A Beginner's Guide to the Internet/INTERNET.ISO/text/telediag/tc13-094.txt

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TELECOM Digest     Sun, 14 Feb 93 17:04:00 CST    Volume 13 : Issue 94

Index To This Issue:                     Moderator: Patrick A. Townson

    Press Release - Ontario Telecommunications Strategy (Nigel Allen)
    Strange Long Distance Problem (Ken Jongsma)
    White House Phone Factoids (Rob Knauerhase)
    976 Parking Ticket Scam (Dave Leibold)
    BBS Tax Passes Florida Senate (Joel Upchurch)
    Dialup Access to TELECOM Digest and Files (Mark Earle)
    Subscriber Equipment to Turn a T1 Into Analog Lines (Marc Unangst)
    CTI: Electronic Telephone Line Switch Wanted (Elizabeth Fong Wah Chan)
    Wanted: 'NPA' Shareware Program (Sven Echternach)
    An Explanation of NAMPS (Russell E. Sorberv)
    'Secure' Motorola CT2 Silverlink (Juha Veijalainen)
    Sprint and Bellcore Sign Pact (Washington Post via Paul Robinson)
    800 Numbers That Charge (Greg Volk)
    Telephone Surcharges in Hotels (Dennis G. Rears)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1993 10:31:00 -0500
From: [e-mail] (Nigel Allen)
Subject: Press Release - Ontario Telecommunications Strategy
Organization: Echo Beach, Toronto


Here is a press release from the Ontario government.  It was
originally posted by [e-mail] (Mary Nakoneczny).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 12, 1993

TELECOMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY WILL HELP SHAPE ONTARIO'S ECONOMIC FUTURE

    TORONTO - Premier Bob Rae and Economic Development and Trade
Minister Francis Lankin today outlined a comprehensive, multi-year
strategy for telecommunications that will invest $100 million
jobsOntario funding in this key sector, provide access for telecom
projects to the governments $150 million Sector Partnership Fund and
shape the government's telecom policy.

    "Telecommunications is a key sector and a critical
infrastructure that will be a driving force in securing Ontario"s
economic future and our competitiveness in the global marketplace,"
said Minister Lankin.  "Based on a compelling vision statement --
Through telecommunications, Ontario and Canada, the best place in the
world to live, work, learn and do business -- Ontario's
telecommunications strategy points to our future.".

    The Premier announced $100 million in jobsOntario funding for
the delivery of the Ontario Network Infrastructure Program (ONIP) -- a
program designed to accelerate the development of telecommunications-
based information networks in partnership with the private sector.

    "This is a strategic investment in Ontario's future," said the
Premier.  "The information networks supported under this program will
foster business competitiveness, strengthen Ontario's research
capability, provide opportunities for life-long education and
training, support community development -- and create jobs now and in
the future."

    The government is now open for business for telecommunications
projects through the government's $150 million Sector Partnership Fund
(SPF).  A Telecommunications Sector Framework has been approved under
the SPF to focus on four priority areas: developing new telecomm
applications; forming innovative business enterprises; establishing
specialized sectoral infrastructure; and enhancing market development
and promotion.

    The multi-year strategy is based on the strategic priorities
and vision statement recommended in Telecommunications - Enabling
Ontario's Future, a report prepared for the province by a 22-member
advisory committee with representatives from the telecom sector,
business, government, labour and community-based interests.

    The strategy is a government-wide commitment, she said.
Management Board will lead the way for the Ontario government to
become a model user of telecommunications and other information
technologies.  The Ministry of Education and Training will lead the
development of an education and training strategy for
telecommunications.

    Minister Lankin also announced that the province will take a
strong advocacy role before the industry, the federal government and
the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommuncations Commission)
in Ontario's interests.

    A new telecommunications council will work with Lankin to
recommend priorities, initiatives and timetables for the future growth
of telecommunications in the province.  Partnership will be crucial in
building an information infrastructure for Ontario, Lankin said.

    Jim Coombs, a former President and CEO of SaskTel, will serve
as council Chair.  Serving as Vice-Chairs are Sheelagh Whittaker,
President and CEO of Canadian Satellite Communications Inc., (Cancon)
and Don Tapscott, Vice-President, Technology, DMR Group Inc., and
Chair of the former advisory committee.

    "The strategy is a plan of action that will require all of us
in government, business, labour and the community to work together.
The council will be a champion for the ongoing strategy and will work
with government as we move forward," said Minister Lankin.


Media Contact:        Russell Drago
            Marketing and Information Services
            [phone]

            Anna Larson
            Ministry of Economic Development and Trade
            [phone]

Ce texte est disponible en francais.

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

Nigel Allen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada    [e-mail]


[Moderator's Note: Thanks also go to David Leibold who submitted the
identical text in a message to the Digest over the weekend. In his
message, Dave also made these additional comments:

"Today (12th February), the Ontario provincial government announced
details of its telecommunications strategy. I had the privilege of
attending the briefing session in Toronto and thus picked up an
information kit with the relevant documents. The kit even had a
diskette containing word-processor documents such as the press release
and details of the strategy initiatives. Many thanks to Allan Kennedy
of the Ontario government who let me know about the briefing session.
He is Internet-reachable via [e-mail] and can provide more
details regarding Ontario's telecom strategy."    PAT]

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

From: [e-mail] (Ken Jongsma)
Subject: Strange Long Distance Problem
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1993 15:28:12 -0500 (EST)


I've been having an interesting problem over the past two days. The
symptoms are as follows:

   - All calls made from my home phone, PIC'd to Sprint for the last
     seven years.

   - Calls to 1 805 395 xxxx get an immediate fast (trunk) busy, with
     no recording.

   - Calls to 1 319 277 xxxx go through just fine.

   - Calls to 1 800 877 8000 get two rings, a single tone, followed
     by the message "All Circuits Busy... 49-530" (This is the
     Sprint credit card access number. It should not ring, but
     give an immediate computer tone. The recording is a Sprint
     recording, according to the Sprint repair tech.)

   - Prefacing the call to 1 805 395 xxxx with 10288, 10333, 10222
     makes no difference, I still get a fast (trunk) busy.

   - Attempting to 0+ 805 395 XXXX gets a fast busy immediately. No
     card tone or operator intercept. Likewise, 10288 0+, etc.

   - Calls placed through a Sprint operator to 1 805 395 xxxx go
     through with no problem.

   - Just to confuse things further, Mi Bell told the Sprint tech
     that my PIC was AT&T. This even though 1 700 555 4141 gets a
     nice Sprint recording.

A call to Michigan Bell repair yesterday generated the suggestion that
I call Sprint repair. Sprint repair has been working on it for 24
hours, but has been unable to discover the problem. Sprint did say
there was a cable cut in California yesterday, but that it was
unlikely that that was related to my problem. Sprint is presently
waiting for Michigan Bell to investigate and call back.

I suspect a problem with Michigan Bell and my local switch, but
getting through to them is a lost cause. Sprint will have better luck
getting them to do something, I think. Maybe by the time I get back
from a business trip in three weeks, they'll work it all out.


Ken Jongsma
Smiths Industries            [e-mail]
Grand Rapids, Michigan   [e-mail]

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

From: [e-mail] (Rob Knauerhase)

Subject: White House Phone Factoids
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 93 18:29:06 CST
Reply-To: [e-mail]


This is excerpted without permission from Helen Thomas' "Backstairs at
the White House" column of 2/13/93.

" The president has complained about the telephone system in the White
House and was concerned that he could not put in a call without
someone tuning in. But he sold the operators and the operations short
since all he needed was a few tips on how the system works.

"He could have pressed a ``private'' line and no one could listen in
unless he allowed it. He could also arrange to have his calls
scrambled.

"Contrary to widespread belief the old "hotline" between Washington
and Moscow was not a telephone to warn against an impending doomsday
attack, but rather a teletype manned at the Pentagon."

                             ----------

Interesting questions:

1. How is a "private" line enforced w.r.t. extensions and/or taps?  By
what mechanism does one allow "tuning in"?

2. Does all the FBI's no-scrambling-in-telecommuniations noise apply
to the President (probably not)?  Who can receive his scrambled
calls?

3. What's the speed of the "hotline teletype"?  At 300 baud, it could
take hours (well, almost :) to determine that the missiles are en
route ...


Rob Knauerhase, University of Illinois @ Urbana, Dept. of Computer Science
  [Note: 'columbus.slip.uiuc.edu' is not a 24-hour connection.  Send
   correspondence to [e-mail] for guaranteed delivery.]


[Moderator's Note: An issue of the Digest on Saturday discussed the
use of 'exclusion keys' to prevent other extensions on the same line
from overhearing what was being said. Bear in mind also the president
is NOT confined to 'an extension on the White House switchboard' with
its cordboard and plug characteristics when making calls. The centrex
system in the Executive Office Building has numerous extensions which
terminate in the White House, including a couple for the president
which can be answered by his secretary and one which comes direct to
the multi-line phone on his desk without a secretarial pickup on it. I
am advised there are also direct ring-downs to certain individuals, a
direct 'outside line' enabling calls to be made anywhere without going
through a centrex or PBX (and likewise, enabling calls to be received
if someone knows what number to dial). The president's personal
quarters include much of the above plus personal phone lines for the
family's use. It is not true that to cut back on expenses Billary is
going to yank out the switchboard and install COCOTS for all the
Clintonistas to use when making personal calls on company time. :)

Does anyone remember several years ago during Nixon's tenure when a
counter-culture magazine printed a few pages from the EOB internal
phone directory listing the direct-dial centrex numbers on Nixon's
desk and a few other top White House staffers of that era?  :) Cute.
Wish I had thought of it first. Now, the White House and EOB phone
directories are as scarce as hen's teeth where the general public is
concerned.  PAT]

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

Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1993 21:46:02 -0500
From: [e-mail] (Dave Leibold)
Subject: 976 Parking Ticket Scam


{The Toronto Star} reports that there is a 976 number which claims to
give information on how to fight parking ticket charges ... for $24
(CAD$) a call.

The 976 number is publicised via flyers which include such phrases as
"Important Notice" and "Available seven days a week 24.00-call" (no
dollar sign!). The dubious recorded message was set up by a private
company seeking to cash in on a current traffic fines crackdown.

Meanwhile, free calls (800 or Toronto local) may be placed to official
provincial offices which deal with traffic ticket matters. The company
with the 976 number has no connection with the municipal or provincial
agencies which deal with traffic infractions.

This incident prompted the federal Communications Minister, Perrin
Beatty, to advise consumers to claim a refund from Bell Canada for any
unauthorised 976 charges.

Of the 170 Bell Canada 976 service numbers, half of these are phone
sex lines while the rest are for features such as horoscopes, sport
scores, and of course the aforementioned cash grab.


Dave Leibold - via FidoNet node 1:250/98
INTERNET: [e-mail]

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

Subject: BBS Tax Passes Florida Senate
From: upchrch![e-mail] (Joel Upchurch  )
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 93 13:48:38 EST
Organization: Upchurch Computer Consulting, Orlando FL


I just noticed in the paper today that a six percent tax on
information services passed the Florida Senate Thursday. The newspaper
article ({Orlando Sentinel}, Feb. 12, pg B-5) says that the sales tax
would effect those stocks, news and other data, electronic shopping,
electronic bulletin boards, systems analysis, bank funs transfers such
as automatic teller cards and even 900-number telephone calls and many
more.


(If your mail bounces use the address below.)
Joel Upchurch/Upchurch Computer Consulting/718 Galsworthy/Orlando, FL 32809
[e-mail] {uiucuxc,hoptoad,petsd,ucf-cs}!peora!joel [phone]

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

Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1993 21:16:02 -0600
From: [e-mail] (Mark Earle)
Subject: Dialup Access to Digest and Files


This is just a reminder that for folks with modems, issues of the
digest are available at my FidoNet bbs 1:160/50 [phone]
FidoNet system operators may file - request files for the most recent
list and then get specific files as desired. Modem is a US Robotics
HST, which will give 9600 to similar modems, and 2400 w/mnp5 to most
error correcting modems of other brands.

"Regular" callers may download on the first call, no hassle.

Here's the list of the telecom files area:

     ----- Files Listing -----

ADAACT.ZIP    American Disability Act, telecom related
BANNED.ZIP    List of banned text, newsgroups, etc.
BOOKREV1.ZIP  Book Review of Early Telegraphers
CALLERID.ZIP  Caller ID review - by area, hardware, etc.
CONSTI.ZIP    Constitutional notes
CRACKDWN.ZIP  Review of crackdown - new book
CUD451.ZIP    Computer Underground Digest 4 51
CUD451.ZIP    through cud462 online  Use r cud45*.*
CUD501.ZIP    through cud510.ZIP
D12IG767.ZIP  Telecom Digest 12 767
D12IG767.ZIP  Use r d12ig*.* to see exact file names.
D12IG767.ZIP  Vol 12 767-917 online.
D13IG01.ZIP   Vol 13 01  through Vol 13 80 online
DFP1V5.ZIP    Digital Freedom Press 1 5
EFF289.ZIP    Electronic Freedom Foundation news day 289
EFF314.ZIP    Clinton's Plan for infrastructure
EFF314.ZIP    Electronic Freedom Foundatoin news day 314
EFF315A.ZIP   EFF news day 315
EFFC405.ZIP   Effector 4 05 major changes at EFF announced
EFFOP.ZIP     EFF Open Platform proposal
GOPHER.ZIP    Cable backhoe fades? How about gophers?
GOPHER.ZIP    Informative article on cable protection
IRIDIUM.ZIP   As of Jan 29, new $$ for this project
NEIDORF.ZIP   Craig's side of story, as Steve Jackson
NEIDORF.ZIP    games goes to trial in Austin this week
NEWAC210.ZIP  Info on ac 210 split from 512 (TX)
NYSNOW.ZIP    Snow storm effects on telecom
RFLINK.ZIP    Reference rf lan solutions
SPRNTOUT.ZIP  Sprint outage day 289 (October 14/15 1992)
TELLLOSE.ZIP  Telecom losers and winners
USLSUIT.ZIP   Unix System Labs suit re: BSD/AT&T


[e-mail]        Mark Earle    Fidonet 1:160/50
[e-mail]      HST 24 hrs <-- [phone]
[e-mail]      [e-mail]


[Moderator's Note: My thanks to Mark Earle for making this valuable
resource available. I strongly encourage our many readers without FTP
access at their site to pick up a big variety (see above list!) of
telecom-related files as well as back issues of TELECOM Digest by
calling Mark's BBS at 512-855-7248.  If you *do* have anonymous ftp at
your site, then of course you can ftp lcs.mit.edu, and 'cd telecom-
archives' once connected.  PAT]

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


From: [e-mail] (Marc Unangst)
Subject: Subscriber Equipment to Turn a T1 Into Analog Lines
Date: 14 Feb 1993 12:25:22 -0500
Organization: The Programmers' Pit Stop, Ann Arbor MI


I'm one of the members of the hardware staff of Cyberspace
Communications, a non-profit group that operates a public-access Unix
conferencing system here in Ann Arbor, MI.  Currently, our system is a
Sun-2/170 (don't laugh, it was free) with a Systech 16-port serial
board and six dialin lines.  Five of the lines are connected to
2400bps modems which go to ports on the Systech board; the sixth goes
into a V.32bis modem and is attached to a PC running PCRoute, which in
turn is on an Ethernet with the Sun.

While talking (informally) to a Michigan Bell rep earlier this week,
he suggested that we look into getting a T1 line if we plan to expand
the number of phone lines any further.  He said that he was unsure
what the break-even point would be between a T1 and multiple POTS
lines, but that he was fairly sure it was a dozen or less POTS lines.
This sounded like a great idea to me, since it not only means we may
save money on our phone bills, but it also means that line noise will
be much less common, since the path will be digital between our
building and the CO.  (Right?)

However, no one on the technical staff has any experience with T1
lines, so the question came up: How would we take the T1, as delivered
by Michigan Bell to our premises, and split it up into 24 analog
POTS-style lines that we could connect modems to?  I presume that some
sort of multiplexor/demultiplexor would be involved, but as I said, no
one involved has any experience with this sort of thing.  What are the
names of some of the vendors that sell this sort of equipment?  What
would a low-end mux/demux unit cost?  In addition, is there a better
way to accomplish what we want to do?  It seems somewhat pointless to
take the digital path provided by the phone company, split it up into
24 analog paths, only to digitize those analog paths 20 feet down the
line with modems.  Keep in mind that our user base is mostly home
users with PCs and modems; not many of the people using the system
have access to the Internet, so leasing a T1 to our local IP service
provider and just getting on the Internet isn't really an option,
since the home users would have no way of accessing us.


Marc Unangst, N8VRH     [e-mail]

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

From: [e-mail] (Elizabeth Fong Wah Chan)
Subject: CTI: Electronic Telephone Line Switch Wanted
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1993 09:20:03 GMT


I am a novice in the field of telecom. Presently, my company plans to
automate the call answering and faxing systems.

We have purchased a four-line voice processing board, a one-line fax
modem, and a software development package.

We want to allow callers to do faxing (send and receive) on demand by
pressing certain touch-tone keys, yet we want to install only one fax
modem that is to be shared among the four phone lines. I wonder if
anyone could advise some specific telephone line switches that can
accept and recognise special DTMF sequences as commands and do the
switching to connect the requesting caller's line and the fax modem.

Note that concurrent access to the fax modem can be prevented by
software. All we need is a very simple switch as described. A PBX will
be too sophisticated for our applications.

Thanks in advance for any helpful information.


Louie

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

From: [e-mail] (Sven Echternach)
Subject: Wanted: 'NPA' Shareware Program
Organization: Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Germany
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1993 15:04:41 +0100


There used to be a quite useful shareware program out there for MS DOS
Computers, named NPA.

It knows all valid Exchanges for all US NPA's, and can tell you all
Exchanges for a City, the Cityname for a certain NPA and Exchanges,
etc.

I just have an old version, dated September, 14, 1991, and wonder if
there are any newer releases out there, preferably available via FTP
or on a BBS.


Thanks in advance!

Sven

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

Date: Sun, 14 Feb 93 18:48:09 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Russell E. Sorberv)
Subject: An Explanation of NAMPS


[e-mail] (Ron Dippold) writes:

> The methods being looked at right now are mostly geared at making
> better use of the current bandwidth.  There's NAMPS from Motorola - I
> have absolutely no idea what this is about, although it's supposed to
> get a small capacity increase -- sort of an interim thing.

Narrowband AMPS (NAMPS) has a 10KHz bandwidth, not 30KHz as in AMPS.
This is a 300% capacity increase within the same allocated frequencies.
While not as good as a 20 times increase as promised by CDMA, 300% is
more than "small"!

NAMPS was recently named a EIA/TIA standard.  While it was pioneered
by Motorola, other companies besides Motorola make NAMPS equipment
(e.g. Panasonic).


Russ

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

From: FNAHA![e-mail]
Date: 14 FEB 93 10:32
Subject: 'Secure' Motorola CT2 Silverlink


Motorola CT2 Silverlink cordless / TelePoint phones are supposedly
digital and transmit data over a 38400 bit/s link to your base station
or Telepoint cell.

Salespersons also tell that 'conversations cannot be eavesdropped'.
What they could not tell me is whether digital transmission itself is
considered 'secure' or is the actual data crypted or scrambled.

Does anyone out there know?


Juha Veijalainen    4ge system analyst, tel. [phone]
  Unisys Finland    Internet: [e-mail]
>> Mielipiteet omiani ** Opinions are PERSONAL, facts are suspect <<

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

Reply-To: [e-mail]
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1993  23:19:43 EST
Subject: Sprint and Bellcore Sign Pact


 From page C2 of the Feb 10 {Washington Post}:

Bellcore and Sprint signed a two-year agreement that lets Sprint's
local telecommunications companies gain access to projects at the
research company.  Terms were not disclosed.

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

From: [e-mail] (Greg Volk)
Subject: 800 Numbers That Charge
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix @ U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 93 05:16:51 GMT


A few days back, some messages came over that dealt with 800 numbers
that charge a fee. Well, call 1800-555-4578 from a payphone and it'll
ask you for 75 cents. I've never put in the 75, so I don't know what
it does after that. Probably not much.


[Moderator's Note: I get <tones> "You call cannot be completed as
dialed, please check the number, etc ..."  Some COCOTS charge for
calls to 800 numbers, so you might want to find out if it was the
COCOT talking to you or a switch somewhere. I do not think the
subscriber at 800-555-4578 (if there is one) is asking for the money.
There would be no way for him to collect it in any event.  I suggest
either a switch programming error somewhere or a greedy COCOT is
giving you the back-talk.  PAT]

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

Date: Sun, 14 Feb 93 12:36:21 EST
From: Dennis G. Rears <[e-mail]>
Subject: Telephone Surcharges in Hotels


   The topic "Hilton Hotel Telephone Surcharge" reminds of something I
been meaning to suggest for years.  The subject of hotels charging
extra for use of 800 numbers or calling cards has graced the TELECOM
Digest several times.  The discussions generally leads to the
following points:

    1) There is no real (variable) cost to the Hotel for providing
    the service.  The hotel must have their system anyway;

    2) Generally only the high price hotels charge (Hilton vs
    LaQuinta);

    3) Telephone service should be part of the room. They don't
    charge extra for towels or TV;

    4) Most users are business travelers who put everything on
    expense account anyway;

  My suggestion is this: Boycott all facilities (bar, restaurant, etc)
and encourage other members of your group to boycott them too.  When
leaving (or arriving) at the hotel present the manager a form letter
of what you are doing and why you are doing it.  Comments?


dennis

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

End of TELECOM Digest V13 #94
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