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- *************************
- TELECOM DIGEST - Issue 15
- *************************
-
-
-
-
-
- From: "Marc T. Kaufman" <kaufman@polya.stanford.edu>
- Subject: Re: Cellular Phone & E911
- Date: 26 May 89 15:50:25 GMT
- Reply-To: "Marc T. Kaufman" <kaufman@polya.stanford.edu>
- Organization: Stanford University
-
-
- In article <telecom-v09i0176m03@vector.dallas.tx.us> "james.j.sowa" <jjjs@
- cbnewsc.att.com> writes:
-
- ->First of all E911 means two things:
- ->1) an ability to route the calling number to the proper
- ->serving PSAP. This means if one house has Police A and Fire
- ->A and the next house has Police B and Fire A the 911 call
- ->would go to the primary answerer (maybe police) in this
- ->case both calls go to poilce A at the PSAP when it is
- ->determined it is a fire call all the PSAP attendant will do is
- ->press a button labeled fire and the call will route
- ->correctly to the proper Fire department .
-
- The routing function is applied on a number-by-number basis, so that a single
- exchange may have more than one primary answerer, if the exchange slops over
- multiple jurisdictions (as many do).
-
- In my area in California, we got Police and Fire from two different dispatch
- centers, (because we use the county sheriff for police, and a neighboring city
- for fire). The sheriff put up quite a fight to get us to dispatch through the
- county com center. We finally prevailed, and now all calls go first to fire
- dispatch. This is because over 2/3 of all calls to fire are for medical aid,
- and may be life threatening -- so we felt fire response time optimization was
- more important.
-
- Marc Kaufman (kaufman@polya.stanford.edu)
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: John Higdon <decvax!decwrl!apple!zygot!john@ucbvax.berkeley.edu>
- Subject: Re: Cellular Phone & 911 - two replies
- Date: 27 May 89 01:50:13 GMT
- Organization: ATI Wares Team
-
-
- In article <telecom-v09i0176m08@vector.dallas.tx.us>, intercon!kdb@uunet.uu.
- net writes:
- > I have had several occasions to use 911 from my cell phone. On all of them I
- > might as well have not called.
-
- On the other hand, one of the most satisfying calls I ever made in my
- life was to 911.
-
- I was driving I5 to Los Angeles, about 50 miles north of Grapevine.
- Traffic was relatively light. As I approached a slow-moving vehicle in
- the right lane, I prepared to move momentarily to the left to pass.
- Suddenly, the other car sped up and when the driver realized that his
- increase in speed would not in any way prevent my passing him, he
- suddenly veered into the left lane, forcing me into the median strip.
-
- When I got back onto the roadway, I approached him again (he was poking
- along at around 40 MPH) and he sped up again. This time I backed off
- and watched as another motorist tried to pass him and got the same
- response that I had earlier. That did it. I picked up the phone and
- dialed 911. It was the Bakersfield system that responded and I was
- connected to the CHP, the initial call handling agency.
-
- I described the car and its actions and location. Not five minutes
- later, two CHP cruisers zipped onto the highway, and off in the
- distance I could see the gentleman being forced to the side of the
- road. You talk about instant gratification!
-
- In article <telecom-v09i0175m04@vector.dallas.tx.us>, ron@ron.rutgers.edu (Ron
- Natalie) writes:
- > The more interesting question is which 911 operator you get
- > when you dial 911 from a cellular phone, since the cellular
- > coverage areas almost always span more than one 911-service
- > area.
- >
- > My guess is that it's just handled by the MTS operator.
-
- In California, or at least in the San Francisco area, the calls from
- both cellular providers are handled by the CHP. The operator asks for
- your mobile number (they don't see it on a display), your location, and
- type of emergency you are reporting. You are then connected to the
- appropriate agency. The calls are free of all charges. *All* mobile
- telephones are allowed to call 911, regardless of roaming or service
- status. You can even call 911 with a test NAM in your radio.
- --
- John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395
- john@zygot.uucp | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 25 May 89 19:25:27 PDT (Thu)
- From: "Dave L. Speed" <dspeed@sactoh0.uucp>
- Subject: Routing Incoming Calls on Home Phone
-
- I'm experiencing a lot of demand on my "home" phone line; home phones, home
- office phone, answering machine, modem(s), and a fax machine. In addition,
- I'm besieged with telephone solicitations. With today's use of
- telecommunications, I don't think I'm alone in this situation.
-
- One solution might be a home PBX, where a caller gets a second "dial-tone"
- and selects the proper internal line with a touch-tone code (perhaps with a
- 10 second wait default to the answering machine line). This and roll-over on
- busy from outside line A to outside line B would go a long way towards
- congestion relief.
-
- I've seen only two "home" type PBX systems advertised so far; one from Nutone
- in the $1200 range and one from Toshiba in the $400 range. I have requested
- literature on both; that which was sent to me was inadequate to make any
- rational decision. Would either of these offer a realistic solution? Are there
- other systems available? Are they compatible with modems (both 2400 baud
- and/or Telebits? Are they compatible with (common) fax systems? Are they
- reliable? What necessary questions am I not asking?
-
-
- Dave Speed (dspeed) : "Don't Crush That Dwarf, :
- 8908 Van Gogh Circle : Hand Me The Pliers" - Fireside :
- Fair Oaks, CA 95628 : :
-
- UUCP: (known universe) pacbell!sactoh0!dspeed BELL: (916)966-4188
- >>> As a matter of fact, my opinions *are* those of my company <<<
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: David Lewis <nvuxr!deej@bellcore.bellcore.com>
- Subject: Re: Area Codes and N10 style numbers
- Date: 26 May 89 12:47:23 GMT
- Organization: Bell Communications Research
-
-
- In article <telecom-v09i0173m02@vector.dallas.tx.us>, nvuxg!mjs1@bellcore.
- bellcore.com (Sonnier) writes:
-
- ] So, the bottom line is that all N11 and N00 codes are reserved, for the
- ] obvious reasons. The N10 codes (except 610) are all included in the
- ] unassigned codes. This can be ascertained by looking at the tables of
- ] assigned NPA codes, and see which 19 are not assigned.
- ] The 610 code is (apparently) used in Canada, so is reserved.
- ]
- ] [Moderator's Question: So does this mean codes 210-310-410-510-710-810-910
- ] *will be* used as area codes or *won't be* used? If not, why not? I think
- ] the thing with 610 is that unlike here where Western Union operates the
- ] telex machines, in Canada many (or all?) are run by the telephone people.
- ] If those numbers, plus the two 'regular' left overs are still available,
- ] then indeed it will be several years before we run out, no? PT]
-
- Will be used. They're included in the list of unassigned codes; to
- clarify what Mike said, the list of unassigned codes is the list of
- legally-assignable but as-yet-not-assigned codes.
-
- The same source Mike was quoting (Notes on the BOC Intra-LATA Networks
- (1986)) estimates that the 152 available NPA codes will be exhausted in
- 1995. At that time, it'll be necessary to go to NXX format NPA codes;
- that also occupies several pages of Notes explaining what that'll be all
- about.
-
- --
- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
- David G Lewis "If this is paradise, I wish I had a lawnmower."
- Bellcore 201-758-4099
- Navesink Research and Engineering Center ...!bellcore!nvuxr!deej
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Fri May 26 03:39:58 1989
- From: caf@omen.UUCP (Chuck Forsberg WA7KGX)
- Subject: Hum on local loop
- Organization: Omen Technology Portland OR
-
- Recently the local phone company (US West) replaced two junction/arrestor
- boxes and three cable drops to my houseboat with a single multi-pair cable
- and a 5 or 6 pair junction box.
-
- This rewiring is the result of a month's complaining about static on one of
- the lines. The lineman swore he'd replace the junction box with a style that
- allows for isolating the internal wiring UNTIL he discovered a loose connection
- in a telco distribution box.
-
- With the new junction box, connecting the box's ground to a "ground line"
- running along the boardwalk induces an annoying hum on one and one of the three
- lines - the other two are not affected.
-
- The lineman that responded to the hum complaint is convinced my computers are
- causing the problem. Nevermind that the two lines that *do* have computers
- (modems/fax) on them are NOT affected! The voice line has three regular phones
- and one feature phone on it. Obviously a fault in my wiring or the feature
- phone could cause a hum, but an MSEE and 25 years electronics experience
- doesn't give me any idea how my wiring or equipment would cause a hum that
- depends on the grounding of the phone company's arrestor block.
-
- Faced with a choice between an aggravating hum and leaving the ground off, I
- told the lineman to get rid of the hum. Obviously there is something wrong with
- the arresting block or the juction box wiring, but there doesn't seem any way
- to convince US West of that. Meanwhile what little protection was afforded by
- the ground wire (which appears to be connected to the power line neutral) is
- gone. Between US West and me, one of us has been smoking bad dope.
-
- Has anyone run into something similar?
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- Date: Mon, 29 May 89 11:04:14 CDT
- From: TELECOM Moderator <telecom@eecs.nwu.edu>
- Subject: New Enhancements From the BOC's
-
- Three of the Bell Operating Companies have started new innovative services
- in recent weeks. Here is a summary of each --
-
- MICHIGAN BELL now allows customers in several suburban Detroit communities
- to order Touch-Tone service and Custom Calling features on a trial basis
- using an automated dial-up system that turns on the services within minutes.
-
- The service is available 24 hours per day. The system provides ordered
- services within 15 minutes, according to the telco, compared with the previous
- waiting period of up to 48 hours.
-
- The service is accessed by dialing an 800 number, and features recorded
- information and prompts for users of tone-dial phones. The trial is scheduled
- to continue until the end of the year. About 200,000 customers are in the
- test area.
-
- BELL OF PENNSYLVANIA now is offering something called 'I.Q. Services', which
- is a combination of Custom Calling and CLASS services into a single personal
- call-management system.
-
- I.Q. enables subscribers in the Philadelphia area to redial busy/no answer
- numbers automatically, block unwanted incoming calls, assign a special ring
- to selected numbers, forward only on selected calls, and initiate a trace.
- Custom calling services of course include call-waiting, three-way calling,
- call forwarding and speed calling. CLASS call-management services include
- return call, priority call, repeat call, call block, select forward, and
- call trace.
-
- The CLASS offerings *do not* include caller identification service at the
- present time, as this feature is subject to Pennsylvania Public Utility
- Commission review at the present time.
-
- SOUTHWESTERN BELL has begun a telemetry trial that allows utilities to read
- home utility meters over a single telephone line. The test is being conducted
- at about fifty homes in Kansas City, MO.
-
- Water and gas meters at each site are equipped with meter encoder/digitizers
- that link to a telemetry interface unit at each home.
-
- Readings collected at each site are sent over the telephone line to meter
- reading access circuits at a Southwestern Bell central office, which relays
- the readings to computers at the gas and water company offices. The system
- delivers a reading in about ten seconds, and automatically disengages if
- the subscriber is using the phone.
-
- Southwestern Bell also announced they have signed a contract with MCI to
- provide billing and collection services for MCI's long distance service,
- beginning in the fourth quarter, 1989. Southwestern Bell subscribers in
- that company's five-state region who opt to use MCI will begin seeing long
- distance charges from that company on their October, 1989 phone bills.
-
-
- Patrick Townson
-
-
-
- Date: Mon, 29 May 89 18:49 EDT
- From: "Scott D. Green" <GREEN@wharton.upenn.edu>
- Subject: Re: New Enhancements From the BOC's
-
- Yes, Bell of PA has started offering CLASS services, with no subscription
- necessary. All of the features are available right now for your (and the
- kids') endless enjoyment. Here's the list of codes, services, and rates:
-
- *57 Call Trace $1.00/use
- *60 Call Block $.50/day or $5/month
- *61 Distinctive ring (up to 6 #'s) $.50/day or $2.75/month
- *63 Selective Call Forwarding (up to 6 #'s) $.50/day or $3.50/month
- *66 Auto Redial $.25/use or $1.75/month
- *69 Return Call $.25/use or $2.50/month
-
-
- Bell of PA has apparently realized that, once the kids get ahold of these
- codes, they are going to be pretty popular at recess. In fact, on their
- in-house newsline last week, they felt it necessary to warn their employees of
- exactly that, suggesting that customers may be in for a shock when the bills
- come in. Bell asked their employees to tell their kids not to play with the
- IQ services.
-
- Is it really fair, though, for the BOC's to offer these value-added services
- to a customer's line without his or her consent or even knowledge? Is this
- something akin to the flap over 976- services, which led to the BOC's offering
- no-charge blocking of these numbers as well as placing the racier material on
- exchanges that require advance sign-up in order to access them? Where is the
- PUC? Is this arrangement a concession to Bell of PA, because of the
- investigation of the CallerID service (proposed at $6.50/month)?
-
- Just wondering.
-
- -scott green
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: Mark Robert Smith <msmith@topaz.rutgers.edu>
- Subject: Re: New Enhancements From the BOC's
- Date: 30 May 89 02:16:08 GMT
- Organization: M. R. Smith Consulting, New Brunswick, NJ
-
-
- Our home in NJ (Tenafly) has had telemetry on our water meter for some
- time. The new meter has a box connected to it, with a line running to
- our (nearby - just 6 feet above the meter) telephone service
- terminator (whatever it's supposed to be called - the box on the
- outside of the house except that ours is inside). I have no idea how
- it works, but the phone does not ring, nor are we charged for a call
- (could be local).
-
- Mark
- --
- Mark Smith (alias Smitty) "Be careful when looking into the distance,
- 61 Tenafly Road that you do not miss what is right under your nose."
- Tenafly, NJ 07670-2643 rutgers!topaz.rutgers.edu!msmith
- msmith@topaz.rutgers.edu
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Mon, 29 May 89 17:59:39 PDT
- From: "I'll be back..." <judice%kyoa.DEC@decwrl.dec.com>
- Subject: Re: Cellular and 911
-
-
- I've tried 911 from my cellular phone on MetroOne in Central New Jersey
- (specifically the I287 corridor from Piscataway to Bedminster) and gotten
- nothing but "invalid" messages.
-
- I have the State Police Edison and Somerville barracks numbers programmed
- into my phone though. About a year ago, I called to report an accident.
- The MetroOne Operator did not even have a *listing* for the State Police
- Edison Barracks (their territory). So I asked for the Totawa Division HQ.
- They *REFUSED* to report the accident to Edison, and did not have the
- number handy for the Edison barracks so the operator could call!!
-
- I wrote a letter to the State Police, answered by a Captain in their
- communications division. The letter said, in the future, just use 911.
- But it did not work, at least up to a few months ago!
-
- Nevertheless, with the direct numbers programmed in, it's easy to be
- a good samaritan now and then...
-
- /lou
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: Ron Schnell <ronnie@eddie.mit.edu>
- Subject: More 911 cellular experience
- Date: 30 May 89 06:06:40 GMT
- Organization: MIT EE/CS Computer Facility, Cambridge, MA
-
-
-
- Last week I was driving in Los Angeles and I came upon an overturned
- van. The accident had occured within the previous two minutes so I
- figured I would call 911 to make sure that the proper people knew
- about it. The conversation went something like this:
-
-
- Woman's voice: Mobile 911 emergency, what freeway are you calling from?
- Me: I'm not calling from a freeway, I'm on Westwood Blvd in Westwood, there
- is an overturned van in the intersection.
- Woman: Are there any injuries?
- Me: Possibly, there are people trying to pry someone out of it.
- Woman: Hold on, I will transfer you to L.A. Police.
-
- (Several clicks later a phone started ringing and continued to ring about 10
- times)
- Finally...
- Another woman's voice: <garble garble> please hold...
- (I could then hear her talking in the background):
- "How many people? ... What time? And you say you had a reservation?"
- Woman (to me): <garble garble> Restaurant may I help you?
-
- By the time I finally redialed and got through to the right people, I
- was informed that they already knew about it. And no, I didn't make a
- reservation.
-
- #Ron
- --
- #Ron
- (ronnie@mit-eddie.{UUCP,ARPA})
- Home: (914) 352 - 7694
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: Mike Morris <morris@jade.jpl.nasa.gov>
- Subject: NPA, etc...
- Date: 29 May 89 23:31:53 GMT
- Reply-To: Mike Morris <morris@jade.*a%Mssa.gov>
- Organization: What - me organized?
-
-
- Recently there has been a discussion of the n10 area code and the fact that
- it is in use in Canada for TWX machines, but not used in the US. Well,
- I decided to try dialing it and see what happened. I got the local ANI!
- It seems that both 1223 and 1610 goes to the same set of ANI trunks.
-
- as Spock would say, "Interesting..."
-
- US Snail: Mike Morris UUCP: Morris@Jade.JPL.NASA.gov
- P.O. Box 1130 Also: WA6ILQ
- Arcadia, Ca. 91006-1130
- #Include disclaimer.standard | The opinions above probably do not even
-
- ------------------------------
-
- -----------------------------
-
-
- Date: Tue, 30 May 89 23:06:43 CDT
- From: TELECOM Moderator <telecom@eecs.nwu.edu>
- Subject: Area Code 710
-
- According to Harry Newton, in the June, 1989 issue of [Teleconnect Magazine],
- 'area code' 710 is now assigned to Government Services.
-
- Would anyone care to comment, elaborate or refute his claim? By Government
- Services, does he mean an 'area code' under which all FTS and/or Autovon
- lines are handled for billing purposes, etc?
-
- Inquiring Moderator wants to know.
-
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- Date: Wed, 31 May 89 16:49:46 PDT
- From: John Gilmore <gnu@toad.com>
- Subject: Re: New Enhancements From the BOC's
-
- > *57 Call Trace $1.00/use
- > *60 Call Block $.50/day or $5/month
- > *61 Distinctive ring (up to 6 #'s) $.50/day or $2.75/month
- > *63 Selective Call Forwarding (up to 6 #'s) $.50/day or $3.50/month
- > *66 Auto Redial $.25/use or $1.75/month
- > *69 Return Call $.25/use or $2.50/month
-
- Gee, I knew the price of DRAM was high, but 50c/day for a few bytes?
-
- Of course, the service that provides the calling number to customer
- equipment will cost even more than this. People would figure out that
- rather than paying $5 or $10/month, they could buy a smart answering
- machine that would do all this for them, and start saving money within
- a year. So do-it-yourself will be even more expensive than
- "rent my DRAM...please".
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- Date: Wed, 31 May 89 16:55:52 PDT
- From: John Gilmore <gnu@toad.com>
- Subject: HR 1504 (Beeper Abuse Prevention Act)
-
- The bogonz in congress assembled are at it again. Three years in jail
- for selling a pager to a minor? If you didn't believe when Abbie Hoffman
- said that the drug hysteria was just an excuse for more control of the
- citizens, think again.
-
- "Pagers don't commit crimes, Congressmen do."
-
- From: rgt@beta.lanl.gov (Richard Thomsen)
- Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns
- Subject: The future is now - future bans are being considered
- Keywords: drugs, beepers, bans
- Message-ID: <25244@beta.lanl.gov>
- Date: 30 May 89 19:16:49 GMT
-
- There were some articles guessing what would be banned next, after guns
- were banned and did not have an effect on the war on drugs.
-
- I was given a copy of _USA_ _Today_, and saw a "face-off" on the issues.
- According to this article, Representative Kweisi Mfume (D-Md) says the
- following (reprinted without permission, spelling errors are probably mine):
-
- The drug business is using the latest technology to promote
- its deadly trade. One such advance, the paging device, or
- beeper, is now appearing in classrooms and schoolyards. I
- have introduced the Beeper Abuse Prevention Act to curtail
- the use of beepers by young people who deal drugs. It would
- require the Federal Communications Commission to prescribe
- regulations that would restrict the possession and use of
- paging devices by persons under age 21.
-
- Law officers say dealers and suppliers send coded messages
- via beeper to youths in school. The codes translate into
- messages like "meet me at our regular place after class to
- pick up the drugs." Drug traffickers are even using 800
- numbers now available with regional paging services. A
- supplier could actually conduct a transaction in Baltimore
- from Miami, for example.
-
- My bill, H.R. 1504, would require any person selling or renting
- paging devices to verify the identification and age of every
- customer; encourage parents and businesses to take more
- responsibility in their children's or employees' activities;
- make it unlawful for a person to knowingly nad willfully rent,
- sell or use paging devices in violation of rules prescrived by
- the FCC (there are provisions for stiff fines and up to three-
- year prison terms for adults who illegally provide beepers to
- youths); and require parents or businesses who allow the use of
- beepers to state that intention with and affidavit at the time
- of purchase.
-
- He goes on to say that he recognizes that there are legitimate uses of
- beepers, but we can no longer stand by and watch drugs flow into our
- neighborhoods. The opposite side is taken by Lynn Scarlett, from Santa
- Monica, CA. She asks what beepers have to do with the drug trade, and
- regulating their use will not put a dent it it. She also says that there
- is little evidence that gun control keeps guns out of the hands of
- gangsters, and it will take a good dose of wizardry to keep beepers away
- from bad guys. She finishes with:
-
- The logic of the Beeper Abuse Prevention Act opens the door for
- laws to make us sign promises that we won't, we swear, use these
- things for illicit acts when we buy them. De Tocqueville, that
- eminent observer of our nation, waned that our loss of freedom
- would sneak in through passage of quiet, seemingly innocuous
- and well-intended laws -- laws like H.R. 1504.
-
- So all of you who were guessing the next thing to be banned did not
- guess the real truth. I saw no guesses that it would be beepers.
-
- Before you ask, I cut the article out of the newspaper, and did not cut
- out the part that shows the date of the paper. But it was last week,
- which means from 22 to 26 May. It was probably the Wednesday or Thursday
- (21 or 22 May) issue, on the opinion page at the bottom.
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- Date: Wed, 31 May 89 16:41:14 EDT
- From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@brl.mil>
- Subject: Statewide Uniformity
-
- Recent messages in telecom say that area code 404 in Georgia is apparently
- preparing for N0X/N1X prefixes. Does this affect area 912? (912, by the
- way, is an "easier-to-dial" area code on a dial telephone.)
-
- Other cases where a state has 2 area codes, one of which got N0X/N1X prefixes:
-
- New Jersey, areas 201 and 609; 201 got N0X/N1X, and the new dialing require-
- ments also applied to area 609 for statewide uniformity (and later, two N0X/
- N1X prefixes were made local to Barnegat, in area 609).
-
- Virginia, areas 703 and 804; 703 got N0X/N1X, apparently limited to the DC
- area suburbs (all but the outermost ones also being reachable in area 202).
- 804 did NOT get the new dialing requirements (however, DC and Maryland did,
- so that 703, 202, and 301 all now dial long-distance and 0+ calls the same
- way).
-
- (Did 817 get the same dialing requirements as 214 did when the latter got
- N0X/N1X?)
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- Date: Thu, 1 Jun 89 11:10:37 PDT
- From: HECTOR MYERSTON <MYERSTON@kl.sri.com>
- Subject: USADirect Clone
-
- Saw an ad in a [military] newspaper for a USADirect clone.
- It sounds like an AOS-like overseas operator.
-
- THE AD [abridged but without comments]:
-
- To call the States from Overseas and to charge the call to a
- Credit Card or Phone Company Calling Card
- or to Call Collect
- or to call Person-to-Person
- or to an 800 number
- or to directory assistance..In English..In the USA ...and in
- Dollars
- Just dial any Toll Free number below:
- (list on number in most of Europe, Australia and parts of the
- Far East)
-
- THE SMALL PRINT:
- Charge calls = $4.80 plus $1.35 (UK) per minute or part
- $1.55 (Europe) "
- $1.95 (Asia) "
- $3 surcharge for person-to-person
- 800 calls are NOT toll-free and cannot be charged to Telco cards
- In several European countries there is a local charge for the
- "Toll-free" access number
-
- The company is not named other than "A service of Credit Card Calling
- Systems Inc, Suite 2411 67 Wall St, NY, NY, 10005"
-
- MY OPINION: It is a true test of your confidence in mankind to be
- travelling overseas and give someone in "suite" in New York City
- your credit card number over the phone. %-)
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: William Mihalo <mihalo@chinet.chi.il.us>
- Subject: Re: Atlanta Company Offers Residential 800 service
- Date: 1 Jun 89 21:35:44 GMT
- Reply-To: William Mihalo <mihalo@chinet.chi.il.us>
- Organization: Chinet - Public Access Unix
-
-
- The number to call for Telecom USA is 1 800-476-9000
-
- They have a $10 installation fee and a $2.75 monthly fee. The rates
- that were quoted over the phone were $0.29/minute 8 AM to 5 PM and
- $0.21/minute all other times.
-
- BTW, when I called Telecom USA I could barely hear the person at the
- other end. It was a very poor connection. I don't know if they are using
- their own 800 numbers for business purposes. I just thought I'd mention
- this.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: John Higdon <decvax!decwrl!apple!zygot!john@ucbvax.berkeley.edu>
- Subject: Re: Atlanta Company Offers Residential 800 service
- Date: 2 Jun 89 03:59:16 GMT
- Organization: ATI Wares Team
-
-
- In article <telecom-v09i0180m03@vector.dallas.tx.us>, CER2520%ritvax.bitnet@
- eecs.nwu.edu (C. E. Reid) writes:
- > [Information about Atlantic Bell offering residential 800 service]
- > Much like the toll-free services commonly used by businesses, the
- > Personal Hotline accepts incoming calls only, at no charge to the caller. To
- > call a residential 800 line, callers dial 1-800 plus the regular seven digits
- > of the number.
-
- So I have had a statewide 800 number in my home for my personal use for
- years. It's tied in with my Commstar II (residential centrex) so that I
- can answer it from any line in my home. My question is this: What makes
- residential 800 service different from business 800 service? My
- "business" 800 service couldn't be much cheaper, and I had no trouble
- at all associating it with my residential service.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Subject: Area code data for Autovon number
- From: CIS@s41.prime.com
- Date: 01 Jun 89 11:07:30 EDT
-
- /* Written 2:20 am May 27, 1989 by telecom-gateway@vector.UUCP in S41:comp.dco
- m.telecom */
- /* ---------- ""area code" data for Autovon number" ---------- */
- >I'd like to mash a copy of the area code program to return locations
- >for Autovon prefixes (and vice-versa). Does anyone have an online
- >copy of Autovon prefixes+locations I could grab for this purpose?
-
- >--Frank
- /* End of text from S41:comp.dcom.telecom */
-
- I'd like to point out here to anyone who might be listening in on this is that
- what Frank wants to do is Not Especially Legal, at least according to what I
- know about DSN (Defense Switched Network).
-
- DSN is FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY. So are its phone books. That means that the
- information contained therein is for use only by DoD employees (civilian
- and military) and contractors, and for business only. That we give out DSN
- phone numbers in clear text over the phone is not relevant here. Please,
- Frank, cease and desist. For anyone to want that information is a bit
- suspect, and sets of a flag with <insert favorite agency here>.
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Chuck Stern "Keep your feet on the ground, keep reaching for
- Prime Computer, Inc. the sky, pray for rain, keep the humor dry and
- 500 Old Connecticut Path keep eating those Powdermilk Biscuits"
- Framingham, MA 01701
- cis@s41.Prime.COM
-
- /* I do not claim to even KNOW who speaks for Prime, much less claiming that
- I do so myself. */
-
- [Moderator's Note: As a point of clarification, the original message to
- which Mr. Stern is replying was NOT in this Digest. The notations with the
- message would indicate it appeared in (or was written to) one of the various
- local telecom bulletin boards receiving the Digest for redistribution. PT]
- ------------------------------
-
- From: "thomas.j.roberts" <tjr@cbnewsc.att.com>
- Subject: Re: Area Code 710
- Date: 1 Jun 89 19:14:55 GMT
- Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
-
-
- From article <telecom-v09i0180m07@vector.dallas.tx.us>, by telecom@eecs.nwu.
- edu (TELECOM Moderator):
- > According to Harry Newton, in the June, 1989 issue of [Teleconnect Magazine],
- > 'area code' 710 is now assigned to Government Services.
- >
- Area Code 710 is used for "Special" government services, NOT FTS, FTS-2000,
- or AUTOVON. It is wierd.
-
- Tom Roberts
- att!ihnet!tjr
-
- [Moderator's Note: So, can you please explain what are 'Special' government
- services? What would happen if I dialed one of those numbers? How are they
- accessed from government phones? Details, please....spare no details!
- Anybody?? PT]
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- From: Daniel Senie <dts@cloud9.stratus.com>
- Subject: 4-Party Lines vs. ESS
- Date: 1 Jun 89 14:35:47 GMT
- Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc., Marlboro, MA
-
-
- My dad has a summer cottage in western Mass. which currently is on a 4-party
- line. I have been looking in to the pricing alternatives for him for switching
- to single party service, since a Rabbi and his wife are also on the same line
- and talk for 3 or 4 hours at a time. NET charges about $3.50 per month for the
- service, which we can't complain about... My dad is willing to pay the
- extra $4.26 per month for private service, but does not want to pay $32 for
- the privilege of conversion.
-
- One interesting thing came up in the conversation I had with NET. The CO is
- supposed to become an ESS (probably a satellite off a 5ESS) in 1992. During
- the year prior to the conversion, the 4 party lines are eliminated by
- offerring 2-party lines, single party timed, or single party unlimited
- service. It seems there is no way to support 4-party service on an ESS. I
- was surprised that a 2-party service would work. (With party lines it is
- required by law that you be able to hear the other party talking when you
- pick up the phone -- so that you can tell them to get off in an emergency).
- During the conversion period, NET will do the conversion free.
-
- I'm somewhat surprised that they don't just do it for free now if desired.
- The party line service is responsible for at least 5 service calls a year of
- the variety where they need to come out on a Sunday (all summer cottages).
- The best service call was to CUT the line to one of the other houses when
- they plugged in an answering machine... All long distance calls are operator
- assisted, since it is not possible to determine which house is originating
- calls.
-
- Thought people on the net would be amused by the archaic equipment we deal
- with in the little forgotten towns...
-
- --
- Daniel Senie UUCP: harvard!ulowell!cloud9!dts
- Stratus Computer, Inc. ARPA: anvil!cloud9!dts@harvard.harvard.edu
- 55 Fairbanks Blvd. CSRV: 74176,1347
- Marlboro, MA 01752 TEL.: 508 - 460 - 2686
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- From: "John R. Covert" <covert%covert.DEC@decwrl.dec.com>
- Date: 2 Jun 89 08:51
- Subject: RE: Cellular Rates
-
- Steve Elias (eli@chipcom.chipcom.com) asks:
-
- >could any cellular phone users out there tell me how expensive it is
- >to use a cellular phone? what are the different minimum rates, charges
- >per call, local calling areas??
-
- This is a complicated question -- there are over four hundred different sets
- of rates depending on location, and they vary drastically, from incredibly
- low rates such as Washington, D.C., with a $10/month off-peak rate INCLUDING
- 100 minutes of off-peak usage to very high rates such as in L.A. with $45/month
- and no minutes included.
-
- Since you're in Boston, you would probably take service from NYNEX Mobile or
- Cellular One (Southwestern Bell).
-
- NYNEX rates are: (monthly - peak minutes - off-peak minutes)
- A: $19 .45 .30
- B: $45 .35 .30
- C: $ 5 .65 .65
- D: $9.95 .60 .25 (best plan for non-business users)
- E: $44 .45 .30 includes 60 minutes peak
-
- On outgoing calls, in addition to air time, you pay the same rates a business
- telephone user would pay. For local calls, this means that you pay for a local
- call from one of: Boston, Providence (RI), Worcester, New Bedford, Framingham,
- Brockton, Lynn, Lowell, or Lawrence regardless of where you are in the three
- state area (Eastern Mass, Rhode Island, Coastal New Hampshire). Local calls
- are charged in message units of .111 cents each, and for calls to places local
- to multi-message unit towns, such as Burlington (charged from Boston) you'll
- pay .333 cents for the first three minutes and .111 each additional minute
- (same as from a Boston phone). For non-local, intra-LATA calls, you'll pay
- the toll charge from the closest points. Since I have a Boston number, I don't
- know whether all inter-LATA toll is charged from Boston or if it is charged
- from the zone office (one of the nine above) which corresponds to your mobile
- number.
-
- When you're roaming in the Nashua/Manchester (Contel) system, the Biddeford, ME
- (Star Cellular) system, or the Portland, ME (Maine Cellular) systems, you'll
- pay .45/minute regardless of time of day. Note that you are _not_ roaming in
- Southern Massachusetts if you're a NYNEX customer; it is one continuous system.
-
- NYNEX has nationwide roaming agreements with mostly B but many A carriers,
- allowing you to choose the lowest rate and best service in many other cities.
- In particular, in New England and the Northeast, you are less likely to be hit
- with daily usage fees when roaming if you're a NYNEX customer. You'll also
- have roaming agreements with companies in Los Angeles, which
- Cellular One does not currently have.
-
- Cellular One rates are:
- $19 .44 .29
- $44 .43 .28 w/ 60
- $59 .42 .27 w/ 100 after 300 mins .35 .27
-
- The points of interconnection for Cellular One are:
- Lynn, Lawrence, Waltham, Framingham, Worcester, Quincy, and Brockton
-
- When roaming on the A carriers in Nashua/Manchester, Biddeford, ME, Portland,
- ME, New Bedford, MA, and Providence, RI, you pay .44 and .29.
-
- When roaming outside this area, you will have roaming agreements with mostly
- A and some B carriers. You will be more likely to encounter daily fees,
- especially in the Northeast.
-
- Please realize that charging algorithms vary drastically from company to
- company and from city to city. For example, Contel in Nashua/Manchester does
- not charge a local call or toll call charge for anywhere in either their system
- or in the NYNEX system, even when roaming (or so I'm told by their customer
- service department). U.S. West in the Seattle area charges you for outgoing
- calls based on where you are and where you're calling within the area. Rates
- are changing faster than anyone can keep up with them (mostly going upward as
- fast as the market will bear).
-
- /john
-
- ------------------------------
- Date: Mon, 5 Jun 89 13:54:42 CDT
- From: Will Martin <wmartin@st-louis-emh2.army.mil>
- Subject: Cellular phones in Beijing?
-
- A telecom-related point came up in the news coverage of the recent troubles in
- Beijing over this past weekend. When describing and playing back the tape of
- the incident where the troops took the CBS correspondents into custody during
- the clearing of the square, Dan Rather referred to the audio feed as
- coming from "a cellular telephone" on at least two separate newscasts.
-
- This sort of surprised me. Does Beijing have cellular telephone service?
- I would have expected them to have some form of mobile telephones, but
- maybe only for official government use, not available to foreign
- correspondents or even ordinary citizens. I certainly may be wrong in
- that supposition, though. Having cellular phone service readily
- available just doesn't seem to me to be that likely. Also, that it was
- still working during that period is surprising; I would have thought the
- telephone service would have been shut down by the Army.
-
- Just how worldwide IS cellular telephone service implemented? I didn't
- think it even was available all over Europe yet. Where in the Third
- World can one use a cellular phone, and are all the systems
- interchangeable and compatible?
-
- Or would what the CBS correspondents had been using have been some
- system that they took with them and installed themselves to support
- their newsgathering activities? I recall seeing a military-oriented
- portable cellular system advertised in one of the magazines, maybe
- Defense Electronics. Are such things available for private purchase?
- (I would think the red tape and paperwork involved in getting official
- approval for bringing such a system into a foreign country, especially
- a Communist country, would be monumental and prohibitive.)
-
- Maybe all this technology has run on far faster than I realized, and it
- is not unusual to have a cellular phone in Nairobi or Quito. Any
- comments on this situation?
-
- Regards, Will Martin
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: John Higdon <decvax!decwrl!apple!zygot!john@ucbvax.berkeley.edu>
- Subject: new area code
- Date: 6 Jun 89 01:56:01 GMT
- Organization: ATI Wares Team
-
-
- Heard it on the Channel 7 news: the new area code for the east bay
- (east side of 415) will be 510. Must be true. Puts to bed all those
- speculations about it being 9XN something or other.
- --
- John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395
- john@zygot.uucp | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: Brendan Kehoe <brendan@jolnet.orpk.il.us>
- Subject: Maine fiber optics plan approved
- Date: 3 Jun 89 00:54:47 GMT
- Reply-To: brendan@jolnet.orpk.il.us
- Organization: Jolnet Public Access Unix
-
-
- This is from the Kennebec Journal, the newspaper that serves the Augusta, ME
- area..
-
- AUGUSTA(AP) -- A state plan to permit telecommunications companies to lay
- fiber optic cable within interstate highway rights-of-way has been approved
- by the Federal Highway Administration, Gov. John R. McKernan's office
- announced Thursday.
- Maine is the first state to obtain the federal approval, the governor's
- office said.
- Officials said the plan is designed to ensure motorist safety while promoting
- the modernization of the state's telecommunications network.
- McKernan, in a prepared statement, said that "in today's economy, the ability
- to 'move' information is becoming as important as the ability to transport
- commodities. It is appropriate that our highways of the future should lay
- alongside our highways of the present."
-
- --
- Brendan Kehoe
- brendan@cup.portal.com | GEnie: B.KEHOE | Oh no! I forgot to say goodbye
- brendan@chinet.chi.il.us | CI$: 71750,2501 | to my mind!
- brendan@jolnet.orpk.il.us | Galaxy: Brendan | - Abby Normal
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- From: John Higdon <decvax!decwrl!apple!zygot!john@ucbvax.berkeley.edu>
- Subject: Saturday business with the Business Office
- Date: 3 Jun 89 18:52:20 GMT
- Organization: ATI Wares Team
-
-
- Last Thursday I placed a residential order with Pac*Bell and was given
- a Monday due date (my tenth line). She said if I had any questions to
- give her a call *even on Saturday*. So today I tried it out. The
- business office is really open!
-
- Do you suppose they are following the banks' example? Imagine, the
- phone company open on Saturday! Never thought I'd see it.
- --
- John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395
- john@zygot.uucp | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !
-
- [Moderator's Note: Illinois Bell Business Offices have been open on Saturday
- for about a year now. Of course, there is but one walk-in business office
- these days, at the downtown HQ building. But the telephone reps are available
- on Saturday. And AT&T reps are available 24 hours per day, as are Sprint
- and MCI reps. PT]
- ------------------------------
-
-
- Date: Sun Jun 4 10:16:22 1989
- From: "Randal L. Schwartz" <merlyn@agora.hf.intel.com>
- Subject: Re: Cellular Phone & E911
- Organization: Organization? You've got to be kidding!
-
- In article <telecom-v09i0182m05@vector.dallas.tx.us> westmark!dave@rutgers.edu
- (Dave Levenson) writes:
-
- | The mobile number is probably less useful than the approximate
- | current location of a mobile telephone. If I see an emergency
- | situation while driving, I'd like to be able to report it to the
- | local authorities, not the PSAP who handles the home address
- | associated with the mobile number (which may be hudreds of miles
- | away!)
-
- I differ. I have called 911 roughly once a week since I received my
- cell phone. I have learned that all calls go to the Portland 911
- office, no matter where I am, so it is a simple matter to ask for the
- appropriate agency (State Police, XXXX County Sheriff, etc.). If the
- Portland 911 office doesn't handle dispatch for that agency, they just
- push a button.
-
- Now, they've always asked for my phone number, so I presume my number
- is not showing on their boards. (I know they can get the phone number
- of a call from a landline phone, because they call people back, and the
- local 911 operators did some stupid things with that info...). Just
- two days ago, I called to report a deer on the road (yes, this is Rural
- America :-), and gave them a bad vector. The 911 operator called me
- back to resolve the inconsistant information. But, suppose it had been
- an emergency, and I didn't have time to give them the number, and then
- got one of the infamous "cutoffs" that happen only when you don't want
- them to. Yeah, I'd much rather have them have the cell phone number
- than the cell antenna number.
-
- -- Randal L. Schwartz, Stonehenge Consulting Services (503)777-0095
- quality software, documentation, and training at affordable rates
- <merlyn@agora.hf.intel.com> ...!uunet!agora.hf.intel.com!merlyn
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Sun Jun 4 11:40:41 1989
- From: Lang Zerner <langz@asylum.sf.ca.us>
- Subject: Re: NPA-NXX databases
- Reply-To: langz@asylum.UUCP (Lang Zerner)
- Organization: The Asylum; Belmont, CA
-
- There is a New Jersey, USA number (probably at Bell Labs) which reads area
- codes from your touchtone pads, then uses a DECtalk speech synthesizer to speak
- the name of the city as it appears in their database. This seems to be the
- database that AT&T uses in itemizing its long-distance calling charges.
-
- The reader is pretty smart, but has problems in cases where vowels are removed
- from the city name because it would otherwise be too long. Then it just reads
- the letters in the name. Also, it tries to read out as words the two-letter
- postal codes for state names. So you get interesting results with something
- like SNCRLS-BLMNT, CA (which is close to the text representation of San
- Carlos/Belmont NPA-NXXs). Still, the system is fast and correct.
-
- I don't have the number handy, but I will be happy to look it up for you if you
- *MAIL* a request (remember to try the addresses below if you get a bounce, or
- call me at 415/327-9232).
-
- --
- Be seeing you...
- --Lang Zerner
- ARPA:langz@athena.mit.edu MX:langz@asylum.sf.ca.us UUCP:bionet!asylum!langz
- "...and every morning we had to go and LICK the road clean with our TONGUES!"
-
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- Date: 2 Jun 89 08:17:34 PDT (Friday)
- Subject: The High Cost of Telco Features
- From: Michael_Krause.henr801E@xerox.com
-
- I'm getting nauseous hearing about all of these phone services being talked
- about on this dl. You people toss references to the services around like
- they're free or something. (Sarcasm mode has been on since the begining of
- this msg, no hook-up charge involved). In Wayne County, NY New York Tel
- will let us, those of us who already pay over $35 just for the grand
- pleasure of using the noisey, intermittant pulse only services of a private
- line, will let us pay an additional $2.21 per month to be able to dial our
- phones with TONES!! And if we sign up for these services before July 21 we
- won't be charged the $9.20 hook-up charge!! We can also enjoy the
- furturistic features of call waiting, call blocking, speed dialing (max of
- 8 numbers) and who knows what all else as a package deal. Buy now to avoid
- the $15.50 hook-up charge and you can then begin to pay $13+ per month.
- Sorry, you missed the deadline, Sarcasm Mode turned off.
- Is NYT for real, do real people in the rest of the world get charged rates
- like this? It's not like NYT has to get out of their chair or anything to
- enable these services, is it? I thought it was bad when I paid a base rate
- of just over $30 to get a lousy connection that might let me carry on a
- short 300 bps modem conversation to my office just 30 miles away, long
- distance at that. Do I really want to pay almost $50 per month to utilize
- the telephonic state of the art?
-
- Mike Krause
- Xerox Corporation
-
- The remarks above are my own and do not reflect the opinions of any other
- irrational human being.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: "K.BLATTER" <klb@lzaz.att.com>
- Subject: Re: Atlanta Company Offers Residential 800 service
- Date: 2 Jun 89 19:13:26 GMT
- Organization: AT&T ISL Lincroft NJ USA
-
-
- In article <telecom-v09i0184m08@vector.dallas.tx.us>, mihalo@chinet.chi.il.us
- (William Mihalo) writes:
- > The number to call for Telecom USA is 1 800-476-9000
-
- > BTW, when I called Telecom USA I could barely hear the person at the
- > other end. It was a very poor connection. I don't know if they are using
- > their own 800 numbers for business purposes.
-
- According to the TELECOM Digest Guide to North American Area Codes dated
- Jan 19, 1989 800-476 is "owned" (if that's the proper term) by Teleconnect.
-
- Kevin L. Blatter
- AT&T - Bell Labs
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
- From: carlson@gateway.mitre.org (Bruce Carlson)
- Subject: Re: Area code data for Autovon number
- Date: 2 Jun 89 19:33:55 GMT
- Reply-To: carlson@gateway.mitre.org (Bruce Carlson)
- Organization: The Mitre Corporation
-
- >X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 184, message 10 of 11
-
- >/* Written 2:20 am May 27, 1989 by telecom-gateway@vector.UUCP in S41:
- comp.dcom.telecom */
- >/* ---------- ""area code" data for Autovon number" ---------- */
- >>I'd like to mash a copy of the area code program to return locations
- >>for Autovon prefixes (and vice-versa). Does anyone have an online
- >>copy of Autovon prefixes+locations I could grab for this purpose?
-
- >>--Frank
- >/* End of text from S41:comp.dcom.telecom */
-
- I have a copy of the Department of Defense Telepone Directory for the
- National Capital Region [Washington, DC for the nonmilitary types].
- This directory provides the numbers for all DoD offices in Washington, DC
- and also includes the AUTOVON prefixes and information numbers for almost
- all DoD installations. There is a statement on page one
- that says this directory is "For sale by the Superintendent of
- Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402".
-
- If they will sell you a copy I assume it is legal to do so and it should
- solve your problem with determining location of AUTOVON numbers.
-
- Bruce Carlson
- MITRE Corp
-
- Disclaimer: My comments do not necessarily reflect the views of MITRE
- Corp or any government agency MITRE supports.
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 2-JUN-1989 19:22:05.26
- From: "DOUGLAS SCOTT REUBEN)" <DREUBEN@eagle.wesleyan.edu>
- Subject: re: Call-Waiting
-
- Not to spoil that amusing article a few Telecoms back about the
- loud "clicks" you hear on old ESS Call-Waiting, but...
-
- I've noticed that on newer exchanges, mainly DMS-100 (-200?) and 5ESS
- niether party hears a click.
-
- The called party hears only a beep, while the person talking to the
- called party hears nothing. Only if the person who gets the Call
- Wait is talking or if there is a lot of noise in the background
- will you hear a small gap of silence while he receives the Call-Wait
- tone.
-
- This is pretty nice, but it also means that you can't tell if the
- person who is Call-Waiting you has hung up or not (ie, you don't
- answer the Call-Wait.) On the an older ESS, you would hear a final
- "click" after the person calling you would hang up. On a DMS (and
- I presume 5ESS, although I never tried it), you only hear the
- two Call-Wait tones, and that's it. The person Call-Waiting you
- could stay on the line and keep ringing for hours, and as long
- as you were still talking, you'd never know, and may miss
- other Call-Waits. (Silly, but it can happen...)
-
- (DMS's do other weird things, like not let you make a 3-way call
- until you connect to your other party, even if it's long distance.
- Most older ESS's only do this locally (or only to 'tandem' exchanges?)
- so if you call someone in Toronto (assuming you don't live there) and
- he is busy, you can 3-way that call with someone else. (Again, silly,
- but you may want to for some reason...) On a DMS, it *knows* you
- didn't complete the call, and won't give you the three-way tone,
- and will just drop the Toronto/busy call and give you a dial
- tone. I guess it all depends on how much info the switch is given...
- If has a way to test for call completion, I guess it uses that
- info when processing 3-way calls... )
-
- Anyhow, have fun with Call-Waiting!
-
- -Doug
-
- dreuben@eagle.wesleyan.edu
- dreuben%eagle.weslyn@wesleyan.bitnet
- (and just plain old "dreuben" to locals! :-) )
- (I hear the local count reading these is up to 3!!! wow!)
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Subject: The Term "Touchtone" -- No Longer Protected?
- Date: Fri, 2 Jun 89 17:48:32 EDT
- From: "Dr. T. Andrews" <tanner@ki4pv.uucp>
-
- At one time, the term "touchtone" (wiht possible capitalization) was
- protected as a trademark by The Phone Co. Has TPC given up the
- rights to the name? I have close at hand an advert from a candy
- seller offering cheap "touchtone" phones markedlN`-9 name of the
- candy.
-
- There is no trademark ACK in the fine print, either. If the term is
- no longer protected, then I should be interested to know. No one
- knows what I mean when I say "DTMF".
-
- Repies via e-mail; I'll post a summary unless there is a moderator
- note with this message indicating that I shall e-mail results to
- interested parties. Thanks.
-
- Dr. T. Andrews, Systems
- CompuData, Inc. DeLand
- --
- ...!bikini.cis.ufl.edu!ki4pv!tanner ...!bpa!cdin-1!cdis-1!ki4pv!tanner
- or... {allegra killer gatech!uflorida decvax!ucf-cs}!ki4pv!tanner
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- From: "John R. Covert" <covert%covert.DEC@decwrl.dec.com>
- Date: 6 Jun 89 19:10
- Subject: Cellular around the world
-
- >Does Beijing have cellular telephone service?
-
- Most certainly. And not just available to the government -- it really is there
- for the use of the foreign business community. Beijing was really trying very
- hard to be a modern city. I agree that it is amazing that the phone service
- was not shut off, but it's equally amazing that essentially all international
- long distance service is still working normally.
-
- >Just how worldwide IS cellular telephone service implemented? I didn't
- >think it even was available all over Europe yet.
-
- We Americans tend to think we've got the best of everything, but we're often
- wrong. Cellular phones are much more common in some European countries (Sweden
- in particular) than here. And in many cases the systems are much more fully
- developed and quite sophisticated. The NMT-900 system operating in the Nordic
- countries works automatically in all four countries. Even for incoming calls,
- with no nonsense with "roamer ports." Germany's C-Netz (which I used during a
- recent trip) operates almost all over the country, even in some fairly rural
- areas. No matter where I was in Germany, I could be called from all over the
- world on the same number. Incoming calls were at no cost to me. The system
- in the U.K., which uses the same hardware as the U.S. system, but different
- software in the phones, is likewise a nationwide integrated system.
-
- In the 1990s, Europe is supposed to introduce a new pan-Europe system which
- will work no matter where you are in Europe. Cellular users in the U.S. can
- hope that our regulators will get their heads out of the sand and allow our
- systems to connect together by then. (We just got Follow-Me-Roaming here in
- Boston, and I refuse to use it, because NYNEX Mobile has decided to charge
- local airtime in addition to the long distance call and roamer airtime.
- Fortunately, I have a computer at home that can transfer callers to the roamer
- port.)
-
- The following table lists countries with cellular systems. The protocol used
- in the U.S. is "AMPS." Theoretically, a U.S. cellular user would be able to
- use his phone in any of those countries. In fact, local regulations often do
- not permit you to even bring your own phone into many countries.
-
- I do know that American visitors can sign up to use their own phones in the
- following countries: Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong,
- Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Zaire.
-
- American Samoa AMPS American Samoa Government (PTT)
- Argentina AMPS Companie de Radio Commun. Mobiles (CRM)
- Australia AMPS Telecom Australia (PTT)
- Austria NMT-450 PTV
- Bahamas AMPS Bahamas Telecomms Corp.
- Belgium NMT-450 PTT
- Bermuda AMPS Bermuda Telephone Co., Ltd.
- Brazil AMPS
- British Virgin Islands AMPS CCT Boatphone
- Canada AMPS Cantel (A) or Local Telco (B)
- Cayman Islands AMPS Cable & Wireless
- China (PRC) TACS/NMT PTT
- Denmark NMT-450/900 PTT
- Dominican Republic AMPS Codetel
- Finland NMT-450/900 PTT
- France Radiocom 2000 PTT
- NMT-450
- Hong Kong AMPS & TACS Hutchison Radio
- TACS Hong Kong Telephone
- AMPS-type Chinatel
- Iceland NMT-450 PTT
- Indonesia NMT PTT
- Ireland TACS-900 PTT
- Israel AMPS Motorola Tadiran
- Italy RTMS SIP
- Jamaica AMPS JTC
- Japan NAMTS NTT & others
- Kenya AMPS Kenya PTC
- Kuwait NAMTS PTT
- Luxembourg NMT-450 PTT
- Malaysia NMT-450 JTM
- Mexico AMPS DGT
- Netherlands NMT-450 PTT
- Netherlands Antilles AMPS East Carribean Cellular, N.V.
- New Zealand AMPS PTT
- Norway NMT-450/900 PTT
- Oman NMT PTT
- Panama AMPS
- Philippines AMPS 1) PLDT 2) Express
- St. Kitts & Nevis AMPS CCT Boatphone
- Saudi Arabia NMT PTT
- Singapore AMPS The Telecommunications Authority
- South Korea AMPS Korea Telecomms Authority
- Spain NMT-450 La Co. Telefonica Nacional de Espana
- Sweden NMT-450/900 PTT
- Switzerland NMT-900 PTT
- Taiwan AMPS
- Thailand AMPS CATS
- NMT-450 TOT
- Tunisia NMT-450 PTT
- Turkey NMT-450 PTT
- United Arab Emirates TACS PTT
- United Kingdom TACS-900 1) Cellnet 2) Vodaphone
- Venezuela AMPS CANTV
- West Germany C-Netz PTT
- Zaire AMPS Telecel
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Subject: Access Code for Mercury (UK)
- Reply-To: K.Hopkins%computer-science.nottingham.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk
- Date: Mon, 05 Jun 89 15:30:04 +0100
- From: Kevin Hopkins <pkh%computer-science.nottingham.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk>
-
-
- In the UK the only company allowed to provide an alternative telephone
- service to British Telecom (BT) is Mercury (part of Cable & Wireless).
- Access to Mercury is gained over the ordinary BT exchange line by pressing
- the Mercury button before dialling a phone number. This Mercury button is
- really just a memory button which zaps an access code down the line,
- causing the switch from the BT system to Mercury system, and follows this
- with the subscribers authorisation code. Could someone please tell me what
- form the *ACCESS* code to Mercury is? Is it of the form of an area code
- 0NXX or of a special operator-like code 1XX? It's just one of those things
- that have been bugging me recently.
-
- +--------------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
- | K.Hopkins%cs.nott.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk | Kevin Hopkins, |
- | or ..!mcvax!ukc!nott-cs!K.Hopkins | Department of Computer Science,|
- | or in the UK: K.Hopkins@uk.ac.nott.cs | University of Nottingham, |
- | CHAT-LINE: +44 602 484848 x 3815 | Nottingham, ENGLAND, NG7 2RD |
- +--------------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
-
- [Moderator's Note: Any problem with simply asking Mercury, if you wish
- to sign up for the service or use it occassionally? PT]
- ------------------------------
-
- From: Brian Jay Gould <gould@pilot.njin.net>
- Subject: Re: Atlanta Company Offers Residential 800 service
- Date: 6 Jun 89 13:48:57 GMT
- Organization: NJ InterCampus Network, New Brunswick, N.J.
-
-
- In article <telecom-v09i0186m07@vector.dallas.tx.us>, klb@lzaz.att.com (K.
- BLATTER) writes:
- > In article <telecom-v09i0184m08@vector.dallas.tx.us>, mihalo@chinet.chi.il.us
- > (William Mihalo) writes:
- > > The number to call for Telecom USA is 1 800-476-9000
- >
- > > BTW, when I called Telecom USA I could barely hear the person at the
- > > other end. It was a very poor connection. I don't know if they are using
- > > their own 800 numbers for business purposes.
- >
- > According to the TELECOM Digest Guide to North American Area Codes dated
- > Jan 19, 1989 800-476 is "owned" (if that's the proper term) by Teleconnect.
- >
- > Kevin L. Blatter
- > AT&T - Bell Labs
-
- Yes Kevin, Telecom*USA is the parent company to Teleconnect (as well as a half
- dozen or more other carriers. In fact, I believe that Telecom*USA is the
- fourth largest long distance carrier in the country. If your guide is more
- than three weeks old, it is out of date.
-
- As for the problems with the 800 number, I called and had no problem.
- --
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - Brian Jay Gould :: INTERNET gould@pilot.njin.net -
- - UUCP rutgers!njin!gould Telephone (201) 329-9616 -
- - BITNET gould@jvncc Facsimile (201) 329-9616 -
- - Vice President, Systems Integration --- Network Design Corporation -
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- Date: Tue, 6 Jun 89 22:26:10 -0800
- From: "Michael C. Berch" <mcb@ncis.tis.llnl.gov>
- Subject: Details on new area code 510
-
- The press release from Pacific Bell, quoted in the San Francisco
- Chronicle, gives the phase-in dates for the new NPA 510. (By the way,
- is this the first "real" [i.e., geographical] N10 NPA?)
-
- Inception is scheduled for 7 October 1991, with a four-month grace
- period when NPA 415 will still work for the affected numbers. Final
- cutover is scheduled for 27 January 1992.
-
- NPA 510 will encompass Alameda and Contra Costa counties, which
- currently have 842,388 customers.
- --
- Michael C. Berch
- mcb@tis.llnl.gov / uunet!tis.llnl.gov!mcb
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: 6 Jun 89 16:41:43 GMT
- From: Lars Poulsen <lars@salt.acc.com>
- Subject: Re: The High Cost of Telco Features
-
- In article <telecom-v09i0186m03@vector.dallas.tx.us>
- Michael_Krause.henr801E@xerox.com writes:
- > In Wayne County, NY New York Tel
- > [pulse-only private-line service is over $35/month]
- > [tone dialing offered as a new service for $2.21/month, $9.20 hook-up]
- >furturistic features of call waiting, call blocking, speed dialing (max of
- >8 numbers) and who knows what all else as a package deal. Buy now to avoid
- >the $15.50 hook-up charge and you can then begin to pay $13+ per month.
-
- These rates are certainly much higher than what the much-maligned GTE is
- charging me; for $22.50/month I get two private lines, one tone and one
- pulse. For another $6.50/month I could get a feature pack; I am not
- taking any of those, though; I think this is grossly overpriced. One new
- offering has me intrigued, though: They have just announced a new
- expanded feature pack which includes camp-on !!! I think it was
- $11/month for *all* optional features.
-
- Is that a true camp-on, or is it just "busy number redialing" (which is
- the official name) ? I'd expect camp-on for local calls, redialing for
- toll calls. It always seems to be toll calls that get the frustrating
- permanent busy. And for a couple of hundred dollars, I could buy a very
- fine demon dialer of my own :-).
-
- / Lars Poulsen <lars@salt.acc.com> (800) 222-7308 or (805) 963-9431 ext 358
-
- ACC Customer Service Affiliation stated for identification only
-
- My employer probably would not agree if he knew what I said !!
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- Subject: Re: Mercury
- Reply-To: K.Hopkins%computer-science.nottingham.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk
- Date: Wed, 07 Jun 89 12:43:42 +0100
- From: Kevin Hopkins <pkh%computer-science.nottingham.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk>
-
-
- In reply to your comment, Patrick, companies of Mercury's ilk don't like
- you asking for their access codes. They think you are trying to find the
- full format of the codes (including the authorisation codes used for
- billing) in order to crack their system, which I am not of course. The
- code is in fact 133, an operator-like code. Thanks to Peter Morgan at
- Brighton for supplying the information.
-
- I know of the following operator-like codes in the UK, anyone care to add
- to these:
-
- 100 Operator Services
- 133 Mercury Access Number
- 142 London Directory Enquiries (from London numbers only)
- 150 Phone Hardware Enquiries (maybe only locally defined)
- 151 Fault reports
- 153 International Directory Enquiries
- 155 International Operator
- 191 Other Enquiries
- 192 Directory Enquiries
-
- Kev.
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- Subject: Denmark has changed all area codes!
- Date: 7 Jun 89 18:57:09 MET (Wed)
- From: "Kim F. Storm" <storm@texas.dk>
-
- Starting May 16th, all area codes in Denmark were changed from the old
- 01 to 09 (where the 0 was left out on international calls) to area codes
- in the range 31 to 99, while the last 6 digits are the same for MOST
- subscribers.
-
- This has effectively expanded the numbers from 7 digit (+ leading 0) to
- 8 digit. The change was very well prepared, and everything has worked
- very well from day one.
-
- The reason for the change was that the old number scheme ran out of
- numbers in the Copenhagen area (which were split into two areas a couple
- of years ago).
-
- The old 7 digit numbers (+ 0) will work until January 1st 1990, and so
- will international calls using the old numbers (a time out is used to
- distinguish old 7 digit numbers from the new 8 digit numbers).
-
- The problem with the approach is that the assignment of new area codes is
- almost arbitrary in large areas. For example, 01 becomes any of 31, 32,
- through 39, 02 becomes 42, 43, ... 49, 03 becomes 52, 53, ...., etc.
-
- The only way you can know the new number is to lookup the old 7 digit number
- in a conversion table.
-
- The really funny thing about this number change is that except for the
- numbers in the central of Copenhagen, all area codes will change again
- sometime within the next 15 years as the centrals are replaced by digital
- exchanges, i.e. about 50000 numbers will change each year!
-
- So be prepared for problems dialing into Denmark for the next 15 years :-)
-
- The market has been flooded with programs (mainly for the PCs) which can
- go through files and replace phone numbers correctly. However, many
- companies use the phone number as account numbers for their customers,
- so I can imagine all sorts of problems if these programs are used by
- the average non-expert PC user.
-
- I think this example puts some perspective on the "oh no, now we have to
- use the 404 area code inside the 404 area" and similar debates. We went
- through the same excercise one year ago when the tel.co. prepared the
- transition to 8 digit numbers: We had to learn to use the 0N area code
- inside all 0N areas!
-
- I also think this demonstrates that Danes are very tolerant people.
-
- ---
- Kim F. Storm storm@texas.dk Tel +45 429 174 00
- Texas Instruments, Marielundvej 46E, DK-2730 Herlev, Denmark
- No news is good news, but nn is better!
-
- ------------------------------
-
- Date: Tue Jun 6 23:15:10 1989
- From: Lang Zerner <langz@asylum.sf.ca.us>
- Subject: Touch-tone charges going away?
- Reply-To: langz@asylum.UUCP (Lang Zerner)
- Organization: The Great Escape, Inc.
-
- When I got my basic service installed here in Palo Alto, CA, the guy on the
- other end asked if I wanted the touch-tone "option". I asked him what the
- additional cost was, and took it. Then I gave him the old "Did you know..."
- about how when the phone-using public was paying for the research that led to
- touch-tone, it was told (correctly) that touch-tone would bring down the cost
- of running the phone system and (incorrectly) that the savings would trickle
- down to the consumers.
-
- He was surprisingly knowledgeable for a sales rep, and we had a nice
- conversation about the current state of digital systems implementation and
- arbitrary restrictions on ISDN services. He also said that "PacBell is
- lobbying (some regulating body (the PUC?)) to kill the extra charge for
- touch-tone".
-
- PacBell is a business. It wouldn't try to kill the touch-tone charge unless
- (a) they believe that the cost of supporting pulse dialing will soon exceed the
- revenue of touch-tone charges, or (b) they have been overcome by an irrational
- urge to charge for a service proportionally to its cost. If PacBell is
- anything like other BOCs I've done business with, I find (b) to be exceedingly
- unlikely. Anyone have any evidence suggesting (a)? Any other reasons PacBell
- would be lobbying for such a move? Any evidence that the sales rep was
- mistaken (i.e. that PacBell is making no such lobbying effort)?
-
- I have always felt that tone "service" charges were one of the most irrational
- BOC charges. There is no extra cost to the BOC, and in some cases it results
- in *lower* operating costs. I am very interested to learn if there is any
- truth to the rumor that the charge may be removed.
-
- --
- Be seeing you...
- --Lang Zerner
- ARPA:langz@athena.mit.edu MX:langz@asylum.sf.ca.us UUCP:bionet!asylum!langz
- "...and every morning we had to go and LICK the road clean with our TONGUES!"
-
-
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- From: Richard Childers <avsd!childers@decwrl.dec.com>
- Subject: Re: Cellular Phone & 911 - two replies
- Date: 7 Jun 89 20:13:35 GMT
- Reply-To: Richard Childers <avsd!childers@decwrl.dec.com>
- Organization: Metaprogrammers International
-
-
- decwrl!apple!zygot!john@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (John Higdon) writes:
-
- >When I got back onto the roadway, I approached him again (he was poking
- >along at around 40 MPH) and he sped up again. This time I backed off
- >and watched as another motorist tried to pass him and got the same
- >response that I had earlier. That did it. I picked up the phone and
- >dialed 911. It was the Bakersfield system that responded and I was
- >connected to the CHP, the initial call handling agency.
-
- Yup, a real emergency there.
-
- >I described the car and its actions and location. Not five minutes
- >later, two CHP cruisers zipped onto the highway, and off in the
- >distance I could see the gentleman being forced to the side of the
- >road. You talk about instant gratification!
-
- Talk about juvenile power trips. You could have waited a few minutes to
- get past him. This sounds like an infantile power trip.
-
- Instant gratification, indeed.
-
- -- richard
-
- * "We must hang together, gentlemen ... else, we shall most assuredly *
- * hang separately." Benjamin Franklin, 1776 *
- * *
- * ..{amdahl|decwrl|octopus|pyramid|ucbvax}!avsd.UUCP!childers@tycho *
-
- ------------------------------
-
-
- End of TELECOM Digest
-
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