TELECOM Digest     Wed, 28 Sep 94 11:28:00 CDT    Volume 14 : Issue
381
 
Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A. 
Townson
 
     DirectlineMCI (Stephen Goodman)
     Re: Cellular Digital vs. Analog (Mark Solsman)
     Re: FBI Wiretap Bill -- WTF? (Paul Callahan)
     Re: Now AT&T is Lying About True-Voice 
(trudel@aramis.rutgers.edu)
     Recommendation V.34 is Now in Force (Fernando Lagrana)
     Wanted: FAX Software For UNIX Recommendations (system@decode.com)
     OSI OM-Related Tools (Andrew Lavigne)
     List of CO Types Wanted (Kenneth G. Rehor)
     Re: The Industry of the Future? (Bob Allison)
     Re: "Cost of Call" Indication? (Henry Wertz)
     Re: NYNEX Eliminated Roam Charges (David Sheafer)
     Re: Okay, So I Want to Start My Own Local Telco ... How? (Paul 
Robinson)
 
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 94 15:18 EST
From: Stephen Goodman <0003945654@mcimail.com>
Subject: DirectlineMCI
 
 
IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       Contact: David Sutton
                                         MCI Business Markets
                                         (404) 668-6234
 
            MCI TO PROVIDE NATIONWIDE 'FIND ME/FOLLOW ME'
                COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE FOR BUSINESS
 
                'directlineMCI' Integrates Phone, Fax,
                    Cellular, Voicemail and Paging
                     for the Mobile Professional
 
         ATLANTA, GA, September 27, 1994 -- MCI today announced plans
to launch an innovative voice communications service that will give
business people the ability to manage multiple communications and
messaging services through a single telephone number. MCI's new
offering, directlineMCI, will provide the most comprehensive
integrated communications service available for the mobile
professional.
 
         The new product, directlineMCI, works by linking all 
messaging
services -- standard telephone, cellular service, fax, voice mail and
paging needs -- to a single 800 number. With directlineMCI, business
people can manage time efficiently, while remaining accessible to
customers, coworkers and family.  Its "find me/follow me" service is
unique in that it can be accessed anywhere, for domestic or
international calls, and at any time through MCI's ubiquitous network.
 
         Said John Donoghue, vice president of marketing,
"directlineMCI is the all-in-one business card number of the future.
No longer will a realtor, doctor, sales executive, home-based
entrepreneur or other business person have to list as many as three or
four 10-digit numbers on their business card. This product offers
business customers a competitive differentiator for staying in touch
with their most valued customers, prospects and colleagues."
 
                                 How it Works
 
         Each subscriber to directlineMCI is provided a unique 800
number. The subscriber establishes the desired routing plan for
incoming calls and can, at any time, change the call routing sequence
to accommodate special situations.  A subscriber can program up to
three different telephone numbers that directlineMCI would try in
order to connect the caller.
 
         For example, a busy manager may program the system to first
try their own office number. If there is no answer, the system could
then try the subscriber's cellular phone and then the home phone if
necessary, and in any sequence the subscriber prefers.  If the system
is unable to locate the subscriber after trying the final number in
the sequence, the call can be routed to a prompt that allows them to
select either voice mail or paging options.
 
         A typical example may have calls entering the directlineMCI
platform answered by an initial greeting before any attempts are made
to locate the subscriber.  This lets the caller know that they have
dialed the correct number and informs them how the call is being
handled.  Subsequent attempts in the call sequence are also announced
to the caller to let them know the system is still trying to locate
the subscriber.
 
          Unique Service Features Include Fax and Voice Mail
 
         As an added advantage, directlineMCI eliminates the
frustrations of missed fax messages and the inability to receive faxed
information in a timely manner or at a remote location. The service
allows subscribers to receive faxed messages at any time and to
retrieve the messages when it is convenient.
 
         Callers are able to send faxes to a subscriber's 
directlineMCI
number without any caller interaction. The system immediately
recognizes fax tones and routes the call to a fax mailbox where the
fax is stored for later retrieval. Fax messages can be sent from
regular fax machines, PCs equipped with fax capable modems or from
e-mail systems. Faxes can then be retrieved later and can be routed to
both a regular fax machine or to a PC equipped with a fax modem.
Callers can also attach a voice message to the fax to note or detail
pertinent information.
 
         Also, directlineMCI also incorporates a voice mail capability
to store caller messages when the subscriber is unable to answer their
calls personally. This feature provides the ability to define a
"community of interest" that allows users to share voice mail
messages, therefore utilizing directlineMCI as a network-based voice
mail system. Subscribers can forward voice mail messages to other
individuals or they can broadcast them to a number of individuals
within their group.
 
         Other key features of directlineMCI include alternate routing
functions, call screening, music-on-hold and call queuing.
 
              directlineMCI Targets Home-Based Businesses
                      and Mobile Professionals
 
         MCI said directlineMCI has been designed to address the needs
of today's highly mobile and communications-intensive business
environment. The home office market alone is growing dramatically,
with the number of home office and telecommuting households expected
to increase from 8.5 million in 1993 to 13.5 million in 1996. Because
this group tends to move back and forth between the office and home,
they own a higher proportion of laptop computers, modems, beepers and
fax machines.* The potential benefits to these and other businesses
that use directlineMCI are many.
 
         Companies that have a requirement for real-time access to
their most mobile employees will benefit from directlineMCI.  Home
office workers, travelling executives, regional salespeople, realtors,
service technicians, telecommuters, physicians, health care workers
and others will enhance the ability to provide professional,
personalized service to their most important callers.
 
         And, callers benefit by eliminating "phone tag" when
attempting to complete their most urgent calls. Also, the convenience
of fax store and forward with voice message attachment simplifies and
reduces notification and follow up regarding faxes. Plus, callers have
only one number to record and remember when attempting to communicate
with the subscriber.
 
         Added Donoghue, "directlineMCI's real-time, 'find me/follow
me' features mean that business people will never again miss an
important call. The service is as easy to use as your television
remote control. By pressing a series of simple key strokes on a
pushbutton phone, you take control of your communications."
 
         MCI said directlineMCI is scheduled for availability to U.S.
businesses in December. For more information on directlineMCI, call
1-800-570-7870.
 
         With 1993 revenue of nearly $12 billion, MCI Communications
Corporation is the one of the world's largest communications
companies. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., MCI has more than 65
offices in 58 countries and places.  The company's Atlanta-based MCI
Business Markets provides a wide range of communications and
information services to America's businesses, including networkMCI
BUSINESS, long distance voice, data and video services and consulting
and outsourcing services.
 
 
* Source: the Yankee Group
 
------------------------------
 
From: solsman@ra.nrl.navy.mil (Mark Solsman)
Subject: Re: Cellular Digital vs. Analog
Date: 28 Sep 1994 00:25:39 GMT
Organization: Naval Research Lab, Washington, DC
 
 
Well, I would advise you to be very careful with digital service.
 
I am a subscriber to digital phone service from Cellular One of
Washington DC.  I recommend that digital service is not meant for
handhelds.  Sure, it is great at extending battery life (almost 2x in
digital mode), but it is near impossible to hold a conversation.
 
With analog service, when you get lousy reception, you get static.
Digital service offers a no-static solution.  When there is lousy
reception, there is nothing, not even voice.  Your called party should
be told that you are using the new digital service and there are times
in which they will not hear you at all.  The digital phones even go
into half-duplex mode whenever you are not camping under a tower.
 
There is also the risk that you will become the victim of a network
weenie.  In Washington DC Cell One tests their digital service by
switching it on and off again and again.  One day my Nokia switched
from analog to digital and back six times before I was finally 
dropped.
I was within 1/2 mile from the tower.
 
I don't think that it is a telephone problem, since this is the third
phone I have had.  All act the same way.  Cell One says it is the
phone, and Nokia says that I must live in a fringe area.  (I'll invite
them to DC sometime.)
 
But don't let me slam the digital system too much.  There are alot of
advantages of digital service.  Some are caller id, selective call
accept / reject, encryption, message wait light, ability to program
and control call forwarding and call waiting from the handheld.  Of
course, don't think of asking for these features.  They arn't real in
my network.  Cellular One customer service needs education on these
services, and their network engineers need a deadline.
 
It is also neat to hear your voice get digitally distorted when your
signal gets lousy.  And how can I forget -- sometimes, if you are
lucky, you can hear your own echo up to 1.5 seconds later!  Try and
keep focused on what you are saying when you can hear yourself echo a
second later.
 
All in all, I recommend to wait for the technology to mature a little
bit.  Of course, if my network would offer a $300 offer I may just do
it now, but with a three watt phone.  In my opinion, today's cellular
network is built on a three watt model.  Every time you hear static on
your handheld, that is where you wouldn't hear what your calling party
is saying.
 
Of course you could always do what I have learned to do -- switch your
dual-mode phone into analog mode.
 
And if you plan on purchasing a phone, shop around.  The prices quoted
in this thread's origional article were extremely high.  You may want
to try to call Cellular World @ 800-TALK-NOW.  There is also 
Unplugged,
located in CA.  They offer nationwide activation prices.  I have no
connection with either company, except being a happy customer.  If you
call Cell World, ask for Sean; he is good.
 
And if anyone wants to purchase a Nokia 2120 used, drop me a line.  I
wan't to switch back to my old 3 watt OKI.  (I also hate my Mitsu 
4000).
 
In article <telecom14.377.9@eecs.nwu.edu> ron@pyro.wro.dec.com writes:
 
> In my search, I have found very few digital phones.  A Motorola Flip
> (similar to the DPC-550), a AT&T 6650, and a Technophone (which 
seems
> to be the AT&T unit in a different case).  These units are all 
around
> 10 ounces.  There is also a top-of-the-line (~$1250) Motorola Elite
> with everything the Ultra Lite has and more (and even weighs less); 
I
> haven't seen this unit.
 
The Motorola Flip is huge.  A technophone isn't an AT&T, but a Nokia.
A Nokia 2120 weighs around 8oz, and is less that $400 activated.
 
 
Mark Solsman                                 Building 1, Code 5160
United States Naval Research Laboratory      solsman@ra.nrl.navy.mil
Washington, DC                               (202) 767-5769
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 94 16:05:22 CDT
From: wpcallah@rwasic17.aud.alcatel.com (Paul Callahan)
Subject: Re: FBI Wiretap Bill -- WTF?
 
 
A scattering of thoughts here:
 
1.  Why does everyone think the FBI is the prime, and only mover
here?  As I recall, there are other feds who don't need no stinkin
warrant, and they do want to have a neat, national, way to intercept
calls.
 
Sure Rockwell is building a several million sq feet building in DC,
it's got their name on it?  Right?
 
2.  I'm sure many nasties understand the difficulties of following a
cellular call, and use it.  The FBI is not going to say, the present
investigation of Joe Mafia is hurtting 'cause we can't follow all his
calls.  They can only talk about past cases.  And, do they ever want
to say who they have tapped, and failed, or just not gotten any info 
...
 
3.  POTS is still easy to get to, the many ways listed, but what of
business?  My wife's small business talks T1, all lines.  That's the
way GTE (or any name here) wants it, less copper, perhaps no copper.
I work at a much larger company, and none of our regular lines are
analog outside our buildings.  We talk dirrect to a switch, and it's
fairly common.
 
Even avoiding the nasty point regarding the un-blemished record of
only legal, criminal, investigations the FBI has done -- they would
have a bit of a problem hooking up to one of our ISDN phones.  They
COULD, but with complex equipment (well, I'd say T1 is a bit down from
SONET, but outsiders would be a bit perplexed).  So, how complex does
our police equipment need to be (can they understand how to use it)
and how should they tap a digital business line?
 
 
Paul Callahan
 
------------------------------
 
From: trudel@aramis.rutgers.edu (Jonathan)
Subject: Re: Now AT&T is Lying About True-Voice
Date: 27 Sep 1994 17:04:54 -0400
Organization: Rutgers University LCSR
 
 
opel!vk2bea!michael@uunet.uu.net (Michael G. Katzmann) writes:
 
> In article <telecom14.368.10@eecs.nwu.edu> nsayer@quack.kfu.com 
(Nick
> Sayer) writes:
 
>> The result is a beautiful, broadcast-quality stereo sound.
 
> I don't know about the choir (maybe that's due to the mystical
> experience), but "True Voice" does up the average level and 
equalizes
> the LF. (See many previous articles in comp.dcom.telecom) So 
comparing
> the two passages, one does get the idea of what T.V. does.  As far 
as
> the control room stuff goes, that's Madison Avenue for you.
 
One thing that you have to realize (and since it isn't mentioned in
either post above, one can presume you may not be aware of it) is that
many (but not all!) television stations muck around with the audio
they broadcast -- they compress the audio track down so that the 
volume
between, say, background noise and an explosion, is not that 
different.
 
One could suspect that they enhanced the audio of the call to work
around this quirk.  The time-based spectrum 'analysis' of the signal
in the commercial might be more demonstraative of what they were
trying to accomplish.  Didn't they up the volume range as well as
perform bass boost?
 
By the way, the  True Voice Demo (1-800-932-2000) has a new voice,
and isn't Tom Selleck anymore.
 
 
Jon
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 1994 08:46:22 CET
From: lagrana@itu.ch (Fernando Lagrana)
Subject: Recommendation V.34 is Now in Force
Organization: International Telecommunication Union
 
 
I am glad to inform the telecommunication community that ITU Members
have formally approved the four Recommendations submitted to their 
vote
in TSB Circular 82. Thus, Recommendations V.8, V.18, V.34, V.58 are
now in force.
 
My service (editing) is currently fine tuning the manuscript for
publication (taking into account the last comments of our Members;
aligning the three versions - English, French and Spanish; finalizing 
the
layout according to our publication rules, etc.). I plan to have those

Regards from Geneva,
 
Fernando Lagra
International Telecommunication Union
Telecommunication Standardization Bureau
 
Editor, Catalogue of Recommmendations
Coordinator, Electronic Document Handling
 
Internet: fernando.lagrana@itu.ch
Voice:    + 41 22 730 58 94
Fax:      + 41 22 730 58 53
X.400:    SURNAME=lagrana, PRIVATE_DOMAIN=itu, ADMIN_DOMAIN=arcom,
COUNTRY=ch
 
------------------------------
 
Subject: Wanted: FAX Software For UNIX Recommendations
From: System Operator <system@decode.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 94 10:19:15 EDT
Organization: American Cryptogram Association
 
 
Hello,
 
I'm looking for recommendations on FAX software for HP-UX 9 (UNIX) on
9000/800 series machines.  I'm familiar with Devcom's FaxFX, and am
not happy with the support.  I'm looking for solid, quality software
that is supported very well.  One of our major clients receives 350 to
400 faxes per day, each of which is multiple pages of technical
drawing specifications.  It is critical for this customer to receive
clear faxes all day, every day.
 
If you have had good experience with a solid Fax package that would
run and is supported on a Hewlett-Packard 9000/800 series machine
under HP-UX, please e-mail at dan@decode.com.
 
Thanks for your time.
 
 
Dan   system@decode.com (System Operator)
Cryptography, Security, Privacy BBS  +1 410 730 6734   Data/FAX
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 1994 11:37:00 -0400
From: andrew lavigne <alavigne@bnr.ca>
Subject: OSI OM-Related Tools
 
 
I've been looking for information on the availability of OSI Object
Model Management-related toolkits and compilers (ASN.1/GDMO compilers,
object class inheritance display tools, browsers, etc).
 
Does anyone know of such tools and/or where I can get more information
on them?
 
Thanks in advance for any information.
 
 
Andrew Lavigne    alavigne@bnr.ca
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 94 11:57 CDT
From: krehor@research.att.com (Kenneth G. Rehor)
Subject: List of CO Types Wanted


Pat,
 
I recall hearing that Bellcore sells a list of all Central Office
switch types on a diskette. Do you know how I can get this?
 
 
Thanks,
 
Ken Rehor    krehor@research.att.com
 
------------------------------
 
From: boba@wwa.com (Bob Allison)
Subject: Re: The Industry of the Future?
Date: 27 Sep 1994 12:57:28 -0500
Organization: WorldWide Access - Chicago Area Internet Services 312-
282-8605
 
 
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well Sid, there is absolutely no 
doubt
> in my mind that the changes in the telephone industry over the past
> decade have never been seen before and will never be seen again. 
Even
> with the massive reductions in work force over the past decade, 
telco
> still remains the largest employer anywhere. Trying to simply grasp 
the
> numbers involved is difficult. Where do you think it will go from 
here?
> Will there still be further cutbacks, or 'downsizing'?  Will it 
finally
> get to the point all the telcos in the world eventually employ only
> a dozen or so people among them with the computers doing all the 
rest
> of the work?   PAT]
 
I would imagine that if they can, they will find a way to have the
entire phone compnay be made up of computers, plus a few marketers,
accountants, and lawyers, with an outside advertising agency, and
'temporary' repair workers, who can be fired when their pay reaches a
certain point.  When they get voice recognition down, the directory
assistance operators will get kicked out.
 
 
ASCII ART FTP: ftp.wwa.com/pub/Scarecrow - InterNet group: 
rec.arts.ascii
Email and requests: boba@wwa.com - ASCII ART FAQ finger: 
asciifaq@wwa.com
WWW: <a href=http://gagme.wwa.com/~boba>-- Bob Allison's Home Page --
</a>
 
------------------------------
 
From: Henry Wertz <Henry@chop.isca.uiowa.edu>
Subject: Re: "Cost of Call" Indication?
Date: 28 Sep 1994 03:48:23 GMT
Organization: U of Iowa Panda System
Reply-To: Henry@chop.isca.uiowa.edu
 
 
In note <telecom14.371.7@eecs.nwu.edu>, lcz@dptspd.sat.datapoint.com 
(Lee
Ziegenhals) writes:
 
> The "NYNEX Makes You Dial '1' For Same Area-Code Calls" thread got 
me
> to thinking about how to tell whether a call is costing you LD 
charges
> or not.  With my telephone company, a LD toll call is always 
preceded
> by a '1'.  I've gotten rather used to it, and I'd miss it if I moved
> somewhere where it wasn't done that way.
 
> On the other hand, it seems the idea of a toll call is rather vague
> these days.  A call might be "local" but still be metered in some 
way,
> either due to a special prefix or just metered local service.
 
> I'm wondering whether there is any work being done on a real-time
> display of the cost of a call.  I'm thinking of something like a 
display
> on your telephone that shows the cost of a call in progress.  It 
would
> be updated continuously (except for fixed-cost calls) until you hang 
up.
> I'd like to see this for all types of metered calls, whether local
> metered, long distance, 900 numbers, etc.
 
      I don't think it is actually too likely. The phone companies
have lots of switches, and there are lots of phones, and the phone
company really wouldn't want to have to change all this stuff.  I have
seen lots of modem programs that kept logs of time, and some also
calculate the cost by well ... multiplying the time by rate 8-).
 
      I would figure it would be much easier for the phone
manufacturers and phone company to make phones with a little processor
that listens in on the tones, and runs it through a number parsing
program ... "that is a 555 ... that's $.15/minute.  That's local, no
charge.  That is operator, $2.00 flat charge."  etc.. Either make it
easy enough so you can set in in, or have the local phone cos do it on
request. Now this wouldn't work for 900's, but for most things it
would work fine.  You could set a microprocessor to detect LD even on
the seven digit LD places
 
> Implementation at the local loop shouldn't be too difficult.  ISDN
> would be relatively easy since the rate information could be passed
> over the D channel.  For POTS lines, the rate information would have
> to be transmitted somehow at the beginning of the call, perhaps 
using
> a technology similar to what's used for CID.
 
      Well, here, if the other person is quick with the phone, you can
have an answer without a ring ... there isn't necessarily time for the
phone company to transmit that type of information.
 
> Is such a thing feasible?  I know absolutely nothing about how 
billing
> systems are implemented within the telephone network.  Is this
> information even available in real time to the local telephone
> company?  For that matter, am I the only one who would find this
> useful? :-)
 
      I'd find it useful too ... not as big a problem here with 1 + 
ten
digits for all LD, even within area code but would still be good to
have to know the exact rates.
 
------------------------------
 
From: David Sheafer <dsheafer@delphi.com>
Subject: Re: NYNEX Eliminated Roam Charges
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 94 07:41:46 -0500
Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice)
 
 
In regards to the NYNEX eliminating the daily roaming fees, they have
also established a total of three rates that will be charged to NYNEX
Mobile customers:
 
Roaming charges via Nynex; in NY State and New England $.59/minute
 
                      in Southern NJ through Philadelphia to 
Washington
                      DC                          $ .79/minute
 
                      The rest of North America   $ .99/minute
 
With NYNEX's automatic Call Delivery in just about all of New England
and I believe it now extends to BAMS plus their follow me roamiing
capability in 99% of the B carriers that are not on Call Delivery yet,
I think this is a great service, and now will not have to worry where
I will and will not get charged that $3.00 daily fee as it doesn't
exist, have any other carries done anything similar?
 
 
David Sheafer   dsheafer@delphi.com
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 1994 05:57:33 EST
From: Paul Robinson <PAUL@tdr.com>
Subject: Re:  Okay, So I Want to Start My Own Local Telco ... How?
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA
 
 
Peter Rukavina <peter@crafts-council.pe.ca> wants to know how to set
up a cooperative telephone company for a small group within a rural
area.
 
I can give him some ideas but if he's looking for something not very
expensive he's going to have a problem.
 
Average rule of thumb for a company deciding to put in its own PBX is
US $1000 per line plus about US $4 a month per line to cover damage to
equipment.
 
Since he's talking about an area of about 12 people, he could probably
get one of those inexpensive office PBX systems that sell for about US
$2000 to handle 16 stations.  He would then have to have the other
telephone company supply him with enough trunk lines based on average
usage, say two or three incoming and outgoing, plus phone numbers.
Either they would provide a connection like they would to a foreign
telephone company or they would provide a DID connection (I'm not
exactly certain of the technical background, for all I know a
connection to another telephone company's trunks is the same as a DID
connection).
 
If most of the calls in the area are to the people in that group, then
the internal PBX will provide better service; if the problem has been
insufficient lines for the people in that area to call the outside
world, this isn't going to help much.
 
The next step is to write or purchase a set of tariff schedules, which
even for a small company will require at least a 2 1/2" three-ring
binder, covering such matters as liability, service charges, etc.
Then you have to file these tariffs with the state (and pay filing
fees) unless your service is considered so small that it doesn't have
to file (with less than 50 subscribers it probably doesn't, but don't
depend on that).
 
Then you have to figure how some of the usual services are going to be
provided.  When someone dials "0" is it going to come into an
operator's console in your living room or do you get the other
telephone company to provide operator services?  Who is liable if
someone runs up $8,000 in long distance calls to Zanzibar?  Is it a
cooperative where the telephone subscribers are the owners or is it a
non profit organization or is it a for profit corporate entity?
 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (yes, Agriculture) handles certain
controls over rural electric and telephone companies and they may be
worth contacting for information as to how things are done here.
(Mainly because rural utilities are entitled to certain subsidies and
special loans.)
 
You might want to see if there's a Canadian organization handling
rural utilities and cooperatives, if any such thing exists.
 
 
Paul Robinson - Paul@TDR.COM
Reports on Security Problems: To Subscribe write PROBLEMS-
REQUEST@TDR.COM
 
------------------------------
 
End of TELECOM Digest V14 #381
****************************
 

