Return-Path: Received: by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.7.4/NSCS-1.0S) id WAA20449; Mon, 26 Aug 1996 22:17:08 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 22:17:08 -0400 (EDT) From: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu (TELECOM Digest Editor) Message-Id: <199608270217.WAA20449@massis.lcs.mit.edu> To: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V16 #441 TELECOM Digest Mon, 26 Aug 96 22:17:00 EDT Volume 16 : Issue 441 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson New Mike Sandman Catalog (TELECOM Digest Editor) New Internet Telphony Product - BETA Testers Wanted (Darryl Sladden) Internet Mail Guide Wanted (Beth Yatchman) Capacity and Flat Rate (Eric Florack) Authors Wanted on Telecom Related Subjects (Gene Retske) Voice Network Design Software (James Kenny) I Need a CTI Consultant (John M. Elliott) Pac*Bell: Speed Call 8 to Die (Eric Smith) Random Network Generator (Matthew B. Doar) BellSouth Ending Flat-Rate ISDN (John W. Warne) Carrier Reconciliation Program Needed (Fredrick T. Cordle, Jr.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 21:26:27 EDT From: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu (TELECOM Digest Editor) Subject: New Mike Sandman Catalog I got a new catalog a few days ago from Mike Sandman, the fellow who rightfully calls himself Chicago's Telecom Expert, and if you have not seen the latest issue I'd like you to get a copy today. This 72-page catalog includes nine very detailed technical bulletins and a very wide variety of both usual and unusual tools, supplies and obsure parts for telephones. Every time I get one of his catalogs I am amazed by the incredible assortment of stuff he has for sale. Reading his technical bulletins alone is an education in itself, but the thousand or so (my best estimate) items he has for sale via mail order make very interesting reading material in and of themselves. Mike Sandman has an established record here on the net, and the Digest readers who sent for his catalog the last time I mentioned it here were all pleasantly surprised with it. It is not fancy at all; just 72 pages loaded with all kinds of technical products and goodies for people who repair and install phone systems. He has been in the telephone business for about 25 years, as an installer, repairman and supervisor of telecom at various firms in the Chicago area. About six years ago he started his own business. I put up a link from my web page to his because I am really very impressed with his operation. If you are in the west suburbs of Chicago feel free to stop in at his shop during regular business hours to brouse, or discuss your requirements. He gives a thirty day money back guarentee on whatever you get from him. Mike Sandman Chicago's Telecom Expert 804 Nerge Road Roselle, IL 60172 Phone: 630-980-7710 If you are not in the area but would like to get a free copy of the most recent catalog with no further obligation contact him in email: mike@sandman.com <---> on the web: http://www.sandman.com Those of you who got a copy of his catalog last time I mentioned it need to get the latest update, and for those of you who have not yet 'met' Mike through his catalog, you are in for a very nice surprise. Let him know you read about him here. Patrick Townson ------------------------------ From: Administration Subject: New Internet Telphony Product - BETA Testers Wanted Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 17:41:02 -0400 Organization: Call Works Inc. Reply-To: info@callworks.com Internet Telephone Users: Call Works Inc. is pleased to announced the public unveiling of its new Web site, WWW.CALLWORKS.COM. At this Web Site you can find out about our new Telephony Access Network, which will allow you to place calls from your current Web Browser to any standard POTS line. This software is the worlds first to be phone software independent and to not require any client software. We also have our new WebIVR system which will allow you to have access to those sometimes annoying, sometimes helpful Inveractive Voice Response systems (press 1 for News..., 2 for Weather ... etc.) right from your Web browser. This system allows one to extend the power of any IVR system to the entire Internet and allow people from all over the world access to your system toll free. We are currently Beta testing these applications in order to ensure the highest quality of software. Beta testing allow users the opportunity to test this cutting edge applications and have direct input on the development of this new product. If you would like to participate as a Beta Test, please fill out the survey below and send it to beta@callworks.com. We are currently looking for Beta testers who are experienced users of either Internet Phone or WebTalk and have one of these installed on their system now. Sincerely, Darryl Sladden Call Works Inc. dsladden@callworks.com --------------------------------------------- Beta Test Registration Form --------------------------------------------- First Name: Last Name: Company Name (if applicable): Address: (work or home) City: Country: Email Address: Area Code: Your Time Zone: Internet Phone Product(s): Type of Computer: Operating System: Processor Type/Speed: System Memory: Type of Internet Connection: Modem Speed: ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 18:32:46 -0400 From: Beth Yatchman Reply-To: us002729@interramp.com Subject: Internet Mail Guide Wanted I'm interested in getting a copy of this guide. I guess it is no longer available on the web or ftp? Do you know where I can obtain a copy? TIA! Beth_Yatchman@Sonesta.Com [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Actually, I think what you want is located in the Telecom Archives in the directory dealing with email questions. Check it out and see: http://massis.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/email or: anonymous ftp massis.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/email It is dated, but it is the latest version I think. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 06:20:01 PDT From: Eric_Florack@mc.xerox.com (Florack,Eric) Subject: Capacity and Flat Rate >> Providing that caller id to you required the telco to invest in >> new software in every central office switch to handle the >> feature, not a cheap thingIt also required them to invest in >> the analog modem equipment in every central office necessary >> to send that caller id down your phone line, again not a cheap >> proposition. You ARE paying for much more than some access to >> a "phantom" data packet. >> A common sense examination of this is in order: >> Let's assume that every CO has 10,000 customers, just to keep the >> figure nice and round. Let's say half of them take the LEC up on >> it's offer of CID. Lessee ... $5/mo it what was quoted here, and >> its a nice figure. So ... >> 5000*$5=$25000 per month or, of income, or 12*$25,000= $300,000/yr >> on CID alone. >> Over a quarter million on CID profits per year alone, on a >> per-switch basis! Can you confirm that CID cost telco more than >> that to install? If not, the initial investment is in reality >> paid off in less than a year. That leaves aside the multiple >> data-use issues. > This is where the common sense starts to lead you astray. Capital > investment is not expense. It doesn't get paid off in less than a > year. You must earn on the investment, you must place sufficient > earnings in depreciation to replace the investment when it is > obsolete, and you need to earn a contribution to net revenue. The > modems that are installed are not $140 USR Sportster modems either. > They are industrial grade design intended for 24x7 operation for > decades with zero downtime -- and they are much more expensive. Fine. You're still talking about a massive amount of cash that will easily meet those requirements. > Speaking of the modem use issues, you say: >> As competition comes you will have the option to move to a lower >> cost provider. You will also find that you don't get something >> for nothing. Much as has been found out in the long distance >> market today, the low cost, niche competitors may provide lower >> costs for specific things but they either don't provide 24x7 full >>> service, they don't provide the same levels of call blockage, etc. >> Fact is that as competition comes, Telcos are going to find that >> they no longer have the capacity problems they once did. People >> will be leaving in droves for cable modems to run everything ... >> including voice traffic ... and the telcos know it ... which is >> why Jack Brooks is not exactly considered the best friend of the >> telco, these days. > This is yet another case where common sense will lead one astray. You > are speaking as if the telecommunications market is a zero sum game. It is when the government is regulating it ... particularly the more liberal among us who tend to view *everything* financial as a zero sum game. > It is not. While the telco's will certainly see some areas where they > lose market share they will also find other areas where they will pick > up market share. And this does not even factor in the growth > anticipated from a competitive market. The traditional telcos will see little if any growth, if any, until they are able to undercut a world-acecss system, time unlimited, for $20/mo. There are a few who are offering ISP services for that kind of money; Frontier is one such. > In any case, the telco's have never had a capacity "problem". They > may run into capacity shortages but this is not a problem, it is > an opportunity! Funny, when they cry to the regulators, they don't seem to see it that way. > You should also try Internet phone sometime. While usable for some > things it's quality and even usability is hardly ubiquituous. It will > be quite some time before investment in sufficient data packet > infrastructure, be it frame relay, ATM, or something different exists > in sufficient capacity to make "droves" leaving the present > infrastructure anything more than a pipedream. Oh, but I have! Ya know, we heard complaints about quality of connection back when MCI started. Remember? Noisy connections, crosstalk, etc. Yet look where that is today. They grew at the rate they did, despite these problems, because of a /*slightly*/ cheaper price than the vaunted AT&T. Now, consider, please, the reaction when you're able to call all over the world, for $20/mo. You don't think folks are going to allow for some problems at that price? >> The fact is that all this complaining about modems sucking up >> capacity is utter nonsense, on several levels. The telco would >> be involved no matter what the traffic on the wire is, no matter >> what format it is. Matter of fact, I suggest that capacity >> problems would be far WORSE, if not for the modem. Modems convey >> information far faster than voice, after all. And the information >> would need to be transmitted in /some/ form. Or are you suggesting >> we'd all be using the USPS? >> Wire? You mean the local loop? Do you really think this discussion is >> about the local loop? Isn't that what the argument about capacity always ends up getting to? Capacity at the LEC? > The point of discussion is cost allocation. If a local network between > two central offices need 100 trunks (using typical assumptions for > voice traffic) and growth in long holding time data calls necessitates > an increase in the number of trunks to say, 200, then why should the > users making the long holding time data calls not pay for the > additional infrastructure they cause to be placed? Why should the > cost of this infrastructure be placed on those only making voice > calls? This is an odd argument; Wasn't so long ago we heard from the AT&T folks that we should be subsidizing the long distance services by way of the local bills. When it meant that the consumer was going to pay more, this was supposedly a valid argument. Now suddenly, because the telco isn't being allowed to raise prices, it's suddenly not a valid argument. Hmmmm. >> This is naught but the Telcos trying to obtain more money for >> providing what is essentially the same service; an audio channel of >> 300-3000cps on a point to point connection. The bitching and the >> clamoring for additional price increases, based on what is /in/ those >> limits; IE; the type of data being put on that audio channel, will end >> up driving the data traffic off the telcos. It's true. data traffic >> will leave for cheaper, less regulated pastures. Cable being only one >> such option. > Again, your common sense is misleading you. The discussion concerning > modems has nothing to do with channel bandwidth but, instead, how long > that bandwidth is tied up to a specific call and not available for > other use. Bandwidth is a funtion of time, no? Mind, I'm talking about bandwidth at the switch level, which is what you're seemingly basing your billing structure on ... >> But what the telcos have not planned on, in my opinion, what they'll >> be caught flat-footed by, is the amount of voice traffic that leaves >> with it. Internet voice calls are, I think a harbinger of something >> the telcos don't want to talk about much; the fact that the people, >> the customers, are getting nearly as technical as the telcos ... at >> least enough that they're able to get around technical and legal >> roadblocks set up by people whose only interest is maintaining a >> hammerlock on the nation's communications. > Suffice it to say that the "data" providers in this country do not > have the infrastructure available to handle today's voice traffic with > the same grade of service available in today's voice network. Again, niether did MCI and such a few years back. Yet, look at the growth of them. Again, *price* is the issue. > I'm sorry, but I find it hard indeed to work up any sympathy for > telco's cries of 'foul'. > Your common sense has lead you into developing a strawman that doesn't > even resemble what is being discussed. This is not a cry of foul from > the telco's. It is a recognition of a need for equitable cost allocation. > Expecting my grandmother to pay the freight for your 24 hour long data > call is what is foul. More and more state commissions are becoming > aware of this and are making inquiries of the industry as to how it > can be handled. As I pointed out before, if it were free then local > calls would be free, toll calls would be free, there wouldn't be any > coin phones, and no need for 800 service. That just isn't the case. So, rate equity is what you're arguing for? (mumble) Tell me, Tim ... when my prices get jacked up (by nearly triple, based on my normal use) to cover the supposed cost of my longer calls, are your grandfather's rates going to be /lowered/, or will the extra money simply end up in someone's pocket? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 08:54:37 -0400 From: Gene Retske Subject: Authors Wanted on Telecom Related Subjects The International Insider is looking for authors on telecom related subjects. We are a leading publisher of newsletters, reports and books that focus on telecommunications topics, especially topics of interest to resellers, startup companies, callback and other forms of international resale and competition. In addition to a highly effective distribution channel, we also sponsor trade shows and conferences promoting the topics covered in the publications. First time, as well as experienced, authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts, abstracts, outlines or just ideas for consideration. No investment or guarantees by authors are necessary if we agree to publish the book, and very fair royalties are offered. The International Insider 1861 South Patrick Drive #206 Melbourne, FL 32937 email: solvox@gate.net tel: +1 407 779 8999 fax: +1 407 779 8339 Gene Retske | Author of "The International CallBack Book, SOLVOX Consulting | An Insider's View" Tel +1 407 779 8999 | Order Line 1-800-4-SOLVOX Fax +1 407 779 8339 | http://www.darlcomm.com/callback ------------------------------ From: James Kenny Subject: Voice Network Design Software Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 19:51:22 +0100 Organization: Westbay Engineers Ltd. Readers of this newsgroup may be interested in our company's new web pages. We sell WESTPLAN, voice network design software and a free demo can be downloaded. Westplan supports PSTN overflow breakeven analysis, analogue and digital private networking, tandem switching and VPN / SDN. There is also a white paper discussing the principles behind and advantages of proper voice network design. The software has proved very popular. We are proud to have a utility company which operates one of the largest voice networks in the U.K. as one of our customers. Westbay Engineers Ltd. - creators of WESTPLAN, voice network design software for Windows - Free demo available at http://www.pncl.co.uk/westbay/ email: westbay@ukonline.co.uk ------------------------------ From: stellcom@ix.netcom.com (JOHN M ELLIOTT) Subject: I Need a CTI Consultant Date: 26 Aug 1996 18:45:23 GMT Organization: Netcom I am in need of a CTI consultant in the Los Angeles area. You must have references, experience and knowledge, and have no financial ties to manufacturers. Please e-mail direct. Thank you. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 15:01:51 PDT From: Eric Smith Subject: Pac*Bell: Speed Call 8 to Die In article Robert McMillin writes: > No doubt but this is true. Still, I like having a set of programmable > phone numbers that work on all extensions in my house without having > to reprogram all my phones individually when a number changes. Ten years ago I used to have a Demon Dialer box that did that without my having to pay the phone company a monthly fee. They were sold by Radio Shack for a while. If you plugged it into a specially wired jack (RJ-41X?) between the demarc and the rest of your jacks, it would provide speed dials for all your phones, as well as automatic repeat dialing on busy. Unfortunately I lost it in a move, and never have found a replacement. (Note that the term "Demon Dialer" seems to have acquired a new generic meaning sometime since then.) Recently I had my POTS line taken out, and installed an IBM 7845 NT1 Extended on my ISDN line. This box has an integral analog terminal adapter, so I plug all my POTS phones, answering machine, modem, and fax into it. It does the speed dials, repeat dialing, and other nifty features. It supports multiple directory numbers and provides distinctive ringing, so now I need to find a distinctive ringing switch to automatically select between the phone, modem, and fax. It also has a built-in rechargable lead-acid battery to keep the analog port working in power failures, since the phone company doesn't supply power on ISDN lines. > As a related aside: does anyone else remember Speed Call 32? If it > existed, when did Pac*Bell terminate it? I dunno about PacBell, but Mountain Bell (now USWest) used to offer Speed Dial 30. Cheers, Eric ------------------------------ From: mdoar@nexen.com (Matthew B. Doar) Subject: Random Network Generator Date: 26 Aug 1996 13:01:19 GMT Organization: Ascom Nexion, Acton Massachusetts Reply-To: mdoar@nexen.com Announcing a new model, algorithm and C++ code for generating random networks. Useful for researchers who need to construct models of networks to test routing algorithms, the code produces networks with thousands of nodes, interconnected with redundant links as desired, in a hierarchy of networks. The parameters of the model are straightforward and have real-world meanings. The C++ code (tested with g++, SunOS 4.1.4) and a paper describing the model are available from: ftp://ftp.nexen.com/pub/papers/tiers1.0.tar.gz (325K, includes the paper) ftp://ftp.nexen.com/pub/papers/tiers.ps.gz (284K, just the paper, gzip) ftp://ftp.nexen.com/pub/papers/tiers.ps (1M, just the postscript) Gnuplot (Version 3.6), the freely-available plotting package for many platforms can be used to view the resulting topologies. Gnuplot v3.6 can be found at ftp://cmpc1.phys.soton.ac.uk/pub and http://www.dragonsoft.com Matthew B. Doar Ascom Nexion, Inc. mdoar@nexen.com [www.nexen.com] 289 Great Road, +1 508 266 3468 Acton, MA 01720, USA ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 12:20:19 EDT From: John W Warne Reply-To: John W Warne Subject: BellSouth Ending Flat-Rate ISDN There is a move afoot in BellSouth to file in all States to eliminate flat-rate ISDN service. Filings have not yet gotten to the various Public Service/Utility Commissions, but are, apparantly, moving in that direction. My information is incomplete, since BellSouth employees cannot talk about these activities, but it appears the move is associated with a decrease in the monthly charge for service, an allocation of a number of "free" hours each month (a different allocation for residences and for businesses), and a per minute charge beyond the allocation. In my opinion, this move is designed to eliminate the use of ISDN for "nailed up" data interconnection. Some of us users have moved to this type service to substantially reduce the costs associated with dedicated private lines. The purpose of my message is *not* to start debating the issue of long call time durations on the network, but is really intended as a "heads-up" for others in the same circumstance. This change can have a $40,000.00 impact on our budget. A nice wakeup call, that! John Warne Telecommunications Manager, School Board of Alachua County, FL. ------------------------------ From: fredrick@earthlink.net@earthlink.net (Fredrick T. Cordle, Jr.) Subject: Carrier Reconciliation Program Needed Date: 26 Aug 1996 17:51:55 GMT Organization: Earthlink Network, Inc. Reply-To: fredrick@rockwellcomm.com I am in dire need of a DOS or Windows 3.11 program to use to compare our Call Detail Records from our switch to the Call Detail Records which are sent to us from our carriers. I am not concerned about the file formats the program requires as I am sure I can modify our formats to what is called for. What I am in need of is a program which will point out discrepencies in our carrier billing and also call timings and that type of thing. The routine will have to be able to accomodate a switch CDR in E.S.T. zone times and carrier times which are in P.S.T. or C.M.T. times. Perhaps an offset is used for this. If you or your organization has a program that will accomplish this please E-Mail me or Call Fred Cordle at 954-491-9175. P.S. Reasonable programming offers will also be considered if you feel you could write a routine to handle this for us. ------------------------------ 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 #441 ******************************