TELECOM Digest Thu, 26 May 94 12:51:00 CDT Volume 14 : Issue 253 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Phone/FAX/Data Calls (Summary/On-Site Experience) (Peter Leif Rasmussen) Call For Paper: CFIP'95 (French) (Jean-Marc Jezequel) Mandatory 1+ Dialing Coming to Area Code 516 (Dave Niebuhr) Micro Portable Suggestions (Bill Verry) How Smart is Call-Forwarding? (Shag Aristotelis) Large Norstar Systems (John Warne) Trans-Atlantic Fiber Operators (US Based) (Stu Jeffery) Looking for Used Panasonic 308KSU (Al Cohan) Directory Assistance Companies (Eric Maillet) Re: Annoyance Calls From Answering Machine (quixote@eskimo.com) Rude Not to Leave Answering Machine Messages? (Joe Harrison) 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. 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Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 26 May 94 14:48:00 JST From: plr@ichigo.os.nasu.toshiba.co.jp (Peter Leif Rasmussen (SY-Gi)) Subject: Phone/FAX/Data Calls (Summary/On-Site Experience) Long time ago (no, this is not an adventure :-) I asked some questions here in the TELECOM Digest about getting my telephone connected in a way that would make it possible for me to receive FAX and data calls, unattended. I got some answers with the most useful (for me) being from Stuart Whitmore (whitmore@tahoma.cwu.edu) about a share ware program called BGFAX, now v.1.21, made by B.J. Guillot (st1R8@jetson.uh.edu), anonymous FTP://csn.org/Computech Being just a private hobby among several it took me a while to put it together, but I promised to post a summary if I got something useful and that is what I am doing now. As I have also been succesful in setting it up to work with redirection of incomming phone calls to an answering machine, if that is what the caller want, it may also be of some use for those with interest in such matters. My PC is an IBM Notebook (Japanese model) with a plain vanilla V.22bis/V.42bis MNP4-5 FAX/modem. To effectively split voice from FAX/data I bought a FAX- switch from JDR Microdevices of $90 USD. They also have a smaller version at $60 USD, which should work as well. The only difference being an extra connection for a modem, which will be useful if you have FAX and modem on different machines (not interesting in this case). The "effective split" is dealt with this way because I don't know of any special functions implemented in the (high-tech?) Japanese telephone network, e.g. distinctive ring, ANI, CID, etc. that seems to be available anywhere else?! So, if this works in Japan it should work in most other countries. The JDR Microdevices FAX-Switch can be programmed to redirect the call upon detection of certain DTMF tones upon connection. If no tones are heard, e.g. a FAX CNG tone, for a period of four seconds it assumes it is a telephone call and connects the phone. My phone has the answering machine built in (like about 90% of all phones in Japan), but there is a connector for a stand alone answe- ring machine. This means that a normal telephone caller only hear a different ring after connection, until I or the answering machine answers the phone. A FAX will also go through with no special action, unless the caller has an old FAX machine that doesn't transmit a CNG tone. However, the data caller has to add a pause (a few commas) and then the code for the modem redirection. Having come so far BGFAX takes over, to decide whether the incomming call is a FAX or a data call. If it is a FAX call, BGFAX receives the FAX and stores it on disk in a proprietary format, which is convertible to PCX or the format used by QL2FAX (a program usually bundled with modems). Various data about the call is stored in a log-file. There is also a program with it that makes you able to transmit FAX'es. It is shareware and costs $25 USD to register. It is simple, using a no-nonsense non-GUI style userinterface. It is shipped with a document, which is also a no-nonsense type making efforts to explain the (chaotic?) world of FAX/modems. For the unexperienced user it can be hard to understand, but unless you have a very odd modem it looks like you should be able to make it work (Said by the unexperienced user ;-) If BGFAX detects that the call is not FAX but data, it attempts to load a BBS program, set to be loaded by a front end processor. This is the way I have set it up, however it seems that originally BGFAX was made to make Fido Net SysOp's able to receive FAX'es on the same line, so BGFAX can also be loaded in a another way, called Rear End Mode. I didn't try that, but if you are a Fido Net SysOp you probably already know about it. Having entered the BBS, all control is taken over by that so now the caller will be able to do whatever he/she normally would. It is because BGFAX works in the Front End Mode with Batch files calling each other, so when the BBS is up and running BGFAX is totally out and vice versa. As stated before this is just a fun hobby, so I want it to cost as little as possible. Therefore I have been searching for cheap BBS's (and still are). In the beginning I tried Executive Host, which is the BBS extension of Telix. However, I couldn't make it work and tried by FAX and email to contact the people producing it, but I never got any answer even though I wanted to register?! I also tried a totally different approach, with a program called FreeMail that works with MS Windows and should be able to receive phone and data calls by some nifty software construction? But it weren't able to use a combined FAX/modem and split those two, so I dropped that. I also got some info about using QL2FAX as it has an "auto detect" option when answering the phone. It would seem perfect to have everything in the same package, but QL2FAX does nothing else but answering the phone? There is no info on how to for example write a script to make it continue as simple BBS, and at that time I was getting quite far in making BGFAX work so I dropped that, too. I finally made a BBS program called TriTel work together with BGFAX. It is very simple, though it claims to be very powerful, but the people that made it (shareware) wants $75 USD to register, so I am still searching. Stuart Whitmore claims that Wilcat works well with it, but that is a commercial software package costing $100 USD, so that is not yet interesting. A long story about getting connected in more ways, without having to pay the (competitive?) price of $770 USD in (no-competition-land) Japan for an extra telephone line (just to get connected). You realize that a little extra sweat can save you a lot of money. A little more "bashing" will hopefully eventually bring prices down (Go for it Clinton! EU are too busy "bashing" each other ;-) If questions are asked directly to me I will do what I can to answer, at least now being able to claim that I have some experience. Peter Rasmussen ------------------------------ From: Jean-Marc.Jezequel@irisa.fr (Jean-Marc Jezequel) Subject: Call For Paper: CFIP'95 (French) Date: 26 May 1994 09:30:45 GMT Organization: Irisa, Rennes(FR) *** If you don't understand French, you wouldn't be interested in this *** Appel aux communications ##### ####### ### ###### ### ###### ####### # # # # # ### # # # # # # # # # # # # # ##### # ###### # ###### ###### # # # # # # # # # # # # ##### # ### # ####### ####### Colloque Francophone sur l'Ingenierie des Protocoles 9-12 mai 1995 - Rennes - France Comite de Programme Presidents : Claude Jard (IRISA, France) et Pierre Rolin (Telecom-Bretagne, France) Membres : Paul Amer (Universite du Delaware, Etats-Unis) Bennani Abdelfdil (ENSIAS, Maroc) J. William Atwood (Universite de Concordia, Canada) Benkiran Amine (EMI, Maroc) Mohamed Bettaz (Universite de Constantine, Algerie) Ed Brinksma (Universite de Twente, Pays-Bas) Stanislaw Budkowski (INT, France) Richard Castanet (LaBRI, France) Ana Cavalli (INT, France) Wojciech Cellary (EFP, Pologne) Andre Danthine (Universite de Liege, Belgique) Piotr Dembinski (Academie des Sciences, Pologne) Michel Diaz (LAAS, France) Rachida Dssouli (Universite de Montreal, Canada) Jean Marc Farines (UFSC, Bresil) Serge Fdida (MASI, France) Alain Finkel (ENS Cachan, France) Roland Groz (FT/CNET, France) Farouk Kamoun (ENSI, Tunisie) Jacques Labetoulle (Eurecom, France) Guy Leduc (Universite de Liege, Belgique) Francis Lepage (CRAN, France) Luigi Logrippo (Universite d'Ottawa, Canada) Gerard Michel (IMAG, France) Pascale Minet (INRIA, France) Abdellatif Obaid (Univ. du Quebec a Hull, Canada) Omar Rafiq (Universite de Pau) Behcet Sarikaya (Universite de AIZU, Japon) Andre Schiper (EPFL, Suisse) Samir Tohme (ENST, France) Gregor von Bochmann (Univ. de Montreal, Canada) L'idee du Colloque Francophone sur l'Ingenierie des Protocoles qui a deja eu lieu par trois fois (1988, 1991 et 1993), est de permettre a la communaute francophone des enseignants, chercheurs et industriels dans le domaine des protocoles et reseaux informatiques, de faire regulierement le point en langue francaise. Le colloque comprend une journee de tutoriels, suivie de trois jours de conference. Le comite de programme souhaite se voir soumettre des communications qui traitent de tout sujet relatif au developpement des protocoles de communications. La liste non exhaustive qui suit, donne quelques points qui peuvent etre traites : - Conception, mise en oeuvre et gestion de reseaux et d'architectures de communication ; - Techniques et langages de specification ; - Techniques et outils de verification et de simulation ; application de ces techniques ; - Mise au point et integration des logiciels repartis dans les systemes ; - Architectures, methodes et outils de test de conformite et d'interoperabilite ; - Methodes formelles ou pragmatiques couvrant l'ensemble des etapes de developpements des protocoles ; - Conception et developpement de protocoles a haut debit ; - Modeles, evaluation et mesure de performances des reseaux ; - Conception, developpement et application multimedia dans les reseaux - Reseaux de mobiles ; reseaux radio ; - Securite dans les reseaux ; Le comite de programme souhaite recevoir des communications de la part d'universitaires, de chercheurs et d'industriels. Des articles de syntheses didactiques, des exposes de travaux de recherches theoriques et d'experiences pratiques sont attendus, ainsi que des propositions d'exposes pour les tutoriels. Les publications emanant de jeunes chercheurs sont particulierement les bienvenues. Un prix recompensera la meilleure publication. Les meilleures publications seront publiees dans des revues. Un espace sera disponible pour des demonstrations, le comite de programme sollicite des propositions sur les themes ci-dessus. Instruction aux Auteurs ----------------------- Si vous desirez soumettre une communication (12 pages maximum) ou un tutoriel, veuillez envoyer cinq exemplaires de l'article complet, avant le 1er septembre 1994, a : Pierre Rolin (Telecom-Bretagne, France) Telecom-Bretagne Antenne de Rennes Departement RSM Rue de la Chataigneraie BP 78 35512 - Cesson - Sevigne cedex FRANCE Tel : +33 99 12 70 21 Fax : +33 99 12 70 30 email : rolin@rennes.enst-bretagne.fr Les decisions du comite de programme vous seront notifiees le 15 janvier 1995. Pour etre publiees dans les actes du colloque les versions finales des articles doivent parvenir avant le 15 fevrier 1995. Dates a retenir --------------- 1er septembre 1994 : date limite pour la reception des articles soumis. 15 janvier 1995 : notification aux auteurs de la decision du comite de programme. 15 fevrier 1995 : date limite pour la reception des textes definitifs a inclure dans les actes du colloque. Comite d'organisation --------------------- Jean-Marc Jezequel (IRISA) Sylvie Brunet (Telecom-Bretagne) Noel Plouzeau (IRISA) Elisabeth Lebret (IRISA) Joseph Fromont (CCETT) Marie-Noelle Georgeault (IRISA) Alain Leger (CCETT) Jean-Marc Jezequel, IRISA/CNRS, 35042 RENNES (FRANCE) // jezequel@irisa.fr ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 May 94 08:28:37 EDT From: dwn@dwn.ccd.bnl.gov (Dave Niebuhr) Subject: Mandatory 1+ Dialing Coming to Area Code 516 Today's {Newsday}, 5/26/94, contained an article with the title "LI, Get Set to Dial '1'". Mandatory 1+ dialing to numbers in area codes other than 516 (Long Island) will go into effect on Sept. 24, 1994. It now is and has been optional for several years. Area code 914 is also affected by this change but I cannot say anything about the other area codes in New York with the exception of 212 (Manhattan), 718 (Brooklyn (Kings County), Bronx, Queens and Staten Island (Richmond County) and 917 (cellular, pager, etc. that is an overlay area code. 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 1+(516) 282-3093 FAX 1+(516) 282-7688 ------------------------------ From: billverry@aol.com (BillVerry) Subject: Micro Portable Suggestions Date: 26 May 1994 09:24:02 -0400 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) I'm in the market for a micro portable cell phone and need some advice. From what I've gathered it seems these devices are not too reliable when it comes to clarity and battery life. Most everyone I've spoken to has suggested I stay with the car phone and forget the "pocket" phone. I suspect this has to do with the low ouput of the units? If there is a manufacturer or a particular type of phone I should get I would greatly appreciate such contrasting opinion. Thank you, BV Please respond via email (billverry@aol.com) ------------------------------ From: birchall@pilot.njin.net (Shag Aristotelis) Subject: How smart is call-forwarding? Date: 26 May 94 06:39:36 GMT Organization: Screaming in Digital, the Queensryche Digest A question for those more knowledgeable than I: Being out in the sticks and not "local" to the nearest dialup, I got a line put in at a relative's house in an NXX bordering both my NXX and the net's NXX a couple years back, with call forwarding on it. Simply put, my connectivity looks like this: [Me] -- [Fwd] -- [Net] In my state (NJ) the telco (Bell Atlantic-NJ) has diligently replaced all the trunk lines with fiber, much to my delight. Most of the overhead wires are still copper, at least as far as residential lines go, though. There's a fiber shed around the corner from my house, and the transition is made at that point. Thus, we arrive at one of two scenarios: 1) If BA-NJ's switching computers are smart and simply shunt calls on to their forwarded destination: [Me] -c- [Shed] -f- [CO1] -f- [CO2] -f- [CO3] -c- [Net] 2) If BA-NJ's switching computers aren't smart, and actually route a forwarded call out to the number (over copper!) and back again(???): [Me] -c- [Shed] -f- [CO1] -f- [CO2] -c- [Fwd] -c- [CO2] -f- [CO3] -c- [Net] Recently, I've encountered _nasty_ noise. Even the latest greatest 28.8kbps modems with all the connection-holding capability in the world can't connect. If I dial _directly_ without using the forward (thus incurring big tolls) the routing is as follows, and there is no noise: [Me] -c- [Shed] -f- [C01] -f- ([C02] -f-?) [C03] -c- [Net] (Note, I'm not sure whether a direct call would pass through the CO in NXX 2.) It looks like one of two things is happening here: 1) The computers are dumb, and are routing the call out to the number and back again, and something's causing noise on the loop. 2) The computers are ok, but something's causing noise in NXX 2's CO itself. I'm going to call BA-NJ in the morning, and go through the usual process of explaining to them that I'm _absolutely certain_ it's not my inside wiring, since there _is no inside wiring_ on that line... ;) but I figured I'd toss this out, in hopes that someone out there knows more about how the computers handle call-forwarding. Shag Screaming in Digital: queensryche-request@pilot.njin.net GEOS Binary Moderator: comp-binaries-geos@pilot.njin.net ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 May 94 13:20:59 EDT From: John Warne <19064001@SBACVM.SBAC.EDU> Organization: School Board of Alachua County, FL. Subject: Large Norstar Systems We have some IWATSU IDS-128 hybrid switches that we will have to schedule for replacement soon (new North American Dialing/Numbering plan, a recently discovered method to totally defeat existing software toll restriction in the things, age, parts, etc). On option being studied (one of *many* options being studied) is to replace the systems with Norstar systems. I am comfortable with the Norstar in small configurations, but would like to chat with anyone with experience in using/supporting large configurations (20X88 or 20X104, for example). Thanks, 19064001@sbacvm.sbac.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 May 1994 15:11:43 -0800 From: stu@shell.portal.com (Stu Jeffery) Subject: Trans-Atlantic Fiber Operators (US based) I am trying to find out the names of the smaller US based companies that operate trans-Atlantic fiber cables. The ones I know of are: ATT, MCI, Sprint, Wiltel and Compuserve. Does anyone know of any others? Any pointers would be appreciated. Stu Jeffery Internet: stu@shell.portal.com 1072 Seena Ave. voice: 415-966-8199 Los Altos, CA. 94024 fax: 415-966-8199 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 May 94 16:29 EST From: Al Cohan <0004526627@mcimail.com> Subject: Looking for Used Panasonic 308KSU I have a small client that is upgrading his old *I mean OLD* 1A2 to a PBX. If anyone has a used Panasonic 308 for sale, please contact me direct. Thanks in advance, Al ------------------------------ From: maillet@delphi.com Subject: Directory Assistance Companies Date: Wed, 25 May 94 23:32:17 -0500 Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice) Responding to josephh888@aol.com: The Alliance Network is a telecommunications consulting company that specializes in serving clients with monthly billings exceeding $1,000. Depending on your specific needs, we should be able to help you significantly reduce those $5,000 monthly directory assistance charges. If you are spending $5,000 just on directory assistance, chances are good that you are spending too much on your other telephone services as well. If this is the case, then The Alliance Network can be of considerable service to you. For details, you can contact The Alliance Network at 1-800-608-0028. Ask for Michael Nicosia. Or, if you prefer, leave us a message here on the Internet. We will get back to you promptly. Thank you for your consideration. Eric Maillet The Alliance Network ------------------------------ From: quixote@eskimo.com Subject: Re: Annoyance Calls From Answering Machine Organization: Eskimo North Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 04:55:06 GMT Somehow I missed the first article of this thread. But I assume you are talking about an answering machine that when it receives a message, it will dial a preprogrammed number to alert about the message just received. I would be interested in such a machine, either the one mentioned in this thread or similar ones in the market. Any help with brands or where to buy them, will be greatly appreciated. Carlos ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 May 1994 09:22:40 +0100 From: J.Harrison@bra0112.wins.icl.co.uk Subject: Rude Not to Leave Answering Machine Messages? General view of Digest readers (except Miss Manners) seems to be that it is, on the basis that it leaves the called party with a gnawing feeling of wonderment as to who called them and why. I can't see how; do modern answering machines work differently from my fairly-old Panasonic? With mine, callers who hear the outgoing message all the way through and then hang up (before the beep) just don't activate the message counter, so I don't even know they called. The few seconds gap between the end of the outgoing message and the beep gives them plenty of time. Suits me fine, and I had assumed they all worked much the same way. Incidentally while I'm at the keyboard ... it's taken me a while to realise that US analogue cellular systems providers require you, the the phone owner and payer of the airtime bill, actually to pay for incoming calls. How the heck have they managed to convince people to go for that?!? Joe ICL Ltd. Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8SN UK (+44-344-473424) J.Harrison@bra0112.wins.icl.co.uk S=Harrison/I=J/OU1=bra0112/O=icl/P=icl/A=gold 400/C=GB ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V14 #253 ****************************** -------------------------------------------------------------------------------