TELECOM Digest     Fri, 1 Apr 94 14:21:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 160

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    PC Pursuit Has Ended (Steven H. Lichter)
    Re: CATV Modems (Barton F. Bruce)
    Re: CATV Modems (Steve Kalkwarf)
    Re: CATV Modems (Darren Swartzendruber)
    Re: Telecom Business Idea (Paul Robinson)
    Re: Telecom Business Idea (Mike Lanza)
    Re: Telecom Business Idea (Robert L. McMillin)
    Re: Area Code 562 (Alan Larson)
    Re: Cellular Roaming Charges (Carl Jones)
    Re: Digital Cordless Phones -- How Private? (Bill Mayhew)
    Re: Pager Scam Resurfaces (David G. Cantor)
    Congo Expedition Video Con Kickoff (Steve Eggleston)

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.

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     *****************************************************
     DON'T FORGET! THIS IS THE WEEKEND WE IN THE USA MUST
     CHANGE OUR CLOCKS FORWARD ONE HOUR ON SATURDAY NIGHT
     OR SUNDAY MORNING. SPRING AHEAD AS 'THEY' SAY!!
     *****************************************************
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From: co057@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Steven H. Lichter)
Subject: PC Pursuit Has Ended
Date: 1 Apr 1994 19:29:13 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)


PC Pursuit has now gone into The Information Highway history books. As
of 9:00 PM Pacific Time it went down; that was three hours earlier
then it was supposed to on 3/31/94. Many paid for a full month of
$30.00 for 30 hours and got cheated for at least three hours. The talk
among the many users of the service was Sprint killed the program by
not advertising a service that could have made money.
 
Global Access hasa service much like Pursuit but at a higher cost but
from what I have seen soon to be 9600 and it covers much more of the
country the Pursuit did since they have switched or are switching over
to Tymnet.


Sysop: Apple Elite II -=- an Ogg-Net Hub BBS 
(909) 359-5338 12/24/96/14.4 V32/V42bis Via PCP CACOL/12/24

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

From: Barton.Bruce@camb.com
Subject: Re: CATV Modems
Organization: Digital Equipment Computer Users Society
Date: 31 Mar 94 01:00:43 -0500
Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc.


In article <telecom14.147.19@eecs.nwu.edu>, leonard@telcom.arizona.edu
(Aaron Leonard) writes:

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

>> A CATV cable has a huge bandwidth available. A part of it is usually

> I understand that Zenith also has (or is working on) such a device,
> although Zenith's is cheaper and only provides .5Mbps.

Zenith is what Continental Cable and PSI are using in their 500kb
Internet to the home service in Cambridge MA.

The Zenith NIC fits in you ISA bus PC and has NDIS and other reasonable
drivers.

A short cord ties it to a box that the CATV cable goes into. This per
home stuff **LISTS* at $500, and obviously wholesales in CATV
quantities for a LOT less.

The 'headend' stuff (headend here is the 20 or so 'neighborhoods'
Cambridge is split into -- done for normal video, before data) is a
$2000 box plus another at $1000 to get to ethernet.

Zenith puts four 500kb channels on a video channel, and two (one each
way) are used for each 'LAN' of customers. More video channels can be
used if needed, and 'neighborhoods' can be split into smaller ones. It
is all fiber back to headquarters.

Recent trade press has Continental buying MANY $100,000 each ATM
switches to feed out to various towns.

Zenith has the hardware, just order it. Oh, and while you are at it,
you probably better BUY a cable TV company too ...

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

From: kalkwarf@netcom.com (Steve Kalkwarf)
Subject: Re: CATV Modems
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 1994 06:04:01 GMT


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

> 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, ...).

I've seen PR flack from Zenith Data Systems that promises 4 .5mb
Ethernet "stripes" per 6mhz channel. The burning question in my mind
that an engineer from TCI (my local franchise) couldn't answer is,
"What can you do to guarantee that ingress won't snuff my network?"


Steve

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

From: dls@cci.com (Darren Swartzendruber)
Subject: Re: CATV Modems
Organization: Northern Telecom, Network Application Systems
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 16:49:11 GMT


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

> A CATV cable has a huge bandwidth available. A part of it is usually
> not used for TV channels and could be used (at least from a technical
> standpoint) for data transmission, if a return channel is available.

> 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, ...).

I have been looking into PSICable. For $125 a month (flat fee) they
offer a 500 Kb/s connection to the Internet to your home via cable.
Small businesses and larger organizations can get a 2 Mb/s connection.
Unfortunately, it is currently only available in Cambridge (not
here!). I have a call into my cable company's VP of Marketing to find
out when the Rochester, NY area will get it.

Try PSICable at 1 800 827 7482 (1.800.82psi82).

For me, forget ISDN!


Darren Swartzendruber  Internet: n2ktj@cci.com
Northern Telecom NAS Packet->Internet: n2ktj@w2xo.wpa.pa.usa.noam
Rochester, NY

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

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 12:22:00 EST
From: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Subject: Re: Telecom Business Idea
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


Mike Lanza <lanza@dnc.com>, writes in TELECOM Digest:

>> Since many people are buying computers with modems and 
>> software (and often trial Compuserve memberships), I feel 
>> there may be a market for providing a local access number that 
>> would give them a dial-tone in a neighboring city, thus 
>> allowing them to dial the service of their choice.  

> If the economics were there to do this, I don't see why the 
> packet networks wouldn't have already done it.  Besides, it 
> seems to me that the most cost-effective way to get this done 
> is either through 800 access or 950 access for those who do 
> not have a local access number.

I think they have.  That's what Compuserve did.  But remember that a
large company is going to have large overhead, and higher costs.  A
small, lean company can get by on much less.

What I find -- amazing is the kindest term - are the claims of people
who suggest that using a packet network provider is less expensive.
I've seen people quote rates for someone wanting to use Compuserve's
network to connect their own system, and the rates are something like
$7.80 an hour.  Someone want to explain how this supposed to be an
advantage to me?  I can get $6.60 an hour on AT&T at night without
even having to subscribe to their plans.  Compuserve itself only
charges its own customers $0.30 an hour for connection time through
its network (probably because they make it up in the service fees.)

And if I was doing a wats extender service, I would *never* give
someone raw dial tone; you have something simulate it, let them dial
in, then have your end dial out on a different line, then bridge the
two together, being certain to instantly disconnect if it either gets
CPC or hears dialtone on the distant line.

> At low volume, 800 service (w/ T1 at the receiving end) goes for about
> 14 cents a minute, while 950 access goes for around 18 cents a minute,
> but the latter should definitely come down as its traffic increases.
> This compares to about eight or nine cents a minute for packet access.
> (Of course, keep in mind that the quantity discount for packet access
> is greater since there is no fixed cost of local access -- four cents
> a minute -- to account for.)

This doesn't make any sense.  If a call across the country at night is
around 11c/minute, why would someone pay 3-7c/minute more to allow
someone to be able to connect to them.

I think your rate is much higher than actual rates.  Even the smallest
telephone company providing long distance service (Interexchange Company
or IXC) can match AT&T's rates, which I'm sure they can't do it if a 1-800
access costs 14c, plus costs to then retransmit that traffic.  Yet even a
small IXC can't be doing that large a volume.

Here's an example.  If you have a small town and set up a bank of ten
lines to allow them to be used for reduced-price outgoing calls, here's 
the numbers to expect:

Fixed Costs:
10 Computers to do wats extender service-  $5000
20 Installed lines                          2000
Fiber and installation between points       1000
                                            8000
Recurring Costs
20 Commercial lines at $20 a month each          $400  
Rental of a closet at each end                    200
Electricity for computers                          20   
Connection between both points                    200
 Subtotal                                         820
 One year's charges                         9840
 Total                                     17840

My estimate of "connection between both points" is based upon running
your own connection across private property and leasing pole space.
This does not include any permits or licenses it is claimed you might
be required to obtain.

Now, let's say that you can get the lines used for 50% of the time,
due to the cost difference.  If you charge, let's say 5c per minute,
then 10 lines x 12 hours x 60 x 5 = 36000 minutes @.05 = 1800 a month.

For small towns, there probably just isn't the interest for a larger 
company to spend the time and trouble to handle the load.

10% ROI is not bad -- if you can keep the lines loaded.  If this can be
done in several areas that someone can service all of them as one
person, then it may be possible to make a living off of it.  At least
until the phone company wises up and cuts its rates or uses its
political clout to try to allow you to be refused access.


Paul Robinson - Paul@TDR.COM

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

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 94 11:16:59 +0000
From: Mike Lanza <lanza@dnc.com>
Subject: Re: Telecom Business Idea


>> At low volume, 800 service (w/ T1 at the receiving end) goes for about
>> 14 cents a minute, while 950 access goes for around 18 cents a minute,
>> but the latter should definitely come down as its traffic increases.
>> This compares to about eight or nine cents a minute for packet access.
>> (Of course, keep in mind that the quantity discount for packet access
>> is greater since there is no fixed cost of local access -- four cents
>> a minute -- to account for.)

> This doesn't make any sense.  If a call across the country at night is 
> around 11c/minute, why would someone pay 3-7c/minute more to allow 
> someone to be able to connect to them.

You're talking about night rates.  I didn't qualify what time period I
was talking about.  What you'll find with volume long-distance pricing
is that it's a bit cheaper for non-peak times (i.e. nights and weekends), 
and a *lot* cheaper for peak times.  Having an 800 number adds a small 
amount to the total cost.

Let's take Sprint's 800 pricing.  The structure is more complicated
than I want to get into here, but Peak (M-F, 8-5) prices are about 15
cents less at least 12 percent volume discount (low volumes -- around
$5000 month get around 12 percent discount, and the highest volumes
get up to 20 percent).  Non-peak prices are about 12.2 cents less at
least 12 percent volume discount.

These prices were as of about a year and a half ago.  I'm sure that they're
lower now, and will be lower a year from now.

> Here's an example.  If you have a small town and set up a bank of 10 
> lines to allow them to be used for reduced-price outgoing calls, here's
> the numbers to expect:

> Fixed Costs:
> 10 Computers to do wats extender service-  $5000
> 20 Installed lines                          2000
> Fiber and installation between points       1000
>                                             8000
> Recurring Costs
> 20 Commercial lines at $20 a month each          $400  
> Rental of a closet at each end                    200
> Electricity for computers                          20   
> Connection between both points                    200
>  Subtotal                                         820
>  One year's charges                         9840
>  Total                                     17840

It sure looks like you've done your homework on how to do it your way.
One problem that I have with your numbers, though, is that I think a
very large cost of running these sites is the labor cost of setting
everything up at a site (transporting hardware to the site, finding
the "closet" and renting it, traveling to the closet to install the
hardware and to get everything up and running) and maintaining each
site.  There's a *ton* of travel time in there.  After all, these
rural sites are almost always hard to get to by definition.

One other problem -- how do you let the people in these rural areas
know about your service?  I can't think of a way to do it unless you
team up with the online services to inform them.  They'd have to
change their welcome packet literature, software for online signup
(AOL), and they'd have to get this information to all their customer
support people.  You're pretty much dependent on them to do all this,
so you'd have to pay them for it.  You might have to pay them, say,
20% (?) of your revenues.  One thing I can guarantee you -- it won't be
1% or 5%, as you'd like.

> Now, let's say that you can get the lines used for 50% of the time, due 
> to the cost difference.  If you charge, let's say 5c per minute, then

50% utilization?  Really?  That's if you're doing *really* well.
That's after you've been up and running for a couple of years and have
tuned each node to match performance well.  And to do the latter,
you're going to have to monitor utilization on all these sites rather
closely.  How will you monitor them?  Won't monitoring cost money (in
terms of up-front software development time, telecom time to pick up
data, and management time to collect and interpret the data)?

I'm just skeptical that adding hardware at rural sites for connection
to the telephone system can be profitable.  As any telco numbers
person -- their rural loops are *incredibly* unprofitable.  The telcos
will continue take a bath in rural loops because they're forced to.
If they didn't have to, they wouldn't.


Mike Lanza

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

Date: Thu, 31 Mar 94 20:44 PST
From: rlm@helen.surfcty.com (Robert L. McMillin)
Subject: Re: Telecom Business Idea


On 24 Mar 1994 04:09:22 PST, Jonathan_Welch <JHWELCH@ecs.umass.edu> said:

> If you're going to go to the trouble of leasing a line you might be
> better off setting up a 486DX50 pc running linux and lease the line to
> an internet provider.  You'd then sell accounts on your machine for a
> flat monthly rate.  You'd have to be sure your local calling area
> encompases enough subscribers so you don't end up losing money.

Good grief!  I run Linux and I know *I'd never* want to run it as an
O/S directly connected to the Net, particularly one that is a public
location.  The networking code still has lots of security holes.

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

Date: Mon, 28 Mar 94 14:54:26 PST
From: larson@net.com (Alan Larson)
Subject: Re: Area Code 562


In article <telecom14.146.12@eecs.nwu.edu> was written written:


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You know, this is getting to where it 
> isn't even funny any more. Thirty years ago I knew every area code and
> where it was located. Now I can't remember half of them ... and wait until
> next year when all those strange ones start popping up everywhere.   PAT]

  Well, this is one of the unfortunate side-effects of getting older ...

Alan


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thank you for sharing. Who's next?  PAT]

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

From: uswnvg!uswnvg.com!cajones@uunet.UU.NET (Carl Jones)
Subject: Re: Cellular Roaming Charges
Date: 31 Mar 94 23:43:53 GMT


Not to be a pessimist here, but your method is not going to work very
well for several reasons.  Usually A system carriers do not have
roaming agreements with B side carriers and vice versa.  So you won't
be able to use your phone on the non preferred system most of the time
(unless you set up as a guest roamer which is expensive to the point
of insanity).  Also your roaming rates are pre-determined by your
cellular carrier.  Your home carrier sets up roaming networks with
other carriers and will charge under the standard rate that the
carrier that you are roaming into charges (or over, for that matter)


I speak for everyone in a twenty mile radius around me.
Any questions  ... E-Mail cajones@uswnvg.com

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

From: wtm@uhura.neoucom.EDU (Bill Mayhew)
Subject: Re: Digital Cordless Phones -- How Private?
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 00:47:07 GMT


I don't know about most models.  I have a Tropez "Digital 900DX".  It
appears to exchange a 16 bit key when it is placed on the base unit.
It appears that the key is not sent out over he air.  If the handset
forgets the key due to a dead battery, the only way to resynchronize
is to put it back on the base unit.  There are three elelctrical
contracts that engage when the handset is on the base.  The logical
extension of this fact is that the same key (or key sequence) will be
used at least until the phone is hung up.  If they were smart, a
working key would be generated based upon the message exchanged
without brodcast.  Without too much work, the 900 MHz phones could be
made pretty darn secure.  It is all a matter of programming, and the
processing power is will within the reach of modern inexpensive
embedded controllers.

I don't know if it is possible to exhaustively search the 65,536 or so
available key combinations.  I'm not terribly familiar with the
operation of the Motorola CODECs and control microprocessors to make a
judgement.  A professional might be able to get your converstion, but
the casual teenager next door with a scanner will be foiled.


Bill Mayhew        NEOUCOM Computer Services Department
Rootstown, OH  44272-0095  USA      phone: 216-325-2511
wtm@uhura.neoucom.edu       amateur radio 146.58: N8WED

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

Reply-To: dgc@math.ucla.edu
Subject: Re: Pager Scam Resurfaces 
Date: Thu, 31 Mar 1994 18:51:37 -0800
From: David G. Cantor <dgc@ccrwest.org>


In his note the TELECOM Digest Editor stated:

> The other thing which makes this 'modem scam resurfaces' thing fishy
> in my opinion is that suppose you have a pager and get such a call.
> Where do you usually go to return the call?  Either a pay phone or
> you use your cell phone ... and telcos do not connect to 976 or 900
> numbers from pay phones either.  How are they gonna get paid; are
> you gonna stand there and deposit fifty dollars in quarters in the
> box?  And cellphone carriers also typically disallow 976 and 900
> calls.  Usually the only place you can complete these calls is from
> a private phone within the LATA.  PAT]

There are many workmen who go to customer's offices or homes and who
can't afford cellular telephones. They carry pagers.  When they get a
page, they will ask the customer if they can return the page from the
customer's phone.  The customer will almost always say "yes".
      
Furthermore, at least in California, you can make it very difficult
for the fraudulent scam operator to collect.  The back of my Pac Bell
bill states "Your basic telephone service will not be disconnected for
non-payment [of] 900 and 976 charges or other information services ..."


David G. Cantor      dgc@math.ucla.edu


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You know, failure to pay for your sub-
scription to this Digest will not cause your phone to get turned off
either ... but my phones here are in constant jeopardy of disconnection
due to the high cost versus relatively low income where the publication
of the Digest is concerned. Gifts from readers are always graciously
accepted and may be made payable either to Ameritech or Northern Illinois
Gas Company. Thanks go to a reader who wishes to remain anonymous who
sent a check to the Village of Skokie Water Works; that bill is now 
paid in full; at least I don't have to worry about drawing water for
my bath should I be inclined to take one or fixing a pot of coffee now
and then. It was a long and very cold winter here though; I still have
a few hundred to pay off on the gas bill. I've had a few contacts with
a corporate/organizational sponsor for the Digest and I hope that those
arrangements will be in effect soon. My sincere thanks go out to those 
readers who have contributed financially to the Digest over the past couple
months; I appreciate the generosity you have shown.   PAT]

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

From: nuance@access.digex.net (T. Stephen Eggleston)
Subject: Congo Expedition Video Con Kickoff
Date: 31 Mar 1994 20:59:53 -0500
Organization: Nuance Data Systems - Alexandria,  VA  (703)823-8963


I am posting this for an associate.

                         ++++++ Cut Here ++++++

                                                   28 March, 1994

                       THE CONGO EXPEDITION KICK-OFF
                        Interactive Videoconference

Be a part of the adventure that will capture the attention and
imagination of the world.

This 6,000 mile trek across Africa will bring the excitement of
distance learning to students and teachers across the country. The
Congo Expedition will reenact Stanley's historic search for the source
of the Nile and Congo Rivers.  They will leave Washington, D.C. on
April 20, 1994 to begin their year long adventure.

The Alliance for Environmental Education will use the exciting
expedition to test a new educational model.  This model will
demonstrate the connection between exploration, accurate, timely
information about environmental issues, and hands-on learning on the
educational experience.

                   BEGIN THE JOURNEY WITH US!

Introduce your middle and high school students to the thrill of this
adventure by subscribing to this LIVE-INTERACTIVE videoconference.

April 13, 1993 we will be introducing the Expedition Leader, Jim Owens
and his team, to students who will experience this journey with them.
Jim will discuss what lies ahead for everyone as the Congo Expedition
begins. This 60 minute videoconference will also host other
dignitaries including representatives of the Afrcan Embassies, U.S.
Department of Education and a possible guest appearance from the White
House.

IF YOU SIGN-UP IMMEDIATELY YOUR STUDENTS CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE Q&A
SESSION WITH EACH OF THESE REPRESENTITIVES.

Involve your students in the excitement and thrill of following
scientific experiments, conducting cultural investigations and
exploring environmental questions-all in real time-and from a global
perspective.

Date of Videoconference: April 13, 1994

                   Time: 11:30am-12:30pm  (EST)

 Technical Requirements: Ability to access a satellite
                         downlink facility.

Broadcast Opportunities: The program can easily be captured and
                         rebroadcast to multiple school locations for a
                         nominal fee of $15.00.

           To Subscribe: Schools with immediate interest should contact
                         VideoLinx Communications, Inc. at 703-658-5469
                         for complete subscription details.


Contact: VideoLinx Communications at 703-658-5469 for Details
E-Mail to: Steve Eggleston  nuance@digex.net

Steve Eggleston                               Internet:nuance@digex.net
Nuance Data Systems  (703)823-8963                 CIS:72040,713

         "Technology Should Set You Free, Not Make You Crazy"

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

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #160
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