DP Tool Club 19/CD_ASCQ_19_010295.iso/vrac/tc14_378.zip/TC14-378.TXT

Text File | 1994-10-03 | 29KB | 722 lines

TELECOM Digest     Tue, 27 Sep 94 14:28:00 CDT    Volume 14 : Issue
378

Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A.
Townson

     Telecom Reselling From the Ground Up (Jeff Bornstein)
     Programming an AT&T ISDN 7506 API (Alex Cena)
     V.34 from ITU-T (Tannil Lam)
     919/910 DA Problem (Scott D. Fybush)
     Becoming an Internet Access Provider (Jeffrey Graham)
     PBXs and NANP (Stephen Polinsky)
     Motorola Digital Cellular Phones (Brian Totty)
     Modem Pool in Neighboring Telco Exchange (Dave Morschhauser)
     Please Help Our Reaseach! ([e-mail])
     Cordless Phone Security ([e-mail])
     Call Forward to Rotary (Dave Morschhauser)
     AT&T's Project in Saudi Arabia ([e-mail])
     Universities with Telecoms and Multimedia Management Studies
(James
Wilson)
     NetworkMCI Business (Stephen Goodman)
     Information Wanted on Telegroup Inc. (David S. Neiger)

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

From: [e-mail]
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 94 13:07:57 EDT
Subject: Telecom Reselling From the Ground Up


The following is the first in a series of articles that will appear in
DLD Digest written by Jeff Bornstein, President of Telecommunications
On Demand, a Long Distance Brokerage Service that matches up
telecommunications agents with qualified resellers and long distance
carriers.

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

   The relationship between a Long Distance Marketer (LM) and Service
Provider (SP) is not sacrosanct. As a matter of fact, if LM's continue
to allow themselves to be solely driven by price and commission, in an
attempt to provide the "Ultimate deal to the end-user," then they are
setting themselves up to earn more industry battle scars (see: "The
Joy of Selling AT&T SDN - circa 1989-1992").

   If you are a serious LM, with the ability and wherewithal to
produce
a MINIMUM of $25K of annual long distance billings, then you should
consider a DIRECT DEAL with a SP. Incidently, I DO NOT consider large
marketing companies with tons of agents, disgruntled and otherwise, to
necessarily be SP's.

   In an attempt to weed-out "Service Provider Wannabees," TOD
reccomends that you find out the following (actually this is most of
the screening process that we utilize to protect our Marketing
Clients):

(1) HISTORY: How long has the SP been in business?
(2) D&B REPORT (THE NARRATIVE TYPE REPORT): Any pending
     or successful lawsuits against SP?
(3) Ask for Financial Statements. Make certain that the SP
     DOES NOT plan on "factoring" your accounts.
(4) Is SP a member of TRA? If not, why not!
(5) Is SP Certified and Tariffed? Does SP do its own
     billing?
(6) Does SP pay commissions on billing?
(7) Does SP have Facilities/Carrier Status? If not, does
     SP have a DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH A CARRIER? (this
     is essential!!)
(8) Does SP have a "Backroom"? - Does SP provide Agent/
     Dealer support as well as End-User support? PLAN ON
     PERSONALLY VISITING THE PROVIDER (Why not... It's
     only your hard-earned commissions at stake!)
(9) Does SP provide quality, UP-TO-DATE (relevant)
     Marketing Materials?
(10) Does SP provide tracking and bill analysis software?
(11) Ask to see actual LEC, Provisioning, Status, Aging,
      and Commission Reports. Can you communicate electron-
      ically with SP? Does SPs customers go on-line in a
      timely fashion?

Next week I will provide more specific tips on how to secure a safe
deal with an SP. I want to make it clear that most SP's are reliable.
I also feel that for many modest producing LM's there is nothing wrong
in contracting with REPUTABLE Marketing Firm that represents a SP.
However, I reccomend even more due diligence and EXTREME CAUTION when
preceeding. Did you ever hear the tale of woe from a so-called
Provider ... "I can't pay you, because the guy above me didn't pay
me."
Remember, the further you are from your commissions, the more you are
at risk!

Best of luck,

Jeff Bornstein

If you would like more Information on "TODs" BROKERAGE SERVICE feel
free to contact TELECOMMUNICATIONS ON DEMAND, INC., Suite 7,
Orwigsburg, PA 17961; [phone]; FAX [phone] internet:
[e-mail]

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

Date: Mon, 26 Sep 94 13:12:46 EST
From: Alex Cena <[e-mail]>
Subject: Programming an AT&T ISDN 7506 API


This is a follow up on a question I posted requesting help on
programming my AT&T ISDN 7506 station set at home.  Many of you were
kind enough to forward some advice.  But here is the short answer.  It
seems the amount of end-user programming is dependent on the type of
switch at your local central office.

Some people are lucky enough to be connected to a central office with
the latest switching technology.  In that case, its a matter of
calling
your phone rep to have your phone set at the CO for three appearances.

It took myself, my Bell Atlantic sales rep, AT&T and a Bell Atlantic
CO engineer more than an hour to program my phone for three
appearances.
Everytime changes were made at the CO, I had to reprogram my phone.
After numerous tries, we finally were able to make it work.  I am not
looking forward to the day I am ready to hook up a digital modem to
this thing.  I have to hand it to my sales rep Dennis Fitzgerald
though for getting all those people on a conference call to settle
this thing once and for all.  Now if they can only make my conference
call button work.

BTW, I was informed by the AT&T rep that the user's manual costs an
extra $90!!!  Can you believe it?  No wonder most people refer to ISDN
as I still don't know!  AT&T even had to show me how to program my
speakerphone.  If they would give me the darn manual for free, I may
not have to tie up their people so much.


Alex M. Cena, Lehman Brothers, [e-mail]

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

From: [e-mail] (Tannil Lam)
Subject: V.34 From ITU-T
Date: 26 Sep 1994 21:37:02 GMT
Organization: Internet OnLine HONGKONG Ltd.


Please advice the newest status of V.34 from ITU-T. I hope to know
whether V.34 has been official approved for modem manufacturers to
produce their V.34 products or not.

Thanks for all the attention.


Best regards,

Tannil Lam
[TCL Technology Limited] (Hong Kong)
[Email:[e-mail]]
[TEL:[phone]] ZyXELNET 17:31/0
[FAX:[phone]] FIDO - 6:700/13

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

From: [e-mail] (Scott D Fybush)
Subject: 919/910 DA Problem
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 1994 02:11:39 GMT


I don't know if this is how Southern Bell did it for previous
splits, but...

I had to get a number in Winston-Salem NC today, and without
remembering clearly whether it fell on the 910 or the 919 side of the
split, I dialed 1-919-555-1212 and asked for the number.  DA read off
a seven digit number, didn't mention anything about it being in 910,
so I dialed 1-919-XXX-XXXX only to get the "Area code you are calling
has been changed" recording.  So I redialed with 1-910-XXX-XXXX and
all was fine.

Buuutttt ....

Couldn't/shouldn't Southern Bell either:

a) modify the DA to read off "910-XXX-XXXX" as appropriate?

or

b) flag the DA operator to mention to the customer that the number is
now in 910?  They must have some way of knowing that I dialed
919-555-1212, even if 919 and 910 DA are the same bureau.


Scott Fybush - [e-mail]

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

From: aspgd21![e-mail] (Jeffrey Graham)
Subject: Becoming an Internet Access Provider
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 1994 15:11:58 GMT
Organization: GTE Data Services


Hello everyone:

I want to become an internet access provider, providing dialup slip
and
ppp access to 32 concurrent users at 28.8.

What do you think is the best way for my unix host to be permanently
connected to the internet? Do you think ISDN BRI would be enough? I
guess I need options (T-1,ISDN BRI,ISDN PRI,ATM,etc) and pros/cons as
an answer.


Thanks,

Jeff

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

From: [e-mail] (Stephen Polinsky)
Subject: PBXs and NANP
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 1994 11:20:40 -0600
Organization: OARnet


Regarding PBX upgrades for the new NANP, if, when a user dials "9",
and pulls tone from the CO, why would someone need to upgrade a PBX at
all.  The user would simply dial the digits directly into the CO,
right?

Are there PBXs that hold the digits until dialing is complete, and
then outpulse them to the CO?  I thought that this would only happen
if the PBX is using some sort of alternate routing algorithm.


Thanks for any help,

Stephen Polinsky     [e-mail]

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

From: [e-mail] (Brian Totty)
Subject: Motorola Digital Cellular Phones
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Mountain View, CA
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 1994 01:43:32 GMT


I've never had a cellular phone before, but am strongly considering
getting one, especially now that digital services coming on line.

Cellular One is apparently running a promotion, at least in the Bay
Area of California, offering $50/month discount for six months ($300
off) if you buy a digital phone and join their service.

My question relates to what phone to get.  I really like the
ultra-lightweight Motorola flip phones, and I also like the
"vibracall" silent ringer.  I have been told that Motorola does not
have such a digital phone currently available, but it shoudl be
released relatively soon as the "Micro TAC deluxe" digital phone.

At this point, I'm totally confused at what digital flip phones
Motorola currently makes, how they relate to their analog brethren,
and what features they provide.  Cellular phone sales still seems
pretty anarchic -- I'm having trouble finding a single store selling
a wide variety of cell phones & services, where I can browse, and
otherwise enlighten myself.

In the absence, would some kind soul be willing to post about what my
choices are for digital phones (especially the Motorola phones), as
well as any info on when lightweight "vibracall" phones might be
available?  I would very much appreciate it!

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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Modem Pool in Neighboring Telco Exchange
Date: 27 Sep 1994 12:26:56 GMT
Organization: InterWorks Inc.


Does anyone have any advice on the most efficient way to establish a
multiple line modem pool in a neighboring telco exchange (approx.
1515 miles away)? I would apprecieate any assistance regarding type of
service to request from the telco, as well as additional info
regarding how to support up to 8 14.4 kbps modems, or 8 28.8kbps
modems.

BTW, I have been lurking in this newsgroup for a couple of months; is
there a faq which describes the different telco line categories and
uses?


Thanks,

Dave Morschhauser   [e-mail]

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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Please Help Our Reaseach!
Date: 27 Sep 1994 14:18:44 GMT
Organization: NovX InterServ News Service


Another intern and I got a project to research Voice/E-mail
Integration.
We are specifically looking for materials on products that can
interface with Northern Telecom Meridian 1 telephone system, which is
what we have.  We were told to reaserch Northern Telecom's MSM and
Visit, as well as Octel and Centigram.  After several days reseach on
Computer Select and local library's database, we couldn't find much on
these products.  Can anyone offer us some tips?  Thanks very much!

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

Subject: Cordless Phone Security
From: [e-mail]
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 94 10:26:32 PDT
Organization: BC Systems Corporation


I seem to have read somewhere about the risk of having someone dialing
up on your phone line (and charging long distance calls on your phone
account) when the handset is not sitting at the base-station cradle of
your cordless phone.  Can those experts on cordless phones provide me
with an update on this issue?


B.C. Systems Corp.          ||PROFS:  BCSC02(BOONKANG)
4000 Seymour Pl, W169BLUE   ||INTERNET:[e-mail]
Victoria,B.C. Canada V8X 4S8||IBMMAIL: [e-mail]
604 389-3991(V)389-3916(FAX)||*** Opinions are  MINE  solely *

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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Call Forward to Rotary
Date: 27 Sep 1994 10:15:53 GMT
Organization: InterWorks Inc.


Has anyone ever used call forwarding to forward calls into a
multi-line rotary?  Specifically, will the forwarded number continue
to forward calls into the rotary until all the lines in the rotary are
used up?  Also, how long will a call forward remain in effect before
it has to be reinitialized?

Next question: Consider three exchanges A, B, and C. It is long
distance from A to C, but not from A to B or B to C. A number in B is
setup to forward all incoming calls to a number in C.  If a caller
from A dials the number in B, which is forwarded to C, who pays the
long distance charges?  Are there any long distance charges?


Dave Morschhauser   [e-mail]


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In your example given, there are no
long distance charges incurred. If your intent in forwarding calls
in this fashion is to avoid toll charges, then your use of call-
forwarding is illegal. If it is merely more convenient for party B
to receive his calls at C and party A is generally unaware of this
at the time he forwards to B, then it is not an illegal avoidance
of toll charges. In some exchanges with older generics, the software
is programmed so that A stops at B regardless of what B does. That
is, a person dialing B direct does in fact forward to C, but a person
dialing A is dumped on B no matter what B has chosen to do with calls
sent directly to him.  It all depends on how your switch is
programmed.
Take care in attempting to devise a scheme to reduce or eliminate
toll charges through chain forwarding; it seldoms works out to your
financial advantage since the cost of two local calls frequently
exceeds
the cost of a single 'long haul' call to the final destination.

If A forwards to B, and B has several lines in rotary hunt, then calls
to B via A will land on whichever line of B is available and next to
receive calls. A does not have unlimited forwarding (to the extent of
B's capabilities) however; often times the software in the switch is
programmed to allow only one call through at a time with subsequent
calls to A being returned busy. Often times telco has it set up so
you must specifically purchase (or apply for) additional 'paths' if
you
want the ability to have more than one call at a time forwarded from
A to B.

Also bear in mind that where C is concerned, call-forwarding and
hunt-on-busy are not compatible without a lot of tricking around.  B
needs to have call-forwarding on all his lines; else the first call
sent from A will land on line one of B and get forwarded; subsequent
calls from A (assuming A has more than one 'path' permitted to him)
will get bumped up the line in B's hunt group and land on a line which
does not have call-forwarding. In other words, call-forwarding is not
a system feature based on B's main number. If B only has one path
allowed to him and A is already using it, then subsequent calls to B
from whatever direction will first land on the main number, get
returned busy due to the call being forwarded; start hunting for
another line in B's group and park there instead lacking (on that
second or subsequent line) call-forwarding instructions. People
sometimes
try to combine call-forwarding with call-waiting and hunt-on-busy
on the same line (or group of lines) with unpredictable and curious
results.    PAT]

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

From: [e-mail] (husam)
Subject: AT&T's Project in Saudi Arabia
Date: 27 Sep 1994 06:37:36 GMT
Organization: UBC Electical Engineering


Hi,

I have some questions about the deal AT@T signed with Saudi Arabia.
Are they going to use ATM (asynchronous Transfere Mode) and B-ISDN
there in Saudi Arabia? I would love to get the address of AT@T's
office which operates this project.

Please send email directly to [e-mail].


Thanks in advance,

Husam :)

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

From: [e-mail] (James Wilson)
Subject: Universities with Telecoms and Multimedia Management Studies
Date: Tue, 27 Sep 1994 14:43:05
Organization: Toshiba Corporation


The President of Helsinki University would like to develop a new MBA
concentration on "Telecommunications and Multimedia Management", and I
would like to help him to obtain the contact telephone and fax numbers
of all leading US and European Universities which are conducting
research or offering undergraduate/graduate courses in these fields,
especially Multimedia.

Could any members of this forum please send details of universities
and the courses offered or research undertaken to me by EMAIL?
Messages can be sent directly to [e-mail] or to
100074,3176@compuserve.

Any help which you can offer would be greatly appreciated.


Regards,

James K Wilson    Toshiba Europe Office

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

Date: Tue, 27 Sep 94 14:24:00 EST
From: Stephen Goodman <[e-mail]>
Subject: NetworkMCI Business


Mark Pettit
Frank J. Walter
MCI Business Markets
1-800-644-NEWS

                  MCI LAUNCHES networkMCI BUSINESS

                 First Software Package to Bring Power
              of Information Superhighway to the Desktop


         NEW YORK -- September 12, 1994 -- Delivering the promise of
the Information Superhighway to the desktops of businesses nationwide,
MCI today launched "networkMCI BUSINESS" -- a first-of-its-kind
integrated information and communications software package.

          networkMCI BUSINESS is the nation's first single source
package to contain e-mail and fax messaging, information
services/automated news monitoring, document sharing and
videoconferencing, online multimedia business catalogs and access to
the Internet.  A Windows-based package, networkMCI BUSINESS is
easy-to-use and designed to help businesses of all sizes.  networkMCI
BUSINESS can be ordered today.

         "networkMCI BUSINESS is the breakthrough business tool of the
'90s," said Gerald H. Taylor, president and chief operating officer of
MCI Communications Corp.  "It frees business people from information
overload--allowing them to work together when they want, from where
they want, whenever they want."

         Taylor added, "networkMCI BUSINESS is the first product to
harness the powerful convergence of telecommunications, computers,
information services and entertainment.  The force of that convergence
is making businesses more competitive.  Now networkMCI BUSINESS
delivers that power to the millions of non-technical users through
their personal computers."

         networkMCI BUSINESS targets the burgeoning business PC
market.
The number of PCs in the U.S. now exceeds 75 million.  Industry
analysts estimate that the market for the overall convergence of
telecommunications, computing, entertainment and information services
represents a $1 trillion business opportunity.

      "With our first business software offering, MCI brings to this
market our considerable communications expertise to set a new
benchmark for helping businesses improve productivity," said Timothy
F. Price, president of MCI Business Markets.

      Unique Features Packed into Single-Source 'Power' Tool

         While compelling as an integrated package, networkMCI
BUSINESS
is also a "power" tool because of its innovative components.  Breaking
new ground, networkMCI BUSINESS integrates e-mail, fax and a news
information service, or intelligent agent, called infoMCI.

         "Business people don't have time to be information
archaeologists, digging through cumbersome, expensive on-line
databases.  They need customized, relevant information.  infoMCI
delivers just that, twice a day along with breaking news as it
happens," said Price.

         Another unique feature of networkMCI BUSINESS,
marketplaceMCI,
is an online multimedia catalog, allowing businesses of all sizes to
market their goods and services electronically.

         "marketplaceMCI gives our customers a completely new arena
where business people can distribute, browse for and purchase products
and services without leaving their desks -- the electronic
business-to-business mall has opened," said Price.

         The conferenceMCI application allows business people to work
together, sharing ideas and images (also known as collaborative work)
over regular analog phone lines.  As an added option, MCI is marketing
high-quality desktop videoconferencing equipment that works over high
speed (ISDN) phone lines.

               Core Solution Plus Optional Features

         networkMCI BUSINESS provides the following features in a
single, cost-effective core package:

         o infoMCI: A personalized business information service,
infoMCI monitors more than 180 news sources and databases to deliver
twice-daily, on-screen summaries of critical news items.  MCI also
provides instant "news flashes" of breaking news items during the day.
Users define the information received by completing a personal profile
of industry categories and concepts, which the user ranks in
importance and revises as often as needed.

         o conferenceMCI: This point-to-point collaborative work tool
includes the only document conferencing software that supports the
industry standard (pending ratification) T.120.  Two users in
different locations can review and update the same document in real
time.

         o e-mailMCI: Using the global MCI Mail network, e-mailMCI
offers an easy-to-use Windows environment, tailored specifically for
MCI.


networkMCI BUSINESS/3

         o faxMCI: This application allows businesses to send and
receive faxes from a PC in any Windows application.  faxMCI features
include fax broadcast capability, an address book and scheduling
options.

         o marketplaceMCI: A feature unique to networkMCI BUSINESS,
this is a new multimedia on-line catalog and business purchasing
service.  It offers businesses a new way to distribute product
information and facilitate on-line sales.  MCI will offer a turnkey
solution to companies that want to sell goods to the subscribers of
marketplaceMCI or through custom-designed electronic kiosks.

         o internetMCI: With the click of a mouse, networkMCI BUSINESS
allows quick and easy access to the world's largest and most powerful
computer network.

          Pricing for the core networkMCI BUSINESS package is $100 for
the software itself plus a $65 monthly charge that includes the daily
infoMCI newsfeed.  Existing and new MCI Preferred, Vision and Vnet
customers will have a reduced monthly rate of $50.

         As an optional feature of networkMCI BUSINESS, MCI is
marketing a high-quality desktop video conferencing system:

          o desktop video from MCI: This application allows two users
to see each other, while they also see the document they're working
on.  The application works on industry standard technology.  And
desktop video from MCI is compatible with MCI's multipoint
videoconferencing service called VideoNet.

      MCI will lease the desktop videoconferencing equipment under a
three-year agreement for as low as $110 per month, including desktop
video camera, speakerphone and video and audio boards.

         "We assembled the components of networkMCI BUSINESS based on
ease-of-use and value in solving day-to-day business needs," said
Price.  "What's also important about networkMCI BUSINESS is its
compatibility with industry, not proprietary, standards.  Customers
can use this package with common software packages, so their previous
software investment is not lost."

         To assist in the development of networkMCI BUSINESS, MCI
assembled a premier line-up of industry leaders, including PictureTel
Corporation, ConnectSoft, DataBeam Corporation, Delrina Corporation,
FYI Online, and Image Technology, Inc. (ITI).

         Customers have the option to have charges billed to their
credit card or receive an invoice directly from MCI.  Existing MCI
Preferred, Vision or Vnet customers can also chose to include these
charges on their monthly invoice.  For more information or to purchase
networkMCI BUSINESS, individuals may call 1-800-955-5195.

      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.

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

From: [e-mail] (David S Neiger)
Subject: Telegroup Inc.
Date: 27 Sep 1994 23:19:09 +1000
Organization: University of Melbourne


Hi,

  Recently I joined Telegroup Inc's Global Callback facility to
cut the cost of my calls to the US from Oz.

So far I am satisfied with the service however I am concerned that
Telegroup has my VISA card number and an authority to debit my
account.

Has anyone any experience with dealing with Telegroup and confirm
that:

1)  They are a reputable company;
2)  They are ligitimate (I would suspect so considering how much it
must cost
to set up a global callback system);
3)  They are using Telegroup's service and have found them to be O.K.

Any confirmations or horror stories would be greatly appreciated.

Please mail and I will post a summary.


David Neiger - Solicitor Law Office Technology Consultant
[e-mail] or [e-mail]

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

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #378
****************************