Return-Path: Received: by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.7.4/NSCS-1.0S) id CAA24431; Wed, 9 Apr 1997 02:42:32 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 9 Apr 1997 02:42:32 -0400 (EDT) From: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu (TELECOM Digest Editor) Message-Id: <199704090642.CAA24431@massis.lcs.mit.edu> To: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V17 #88 TELECOM Digest Wed, 9 Apr 97 02:42:00 EDT Volume 17 : Issue 88 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Re: NJ BPU Partially Reverses 201, 908 Splits (John Cropper) Re: Latest AT&T Residential "Promotional" Deal (Richard Kaszeta) Re: Latest AT&T Residential "Promotional" Deal (Bill Garfield) Re: Call Waiting and Ident-A-Call/Distingtive Ringing (Dr. Joel M. Hoffman) Re: Looking For an 800 Carrier For Canada to US (Babu Mengelepouti) Re: Can Blocked Numbers be Displayed on Caller-ID? (Jeffrey Rhodes) Ringer Device/Line Simulator (Ken Levitt) How to Interconnect Two Phone Lines? (Michael Bruss) Book Review: "Global Advantage on the Internet" by Cronin (Rob Slade) Chair of Computing at Macquarie (Mehmet Orgun) Sun Microsystems 1997 Telecommunications and Cable Summit (Prashant Avashi) 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 hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu. The URL is: http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives They can also be accessed using anonymous ftp: ftp hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives (or use our mirror site: ftp ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) A third method is the Telecom Email Information Service: Send a note to tel-archives@massis.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. 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Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: John Cropper Subject: Re: NJ BPU Partially Reverses 201, 908 Splits Date: Tue, 08 Apr 1997 10:37:44 -0400 Organization: lincs.net Reply-To: jcropper@NOSPAM.lincs.net Linc Madison wrote: > In article , jcropper@NOSPAM.lincs. > net wrote: >> The NJ BPU has partially reversed portions of the 201 and 908 NPA >> splits, allowing cellular users to retain their 201/908 NXXs. While >> this will prove more convenient for cellular users, it is expected to >> shave 3-6 months of the life of the reconfigured 201 & 908 NPA, and >> will create discontiguous pockets of 908 and 201 NXXs within certain >> 732 and 973 cities. >> Should 609 end up being a split, expect cellular phones to be >> grandfathered in as well with THAT split ... > Oh, we couldn't POSSIBLY have a "wireless only" overlay, because that > would discriminate AGAINST cellular users, but it's perfectly fine to > discriminate against everyone else to the ADVANTAGE of cellular users. > Just great. Sounds like the FCC dropped the ball again. Unfortunately, a class-action suit AGAINST cellular providers to RE-reverse the NJ BPU's decision probably wouldn't work, and would delay much-needed relief. > This also means that you'll have exactly the situation that cell > companies claim they've wanted to AVOID -- all numbers in Xtown are in > area code XXX, except the cellular numbers, which are in some other > area code. As well, all NEW cellular numbers would have to fall in the new area code in certain cities after the switch. Most RBOC telephone directories do not now list cellular exchanges for 6-12 months. I can only imagine the confusion that will result when Sprint & BA go to press in October of this year with the new data, and the errors that will creep in... John Cropper, Webmaster voice: 888.NPA.NFO2 Legacy IS, Networking & Comm. Solutions 609.637.9434 P.O. Box 277 fax: 609.637.9430 Pennington, NJ 08534-0277 Unsolicited commercial e-mail is subject mailto:jcropper@lincs.net to a fee as outlined in the agreement at http://www.lincs.net/ http://www.lincs.net/spamoff.htm ------------------------------ From: Richard Kaszeta Subject: Re: Latest AT&T Residential "Promotional" Deal Date: 08 Apr 1997 11:48:56 -0500 Organization: University of MN ME Dept bgfax@blkbox.com (B.J. Guillot) writes: > I get my first bill and I'm on some kind of 15 cent/minute fee. I > call AT&T to complain, and they say, oh yeah, we have a 10 cent/minute > 24 hour/day program, but it costs $4.95 a month. "There is absolutely > so such program without a monthly fee." They said the best they could > do for me was to waive the $4.95 fee for the first two months. Indeed, I was called by AT+T offering to switch me back to them for the 10 cent/minute plan. They said "10 cents per minute, all the time, no restrictions". I asked for information in writing. They said they couldn't do that, but refered me to the AT+T customer service number. Calling said service number, they outlined the plan, with the key difference of the $4.95 monthly fee after the first *3* months, but again, said they couldn't give it to me in writing. After a bit of back and forth, a supervisor agreed to send me a free-form letter describing the conditions. Never came. Meanwhile, a few days ago I got a letter from US-West asking for written confirmation of switching my service back to AT+T from LCI. I never even came close to accepting their deal, and they try to switch me. Idiots. As an aside, does anyone know if LCI (my current carrier) offers direct-dial intraLADA service in Minnesota? I tried to ask them about it, but the people on their customer service line didn't know what "IntraLADA" meant, and starting rambling about PIC codes (when direct-dial is what I want, it is tiresome to dial 10432 before my in-state calls). Anyone know of a LD phone company with good rates and half a clue? Richard W Kaszeta Graduate Student/Sysadmin bofh@bofh.me.umn.edu University of MN, ME Dept http://www.menet.umn.edu/~kaszeta ------------------------------ From: wdg@hal-pc.org (Bill Garfield) Subject: Re: Latest AT&T Residential "Promotional" Deal Date: Tue, 08 Apr 1997 17:13:00 GMT Organization: Houston Area League of PC Users In article bgfax@blkbox.com (B.J. Guillot) writes: > In , Al Hays > writes: >> latest 6 month "One Rate Promo" promotional deal is: 10 cents per >> minute, 24 hours daily with no monthly minimum, no monthly fees, no >> circles, lists, etc. Additionally, the promo gives 250 minutes free >> When I called AT&T back the new agent who answered the phone had "NO >> IDEA" what I was talking about and offered me their two standard >> plans: 15 cents/24 hour or 10 cents/24 hour with $4.95 fee. I >> explained to her that their marketing department had done their job by >> getting my attention and that they would now get my business if -she- >> didn't drop the ball. After a short "consultation" with her manager I >> was afforded the six month promotional rate as outlined above. > AT&T did something similar to me. A few months ago, I switched to > Sprint. AT&T called me back, offered the 10 cents 24/hours a day, no > monthly fees. > I get my first bill and I'm on some kind of 15 cent/minute fee. I > call AT&T to complain, and they say, oh yeah, we have a 10 cent/minute > 24 hour/day program, but it costs $4.95 a month. "There is absolutely > so such program without a monthly fee." They said the best they could > do for me was to waive the $4.95 fee for the first two months. > After reading your message, I'm going to call them back tomorrow and > demand to talk to a supervisor, since know I know for sure that I was > not "making it up" about no monthly fee. Do let us know, as I too am on Sprint's "dime lady" deal (7P-7A + weekends) but am holding a $100 AT&T 'we want you back' check. Chances are tho that Sprint will offer to match whatever AT&T comes up with. Considering our residential calling pattern they're really unlikely to lose revenue giving us the dime deal 24/7, but I am not interested in any subscription fees. If there's a fee involved then it's really not a dime a minute and I'm not interested. ------------------------------ From: joel@exc.com (Dr. Joel M. Hoffman) Subject: Re: Call Waiting and Ident-A-Call/Distingtive Ringing Date: 6 Apr 1997 19:23:53 GMT Organization: Excelsior Computer Services In article , Rene & Quinn Hollan wrote: > This brings up an idea for another telco-provided feature: distinctive > ringing numbers that appear BUSY if the main number is in use, so FAX > or data calls (for example), don't interrupt voice calls, but still > get routed based on ringing pattern. Hmm. A second number so that if you call the first number when it's in use you get a busy signal? Sort of like my (old fashioned) line. If I'm using it, anyone who calls gets a busy signal. I like it that way. Joel (joel@exc.com) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Apr 1997 16:10:14 PST From: Babu Mengelepouti Subject: Re: Looking For an 800 Carrier For Canada to US Michael Keen wrote: > I'm looking for an LD carrier interested in carrying my 800 traffic > from Canada to New Jersey. I have no interest in changing carriers > for my domestic (US) 800 or outbound traffic. I also am not willing > to assign RESP ORG status away from the current domestic carrier or > use a separate 800 number for Canadian origin calls. I am currently > paying 53 cents/minute for these calls which is unreasonable, but I've > had a hard time finding a cheaper carrier willing to meet my needs. I > bill between $75 and $200 monthly on these calls (at 53 cents). You are asking for something that is technically impossible, except possibly for a Canadian carrier. It is possible to have an 800 number that exists in both the US and Canada that terminates on a different POTS or circuit, but in order for this to be the case the US number has to be unavailable from Canada (nor could it ever be available), and the Canadian number likewise must use a Canadian carrier and not be available from the US. This would be extremely difficult. First you would have to unassign the current 800 from the Canadian NPA's, and assign those NPA's to another carrier. And the translations would be a nightmare! Canadian switches would have to be programmed to send traffic to one carrier and the US switches programmed to send traffic to a different carrier. I think that it could probably be done ... but it would require a tremendous amount of coordination between your current carrier, the new carrier, and the Canadian administrators of their 800 database. Something would certainly go wrong with so many people involved. I would suggest that if they're billing you 53 cents a minute for calls from Canada that they're probably not billing you the best US rate anyway. Incidentally, I am a switchless reseller of LDDS Worldcom and if I remember correctly my 800/888 rate is 21cpm from Canada 24hrs with 6 second billing, and the US rate is 13.5cpm day (8a-5p) and 10.2cpm evening (5p-8a) with 6 second billing. Most rates you're likely to find through non-big3 carriers (LDDS Worldcom is the 4th largest, owns the UUNet internet network, MFS, Wiltel, and its own network) should be comparable. You might discover that the rate you're paying for domestic isn't all that hot. It's easier to just switch all of the service at once -- US rates are so competitive that it should not make much difference who you go with, it'll be under 15cpm with 6 second billing and no monthly fee. . /|\ //|\\ Welcome to the rainforest... ///|\\\ |dialtone@vcn.bc.ca ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Apr 1997 13:33:15 -0800 From: Jeffrey Rhodes Subject: Re: Can Blocked Numbers be Displayed on Caller-ID? > I've searched everywhere I can think of and can't find any info on > whether or not there exist caller-id units, or PC software that will > display caller-id numbers even if they've been blocked with > something like *67. Does anyone know where I can get this kind of > hardware or software? It may be worth noting that the central > office sends the word 'private' to a POTS Caller ID display only > when the number has been delivered to that central office. I think > it is the *57 code that will cause a printout of the last calling > number at the central office and a court order is needed to get this > printout. This is the Malicious Call Trace feature. Lynne Gregg > tells me you can get a court order and haul somebody into court but > you still won't be able to get the number! On ISDN lines, a single bit in the Called Party Number information element of a SETUP message identifies the call as 'private'. IS-54 and IS-136 are similar to ISDN for cellular/PCS phones and sends a single bit to mark the call 'private' and another bit is used to mark the call 'out-of-area'. If one reads the IS-54 spec (I'm pretty sure IS-136 now describes this only as reserved for future only) there is a combination of these two bits that means "OK to display the private number to a specially equipped cellular phone" such as a policeman or FBI agent. This 'override' may make some believe the number is somewhere in the airwaves, but I assure you this is not the case. Jeffrey Rhodes at jeffrey.rhodes@attws.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 07 Apr 1997 10:35:55 From: Ken Levitt Subject: Ringer Device/Line Simulator I need to find an inexpensive device that works as follows: Computer-Voice-Board --> Device --> Telephone Telephone is standard POTS phone. When Computer-Voice-Board goes off hook, Device provides ring signal to Telephone and ringing sound to Voice board. If Telephone goes off hook, ring stops and talk battery voltage is applied to line. If either the Voice-Board or Telephone goes from off-hook to on-hook, the line is dropped. Does such a device exist? ------------------------------ From: mlbruss@ucdavis.edu (Michael Bruss) Subject: How to Interconnect Two Phone Lines? Date: 7 Apr 1997 19:22:34 GMT Organization: University of California, Davis I would like to buy/build a gadget that would allow me to call into to my home on one phone line, then by punching in some DTMF (touch-tone) codes have a second phone line connect to the first so that I can dial out on the second. The idea is that I will be coming into the first line via a ham autopatch (which allows only local calls) but could dial out long distance on the second line. Any ideas would be appreciated. Mike [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The device you are seeking is called a 'WATS Extender'; at least that used to be the name for them years ago when a lot of companies had them for use by traveling executives. The outgoing side was a company WATS line and this always proved to be cheaper than regular direct dial, especially from a hotel room or payphone, etc. And many a company got a good hacking I might add. There was always fraud a-plenty when phreaks found out the inbound number and had some time to work on cracking the simpleminded two or three digit 'passcode' required to access the outbound side. Some companies did not even bother with that little protection, since phreaks were not as widely known or recognized for their work as they are now. For example, for several years in the 1970-80 era, United Airlines had a seven digit local number here in the north suburbs of Chicago which when dialed simply responded by handing the caller fresh dialtone from the *massive* switch in Elk Grove at UAL headquarters. Their network was called 'Unitel', for United Airlines Telephone Network. Off that dialtone, one could dial a couple dozen three digit codes of the form 1xx which were tie-lines into the centrexes of various airports around the USA. They very thoughtfully used 'progressive dialing' in those days meaning once you dialed a three digit code and received still another dialtone from some distant centrex or PBX you could then continue fishing around some more. Some were just plain weird. One of the 1xx codes reached the Seattle, Washington airport which returned its own dial tone of course, with a bunch of tie lines off of it. One of those gave a dialtone also, and dialing zero at that point produced a woman who said the caller had reached the Boeing Aircraft centrex. Still another 1xx code (against the original centrex here in Chicago) produced a dialtone and dialing zero on that got an operator who identified herself as 'Reno, Nevada City Hall Switchboard'. You explain that one. One of the 1xx codes connected to outgoing WATS here in Chicago, but a three digit tie-line code out of Seattle (having gotten that far by dialing a code here in Chicago) resulted in a fresh dialtone giving 'Canadian WATS'. Naturally, any of the tie lines to the various airports brought distant dialtone which could be cut with '9' to make outgoing 'local' calls in those communities. And none of it protected at all! Just dial a seven digit local number here and let your fingers do the walking from there. Most places however did have the sense to put some small measure of security on the front end. Bear in mind telco will hold you responsible for outgoing calls on that line even if a phreak or two actually made the calls. Be sure you have *good* security -- a seven or ten digit passcode -- and do not assume the wrong people will not somehow find out about it and begin calling in, hacking it with various combinations. Even a seven or ten digit combination may not be enough; consider General Motors and the several million dollars in fraud they got stuck with about fifteen years ago. They had seven digit passcodes, but the problem was they assigned one to each employee, so there were a few hundred thousand valid combinations ... ... Generally these days, 'WATS extenders' (by whatever name you want to call it and whatever type of line you want to have as its outbound) are not a very good deal. Long distance rates have come down so much the savings are negligible compared to the risk of having fraud calls going out. You are far better off using a service which allows you to call in on an 800 number then call back out, etc. Let someone else have the risk; they are trained to watch for it. Two other companies which found this out the hard way were Montgomery Ward Catalog and the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. The C&N RR got hit for a bundle via the remote access port on their Dimension PBX, and Wards got theirs from WATS extender abuse. In both cases, ooh- la-la! Security guys from Illinois Bell were in their glory, chasing all over the USA from one phreak to the next, getting nowhere. Better to keep your dialtone to yourself these days. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Apr 1997 09:41:19 EST From: Rob Slade Subject: Book Review: "Global Advantage on the Internet" by Cronin BKGLBADV.RVW 961203 "Global Advantage on the Internet", Mary J. Cronin, 1996, 0-442-01938-6 %A Mary J. Cronin %C 115 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10003 %D 1996 %G 0-442-01938-6 %I Van Nostrand Reinhold (VNR) %O +1-800-842-3636 +1-212-254-3232 fax: +1-212-254-9499 aburt-murray@vnr.com %P 358 %T "Global Advantage on the Internet" This is a broadly based overview and introduction to the use of the Internet for international business. "Internet" is actually somewhat misleading, since the book concentrates almost exclusively on the Web. The material presented here is nothing new, but it is fairly solid. The company experience case studies, while not as analytical as those in Marlow's "Web Visions" (cf. BKWEBVSN.RVW), are nevertheless far better than the usual "gee whiz" collection of screen shots. Contents include some background and basics, some tales of the experiences of early entrants, a look at different countries, and reference materials and contacts. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1996 BKGLBADV.RVW 961203 DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca rslade@vanisl.decus.ca BCVAXLUG Envoy http://www.decus.ca/www/lugs/bcvaxlug.html ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Apr 1997 12:27:51 +1000 From: Mehmet Orgun Subject: Chair of Computing at Macquarie Reply-To: Mehmet ORGUN Chair of Computing ================== Ref. 17810 School of Mathematics, Physics, Computing and Electronics Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia Applications are invited for a newly created Chair in Computing in the School of Mathematics, Physics, Computing and Electronics. The usual mix of disciplines provides an excellent environment for both theoretical and practical aspects of computing. The appointee will inspire teaching and research in new and advanced areas of computing, lead colleagues in the development and implementation of educational and research objectives and establish effective rapport with colleagues from other disciplines in the School, with other parts of the University and with professionals and agencies outside the University. Applicants must have a doctoral degree or equivalent in computing or a cognate discipline, a high reputation for teaching, an international research reputation in a substantial area of modern computing which may be demonstrated by a strong record in publication and in attracting competitive grants and awards, a breadth of knowledge and interest across the range of areas that comprise computing, demonstrated management skills and the capacity for academic leadership in teaching and research. Enquiries: Professor Jim Piper on (02) 9850 9500 or email: jpiper@mpce.mq.edu.au. Salary : Level E $81,780 per annum. The University reserves the right to invite applications for any position, to leave the Chair unfilled, or to make enquiries of any persons regarding the candidates suitability for appointment. Further information about the University, conditions of appointment and the method of application should be obtained from the Recruitment Manager, Personnel Office, Macquarie University, NSW 2109 or by telephoning (02) 9850 9742, or facsimile (02) 9850 9748. Applications close 30 June 1997. Women are particularly encouraged to apply. Equal Employment Opportunity and No Smoking in the Workplace are University Policies. ------------------------------ From: Prashant Avashi Subject: Sun Microsystems 1997 Telecommunications and Cable Summit Date: Tue, 08 Apr 1997 19:08:37 -0700 Organization: Sun Microsystems *** SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC. *** Invites You to Expand with "THE TELCO AND CABLE UNIVERSE" At the Sun Microsystems 1997 Telecommunications and Cable Summit APRIL 24th SAN RAMON MARRIOT SAN RAMON, CA Code: SAR424 Sun Microsystems, the leading vendor of client server technology, has invited telecommunications industry speakers to share their views, strategies, and approaches to this business. FEATURED SPEAKER: George Gilder President, Gilder Technology Group, Inc. Senior Fellow, Discovery Institute "Telecosm" AGENDA: 8:30 am Registration and Continental Breakfast 9:00 am Keynote presentation 10:15-4:30 pm Exhibits and Breakout Sessions LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED BREAKOUT SESSION TOPICS INCLUDE: * JAVA in the Telco Marketplace * JAVA Based Applications in Telco * The Enterprise is a Call Center * JAVA Telecom Object Network (JTONE) * Outsourcing Billing and Customer Care for Strategic Advantage * And Others TO REGISTER CALL 1-800-633-4786 ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V17 #88 *****************************