TELECOM Digest     Wed, 6 Apr 94 14:31:00 CDT    Volume 14 : Issue 165

Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    ATM in the Government Sector II (Michael R. Brown)
    Beacon Initiative (Dave Sellers)
    PacBell Billing For AT&T - Constant Problems (Laurence Chiu)
    Meridian Mail Problem (rah@connectinc.com)
    Help Needed With Phone Wiring (Simon Shaw)
    Intrastate LD Rates (Todd Inch)
    Voice Mail System Log-Off (Stephen Polinsky)
    Toshiba Strata III Documentation (omniplex@access.digex.com)
    Re: Getting Wired: Leased Line vs. Dial-up For 14.4kps Data Comm (L
Reeves)
    Re: Question About MIN and ESN (Jay Hennigan)
    Re: Cellular Roaming Charges (John R. Levine)   
    Re: Ethernet via Cable TV (Jerry Yost)

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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Michael R. Brown <mrb@mitre.org>
Subject: ATM in the Government Sector II
Date: 6 Apr 1994 13:33:33 GMT
Organization: The MITRE Corporation


ATM Networking in the Government Sector

The MITRE Corporation and the ATM Forum are pleased to announce their
second annual workshop on ATM networking in the government sector, to
be held on 26 April 1993 in McLean, VA.  The focus of this workshop is
on the government's need for broadband network technology and
services, and industry's plans for to meet these needs over the next
five to ten years.  Senior representatives from the Government and
Industry will discuss a wide range of issues including requirements,
technology developments, early (ATM) trial results, and product and
service plans.  Workshop sessions include:

Keynote Speakers

Rep. Rick Boucher  Chair, House Subcommittee on Science
Mr. Donald Teague,Jr. VP and GM, Sprint Government Systems  

ATM Networking Standards

Mr. Irfan Ali   VP, ATM Forum
Mr. Richard Vickers  Manager, Northern Telecom

ATM Networking - Early Experiences

Mr. Dan McAuliffe  Director, Telecom Division, Rome Labs
Ms. Chris Caldwell  National Information Infrastructure Testbed 
Mr. Kwok Li   Director, Product Development, WilTel

Federal and State Government Requirements

Dr. John Okay  Director, Information Resource Mgt, US Army
Dr. Howard Frank  Director, ARPA/DISA AITS-JPO
Pat Jackson   Director, Council on Information Mgt, VA
Mr. Nick Giordano  Assisstant Director, Bureau of ATM, PA

Vendor and Carrier Plans

Dr. Mohan Kinra  Director, Apex Marketing, General Datacom
Mr. Bob Halligan  VP & GM, Government Systems Division
Mr. Tony D'Agata  VP, Military, Bell Atlantic Federal Systems
Mr. William Clark  Director, Advanced Technologies, Cabletron

In addition to these sessions, vendor demonstrations will be conducted
throughout the workshop.  Given the continued interest in related
initiatives such as NREN, NII, and Global Grid, this workshop offers a
unique opportunity for government and industry officials to discuss
potential applications of this enabling technology.  Because of the
desire to facilitate one-on-one discussions between government and
industry officials, non-government representatives will be admitted on
a limited basis.

The workshop will be held at :

  The MITRE Corporation
  Hayes Auditorium
  7525 Colshire Drive
  McLean, VA  22102

For registration information contact: 
  
  Ms. Holly Robbins
  hrobbins@mitre.org
  703.883.5890
  703.883.5914 (FAX)        


Michael R. Brown   mrb@mitre.org
Advanced Telecommunications Group 617.271.7390
The MITRE Corporation    617.271.7231 (FAX)
S B280 Burlington Road             Bedford, MA  01730

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

Date: Tue, 5 Apr 94 15:42:49 EDT
From: sellers@on.bell.ca (Dave Sellers)
Subject: Beacon Initiative


       THE FOLLOWING NEWS RELEASE WAS ISSUED BY STENTOR

APRIL 5, 1994                                     NR-94-E04

Stentor Companies Address Canada's Telecommunications Future
               Through  The Beacon Initiative

(TORONTO -- April 5, 1994) -- In a coast to coast broadcast today,
Stentor telecommunications companies announced a joint initiative to
bring the Information Highway to all Canadians.  The companies will
pool their resources to upgrade their local, regional and national
networks to provide multimedia services into homes, offices, hospitals
and schools across the country.

Under the banner of the The Beacon Initiative , the Stentor companies
outlined their plans and rationale to help bring the Information
Highway to Canadian businesses and consumers.  The central theme of
the initiative is an open, collaborative effort with all interested
players to bring enhanced interactive, data, image and video services
to Canadians.

The activities announced represent a major commitment to the future of
Canada, investment in Canada's economic infrastructure, and
improvement in the quality of life of Canadians.  The Stentor
companies have come together in a world first -- the delivery of a
broadband network from the Pacific to the Atlantic.  While many
players have talked about the Information Highway, this initiative
brings it into being.

The joint activities include:

     - an $8 billion upgrade of the local telephone
       networks over 10 years to provide broadband
       capability for multimedia;

     - a $500 million enhancement program over six years to
       provide seamless national connectivity;

     - creation of a new company to supply multimedia
       services and applications; and

     - initiation of a venture capital fund -- possibly to
       reach $50 million -- to assist companies developing
       multimedia applications and products for the
       Information Highway.

Host of the Toronto event, Brian Canfield, Chairman and CEO
of BC TELECOM and Chairman of the Stentor Alliance Council
of CEOs, said the Information Highway is a tool that will
assist Canadians as they build a stronger economy and ever
more modern society.

It will be part of a network of networks connecting
Canadians,  he said.   It will make communications faster
and easier for Canadians.

Mr. Canfield also outlined the impact this initiative will
have on the Canadian economy.   Our sector creates more
employment growth than any other,  he said.   The types of
jobs created are knowledge workers who are the fuel in the
engine of our economic growth and increasing global competi-
tiveness.  He also noted that a strong telecommunications
infrastructure has a direct relationship with a country's indust-
rial competitiveness, economic development and social well-being.

Ivan Duvar, CEO of MT&T, said the local upgrade program alone would
fund 12,000 jobs nationally over a ten year period.  Mr. Duvar also
made a strong commitment to the universality of the Information
Highway.

We are committed to offering an Information Highway which is
accessible and affordable for all Canadians -- in keeping with our
tradition of innovation and service, he said.

John McLennan, President and CEO of Bell Canada, outlined how the
Stentor companies would capitalize on their long- standing cooperation
to manage the necessary upgrades to their regional and national
networks to provide seamless national connectivity.

Mr. McLennan also announced a commitment to ensure Canada's educational, 
health care and cultural institutions have access to the Information
Highway and the benefits it will deliver.  As part of The Beacon
Initiative each Stentor company will work together with the organiza-
tions and institutions in their regions to deliver the desired multimedia 
capabilities in an affordable manner.

Completing the full solution provided by The Beacon Initiative was the
announcement of a new multimedia company, currently called MMI.
Customers expect that multimedia will allow them to set up a desktop
video conference, dial up a movie from their living room, exchange
video messages with friends and colleagues, or browse through a far
off database for visual information all as simply as placing a
telephone call across town, said Mr. Neuman, President and CEO of
WorldLinx, a Stentor company.

MMI will become involved in all areas of the multimedia business, he
said, including content and service acquisition and development,
conversion of information to digital format, and distribution
coordination of multimedia controllers and business software.  MMI
will also work closely with the appropriate agencies to ensure that
privacy and security concerns are addressed.

Stentor, an alliance of Canada's major telephone companies, provides
customers uniform, leading-edge products and services and service
excellence across Canada and internationally.  The nine owner
companies are: BC TEL, AGT Limited, SaskTel, Manitoba Telephone
System, Bell Canada, NBTel, Maritime Tel & Tel, Island Telephone and
Newfoundland Telephone.


For further information,           For interviews with our
please contact:                    national spokespersons,
                                   please contact:

Don Doucette                       Maureen MacDonald
Stentor Communications             Stentor Communications
work:         (613) 781-9223       on Apr. 5     (416) 585-3588
after Apr. 8  (613) 781-3495       after Apr. 5  (613) 781-9232
home:         (613) 744-6025

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

From: lchiu@crl.com (Laurence Chiu)
Subject: PacBell Billing For AT&T - Constant Problems
Date: 5 Apr 1994 17:47:51 -0700
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access


Has anybody else noticed this? For the past six months each time I get
my phone bill from PacBell I have go through the AT&T portion very
carefully to see if I have been billed correctly. And it has been
wrong every time, sometimes up to $40. This is mainly due to applying
the wrong rate for calls (mostly international).

AT&T have been very gracious every time I call them about this and
always work out the discrepancy and send forward a credit. Finally I
decided to ask the customer rep what the problem was. He sighed and
said they always had problems with PacBell -- in fact this past month
because of some software foulup, they viz. PB) screwed up 250,000
customer's bills!

Now if only AT&T could bill directly as MCI do (I get direct MCI
billing because I use them via 10222 for international calls
occasionally) then this problem would not occur.


Laurence Chiu              Walnut Creek, California
Tel: 510-215-3730 (work)   Internet: lchiu@crl.com 

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

Date: Tue, 5 Apr 94 14:50:56 -0700
From: rah@connectinc.com
Subject: Meridian Mail Problem


Paul, Steve;

Thank you both for your help!  I have to apologize for not getting
back to both of you sooner. but with end-of-quarter work to do I
haven't had time to look at the switch until today.  Of course our
system went down briefly over the weekend and that gave me a bit more
incentive...  :-)

Your suggestions were remarkable similar -- great minds must think alike.

1) I changed the TODC to a Message Service.  Much to my surprise, the
system accepted it.  Unfortunately, it did not solve the problem.

As a result of this experiment however, I realized that I *needed* an
emergency TODC instead of a Message Service since I wanted the voice
response to be different during different time periods.

During the day I want key three to go to Customer Service, during
Evenings, Weekends, and Holidays I want it to go to voicemail.

No problem, I can deal with that.

2) During our latest emergency, I set the evening message service in
TODC 1000 to 1004 (the emergency message).  This worked!  now the 408
NPA and the 800 NPA (on TODC 2000) both had the emergency message.
This was useful, but not a long term solution because I can not do
this with Remote Activation -- only from the console.  However, This
told me that there must be (as you both suggested) TWO DNs associated
with the TODC 1000.

3) I looked in the "DN to Services" table and, sure enough, DN 520
*AND* DN zero were both set to TODC 1000.  If I use Remote Activation
to change both of those to TODC 2000 during an emergency, the system
should work as planned.  I haven't tested this yet, But I'm sure it
will work :-) :-)  I am a happy camper ...

                             ------

Now, the mystery of the Holiday during working hours prompt!

While fiddling around with the system, I discovered that someone (not
me :-) had recorded a holiday message in the place of the menu choices
prompt for Message Service 1001 (business days).

Normally, we only have a greeting prompt recorded for any Message
Service.  Somehow, in some mysterious way, the Menu Choices prompt was
being played for the edification of the occasional customer.  I still
don't know when or why a Menu Choices prompt is played instead of the
Greeting prompt.  However, I re-recorded the Menu Choices prompt to be
the same as the Greeting Prompt and this seems to have solved the
problem.  Intuitively, this seems to be wrong.  I think I should just
erase the Menu Choices prompt ...

So, thank you both very much!  I will post a summary to comp.dcom.telecom
as I promised.


Regards,

Rick   rah@netcom.com   rah@connectinc.com

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

From: mmine@yarrow.wt.uwa.edu.au (Micromine)
Subject: Help Needed With Phone Wiring
Date: 5 Apr 1994 04:00:58 GMT
Organization: The University of Western Australia


I am after a circuit to allow someone to put a caller "on hold" and
play CD music to them down the line.  To purchase such a beast here
costs over $200 Australian ...  Anyway, the line plug is like this:

0V  --------- (Green wire) (Maybe black???
?V  --------- (yellow)
    ----+
        |
    ----+
NC  ---------
NC  ---------

48V --------- Red wire.
?V  ---------

Not too sure if colours are correct, (we have our own system at work
so I can't check).

Basically, an on/off button for the hold function and a circuit
showing how to connect the CD player to the line is required.  Anybody
have answers?  Private mail to me can be sent to the addresses below
or post this group.


Thanks,

Simon Shaw
 Please finger mmine@yarrow.wt.uwa.edu.au for further company information.
           Micromine Pty. Ltd. Exploration and Mining Software
   [PHONE] +61 9 389-8722    [FAX] +61 9 386-7462    [BBS] +61 9 389-8317

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

From: Todd Inch <toddi@fdsi1.ocsg.com>
Subject: Intrastate LD Rates
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 1994 09:19:21 PST


TELECOM Moderator said:

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Intrastate rates are peculiar things,
> aren't they?  Very odd in how they are calculated, a very much left
> to the whims of the state PUCs, which frequently are nothing more
> than tools of the local Bell company. If you can figure this out Bob,
> an article here in the Digest would be welcome.   PAT]

Indeed.  The biggest chunk of my phone bill is to my inlaws across the
state.  Intrastate is almost always the exception to the calling plan
discounts -- I wish Idaho would annex Spokane.

In a recent mailing from MCI, they promise savings over AT&T's
interstate rates on "all calls all the time".  One rep on the phone
actually said yes, they'd beat AT&T's interstate rates on intrastate
calls.  I may have to take them up on it.

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

Date: Wed, 06 Apr 1994 13:52:00 EDT
From: Stephen Polinsky <TELE_STEPH@ohio.gov>
Subject: Voice Mail System Log-Off


Our local users are on a Northern Telecom Digital Centrex [DMS-100],
and thus we use five-digit dialing to access our voice mail.  The
Centrex trunks terminating on our VMX 300 are in what Northern calls a
UCD group [Uniform Call Distribution].  This allows incoming calls to
sort through the busy trunks to find those that are available.

For some reason, all of these trunks repeatedly "drop out" of the UCD
group, and none of the 64 lines will take calls.  Of course there is
much fingerpointing between VMX and our LEC [Ameritech] as to whose
problem it really is.

We have a large [nearly 5,000], and increasingly hostile, user base
that would appreciate any help you may be able to offer.


Thanks, 

Stephen Polinsky    tele_steph@ohio.gov

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

From: omniplex@access.digex.net (Omniplex)
Subject: Toshiba Strata III Documentation
Date: 6 Apr 1994 08:18:32 -0400
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA


I'm looking for documentation on a Toshiba Strata III electronic
telephone system. I was able to pick one up for a reasonable price
(free!) with nine telephones, 3 BFI Communication Sysetm 4000's, and a
radio (holding with music). I would like to install it in a small
business.

I've contacted a local Toshiba distributor and they are currently
attempting to get me a copy of the docs. I suspect that their effort
will be weak as they have an opportunity to make some $$$ setting up
the system for me.

All the components were working when the phone system was removed. I'm
missing some of the cables and need to get some documentation to
connect and configure all the components.


Thanks,

Bob
Omniplex Computer Consulting omniplex@access.digex.net 
Columbia, Md. 21045  410.290.6640 

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

From: lreeves@crl.com (Les Reeves)
Subject: Re: Getting Wired: Leased Line vs. Dial-up For 14.4kps Data Comm
Date: 6 Apr 1994 13:05:06 -0800
Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access (415) 705-6060  [login: guest]


Peter L. Rukavina (rukavina@bud.peinet.pe.ca) wrote:

> Our small non-profit organization is trying to become an Internet
> service provider with a budget of ~$20,000 which demands that we do
> everything that we do on the cheap.  Our plans are to connect our
> Linux-based PC to our local Internet service provider, which is using
> rack-mounted USR Courier v.32bis modems.  I'm trying to figure out the
> best way of doing this given two options:

> (1) We get a regular POTS line installed, ($40/month, $60 for the
> installation), buy a relatively cheap 14.4kbps modem (~$300) and have
> our service provider dedicate a dial-up line to our exclusive use.

> (2) We get a leased data line (the phone company calls this an LDDS 
> circuit, $32/month, $180 for the installation) installed and buy a more 
> expensive but leased-line capable 14.4kbps modem (~$900) and connect 
> directly.

> The first option works out to a cost of $840 for the year, the second 
> option $1284 for the year, a not-insignificant difference.

> I do not know enough about high-speed modems and leased lines to be able 
> to evaluate the two options technically, nor do I know enough about the 
> telephone system to know if I'm missing a third [or fourth] option that 
> would be a better route to follow.  I would very much appreciate any 
> advice in this regard.

I am certainly no expert on this subject, but it is possible that your
LDDS requires a LDDS modem which is more like a line driver.  They go
to 19.2 kbps and are *much* less complex than a modem.

While a modem will work just fine on line which is designed for LDDS
(Limited Distance Data Set), the converse is not true.  I can't tell
you exactly how to determine if your circuit is compatible with these
line drivers.  I think there is a separate USOC for LDDS as opposed to
voice channels for data.

One way to tell is distance; LDDS will only work at 19.2 for a mile or
two.

BTW, I have a box of brand-new LDDS line drivers if you decide to
experiment.


Les    lreeves@crl.com       Atlanta,GA      404.874.7806

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

From: jay@coyote.rain.org (Jay Hennigan)
Subject: Re: Question About MIN and ESN
Date: 6 Apr 1994 11:43:39 -0700
Organization: Regional Access Information Network (RAIN)


In article <telecom14.161.4@eecs.nwu.edu> sathya@uw-isdl.ee.washington.edu
(Sathyadev Uppala) writes:

> What is the difference between MIN and ESN?

> Each mobile unit in a celllular system has a unique ESN, so what is
> the need to have a MIN?

The ESN (Electronic Serial Number) is programmed into the telephone
when it is manufactured, and uniquely identifies that particular
telephone transceiver.  It is (supposed to be) secure against
tampering, and used to verify that a particular subscriber is using
the hardware assigned to it.

The MIN is the "Mobile identification number", or the cellular phone
number issued to the phone.  It is assigned by the cellular carrier
when the phone is activated, and programmed at that time.  The MIN is
what is sent by a cell site to page the phone and is matched against
the ESN for validation.

In a nutshell, the MIN identifies the phone *number*, the ESN
identifies the phone *hardware*.

Both the MIN and ESN must match the carrier's database as valid for a
call to go through.

 
Jay

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

Date: Wed, 06 Apr 94 13:42 EDT
From: johnl@iecc.com (John R Levine)
Subject: Re: Cellular Roaming Charges
Organization: I.E.C.C., Cambridge, Mass.


> Are then any tricks to cutting costs on the high roaming rates many
> cellular carriers charge?

Not really that I've ever seen.  If you roam much, get the Cellular
Travel Guide, a 1000 page book which lists every cellular company in
North America with phone numbers, coverage areas, system numbers, and
roaming prices.  Also, contact your own cellular carrier to find out
where they have reduced rate roaming -- in many cases you get rates in
adjoining areas that are considerably lower than the list roaming
price.  In most areas there are two carriers, and the rates are often
different; unless you have a really cruddy phone, you can tell the
phone which carrier to use.

Finally, if you roam in specific areas a lot, consider getting
multiple numbers for your phone.  For example, here in Boston I have a
NYNEX Mobile number (they gave me the phone as part of the deal) which
gives me home rates throughout eastern Mass, Rhode Island, and
southern New Hampshire, and reduced rate roaming in Connecticut,
Manchester NH, and much of southern Maine.  I spend a fair amount of
time in Vermont, so I have a second number from Atlantic cellular
which gives me home rates in all of Vermont (there's two cell
companies but they give each other's customers home rates) and
northern New Hampshire, as well as reduced rate roaming in Concord NH.
That covers the major areas I visit, I just have to remember to switch
phone numbers, a procedure that involves pushing five keys on the
phone, at the toll booth between Concord and Manchester.


Regards,

John Levine, johnl@iecc.com, jlevine@delphi.com, 1037498@mcimail.com

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

Date: Wed, 6 April 1994 02:54:04 PDT
From: Jerry Yost <jyost@infoserv.com>
Organization: First Pacific Networks, Inc.
Subject: Re: Ethernet via Cable TV


In <telecom14.157.10@eecs.nwu.edu>, John@msus1.msus.edu (John
Biederstedt) wrote:

> Is there a product that runs Ethernet (10mbps) over 75 ohm cable?  I
> thought I had heard of such a product once.

My company, First Pacific Networks, manufactures a broadband Ethernet
product which operates at 10mbps over a standard CATV cable plant
(fiber, coax, or hybrid) using two standard 6MHz TV channels in the
forward path and two in the reverse path.  If you'd like more
information, please contact me via the information in my signature
block below or e-mail me your complete mailing address.


Regards,
Jerry Yost                          Telephone: +1 800 544-4959       
Director, Int'l Distribution Sales             +1 408 943-7647 (direct)
First Pacific Networks, Inc.
871 Fox Lane                        Facsimile: +1 408 943-7666 
San Jose, California 95131 USA                                 
Residence:                          Telephone: +1 408 264-6987 
  2698 Custer Drive                 Facsimile: +1 408 264-6988 
  San Jose, CA 95124-1712 USA       Internet:  jyost@infoserv.com 

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

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #165
******************************


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