TELECOM Digest     Mon, 20 Feb 95 20:37:00 CST    Volume 15 : Issue
109

Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A. 
Townson

    Book Review: "Minding Your Cybermanners on the Internet" by Rose 
(R Slade)
    Cellular "Auto-Registration (Rick Edwards)
    Weird "Prime Number" and Other Messages 800 Number (Douglas 
Reuben)
    About 36XX Numbers in France (Romain Fournols)
    Yes, Yung'uns. CNID -is- Logged at Your Local CO (Danny Burstein)
    Technopolitics: New Pre-Airdate PBS Transcript of Debate (Jeff 
Richards)
    Pair Gain Line Problem, Please Help (Matt Lennig)
    Voice Mail/Office Premise Forwarding/Conference? (Sam Seidman)
    Request For Information About SDH (Willy Gan)
    Residential Pre-Pay Service (Keith Laaks)
    Wanted: Cellular Channel Measurements (Mark Douglas)
    Reprogramming a Cellular Phone (Wayne Linville)
    A Tip When Working With Electricity (Bob Mueller)

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

Date: Sun, 19 Feb 1995 22:16:37 EST
From: Rob Slade <roberts@mukluk.decus.ca>
Subject: "Minding Your Cybermanners on the Internet" by Rose


BKCBRMNR.RVW   950120
 
"Minding Your Cyber-Manners on the Internet", Rose, 1994, 1-56761-521-
X,
U$12.99/C$16.99
%A   Donald Rose drose@pro-palmtree.socal.com
%C   201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290
%D   1994
%G   1-56761-521-X
%I   Alpha Books
%O   U$12.99/C$16.99 75141.2102@compuserve.com
%P   194
%T   "Minding Your Cyber-Manners on the Internet"
 
Ignoring the "smiley" books (BKSMILEY.RVW and BKSMLDCT.RVW) and one
rather generic guide to grammar, out of the hundreds of books
published so far on the subject of the Internet, this is only the
second to be devoted to the etiquette of network communications (after
Shea's "Netiquette", cf BKNTQUTT.RVW).  It is a valuable and 
worthwhile 
addition.
 
Coverage of the topic is very broad-ranging, although it is not, 
perhaps, 
complete.  The material is very practical, with lists of do's and
don'ts, summaries, and question-and-answer sections.  Rose has a
professional grasp of humour, and it is used extensively and
effectively throughout.
 
The book is not without problems.  There is a shortage of explanation
of the "why" on various topics.  There is a chapter on how flames
start (and a pretty good one) -- but not until chapter six.  Rose
recommends against the spread of "dying child" letters--but doesn't
explain the situation behind the Craig Shergold stories, nor the
related "Neiman-Marcus cookie" legend or the "FCC Modem Tax" rumours.
He mentions the frequent administrative mis-posts on mailing lists,
but not how to avoid doing them.
 
Some specific recommendations are questionable.  He suggests the use
of abbreviations and "cyberese" (the acronyms of common phrases, like
BTW for "by the way") as a means of keeping messages short.  This is
no longer considered good etiquette, as it is highly confusing to
newcomers -- and oldtimers as well, in certain cases.  (In fact, the
book contradicts itself at this point, recommending both for and
against abbreviations, on a single page.)  (Some may also consider the
repeated promotion of Kent's "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the
Internet" (BKIDTINT.RVW) and "The Complete Idiot's Next Step on the
Internet" (sorry, haven't seen it yet) almost to constitute "spamming"
within this book, itself.)
 
I definitely recommend this work for all Internet users, and 
particularly 
newcomers.  I very much hope future editions will extend a work well 
begun.


copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995   BKCBRMNR.RVW   950120. Distribution
permitted in TELECOM Digest and associated publications. Rob Slade's 
book
reviews are a regular feature in the Digest.


Vancouver      ROBERTS@decus.ca    
Institute for  Robert_Slade@sfu.ca 
Research into  rslade@cue.bc.ca    
User           p1@CyberStore.ca    
Security       Canada V7K 2G6      

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

From: rick.edwards@cabin.com (Rick Edwards)
Subject: Cellular "Auto-Registration"
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 1995 15:29:00 GMT
Organization: The Charlatan's Cabin BBS, Los Angeles CA (213) 654-7337


There has been an ongoing discussion on another network regarding
"auto-registration" in the present analog NAMPS system. It appears 
that
no one on that network can give a definitive answer as to exactly how 
it
works.  So I am leaving a message here hoping (knowing) that someone
will have the correct answers.

Some of the questions we have regarding auto-registration on a 
cellular
phone (system) are:

1) Does the individual phone transmit it's MIN/ESN pair on powerup 
after
finding an appropriate control channel?

2) If indeed the phone transmits it's ID upon powerup, why is it 
apparently 
ignored by some systems (AirTouch in Los Angeles)?

3) What would be the typical amount of time between auto-registration
requests on most cellular systems? (I know this varies on system 
usage,
software, etc. but would like a "ballpark" number).

4) How exactly does the cellular system request an ID from each phone
and keep it orderly? (IE..does it go by ESNs? How are collisions
prevented from multiple phones? etc.)

5) How do cellular systems treat older phones (without auto-
registration) 
when trying to ring them (phone call to phone)?

I'm sure I've skipped a couple of obvious questions but if someone
could enlighten me with answers to these questions, I would greatly
appreciate it.


Regards,

Rick Edwards

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

From: dreuben@netcom.com (CID Tech/INSG)
Subject: Weird "Prime Number" and Other Messages 800 Number
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 1995 14:03:02 PST


Late one night last week, while trying to reprogram one of my own
800 numbers, I accidentally dialed (800) 254-0133.

What I got was: "<sigh> The number you have reached, 6 7 7 - 4 4 4 4,
is not a working number. It's prime factors are 2 and 3,387,2222 (or
something). Thank you".

I tried it a number of times, and it kept giving me the same thing. 

Today, just to convince myself that I did indeed hear that, I tried it
again, but this time got: The number you have reach, 677-4444 is not
is service ... Bucko!".

Anyhow, just another 800 forwarded to some weird destination, I guess.


Doug

dreuben@netcom.com    CID Technologies/Interpage NSG    (203) 499 - 
5221

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

Date: 20 Feb 95 11:52:46 EST
From: ROMAIN FOURNOLS <100431.1672@compuserve.com>
Subject: About 36XX Numbers in France


Here are some information about special numbers, toll free and special 
charges
services/calls, in France for anybody interested in.

Here you have a list of the special 36XX or 36XXXXXX numbers for 
special use
(update in 1994).

First 4 
Digits  Service                                         Number

3600   No more used            3600
3601   KIOSQUE MICRO (computer charge calls)  3601XXXX
3602   TRANSPAC (data transmisssion)    3602
3603   TRANSPAC (data transmisssion)   3603
3605   TOLL-FREE TELETEL (MINITEL) Calls  3605XXXX
3606   TRANSPAC (data transmisssion)   36062424
3607  Minitel test number (France Telecom use) 360736XX
3608   TRANSPAC(data transmisssion)    36086464
3609  ALPHAPAGE (pager, messages sent by minitel) 3609XXXX
3610  France Telecom Calling Card Number  3610
3611  Electronic directory by minitel (DOM-TOM)       3611
3612   MINICOM (Special Mail by Minitel)               3612
3613   VIDEOTEX TELETEL1  (Minitel 1st rate)        3613
3614   VIDEOTEX TELETEL2  (Minitel 2nd rate)       3614
3615   VIDEOTEX TELETEL3  (Minitel 3rd rate)        3615
3616   KIOSQUE TELEMATIQUE PROF. (Minitel 4th rate) 3616
3617   KIOSQUE TELEMATIQUE PROF. (Minitel 5th rate)  3617
3618   COM. MINITEL A MINITEL (Minitel to Minitel use) 3618
3619   TELETEL INT'L (Minitel services based in foreign countries)  
3619
3621   STANDARD ASCII (Minitel in 80 culumns)          3621
3622   No more used       3622
3623   TELETEL HIGH SPEED (4800 & 9600 b/s)  3623XXXX
3624   KIOSQUE TELEMATIQUE PROF.  (Minitel) 3624XXXX
3625   KIOSQUE TELEMATIQUE PROF.  (Minitel) 3625XXXX
3626   KIOSQUE TELEMATIQUE PROF.  (Minitel) 3626XXXX
3627   KIOSQUE TELEMATIQUE PROF.  (Minitel) 3627XXXX
3628   KIOSQUE TELEMATIQUE PROF.  (Minitel) 3628XXXX
3629   KIOSQUE TELEMATIQUE PROF.  (Minitel) 3629XXXX
3643   INT'L MINITEL ACCESS NUMBER    36431111
3644   TEST NUMBER (Ring Back)                      3644
3650   FT Calling card by operator         3650
3653   TELEX           3653
3655   TELEGRAMMES TELEPHONES       3655
3656   TELEGRAMMES PAR MINITEL      3656
3658   Consumers Service          3658
3660   ALPHAPAGE (pager, messages sent by operator) 36605050
3661   OPERATOR (pager, messages sent by operator)   36616136
3663   NUMERO AZUR (toll-free Number, charged as a local call)  
3663XXXX
3664   AUDIOTEL (premium services, as "900" numbers) 3664XXXX
3665   AUDIOTEL 5 UT       3665XXXX
3666   AUDIOTEL MEDIA     3666XXXX
3667   AUDIOTEL       3667XXXX
3668   AUDIOTEL       3668XXXX
3670   AUDIOTEL      3670XXXX
3672   MEMOPHONE (Vocal box inside your area)  3672
3673 MEMOPHONE (Vocal box outside your area)  3673XXXX
3699   Speaking real-time clock            3699


KIOSQUE TELEPHONIQUE (Special charges numbers)

Numbers  Max. time per call Rate

3664XXXX    0,73FF/mn
3665XXXX 2mn 20s    3,65FF/call
3666XXXX 2mn 20s   3,65FF/call
3667XXXX 20mn   1,46FF/mn
3668XXXX 20mn   2,19FF/mn
3670XXXX 20mn    8,76FF/call + 2,19FF/mn


TOLL FREE NUMBERS ("800" numbers)

Begin by 05 and 6 digits, international toll-free numbers from France
to other countries begin 0590 and four digits.


SERVICES

Call waiting enable : *43# Call waiting disable : #43# (free to use, 
10FF
monthly fee)

Call transfer : *21#phone_number#  Call transfer cancel : #21# (0,73FF 
per
call/change)

Time reminder service : *55*TIME# (charged 3,65FF per call)


Does somebody send me the rates of your "900" numbers ?

Sorry of my poor English,

If you have any questions about French telecom system, don't hesitate
to contact me.


Romain FOURNOLS, france
Compuserve : 100431,1672
E-mail : 100431.1672@compuserve.com
voice : +33 61230075
fax : +33 61228584


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In the USA the prices for our 900 
numbers
varies greatly from one to the next, and there are probably thousands 
of
them in all.  Some are as little as 50 cents per minute while others 
may
cost $40-50 dollars for the entire call of three or four minutes.   
PAT]

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

From: dannyb@panix.com (danny burstein)
Subject: Yes, Yung'uns. CNID -is- Logged at Your Local CO
Date: 20 Feb 1995 11:17:49 -0500


After the Mitnick capture, NETCOM sent a letter to its customers. 

I've excerpted a key portion of it, in which they point out that yes, 
indeed, central offices -do- keep track of the CNID of incoming calls.

(Other posters in the group have suggested that typically 90 days are
kept online, just like with outgoing smdr.)


>From alt.2600 Fri Feb 17 18:50:14 1995
From: emmanuel@well.sf.ca.us (Emmanuel Goldstein)
Newsgroups: alt.2600
Subject: Netcom announcement on Mitnick
Date: 17 Feb 1995 11:23:57 GMT


NETCOM HELPS PROTECT THE INTERNET

         - A Letter from CEO Bob Rieger to Our Customers -

I know many of you are interested in NETCOM's involvement with the
arrest of Kevin Mitnick, and how this may impact you, if at all, as a
NETCOM subscriber.  First, let me supply a chronology of events:

[lots of self abuse ^H^H^H praise deleted]

-> 8. At that point, the U.S. Justice Department subpoenaed the local
-> telephone carrier for records of dial-ins at specific times to this
-> modem. It became apparent that the telephone company's switch 
equipment
-> had been compromised, so that these records could not be obtained.
-> However, the Justice Department found another method for making a 
match.

9. With this information, the Justice Department knew the approximate
location of the originating call.

10. Mr. Shimomura flew to Raleigh and used cellular tracking equipment 
to
locate the apartment building the calls were coming from. Eventually, 
the
calls were traced to an individual apartment, and Mr. Mitnick was 
arrested.


dannyb@panix.com (or dburstein@mcimail.com)

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

From: Jeff Richards <richards@bell.com>
Subject: Technopolitics: New Pre-Airdate PBS Transcript of Debate
Date: 20 Feb 1995 03:14:48 GMT
Organization: Capital Area Internet Service info@cais.com 703-448-4470


As of Friday evening, <bell.com> now has a new transcript of debate
between Pacific Telesis Vice President Ron Stowe and AT&T Vice
President Mike Brown.

Taped earlier this week for the PBS public affairs show 
"TechnoPolitics," 
the program is scheduled to begin airing nationally on Feb. 24. (It
will be broadcast in the Washington area on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 2
p.m. on WETA, Channel 26.)

Stowe said that large business customers already have a choice of 
local 
carriers, but that long distance companies are not interested in 
serving 
residential customers because the cost of their service is subsidized 
by 
the business users.  See the full comments, context and points of 
debate 
in the transcript.



Given the growing interest across the Internet in telecom reform this
year, <bell.com> is a growing resource.  The site is accessed by
gopher at <bell.com>, or the web at <http://bell.com>

You can also subscribe to the listserver to get telecom updates. Send 
mail to <listserver@bell.com>.  In the body of the message add four 
words:

SUBSCRIBE    BELL    YOUR_FIRST _NAME    YOUR_LAST_NAME


Looking forward to your comments ...

Jeff Richards    The Alliance for Competitive Communications &
Pacific Telesis Group   Internet: richards@bell.com
<bell.com> and <http://bell.com>
<listserver@bell.com> SUBSCRIBE BELL YOUR_LAST YOUR_FIRSTNAME
+1 202 973-5307 voice           1133-21st NW #700
+1 202 973-5351 TDD             Washington DC 20036-3349
+1 202 973-5341 fax             +1 800 SKY-PAGE pin 8550304
+1 202 383-6445 2nd office

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

From: Matt <mlennig@ecst.csuchico.edu>
Subject: Pair Gain Line Problem, Help!
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 1995 15:49:52 -0800
Organization: California State University, Chico


I have been told by a Pac Bell (i'm in CA) tech that the reason that I
cannot connect above 9600 is because I'm on a "Pair Gain" line to the
C.O. My roommate has no problem, the tech says he's on a copper line
to the C.O.

Problem: Pac Bell refuses to change me over to a copper line, saying
that they are only required to provide a 'voice-grade' line which only
has to support transfer speed of 1200 bps (HA HA HA HA HA).

What can I do?  Does anyone have a work-around?  Has anyone 
experienced 
this same problem? I've tried four different modems, all with the same
problem. But if I use my roommate's line, everything works great! (For
practical reasons, I can't use his line all the time, he runs a 
business 
on it).

Any help would be appreciated.


Regards,

Matt

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

From: seidman@hookup.net (Sam Seidman)
Subject: Voice Mail/Office Premise Forwarding/Conference
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 1995 06:20:39
Organization: HookUp Communication Corporation, Oakville, Ontario, 
CANADA


We have voice mail on our phone system and wish to give the user a
choice to push "3" for a live operator.

We would like to then conference the caller on the same line with a
preprogrammed number using the telephone company's three way calling
feature and connect them to a live operator.

Is the above possible?

I was told by somebody that it is currently not possible but that
Northern was coming out with a version of Startalk Plus that would
handle this, is this rumour true?

The hardware we are using is Meridian Norstar with DR5 software and DS 
cpu, 
and Startalk 110. 

Has anybody been successful in accomplishing the above.

Thanks.

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

From: wgan@netcom.com (willy gan)
Subject: Requesting Information About SDH
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 
guest)
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 1995 06:22:15 GMT


Hello everyone,

I'd often seen the words SDH or SDH compatible equipment advertised in
data communication magazines. Can anyone explain or give me examples
of what SDH stands for?


Thanks in advance,

Willy Gan wgan@netcom.com


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Truthfully, I don't know if SDH is in 
the
glosssary files at the Archives or not, but something Willy should be 
aware of and other users as well is the /glossaries sub-directory in 
the
Telecom Archives, available by anonymous ftp lcs.mit.edu.  PAT]

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

From: laakswk@telkom04.telkom.co.za (Keith Laaks)
Subject: Residential Pre-Pay Service
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 1995 19:43:38 GMT
Organization: Telkom South Africa


Here in South Africa we experience fraudulent use of the network due
to subscription fraud (disappearances after receiving 'self inflicted'
huge phone bills), the tapping into the phone lines of innocent
victims, and other mechanisms.

Questions:

1) Do you know of similar fraud in other networks?

2) What is done to try and prevent such fraud?

3) Has any telco implemented a pre-paid residential service?

4) If so, how does it work? 


Thanks,

Please also email replies to : laakswk@telkom04.telkom.co.za


Keith Laaks
Email : laakswk@telkom04.telkom.co.za
Tel   : +27 12 311 1450
Fax   : +27 12 311 3492

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Do we know of other instances of toll
fraud?  Do we?   Umm, yes, it is a very severe problem here in the
USA. What you term 'prepaid residential service' we refer to as a
'security deposit', and/or payment in advance for the first month's
charges.  Generally the telcos in the USA accept the references of
other telcos for the purpose of establishing service. If you've had
service anywhere in the USA then your credit history as far as telco
is concerned is available to other telcos for review. Of course, if
you live in one area for most of your life and have service from the
same phone company most of that time, then they have your record and
know about both your ability and willingness to pay. New subscribers
with no previous telco (somewhere) payment history are often asked to
place an amount of money in escrow or on deposit with telco to cover
the estimated billings for a month. After a year or so of good payment
history, this money is refunded with interest or placed on your 
account
against your current bill, as you wish. 

'Payment in advance' is *not* a security deposit, and does not draw
interest. It merely insures that your first month's bill is paid while
telco evaluates your 'typical' or 'average' use. 

A third option used in some cases is called 'interim billing'. 
Although
bills are tendered 12-13 times per year (most telcos bill monthly but
some bill every 28 days), in what is known as cycle billing (a group 
of
different customers each day, normally 22 billing cycles per month), 
for
internal use only there is the 'interim billing' which is available to
the collectors and credit representatives about two weeks after (or
before) the bill mailed to the customer. If this interim billing shows
a sudden dramatic increase in charges such as a large number of long
distance calls or calls of a great time length causing your bill to
exceed its normal balance by some large amount, then they will call 
you
and ask for more money then; this depends on your status with them.

If your bill becomes past due, again your status detirmines what 
action
is taken. A new subscriber with a balance two months past due will
most likely be cut. Longer subscribers with generally good credit will
be allowed longer, etc.     PAT] 

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

From: mdouglas@sol.UVic.CA (Mark  Douglas)
Subject: Wanted: Cellular Channel Measurements
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 95 02:04:23 GMT


I am teaching a university course on mobile communications and am 
interested
in the following data of the received signal at a cellular phone:

1. The signal envelope over time (Rayleigh/Rician)
2. The time delay response (showing delay spread).
3. The power spectrum (frequency domain)

Real measured data would be ideal, but simulated data is fine as well.
I know that I can generate it myself, but if someone else already has
the data, it's less work for me.


Thanks,

Mark Douglas
University of Victoria
Victoria, BC, Canada.

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

From: wayne@bubble.home.net (wayne linville)
Subject: Reprogramming a Cellular Phone
Date: 20 Feb 1995 04:04:25 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Reply-To: wayne@bubble.home.net (wayne linville)


I thought I read an article in here about hard/soft reprogramming a
cellular flip phone. Anyone who has any information on this subject,
please send mail to me at: wayne@fatman.rmii.com.


wayne linville

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

Date: Mon, 20 Feb 95 13:48:53 +0100
From: Bob Mueller <IFF161@ZAM001.ZAM.KFA-JUELICH.DE>
Organization: Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH
Subject: A Tip When Working With Electricity


Dear Pat,

   I just read about your experiences with the capacitors in a TV
unloading through you and recalled another tip which can prevent a
nasty accident. It is related to the thread because auto batteries are
part of schemes to revive NiCads. Electrocution from these may be
possible (I heard of a case but have no certainty if it really 
happened), 
but is quite unlikely.  Serious burns are not so uncommon.  One should
remove metal jewelery, including watch bands and rings when working
around these batteries; they can deliver huge currents, enough to spot
weld the jewelery, and heat it up to skin burning temperatures in a
second or so.  

Though I have see warnings about this risk for years I did not know of
a case until a friend got it wrong a couple months ago.  He showed a
deep burn around his finger where his wedding ring combined with a
wrench to short over the battery terminals.  He was lucky; the wound
healed and except for the scar he will have gained; he knows very well
about being careful next time and may be saved from removing the
finger completely.


Sincerely,

Bob Mueller  <iff161@djukfa11>


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I still have a tiny little scar on my 
left
arm (on the underside, a few inches up from my wrist) which I got from
the night thirty years ago or so that I fell asleep at the 
switchboard.
If you remember the old cord switchboards, you will recall the rows of
cords with plugs on the end which sat in front of you.  About 2 am 
after
several slices of pizza and a quart of beer from earlier in the 
evening
I was feeling drowsy. I had the common audible (buzzer) loud enough it
would wake me up, so I folded my arms in front of me as I sat there 
and
put my head down on my arms ... bingo, three minutes later I am out of
it. Once before I had done this, and fell asleep with my foot on the
buzzer cut off switch; the little button on the floor the operator 
could
tap on to shut the buzzer off when desired ... <grin> ... but not this
night. This night I would wake up if any calls came to the board which
was unlikely ... this was a Friday night and the Sabbath, and the 
mostly
elderly Jewish residents of the South Shore Country Club Apartments 
would be long tucked in their beds and asleep. 

South Shore Country Club had a four position manual cordboard; usually
three operators on duty during the day and evening, and one overnight.
On Friday night and Saturday all day usually one operator was 
sufficient
since the more religious of the tenants in the apartment complex did 
*not*
use the telephone for any reasons those days; nor did they use the 
elevator.
Instead of calling downstairs to the switchboard to get someone at the
front desk to come up and light their stove for the sabbath meal they
felt it more appropriate to walk down ten flights of stairs to make 
that
request, then walk back upstairs again. Since I am not Jewish, you 
see,
I was under no obligation to observe their laws; I *could* ride the 
elevator
upstairs, light their stove or turn the lights on and off, etc, then
ride back downstairs.  

But I digress ... roomate and I had been out earlier that evening to
celebrate something or other ... pizza and beer ... you know that 
combin-
ation ... 11 pm and I have to go to work, running the board at the 
Country
Club until 7 am. By 2 am everything *so* dead ... *so* quiet ... and
as noted above I fell asleep. I slept maybe three hours, and about 
5:30 am 
the little alarm clock goes off which means it is time to start making
the first of the 'wakeup calls' to the tenants. My arm somehow during
the night had gotten up against or on top of that row of plugs, and it
laid there most of the night. A little red burn was on my skin where
it had been on the tip of that plug all night. I thought it would 
eventually
go away, and the redness went away the next day but the little scar 
where
the direct current lingering in those cords burned my flesh a little 
never
has. 

Finally, if you ever want to test a battery to see if there is still 
life
in it and you don't have a battery tester, just put the contacts from 
the
battery against the bottom of your tongue ... <grin> ...   PAT] 

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

End of TELECOM Digest V15 #109
******************************

     
