TELECOM Digest     Mon, 23 May 94 12:24:00 CDT    Volume 14 : Issue 243

Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Book Review: "Internet: Mailing Lists" by Hardie/Neou (Rob Slade)
    Competitive Market Structure for Alaskan Telecommunications (Bob Keller)
    Network "Resources" on GSM? (Steve Davies)
    Motorola Cellular Phones (was Re: Lexus Cellular Phones) (Harry P. Haas)
    Itemized Billing in UK (Randy Gellens)
    Fujitsu F9600VS PBX (Jeff Wahlgren)
    Cordless Phone Wanted With Ten Mile Range (Roger Guorong)
    TMN/ASN.1/GSM Specialists Needed (Jay Borden)
    What Kind of Capacity is in VBI? (Paul Robinson)
    Microsoft Telephony API (Marco A. Pinones)
    What is a New Activation? (Bob Berger)
    Hunting GTE (Paul Callahan)
    War Department Technical Manual (Ry Jones)
    "Best Booth" at Supercomm (Randy Gellens)
    Hackers On Planet Earth Newsgroups (kc@escape.com)
    Accidental Phone Silliness  ;) (Elana Beach)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 22 May 1994 15:17:56 MDT
From: Rob Slade <roberts@decus.ca>
Subject: Book Review: "Internet: Mailing Lists" by Hardie/Neou


BKINTMLS.RVW  940217
 
Prentice Hall
113 Sylvan Avenue
Englewood Cliffs, NJ   07632
(515) 284-6751   FAX (515) 284-2607
or
11711 N. College Ave.
Carmel, IN   46032-9903
or
201 W. 103rd Street
Indianapolis, IN   46290
or
15 Columbus Circle
New York, NY   10023
800-428-5331
or
Market Cross House
Cooper Street
Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1EB
England
phyllis@prenhall.com - Phyllis Eve Bregman is postmaster
70621.2737@CompuServe.COM Alan Apt
Beth Mullen-Hespe beth_hespe@prenhall.com
"Internet:  Mailing Lists", Hardie/Neou, 1994, 0-13-289661-3
 
"What are you writing?"
 
"Another book review ... "
 
"Figures.  What's it on?"
 
"The Internet."
 
"Now, there's a surprise!  I think I'm gonna have a heart attack and die from
*not* being ..."
 
"That's getting old."
 
"Hummph.  So this is another Internet guide?"
 
"Nope.  It's about mailing lists or distribution lists."
 
"Like in junk mail?  'You may already be a winner' type of thing?"
 
"Well, if it's an unmoderated list, junk mail comes close.  Basically
these are mail programs assigned to a certain topic.  Everyone who is
interested in a topic can join a list.  When they send a message to
the list, it goes out to everyone who is signed up.  And everyone
signed up gets a copy of all mail sent to the list.  However, since it
is on the Internet, rather than done through the postal system, it can
run fast enough to seem almost like a conversation."
 
"So these guys explain all about it?"
 
"Well, not in a lot of detail.  They give a brief idea of the concept,
and the different programs like requesters, BITNET LISTSERVs, mail
servers and MAILBASE.  They even mention Usenet, which does the same
type of thing in a different way, even though it isn't really covered.
They don't give a lot of detail, but you can always get help from
these systems, anyway.  One of the big irritations in mailing lists is
people who send administrative messages, like when they want to join
or quit, to the list itself, rather than the controlling program.
They don't belabour the fact, but they do mention it.  Twice."
 
"So this is a short book?"
 
"Almost 600 pages."
 
"?"
 
"Most of the book is a listing of a number of mailing lists.  You can
get similar lists on the net, but this includes lists from a number of
sources, as well as more detail than you might get from a simple
listing.  They also have probably done some editing to get rid of some
deadwood.  More than deadwood, actually.  NETTRAIN doesn't make it."
 
"So you could get all this free?  Why buy the book?"
 
"Oh, you could get all the info, and more up to date stuff as well.
But you'd have to grab yourself three or four huge files.  Even then,
you wouldn't have all the info that is listed here.  You'd also have
to check it out different ways, search all the synonyms for what you
want, and that sort of thing.  If you are just a hobby user, maybe you
don't want this, but if you are serious about the Internet, then you
probably do.  If you are acting as an Internet resource or trainer you
*definitely* want this book."
 
"Good index, then?"
 
"Not perfect.  If you want to find the DOROTHYL mystery writing list,
it isn't listed under mystery, writing, fiction, or even Sayers.  BEN,
which deals with botany and ecology of the Pacific coast isn't listed
under either botany or ecology.  The index could certainly use some
work, but it's a start."
 
"Hmmm.  Sounds interesting.  Can I borrow it?"
 
"No."
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994   BKINTMLS.RVW  940217. Distribution 
permitted in TELECOM Digest and associated newsgroups/mailing lists.

DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters
Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca, RSlade@sfu.ca, Rob Slade at 1:153/733
DECUS Symposium '95, Toronto, ON, February 13-17, 1995, contact:
rulag@decus.ca

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

Date: Mon, 23 May 1994 13:52:35 GMT
From: Bob Keller <rjk@telcomlaw.com>
Subject: Competitive Market Structure for Alaskan Telecommunications


Report No. DC-2600        ACTION IN DOCKET CASE         May 19, 1994

     NEW COMPETITIVE MARKET STRUCTURE ADOPTED FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS
                           SERVICE IN ALASKA 
                          (CC DOCKET 83-1376)

     The Commission has adopted a new market structure for
telecommunications service in Alaska that will ensure universal
service to Alaskans, more fully open the Alaskan telecommunications
market to competition, and foster improved efficiency and economic
growth.

     The new market structure is patterned after the competitive
market structures in the rest of the country, where carriers compete
on price and services. The new structure will replace the Joint
Services Arrangement (JSA) under which AT&T and Alascom, Inc.,
currently provide telecommunications service to and from Alaska. The
JSA will be terminated on January 1, 1996.

     The Commission generally adopted, with minor clarifications and
modifications, the Final Recommended Decision adopted by the Alaska
Joint Board on October 26, 1993.  The Commission said that the
recommendations were in the public interest because they provide a
comprehensive solution to the Alaska market issues and because they
best achieve the five objectives adopted earlier by the Joint Board --
preservation of universal service; continuation of rate integration;
maintenance of revenue requirement neutrality; allowance of
market-based competitive entry; and encouragement of increased
efficiency.

     Under the market structure adopted in the order, AT&T must
provide interstate message telephone service and wide area
telecommunications service (collectively referred to as MTS) between
Alaska and the lower 48 states at integrated rates and under the same
terms and conditions, including quality, technical standards, and
availability, applicable to AT&T's provision of services in the Lower
48 states. AT&T must also furnish MTS service between Alaska and
Hawaii at integrated rates.

      After the JSA is terminated, Alascom can offer interstate MTS,
independently from AT&T, under its own tariff with no obligation to
charge AT&T's integrated rates. Alascom must provide common carrier
services to other interexchange carriers providing service to Alaska
on a nondiscriminatory basis under tariff at rates that reflect
Alascom's cost of service. Alascom's tariff will provide separate rate
schedules for competitive (non-Bush) and Bush areas of Alaska. The
costs of service in each of these categories will be prepared pursuant
to a cost allocation plan developed by Alascom and approved by the
FCC.

     Alascom will continue to have a facilities-based monopoly in the
Bush. As the only carrier providing facilities in the Bush, other
carriers must use Alascom's facilities to provide service to and from
the Bush.  Alascom will recover the costs of providing service to the
Bush, including satellite and other facilities, through tariffs.
Moreover, the order retains the factor for circuit equipment that
allocates 86% of the costs of such equipment, including satellite
costs, to the interstate jurisdiction.  The Commission emphasized its
commitment to ensuring preservation of telecommunications service to
the Bush.

     The order requires a four year transition and a number of
transition mechanisms before the new market structure is fully
implemented. During the first phase, beginning July 1, 1994, AT&T and
Alascom will continue to provide service jointly pursuant to the JSA.
The JSA will terminate at the end of the first phase effective January
1, 1996. During the second phase AT&T and Alascom may provide service
independently. AT&T will be required to purchase from Alascom a fixed
amount of service that declines over the two and one half year period.
The order requires that the amount AT&T must purchase is based on the
demand for north and south bound traffic in the last year of the JSA.
This amount is then adjusted to reflect the use by Alascom and other
interexchange carriers of Alascom's facilities for interstate MTS.

     AT&T is required to fund a reduction in Alascom's plant balances
by a transition payment to Alascom of $150 million in two installments
of $75 million to be paid on July 1, 1994 and upon termination of the
JSA.  Alascom must apply the payment first to reduce its central
office switching plant accounts and then the remaining depreciable
accounts. This payment by AT&T to Alascom is eligible for exogenous
treatment under the Commission's price cap rules for AT&T.

     Finally, the order allows AT&T to request equal access from
Alaska local exchange carriers.

     Action by the Commission May 19, 1994, by Memorandum Opinion and
Order (FCC 94-116). Chairman Hundt, Commissioners Quello and Barrett. 

     News Media contact: Rosemary Kimball at (202) 632-5050.
     Common Carrier Bureau contacts:  Rose Crellin at 
     (202) 632-1292 and Robert Hall at (202) 634-1861. 

                                  - FCC -


Bob Keller <KY3R>        Robert J. Keller, P.C.        Tel +1 301 229 5208
rjk@telcomlaw.com    Federal Telecommunications Law    Fax +1 301 229 6875
finger me for daily FCC info + see ftp.clark.net:/pub/rjk/ for other files

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

From: steve@iaccess.za (Steve Davies)
Subject: Network "Resources" on GSM?
Date: 22 May 1994 21:21:31 +0200
Organization: Internet Access public-access service


Hi Telecommers,

I am looking for information about the GSM cellular phone system.

The GSM system has recently been launched here in South Africa and I
would like to educate myself.

Are there any mailing lists that discuss GSM?  How about archive sites
with information?

Many thanks for reading!


Steve Davies, Compustat (Pty) Ltd   steve@cstat.co.za

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

From: hhaas@saffron.gatech.edu (Harry P. Haas)
Subject: Motorola Cellular Phones (was: Re: Lexus Cellular Phones)
Date: 23 May 1994 14:12:27 GMT
Organization: Georgia Tech Research Institute


In article <telecom14.238.5@eecs.nwu.edu>, John Gilbert <johng@ecs.comm.
mot.com> wrote:

> From Motorola Cellular Service Bulletin #179 4/92 
> Motorola strongly discourages any attempt to install a standard
> Motorola cellular telephone into unique OEM cables.  Custom features
> designed into OEM phones are not operaable with standard Motorola
> equipment, and standard Motorola telephones do not operate properly on
> OEM-designed cables.

While we're on the subject ... 

I have a Motorola flip-phone with the hands free kit/3watt amp. It
makes for the same setup as the lexus, without muting the stereo.
BUT, my stereo has a mute input wire, and the CELLULAR 3-WATT
VEHICULAR ADAPTER has a wire yellow-black wire labeled "Auxilary
Alert".  Hmmm.

So does anyone know what the "Auxiliary Alert" wire is used for?  If
it is not an "activity" signal, does anyone know how to get an "activity" 
signal from the Motorola system so that I can mute my stereo?

Thanks in advance.


Harry Haas  GTRI/SEAL/RSD/ASB   Georgia Tech Research Institute
Research Engineer II            225 North Ave.
harry.haas@gtri.gatech.edu      Atlanta Georgia, 30332

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

From: RANDY@MPA15AB.mv-oc.Unisys.COM
Date: 22 MAY 94 23:55:00 GMT   
Subject: Itemized Billing in UK


An episode of "Eastenders," shown last week in Southern California
(which runs about a year or more behind the U.K.) featured a character
quite shocked to learn that his phone calls to his mistress now show
up as itemized call detail on their phone bill.  These were local toll
calls from the East End to the West End, which I assume are expensive
calls.

Did the U.K. implement itemized local billing?


Randall Gellens          randy@mv-oc.unisys.com
(714) 380-6350               fax (714) 380-5912
Mail Stop MV 237                Net**2 656-6350

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

From: wahlgren@interaccess.com (Jeff Wahlgren)
Subject: Fujitsu F9600VS PBX
Date: Mon, 23 May 1994 10:34:56 GMT
Organization: InterAccess,Chicagoland's Full Service Internet Provider


Has anyone had any experience with the Fujitsu F9600VS PBX? I am
looking to purchase a new switch for our schools in the near future.
Good, bad, anticdotal, information, stories, any info much appreciated. 
Email to wahlgren@interaccess.com or post reply. 


Thanks in advance.

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

From: hu_g@isis.cs.odu.edu (Guorong Roger)
Subject: Cordless Phone Wanted With Ten Mile Range
Date: 23 May 1994 15:54:10 GMT
Organization: Old Dominion University CS Dept.


Is there any kind of CORDLESS PHONE which can be used for ten to
twenty miles distance (not a cellular phone, not the regular cordless
phone which can only be used within the house). The telephone should
still use the regular telephone switching system. The master piece of
the phone should be installed at home, and the handset could be bring
ten to twenty miles away from the home but be still access the phone
at home.

Please send email to me if you know the answer. Thanks!


Roger 


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: There are, but they are not legal for use
in the USA. About the closest you can come to this legally in the USA is
to use a manual phone patch attached to a CB radio or some other type of
legal radio service. I have a phone patch here for example which I have
not used for many years, basically since when I 'got out of' CB ... it
can be wired into the speaker and microphone of the base station and also
into the telephone line, but the law requires that an operator at the
base station listen to both sides of the conversation and manually key the
microphone when the telephone side wishes to speak. CB radios can legally
(in theory) transmit up to 150 miles; antenna selection, height of antenna
and atmospheric conditions play a major role in getting this kind of range.
In real practice, two or three miles -- maybe up to ten miles -- is the
useable range to be expected from unmodified units operating in urban areas.
In any event, *no automatic service* is allowed. 

Now, if you use radios equipped for 144 megs -- what is known among hams as
'two meters' -- then repeater sites equipped with telephone patches are quite
common. They usually belong to a local club whose members jointly maintain
the cost of the repeater site and phone line, etc. A license is required from
the FCC to operate a two meter radio, and the emphasis and primary use is
unit to unit contact rather than unit to phone network. I know they sell
the kind of phone you are seeking in Europe, but they are mostly unavailable
and hard to find here in the USA.  If you've got the money, you might con-
sider setting up a little two meter arrangement of your own with a private
phone line attached, etc.   PAT] 

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

Date: Mon, 23 May 1994 09:31:05 -0400
From: jborden@world.std.com (jay borden)
Subject: TMN/ASN.1/GSM Specialists Needed


I'm looking for contract asssistance from one or two people who have a
good knowledge of (all of) the above.  If you think you fit the bill
(or know someone who does) please drop me a mail.


Thanks,
 
jay b  

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

Date: Mon, 23 May 1994 05:47:26 EDT
From: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Subject: What Kind of Capacity is in VBI?
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


I saw the following announcement in the Satnews listing, which reads 
in part talks about selling space on U.K. Channel 4:

> terrestrial Channel 4.  The Broadcasting Act 1990 makes provision
> for the allocation of a number of lines in the Vertical Blanking 
> Interval (not used for sound and vision) to users...

A question I have is, for a U.S. signal, which I believe the Vertical
Blanking Interval also exists, how much capacity is available on a
single TV channel and at what speed can the data be sent? Is this
related to closed captioning?  If not, what type equipment is needed
to decode VBI data and what kind of costs are involved to build it?


Paul Robinson - Paul@TDR.COM

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

From: mpinones@netmon.mty.itesm.mx (Marco A. Pinones)
Subject: Microsoft Telephony API
Date: 22 May 1994 17:50:09 GMT
Organization: ITESM, Campus Monterrey


I would like to know if there is any advance on Microsoft efforts to
provide a "standard" programming interface for PBXs and telephony
services.  I sent mail to people at Ericcsson about this and they told
me they are working on it.  Does somebody know if other companies are
working on it?  


Greetings,

Marco P

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

From: rwb+@J.GP.CS.CMU.EDU (Bob Berger)
Subject: What is a New Activation?
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Date: Sun, 22 May 1994 20:13:41 GMT


In most states buying a cellular phone is much cheaper with a new
activation; the carrier essentially subsidizes the purchase.

Now, just how do they define "new"? Let's say I have an old, clunky
cellular phone, and I want one of those whizbang pocket models. If I
cancel my old service on May 31st, can I get a "New Activation" from
the same company on June 1st? Or must I switch carriers to get a good
deal on the phone purchase?


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: It depends on how liberal your existing
carrier is. Some will allow a new 'activation' to occur (for the purpose
of getting a new phone at a greatly reduced price, or free) in exchange
for your commitment to a new obligation or service contract. In other
words, your carrier might say if you are willing to contract with them 
for another full year at some minimum service level per month (greater
than what you are getting now, of course) then they will go along with
it. If you are already spending a lot of money with the carrier each
month then they may feel there is no need to try and induce you to spend
more. Free (or reduced cost) cellular phones in exchange for signing up
are a lot like any other service which gives you a bargain for your first
commitment (like a record or book club; buy one and get a dozen more for
free, etc) ... they want to hook you. Once hooked, they could care less
about you. The certain way to accomplish what you want is by switching
carriers.   PAT]

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

Date: Mon, 23 May 94 07:37:35 CDT
From: wpcallah@rwasic17.aud.alcatel.com (Paul Callahan)
Subject: Hunting Service From GTE


I want to get a second line and have it hunt to the first, or vice-versa.
 
I reacall this from one or two years ago, but not the terms.  Let's say,
I call GTE up and ask for my old line to hunt to the new, and the sales-
droid is confused -- what else can I call it?
 
If anyone wants to get real specific we are talking about a 214-417 line.


Thanks,
 
Paul


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: It is called rotary hunting service. Not
all exchanges are set up to do it but these days I can't imagine you would
be on one. Nor can all exchanges hunt backward or in a circle or from one
number to another further away (called 'jump hunt') but most of them can.
Illinois Bell -- maybe other Bells -- give hunting between lines for free
but I don't know what GTE thinks about it. Please note there is a more
expensive (and charged-for) service called 'transfer on busy/no answer'.
'Transfer on busy' does about the same thing as hunting does, but the way
it is done -- the mechanics of it -- are a little different. Since Bell
charges for 'transfer on busy' but gives 'hunting' for free, I chose to
take the latter for my lines.  PAT]

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

From: Ry Jones <rjones@poseidon.usin.com>
Subject: War Department Technical Manual
Date: Mon, 23 May 94 09:23:42 PDT


I have a copy of the TM11-498, Fundamentals of Telephony and Manual
Telegraphy. It was published in October 1944, and is really
interesting from a historical point of view. One of the things I got a
kick out of is the notation by every schematic containing a capacitor:
NEW SYBMOL -)|- REPLACES -||- IN ALL DRAWINGS

THAT shows the age of the book.

It covers a lot about relays and cordboards, and has a lot of
information about field telephony.


Ry


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Too bad you don't have a scanner so the
publication could be entered on line easily and put in the archives.  PAT]

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

From: RANDY@MPA15AB.mv-oc.Unisys.COM
Date: 22 May 94 20:24:00 GMT   
Subject: "Best Booth" at Supercomm


Of more than 1,700 booths representing 496 exhibitors, Unisys took the
prize for the "Best Booth" at the SUPERCOMM Telecommunications conference 
last week in New Orleans.  Judging criteria included company identity, 
product presentation, design elements, exhibit personnel and booth work-
ability.

More than 23,000 people attended the conference, which is the largest
U.S. telecommunications event.  In the award-winning booth, Unisys
Communications Systems Division showcased the recently announced NAP
VoiceSource UNIX solution.  Other telephone company applications were
featured as well, such as SS7 data collection, desktop video
conferencing, multimedia personal computing, and LocateIt (an OSMOS-
based geographic mapping system developed by Bellcore).

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

From: kc@escape.com
Subject: Hackers On Planet Earth Newsgroups
Date: 23 May 1994 16:43:49 GMT
Organization: Escape ONLINE.


We've launched a few new newsgroups specifically for the HOPE
conference this August in New York City. They are:

alt.2600.hope.announce  Announcements, bulletins, general info.
alt.2600.hope.d         Discussion including rides, places to stay, etc.
alt.2600.hope.tech      Technical issues (network, setup, etc.)

If your site doesn't have these groups, ask your sysadmin to subscribe
 -- they usually will if you ask and it's not being censored by a higher
authority. If you can't get on, post questions or comments here or
write to 2600@well.sf.ca.us.


Hackers On Planet Earth
August 13-14, 1994
Hotel Pennsylvania, New York City

For discounted room reservations, call (212) PEnnsylvania 6-5000 (no
shit).  Mention HOPE to get the special rate.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You're right; no shit. The hotel has
had that phone number for their switchboard for about sixty years. At one
time a very glamorous and famous place, Hollywood even made a movie about
it and used that number as part of the movie's theme.  Then of course 
there was the campy Dracula movie a few years ago which used a take-off
on the same thing with the number TRansylvania 6-5000.   PAT]

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

From: elana@netcom.com (The Great Whatever...)
Subject: Accidental phone Silliness  ;)
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
Date: Mon, 23 May 1994 05:38:13 GMT


Figured I'd inject some non-serious discussion into this group...  ;)

Three people figure in this story: me, some guy named Ken and a mutual
friend named Karen.

Anyway, I was trying to call Ken at a time that I KNEW he was home,
and I got his @!%@! answering machine.

I got seriously annoyed, so as soon as I heard his machine beep, I hit
the "play" button on the outgoing message of my own machine and played
it into the phone.  Then I hung up.

15 minutes later, my phone rang.  It was Karen, calling to tell me
that Ken had just called her.  He was seriously freaked out, saying:
"Elana's machine just somehow called MY machine!!  And left a message!!!"

Twilight phone Zone for Ken.  ;-)

I guess that he was not exactly the brightest soul that ever walked on 
this planet...!     :)  8)  


Elana

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

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #243
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