TELECOM Digest Wed, 9 Mar 94 10:58:00 CST Volume 14 : Issue 120 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Prisoner Starts Own 900 Number (TELECOM Digest Editor) Telephone Companies and the Time (Kent Borg) SONAR Data Communications Underwater (Susan Jacobson) Question About Random Dialing (gaupkg@fnma.com) Looking For Two and Three Character Country Codes (Eileen C. Bauer) Problems with GSM Technology? (John Sims) More Dialogic Help (Rich Padula) Re: Clipped Again (Barry Margolin) Re: Cellular Phone Questions (Robin Amano) Re: Line/Cable Simulators (Rich Padula) Re: Wanted: Alphanumeric Pager Software (Jeff Regan) Re: Transborder Local Calls (Wally Bloss) Re: Phones in the Movies Again (Charles Hoequist, Jr.) CONNECT Table of Contents - Mar/Apr '94 (Patricia Snyder-Rayl) 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 GEnie. Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify: * telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu * The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers. To reach us: Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: ptownson@townson.com. ** Article submission address only: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu ** Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to use the information service, just ask. TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 8 Mar 94 23:31:08 CST From: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM Digest Editor) Subject: Prisoner Starts Own 900 Number How's this for a new twist on the 900 number racket? Illinois' most infamous prisoner -- and one of the most infamous in the USA -- John Wayne Gacy has installed a 900 number people can call to hear him proclaim his innocence. Gacy was convicted in 1978 of the sexual assualts and murders during sado-masochistic activities of 33 boys and young men, most of whom were found casually buried under mounds of dirt in a crawl space beneath his home on Summerdale Avenue in unincorporated Norwood Park Township, a small area on the northwest side here which has Chicago on two sides of it and Des Plaines, Illinois on another side, but is not part of any town. A few boys were found buried in the back yard, a couple under the cement in the driveway, etc. John Wayne Gacy was arrested by detectives of the Des Plaines Police Department, and by the time they finished their investigation they had found so many bodies they eventually lost count and settled on 33, most of whom to this day fifteen years later have not been identified, nor has their body been claimed. After an insanity plea which the court did not buy, Gacy tried a variety of tactics and eacb step of the way, higher courts confirmed the findings and actions of the lower courts which had come before. He was sentenced to death, and imposition of punishment was repeatedly postponed as Gacy made appeal after appeal on technical matters. Finally he has run out of things to appeal and imposition of death has been scheduled once and for all early in May of this year. * Now John Wayne Gacy is taking a different approach, and claims that he is totally innocent of the charges most foul lodged against him. * He claims that 'several people' had keys to his house and were free to come and go at any time. The same people were free to use his cement mixer as well perhaps? He has no idea how the bodies of teenage boys came to be buried in his back yard or under the floor in the garage, etc. He explains all this and more on a 900 phone number set up for him by a company in Florida working with his attorney. As the message begins, we hear Gacy himself comment, ' ... This is John Wayne Gacy speaking. In this message, I will explain and prove my innocence to your complete satisfaction. The cost for this call is $2.95 per minute, and on average, each call lasts eleven minutes with a total average charge of $33 per call. If you don't wish to pay, please hang up now, and at this time the charges will begin ...' The parents of the victims who have been identified at one time or another -- sadly, only a few have been traced -- all have judgments against Gacy amounting to millions of dollars each. They are now suing to get a piece of the action on the 900 number, since that is the only money they will ever see out of this. Gacy also attempts to sell his objects 'd art, but he has not had much luck selling his mostly morbid drawings and oil paintings. Gacy's attorney wants to keep the money for himself to offset the enormous legal bills his client has run up, and the State of Illinois has other ideas. Prison officials are absolutely livid; it seems Gacy did not consult them on this at all but set it up behind their back with the company in Florida. Prison officials are now also suing Gacy to get the 900 number disconnected; meanwhile the calls keep rolling in at an average of $33 each. The prison officials want to confiscate the money and use it to pay Gacy's room and board and their other expenses in guarding him. I don't know how good a job they could be doing guarding him if his 900 number got turned on and started receiving hundreds of calls per day before they found out about it. As the date draws near for Gacy's execution -- this time, no more stalling or delays -- a group calling itself the American Civil Liberties Union has stated it will intervene to prevent Gacy from being persecuted further by the state and the criminals in our society of which Gacy is but a victim. In other correctional institution news this week, Larry Eyler -- another Gacy type, in 1984 he was convicted here of the dismemberment and sex-murder of a fifteen year old boy -- died at the age of 41 on Death Row from complications due to AIDS. His execution had been scheduled for later this year. I'll bet you're all rushing to your phones right now to call John Wayne Gacy's 900 number so you can cry your eyes out over the dilemma he finds himself in ... ... My kind of town, Chicago is! (Frank Sinatra said it, not me.) PAT ------------------------------ From: kentborg@world.std.com (Kent Borg) Subject: Telephone Companies and the Time Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA Date: Tue, 8 Mar 1994 17:36:44 GMT I am under the impression that phone companies need accurate frequency sources for synchronous communications, but do they have any real need for accurate time of day information? The question is prompted by the fact that the local non-wire cellular carrier in Boston, Cellular One, doesn't know what time it is. I placed my first billable cell call one day after 7:00 PM local time but was billed a minute at prime time rates. I know it was after 7:00, for the BBC World Service had already started their 00:00 UTC news broadcast, my watch said so too, etc. Yesterday I checked the talking clock number of Nynex (as they are calling New England Telephone these days) and it was off by what sounded like at least a tenth of a second when played against a WWV transmission. (Usually they are closer -- unless there has been a leap second a few hours earlier.) Question: What need do phone companies have for accurate time (other than not cheating customers)? How many different definitions of the "correct time" likely exist inside your average RBOC, long distance company, cellular provider, etc.? Question 2: How do I find the person inside Cellular One Boston who is in charge of setting the clock on the billing computer? Kent Borg H: +1 (617) 776-6899 kentborg@world.std.com W: +1 (508) 250-5407 kentborg@aol.com Fax: +1 (508) 250-5400 ------------------------------ From: Susan Jacobson Subject: SONAR Data Communications Underwater Date: Tue, 8 Mar 94 18:58:13 -0500 Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice) Hi there! I am looking for some information about underwater data communications. Several sources have told me I would have to use SONAR technology ... I am working on a design project in graduate school. My group wants to create a wireless communications device (like a PDA) that could be used by recreational SCUBA divers. Any information would be apppreciated. Thanks! ------------------------------ From: gaupkg@fnma.COM Subject: Question About Random Dialing Reply-To: gaupkg@fnma.COM Organization: Fannie Mae Date: Tue, 8 Mar 1994 21:47:18 GMT Hi! Ya'all Telecom folks, A friend of mine who doesn't read this news group has the following question: Is there a shareware program or commercial program available that can dial randomly within a given area code and when it comes across a fax machine log that fax number into a database. If anyone has any pointers I would appreciate it. Prab G. gaupkg@fnma.com [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Just what is needed ... a program to invade the privacy of telephone subscribers; annoy them by causing their phone to ring and hanging up on them when it discovers they are not a fax machine, and creating a list of the subscribers who are. Sorry, no help available here. Who does your friend 'who does not read this newsgroup' think he is anyway, that he has the right to scan through telephone exchanges bothering everyone like that? Tell your friend that if someone has a fax machine and wishes to use it to be in contact with him, they will let him know. In other words, don't call us, we'll call you. PAT] ------------------------------ From: ecb@world.std.com (Eileen C Bauer) Subject: Looking For Two and Three Character Country Codes Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA Date: Tue, 8 Mar 1994 01:52:53 GMT Can anyone send me a list of current two and three character country codes. I have most of them, but what with the breakup of various countries and what-not, I figure I'm missing a few (codes, that is) Thanks for any info! Eileen ------------------------------ Subject: Problems With GSM Technology Date: Wed, 09 Mar 1994 11:12:53 +0800 From: John Sims Greetings! The commercial media here has started to make widely known the Australian government's plans to scrap the analog cellular system by 2000, to be replaced by a GSM based system. There is a bit of a ruckus developing, but that is not I want to discuss. I seem to remember a few months back there was some information here about some real technical problems with GSM as a system. I would be very grateful if someone out there who is aware of GSM's shortcomings could share these with us, or at least point me to where an archive of such information might be kept. Thanks very much in advance. John Sims john@fs.com.au Functional Software Voice: +61 9 328 8288 7/643 Newcastle St Fax: +61 9 328 8616 Leederville, Western Australia, 6007 ------------------------------ From: rpadula@aol.com Date: Tue, 08 Mar 94 22:11:14 EST Subject: More Dialogic Help Needed Does anyone know where I can find the latest version of the Dialogic voice drivers for DOS for their D40/B and D41/B boards? I called Dialogic, especially since their fax-back server indicates "NC" for their DOS voice drivers. Unfortunately, they would not give me the drivers for "NC" and proceeded to try to push their new products on me. Ugh. I really hate having these two boards going to waste ... Rich ------------------------------ From: barmar@Think.COM (Barry Margolin) Subject: Re: Clipped Again Date: 8 Mar 1994 22:29:20 GMT Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA In article padgett@tccslr.dnet.mmc.com (A. Padgett Peterson) writes: > {Time Magazine}, March 14, 1994 >> In a Time/CNN poll of 1,000 Americans conducted last week by Yankelovich >> Partners, two-thirds said it was more important to protect the privacy of >> phone calls than to preserve the ability of police to conduct wiretaps. >> When informed about the Clipper Chip, 80% said they opposed it. > This makes no sense to me. Today there is *no* privacy in phone calls > so the question must have been worded so as to imply that there is for > people to believe that Clipper provides *less*. Where does the above description say that there is currently privacy? In fact, it says "preserve the ability ... to conduct wiretaps", implying that there currently is no privacy. The "protect the privacy" alternative is a new feature. So it claims that 2/3 would like additional privacy rather than the current ability of the government to tap. >> Rather than outlaw PGP and other such programs, a policy that would >> probably be unconstitutional, the Administration is taking a marketing >> approach. By using its purchasing power to lower the cost of Clipper >> technology, and by vigilantly enforcing restrictions against overseas >> sales of competing encryption systems, the government is trying to >> make it difficult for any alternative schemes to become widespread. > PGP is free for individual use -- you mean the government is going to > *pay me* to use Clipper? PGP may be free for individual use, but the above paragraph is presumably about commercial use. A PGP option for a phone almost certainly won't be free. The point of the above paragraph is that the most popular encryption chip will presumably be the cheapest, due to economies of scale, and a chip in use throughout the government will have automatic popularity. Of course, this ignores the effect of competition. I think the Clipper protocol is currently licensed to a single vendor, so its monopoly status will not provide incentive to lower the cost. Meanwhile, vendors competing in an open encryption market will try to beat each others' prices. > When I get some Clippers/Capstones, *then* I'll make my decision as to > whether or not they are any good but I am getting bothered by all the > people who want to deny me that chance. Most of the complaints about Clipper have little to do with the quality of the encryption algorithm (although there *is* some concern, since it's not been opened to public scrutiny), but about the government's policy surrounding it (e.g. the key escrow facility). I'm not sure how receipt of the chips would affect one's opinion about the latter. Barry Margolin System Manager, Thinking Machines Corp. barmar@think.com {uunet,harvard}!think!barmar ------------------------------ From: robin@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Robin Amano) Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Questions Organization: University of Hawaii Date: Wed, 9 Mar 1994 01:11:52 GMT In article malis@maelstrom.timeplex.com (Andy Malis) writes: > 1. Is there a Cellular FAQ? I looked unsuccessfully in the Telecom > Archives and via archie. > 2. A number of places locally are selling the Motorola 550 "flip > phone" for about $50. Any advice regarding this phone, either good or > bad? Does it following the Motorola programming manual found in the > archives (file "motorola.programming")? I have a 550 and it works okay for me. Where do you find this programming manual? Actually if I could afford the expensive flip phone I'd get that. I like the keys that you don't have to press hard. rob ------------------------------ From: rpadula@aol.com Date: Tue, 08 Mar 94 22:10:57 EST Subject: Re: Line/Cable Simulators In V14 #112, phil_s1@verifone.com asked for a line/cable simulator. Here's something I found in Vol. 39 of the EDN Products Edition: The Consultronics DLS-90: - Simulates up to 9000 feet of cable. - Good for ISDN, T1, HDSL, or ADSL. - 1.5 MHz bandwidth - Variable in 100 foot increments. - Passes DC voltages. - Fully passive and bi-directional. Their toll-free number: 1-800-267-7235. Their address: Consultronics/Atlanta, 5258 Ashley Dr., Lilburn, GA 30247. Their direct phone number: 404-921-3449, Fax: 404-381-5810. P.S. Any typos are mine. Hope this helps. ------------------------------ From: Jeff Regan Reply-To: Jeff Regan Subject: Re: Wanted: Alphanumeric Pager Software Date: 8 Mar 1994 19:51:24 GMT Organization: CONCERT-Connect Public Dial UNIX > Anybody know of a source for software that will use the modem to dial > an alphanumeric pager and to send a message to that pager? > Motorola uses these keyboard-like devices now. It would be nice to > replace them with software. About seven years ago I wrote a program for an XT that would call the MOTOROLA number that these little units would dial, and if right, hit return a couple of times. When it saw something like 'ID:' come back from the far end, it would enter the ID. When 'MSG:' came back, it would type the message the user requested to send. A straight terminal program was all that was needed, but the company I did it for had me set up a look up table so they just had to type the NAME of the pager user, and then the MESSAGE, and the proage was sent ... not difficult at all. I don't remember off hand but I think it was like 1200 baud 7e1 or something like that ... you would have to figure out area but that should not be too hard. I took a quick look around but was unable to locate the program. Hope this is of some help. Jeff Regan Internet address: JEREGAN@FLASH.LAKEHEADU.CA Ham Packet address: VE3XJR@VE3TKA.#NON.ON.CAN.NA ------------------------------ From: wbloss@delphi.com Subject: Re: Transborder Local Calls Date: Wed, 9 Mar 94 09:07:27 -0500 Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice) John Botari writes: > concerning a local calling area that crosses an international boundary > ... Baudette, MN - (218) 634-xxxx, and Rainy River, ON - (807) 852-xxxx Is a Baudette a small Baud? Wally Bloss A Human [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: No, a baudette is a female baud. A baudlet is a baby baud. :) PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Mar 1994 17:40:00 +0000 From: charles hoequist Subject: Re: Phones in the Movies Again fontaine@sri.ucl.ac.be (Alain Fontaine) writes: > And in 'America', everyone rides a horse, wearing a big hat and a pair > of colts. During my residence in Germany 1982-85, a lot of German university students seemed to think so, except that the Colts were replaced by Pershing missles. > Now, I was born here in Belgium (Europa) in 1951, and I have > never encountered a bayonet socket except for the small lamp in my > wife's sewing machine ... /AF I encountered them the first time I changed a light bulb (in a regular lamp) in the UK, and continued to find them as long as I lived there, 1986-88. Took me a couple of failures to learn to note the socket type when going to the store for replacements. Of course, one could argue that the UK isn't part of Europe ;) Charles Hoequist, Jr. | Internet: hoequist@bnr.ca BNR, Inc. | voice: 919-991-8642 PO Box 13478 | fax: 919-991-8008 Research Triangle Park NC 27709-3478 USA ------------------------------ From: pegasus@cyberspace.org (Patricia Snyder-Rayl) Subject: CONNECT Table of Contents - Mar/Apr '94 Date: 9 Mar 1994 11:39:33 -0500 Organization: Cyberspace Communications Public-Access UNIX CONNECT Magazine Table of Contents Vol 2 No 2 March/April 1994 FEATURES Newspapers in the Electronic Age by David Noak Newspapers have found new life in the electronic world. This article looks at a number of newspapers making the move to the digital marketplace. Confessions of a Conference Junkie by Annina Anton A genuine real-time conferencing addict explains what it is like to be hooked on chat. How to Choose an Online Service by Rich Hower Want to get online but are baffled by the many choices available to you? This article helps you decide which online services are best for you. Teaching the Old Dog by James Rock An "old dog" who recently entered the world of telecomputing tells how he's found a new online home, and learned a few new tricks, on the Cyberia BBS in Pennsylvania. DC NET v2.1 -- An Online Window to Creativity by Dan Dearmond Durand Communication's DC NET Online Photographic Database software is the focus of this in-depth review. A Second Look at DC NET by Jeff Worchester Another DC NET user reviews Durand's online database allowing callers to view text and graphics together online. Accessing the Online World of Electronic Bulletin Boards by Russell Frey The author of PowerBBS for Windows takes you through the ABCs of the BBSing world, discusses BBSes and networking, and points you to a number of excellent BBSes that are just a connection away. Turn Your PC into a Usenet Site by Edward Branley This article shows you how to get your IBM PC or compatible system connected to the "Outernet," allowing Usenet newsgroups and Internet mail to be accessed directly on your PC. Highlights of COMDEX/Fall '93 by Steve Richardson After attending the Fall COMDEX show in Las Vegas, the author shares his impressions of what was offered for telecomputer users. Commworks for Windows by Jim Mallory The author reviews the new Windows-based communications package from Traveling Software, makers of LapLink and Remote Access. COLUMNS The Inside Line Editorial Staff Columnist Michael A. Banks points out online "hang-outs" for writers of books and publications, as well as other topics. Eye on America Online Columnist Julia Wilkinson takes us through the areas on AOL supporting palmtops and Personal Data Assistants (PDAs) like the Apple Newton MessagePad and Casio Zoomer. Connecting with Compuserve Your CompuServe guide, columnist Jim Ness, spotlights some of the service's ever-expanding European offerings. Telecomputing the DELPHI Way DELPHI's Internet SIG and Custom Forums SIG are revisited by Columnist Dick Evans, who also discusses his recent in-person tour of the DELPHI facility. GEnie's Treasures Columnist Jim Mallory takes us to the Medical RoundTable on GEnie and shows why this RT may be the cure for what ails you. The Internet Gateway Using the Internet Gopher to its fullest potential, and thereby saving you valuable time and resources, is the focus of this issue's offering from Columnist Paul Gilster. Clear to Send The MicroLink shareware Windows terminal program from MicroWerks is reviewed by PC Columnist Victor Volkman. Dial M for Macintosh Macintosh Columnist Ross Scott Rubin talks about Apple's latest foray into the modem/serial communications market with the GeoPort. Staying Connected for about a Pound Palmtop Columnist Marty Mankins shows how to stay in touch via fax with your palmtop or PDA. CONNECT magazine is available at the following magazine outlets: B.Dalton Bookseller, Bookstop, Bookstar, Barnes & Noble, Doubleday, Scribner's, Crown Books, Tower BooksT ittle Professor, Lichtman'c ewsxMjkk, Coles Book Stores, CompUSA, Computer City and Software Etc. chains, as well as other chains and independent newsstands, book stores and computer dealers in the U.S. and Canada. Call (313) 973-8825 to find the magazine dealer nearest you who carries CONNECT. CONNECT is a bi-monthly magazine covering the major commercial online services (such as America Online, BIX, CompuServe, DELPHI, GEnie and Prodigy), the Internet, and bulletin board system networks (such as Fidonet, WWIVnet, and GlobalNet). The magazine is platform-independent, with columns focusing on PC-specific (DOS and Windows), Macintosh-oriented, and Palmtop/PDA-related topics. CONNECT Magazine |(313) 973-8825 | Covering commercial online | "The Modem User's Resource"|(313) 973-0411 fax | services, Internet and BBS | 3487 Braeburn Circle |(313) 973-9137 BBS | networks from a user's | Ann Arbor, MI 48108 | 14.4Kbps V.32bis| perspective. | ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V14 #120 ****************************** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Downloaded From P-80 International Information Systems 304-744-2253