Hacker Chronicles 2 (Alt)/The_Hacker_Chronicles_Volume_II-CD2.iso/td2/td14_82.txt

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TELECOM Digest     Sun, 13 Feb 94 23:21:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 82

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Harrassing One-Ring Calls - Update (Bill Garfield)
    Help! Asynchronous <==> Synchronous Conversion (Habibie Sumargo)
    Dial Zero to Block ANI (David Quist)
    Turning Away Unwanted Calls (Gary Breuckman)
    Looking for an Internet Service Provider (Michael Casillas)
    Digital Cellular Phones (Jonathan Weinberg)
    Call From 610 Area on January 8 (Carl Moore)
    AT&T Tape-less Answering Machine (Tan Ken Hwee)
    LATA Maps Sought, or LATA Overlap Zones Wanted (Stephen Balbach)
    Re: Caller ID in UK? (Nick Taylor)
    Re: AT&T's New 900 Mhz Cordless Phone (Bruce Laskin)
    Re: Two Stories on MCI (Clive D.W. Feather)
    Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free (Brian Behlendorf)
    Re: VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones (Bill Mayhew)
    Drugstores 8-) (Bill Bradford)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
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                 * [e-mail] *

The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of
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long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers.
To reach us:  Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone
at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: [e-mail].

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

Subject: Harrassing One-Ring Calls - Update
From: [e-mail] (Bill Garfield)
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 22:25:00 -0600
Organization: Ye Olde Bailey BBS - Houston, TX - 713-520-1569
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Bill Garfield)


Having initially reported to this forum about my single-jingle call
malady across my DID trunk group, I thought it time for an update.

First a recap:

96 DID trunks spread across seven spans of a fiber DS-3, all in the
713-627 exchange, number block 4000-6899, inclusive.

Problem:

Random one-ringer calls, five seconds duration or less, generally
singling out a couple extensions to repeatedly bang on. In a few days
the single jingles move on to pester someone else.  These calls are
outpulsing to us and -immediately- releasing. Also incomplete (short)
digits. All this is happening during working hours. SMDR logs indicate
little/no occurrence during off-hours. Circuit id: 21DINA7136275401
D500-D595, inclusive. Twenty-four (21TKNA7136275400) combo trunks
spread across three of those same seven spans are not being bothered.

Ironically, 120 more DID trunks spread across five spans of the same
DS-3, but all in the 713-989 exchange, number block 0000-9999 (yes,
all of it). No one-ringer problem. Circuit id: 21DINA7139897000
D500-D619, inclusive.

Both trunk groups are said to reside in the same 5E at Southwestern
Bell's "National" CO. in Houston's upscale Galleria district.

On the SWBT side, the trunks in the 627 route index are tied into D4
channel banks. The 989 group is full digital and terminate direct into
the 5E. On my side both groups are full digital, terminating direct
onto DS-1 formatter cards in three Mitel SX2000SG's (eight cabinets
total).  The Mitels are all at MS2005/L13.0 and networked together.

If I can believe my SMDR logs, occasionally, the one-ringers will even
come simultaneously on two trunks (but in different spans) to the same
target extension.  However the problem is spread equally across all
members of trunk group 108. This has been occurring for several
months, with random complaints from my users about the frequent
one-ringers.

Until last Thursday eve (2/10) the 627 group was loop (pulse) and the
989 group was DTMF. They are now both DTMF, immediate start.

I'm happy to report the squeaky wheel is getting some grease.  We
escalated the problem locally, and have also had some very good
feedback as a direct result of the TELECOM Digest posting last week
<thanks Pat>.  Southwestern Bell has had people on site on three
occasions last week, including folks who seem to be most knowledgeable
and genuinely interested in helping us get to the root of this -very-
vexing problem.

Beginning last week, my first discovery was that we were timed to a
span which was slipping. I changed sync sources and SWBT's techs
corrected the slip problem by replacing the LIU at the CO. SWBT also
changed the 627 group to make it DTMF like our 989 group. Unfortunately,
the one-ringers in the 627 group still persist. We will continue to pur-
sue this and I will report progress as it is achieved.

At 5AM Friday we lost a 320' microwave tower to seven inches of radial
ice in Shaw, Mississippi, so understandably I was unable to stay
focused on the SWBT issue as planned.

More as the situation unfolds.


[e-mail]    The PBX guy   Panhandle Eastern Corp.  Houston
Ye Olde Bailey BBS Zyxel 713-520-1569(V.32bis) Hayes 713-520-9566 (V.FC)
   Houston,Texas             yob.com           Home of alt.cosuard

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

From: [e-mail] (Habibie Sumargo)
Subject: Help! Asynchronous <==> Synchronous Conversion
Date: 14 Feb 1994 03:03:53 GMT
Organization: Florida International Univeristy


Hi,

I would like to know how to convert from an asynchronous serial line
to a synchronous one.  For instance, if I have two asynchronous lines
with different baud rate as such line #1 has 38.4 KBPS and line #2 has
19.2 KBPS, their outputs are synchronized at 19.2 KBPS.

Please kindly response through email.  Thank you very much.

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

From: [e-mail] (dquist)
Date: 14 Feb 94 01:09:12 GMT
Subject: Dial Zero to Block ANI


Blocking ANI as easy as dialing "0"... at least in NYNEX (NET) areas.
Dial an 800 number or test-readback number using a NYNEX Operator and
your ANI will not be carried.  Example: I called my 800 number from
Maine and asked the NYNEX Operator to assist ... AT&T Starterline 800
invoice arrives with calling party 207-000-0000.  Use an AT&T operator
to assist using the same routine and the call appears on my bill with
the actual ANI.  I also used this on AT&T's new ANI readback 800
number from Massachusetts this evening and NYNEX Operator dialed calls
read back 508-000-0000. An AT&T operator assisted call reads back
NPA-NXX-LINE #. I wonder why?  Caller ID is coming next month; I
wonder if this will work.


Dave

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

From: [e-mail] (Gary Breuckman)
Subject: Turning Away Unwanted Calls
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 17:11:29 PST


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Robert
Endicott) writes:

> I have wished for years that the Telephone Gods would add an extra digit
> (or two) that would have to be dialed for my phone to ring.  It could be
> an extra charge service in which the subscriber chose the extra digit (or
> two) for calls to ring thru.  Part of the service could be voice mail that
> would take a msg so the caller would never know that the extra digit(s)
> was (were) required.

You could, if you wished, purchase a cute little box for your line
that would do this.  FOX used to make a box that you could attach to
your line that would answer the call with a sexy voice and say 'please
enter my fox code', without which it would not ring through.

I don't know if that device is available any longer, but you can use
one of the units designed to route FAX calls.  I have a ComSwitch 660
that has three outputs: FAX, TELEPHONE/ANS (two connections, but tied
together), and AUX.

This box answers the call after the first ring, and then routes it.
You can use it two ways: It will detect the CNG (calling) tone from a
fax in auto mode, and ring the fax output, it will detect a 'reverse
modem tone' (a modem calling in answer mode) and ring the AUX output,
or after a short wait ring the TEL/ANS output.  You can also assign
two touchtone codes (up to four digits each) to the FAX and AUX
outputs.  You can also disable the CNG and Reverse Modem recognition.

So, you could have this answer calls, and if the caller entered one of
two codes route the call to an output.  Calls with no tones could end
up at an answering machine, or go into the bit bucket.  This unit
costs about $90.

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

From: [e-mail]
Date: 13 Feb 94 13:48:23 EST
Subject: Looking for an Internet Service Provider


The Office of Budget and Management, a division of the Office of the
Governor of Puerto Rico is interested in obtaining information on
Internet service providers in Puerto Rico.  Right now we have to go
through an e-mail hub set up through Compu$erve.  We are interested in
a direct connection to the Internet.


Sincerely,

Michael A. Casillas, MIS Director
Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico
Office of Budget and Management
Internet: [e-mail]

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

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 11:18:25 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Digital Cellular Phones


I was talking to someone the other day, and he told me that the latest
and greatest in cellular phones was digital.  Apparently, you get one
of the newer generation phones and you are connected over a digital
link rather than an analog one.  How does this work?  He said
something about not getting "bumped off".  I was kinda in a rush, so I
did not get the full story from him.  Also, does the service provider
need to have digital capabilities, or do they all have them by
default.  Any information on this would be appreciated.


Thanks,

Jonathan Weinberg   Network Insight

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

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 10:55:42 EST
From: Carl Moore <[e-mail]>
Subject: Call From 610 Area on January 8


At 6:58 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 8, according to my phone
bill, there was a call from Oxford, PA on the 932 exchange.  It shows
area code 215, although 610 was to be active as of that day.


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: It sounds to me like the accounting
department was a little behind in their work.   PAT]

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

From: [e-mail] (Tan Ken Hwee)
Subject: AT&T Tape-less Answering Machine
Date: 13 Feb 1994 14:24:00 GMT
Organization: National University of Singapore


I was wondering if someone would be so kind as to let me know how much
(ballpark) the AT&T Tape-less Answering Machine costs?  The one that
uses RAM?  It sells for about SIN$220 or about US$130.  Is this an ok
price or should I wait until I go to America to buy one?  I'm aware of
the voltage difference and will get a transformer for that.

Thanks in advance.


Ken Hwee TAN     National University of Singapore

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

From: [e-mail] (Stephen Balbach)
Subject: LATA Maps Sought, or LATA Overlap Zones Wanted
Date: 13 Feb 1994 05:08:06 -0500
Organization: Clark Internet Services, Balt/DC, mail [e-mail]


There must be a public place I can find LATA maps.  Local Bell
Atlantic rep is under policy not to give map out.

More specifically I'm trying to locate an area between two LATA's
where an overlap exists.  Thus making it possible to be local to two
LATA's at the same time.  This would specifically be in the Washington/Balt
area.

Thanks for any help,


Stephen Balbach          Clark Internet Services            [e-mail]
[phone] [voice]                                     FAX [phone]
[e-mail]         [e-mail]          Internet for the 90's


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: We touched on this very topic just about
a week or two ago. Perhaps interested readers will forward the thread
direct to Mr. Balbach.   PAT]

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

From: [e-mail] (Nick Taylor)
Subject: Re: Caller ID in UK?
Organization: University of Sunderland
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 10:24:49 GMT


Steven Cooper ([e-mail]) wrote:

> Has anone got any idea if the caller ID facility will become available
> in the UK?? Are there any moves on this by BT/Mercury?

I've got hold of the consultative document from OfTel (the UK Telecomm
watchdog) and it looks like CLI is at least a year away. The facility
already exists, in fact it logs calls to the emergency services at
present, but OfTel says there are moral, privacy questions to be
answered.

Hope this helps,


Nick Taylor, University of Sunderland, UK | [e-mail]

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

From: [e-mail] (Bruce Laskin)
Subject: Re: AT&T's New 900 Mhz Cordless Phone
Date: 13 Feb 1994 23:32:04 GMT
Organization: Circuit Research Corp.


In article <[e-mail]>, Alex Cena  wrote:

> There's been quite a bit of disccusion regarding cordless phones so I
> thought it may be helpful to share my experience over the last month
> with my new cordless phone.  I have had the opportunity to try AT&T's
> new Dragon, which is a 900 Mhz cordless phone with 1000mw of power.
> It uses spread spectrum technology based on frequency hopping.  I
> placed it in the library of our house and here is what I found:

1000mw ... really! ... WOW! -- that's significantly more than the
600mw maximum power output for handheld cellular sets!  The 600mw
limit for cellular sets was intended to prevent health hazards, so how
is AT&T able to use 1000mw?  (Most wireless home phones put out no
more than 0.5mw.)

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

Subject: Re: Two Stories on MCI
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 18:02:56 GMT
From: Clive D.W. Feather <[e-mail]>


Quoth Alan Boritz:

> Excuse me, Paul, but the little girl doesn't speak with an "English"
> accent.  My first guess was South African, or Australian, though I
> lost the original post on this subject.  They don't speak "English" in
> New Zealand, or at least they don't speak it very well. <grin>

They do, however, speak it much better than in New Jersey (or the rest
of the Americas, for that matter).


Clive D.W. Feather      Santa Cruz Operation
[e-mail]           Croxley Centre
Phone: [phone]  Hatters Lane, Watford
Fax:   [phone]  WD1 8YN, United Kingdom


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Touche, and thank you very much Clive.  PAT]

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

From: [e-mail] (Brian Behlendorf)
Subject: Re: Internet Costs and Software Are Free
Date: 13 Feb 1994 20:57:46 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Undergrad Assoc., UCBerkeley


In article <[e-mail]>, A. Padgett Peterson <padgett@
tccslr.dnet.mmc.com> wrote:

> Personally, my biggest fear is Junk E-Mail swamping the net. If
> anything should be regulated it should be that and with hanging,
> drawing, and quartering prescribed for offenders (I know, the ASPCA
> would probably object to using horses).

Ack!  I know you were perhaps using hyperbole to illustrate your
point, but the distinction between junk email and "real" email is
sometimes fairly fine.  For example, if someone posts about a new
piece of SLIP/PPP software they are selling to an IP protocol mailing
list, is that public notice or an ad?  I share your sentiment, in that
I don't want to see catalogs from Builder's Emporium appearing in my
mailbox every week -- however, also remember that businesses won't need
to send a mass mailing of e-catalogs now that we have distributed
infosystems services like USENET and WWW.

Your point was that the bandwidth to businesses could conceivably be
overburdened by e-mail with a low value to the business.  If I really
thought it was a problem I'd be more worried about email users
subscribing to high-volume mailing lists than getting unsolicited
email ads, which don't happen much anyways and probably won't.

> Free Software. Just because I do not charge for any of my released
> software does not mean that it is free. Rather, I consider it to be
> only fair that since I have learned so much from people that I put
> something back.

> The other motive is educational. I have learned more by saying things/
> releasing software and having people (*lots* of people) tell me where
> I am wrong than I ever could with my limited resources. Nothing
> ventured, nothing gained so I venture a lot 8*).

Exactly.  I think the paradigm for software in the future will be that
programs will be essentially offered for free, but users will pay for
support.  Cygnus and Qualcomm (with Eudora) are prime examples of
this.  Programmers will still be around because the companies will
always want new improved less buggy versions of programs or new
programs altogether.

> Besides, ignorance is the tool of dictators and fools. By helping to
> stamp out ignorance ("this can be done") and with open discussions, I
> like to think that we are supporting democracy.

"Save the World!" - Larry Wall.


Brian

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

From: [e-mail] (Bill Mayhew)
Subject: Re: VTech 9 "Tropez" and Sony SPP-ER1 900 MHz Phones
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 23:23:51 GMT


I posted an article reviewing and summarizing the Vtek Tropez model
900DX phone one week ago in comp.dcom.telecom.tech.  I'll reiterate
briefly.

The 900DX is materially similar to the 900LX.  The DX has 2-way paging
and intercom capability.  The LX is a basic model.

The 900DX appears to be fully digital, using the 902-928 MHz shared
band.  Power output is reportedly 0.0005 watts (1/2 mW) according to
another net reader.  I found the effective range to be around 600 feet
with the base sitting on top of a 66 MHz 486 DX/2 computer.  The audio
quality is excellet.  I wish the handset could be turned up a little
louder, but volume level is OK.  Sidetone in the handset is a bit
louder than I like.

The Topez units use a 16 bit security code that appears to be
downloaded to the handset when it is placed on the base unit.  A check
with a 900 MHz radio shows that the base unit sends out some burst
about 500 mS after the handset is placed in the charger cradle.  It is
not clear if this is the security download -- that would be pretty
stupid, or more likely a quick "are you there" to see if there are any
other handsets in the area -- the intent to be sure the channel is
clear.  I don't have sufficiently good test equipment to determine
what is actually going on.

Whenever the handset is away from its home on the base, the base sends
out some sore of "are you there?" message every 15 seconds for ~500
mS.  The message probably repeats a couple of times.  The handset
answers the ping with a ~100 mS replay.  I don't know what sort of
info is exchanged, but it seems pretty robust.  I tried putting the
handset inside the closed refrigerator several rooms away and
discovered that both units were still able to detect each other.  That
short 900 MHz carrier wave appearently sneaks though the thin gap
offered by the rubber seal around the door.

If the handset wanders out of range of the base, it starts to emit a
short be-beep every 30 seconds or so once it has missed a couple of
pings from the base unit.  The base unit blinks its "charge" LED when
it realizes that it can't find the handset.  The out-of-range protocol
works whether or not the your are idle, line engaged or on the
itnercom.

The RF carrier used for the call appears to be fully digital.  The
manual does not clearly say so, but my 900 MHz radio could find the
carrier without being able to demodulate any discernable voice.

Most of the parts inside the unit are marked, "Motorola."  There is
one chip that has a Vtek logo.  I'd give the construction a B-; it is
fine for consumer grade but not as nice as that in my Motorola cell
phone or Icom amateur radio HT.

There are a lot of nice features.  The intercom can be used while you
put a call on hold.  You can answer a call at either the handset or
base, put the caller on hold, use the intercom to page the other end,
then conference if desired.  For privacy, either unit can temporarily
lock out the other.

In use I discovered the base tends to experience drop-outs in
reception before the handset loses the base transmission.  When I hit
the fringe, the person I was talking to reported choppy drop-outs of
syllables here and there, but no detectable increase in static or
interference.

Check in the .tech group if you want more details.


Bill Mayhew        NEOUCOM Computer Services Department
Rootstown, OH  44272-0095  USA      phone: [phone]
[e-mail]       amateur radio 146.58: N8WED

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

Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 14:40:20 CST
From: Bill Bradford <[e-mail]>
Subject: Drugstores 8-)


The TELECOM Digest Editor noted:

"My goodness, drugstores haven't had fountains for twenty years or more."

In my home town of Anadarko, OK, there is one.  Melton's Drug, which
is a franchise (?) of HealthMart, has had a fountain for as long as I
can remember.  You go back and give Phillip your prescription, and
he'll give you a ticket for a Coke to drink while you wait.  These are
REAL cherry Cokes, not the mass-produced Cherry Coke.  The decor and
furnishings of the fountain/lunch counter look straight out of the
60s.

I just wanted to pass that along to our Esteemed Editor that the
drugstore fountain is NOT dead.  The druggist's son, who I graduated
high school with in '93, is planning to take over the family business
in a few years, so the tradition is going to continue!


Bill Bradford * "If Hendrix had a modem, would it be a Purple Hayes?"
[e-mail] = University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma
[e-mail] = U. of OK BBS
[e-mail] = HodgePodge BS Internet Mail


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In Independence, Kansas (a very fine
little town of 9000 people;  I hope to move there some day, Digest and
all) there exists downtown a drugstore with a fountain, although the
fountain is but a shell of its former self. They serve pre-packaged
microwave sandwiches and snacks, but no real old-fashioned 'drug store
food' like we used to get until sometime in the late 1960's when the
Walgreen's chain led the way by closing every *damn* one of theirs.
Here and there they opened up a 'Wags Restaurant' in its place, but
those are few and far between.

Charles (senior, the old man) Walgreen and his wife Myrtle Walgreen
would never have allowed it. He came to Chicago as a young man around
the start of this century with his new bride and he took over a
drugstore on the south side at 43rd Street and Cottage Grove Avenue
from another fellow who had operated it for quite a few years. Myrtle
would bring lunch to Charles each day at his shop and one day it
occurred to him that other folks would probably like his wife's soup
and sandwiches as much as he did. They set up a lunch counter and soon
decided to start including ice cream and other things. From that first
store, Mr. Walgreen branched out to about a hundred drugstores in the
Chicago area and thousands of other 'Walgreen Agency' drugstores across
the USA. Soon he had a competitor when the Rexall Drugs chain (the name
came from 'RX' -- a medical abbreviation -- and 'All' meaning all forms
of medicinal products) decided to add soda-fountains to all their stores.
In the case of Walgreen's two 'parent stores' here -- State/Madison and
State/Randolph Streets downtown -- they had a large cafeteria in the
basement of each. I remember Myrtle Walgreen as a very old woman speaking
at the Chicago Temple telling some very entertaining stories about the
early days when they had the one store on the south side of Chicago. So
Bill, you are correct that drug store fountains are not entirely gone,
but I venture to say most readers here have never seen one.   :(   PAT]

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

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #82
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