500 MB Nyheder Direkte fra Internet 2/500 MB nyheder direkte fra internet CD 2.iso/start/data/text/tc15-210.txt

Text File | 1995-05-08 | 22KB | 501 lines

TELECOM Digest     Tue, 25 Apr 95 16:03:00 CDT    Volume 15 : Issue 210

Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    MCI/NSF High Speed Backbone Network (Stephen Goodman)
    Internet 1996 World Exposition (Alex Pavlovic)
    Looking For a Black Box (Andrew Bevan)
    Setting up as an LD Reseller? (Michael K. Heney)
    Use of 1-900-555-1212 (Mark Cuccia)
    RBOC IP legislation scaring local ISPs? (Bob Izenberg)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere
there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of
public service systems and networks including Compuserve and America
On Line. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the
moderated
newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'.

Subscriptions are available to qualified organizations and individual
readers. Write and tell us how you qualify:

                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is edited, published and compilation-copyrighted by Patrick
Townson of Skokie, Illinois USA. You can reach us by postal mail, fax
or phone at:
                    9457-D Niles Center Road
                     Skokie, IL USA   60076
                       Phone: [phone]
                        Fax: [phone]
    Article submission address only: [e-mail]

Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using
anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email
information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to
use the information service, just ask.

***********************************************************************
*   TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from the
*
* International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, Switzerland
*
* under the aegis of its Telecom Information Exchange Services (TIES)
*
* project.  Views expressed herein should not be construed as represent-
*
* ing views of the ITU.
*
***********************************************************************

Additionally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such
as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help
is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of twenty dollars per
year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above.

All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages
should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
----------------------------------------------------------------------



FYI..

CORPORATE NEWS BUREAU
1-800-289-0073
202-887-3000
INTERNET:  [e-mail]
COMDEX BOOTH #9054

Ron Taylor
KETCHUM PUBLIC RELATIONS
202-835-8834


       MCI AND THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCE
         NEW VERY HIGH SPEED BACKBONE NETWORK SERVICE
          TO CONNECT NATION'S SUPERCOMPUTER CENTERS

Network "R&D Lab of the 21st Century" Will Enable Scientists To Extend
High Performance Supercomputer Models To Address Mankind's Grand
Challenges


ATLANTA (April 24, 1995) - MCI and the National Science Foundation
(NSF) today announced the launch of a new network that promises to
help solve mankinds Grand Challenges and serve as the blueprint for
the Network for the Future.

   The very high speed Backbone Network Service (vBNS) was announced
today by MCI Chairman and CEO Bert C. Roberts, Jr., in a keynote
address at the COMDEX exposition here.  The vBNS is the first
nationwide high-speed network to use advanced information age
technologies that enable massive amounts of voice, data and video to
be combined and transmitted at speeds nearly four times faster than
current technology.

   Initially the new vBNS will serve as an experimental platform for
developing new national networking applications and will link five
supercomputing sites around the U.S.  It will be used to develop
critical technologies and applications that will run over the National
Information Infrastructure (NII), sometimes referred to as the
Information Superhighway.

   "Using the very latest technology, vBNS will serve as the R&D lab
for the 21st Century," said Roberts.  "This network will open a whole
new world of support for high speed applications and set the stage for
the exploration of business applications comparable to the Grand
Challenges.  The technology will play a major role in establishing the
next generation of networks and be a benchmark for future network
models."

   The vBNS will provide scientists and researchers with faster data
links and communications between supercomputing sites working to solve
fundamental Grand Challenges in science and engineering.  The Grand
Challenges, first articulated by the U.S. Office of Science and
Technology Policy, are defined as fundamental problems in science and
engineering with broad economic and scientific importance whose
solutions can be advanced by applying high performance computing
techniques and advanced networking resources.  Examples include:

          Understanding the structure of biological
          molecules in order to fight heart disease;

          Forecasting weather and predicting global
          climate changes;

          Building more energy-efficient autos and
          airplanes;

          Improving environmental modeling to understand
          global warming;

          Understanding how galaxies are formed; and

          Understanding the nature of new materials.

   The vBNS is the next step in the evolution of advanced networking
as part of NSF's commitment to furthering high performance computing
as well as scientific research and education.  The vBNS is designed to
provide sufficient capacity for "next generation" networking and
supercomputer applications requiring huge multi-supercomputer data
exchanges to conduct Grand Challenge kinds of computations.

   The vBNS will use the capabilities of MCI's nationwide network of
advanced switching and fiber optic transmission technologies, known as
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and Synchronous Optical Network
(SONET).  The combination of ATM and SONET enables very high-speed,
high capacity voice, data, and video signals to be combined and
transmitted "on demand."  The vBNS initially will operate at speeds of
155 Mbps (million bits of data per second) and is planned to operate
at greater than 600 Mbps by 1996.  The vBNS speeds are achieved by
connecting Internet Protocol (IP) through an ATM switching matrix, and
running this combination on the SONET network.

   Due to its experimental nature, the vBNS is expected to stay a
generation ahead of other commercially available network technology.
It is specifically designed for high-speed applications, not everyday
communications traffic.  When upgraded to the next transmission speed,
622 Mbps, the vBNS will be able to carry about 14 times more traffic
than the current NSF Network (NSFNET), which carries 100 billion data
packets or the equivalent of the Library of Congress holdings, every
month.

   "The vBNS will be a boon to scientists who are limited by current
network speeds that cannot take advantage of the supercomputer speeds
used in modeling, simulations and visualizations that require
accessing and using huge amounts of data," said Paul Young, assistant
director of the NSF's directorate of Computer and Information Science
and Engineering.

   High speed performance computing and networking technologies
provided by vBNS will allow scientists to create mathematical models
of real life situations and run algorithms that predict changes in
those events.  Supercomputing and vBNS make it possible to study
problems that are either too expensive or difficult to examine through
observation or experimentation.  Given this new power, scientists are
being freed to ask questions they were unable to address five years
ago and are coming up with innovative solutions using this new
networking technology.  The NSF already is in the process of
authorizing use of the vBNS network for "meritorious" high-bandwidth
applications such as:

          Researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric
          Research (NCAR) in Colorado are currently using
          supercomputer modeling to experimentally understand
          how and where icing occurs on aircraft--and also
          how to avoid altitudes most likely to create ice
          on aircraft wings.

          Researchers at the National Center for
          Supercomputing Applications at the University of
          Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, are building
          computational models to simulate the workings of
          biological membranes and how cholesterol inserts
          into membranes.  How membranes determine what
          enters and exits the barrier between the inside
          and the outside of a cell is still a puzzle to
          scientists.  The vBNS will help scientists
          remotely access and share the enormous amounts of
          data required for membrane simulations--information
          that could ultimately lead to a cure for heart
          disease.

   Other applications for high performance computing and vBNS include
building more energy-efficient cars; improving environmental modeling;
and designing better drugs. The existence of a national high-speed
broadband backbone for experiments in networking between supercomputing
centers will enable information technology researchers to develop
technologies such as high-density video conferencing from personal
computers, remote telemedicine and two-way communications between
citizens and their government.

  The five-year, $50-million agreement will tie together the
Pittsburgh and San Diego Supercomputing Centers; the Cornell Theory
Center; the National Center for Supercomputer Applications in Urbana,
Illinois; and the National Center for Atmospheric Research in
Colorado. The vBNS also will be accessible to select applications
sites through four network access points in New York, San Francisco,
Chicago and Washington, D.C.

   The National Science Foundation is an independent agency of the
federal government established in 1950 to promote and advance
scientific progress through grants to educational and research
institutions for research and education in the sciences, mathematics
and engineering.

   MCI, headquartered in Washington, D.C., has expanded from its core
long distance business to become the world's third largest carrier of
international calling and a premier provider of data communications
over the vast Internet computer network.  With annual revenue of more
than $13.3 billion, the company today provides a wide array of
consumer and business long distance and local services, data and video
communications, on-line information, electronic mail, network
management services and communications software.

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



Newbridge Networks Announces Sponsorship of Internet 1996 World
Exposition

KANATA, ONT., March 30, 1995 - Newbridge Networks Corporation, a
global leader in networking, announced its sponsorship as an Official
Organizer of the Internet 1996 World Exposition, which was formally
announced at the NETWORLD+INTEROP 95 conference and exhibition in Las
Vegas on March 29.

The Internet 1996 World Exposition is a world's fair in the spirit of
the great universal expositions of the turn of the last century that
marked the beginning of modern industrial economies.  The 1996 fair
will help to usher in the information economy for the turn of this
century.  The Internet 1996 World Exposition will be located
throughout the world, with centers of activity in multiple cities.
The core cities will be connected together with an Internet Railroad,
and will feature applications ranging from an Internet Town Hall to a
Global Schoolhouse Pavilion to an Industrial Exposition.  The fair
will build and leave behind a permanent open infrastructure to help
drive the world information economy forward.

Official Organizers of the Internet 1996 World Exposition include
Newbridge Networks, NBC, MCI, Sun Microsystems, Cisco Systems,
Quantum, and many other leading corporations around the world.

Newbridge Networks is providing financial sponsorship for the
Exposition, as well as engineering resources and a wide variety of
Internet-related products, including:

- Broadband switching products including MainStreet multiplexers, frame
relay and ATM switches, and network management for the high-capacity
backbone of the Internet Railroad;

- VIVIDü ATM LAN systems for high-bandwidth local connectivity in
certain
pavilions;

- Communication cards including SPRITE T1, providing Internet access to
servers such as the Sun Netra Internet Server;

- TimeStep PERMIT products providing secure TCP/IP communication across
the Internet;

"We are pleased to welcome Newbridge Networks as an Official Organizer
of the Exposition," said Carl Malamud, chairman of the Exposition's
Organizing Committee.  "With their global leadership in broadband
networking, they will make a valuable contribution to the Internet
Railroad providing the network backbone for the fair."

"We are delighted to be an organizer and participant in this landmark
global event," said Terry Matthews, Chairman of Newbridge Networks
Corporation.  "It grants us the opportunity to help build a broadband
Global Information Infrastructure, and demonstrate the resulting
economic
and societal benefits of a secure, ubiquitous and powerful Internet."

Newbridge Networks is an ISO 9001-certified, international company
which designs, manufactures, markets and services multimedia,
standards-based networking products for global WAN and LAN
applications. Facilities are located in Canada, the United States,
Latin America, Europe, the Middle East , Asia and Australia. Newbridge
Networks Corporation is a public company whose common shares are
listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NN) in the United
States and on the Toronto Stock Exchange (NNC) in Canada.

Newbridge and MainStreet are registered trademarks and VIVID is a
trademark of Newbridge Networks Corporation. PERMIT is a trademark of
TimeStep Corporation. Netra is a trademark of Sun Microsystems,
Incorporated.


Aleksandar Pavlovic
Network Design and Consulting    |||\ |||     tel. [phone]
NEWBRIDGE NETWORKS CORPORATION   |||\\|||     fax. [phone]
600 March Road, PO Box 13600     |||\\\||
Kanata, ON, K2K 2E6, Canada      ||| \\\|   [e-mail]

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

London


The telecoms project that I'm working on has a requirement to notify
users of certain conditions, externally to the platform that the
application is run on, which is a workstation.

One solution we have thought of is to utilise the RS-232 serial port,
from the workstation, by connecting this to a "black box" containing
relays or contact closures. These relays/contact closures could then
be connected to the external device (e.g. a flashing light or audible
bell). Therefore under the right circumstances within the application,
a signal/message would be sent down the RS-232 to open or close the
relay, thus triggering the external device.

 |-------------|  |-------| |----------|
 | HP          | RS-232 | Black | | External |
 | Workstation |=========| Box |-------| Device   |
 |-------------|  |-------| |----------|

We are having problems finding a suitable black box that could be used
within this scenario. Therefore does anyone reading these newsgroups
know of a black box that can be used for this purpose or any companies
that might be able to help.

Please reply directly to me at [e-mail], to save filling up this
newsgroup.

Thanks in advance,


Andrew Bevan         Internet: [e-mail]
BNR Europe Ltd       Telephone: [phone]
Oakleigh Road South  Fax: [phone]
New Southgate        London  N11 1HB

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



I have a few questions about re-selling long-distance service, and I'd
appreciate any information or pointers to information sources anyone
would care to provide.

I'm the point man (because I'm the guy with internet access) on
investigating how to set up an LD-reseller operation.  What we're
trying to do is generate funding for projects currently being pursued
by non-profit membership organizations - the idea being that a
business can generate more income than membership dues and grants.
So, while I'm very good at what I do (and I have run tech-based
businesses before) I'm a newbie in this field.

So much for the prelims.  What I'm trying to find out is:

What do I need to know/do to offer 10-xxx LD service?

That's kind of general; some of the particular questions I have are:

Who regulates this?  FCC?  States?  Regional Bells?

We want to operate in all 50 states.  Do we need to get approvals

·



Does a reseller typically buy capacity from just one carrier, or
   can you work with more than one at a time?

What is involved with getting set up to be selectable as the default
   for a particular customer; is it different than gettiing a 10-xxx
   code, or are these tied together?

I've seen mention of something called the "ATR" (Association of
Telephone
   Resellers?) - what do they do, and would they be helpful?

Any pointers/suggestions of folks who are experienced in setting up
   an LD reselling operation and could provide advice would also be
   appreciated.

Again, thanks for any help you can give.


Mike Heney                |     Senior Systems Analyst
[e-mail]   |  Space Activist / Entrepreneur
Silver Spring, MD  20901  |  Chairman, Mach 25 Technologies

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



Jeff Smyth <[e-mail]> wanted to know why/how AT&T got the
number 900-555-1212 for 'universal' directory assistance --

AT&T WAS providing a recordrd listing of SOME 900 numbers when one
dialed 900-555-1212 (I would assume that the information providers and
900 numbers identified in the recording were ONLY AT&T provided 900
service); There was NO charge at that time to call 900-555-1212;

When Bellcore began the assignment process of 900-NXX codes to
Carriers about eight years ago, the NXX codes used by AT&T were
'grandfathered' in as assigned to AT&T, as were the NXX codes used in
Canada 'grandfathered' in as assigned to the local/provincial
operating telephone companies of Telecom-Canada now Stentor; Since
900-555 was a code used by AT&T it was assigned to AT&T under the
grandfathering process, and is probably also used by Stentor in
Canada; Therefore AT&T could more or less do what they wanted to with
900-555-1212

Similarly, when Bellcore began assigning 800-NXX codes to carriers
under the 'Interim' plan about eight or nine years ago, AT&T never had
800-950 assigned or reserved when THEY were the 'only' 800 carrier;
MCI requested use of this code, and used 800-950-1022 for a 'Feature
Group B' type of access to their network; MCI ALSO began assigning
line numbers to other customers of MCI 800 service-

I did NOT like the idea of a number such as 800-950-1033 or
800-950-1044 or ANY 800-950-XXXX being used by MCI for assignment to
just any MCI 800 service customer - I would have thought that Bellcore
would have put a reserve on this 800-NXX for use by each carrier as an
alternate form of Feature Group B - like access to that carrier - i.e.
you run across a private payphone that refuses access to 950 numbers
or wants to charge you a quarter (maybe even 25 cents every 3 minutes)
to dial a 950 number, you could then redial it as 800-950;

If Bellcore would have reserved 800-950, then Sprint COULD have had
800-950-1033, Allnet would have had 800-950-1044, Pizza Hut would also
have had their own 800-950 number just like their local 950 numbers,
etc. but in the telecommunications industry, things don't always work
out logically as we would have expected them to.


Mark J. Cuccia (mcuccia@law,tulane.edu) - Tulane University Law School
Library

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



 Are local internet service providers worried about competition
from local telephone companies?  I've heard two first- or second-hand
accounts of existing ISPs holding back or potential ISPs putting
startup plans on hold until the effect of "telco providing internet to
the home" legislation is clear.  The examples that I'm familiar with
are from some areas of the country served by Southwestern Bell.

 I must be missing the competition peril here.  The RBOC
ventures into local data services have been unimpressive and
short-lived.  Maybe something could be pulled together with a
cooperative effort between local telcos and established service
providers...  ISDN bundled with AOL or Compuserve, to pick two
experienced-user-unfriendly examples (in my opinion, of course.)

 What I don't see is how this type of metered ISP is
competition for flat-rate service from local service providers.  Of
course, if there are no ISPs serving an area, then the judgment of "Is
the cost of a long-distance call to xyz.com's point of presence plus
the cost of their service less than the cost of a call to the telco's
offering plus the cost of their service?"  I expect that users making
more than casual use of their connection to "the happening world" will
find the local ISPs a better value.

 Is this concern over potential competition from telcos to
local internet service providers warranted?


   Bob Izenberg   512-442-0614 / 617-728-1416 / 800-946-4645, pager
1109500
            [e-mail] / [e-mail] / [e-mail]

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

End of TELECOM Digest V15 #210
****************************