Phoenix Rising BBS/phoenixrising.zip/phoenixrising/tele-dig/td14-077.txt

Text File | 1994-02-13 | 26KB | 701 lines

TELECOM Digest     Sat, 12 Feb 94 21:06:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 77

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Vice President Gore Questions Current Key Escrow Policy! (Monty Solomon)
    VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones (Rob Lingelbach)
    AT&T's Dragon 900Mhz Phone (Alex Cena)
    The President's Call to Russia (Nevin Liber)
    New List on Computer/Telephone Problems/Bugs/Viruses/Dangers (P. Robinson)
    Telecommunication Market in Japan (Jean-Michel Planche)
    Questions About Voice Mail (Stan Schwartz)
    What is This Number? (Carlene Lanham)
    OVF 94 Call For Papers (Frank Belland)

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

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 19:40:48 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <[e-mail]>
Subject: Vice President Gore Questions Current Key Escrow Policy!


Excerpt from RISKS DIGEST 15.51

  Date: 10 Feb 1994 17:55:25 -0600
  From: [e-mail] (Stanton McCandlish)
  Subject: FLASH: Vice President Gore Questions Current Key Escrow Policy!

National Information Infrastructure Advisory Committee met today in
Washington at the Old Executive Office Building.  In comments made
after a question and answer period, Vice President Al Gore said that
key escrow policy announced last Friday (4 Feb 1994) had serious flaws
and that he hope the issue of who holds the keys and under what terms
would be given more serious, careful consideration.

Gore made it clear that some amount of control of cryptography
technology was necessary for national security.  However, the key
escrow policies announced by the Departments of Justice, Commerce &
State, and the NSA, were "low level decisions" that got out before
thorough analysis.  In a conversation with Mitchell Kapor, Esther
Dyson, and Mike Nelson (of the White House Staff), Gore said that he
would prefer that the keys be held by some part of the Judiciary
branch, or perhaps even by trusted, private escrow agents.  He made it
clear that he believed that the escrow agents named in last Friday's
announcement (National Institute of Standards & Technology and the
Treasure Department) were no appropriate key holders.  Mike Nelson
also indicated that there was real interest in a software-based escrow
system instead of the hardware-based SKIPJACK standard.

Those of us who heard Gore were quite surprised.  His remarks suggest
that the key escrow policies to date do not have full support of the
White House.

Still, Gore was quite firm in asserting that some control of
encryption technology is essential to national security.  "Encryption
and codebreaking have determined the outcome of world wars.  He stated
(incorrectly) that most our industrialized allies place must stricter
controls in encryption that the US does.  In fact, almost all COCOM
countries allow the export of DES-based products, though some do not
allow DES to be imported.

The whole question of encryption was raised when Mitchell Kapor told
the Vice President that over half of the Advisory Council members had
serious reservations about the current Clipper/Skipjack policies.
Gore and Kapor agreed that the Advisory Council should be used to have
a serious dialogue about encryption policy.  Given Gore's departure
from the current Clipper proposals, there might actually be something
to talk about.

                             ==========

NOTE: This DOES NOT mean that Clipper is going away.  Part of stopping
Clipper is to lift export controls on encryption and enable US companies
to start producing products that enable all of us to protect our privacy
with strong encryption.

I urge you to write to Rep. Cantwell today at [e-mail]. In the
Subject header of your message, type "I support HR 3627." In the body
of your message, express your reasons for supporting the bill. EFF
will deliver printouts of all letters to Rep. Cantwell. With a strong
showing of support from the Net community, Rep. Cantwell can tell her
colleagues on Capitol Hill that encryption is not only an industry
concern, but also a grassroots issue.  *Again: remember to put "I
support HR 3627" in your Subject header.*

  [For more info on the Cantwell bill, see Stanton's contribution
  in RISKS-15.47.  I have deleted a lengthy repetition here.  There is as
  yet no response from Stanton on Jon Leech's question in RISKS-15.50 on
  the address [e-mail].  It is presumably NOT Cantwell's.  PGN]


Daniel J. Weitzner, Senior Staff Counsel <[e-mail]>  202-347-5400 (v)
Stanton McCandlish <[e-mail]>  Electronic Frontier Foundation
1001 G St, NW  Suite 950 East Washington, DC 20001      202-393-5509 (f)

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

From: [e-mail] (Rob Lingelbach)
Subject: VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones
Organization: Altruistic Intentions, Hollywood, CA
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 00:42:42 GMT


Last night I brought home a VTech "Tropez" 900 Mhz cordless phone, and
I was very disappointed with the sound quality.  A constant hiss and
limited frequency response made my older Sony 49 Mhz cordless sound
great (which it really isn't, compared to other 49 Mhz phones).

When I went back to the store the salesman talked me into the new Sony
SPP-ER1 900 Mhz model, which was 299$ (compared to 187$ for the
VTech).  I brought it home, and the sound quality is even worse than
the VTech!

Has anyone else experienced this with 900 Mhz phones -- are they just
"not there" yet for sound quality?  Is it that the 900 Mhz channel
isn't wide enough for corded-phone sound quality?  Or is it just that
the two models I had were defective (doubt the VTech was, but maybe the
Sony was).

I am reluctant to try another 900 Mhz phone until someone tells me the
sound quality is as good or better than a good 49 Mhz phone.


Rob Lingelbach KB6CUN   2660 Hollyridge Dr LA CA 90068 213 464 6266 (voice)
[e-mail]     [e-mail]

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

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 94 14:34:26 EST
From: Alex Cena <[e-mail]>
Subject: AT&T's Dragon 900Mhz Phone


Forwarded FYI with a reply:

  Subject: Re: AT&T's Dragon 900Mhz phone
  Author:  Nathan <[e-mail]> at NYERSMTP
  Date:    2/11/94 9:01 PM

> I'm going to buy a Spread Spectrum 900 Mhz phone and your posting caught my
> eye.

> Do you have any technical details on how the Dragon implements Frequency
> Hopping Spread Spectrum(the Escort 900Mhz phone uses Direct Sequence
> Spread Spectrum)?

I don't have the specs.  I believe many 900Mhz phones that use direct
sequence incorporate technology under license from a San Jose, CA-based
company called Cylink.

> Is the Dragon the much rumored AT&T 9530?

The Model number on my phone is "9530."

> Any availability dates or price?

The 9530 made its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas,
where the base was placed on top of the Hilton and the handset was
used up to seven miles away line of sight.  I do not know the price
since it was given to me as a present, but I suspect it is competitive
with other 900 Mhz phones.

> How long does the battery last in standby mode?

I don't know.


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

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

From: [e-mail] (Nevin Liber)
Subject: The President's Call to Russia
Date: 12 Feb 1994 02:55:18 -0700
Organization: University of Arizona CS Department, Tucson AZ


Does anyone know what the "telephone technical difficulties" were on
President Clinton's recent attempt to contact Yeltsin?

Here's a thought:  maybe the Russians are waiting for us to adopt
Clipper. :-)


Nevin ":-)" Liber       [e-mail]    [phone]
                                                 +++ (520) after 3/95
                                     office:    [phone]

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

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 13:38:11 EST
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: New List on Computer/Telephone Problems/Bugs/Viruses/Dangers
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


This is to announce the creation of a list for the public disclosure
of bugs, system problems, viruses, and any other conditions in a
computer system that people should be aware of so they can fix the
problem.

It is also appropriate to report security holes, dangerous conditions
in PBXs, cellular and wire telephone systems, and other computer-
controlled devices.  Also reports of things such as default accounts
and passwords on systems that should be changed, etc.

The focus will be on reporting clear descriptions of problems
including how to generate them.  The idea being that this will alert
people to the nature of certain problems that they might be unaware
of.  Reproducing these conditions lets others know what is being done,
and can allow people to post solutions on how to block them.

The purpose in creating this list is that currently, the only means
currently available for reporting discovered security holes in
computer systems and possibly other areas is via the Computer
Emergency Research Team (CERT) out of Carnegie Mellon University.

The problem with CERT reporting is that the reports generally tend to
be done in secrecy, and it fails to let system administrators and
others know about what is happening so that these things can be fixed.
In short, CERT acts like a black hole and takes too long to publicize
problems until lots of places get hit because they didn't know about
it.

Some people feel that reports should not be publicized because potential
reports might become available to "the bad guys."  Well, the truth of the
matter is that "the bad guys" trade their discoveries around all the
time; the current use of secrecy is only hurting "the good guys" who
want to protect their systems.

This list has just been created, and pending creation of an automated
processor will be temporarily moderated since my current equipment
does not yet tell me what address the message is sent to.  This will
be changed in the next two weeks.

There will, however, be two addresses.  The general list will be:

[e-mail]

which is used to post a report to the list.  To subscribe to the list,
use:

[e-mail]

Currently, both addresses are moderated.  This will change shortly as
I upgrade the software on my system.  Persons wishing to make a report
but not be identified should state so in the text of their message.
In the future, they will do so by using the -request address which
will come to me directly.

Persons wanting to receive this service by facsimile should contact me
for details.  All messages requesting subscriptions or posting information
will be acknowledged.  Please pass this announcement around.

It is my intent to set this up such that people can publicly report
known bugs, viruses and problems in clear detail so everyone knows
about them and can encourage much faster response to these problems
than is currently available.  It may even embarass some manufacturers
into making fixes sooner when their errors are glaringly exposed in
public.


Paul Robinson - [e-mail]

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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Telecommunication Market in Japan
Date: 12 Feb 1994 21:20:21 GMT
Organization: OleANe Ceane Networks


Hello,

We are looking for some information about who are the first ten type one
carriers in Japan (i.e. in term of infrastructure)? Who are the firstten type two carriers (i.e. in term of services)? Who are the first
five manufacturers or services providers for PBX, terminals, voice
telecommunications equipment; shares in data transmissions (X25, frame
relay, etc.?

Please, can you reply directly by e-mail ([e-mail])? I will
summarize if there is collective interest.


Jean-Michel Planche         Email:      [e-mail]
OLEANE - Groupe Apysoft     Tel:        [phone]
Internet IP/UUCP en France  WWW:        http://www.oleane.net/

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

From: [e-mail] (Stan Schwartz)
Subject: Questions About Voice Mail
Date: 12 Feb 1994 23:22:59 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC


My Panasonic answering machine is about to expire, and I am
considering using the CO-based Voice Mail service provided by NYNEX
(Call Answering).  It seems, though, the last time I played with it,
it didn't work the way I thought it should, and the way systems from
other RBOCs (Bell Atlantic NJ) are working.  I'm in a 5ESS exchange
(516-694), and since the reps at NYNEX don't seem to have a clear
understanding of my questions, I thought someone here would:

 - I have call waiting on the line.  If I don't answer the second
line, the call DOES NOT get forwarded to the mail box (it just rings
at the caller's end);

 - If I "busy-out" the line (*70 or off-hook), since I have call waiting
and the software is looking for call-waiting first, any incoming calls
will get a busy;

In short, the way the NYNEX reps explain this, since I have call waiting
on the line, the only time a call is forwarded to the mailbox is if the
phone is on hook and I don't answer.  This doesn't sound kosher to me,
since I've seen the way other systems work.

Does anyone else find this a bit strange?


Thanks!

Stan

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

From: [e-mail] (carlene lanham)
Subject: What is This Number?
Date: 12 Feb 1994 05:38:21 GMT
Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln
Reply-To: [e-mail]


In our local phone exchange, we have a number (848-2259) which, when
dialed, never ever rings, but gives you a tone.  And, it's never busy.
We have six phone lines, and I tried calling it once and holding the
call, and dialing it on another line, and I got six simultaneous
connections to this tone number.  What is it?

And, I've heard that some exchanges have a number that you call and it
will repeat back to you your own phone number.  Does anyone know
anything about this number?  What might it be?


Thanks.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I assume you know enough about modem and
fax tones to have detirmined that the number is not part of a rotary with
at least six modems or faxes which are answering calls. That being the
case, it is probably some sort of local test number. Maybe someone from
the local telco (they read this Digest) will respond with specifics. Yes,
there are numbers such as what you described which when dialed will read
back the number you are calling from, but most telcos keep these quite
secret and change them on a regular basis, mainly to keep unauthorized
users from finding out what they are. There is no single standard for
these and other test numbers; they vary from one exchange to the next
and occassionally someone sends in a compilation of them from all over
the USA, but it is rarely up to date or very accurate.   PAT]

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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: OVF 94 call for papers
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 94 11:31:20 PDT
Organization: IPL InterNetNews site


             C A L L   F O R   P A P E R S

        Orlando Fl Peabody Hotel 8-12 August 1994

The Second OpenView Forum User/Developers conference on Integrated
Network and Systems Management (OVF '94) will be held from August
8-12, 1994 in Orlando Fl, USA, at the Peabody Hotel.

The OpenView Forum 1994 conference on Integrated Network and Systems
Management using the OpenView Framework will build on the successes of
OVF 93 conference as the central technical exchange forum for the
research, standards, development, systems integrator, vendor and user
community for OpenView network and systems management frameworks.

The OpenView Forum community exemplifies the increasing interest in
overall Enterprise management solutions across all types of networks,
supporting enterprise communication systems, distributed computing
systems, database management system, automated Operation systems,
facilities management systems, help desk management systems and
client/server application management.

Authors are invited to submit unpublished papers, as well as proposals
for tutorials, panel discussions, vendor/user/developer demonstrations,
or birds-of-a-feather sessions (informal discussion groups), in the
following areas:

 - User requirements, expectations and analysis for integrated network
   and Systems management;

 - Standards issues;

 - Telecommunications management;

 - Fault, configuration, accounting, performance, security management;

 - Help desk;

 - Service level management;

 - Proactive network management;

 - Management protocols and protocol management;

 - Desktop management;

 - Software distribution;

 - Database management systems using SNMP/ONC RPC/DCE RPC;

 - Distributed systems management;

 - Information interpretation: AI techniques, rule-based analysis;

 - Distributed network management between Windows and Unix platforms;

 - Management applications;

 - User interface (enhanced graphics for network node device management);

 - User interface for event management for various network protocols
   (SNA, TCP/IP, DECNET, NOVELL, APPLE, etc);

 - Common network repository for configuration, performance, and trouble
   ticket management;

 - Automated network management for configuration, performance, and trouble
   ticket management;

 - Trials, case studies experiences: solutions, limitations and
   challenges on HOSTMIB, DTMF, Software distribution, DBMS and Email
   monitoring, Client/Server Application alert/abort/re-start monitoring,
   RMON, Automated operations, etc;

 - Product strategies and different vendor approaches for the OpenView
   Framework;

 - Open topics relating to the OpenView Framework.

Please submit six copies of complete papers in English to the address
listed below. The cover page should include paper title, brief abstract,
list of key-words, author(s) full name(s), affiliation(s) and complete
address(es), telephone number(s) and electronic mail address(es).

All submissions will be carefully reviewed by our Program Committee
and returned to the author(s) with comments to incorporate any
suggested revisions.  The authors of accepted papers will receive the
suggested modifications made by the reviewer(s) for inclusion in the
widely distributed, hard-bound Conference Proceedings.

The final camera-ready copy should be no longer than twelve single-spaced
pages.  Final papers arriving too late will be will not be published,
and may be removed from the conference presentation. The authors of
accepted papers must guarantee that their paper will be presented at
the conference.

A limited number of stipends are available only to students unable to
obtain funding to attend the conference. Students whose papers are
accepted and who will present the paper themselves are encouraged to
apply if such assistance is needed. Requests for stipends should be
addressed to Frank Belland, VP of Technical Operations, at the address
below.

PLEASE SEND COMPLETE PAPERS TO:

Program Chair:
Frank Belland
OpenView Forum
VP Technical Operations
313 Green Reed Road
MP 802-OVF94
De bary Fl 32713
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]


Papers should be submitted as soon as possible, for inclusion in our
conference schedule.

Proposals accepted starting:          March  1, 1994
Deadline for Receipt of Papers:       April 18, 1994
Notification of Acceptance Mailed:    May    1, 1994
Final Camera Ready Papers Due:        June   1, 1994

Suggestions for Tutorials, Panel Discussions, Birds-of-a-Feather
Sessions, and additional Conference Topics should be submitted to:

Special Events and Tutorials Chair:

Paul Edmunds
Duke Power Company - CS03D
401 S. College St.
PO Box 1008
Charlotte, NC 28201-1008
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]


Deadline for Receipt of Proposals for Tutorials,
               April 18, 1994
Panel Discussions, Birds-of-a-Feather Sessions,
               April 18, 1994

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE:
Cathy Lytle
GTE Federal Systems Division
15000 Conference Center Drive
Chantilly VA  22021
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone].

Paul Edmunds
Duke Power Company - CS03D
401 S. College St.
PO Box 1008
Charlotte, NC 28201-1008
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]

Frank Belland
Martin Marietta Corporation
313 Green Reed Road
MP 802-OVF94
De bary Fl 32713
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]

Rick Sturm
US West Advanced Technologies
4001 Discovery Drive
Suite 190
Boulder, CO 80303
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]


ADVISORY BOARD:
Greg Stephens
Hewlett-Packard Company
5725 W. Las Positas Blvd.
Pleasanton, CA 94588
CIS: 73125,1374
Email: [e-mail]
Office: (510)-460-1508
Fax:    [phone]

Bob Natale
American Computer
209 Perry Pkwy
Gaithersburg MD 20877
Email: [e-mail]
Office: (301)-258-9850
Fax:    [phone]


PROGRAM COMMITTEE:

Members of the Organizing Committee and Advisory Board are also
members of the Program Committee.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to help with conference planning
please call or email:

Paul Edmunds
Duke Power Company - CS03D
401 S. College St.
PO Box 1008
Charlotte, NC 28201-1008
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]


VENDOR PROGRAM

The Conference offers vendors/users/developers the opportunity to
demonstrate their network management products during five days, in
parallel to the conference. Vendors/users/developers interested in the
opportunity to present products and/or future plans should contact:

OpenView Forum
Frank Belland
Martin Marietta Corporation
313 Green Reed Road
MP 802-OVF94
De bary Fl 32713
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]

For information about OVF '94 or to indicate your interest in
participating, please send this form to:

OpenView Forum
Frank Belland
Martin Marietta Corporation
313 Green Reed Road
MP 802-OVF94
De bary Fl 32713
Email: [e-mail]
Office: [phone]
Fax:    [phone]


Complete/Check items below:

 [ ]  I am interested in attending.

 [ ]  I intend to submit a paper.
      Provisional Title: ____________________________________________

 [ ]  I intend to submit a poster.
      Provisional Title: ____________________________________________

 [ ]  I plan to submit a tutorial proposal.
      Provisional Title: ____________________________________________

 [ ]  My company is interested in participating in the Vendor Program.

Please send me more information regarding:

 [ ]  Technical Program

 [ ]  Tutorial Program

 [ ]  Vendor Program

 [ ]  Accommodation

 [ ]  Other (Please Specify)__________________________________________

 [ ]  Membership in the OpenView Forum

 [ ]  Volunteer activities for conferences

Name:

Address:

City:

Post/State:

Zip Code:

Country:

Phone:

Fax:

Email Internet Addr:

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

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #77
*****************************