notably Erlang's law), it shows up that it is crazy to equip an Alcatel S12 digital exchange up to the capacity where everybody could call someone else. By the way, one more remark: All the same applies just as well to the RSU's (remote subscriber units, in Alcatel terminology) that you can hook up to connect subscribers. Typically there is only one "line" between the exchange and the RSU for every four subscribers you hook up to the RSU. It has already been observed by some operators that the RSU's can become overloaded due to Internet surfers. This problem can be solved however, if you use simple TDM multiplexers that do not perform this 4-to-1 concentration. Of course, this will force the network operator to use more line equipment to transmit the calls. Anyway, I am not sure that Telstra are using any concentrating equipment like the RSU's mentioned before. Christian Van Boven Belgium ------------------------------ From: jagosta@interaccess.com (John Agosta) Subject: Re: Who Runs the InterNIC? Date: 20 Aug 1996 14:57:26 GMT Organization: Agosta and Associates In article , joshua@uci.edu (Joshua Rehman) says: > What facilities does the InterNIC actually use? Who pays for them? > How does one register a domain name? Call 703 555 1212. Ask for Network Solutions / Herndon, Va. Ask them to explain their services to you, as they perform InterNIC functions. ja ------------------------------ Date: 20 Aug 1996 11:01:15 -0500 From: Robert Beeman Subject: Re: Microwave Rural Phone System? On 18 Aug 96 02:47:15 GMT diamond@viper.nauticom.net (Dave Perrussel) wrote: > Is there a commercially available product that will do a high bandwidth > (say 14,400 baud or 28,800 baud) using point to point microwave that is > reasonabally priced? Glenayre Technologies, Inc. in Charlotte, NC makes a wireless line extender that operates on UHF. You can get specs from their web page (http://www.glenayre.com). They also have digital microwave radio products, one of which is a spread spectrum radio that does not have to be licensed. This may be an alternative for you. Bob Beeman Wireless Marketing Sprint Business Systems Group ------------------------------ 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. 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