TELECOM Digest Wed, 6 Apr 94 15:22:00 CDT Volume 14 : Issue 166 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Free Expo: Distributed Computing World - April 19/20 - Wash DC (B. Gavin) Update: Help! Big Problem With Phone Company (Dan Smolko) Win a Free SoundBlaster With Speech Recognition (Steven Feinstein) ISDN in Rhode Island (Tony Pelliccio) What Are Fortress Phones and Other Terms? (Leif Ordorica) Re: CATV Modems (Jerry Yost) Re: Who Paid For My 550? (Dave Niebuhr) Re: Who Paid For My 550? (Alan Dahl) Re: 976, 540 Services (Wm. Randolph Franklin) Re: 976, 940 Services (Dave Niebuhr) TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie. Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify: * telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu * The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers. To reach us: Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: ptownson@townson.com. ** Article submission address only: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu ** Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to use the information service, just ask. TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Barbara Gavin Subject: Free Expo - Distributed Computing World - April 19/20 - Wash DC Date: Wed, 6 Apr 94 07:23:35 -0500 Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice) FREE DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING WORLD & CLIENT/SERVER DEVELOPERS EXPOSITION Washington, D.C. Convention Center Tuesday, April 19, 12:00pm-6:30pm Wednesday, April 20, 10:30am-4:30pm See Over 100 of the Leading Distributed and Client/Server Technology Companies! Expand your Expertise Hear from today's industry leaders and slash thousands of dollars off your IS budget. No other industry event can offer you a broader range of today's leading edge suppliers of client/server computing, networking, and distributed computing at one time a nd in one place. Save Months of Costly Investigation Time Visit over 100 exhibits and see live demos of working client/server networks and the latest C/S application development tools in action. Discover key products and technologies and address your interoperability issues. Learn the secrets to Success Crucial questions ... important answers! Find out about the strengths and weaknesses of distributed computing. Learn how to use your distributed computing tools to meet your organization's strategic business requirements in a heterogeneous database environment. Glimpse into the Future See an impressive array of products and services unveiled for the first time at this pivotal industry event! Receive privileged insight into the industry's emerging technologies and services. And Much More! Don't Delay -- Get a jump on your competition and discover the secrets to your success. Bring your entire team and maintain your competitive edge by attending this year's largest and most comprehensive exposition event. FREE EXPOSITION EVENTS Client/Server Developers User Group Wednesday, April 20, 1994 - 9:00 am - 11:50 am This interactive event is part of a nationwide client/server user group sponsored by DCI. It provides technical attendees with a chance to discuss the interoperability issues that occur in a client/server environment. Discover the issues users like yourself have encountered, and work together to get answers to your questions. See registration panel to receive more information. Special Industry Presentation (Product Education Session) Another conference element which we've opened up to expo attendees. Attend in-depth session where leading companies present their products' technical capabilities in an informative classroom-style setting. FREE GIVEAWAYS Free software package from Syncsort ... come to booth #133 and learn how you can start to distribute your applications. Discuss the implementation of their "MVS to Unix Migration software". Human Factors International Inc. (booth 129) is giving away a complimentary course registration to "How to Design Effective Graphical User Interfaces." This three day course teaches system developers, interface designers and project managers to use the science of ergonomics to design optimal GUI screens Alternet -- The "Information Highway" of the 90's is here, and your computer is your vehicle -- so hop in, and get rolling! Come see how easy it is to tap into the Internet .. Retrieve your Email, become part of a global network of organizations and individuals. From its roots as the original commercial Internet service provider, AlterNet is now the most experienced, best connected, and most reliable Internet access service in the business. So whether you're looking for others to chat with, returni ng you E-mail, or trying to increase your companies productivity, tap into the Internet with Alternet. FREE KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS - TUESDAY, 11:00am - 12:00noon PAUL STRASSMANN, President, Strassman, Inc. The Politics of Distributed Computing - This session addresses the analogies between the design of information systems and organizational governance. Computing Reflects Organizational Politics Distributed Computing Not Autonomous Computing Organizational Governance Must Precede Network Architecture Technical Proposals Including Political Context ART BENJAMIN, President, Online People Limited The Business Case for Client/Server - By the end of the 90's the difference between a good I.T. infrastructure and an adequate one will be immense. Most companies are defaulting towards an infrastructure that is in inadequate, for the following reasons: Not Identifying Their Infrastructure Needs Basing Long-Term Infrastructure Direction on Current Needs Alone No Method of Measuring Costs and Benefits HERB EDELSTEIN, Principal & Founder, Euclid Associates AND LARRY DeBOEVER, Founder, DeBoever Architectures Rightsizing Point/Counterpoint: Two Industry Experts Go Toe-to-Toe on 1994's Hot Issues. These two leading industry visionaries put their reputations and friendship on the line, as they take on the toughest downsizing issues in this provocative present ation. Future of CASE Dowsizing Enablers Downsizing Issues FREE KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS - WEDNESDAY, 9:30am - 10:30am Beyond Rows and Columns: What's New in Relational DBMS Panel Moderator: Pieter Mimno Relational DBMSs are moving rapidly to support complex data, such as; very large databases, multi-dimensional data, multi-threaded server architectures, gateways, text, images, audio, and video. This forum will allow attendees the opportunity to questio n leading RDBMS vendors on the latest advances in database technology for a distributed client/server environment. Companies invited to participate include: Arbor Software, Cincom, IRI, Oracle and Sybase. ROHAN CHAMPION, Vice President of Solutions Strategy, Novell Where Upsizing Meets Downsizing - This presentation explores key management and technological issues that must be addressed if the full power and productivity of modernized information systems are to be realized. Values to Business Enterprise Infrastructure and Transition Planning Re-Defined Role IS Management CHRISTINE COMAFORD, President, Corporate Computing Techniques For Rapid Application Development of GUI Client/Server Projects - The structure, scope, methods and deliverables required to build solid applications are explored in this conference session. Application Design and Architecture Methods Development Tasks Can Be Done in Parallel GUI Client/Server Project Duration and Resources Development Rules and Tasks Planning/Analysis How to Scope and Control Prototypes GARY A. STEMLEY, Major General, US Army Components Automation System The World's Largest LAN/WAN System - This presentation describes the approach being used by the U.S. Army to design, develop, and install the world's largest client server network. Customers' Functional Requirements Why Client Server Architecture Was Chosen Major Challenges of Customer Community Installation, Start-up Problems and Solutions Short-range and Long-range Benefits INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT Join a select group of exhibitors who will unveil and demonstrate the technical capabilities of their newest products. Due to the delicate nature of this information, the details of some of these companies, their products and announcements will not be r evealed until show time. See highlights of the latest technologies including: Client/Server application development, networking strategies and Data Warehousing tips and techniques. EXPOSITION CO-SPONSORS: Client/Server Magazine Government Computer News IBM Integris JYACC KnowledgeWare Midrange Systems Network World Magazine Pyramid Technology Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. INVITED COMPANIES Acucobol Advanced Software Automation American Software Andersen Consulting Analysts International Corp. Arbor Software Corp. AT&T Beyond Computing Booz Allen & Hamilton Cincom Systems, Inc. CIMLIN, Inc. CIO Magazine Client/Server Magazine CODA, Inc. Codex/Motorola Cognos Corporation Command Technology Communications Week Computer Associates Int'l Computer Reseller News Computer Systems Advisers Computer Task Group Computerworld Concepts Dynamic, Inc. Corporate Computing Cortex Corporation Covia Technologies Data Based Advisor Database Decisions, Inc. Database Prog. & Design Datamation DBMS Magazine DeBoever Architectures Digital Equipment Corporation DPMA Encore Computer Evernet Federal Computer Week FourGen Software Government Computer News Hewlett-Packard High Tech Careers Human Factors Int'l IBM Information Builders, Inc. Information Week Informix Software Interactive Systems Corporation IRI Software James Martin Insight JYACC KnowledgeWare, Inc. Lattice, Inc. Logic Plus Open System, Inc. Logic Works, Inc. Lotus Development Corp. McCabe & Associates MDBS, Inc. Micro Decisionware Micro Focus Microsoft Corporation Microstrategy, Inc. Midrange Systems Momentum Software Corp. Netwise, Inc. Network World Magazine Neuron Data, Inc. News 3X/400 NeXT Computer, Inc. Novell, Inc. ODC Systems Open Systems Today Oracle Corporation Palindrome Corporation PC Magazine Peerlogic, Inc. PeopleSoft, Inc. Platinum Software Powersoft Corporation Prologic Corporation ProtoView Development Pyramid Technology Promark Corporation Q + E Software RAXCO, Inc. Red Brick Systems Revelation Technologies Select Software Tools Seer Technologies, Inc. Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. SMC Software Magazine Solbourne Computer SQA, Inc. SQL Connections Stratus Computer Sun Microsystems, Inc. Sybase Inc. Symantec Corporation SYNCSORT, Inc. Tivoli Systems, Inc. Transarc Corporation Trinzic Corporation Uniface Corporation UniKix Technologies (Integris) Unisys Corporation Universal Business Computing Co. US LAN Systems Corporation VAR Business Washington Technology Windows Magazine Wordperfect Corporation The Workstation Group XDB Systems ZYGA Corporation DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING WORLD & CLIENT/SERVER DEVELOPERS EXPOSITION-4015 YES! REGISTER TODAY FOR THE EXPOSITION--FREE NAME: TITLE: COMPANY: STREET: MAILSTOP: CITY, STATE, ZIP: E:MAIL ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: FAX: PRIORITY CODE: BVTQM1K OR CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 508-470-3880 Compuserve - 75300,2002 ------------------------------ From: smolko@che.ncsu.edu Subject: Update: Help! Big Problem With Phone Company Date: 5 Apr 1994 23:08:43 -0500 Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway An update: Though I was led to believe my friend had an account with a special code, I now have some doubts about that. When I asked him yesterday what the code was that he used, he replied "102220 or something like that." Also, when I called MCI to try to resolve the problem I discovered something that seems rather weird. When I gave them my phone number and name they sounded a little puzzled. The only names listed were my roommate's and my friend's. Also -- and this seems most peculiar -- the address that they have listed as being associated with my phone number is my friend's address! It seems as though they never even bothered to check whether the phone number and address match up. While I'm not sure if this is possible, he may have called MCI, given them my phone number, and said something like "I'm one of Dan's roommates. He has AT&T and doesn't want to switch, but I want to use your overseas plan. Can you please set up an acount for me?" P.S. When I talked to a rep at the local telco today, he said to expect an additional $790 in calls to show up on my next bill. Dan smolko@che.ncsu.edu [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: As I mentioned a couple days ago about this when you originally wrote, either you have a credit problem at this point with MCI/telco as a result of this, or you hava problem with fraud by your friend. If MCI changed over your phone records without telling you based on a call from your friend then my feeling is you will get off the hook completely. Give us a further update when you have one. PAT] ------------------------------ From: stevenf@world.std.com Subject: Win a FREE SoundBlaster With Speech Recognition Organization: Voice Processing Corp., Cambridge, MA Date: Wed, 6 Apr 1994 16:22:38 GMT I am collecting over-the-phone speech samples for a new speech recognition product being built by Voice Processing Corporation (VPC). To get the 300 more calls we need into our data collection system, we're offering the following deal: If you call into the system (whole thing takes about 2 1/2 minutes), you will be eligible to win one your choice of the following: 1. SoundBlaster 16 MCD with VPC's "Voice Assist" speech recognition. 2. Cellular telephone. (not a cheapy) This is a speech recognizer intended for the American market, so any American regional accent is fine, but heavy foreign accents might be discarded. HERE'S HOW TO DO IT 1. Call 1-800-560-0758 anytime. This will connect you with the collection system directly. 2. The system will prompt you to repeat about 60 voice commands. Don't speak over the prompt. If you make a mistake or can't understand a prompt, guess and go on to the next one. 3. The system sometimes hangs up prematurely, but it is supposed to end with the question "what state did you grow up in?" 4. When you're done, send me email with your name, phone number, and 5 command words you were asked to say. This will enter you into the random drawing. OR You can call (617) 494-0100, ask for extension 301. The receptionist will take your name and number and then transfer you into the system. The drawing will be held as soon as we get the rest of the calls. The winner will be notified by phone; losers won't be notified at all. I expect this to be done in two weeks. Thanks in advance for your participation, Steven Feinstein Voice Processing Corp. ------------------------------ From: Anthony_Pelliccio@brown.edu (Tony Pelliccio) Subject: ISDN in Rhode Island Date: 5 Apr 1994 19:11:04 GMT Organization: Brown University An interesting article appeared in the Tuesday, April 5, 1994 issue of the {Providence Journal} titled "Digital network a new on-ramp to information highway". Why is it that almost all the outlying areas have digital service (posh places like Barrington, Middletown, Portsmouth) but the capitol city won't get it until late 1994 and 1995. Does NYNEX have it's head up it's proverbial butt? And wonder why they're the worst performing RBOC in the country. Is there anyone from NYNEX who wants to counter this? Sure.. you changed the name but the level of service has barely changed. It's still shabby. Granted, they've improved basic customer service in areas like availability, etc. but service still remains in the dark ages. And of course you know that NYNEX is planning to install curbside fiber to the entire state by 1996 ... the biggest joke so far. I can't wait until competition for dialtone comes along! Anthony_Pelliccio@Brown.edu (Tony Pelliccio, KD1NR) Box 1908, Providence, RI 02912 Tel. (401) 863-1880 All opinions expressed are those of the individual, and not those of Brown University. ------------------------------ From: efn!leif@skinner.cs.uoregon.edu (Leif Ordorica) Subject: What are Fortress Phones and other terms? Organization: Prototype Eugene Free Net Date: Tue, 5 Apr 1994 20:36:07 GMT I've been wondering about these terms: What are Fortress Phones? What is a "trap-line?" What are "the bell master tones?" I know I've heard plenty about Fortress Phones but the last two terms sound hokey to me. Thanks, Leif Ordorica ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 April 1994 22:34:39 PDT From: Jerry Yost Organization: First Pacific Networks, Inc. Subject: Re: CATV Modems In , wright@LAA.COM wrote: > In article , gabioud@uni2a.unige.ch writes: >> Do you know any equipment (modem, remodulator, ...) that allows data >> communication over the CATV cable. On the user side, the modem should >> feature a well-known interface (RS232C, Ethernet, ...). > Check out First Pacific Networks at 408-730-6600. They have been > providing this equipment for years. Unfortunately, First Pacific Networks relocated its office from Sunnyvale to San Jose last month, so the above telephone number is no longer accurate. Our new number is +1 408 943-7600 and our San Jose address is listed in my signature block below, along with our facsimile number. However, I recommend that the original poster contact FPN's distributor in France, Reltek Communications, who has a great deal of experience with our broadband Ethernet products in Europe: Reltek Communications Contact: Marc Budan 26, Avenue de la Baltique Sales Manager Courtaboeuf ZA - BP 730 Telephone: +33 1 69187700 91962 Les Ulis Cedex B Facsimile: +33 1 69280609 France Regards, Jerry Yost Telephone: +1 800 544-4959 Director, Int'l Distribution Sales +1 408 943-7647 (direct) First Pacific Networks, Inc. 871 Fox Lane Facsimile: +1 408 943-7666 San Jose, California 95131 USA Residence: Telephone: +1 408 264-6987 2698 Custer Drive Facsimile: +1 408 264-6988 San Jose, CA 95124-1712 USA Internet: jyost@infoserv.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Apr 94 06:58:10 EST From: dwn@dwn.ccd.bnl.gov (Dave Niebuhr) Subject: Re: Who Paid For My 550 In TELECOM Digest Issue 158 jfh@netcom.com (Jack Hamilton) wrote: >> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Normally the agents are on the A or B >> side but not both; that is in their contract with the carriers. >> Tandy has the kind of money and influence with the carriers that >> they can get away with it. Its the same kind of thing where Pepsi and >> Coca-Cola are concerned. You never see them both in the same vending >> machine; you never see them both in the same restaurant as fountain >> drinks. > In our vending machine room there are two Pepsi machines. One has > Pepsi products plus a few other things like Mountain Dew. The other > contains no Pepsi products, but does have several varieties of > Coca-Cola. In one of the smaller buildings, there's a single machine > with both Coke and Pepsi. > I'd never heard of this happening before very recently, though. > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Probably they cut a deal with the local > salesman. Whoever is the bottler (distributor) for the area is under > pretty tight constraints with Pepsi headquarters in Purchase, NY or > Coke headquarters in Atlanta, GA regarding those things. Ah, that brings back memories. When I was growing up in Northeastern Nebraska in the '40s and '50s, my parents owned a pharmacy and Coke was always the main soft drink. 7-up was the next one and cherry, strawberry and one other were always on hand. Root beer was home-made using root beer extract and sugar. I don't remember the exact formula but it was five pounds of sugar to get so many gallons of syrup which was diluted with carbonated water. I used to drink the carbonated water straight; it was the best thirst killer around. Dave Niebuhr Internet: dwn@dwn.ccd.bnl.gov (preferred) niebuhr@bnl.gov / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl Senior Technical Specialist, Scientific Computing Facility Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973 (516)-282-3093 ------------------------------ From: alan.dahl@mccaw.com (Alan Dahl) Subject: Re: Who Paid For My 550? Date: 5 Apr 1994 20:31:21 GMT Organization: McCaw Cellular Communications, Inc. [I know this is getting a little far from telcom issues but I had to pipe in - ABD] In article PAT writes: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Probably they cut a deal with the local > salesman. Whoever is the bottler (distributor) for the area is under > pretty tight constraints with Pepsi headquarters in Purchase, NY or > Coke headquarters in Atlanta, GA regarding those things. Note that > the local Pepsi bottler also has the Mountain Dew franchise, but he > *cannot* have the 7-Up franchise because they are aligned with Coke. > So you won't -- or rarely -- see 7-Up in a so-called 'Pepsi machine', > and you won't see 'Upper-10' or whatever it is called in a 'Coke > machine'. All the little (by comparison) outfits, join one side or In the Pacific Northwest 7-Up is bottled by Alpac, the same company that bottles Pepsi. It's quite common to find 7-Up in a Pepsi machine here. In fact everyone here wrongly assumes Pepsi owns 7-Up just as PAT wrongly assumes that Coke and 7-Up are "aligned". You will never find 7-Up in a Coke machine since Coke makes Sprite which is pretty much the same thing. No idea what "Upper-10" is since it's not sold here. People always assume that the way things are in their part of the country is the way it is everywhere else and that's not always the case. The local Coke and Pepsi bottlers had quite a battle when we wanted to install both a Coke machine and a Pepsi machine in our office but they finally relented. Our 7-11 stores sell both from the same fountain as PAT describes just as they do elsewhere. Alan Dahl Analysts International Co. 10655 N.E. 4th St. Suite 804 Bellevue, WA 98004 PH: (206) 803-4496 FAX: (206) 803-4901 ------------------------------ From: wrf@ecse.rpi.edu (Wm. Randolph U Franklin) Subject: Re: 976, 540 Services Date: 5 Apr 1994 23:15:37 GMT Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY, USA Reply-To: wrf@ecse.rpi.edu (Wm. Randolph U Franklin) In article on Thu, 31 Mar 94 19:04 EST, johnl@iecc.com (John R Levine) writes: > Is there anywhere a list of surcharged prefixes in the U.S.? Some time ago I was unable to get a complete list from a NYNEX operator. She didn't seem to know what I was talking about at first, but finally gave me what they said was a list for NYNEX territory, but she seemed so ignorant that I wouldn't trust it. Another example of NYNEX operator ignorance: I block those calls. It seems that this also blocks 700-555-4141 from finding my LD carrier. 1) She didn't know this. 2) She didn't even know about 700-555-4141. My current phone book nowhere suggests the existence of any extra-charge numbers, 900 or otherwise, anywhere in its 52-page introduction, altho it includes detailed rate information. I mention this since some people think that subscribers should know all about these things. How? Wm. Randolph Franklin, wrf@ecse.rpi.edu, (518) 276-6077; Fax: -6261 ECSE Dept., 6026 JEC, Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst, Troy NY, 12180 USA ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Apr 94 06:23:50 EST From: dwn@dwn.ccd.bnl.gov (Dave Niebuhr) Subject: Re: 976, 940 Services In TELECOM Digest Volume 14 : Issue 157 johnl@iecc.com (John R Levine) wrote: > Is there anywhere a list of surcharged prefixes in the U.S.? In most > places 976 is used for non-porn announcements, but the list of other > surcharged prefixes seems to be large, growing, and largely > undocumented. > Here in eastern Mass, for example, the prefixes (valid in both 617 and 508) > are: > 550 - live chat lines, 554 - live porn, 920 - business info > 940 - recorded porn, 976 - recorded general info > You have to ask in writing to get calls to 554 and 940 turned on. > I am astonished at the report that Sprint billed the surcharge for a > 212-540 number. Has anyone else ever had this happen? NNYTel (oops, NYNEX) has 540, 550, 910, 920, 955 and 976 as special exchanges. 976 is general information, 540 is chat (and scam), 955 is radio call-in. I don't know about the others but all but 955 are classified as "Circuit 9(tm)" which means a surcharge is added. The exception is 976 which is a local call. All exchanges are enabled and the customer has to specifically request that they be disabled which I did. 540 received a lot of attention earlier this year when people were getting calls from a radio station of some sort that bilked the customers who did not realize what was happening, meaning kids replied. My number was called three times, ditto for work (on three extensions). PAT mentioned when I posted about this earlier that this thing had been around before and was an "urban legend" of sorts; well, when I take those calls, they are not legend at all but real. Dave Niebuhr Internet: dwn@dwn.ccd.bnl.gov (preferred) niebuhr@bnl.gov / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl Senior Technical Specialist, Scientific Computing Facility Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973 (516)-282-3093 ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V14 #166 ****************************** -------------------------------------------------------------------------------