TELECOM Digest Tue, 15 Mar 94 23:38:00 CST Volume 14 : Issue 132 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Questions About GMRS Radio (TELECOM Digest Editor) Strange Meridian Mail Problem (Richard Hyde) The Final C/Fest.594 Reminder (Dave Skwarczek) Experiences With VSAT Communications (Shanliang Yin) CDPD, PCS, PCN, and Digital Cellular? (Dan Leifker) Wireless T-1 (Eric A. Litman) Voice Mail\FAX\Data Software (Mitch Rosenberg) Motorola Announces ITS PDA (Herd Beast) APS Alliance? (A.N. Ananth) Information Request - Time Off of NT-Opt61 (Greg Maples) BBS in Switzerland (Eric Jolley) Appel a` Communications Pour CFIP'95 (*in French*) (Jean-Marc Jezequel) Re: Cordless Telephone Output Power (Dave Held) Looking For a Piece of Telephone Equipment (Harold Hubschman) Re: Setting up a 900 Number (Bick Truet) Re: Mr. Watson, Come Here ... (Russell Blau) 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, 15 Mar 94 23:01:29 CST From: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM Digest Editor) Subject: Questions About GMRS Radio I have here a type of transceiver with which I am not very familiar and am hoping Digest readers can enlighten me on its proper use and what is to be expected of it. It is a UHF handheld transmitter with two channels. What very little documentation I have for it says that it is intended for use in the 'Personal Radio Service' on 462.7125 and 462.6375 mhz. Furthermore the very skimpy documentation (some notes that someone wrote out longhand) state that FCC licenses will be granted to operate on any of these eight frequencies: 462.5500 462.5750 462.6000 462.6250 462.6500 462.6750 462.7000 462.7250 But ... the transceiver has none of those frequencies; instead it has the two mentioned above and these are referred to as two of the seven 'interstitial' channels on which a licensed station may operate. The antenna for this radio is a little stubby thing about two inches long. It is a 'rubber ducky' type antenna, I assume loaded if it is that short in the 462 mhz range. In one place on the radio it states that output power is one watt, yet in the documentation is the notation that 'output power = 50' (copied verbatim from the notes). What is all this about? Making the general assumption about radio (which I assume is true in this case also) that the antenna is 80-90 percent of what radio is about, what is the range over which this will typically transmit? It is a tiny little handheld thing, and looks much like a CB 'walkie talkie'. Tell me what you know about these transceivers: range, use, etc. Thanks very much. Patrick Townson ------------------------------ From: rah@netcom.com (Richard Hyde) Subject: Strange Meridian Mail Problem Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest) Date: Wed, 16 Mar 1994 00:12:01 GMT Help, please, with a strange Meridian Mail problem. I have multiple incoming lines divided into an (800) group and a local (408) group. I have an extension, 520, that is associated with a time-of-day-controller. I have two time-of-day-controllers programmed but only one is in use at a given time. TODC 1000 is associated with three Voice Service IDs: VSI 1001 = business day message VSI 1002 = Evening/Weekend message VSI 1003 = Holiday message TODC 2000 is associated with one Voice Service ID arranged as follows: VSI 1004 = Business day message VSI 1004 = Evening/Weekend message VSI 1004 = Holiday message In normal operation TODC 1000 is switched in and the system operates normally. Each of the VSIs kicks in at the appropriate time and becomes the default recorded announcement that the customer hears. Callers on the 800 number always hear the recorded announcement. Callers on the 408 number always get the attendant console unless the console is in night mode, then they get the recording. So far, so good. Now, the TODC 2000 VSI (1004) contains an emergency message notifying all callers that our system is currently unavailable. When I use Remote Activation to change the TODC for x520 from 1000 to 2000, the 800 number behaves correctly at all times, but the 408 number still recites the 1002 message during evening/weekend hours. The console is, of course, in night mode when this happens. I can't, for the life of me, figure out what I've done wrong. Any Meridian Guru's out there? For extra credit, customers occasionally report getting the *holiday* message at inappropriate times!. I've never been able to duplicate this one :-( Thanks for the help! Richard Hyde RaH@netcom.com ------------------------------ From: talon@MCS.COM (Dave Skwarczek) Subject: The Final C/Fest.594 Reminder Date: 15 Mar 1994 18:23:32 -0600 Organization: MCSNet Subscriber, Chicago's First Public-Access Internet! Here's the final reminder about Cyberfest.594. I've been hard at work planning all this, and it's finally nearing fruition! If you haven't read anything about it, here's the scoop. Cyberfest.594 will be Chicago's first ever cyber/club event -- featuring VR, graphics, video, MIDI, gaming and telecommunications hardware and software; two live electronic bands; and cyber-art from local and national cyber-artists -- all packed neatly into one of the largest nightclubs in the city. A true socio-technological blowout. The official "who/what/when/where" announcement will take place NEXT MONDAY, MARCH 21 at every Usenet board on which this message appears. For the companies/pioneers/sigs/zines that have received their registration folders: Deadline for registration is this Friday, March 18! If you missed the mail boat, we can still fax you info on the few remaining exhibit spaces. If you're a 2D/3D/video/audio/whatever cyber-artist interested in having some work out and about at the event, send me some email! April 1 is our deadline for artists' submissions. Thanks, dave talon@mcs.com ------------------------------ From: slyin@engin.umich.edu (Shanliang Yin) Subject: Experiences With VSAT Communications Date: 15 Mar 1994 20:56:36 GMT Organization: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Hello, I was wondering if anyone has had any experience using VSAT (satellite) communications to inter connect WAN instead of using lease-lines from IXC? Does current equipment support VSAT communications effiectively, how does the cost compare with the usual terrestrial lease-line option? Also, any experiences using VSAT to connect WANs internationally? (the cost of a lease line seems so high for an international circuit!) I know Hughes Network Systems offers such services. Are there any other providers out there (I'm sure there are ...)? I'm looking into connecting a WAN I the US to another one in Asia. Any suggestions, advice, experiences ... all are welcome :) slyin Shan-Liang Yin ------------------------------ From: dleifker@mitre.org (Dan Leifker) Subject: CDPD, PCS, PCN, and Digital Cellular? Date: 15 Mar 1994 21:21:37 GMT This is a quick question to anyone familiar with wireless communications. I am taking an introductory (grad level) course in telecommunications, and the professor has asked us to write a short paper defining the following terms: digital cellular, CDPD, PCS, PCN, and wireless. I have been scouring the area (Washington, D.C.) and have found almost nothing in the way of technical literature. Could some kind soul outline the differences between these terms and give me some pointers for more information? Are these things in a competitive sort of relationship? (I'm not asking anyone to do my work ... I'm just looking for a starting place.) Thanks, Dan Leifker dleifker@mitre.org ------------------------------ From: elitman@proxima.com (Eric A. Litman) Subject: Wireless T-1 Date: 15 Mar 1994 18:32:23 -0600 Organization: Proxima, Inc. I recall reading several months ago about a device (possibly RF) allowing 1.5MB/s and greater speeds at distances of a mile and more. Is anyone familiar with such a beast? Vendor responses welcome. Eric Litman Proxima, Inc. vox: (703) 506.1661 Systems Engineer McLean, VA elitman+@proxima.com ------------------------------ From: Mitch_Rosenberg@mindlink.bc.ca (Mitch Rosenberg) Subject: Voice Mail\FAX\Data Software Date: 15 Mar 94 14:44:52 GMT Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada Has anyone has succes with a FAX ON DEMAND application for windows? I'm planning on purchasing a 14.4 with voice capabilities, as I hope to use the voice mail and FAX ON DEMAND features for a home based business. I understand Zyxel has a bundled software package (but I don't plan on paying Zyxel's sticker price!), and I hear BitComm has a voice mail and FOD app as well. While I'm at it ... suggestions for a FAXodem with voice would be appreciated as well. Thanks, Mitch_Rosenberg@Mindlink.bc.ca ------------------------------ Subject: Motorola Announces ITS PDA From: hbeast@phantom.com (Herd Beast) Date: Tue, 15 Mar 94 10:14:30 EST Organization: [MindVox] / Phantom Access Technologies / (+1 800-MindVox) Motorola has announced its own PDA -- Envoy. Envoy is the first in a series of products will announce soon, and will compete against products of Apple (newton), IBM (Simon) and AT&T/Eo. The Envoy can be used for voice, text, or FAX messages and can communicate with other Envoys, FAX machines and modems, over telephone lines or wireless communication. The Envoy also includes a personal financial program, address book, worksheet, and watch programs. The Envoy includes a small wireless modem for the wireless communications. It is compatible with the IBM/Motorola Ardis wireless PSN. Envoys communicate with each other using infrared (like Newtons) and have two PCMCIA slots. The Envoy uses the MagicCap operating system (by General Magic). It's controlled by a digital pen, or by tapping on the screen. The pen can be used for writing messages and FAXing them. Unlike the other products, the Envoy doesn't have a handwriting recognition feature. It weights about half a kilo, 18 centimeters tall, 14 cms wide and less than 3 cms high. H3rb ------------------------------ From: ananth@access.digex.net (A N Ananth) Subject: APS Alliance? Date: 15 Mar 1994 10:43:29 -0500 Organization: Prism Communications Inc, Annapolis MD Recent reports talk of an effort called the Asynchronous Protocol Specification (APS) alliance which is developing a protocol to be presented to the ITU (formerly CCITT) to let individuals link mail-enabled applications to any type of wireless networks. Members are said to include Microsoft, Apple & DEC with Intel selected to come up with a draft. The founder is said to be Dave Knight, VP of ISOCOR. The article also mentions a group called the Electronic Messaging Association with Bill Moroney as executive director. Can anyone shed more light on this or better yet provide a pointer to papers or people? Thanks in advance. ananth Phone: (410) 765-9281 Prism Communications Inc ------------------------------ From: gmaples@netcom.com (Greg Maples) Subject: Information Request - Time Off of NT-Opt61 Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest) Date: Wed, 16 Mar 1994 01:58:14 GMT Help! I'm trying to get time synchronization running between our NT OPT61 pbx and a Sun SS10. I'm aware that I could use nxtp for synchro in the Unix world, but we are not directly internet connected, and xntp is a big load of code. Does someone know of an easy, simple method of getting the NT to set the Sun or vice-versa? Is there a version of timed for the Sun (4.1.1)? Do I sound clueless? Sigh ... (I hate voice). Please send mail responses to: gmaples@netcom.com Thanks! ------------------------------ From: Eric.Jolley@m.cc.utah.edu (Eric Jolley) Subject: BBS in Switzerland Date: 15 Mar 1994 00:53:18 -0700 Organization: University of Utah Computer Center, Salt Lake City, Ut. I am trying to connect to a BBS in Bassersdorf, Switzerland, but I think I may be dialing the number wrong. The number is listed as: 0041-1-8364174. I am dialing from the U.S., and my LD carrier is AT&T, so I am dialing 011-41-1-8364174, but I get a "cannot complete call as dialed" message. I assume I am missing some digits, but which ones? If it is the 00 before the 41 for Switzerland, where do they go? Any help would be appreciated. Eric Jolley Eric.Jolley@m.cc.utah.edu Film Studies Major, U. of U. ------------------------------ From: Jean-Marc.Jezequel@irisa.fr (Jean-Marc Jezequel) Subject: Appel a` Communications Pour CFIP'95 (*in French*) Date: 15 Mar 1994 08:38:17 GMT Organization: Irisa, Rennes(FR) [If you don't understand French, you would not be interested in this] Appel aux communications Colloque Francophone sur l'Ingenierie des Protocoles 9-12 mai 1995 - Rennes - France Comite de Programme Presidents : Claude Jard (IRISA, France) et Pierre Rolin (Telecom-Bretagne, France) Membres : Paul Amer (Universite du Delaware, Etats-Unis) Bennani Abdelfdil (ENSIAS, Maroc) J. William Atwood (Universite de Concordia, Canada) Benkiran Amine (EMI, Maroc) Mohamed Bettaz (Universite de Constantine, Algerie) Ed Brinksma (Universite de Twente, Pays-Bas) Stanislaw Budkowski (INT, France) Richard Castanet (LaBRI, France) Ana Cavalli (INT, France) Wojciech Cellary (EFP, Pologne) Andre Danthine (Universite de Liege, Belgique) Piotr Dembinski (Academie des Sciences, Pologne) Michel Diaz (LAAS, France) Rachida Dssouli (Universite de Montreal, Canada) Jean Marc Farines (UFSC, Bresil) Serge Fdida (MASI, France) Alain Finkel (ENS Cachan, France) Roland Groz (FT/CNET, France) Farouk Kamoun (ENSI, Tunisie) Jacques Labetoulle (Eurecom, France) Guy Leduc (Universite de Liege, Belgique) Francis Lepage (CRAN, France) Luigi Logrippo (Universite d'Ottawa, Canada) Gerard Michel (IMAG, France) Pascale Minet (INRIA, France) Abdellatif Obaid (Univ. du Quebec a Hull, Canada) Omar Rafiq (Universite de Pau) Behcet Sarikaya (Universite de AIZU, Japon) Andre Schiper (EPFL, Suisse) Samir Tohme (ENST, France) Gregor von Bochmann (Univ. de Montreal, Canada) L'idee du Colloque Francophone sur l'Ingenierie des Protocoles qui a deja eu lieu par trois fois (1988, 1991 et 1993), est de permettre a la communaute francophone des enseignants, chercheurs et industriels dans le domaine des protocoles et reseaux informatiques, de faire regulierement le point en langue francaise. Le colloque comprend une journee de tutoriels, suivie de trois jours de conference. Le comite de programme souhaite se voir soumettre des communications qui traitent de tout sujet relatif au developpement des protocoles de communications. La liste non exhaustive qui suit, donne quelques points qui peuvent etre traites : - Conception, mise en oeuvre et gestion de reseaux et d'architectures de communication ; - Techniques et langages de specification ; - Techniques et outils de verification et de simulation ; application de ces techniques ; - Mise au point et integration des logiciels repartis dans les systemes ; - Architectures, methodes et outils de test de conformite et d'interoperabilite ; - Methodes formelles ou pragmatiques couvrant l'ensemble des etapes de developpements des protocoles ; - Conception et developpement de protocoles a haut debit ; - Modeles, evaluation et mesure de performances des reseaux ; - Conception, developpement et application multimedia dans les reseaux - Reseaux de mobiles ; reseaux radio ; - Securite dans les reseaux ; Le comite de programme souhaite recevoir des communications de la part d'universitaires, de chercheurs et d'industriels. Des articles de syntheses didactiques, des exposes de travaux de recherches theoriques et d'experiences pratiques sont attendus, ainsi que des propositions d'exposes pour les tutoriels. Les publications emanant de jeunes chercheurs sont particulierement les bienvenues. Un prix recompensera la meilleure publication. Les meilleures publications seront publiees dans des revues. Un espace sera disponible pour des demonstrations, le comite de programme sollicite des propositions sur les themes ci-dessus. Instruction aux Auteurs ----------------------- Si vous desirez soumettre une communication (12 pages maximum) ou un tutoriel, veuillez envoyer cinq exemplaires de l'article complet, avant le 1er septembre 1994, a : Pierre Rolin (Telecom-Bretagne, France) Telecom-Bretagne Antenne de Rennes Departement RSM Rue de la Chataigneraie BP 78 35512 - Cesson - Sevigne cedex FRANCE Tel : +33 99 12 70 21 Fax : +33 99 12 70 30 email : rolin@rennes.enst-bretagne.fr Les decisions du comite de programme vous seront notifiees le 15 janvier 1995. Pour etre publiees dans les actes du colloque les versions finales des articles doivent parvenir avant le 15 fevrier 1995. Dates a retenir --------------- 1er septembre 1994 : date limite pour la reception des articles soumis. 15 janvier 1995 : notification aux auteurs de la decision du comite de programme. 15 fevrier 1995 : date limite pour la reception des textes definitifs a inclure dans les actes du colloque. Comite d'organisation --------------------- Jean-Marc Jezequel (IRISA) Sylvie Brunet (Telecom-Bretagne) Noel Plouzeau (IRISA) Elisabeth Lebret (IRISA) Joseph Fromont (CCETT) Marie-Noelle Georgeault (IRISA) Alain Leger (CCETT) Jean-Marc Jezequel, IRISA/CNRS, 35042 RENNES (FRANCE) jezequel@irisa.fr ------------------------------ From: daveheld@delphi.com Subject: Re: Cordless Telephone Output Power Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 08:04:21 -0500 Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice) writes: > 2) even if it was legal, why does everyone want to increase the output > power? There is probably more room for increasing the receiver sensitivity > which would have the same effect. For instance, a cheap FET between the > antenna and the receiver chip could add at least 10 dB of sensitivity, > if you know what your'e doing. Those who want to raise transmitter power (not me, the other guys) are trying to compete against co-channel interference from other cordless phones. Boosting receiver sensitivity won't help. I might also add that simple receiver mods (such as your front-end FET) will have a lot of trouble due to the duplexing problem; i.e., a FET connected to the antenna as an RF preamp will be overloaded by the phone's own transmitter which is also connected to the same antenna. I have recommended against transmitter mods for a number of reasons: engineering difficulty, receiver desensing (the other half of the same duplexing problem), and battery life, not to mention philosophical complications such as federal law, harmful interference to other legitimate users, and the ultimate unlikeliness of achieving satisfactory longer-range performance. Dave ------------------------------ From: haroldh@ksgbbs.harvard.edu (Harold Hubschman) Subject: Looking For a Piece of Telephone Equipment Date: 15 Mar 1994 11:46:30 -0500 Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation I'm wondering if the following device exists: I have two telephone lines into my home. I would like to hook up a gadget between them that will allow me to phone in on one line on a touch tone phone, have this device answer, and then let me initiate a call out on the second line. Is such a device commercially available? Any ideas where to get one (and what it is called?) Thanks, hh [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Those devices are called 'WATS extenders' or 'call extenders' and they have been around for *years*. I think the 'Hello Direct' people sell them (1-800-HI-HELLO) along with quite a few other telecom supply houses. But whatever you do if you choose to install one: keep yourself covered! Install a difficult and *long* passcode on it or else hackerphreaks will eat you alive with fraud charges. PAT] ------------------------------ From: truet@delphi.com Subject: Re: Setting up a 900 Number Date: Tue, 15 Mar 94 13:38:12 -0500 Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice) Tauren N Mills writes: > I am investigating setting up a 900 number for my business, but cannot > justify the $2500 installation fee that AT&T wants, plus the $1000 per > month. Does anyone know of any outfits that will rent 900 numbers? > I don't want to rent one that is already set up and all you have to do > is advertise. I need my own information to be available. Tauren: You may want to contact some of the consultants and/or service bureaus that support the 900 industry including: Telco Planning, MicroVoice applications, Brite Voice, etc. If you need telephone numbers, I'll be happy to provide them. Bick Truet TRG Clinton, NJ 908.730.9050 BickTRG@aol.com Truet@delphi.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 15:29:29 EST From: Russell Blau Subject: Re: Mr. Watson, Come Here ... In a recent article, John R. Levine <0001037498@mcimail.com> said: > The building in Boston where Bell and Watson did their work has long > since been torn down to build a government office, but the site is > marked by a small granite shaft and a pair of payphones. Yes, the building is gone, but Bell's restored workshop including some of his original equipment can still be seen in the lobby of the New England Tel (ooops, excuse me, NYNEX) building at 185 Franklin Street in Boston. It's like a little shrine to the Creator, complete with pre-recorded narration and little brochures you can take home. Definitely worth a visit if you are in Boston. ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V14 #132 ****************************** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Downloaded From P-80 International Information Systems 304-744-2253