TELECOM Digest Wed, 14 Sep 94 13:31:30 CDT Volume 14 : Issue 364 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Symposium - Personal Communication Systems (Carl E. Krasnor) Jeffrey Smulyen to Chair U.S. Delegation to ITU Conference (Nigel Allen) Status of V5.1 V5.2 Development/Deployment (Larry Svec) Information Needed for Frame-Relay Device Driver (Pete Kruckenberg) Transatlantic Cellular (Raymond Okonski) Mixed Services, Same Premises (T. Stephen Eggleston) ICRC Bosnia Appeal (NetSurfer) Help Needed on Losing Telephone Connection (Peter Li) Book Review: "Netiquette" by Shea (Rob Slade) 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 America OnLine. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. 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 edited, published and compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson of Skokie, Illinois USA. You can reach us by postal mail, fax or phone at: 9457-D Niles Center Road Skokie, IL USA 60076 Phone: 708-329-0571 Fax: 708-329-0572 ** 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 partially funded by a grant from the * * International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, Switzerland * * under the aegis of its Telecom Information Exchange Services (TIES) * * project. Views expressed herein should not be construed as represent-* * ing views of the ITU. * ************************************************************************* Additionally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. 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: krasnor@mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca (Carl E. Krasnor) Subject: Symposium - Personal Communication Systems Date: 13 Sep 1994 15:17:44 -0400 Organization: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada PERSONAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS (PCS) A One-Day Symposium Friday, September 30th, 1994. McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario CANADA Health Sciences Centre Room 1A1 Ewart Angus Centre 8:30 am - 4:00 pm Sponsored by the Telecommunications Research Institute of Ontario (TRIO) and the Communications Research Laboratory (CRL) at McMaster University 1. PURPOSE: Personal Communication systems (PCS) are becoming an important element of the world's Wireless Communication Network. This Seminar is designed to brief participants on the origins of these systems, on the status of their deployment in the world, and on the future directions they may take. Participants will be specifically informed about the current R & D on which the development of these systems depends. 2. FORMAT Experienced speakers will make presentations on the various issues that are relevant to PCS. Many opportunities will be given to participants to address questions to speakers. A roundtable discussion on the future trends of PCS involving leading technology developers and planners will be followed by exchanges with participants. All will have a chance to see, touch, and experiment with an operational Personal Communications System as part of the CRL Tour. 3. PARTICIPANTS This symposium is recommended for all persons in industry, government, or academe, who are concerned with the planning, development, deployment management and marketing of PCS. 4. PROGRAM 8:30 am Breakfast - Blue Cafeteria, Ewart Angus Centre "Wireless Communications Opportunities in China" Keynote Speaker: Prof. Song Junde Dean of Graduate School Beijing Univ. of Posts & Telecommunications (BUPT) Beijing, PRC. AM PROGRAM ROOM 1A1 EAC McMaster Health Sciences Centre 10:00 Welcome & Intro. Mr. Peter Leach TRIO Dr. John Litva CRL, McMaster 10:15 Dr. John Litva CRL Director "Origins of Personal Communications" 10:45 Coffee Break 11:00 "Future Directions" (Round Table discussions) Chairman: Dr. John Litva Dr. Tony Bailetti Dr. Andrew Beasley Prof. Song Junde Mr. P. J. Quelch Mr. Mike Lazaridis Mr. Peter Leach MID DAY 12:00 - 2:00 PM CRL Tour Demonstration of Operational PCS Hands-on PCS for Participants Sandwich Lunch CRL B102 PM PROGRAM 2:00 pm "Intelligent Antennas for PCS" Dr. John Litva CRL Director, and Prof. Elect. & Computer Eng. McMaster University 2:30 pm "Microstrip Antennas for Wireless Communications" Prof. David Pozar Electrical Engineering and Computer Science University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA 3:00 pm "Signal Processing Techniques for PCS" Dr. Max Wong Professor, Elect. & Computer Engineering, and CRL McMaster University. 3:30 pm "Unified Approach to Predicting Propagation in an Urban Environment" Dr. Henry L. Bertoni Center for Advanced Technology in Telecommunications, Polytechnic University Brooklyn, NY. 11201, USA. REGISTRATION FORM September 30th, 1994 PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS NAME: _____________________ COMPANY:___________________ ADDRESS:__________________ CITY: ___________ PROV.:____ POSTAL CODE:______________ TELEPHONE:_________________ FAX:_______________________ E-MAIL:____________________ SYMPOSIUM FEES: - TRIO Affiliates $100.+ GST - Non-Affiliates $200.+ GST - Grad Students $ 50. + GST Please send this form with cheque to: Kathy Mhoney, Conference Registrar Telecommunications Research Institute of Ontario (TRIO), 340 March Road, Suite # 400, Kanata, Ontario. K2K 2E4. Phone: 613-592-9211 Fax: 613-592-8163 Carl Krasnor, Communications Research Lab, McMaster U., Hamilton, Ont. CANADA krasnor@McMaster.CA VA3CK Tel:(905) 525-9140 x24171 FAX:(905) 521-2922 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Sep 1994 03:42:56 -0400 Subject: Jeffrey Smulyen to Chair U.S. Delegation to ITU Conference Organization: Internex Online, Toronto From: ndallen@io.org (Nigel Allen) Here is a press release from the White House that may be of some interest. I downloaded it from the PR On-Line BBS in Maryland at 410-363-0834. I do not work for the U.S. government. President Clinton Names Smulyan to Chair Delegation to the International Telecommunication Conference at State Department Contact: White House Press Office, 202-456-2100 WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 -- President Clinton today announced his intention to appoint Jeffrey H. Smulyan with the personal rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service as the Head of the United States Delegation to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference in Yoto, Japan, September 19 - October 15, 1994. In his capacity as Head of the United States Delegation, Mr. Smulyan will advance U.S. proposals to the Conference and promote U.S. interests in the development of international telecommunications. The ITU is the United Nations specialized agency devoted to telecommunications standardization, radio frequency management, and telecommunications development. Mr. Smulyan is founder and Chairman of the Board of Emmis Broadcasting Corporation, which currently owns seven radio stations in the United States. Mr. Smulyan was born April 6, 1947 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history and telecommunications from the University of Southern California in 1969 and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Southern California School of Law in 1972. -30- Nigel Allen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada ndallen@io.org ------------------------------ From: svec@rtsg.mot.com (Larry Svec) Subject: Status of V5.1 V5.2 Development/Deployment Date: 13 Sep 1994 14:28:55 GMT Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group I am looking for information on the implementation of the V5.1 and V5.2 interconnect standards such as the following: 1) Are there any PTTs or Switch vendors who have deployed trial systems or commercial systems using either interface? 2) Are there any switching or other products available now that utilize this standard? 3) The V5 specs are quite substantial in features and functionality; are there any recommendations being made as to a subset or rollout of features that are being implemented by PTTs and switch vendors. Any information in general regarding these specifications would be appreciated. I would also like to talk to or correspond with other people involved in the development and deployment of this spec. Thank you in advance, Larry D. Svec - Motorola Inc. work: 708-632-5259 fax: 708-632-5213 home: 708-526-1256 e-mail: svec@sand.cig.mot.com ------------------------------ From: kruckenb@sal.cs.utah.edu (Pete Kruckenberg) Subject: Information Needed for Frame-Relay Device Driver Date: 14 Sep 1994 12:51:20 GMT Organization: University of Utah Computer Science Department I'm going to be writing a driver for use with the freeware Unix clone, Linux, using a v.35 ISA board. I need to get as much information as possible about frame-relay, including standards, specs, as well as "lay-man" descriptions of it. Also very valuable would be any sample code in C, Basic, Pascal, Modula, assembler, or pretty much any other language which pertains to frame-relay, regardless of which platform or OS it was written for. I would also like to know of any other frame-relay-related Internet resources (newsgroups, mailing lists, etc) that are available. I would appreciate any help I can get in finding this information as soon as possible. Also, anyone who would be interested in coaching me through some of the questions I might have is encouraged to contact me with their suggestions and advice. Please respond by private email to pete@dswi.com, or the address on this message. I will keep these newsgroups posted on my progress. Thank you, Pete Kruckenberg School: kruckenb@sal.cs.utah.edu University of Utah Work: pete@dswi.com Computer Engineering For even more addresses, "finger pete@dswi.com" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Sep 94 19:32 BST From: buzby@cix.compulink.co.uk (Raymond Okonski) Subject: Transatlantic Cellular Reply-To: buzby@cix.compulink.co.uk We all know that when crossing the Atlantic (in either direction) there are going to be problems with fixed or mobile comms systems. I have a UK collection of cellular phones: Analogue ETACS (an AMPS derivative), Digital GSM 900MHz and DCS 1800MHz. None of which will work if I take them across the 'pond'. With so many active cellular accounts, I am unwilling to purchase yet another phone, but when I come over to the US, I want the flexibility of mobile comms, but am unsure as to the best course of action - arrange a reciprocal deal to anyone coming to Europe (so they can borrow one of mine - *and* pay the bill!) or attempt to source one of those Airport booths and try to rent one for the duration. I'll be spending a month in the Georgia/Florida areas later this year, if anyone can recommend the best way to obtain a loan/rented phone for the duration and the network covering the area, I would be most grateful. I can be contacted at bbuzby@cix.compulink.co.uk. Raymond Okonski ------------------------------ From: nuance@access.digex.net (T. Stephen Eggleston) Subject: Mixed Services, Same Premises Date: 14 Sep 1994 11:41:21 -0400 Organization: Nuance Data Systems, Alexandria, VA 22304 Reply-To: nuance@access.digex.net In article , Jerry Leichter wrote: > In recent issues of the Digest, OEM (Our Esteemed Moderator) has: > a) Defended the practice of some Telco's in refusing to provide both > measured and unmeasured service at the same location on the > grounds that this would let people choose the cheaper alterna- > tive on a call-by-call basis, which is not the "intent" of the > various charging schemes; [deletia] My local carrier did not want to install a measured phone in my residence, which already has three unmeasured lines. The new phone was for my daughter, who is living here while she is in college, and would be in her name, not mine. The explanation was that the two services would not be provided in the same RESIDENCE. I faxed them a copy of a cancelled check from my daughter for her RENT. (50.00 per month) Still, they said that it was in the same physical building. I told them, that she had her own entrance, but they said that doesn't matter, since I was the owner. Then, I asked ... So, if I own a multi-family residence, I can't mix services, correct? YES, was the reply. When I asked them about apartment buildings, duplexes and boarding houses, the lady got very confused. She told me "that was different," but could not explain the difference. I GOT the line. (NOT for the purposes of avoiding charges, but I COULD run an extension into MY part of the house if I wanted to.) Just another $.02 from The Eggman Steve Eggleston Internet:nuance@access.digex.net Nuance Data Systems (703)823-8963 CIS:72040,713 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Sep 1994 05:46:40 HST From: NetSurfer Subject: ICRC Bosnia Appeal [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Although not telecom related, I thought this was important enough that it should be passed along. If it annoys you, then ignore it. If you are as concerned as many of us, then give some consideration to what *you* can do to help. PAT] ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 8 Sep 1994 23:11:38 +0100 (WET DST) From: Michel Veuthey To: peace@csf.colorado.edu Subject: ICRC BOSNIA APPEAL Address by the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross to Ambassadors and Representatives of Permanent Missions at Geneva 7 September 1994 Bosnia-Herzegovina: civilians hostages of political interests The conflict in the Balkans has been going on for three years now - three long years of terror and suffering for the civilian population, but also three years of tireless endeavour on the part of the humanitarian agencies. Three years during which the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been working alongside other organizations to try and alleviate the suffering endured by the countless victims of the conflict. Sadly, the many efforts made by the ICRC have failed to meet with the response it had hoped for. This state of affairs is unacceptable. I solemnly wish to declare this to the international community as a whole, through you. For three years now, civilians have been the bargaining chips in what is known as the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. The population is being terrorized, threatened and subjected to constant harassment. People are being forcibly displaced, transferred and exchanged. For three years now, the arbitrary detention of civilians, hostage-taking, summary executions, forced labour of civilians on the front lines are taking place with total disregard for the most elementary principles of humanity. Despite the ceaseless efforts made by the ICRC, which remains at the disposal of the parties to find humanitarian solutions to these problems, horror is still a daily fact of life in Bosnia-Herzegovina. More than 2,000 people have been forced to leave the town of Bijeljina in recentweeks. They have been driven from their homes in terror, stripped of everything they owned, subjected to brutal treatment and compelled to cross the front line. In the Banja Luka area, minorities are being subjected to harassment and discrimination every day. Having lost all hope for the future, they have no choice but to leave. In Central Bosnia, too, minorities left without any prospect of an acceptable life are leaving the Zenica region. In other places like Gorazde and Srebrenica, entire populations are encircled, confined to a few square kilometres of land and forced to survive in appalling psychological and material conditions. In the Bihac area, tens of thousands of displaced civilians are hostage to the belligerents' political interests. In most of these situations it is the Muslim civilian population that is the principal victim of an abominable policy. These facts are extremely serious, and that is why I have taken the liberty of asking you to come to the ICRC today so that I could tell you this myself. The very way in which this war is being waged constitutes a negation of the roots of humanitarian law. The fact that these odious practices are repeatedly being committed, coupled with the absence of any prospect of a solution, is gradually turning human suffering into a routine occurrence, thereby dulling people's conscience and threatening to undermine the very foundations of humanity. We cannot accept a policy that advocates the forcible exclusion of minorities. What indeed will become of them, prevented as they are from seeking refuge abroad and abandoned to their fate among an often hostile majority, if nothing is done to ensure that their rights are respected in the places where they live or if nothing is done to enable them to leave in total safety, freedom and dignity? In the face of this intolerable situation, the ICRC once again calls upon the parties to the conflict, and in particular their respective leaders and populations, to assume their moral and political responsibilities. Above all it appeals, through you, to the community of States to see that there is an immediate end to these crimes, whose gravity and magnitude amount to a negation of humanitarian law and of the most fundamental human rights. It is of the utmost urgency that the international community find solutions taking due account of the inalienable rights of the individual. The International Committee of the Red Cross reminds all the States Party to the Geneva Conventions of their collective obligation to ensure that the provisions of humanitarian law are respected in all circumstances. We cannot continue to watch the erosion of the very foundations of the law without taking practical action. The ICRC is counting on a prompt and determined reaction on the part of the international community. ------------------------------ From: peterli@dev.gdb.org (Peter Li) Subject: Help Needed on Losing Telephone Connection Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - Genome Data Base (GDB) Date: Wed, 14 Sep 1994 04:10:42 GMT Hi folks, I have this problem with my telephone line, it drops everynight around 11:00pm. I wonder if someone on the net can help me out. Here is the scenerio: I have two lines to my house; two pairs of wire on a single four wire cable. I use a modem on one of the lines to dial in to my system at work. Every night, the line is dropped, then for about one minute, I could not get a dialtone. Bell Atlantic sent out technicians during daytime twice and found no problems with the line. I have unplugged all extensions and answering machines, and the problem still happens. I tried a "loop-back" test, i.e. using the bad line and called my other line, no modem, just voice, and the line is still dropped. So the problem is not modem related. And the most peculiar thing is that the line is always dropped around 11:00 pm. After the line recovers, everything is fine for hours. My suspicion is that nothing is wrong physically with the wire, but something is happening at the switching center in the telephone company. The people who answer the problem number (611) doesn't seem to know anything about it and nor do I. If any of you have an idea why this is occurring, please respond so that I might be able to jarr some engineer in Bell Atlantic to get this fixed. (Switching to use the other line is out of the question, that one is my wife's line :-). Thanks in advance, Peter Li email: peterli@gdb.org [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I am curious ... during the minute or so when you get dropped and cannot get dialtone on the one line, what is the status of the other line? What happens if you dial the (dropped, no dialtone) line from your other one? Rapid busy signal perhaps, or a regular busy signal? PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Sep 1994 18:51:15 MDT From: Rob Slade Subject: Book Review: "Netiquette" by Shea BKNTQUTT.RVW 940601 Albion Books 4547 California Street San Francisco, CA 94118 info@albion.com "Netiquette", Shea, 1994, 0-9637025-1-3, U$19.95 ms.netiquette@albion.com The word, "etiquette," we are told in the book, comes from the French word for "ticket". It is your entree, or passport, to proper society. Given the human propensity for exclusivity, however, large sections of the populace take great pride in a reverse snobbery by proving that they don't care about the "right" society, and have no intentions of following its rules. Rebels have a disproportionately high representation on electronic networks. All that this proves, of course, is that different cultures have different specifics in terms of etiquette: netiquette can be much more rigid and picayune than arguments about which fork to use. Nevertheless, as Shea points out, there are some common sense guidelines that form the basis of netiquette. The fundamental principles could be applied to entering any society: lurk (use your eyes and ears first), learn (pay attention to what is going on and find the acceptable, and unacceptable, patterns), and, live and let live. The contents, after an introduction to networking concepts, cover the usual basics of netiquette with the usual list of rules, some discussion of email, email style, discussion groups, and flames. It expands beyond that, however, to information retrieval, significant violations, corporate, home and school etiquette, and discussions of sexual relationships, privacy and copyright. (It is interesting to read the coverage of advertising on the net from a work published just prior to the deluge from Canter and Siegel, who, in their refusal to abide by net dictates, or to admit the net could *have* dictates, give a whole new meaning to the term "self-centred".) Shea's treatment is not, as the cover blurb states, the only book to offer guidance in this area, but is certainly the most complete. While the material is definitely of use to the newcomer, long time net denizens will note a lack of familiarity with certain aspects of computer mediated communications. The advice, for example, to wait a few days before replying to a flame, or composing a flame in reply to an "ignorant" message, is of no use to busy net communicators. The standard time management advice applies -- once you pick it up, don't put it down until you've dealt with it. I tend to get one or two flames per week in response to these reviews, and, inevitably, the messages betray the fact that the flamer hasn't even read the message. However, after a careful review to ensure that there isn't some point to take, I'd rather delete such messages without replying, instead of wasting my time composing a reply in order to try to convince the Internit that he, she or it was wasting my time. (Alternately, if you don't like my solution, forward the flame to Canter and Siegel, thus killing, or at least aggravating, two nits with one flame.) There is also little analysis of the social forces behind flammage. Users are often told to be temperate, don't flame, use smileys and don't be abusive. The "rules of correspondence" too often fail to demonstrate how easily electronic communications can generate misunder- standings. Shea's book is better than most because it covers more related territory, but some up-front explanation of the mechanics involved would have been helpful. Although a brief discussion of netiquette is now a standard fixture in net guides, a work of this larger scope is long overdue. A note asking for suggestions implies corrections and additions in a later version. I look forward to such future editions and the salutary effect on net traffic that this, and they, will have. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994 BKNTQUTT.RVW 940601. Distribution permitted in TELECOM Digest and associated newsgroups/mailing lists. DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca, RSlade@sfu.ca, Rob Slade at 1:153/733 Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" (Sept. '94) Springer-Verlag ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V14 #364 ******************************