TELECOM Digest     Fri, 1 Apr 94 12:07:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 158

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Call Counting Device Wanted (Paul Cook)
    Any Extra Features I Can Order For Analog Modem Line? (Rich Chong)
    Information About Ermes Project (Stewart Fist)
    Dials! (Bob Frankston)
    ZMODEM - Proprietary? (Christopher Tate)
    Where is alt.2600? (FILCHOCK@cup.edu)
    Job Opening (Doug Gurich)
    MCI Goes "Both Ways" (Was Useless 800 Number) (Paul Robinson)
    Looking For CID Box With Serial Port (David Vrona)
    Re: Humorous Names For the RBOCs (Ted Hadley)
    Re: Humorous Names For the RBOCs (Dave Ptasnik)
    Primeline Service (Peter Tindall)
    Modern Times (Jerry Leichter)
    *999; CB Channel 9 (Jonathan)
    Re: *999; CB Channel 9 (Andrew C. Green)
    Re: New Area Code 630 (Andrew C. Green)
    Re: Who Paid For My 550? (Jack Hamilton)
    Re: Country Code For San Marino (Jack Hamilton)
    Re: CATV Modems (wright@LAA.COM)
    Re: Ruling on Dark Fiber (Tom Watson)
    Re: Extension Cord For Cell Phone (Gregory Youngblood)

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 94 18:46 EST
From: Paul Cook <0003991080@mcimail.com>
Subject: Call Counting Device


Does anyone know of a box that could install in series with multiple
phone lines to not only count calls, but deliver reports on the exact
time between the first ring and when each call was answered?

Output could be a printer or RS232 port.


Paul Cook   Proctor & Associates
206-881-7000   3991080@mcimail.com

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 08:12:16 CST
From: Rich Chong <U41602@uicvm.uic.edu>
Subject: Any Extra Features I Can Order For Analog Modem Line?
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago, ADN Computer Center


I'm getting an analog phone line installed to be used for only modem
work. I'll be using a v.fc modem. I understand that a normal voice
grade line *should* work fine. But since the company is paying for it,
I was wondering if there was any special conditioning I can request to
be installed with that line to assure things are clean at my end; what
it roughly costs; and is it worth it?  I know v.fc and v.fast are
different than normal v.32bis, but i've seen some problems where some
14.4k modems just dont want to connect at 14.4k on some phone lines.
thanks.


rc

------------------------------

Date: 31 Mar 94 07:00:34 EST
From: Stewart Fist <100033.2145@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Information About ERMES Project


Lars Kalsen requested information about the ERMES project.  I doubt if
I have anything substantial enough to interest him, and I think a lot
of us would like to know what's happening here.

Here's an outline for those who don't know Ermes.  Iit is the European
Radio Messaging System from ETSI.  It is planned to be a pan-European
VHF multi-channel, wide-area alphanumeric paging network with (originally) 
a 1993 launch date (which has since slipped).
   
The European commission allocated 200 kHz of spectrum between 169.6
and 169.8MHz for Ermes, and other frequencies around 800 MHz have been
reserved in the VHF band.  It will use frequency-agile receivers which
scan 16 possible frequencies.  The data-rate is 6250bit/s and the
system allows the transparent transmission of data.  Ermes devices may
eventually be able to receive common frequencies across the US, Asia
and the Pacific region.
  
The problem with the system appears to be the additional costs imposed
by the need for agile receivers.  Normal pagers only use a single
frequency.

Don't confuse Ermes with Hermes, which is a European development of a
space shuttle. There's also a cut-down pre-Ermes standard called
Euromessage in the UHF band, which is limited to the UK, Germany,
Italy and France.

------------------------------

From: Bob_Frankston@frankston.com
Subject: Dials!
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 09:47 -0400


My son (11) confronted a dial phone this past weekend and couldn't
figure out how to use it. He tried pressing the "buttons" but nothing
happened. We finally had to show him the concept of turning the dial.
It took a little practice to get it smooth.

I guess we've reached a milestone. What if he were confronted by the
"anti-drug" pay phones with dials and had to dial 911? He'd be stuck.

In designing UI's we make assumptions about cultural norms or icons.
Most people see the phone dial as a very obvious interface. It isn't,
it's just something most of us learned at an early enough age to
assume it is a part of the natural world.

------------------------------

From: fixer@faxcsl.dcrt.nih.gov
Subject: ZMODEM - Proprietary?
Reply-To: fixer@faxcsl.dcrt.nih.gov
Organization: DCRT, NIH, Bethesda, MD
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 1994 01:04:43 GMT


I'm trying to determine whether the Zmodem transfer protocol is
proprietary.  Specifically, are there any *free* (i.e. non-shareware)
tools for sending/receiving files utilizing the Zmodem protocol?


Christopher Tate    MSD, Inc.   fixer@faxcsl.dcrt.nih.gov 

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 13:54:49 EST
From: FILCHOCK@cup.edu
Subject: where is ALT.2600?


Hi,

We do not receive any ALT newsgroups at our site ... ARGHHHHHHHHH

Could someone please inform me how/if I could get on the mailing list
for alt.2600


Thanks,

Richard Filchock    filchock@cup.edu


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You don't receive any alt groups at your
site? What a horrible deprivation that must be!  :)  I could understand
your sysadmins deciding to only take alt groups and dump all the Usenet
groups ... but not the other way around.  I dunno if alt.2600 even has
a mailing list (electronically, of course they have their printed maga-
zine) but surely somene from there reading this will get back to you
with details if they do.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 94 13:59:02 CST
From: Doug_Gurich@fcircus.sat.tx.us (Doug Gurich)
Subject: Job Opening


GlobalCom International, a diversified telcommunications firm with
world-wide operations, is seeking a Proposal Engineer with significant
experience in data communications, ISDN and video conferencing.  The
ideal candidate would also have voice communications experience.
 
This request is for a part-time consulting position which maycould lead to
permanent employment.  Applicants from all areas of the world are
encouraged to apply (most work will be done on a telecommuting basis).
 
Please forward credentials and accomplishments to the attention of Doug
Gurich.

 
Internet     Doug_Gurich@fcircus.sat.tx.us
Compuserve   71650,3012
Fax          +1 (210) 525-7959
Address      9311 San Pedro, St. 700, San Antonio, TX 78216, USA

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 02:31:04 EST
From: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Subject: MCI Goes "Both Ways" (Was Useless 800 Number)
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


Monty Solomon mentions MCI's 800-WOW-ITS-HOT number, to make us think
of how hot it is during summer.  (Actually it's a demonstration of
MCI's network, of course.)

Item three on MCI's WOW-ITS-HOT recording is of seagulls at the beach.
This was also in their demonstration last summer, for numbers to
listen to so we can cool off!  I guess they figure this sound works
both ways!


Paul Robinson - Paul@TDR.COM


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Your mention of this brought to mind
our illustrious former president Lyndon Baines Johnson (1963-1968).
One of his campaign slogans was 'all the way with LBJ' ... but during
his term in office, the person who was his chief of staff, principal
right-hand man and confidant of many years standing -- a fellow named
Walter Jenkins -- got caught in an indelicate situation in the public
men's room at the YMCA in Washington, DC. Caught with his pants down
in a manner of speaking, the newspapers had a great time with it for
a few days and Jenkins was forced to resign, all the while President
Johnson pleaded ignorance of his long time associate's predilection.
Before long the slogan 'all the way with LBJ' was more commonly said
as 'either way with LBJ' or 'both ways with LBJ'. If you recall the
man, you'll appreciate well the slogan could fit him. He was a coarse
and rough-talking old geezer; sex was never far from his mind.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: dave@sashimi.wwa.com (David Vrona)
Subject: Looking For CID Box With Serial Port
Date: 31 Mar 1994 11:50:02 -0600
Organization: WorldWide Access (SM) Chicagoland Internet Services
Reply-To: dave@sashimi.wwa.com


Hi All,

I am looking for a box like the old Classmate that does CID and has
serial output.  I know I can buy a modem like the ZyXEL that does this
but I am looking for something for under $100.

Oh, and also, I would like name as well as number capability.


Thanks,

David Vrona N9QNZ           +1 708 367 1870 (voice)  Internet: dave@wwa.com
Computing Engineers Inc.    +1 708 367 1871 (data)  +1 708 367 1872 (fax)
Home of WorldWide Access (SM), Internet services for the Chicagoland area.
Send e-mail to info@wwa.com for information, or call +1 708 367 1871 (data).

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 94 09:59:34 PST
From: tedh@cylink.COM (Ted Hadley)
Subject: Re: Humorous Names For the RBOCs


>     US West            Taco Bell

FYI:

Stockbrokers call Telefonos de Mexico (The newly privatized Mexican
telephone company) Taco Bell. Fits better than with US West, IMO.
                   ^^^^^^^^^

Ted A. Hadley     tedh@cylink.com

------------------------------

From: davep@u.washington.edu (Dave Ptasnik)
Subject: Re: Humorous Names For the RBOCs
Date: 31 Mar 1994 18:54:28 GMT
Organization: University of Washington


DAVID AUS <71742.1102@CompuServe.COM> writes:

> When the Bell System was broken up, some wags came up with a cute name for 
> each of the then new RBOCs.  I think I remember some of them:

>     Ameritech          ?
>     Bell Atlantic      Liberty Bell
>     Bell South         Southern Belle
>     Nynex              ?
>     PacTel             Tinker Bell
>     Southwestern Bell  Mission Bell
>     US West            Taco Bell

> Does anyone remember all the names?

Ameritech was Cow Bell as I recall.


All of the above is nothing more than the personal opinion of - 

Dave Ptasnik  davep@u.washington.edu

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 94 00:31 WET
From: ptindall@io.org (Peter Tindall)
Subject: Primeline


PAT said: 

> PrimeLine is essentially the equivilent of AT&T's 'Easy Reach 700'
> service.

Pat - Unless I am mistaken about 'Easy Reach 700' - they are not the same.

PrimeLine is a service in Toronto that gives you a 416-410-NNNN number
on a DMS switch. Software on the switch (written by a company called
AccessLine I believe) answers the call and plays a message of your
choice to the caller- and then handles the call according to your
instructions.  Transfer to Home/Office/Cellular/Other-In town/Other-
Out of Town/Pager/ Messaging/Meet me Service (Caller hears jazzy
elevator music while party is paged -- then calls are connected).
 
An assortment of screening options are included: Prompts caller to
identify if call is urgent/Forces caller to enter private DTMF code/
Forces caller to speak name & reason.

You can also setup a weekly schedule in advance to vary your call
processing options.

My only complaint is that all long distance transfers are billed to
your calling card. (With appropriate transaction charges -- and a
slight delay as the DMS is DTMF'ing your calling number -- (caller
does not get to hear)).

Also the service is available in Ottawa area.

Definately not a new advance in the Telecom world, but new for
Ontario.  You could duplicate this with a PC -- two phone lines and a
Voice Mail card.

But having used Primeline since March 2 I have only good things to say
about it (except for comment above). It has simplified my life, and
lowered my voice mailbox costs.


Regards,

Peter

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 16:02:30 EST
From: Jerry Leichter <LEICHTER@thorium.rutgers.edu>
Subject: Modern Times


The following appeared last Wednesday in the {New York Times} "Metro-
politan Diary" section, a compendium of amusing little stories about 
life today:

Lobby conversation overheard while waiting for an elevator in midtown
Manhattan.

First guy:   Well, I sure wasted a buck and a half last night.
Second guy:  How's that?
First guy:   That TV program "Hard Copy" did a segment on Tonya
  Harding and invited viewers to phone in, at 50 cents
  per call, yes or no, to the question, "Should Tonya
  go to jail?"
Second guy:  And...?
First guy:   I dialed the 'Yes' number but after I hung up I realized
  I'd phoned the 'No' number by mistake so then, of
  course, I had to dial the 'Yes' number twice to make
  my vote count.
Second guy:  Remember when you could just sit and watch?


Jerry

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 21:09:06 -0500
From: Jonathan <jdl@wam.umd.edu>
Subject: *999; CB Channel 9


Hello.

I am wondering why the police do not routinely monitor CB channel 9,
since the primary use of this channel is to report emergencies.

Also, I have never heard of *999.  Does it only work in Illinois?

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 23:04:00 CST
From: Andrew C. Green <ACG@dlogics.com>
Subject: Re: *999; CB Channel 9


Jonathan <jdl@wam.umd.edu> writes:

> I am wondering why the police do not routinely monitor CB 
> channel 9, since the primary use of this channel is to report 
> emergencies.

I think I generalized a bit there. I have heard conversations on
Channel 9, including participating in one with an Indiana State
Trooper trying to get through backed-up traffic to the scene of a
rather nasty accident on I-65 one night, so Indiana State Police are
listening. I think it's reasonable to assume that in all the
technology packed into those squad cars, particularly Highway Patrol
cars, they probably have sprung an extra fifty bucks or so for a CB
radio, or included the appropriate wavelengths in the tuners of
whatever equipment they have. Nevertheless, the fact remains that on
many occasions I've heard legitimate requests for State Police help,
in the middle of Chicago rush hours when you just _know_ they're
around, and those requests are not answered.

Similarly, the "Minutemen" Department of Transportation heavy tow
trucks on routine patrol seem to be unreachable via CB radio. Now, I
know they are in contact with dispatchers, but it's somewhat
ridiculous to be in line-of-sight with a Minuteman who's unaware of,
say, some incident occurring behind him, and be unable to get his
attention via a simple CB radio.

> Also, I have never heard of *999.  Does it only work in Illinois?

It's an arrangement between the cellular providers and the State
Police, and I know it's not unique to the Chicago area, but beyond
that I don't know the details. PAT, please advise!


Andrew C. Green
Datalogics, Inc.  Internet: acg@dlogics.com
441 W. Huron      Chicago, IL  60610-3498   FAX: (312) 266-4473


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: *999 goes to a state police dispatcher
who in turn can dispatch it out or forward the call to the appropriate
city authorities as needed.  PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 10:19:44 CST
From: Andrew C. Green <ACG@dlogics.com>
Subject: Re: New Area Code 630


Carl Moore <cmoore@BRL.MIL> writes:

> Just today, I have received note of 630 in Illinois and 562 in
> California ...

> 630 might get landlines (that would affect some people who shifted
> from 312 to 708 only in November 1989);

On further reflection here in 708-land, I would have to assume that
630 would overlay 708, not be created from a renumbered chunk of
existing 708. When 708 was introduced as a renumbering of part of 312
(the part outside Chicago city limits), there was a great hue and cry,
of course, but also a rather considerable lead-in time. I believe it
was something much more than the eleven months indicated for the
impending 630. Consider also how much complaining would be generated
from 708 folks having to change their stationery yet again.

The local press has responded with thundering silence to this news item,
by the way.


Andrew C. Green
Datalogics, Inc.  Internet: acg@dlogics.com
441 W. Huron      Chicago, IL  60610-3498   FAX: (312) 266-4473

------------------------------

From: jfh@netcom.com (Jack Hamilton)
Subject: Re: Who Paid For My 550?
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 17:04:13 GMT


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Normally the agents are on the A or B
> side but not both; that is in their contract with the carriers.

 ... 

> Tandy has the kind of money and influence with the carriers that
> they can get away with it. Its the same kind of thing where Pepsi and
> Coca-Cola are concerned. You never see them both in the same vending
> machine; you never see them both in the same restaurant as fountain
> drinks.

In our vending machine room there are two Pepsi machines.  One has
Pepsi products plus a few other things like Mountain Dew.  The other
contains no Pepsi products, but does have several varieties of
Coca-Cola.  In one of the smaller buildings, there's a single machine
with both Coke and Pepsi.

I'd never heard of this happening before very recently, though. 


Jack Hamilton      Postal: POB 281107 SF CA 94128  USA 
jfh@netcom.com     Packet: kd6ttl@w6pw.#nocal.ca.us.na 


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Probably they cut a deal with the local
salesman. Whoever is the bottler (distributor) for the area is under
pretty tight constraints with Pepsi headquarters in Purchase, NY or
Coke headquarters in Atlanta, GA regarding those things. Note that 
the local Pepsi bottler also has the Mountain Dew franchise, but he
*cannot* have the 7-Up franchise because they are aligned with Coke.
So you won't -- or rarely -- see 7-Up in a so-called 'Pepsi machine',
and you won't see 'Upper-10' or whatever it is called in a 'Coke
machine'. All the little (by comparison) outfits, join one side or
the other in the local bottling and distribution process where Coke
and Pepsi are concerned. But they all want **so bad** to be in the
fountain syrup vending machine at all Southland stores that they
swallow their pride or ambition or whatever. Coke even goes so far as
to say in fountain service, you *will* use their paper cups with 
their insignia and their products advertised ... none others. But
7-Eleven gets to break the rules, as does Tandy where cell phones 
are concerned. Tandy has tossed around the idea of starting their
own national cellular service, you know. They'd buy *huge* blocks of
capacity from various cell carriers and they would then call the
shots. I'm sure all the A and B carriers would fall in line pretty 
fast, or get dealt out of the game completely.  PAT]

------------------------------

From: jfh@netcom.com (Jack Hamilton)
Subject: Re: Country Code For San Marino
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 17:09:14 GMT


Richard Barry <rbarry@iol.ie> wrote:

> The ITU has issued a batch of new country codes which includes a new
> code for San Marino (+378 effective 26.10.93). Other countries that
> will be getting their own country code include Andorra (Autumn 1994)
> and Monaco (in 1995) when France Telecom introduces its 2-digit new
> area code plan.

Do you know what the new plan will be?  The two-digit department
number strikes me as being a good choice, although it might not have
enough space for Paris.

If I were in charge of France Telecom, I'd probably use the department
number plus a third digit for overlays and very large departments.

(A department is roughly equivalent to a state or province in North
America.  Postal codes start with the department number.)


Jack Hamilton      Postal: POB 281107 SF CA 94128  USA 
jfh@netcom.com     Packet: kd6ttl@w6pw.#nocal.ca.us.na 

------------------------------

From: wright@LAA.COM
Subject: Re: CATV Modems
Date: 31 Mar 1994 18:07:07 GMT
Organization: Lynn-Arthur Associates, Ann Arbor, MI
Reply-To: wright@LAA.COM


In article <telecom14.145.2@eecs.nwu.edu>, gabioud@uni2a.unige.ch writes:

> Do you know any equipment (modem, remodulator, ...) that allows data
> communication over the CATV cable. On the user side, the modem should
> feature a well-known interface (RS232C, Ethernet, ...).

Check out First Pacific Networks at 408-730-6600. They have been
providing this equipment for years.


Carl A. Wright       Lynn-Arthur Associates, Inc.   +1 313 995 5590
wright@laa.com      Operations Support Systems     +1 313 995 5989 (fax)
2350 Green Road      Suite 160                      Ann Arbor, MI, 48105 USA

------------------------------

From: tsw@cypher.apple.com (Tom Watson)
Subject: Re: Ruling on Dark Fiber
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 12:45:24 -0800
Organization: Apple Computer (more or less)


OK, I'll bite...

What is "dark fiber".

Tom Watson   tsw@cypher.apple.com


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Dark Fiber is, as I understand it, simply
the fiber from one point to another, without the intelligence on either
end of the line **as supplied by the telco** to use it. Dark fiber could
roughly be compared to a wire cable from one place to another without
telco's battery and/or switching apparatus on either end; the customer
left to his own devices on how to use it. Although telcos have for many
years provided so-called 'private line service' -- that is, a piece of
wire from one point to another with the subscriber doing his own thing
on both ends of the wire, I understand they (telcos) are not terribly
enthusiastic about providing fiber under the same conditions. George
Gilder wrote about this, and his essay is in the Telecom Archives for
interested parties to review.   PAT]

------------------------------

Subject: Re: Extension Cord For Cell Phone
From: zeta@tcscs.com (Gregory Youngblood)
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 94 12:57:24 PST
Organization: TCS Computer Systems


> I _still_ think you're crazy.  Nearly any cellular connection will
> cost more than nearly any equivalent wired connection.  Please check
> this out carefully.

Not quite.  Several carriers now have plans with free (yes *FREE*)
airtime on weekends or extremely low rates at night during certain
hours.  In 1988, it was cheaper to call from your basic rate cellular
phone in Galveston after 11PM at night to Houston than it was to use
the regular telephone.  The price was 0.045 cents per minute with
cellular.

Now, my cousin in houston has a phone that has free airtime on the
weekend.  They use it a lot ... and they should.  They pay $70/month
for it, but when you consider that the dialing area for cellular in
houston is so much larger than telco, they can call all their friends
and family in the surrounding Houston metro area for no charge.

So, the idea of going with an extension cord is not a crazy one ... it
could make sense, although you have to check very carefully to make
sure that your plan really is cheaper.  It is possible.


Greg
The Complete Solution BBS     Allfiles List:    Anonymous UUCP Calls Accepted
707-459-4547 (24hrs, v.32)    ~/tcsbbs.lst      Login: nuucp  Password: nuucp
Telemate Distribution Site  zeta@tcscs.com      Cellular Telephony Groups


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: But would they use $70 worth on a regular
basis if landline was all they had? That is what has to be answered. We
all know that the more service which is available, the more subscribers
will use it. In other words, cellular service comes in many shapes and
sizes. Some very inexpensive plans bill for every single minute day or
night at high rates. There is nothing unusual about spending a lot of
money on cellular and getting a sort of kickback from the carrier in
terms of free or nearly free weekend and night service. And while landline
service offers 'free local calling' in many areas, the geographic
area is smaller as is the monthly fee for the 'free local calls'.
Cellular service gives a larger 'local area' but charges by the minute.
It has to be your own application as to which works out better; but 
overall, would you be willing to spend as much money on landline service
call by call as you spend on cellular for the advantage of 'free' service
nights and weekends if landline was all you had available?   PAT]

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #158
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