A Beginner's Guide to the Internet/INTERNET.ISO/text/telediag/tc13-101.txt

Text File | 1993-02-16 | 19.7 KB | 508 lines

TELECOM Digest     Tue, 16 Feb 93 03:54:00 CST    Volume 13 : Issue 101

Index To This Issue:                      Moderator: Patrick A. Townson

    Re: Stupid Phone Tricks (Richard Nash)
    Re: Stupid Phone Tricks (Steve Forrette)
    Any Experience With Prometheus Home Office Modems? (Chris Norley)
    Loops and ANI in (206) NPA (Ken Hoffmann)
    Cellular Phone Questions (Don Wegeng)
    Phone Lines via Electrical Wiring? (Mark Ferris)
    Tone Decoding (Lance Neustaeter)
    E1 Lines - What Are They? (Danny Bielik)
    Third Party Network Connectivity (Ron Beach)
    Help Needed Finding TDD Relay Service (Richard Osterberg)
    Using AT&T's Switch on 800/321-0ATT (Paul Robinson)
    Cellular Switching Question ([e-mail])
    Re: National Data Superhighways - Access? (Richard Nash)
    Re: Toll-Denial Also Blocks 911 Access; Why? (Richard Nash)
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Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1993 07:56:37 -0700
From: [e-mail] (Richard Nash)
Subject: Re: Stupid Phone Tricks


[e-mail] writes:

> Our University has a DMS of some kind.  Dialing 91072 gets you an
> intercept recording that states, "The number you have reached,
> 107-0000, has been changed.  The new number is 000-0000."


This announcement is most likely not directed from the DMS but rather
the Intercept System (AIS) that the intercepted number (107-0000) is
going to.  In the AIS database, the number is probably referenced to a
default status code and new number. When the number was placed on
intercept, either one of two things happened.  The number was placed
on operator intercept route, but the AIS database not updated to
reflect correct status, or the number should not have been placed on
operator intercept but rather a local mechanical treatment such as
"the number you have dialed is not on service".  The service order
clerk probably just goofed.


Richard Nash   Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6K 0E8
UUCP:       [e-mail]

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Date: Mon, 15 Feb 93 10:58:03 -0800
From: Steve Forrette <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Stupid Phone Tricks
Organization: Walker Richer & Quinn, Inc., Seattle, WA


> [Moderator's Note: Clever response. Since you only make outgoing calls
> on those lines occassionally, and never have incoming calls, you
> should ask telco to set the lines up as one-way outgoing service only.
> Then you'd never see any wrong numbers at all.   PAT]

Except if you live in the technological backwaters of Pacific Bell,
which offers no such service.  Nor do they offer other services
commonly available elsewhere, such as distinctive ringing.  Maybe they
will start doing so with their recently-announced modernization
commitment.


Steve Forrette, [e-mail]

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Date: Mon, 15 Feb 93 12:53:18 EST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Any Experience With Prometheus Home Office Modems?


I am interested in getting a multi-capability modem for my mac at
home.  The Prometheus Home Office mMdems appear to do everything that
I would like/need. does anyone have any experience with these modems
or know of a viable alternative?

I would like the modem to be able to take voice messages or switch to
fax/modem as appropriate. Any information about this would be
appreciated!


chris norley    [e-mail]   or    [e-mail]

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From: [e-mail] (Ken Hoffmann)
Subject: Loops and ANI in (206) NPA
Organization: Pacifier BBS
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1993 18:39:49 GMT


Hello, all.  I am looking for a list of loops and "ANI Numbers",
numbers that you call or dial in, and it will return the calling
number.

Also as for the Digest compiling stuff like this, I agree with PAT.
It'd be very difficult to keep current, but it IS possible.  Maybe if
we had some people from the local BellCo giving us a hand? :)


Thanks,

Ken


[Moderator's Note: Let's everyone try hard to laugh at Ken's little
joke about people from telco 'giving us a hand' in compiling 'hear
your number' codes. Uh, it was a joke, right Ken?  Here is my very own
submission for comp.dcom.telecom.humor.funny for today: Maybe the
telcos would standardize the number nationally, and ask TELECOM Digest
along with {2600} and other fine e-journals for the trade to assist in
publicizing it.   PAT]

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

From: [e-mail] (Don Wegeng)
Subject: Cellular Phone Questions
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: Xerox Corp., Henrietta, NY
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1993 19:24:38 GMT


I recently bought a handheld cellular phone for personal use.  After
some playing and reading, I now have some questions.

Background: My contract is with Genesee Telephone, which is the A
channel carrier here in the Rochester, NY area.  GenTel is affiliated
with Cellular One, NACN, and RA (but not FMR).

1. The phone is currently programmed to roam only with A carriers.
This probably makes sense for when I'm close to home, but I'm not so
sure about whether I should change this when I take the phone out of
the area.  It probably makes sense to compare roaming rates for the
cities where I'll be travelling, and program the phone to use the
cheaper one.  If I'm travelling in rural areas it may make sense (from
a safety perspective) to roam with both the A and B carriers.  Is my
reasoning correct?

2. The salesperson where I bought the phone suggested that I also
purchase a magnetic mount 3dB gain external antenna, for use when I'm
outside of the city limits (I have friends who live in the country,
but within the GenTel service area).  My EE background tells me that
an external antenna will probably help, but will the 3dB gain make a
significant difference (I realize that 3dB equals 2X). I didn't buy
the antenna, since I wanted to see how the phone performed without it
first (I haven't had time to try it yet).

Any other advice, tips, recommended accessories or recommended reading
will be appreciated.


Thanks,

Don   [e-mail]


[Moderator's Note: Generally the A and B carriers stick to their own
kind when making roaming agreements. You'll usually only see A agree
to roaming terms with a B carrier or vice-versa when there is only one
(but not both) in a location. This happens now and then, but generally
you are wise to stick with the side you are on at home when you roam.
You may think their terms are outrageous, but wait until you see what
the other side will stick you with if you are not affiliated with one
of their sisters. Depending on the metropolitan area, some are so
saturated with cell sites (like Chicago) that it hardly matters if
you use an antenna on the phone or not. On my CT-301 I use a tiny
little dummy load (well almost, it is a thing about the size of my
thumb) when I am about town, and my TX/RX is fine. But when you get
outside the city, better quality antennas cut to the proper length do
make a difference. My dummy load will get me nowhere in Independence,
Kansas, but my 'good' antenna lets me TX/RX with ease via the Tulsa,
Oklahoma B carrier, with its nearest tower 40 miles away.   PAT]

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

From: [e-mail] (Mark Ferris)
Subject: Phone Lines via Electrical Wiring?
Organization: Atlas Telecom Inc.
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1993 18:21:39 GMT


My mom was asking me about an ad she read recently that was selling a
product that allowed a phone jack anywhere an electrical outlet is.
It seems to work in a similar fashion to the old BSR (?) home
protection boxes that allowed control of lights, etc via the

Continued in the next message...
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 * PCB/UseNet Gateway from Sparkware #3
<=============================================================================>
    To:  ELIOT GELWAN             Date: 02-16-93 (07:54)
  From:  USENET GATEWAY           Message:  94491      Refer:  0
  Subj:  TELECOM DIGEST V13 #101  Conf: 700 (EMAIL)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
·  Newsgroup: Private mail
·       From: TELECOM
·    Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #101


(Continued from the previous message)
electrical lines.

One box was the transmitter, and it would support multiple receivers.
The ad mentioned that the phone signal was translated to an FM signal
and transmitted via the electrical wiring.

Anybody hear about this product?  Any comments?  Does it actually
work?  What's the signal/noise ratio via this method?  Would this
actually be a recommended way to add additional phone lines into a
house?


Thanks for any info,

Mark Ferris           EMAIL: [e-mail]
Atlas Telecom         VOICE: [USA] 1+503.228.1400 x242
4640 SW Macadam Ave.  FAX1:  [USA] 1+503.228.0368
Portland, OR 97201    FAX2:  [USA] 1+503.225.5518


[Moderator's Note: They work okay unless you have flourescent lights
or other noise making conditions in the power lines.   PAT]

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Date: Mon, 15 Feb 93 08:29:51 PST
From: [e-mail] (Lance Neustaeter)
Subject: Tone Decoding


Has anyone heard of any software which will analyse touch tones
(probably sampled from a tape or phone line) and display which numbers
are being dialed?  I know they have electronic devices which do this,
but I was wondering if it could be done with software and if so, how?
(If the advice were applicable to an Amiga, that would be even better,
but it's not totally necessary -- I'm curious if it's possible in
general.)

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From: [e-mail] (Danny Bielik)
Subject: E1 Lines - What Are They?
Organization: Sydney University Computing Service, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1993 23:40:55 GMT


Could somebody please tell me what an E1 line is?


Thanks,

Danny Bielik

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From: [e-mail]
Subject: Third Party Network Connectivity
Date: 15 Feb 93 18:46:38 -0600
Organization: BP Research, Cleveland, OH (USA)


I'm looking for someone to help me research the issue of one business
directly connecting it's internal network to that of another company
 - a supplier, a business partner, a vendor, etc. We call that 'third
party connectivity' within BP (British Petroleum, ne Standard Oil).

I need to identify real-world business examples of existing third
party connections, identify costs of providing restricted connections,
identify what costs would reduce (hopefully) to if the connection was
more 'open', and access the cost impact in terms of changes needed to
protect 'internal' information or resources or establish 'firewalls'
between parts of the 'internal' network-plus any costs for the time
of people to make these assements.

I know that's a pretty tough order, but if anyone is willing, please
send me email at [e-mail]. Please do not answer by
replying to this newsgroup. I do not get much opportunity to read the
news and likely any reply will be lost!!


Thanks,

Ron Beach    Manager, Telcom and Information Strategy
BP Research  4440 Warrensville Ctr. Rd
Cleveland, Ohio  44128    [e-mail]


[Moderator's Note: Mr. Beach should review Unitel, the internal
telecom network for United Airlines. They've got tie-lines off their
centrex in Chicago into the centrex of every airport they fly into.
At their HQ here, you dial '8', get new dial tone then dial the three
digit designator for the city (i.e. 726 = SAN = San Fransisco) then
the four digit number on the centrex *out there*. Some of those
centrexes then have their own tie-lines going places, such as at
Seattle (732 = SEA = I think) where a three digit tie-line code drops
you on the centrex at Boeing Aircraft. The oddest example was a three
digit code out of Chicago which itself produced new dial tone; dialing
zero at that point produced 'operator' who when questioned said she
was the switchboard operator for the Las Vegas, NV City Hall. (??).
Finally after years and years, Unitel did away with progressive
dialing (that is, dial something, get new dial tone, dial something
else off that, get new dial tone, dial off that, etc) in lieu of an
intelligent switch in their Chicago HQ which simply takes seven digits
and makes its own decisions on where to route the call.  PAT]

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Subject: Help Needed Finding TDD Relay Service
From: [e-mail] (Richard Osterberg)
Date: 16 Feb 93 02:46:51 GMT


A good friend of mine has run into a small problem. She's deaf, so she
uses the TDD Relay Service quite frequently. However, her parents are
currently in Bulgaria for some time (overseas work), and they can't
call into a relay operator from overseas. Each state has its own
statewide 800 number to access the relay service, however these can't
be accessed when dialing into the US from overseas. Is there some sort
of a national/international TDD relay service? It's quite frustrating.


Rick

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

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1993 23:08:22 -0500 (EST)
From: Paul Robinson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Using AT&T's Switch on 800/321-0ATT


In Telecom Digest 13-98  Curtis E. Reid <[e-mail]>
wrote:

> Can someone give us the procedure for using the AT&T's Switch at
> 800/321-0288?

TELECOM Moderator noted:

> After dialing 800-321-0288, you hear the AT&T tones, and the
> robot operator announces, "AT&T ... please enter the number you
> are calling, or zero for an operator."  After entering the
> number you are asked to enter your card number. It is basically the
> same as any other credit card call.  Persons who have experiences with
> this are requested to write.   PAT]

You punch the number as ten digits WITHOUT DIALING 0 OR 1 FIRST.  If
the call is international, you punch 01 and the country, city, and
local numbers.  If you dial it correctly, you get a "bong" and it
allows you to punch in your calling card number.


Paul Robinson -- [e-mail]

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

From: [e-mail] (The Circuit)
Subject: Cellular Switching Question
Date: 16 Feb 1993 07:06:35 GMT
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee


I have a question concerning switching tones:

I've seen two references to tones that keep other mobile units off a
channel.  They are the Sieze Tone (1800Hz) and the Gaurd Tone
(2150Hz).

Now which of the two is actually used?  And if both, what is the
difference?

Also, could someone tell me If I have these other tones correct?

Idle: 2000hz
Connect: 1633hz
Dissconect: 1336hz

And last, could someone describe the difference between SAT's 00, 01,
and 10?

I realize this is alot, but any info would be greatly appreciated.  If
possible, reply in email too so as not to waste space on here.


Thanks much!

[e-mail]     [e-mail]

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Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1993 08:21:17 -0700

Continued in the next message...
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 * PCB/UseNet Gateway from Sparkware #3
<=============================================================================>
    To:  ELIOT GELWAN             Date: 02-16-93 (07:54)
  From:  USENET GATEWAY           Message:  94492      Refer:  0
  Subj:  TELECOM DIGEST V13 #101  Conf: 700 (EMAIL)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
·  Newsgroup: Private mail
·       From: TELECOM
·    Subject: TELECOM Digest V13 #101


(Continued from the previous message)
From: [e-mail] (Richard Nash)
Subject: Re: National Data Superhighways - Access?


[e-mail] (Robert L. McMillin) writes:

> Will Martin <[e-mail]> writes:

>> There's been recent news coverage of the new administration's plan to
>> set up a data network for general public access that has been referred
>> to as "National Data Superhighways". Publicized examples of the way
>> such a network would be used include such things as letting school
>> students run programs on NASA supercomputers that model weather and
>> other such computing-intensive tasks. What nobody ever mentions in
>> these news items is just what sort of access control and/or security
>> is planned for this environment.

> What I want to know is, why aren't the telcos pushing for this?

The telcos view such a highway as a monopoly arrangement, something
the public has stated they don't want anymore.

> But what bothers me even more than the telcos lack of initiative in
> this matter are the implications of the Feds running such a network.
> Based on the way the FCC has behaved itself in matters of free speech
> on the broadcast airwaves, it seems an easy step for the datacops to
> come along and shut you off the net if you don't profess politically
> correct ideology under the "limited resource" doctrine.  In speech-
> restricted California, we now have a law that will enable the
> PC-minded to arrest fourth graders for calling other kids ugly names.
> What's to prevent a similar law against puerile morons doing so on the
> digital highway?

Sooner or later someone will have to put their foot down on all the
stupidity making its way into law.  Eventually the laws all start to
contradict each other.

> A state-controlled "data superhighway" smells like an ingenious way
> for the U.S. government to do to two-way digital communications what
> the U.K. did to one-way radio broadcasting with the BBC: maintain
> control over access, and thus, content.  It would be an excellent tool
> for snooping on individuals.  As with driving privileges, no one is
> guaranteed access to the net, but if you sign this form handing over
> certain rights to the state, we'll let you on. Networking has so far
> been a tool for decentralization and democratization, but it could
> just as easily become a device allowing the state even further
> encroachments into our lives.

> GTE may offer terrible service, but at least they don't come into the
> houses of teenage hacking suspects, guns cocked.

Aside from the subversive possibilities that allowing the government
to set up and run such a data highway would cause, with such a
metaphor of the highway, think of the other entities that exist on our
roadways.  Traffic violators!  To address them, a special enforcement
agency will have to be established, a couple dozen or so layers of
beauracracy, and the makings of a DMV and Data Highway Patrol.:) Maybe
some faster cleaner routes could be set up with special *toll*
surcharges for those data users who demand uncongested data
movements.:)

Perhaps someone could add to this metaphor?


Richard Nash   Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6K 0E8
UUCP:       [e-mail]

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

Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1993 07:38:35 -0700
From: [e-mail] (Richard Nash)
Subject: Re: Toll-Denial Also Blocks 911 Access; Why?


Marcus Leech writes:

> My sister volunteers for a women's shelter in Squamish, B.C.  They've
> been having problems with unauthorized long-distance calling, so they
> had B.C. Tel put toll-denial on the line.  The problem is that B.C.
> Tel says this also blocks 911 access.  I can't think of any technical
> reason for this, and it seems unreasonable.

> Is anyone familiar with the CO equipment they use in B.C., and why
> there would be this restriction?

B.C. Tel has a heavy investment in GTE (Microtel) equipment. GTD #5.
Perhaps toll restriction in a GTD is based upon toll-route selection
and quite possibly the 911 translation utilizes a toll route?


Richa24 Nash  Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6K 0E8
UUCP:      [e-mail]

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End of TELECOM Digest V13 #101
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