[E2S / 0MFuXS] [Old MF'ers Union of X-Bar Switchmen] - July '95 ---------------------------------------------------- Numero seis. ---------------------------------------------------- You know, under these clothes, I happen to be naked. =========================================================================== 6. oMFuXS Internationale (Revision A) [1995 K2] --------------------------------------------------------- Okay... I revised the first release of this to add another country and cut out some of the inaccuracies. Here's a summary of phone systems in three countries, soon to be expanded with Japan, and Hong Kong or Singapore. Australia ~~~~~~~~~ Basic stuff - The first thing you'll notice when you pick up a phone is the dial tone. Instead of a steady tone, the tone is a continuous beeping noise, almost like a continous ringing tone in America. Most phone numbers here are six digits long, with a two or three digit area code, in the form (xxx) xxx-xxx. Long distance calls are preceded by a 0, as 1 is a prefix used to call the different operator services. A busy signal is a quick repeating tone (about twice the speed of an American busy signal), and a ringing is the dial tone sound in two short bursts about 1/3 of a second each. Operators - Instead of having a multi-purpose operator and directory assistance numbers only, Australia has multiple numbers for different services by operators (which are listed on the pay phones). All operator numbers are preceded by a 1 and have three more digits, (for example, 1443 would dial local directory assistance). Also, directory assistance is separated into divisions for local (area code) numbers, national numbers, and international numbers. All are free. Otherwise, everything else is essentially the same as the U.S. Billing/Design - Coin phones are the most popular type in Australia. There are two main types, Telecom owned phones and Blue Phones, which are privately owned. Pay phones that are owned by Telecom (coin and card) are built like tanks, and would probably not be hurt by gunfire. However, Blue Phones are made nearly entirely of plastic and could be broken open easily. Also, Blue Phones are more portable (you can steal one just by ripping out the phone cord from the wall), and they are nothing much more than phones with a coin slot - they hook into phone jacks that you can't disconnect (so you won't use your own phone). Charges for calls are MUCH higher in Australia when compared to U.S. currency, running at about US$0.15 per minute for local calls, up to US$2 or US$3 per minute for long distance. There are also credit card phones and prepaid phonecard phones, which are only marginally more popular than they are in the States. Phreaking - I really didn't have the time to figure out how to phreak Australian phones, although this summer I might be able to bring back some good information on it. What I did determine is that red boxes could not be used in Australia (the mouthpiece is cut off until you insert money), and beige boxing - suprise - could be done as easily as in America. TNI boxes were in similar places outside of buildings, and also had equals to U.S. ring and tip screws. New Zealand ~~~~~~~~~~~ Basic stuff - Being so close to Australia, phone systems were similar in operation to theirs. Phone calls were six or seven digits, and area codes were also two or three digits. Dialing was essentially the same, and the tones the phone made (dial tone, ringing, etc.) were also very similar. Operators - Again, operators were similar. There were local, national, and international operators at different numbers, along with some others that took care of things such as billing. One thing I did notice was a few phones in hotels that hooked directly to AT&T services that would let you dial home with coins or AT&T phone card. Billing/Design - New Zealand has the best developed phonecard system I've seen anywhere. There are more phonecard phones than any - they outnumbered coin and credit card phones by about three or four to one. Phonecards were available for sale nearly everywhere, and they were standard in conveinence stores. I also saw stores that sold phonecards that were used if you collected them - many were worth upwards of NZ$50 each. Phonecards came in increments of NZ$5, NZ$10, NZ$20, NZ$50, and NZ$100. Billing was notably less than Australian costs, equal to the amount charged in the States and sometimes less. Also, New Zealand pay phones were built about as strong as American phones, and similar in size. Phreaking - I really had no time to look at phreaking here. Beige boxing worked here too, and red boxing didn't. However, one thing I did spend a lot of time on, while not really phreaking, was searching for phonecards. People would frequently leave these behind in phones, because the card would be ejected a few seconds after the caller hung up, after people would leave them behind. While I waited at Auckland Int'l Airport, I got about $85 worth of free phone calls from cards that had been left behind in the course of an hour. Bahamas ~~~~~~~ Basic stuff - Virtually the same as U.S. phone systems. Numbers are seven digits long, and I didn't find any area codes listed. I suppose this would be because of the low population, although I really didn't spend a long time looking. Coin phones were the most prevelant. There were seperate phones set up to accept both Bahamian and U.S. currency, since there was so much of both (also, the Bahamas mirror the States in cash value). Tones (ringing, busy signals, etc.) were the same. Operators - Same as the United States, 1411 for information and 0 for general assistance. Nothing special. Billing/Design - Pay phones had the same design as standard non-COCOT phones in the States. However, billing for any calls off from the island that you were on were high, about $3 a minute to the other Bahamian islands and most of North America from what I saw. Rates were slightly higher for calls to elsewhere in the world. Phreaking - Having only spent a day in Nassau and possessing a broken red box, I really couldn't figure out anything that would help here. Airplanes ~~~~~~~~~ Basic stuff - Seatback phones have no dial tone, and you choose the type of call you make (data, fax, voice, and conference) through a menu that is displayed on a LCD on the phone's back. Otherwise, you will hear American ringing and busy signals. Also, most phones that are in the seat back (not the kind that you take the cordless phone with you from the back) can bet set up to receive calls. Operators - A signal number that can be dialed without using a credit card handles everything. They'll answer questions about dialing, charges, and assist in setting up conferences. One thing I've noted is that they seem grumpy frequently, probably from kids dialing them up from their seats... :) Also, every operator works for GTE, who owns nearly every passenger phone designed for planes. Billing/Design - Two main types of passenger phones are available. The first design out was similar to a cordless phone. It was mounted on a wall (usually by where the attendents were or by bathrooms). There is a vertical slot where you insert your credit card. After the card is in, a handle would be pulled down over it, securing your card and releasing the phone. You could then take the phone back to your seat, the can, or wherever and dial for as long as you wanted. After placing the phone back into the handset, the handle would come up and you could take your card. However, most of these phones have been replaced by phones that are built into seatbacks of all newer model places. These phones are released by putting any type of card into a slot. The phone is unlocked, and an LCD prompts you for the type of call you would like to make. After choosing the types, a credit card would be slid through a magnetic stripe reader built into the phone, and you could dial your number. Toll free numbers were available, but these did not include 800 numbers - you have to pay for those. They are in the format of *xxx, and are usually for ordering from inflight magazines. All phone numbers except for operator assistance require you to slide your credit card through. Phreaking - Good luck... even if you managed to figure this out, feds would probably be waiting at the gate for you. Cruise Ships ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Basic stuff - These are built to resemble pay phones in the country that they sail from most frequently (so, American vessels have phones that resemble American phones, and Australian vessels have phones that resemble Australian phones, although there are sometimes exceptions). They work virtually the same as the phones too, although they are always charged to credit cards and always dialed through as if you were dialing internationally. Operators - Operators are reached if you are having trouble with your credit card, or if you hit 0 (for American style phones). No directory assistance is given unless you dial it as a number (i.e. +1-303-555- 1212). They are usually stationed in the nearest land mass, so if you're nearby Nassau, you'll get a Nassau operator, if you're nearby Miami, you'll get a Miami operator. Billing/Design - Like stated before, these are all credit card operated and are designed to resemble phones in the origin country. Charges for calls placed from cruise ships are often prohibitively expensive, usually at US$15.50 per minute to dial anywhere in the world. Phreaking - As with phones on airplanes, phreaking these is near impossible and risky. If you managed to have a credit card that was still valid, you could probably use it if you were on a ship with many people on it (so as you wouldn't get caught). Also, you might be able to find the phone jack and hook up a phone into it. I didn't have time to try this out, so if anybody has, please inform me. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- E2S/0MFuXS is new, improved, and one appendix lighter! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Questions? Comments? Elvis sightings? 20MNN: [HQ]: (303)932-1195/8404 28,800 BPS V.34 Empire of the Dragon : (303)932-1308/1309 28,800 BPS V.34 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------