TELECOM Digest Thu, 23 Sep 93 10:34:15 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 659

TELECOM Digest Thu, 23 Sep 93 10:34:15 CDT Volume 13 : Issue 659

Inside This Issue: Moderator: Patrick A. Townson

ATM/Frame Relay Conference (Pacific Rim) (Tsz-Mei Ko)
Call Back Services in Trinidad (John Schmidt)
Sprint's Dvorak (Free Modem) Offer (Roy M. Silvernail)
Telephone Museum in Michigan (Jack Decker)
What's With Pac Bell Airport Terminals? (David Kiviat)
AT&T Call Manager Disappeared Again? (Alan Boritz)
Thieves Like GSM Phones (Juha Veijalainen)
US West Files For Big OPX Price Increase in Washington (Dave Ptasnik)
Export of Encryption Software National Security Risk? ([email protected])
New Area Code 905 Now Works From 519 NPA (Nigel Allen)
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From: [email protected] (Tsz-Mei Ko)
Subject: ATM/Frame Relay Conference (Pacific Rim)
Organization: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1993 22:13:11 +0800

I'm posting the following for a friend. Please don't reply to this
email.

Sep. 2,1993

Dear Telecom Professional :

You are cordially invited to attend the 1993 Broadband Workshop
(Frame Relay/SMDS/ATM) and the first Pacific Rim Frame Relay/SMDS/ATM
Interest Group (PRFASIG) meeting to be held in Taipei from November 22
to 24. You are also welcome to participate as a speaker at the
workshop.

PRFASIG was formerly the Pacific Rim SMDS Interest Group (PRSIG)
which held successful workshops and meetings in Taipei and Singapore
during the past year. At the Singapore meeting in May, the charter and
scope of PRSIG were broadened to include Frame Relay and ATM,
consequently the new name PRFASIG was conceived.

The purpose of the 1993 Broadband Workshop and the first PRFASIG
meeting is to provide a common forum for all interested parties of the
telecommunications industry in the Pacific Rim to share experiences
and insight on emerging broadband technologies and services, and to
explore opportunities for cooperation. Your expertise and contribution
to this workshop will be greatly appreciated.

We are looking forward to your acceptance of this invitation and
thank you in advance. A tentative agenda as well as a copy of the
Singapore meeting minutes are enclosed for your information. Details
on the exact location of this workshop will follow shortly. Please
send your reply and all correspondences to:

Cheng-Sheng Lin
1993 Broadband Workshop
Telecommunication Laboratories (TL)
12, Lane 551, Min-Tsu Road, Sec. 3
Yang-Mei, Taoyuan, Taiwan, 326 R.O.C.
Tel: 886-3-4244605 Fax: 886-3-4244888

Sincerely yours,

Maria Chou
Chair
PRFASIG

****Please respond by October 8, 1993 ****

= AGENDA ========================================================

1993 Broadband Workshop

Tentative Agenda :

Time : November 22-24,1993
Place: Taipei, Taiwan

Number of Sessions : 8

1. Introduction and Goals of the Workshop

2. Session I : Overview : Standards, Technology and Services.

. Broadband Applications and Market Drive
- Video
- Multimedia
- Highspeed Data
- LAN interconnection...

. Broadband Technology Overview
- Architecture/Model/Functions
- SONET, ATM, AAL, OAM, Signaling

. Broandband Standards Development and Status
- ATM Forum
- TSS

. Broadband Services
- Frame Relay
- Cell Relay
- SMDS

3. Session II : System, Product, Network and Service Trial

. Broadband Systems & Network Architecture
- Switching functions and architecture
- Interworking unit
- Evolution

. Broadband Components and Products

- Chips
- Subsystems
- HUB...

. ATM VP SW design & Application

. Broadband Service Trials (or experimental test bed)

4. Session III : Broadband User Needs

. Hospital Users

. Science and Technology Organization Users

. Industry Users (Financial, Insurance, Medical)

5. Session IV : Broadband Services from Telecommunications
Service Providers

. Planning & Deployment Plans

. Trial Plans

. Market Needs

. Services

. DGT role

6. Session V : Broadband Equipment Suppliers

. Switch (includes Cross Connect)

. CPE

7. Session VI : Interest Groups - PRFASIG, U.S.SIG, European
SIG, ATM Forum, FR forum, Monte Jade science and technology
association (Yu-Sen Association)

. Role

. Activities

8. Session VII : Open Issues for Discussion

. Broadband Traffic Management

. Broadband Signaling Architecture and Protocols

. Broadband Network Operations

9. Session VIII : PRFASIG meetings

=== MEETING MINUTES =====================================

PRSIG MEETING (5/15/93) MINUTES

. Maria Chou (Chair) called the meeting to order at 8:30 am. Since
there were significantly more countries (Taiwan, R.O.C., Singapore,
Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Australia, U.S., Indonesia, Thailand)
represented than at last year's Taipei meeting, Maria again went
through the approved PRSIG bylaws. Cheng-sheng Lin (Treasurer) and
Wayne Tsou (Secretary) gave financial and secretarial reports which
are attached.

. New businesses: there was a proposal from the floor for a joint
meeting withNorth American SMDS Interest Group (NASIG) and the
European SMDS Interest Group (ESIG), or to invite NASIG and ESIG
members to the next PRSIG meeting. Steve Cortez (DSC) suggested our
officers meet with NASIG and ESIG counterparts at the INTEROP FALL '93
conference (August). Steve agreed to set up the meeting.

. It was agreed that there should have more user involvement at this
forum to stimulate discussions of service applications. Maria asked
attendees to provide contact information for potential SMDS users so
they can be invited to the next workshop and/or PRSIG meeting.

. The following parties agreed to provide appropriate contacts:

- Local carriers (e.g., Singapore Telecom, Malaysia, Japan's IDC, DGT
Taiwan, R.O.C, Telecom) will provide contacts of their prospective
customers.

- David Brown (QPSX), in Australia.

- Friedrich Knopf (Siemens), users of British Telecom's SuperJanet service
and at the University of Stuttgart.

- Gene Choy (Cisco) and Dan Murray (ADC/Kentrox), will provide their
customer contacts.

. The Group discussed the possibility of broadening the charter to
include other broadband technologies and services. Each country in
the region has different strategies:

- Taiwan, R.O.C. is deploying Frame Relay this year and is planning
SMDS trials for the future

- Singapore is trialing a MAN service and looking at Frame Relay and
SMDS.

- Japan plans to deploy Frame Relay next year

- Malaysia has Frame Relay trials planned for next year.

The common denominators to all of these strategies: they want to
eventually evolve to a multi-services ATM platform and are currently
considering Frame Relay and SMDS (or SMDS-like service). So it would
be beneficial to have one forum in the Pacific Rim region for
discussing all Frame Relay, SMDS, and ATM issues.

. It was therefore decided to broaden the Group's charter to include
Frame Relay and ATM. A new name for the Group was then solicited.
Among the suggestions were: Emerging Broadband Services Interest
Group, Emerging Broadband Data Services Interest Group, Frame
Relay/ATM/SMDS Interest Group, Broadband Services Interest Group, and
Broadband Data Services Interest Group. After some debate, "Pacific
Rim Frame Relay/ATM/SMDS Interest Group (PRFASIG)" was voted the new
name.

. Dr. Liang (TL of Taiwan, R.O.C.) noted there may be a ATM
Conference in late October or November of this year in Taipei
initiated by Monte Jade Science and Technology Association and he
suggested the next/first PRFASIG meeting to be held in conjunction
with this ATM conference. David Brown (QPSX) will ask Telecom
Australia if they would be interested in hosting the next meeting in
Australia.

. Meeting was adjourned at noon.

Respectfully submitted,

Wayne Tsou
Secretary of PRFASIG

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

Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 23:49:45 EDT
From: JOHN SCHMIDT <[email protected]>
Subject: Call Back Services in Trinidad

The following article appears on page 2 of the _Sunday Express_ for
September 19th, published in Port Of Spain, Trinidad:

TSTT VOWS HARD LINE ON CUT RATE OVERSEAS CALLS

TSTT has warned that it will take a hard line against subscribers to
the call-back services being offered by local agents in conjunction
with foreign telephone companies.

The local telecommunications service strongly advises its customers
not to subscribe to what it describes as illegal call-back services or
else their lines will be disconnected.

"TSTT will be actively monitoring the misuse of its network for
call-back services and will take immediate action to disconnect any
lines, to terminate any service, and to otherwise remove network
access to any TSTT telecommunications facilities which are used for
such services" said the company's public relations officer, Patt
Christopher.

The condemnation of the proposed overseas calling service came in
response to an advertisement in which a San Fernando {Trinidad} based
security company offered a system designed to slash international
telephone bills by up to half.

Industrial Security Consultants (ISC) and its American partner
Interworld Communications Corporation (ICC) invited prospective
subscribers to pay a nominal fee which would entitle them to a
personal identification number which would guarantee savings on
overseas calls and faxes.

The subscriber, they said, has only to dial a toll free number and ICC
will return the call and put it through, saving the subscriber between
35 and 50 percent on normal foreign calls.

Director of Telecommunications Winston Ragbir said on Friday that
although similar telecommunications systems are operating in other
Caribbean islands, they are illegal in Trinidad and Tobago.

"TSTT is the sole provider for that service. We can't give permission
for those companies to operate here. Government has an agreement with
TSTT and Cable and Wireless for telecommunications services. It is a
Government policy", he said.

As to claims the call-back service does substantially reduce overseas
billing Ragbir said "It is economically true but illegal".

He explained how it works: "Rates vary from country to country.
Companies in the USA charge less. Overseas calls are therefore
directed to the USA to make it appear as if it is coming from the
cheaper end."

Stressing that this type of service is "unlawful", Christopher
explained that it involved the unauthorised use of telecommunications
networks in both Trinidad and Tobago and abroad in order to circumvent
the established international procedures for processing calls. In so
doing, she added, call-back services misuse TSTT's local and
international services.

"In their unlawful and unauthorised use of TSTT's service, system,
equipment and facilities, call-back operators exploit the significant
capital investment made by TSTT for its customers. Their actions are
parasitic and are therefore detrimental to the long-term growth and
development of telecommunications facilities and services in Trinidad
and Tobago," Christopher said.

Contacted on the situation, managing director of ISC, Ambrose
Carrington said that the project was still in its early stage, and
that his company will be holding discussions next week with
representatives of ICC on the "legal" avenues.

__END OF STORY__

Kind of sounds like "Ma Bell" in the old days ... (and my father
worked for Western Electric for over 30 years.) I guess TSTT makes a
bundle on international calls, and doesn't like the idea of
competition at all :-(

John H. Schmidt, P.E. |Internet: [email protected]
Technical Director, WBAU |Phone--Days (212)456-4218
Adelphi University | Evenings (516)877-6400
Garden City, New York 11530 |Fax-------------(212)456-2424

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

Subject: Sprint's Dvorak (Free Modem) Offer
From: [email protected] (Roy M. Silvernail)
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 17:53:37 CST
Organization: The Villa CyberSpace, executive headquarters

I decided it was worthwhile to switch my modem line to Sprint and get
that free modem. It was actually a pleasant experience ...

When I called 800-669-8585, I got an "all representatives are busy"
message, but it was from a live human being! He took my name and
number, and promised that a representative would return the call
within 45 minutes. It took only 20 minutes.

The rep knew of the offer, and filled me in on the details. After
asking my monthly volume, he offered the Most plan, which gives me a
20% discount on whatever number I call the most (no minimum, no
monthly charge). He also offered a Sprint Calling Card, which is
free. I accepted both. Sprint will also refund my $5 changeover fee
with a gift certificate.

He then asked a few questions for their records, like address, how
long I'd been at my present job (but didn't ask anything further about
the job), whether I had a checking account or credit card (and again,
with no further prying for details), and whether I owned or rented.
He asked for my SSN, but was very understanding when I told him I
preferred not to disclose it. There was no problem leaving that space
blank.

The rep closed by giving me a toll-free customer service number, and
asking that I suggest Sprint to my friends. (I told him that I had
already passed the offer along to a couple of people)

The Most plan should come in handy, since most of my traffic lately
has been to a California support BBS (keeping up on modem software
updates for my Connection 96+ SoftModem).

Thanks, Mark Earle and PAT, for passing this offer along!

Roy M. Silvernail |+| [email protected]

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

Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1993 00:24:00 -0400
From: [email protected] (Jack Decker)
Subject: Telephone Museum in Michigan
Reply-To: [email protected]

A telephone nuseum worth a visit when you are in the area:

Montrose Historical & Telephone Pioneer Museum
144 E. Hickory Street
P.O. Box 577
Montrose, Michigan 48457
Hours: 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays ONLY (other times by
appointment/special arrangement).
Call (313 639-6644 for more information.

Jack

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

From: [email protected] (David Kiviat)
Subject: What's With Pac Bell Airport Terminals?
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1993 07:54:11 GMT

Pac Bell has had terminal telephones in airports for years now but
when you try to use them as a terminal (they have a full keyboard)
instead of as a TTY or an overly complex telephone they just reply
"This option has not been implemented yet". It would be very usefull
to have these terminals working so people could check their E-mail
between flights.

My question to Pac Bell people who may be reading this is 'How many
more years is it going to take to get these phones fully implemented?"

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

Subject: AT&T Call Manager Disappeared Again?
From: [email protected] (Alan Boritz)
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 93 22:07:33 EST
Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - +1 201 934 0861

Is AT&T silently dropping this service (again)? I just found it
disabled on one of my lines at home and called AT&T. The billing rep
said that they were advised to tell customers that Call Manager is not
working in the New York City area, and that they have no estimate for
repair. The billing rep also gave a phone number to call for more
information (1-908-204-4182).

This seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to, without trying to
fix the problem. Is AT&T trying to discourage Call Manager users from
using the product, and eventually eliminate it?

aboritz%[email protected] or uunet!drharry!aboritz
Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - +1-201-934-0861

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

From: JVE%[email protected]
Date: 22 SEP 93 10:48
Subject: Thieves Like GSM Phones

Following information is based on an article in 'Tietoviikko',
a Finnish data processing weekly, on 23.09.1993.

New type of crime has hit GSM phone owners. With analog mobile
phones, especially with older NMT450, phone fraud was the problem.

Not with GSM. Intelligent SIM card prevents fraud, but now criminals
are stealing phones and resell them or use their own quite legal SIM
cards. According to the article GSM phones do not identify themselves
to the network, so there is no way to know whether the actual phone is
stolen or not. SIM card in the phone has to be valid, though.

Operators are creating a new system, where phones would send their ID
which then would be compared against database of stolen phones. Calls
from stolen units would be blocked even when the SIM card is valid.

All GSM phones have this equipment ID feature, but it is not currently
used. It would need to be 'activated', whatever that means.

SIM -cards have a four to eight number PIN associated with them.
Currently some phones, like mine, have also a 'phone lock' PIN. When
you turn on the phone, you'll have to type in the phone lock code (0
to eight digits) and then the SIM PIN (four to eight digits).

I suspect, though, that most users don't bother with extra security.

Juha Veijalainen 4ge system analyst, tel. +358 40 5004402
Unisys Finland Internet: JVE%[email protected]
>> Mielipiteet omiani ** Opinions are PERSONAL, facts are suspect <<

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

Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1993 08:35:18 PDT
From: Dave Ptasnik <[email protected]>
Subject: US West Files For Big OPX Price Increase in Washington (at Least)

Excerpts from a Tele-Communications Association letter -

On August 31, 1993 US West (re)filed a terminal loop rate increase
tariff. The intent of this tariff filing is to withdraw all termial
loop service (ie OPX's, tie lines, and centron/centraflex mileage
charges, etc.) from the exchange service transport tariff, redesignate
them as private lines, and bring them under the private line transport
tariff. Since the pricing rules uncer the private line transport
tariff require the addition of subsidies to support other
telecommunications rate payers, this tariff filing, if approved, will
result ina substantial increase in the cost of terminal loops.

Using US West's figures, OPX's in the same central office will
increase 220 percent on recurring charges and 385 percent on
installation charges ...

________________

Other rates equally horrible were gone into. In one of my
applications, installation of a Centron OPX to a different CO would go
from about $60 to over $250, monthlies would go from about $25 to
about $50. Kinda ugly. While this letter did not specifically
mention it, I think this proposal would slightly raise basic line
rates for businesses with four lines or less, and lower basic rates
for businesses with over four lines, so that both would be the same
price. I don't know the intended overall revenue effect, but it sure
seems like US West is encouraging businesses with multiple locations
in the same town to not have a networked voice system.

Customers ought to look at this one very carefully, and hold on to
their wallets tightly.

All of the above is nothing more than the personal opinion of -

Dave Ptasnik [email protected]

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

From: [email protected]
Subject: Export of Encryption Software National Security Risk?
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 93 20:47:05 PDT

(From {The Wall Street Journal}, 22 Sept 93, pg. B6.)
Copyright (C) 1993 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

U.S. Grand Jury Probing
Encryption Software Sales

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- A federal grand jury is probing sales of
encryption software, programs used to protect data from eavesdroppers
by putting it into code.

The U.S. District Court here has subpoenaed two small companies
that sell programs based on a software code called PGP, for Pretty
Good Privacy. Developed by Boulder, Colo., computer consultant Philip
Zimmermann, the software has been widely copied internationally since
Mr. Zimmermann made it available for free in the U.S.

ViaCrypt, a division of Phoenix-based Lemcom Systems Inc., and
Austin Code Works, Austin, Texas, have been asked to supply documents
about their software that incorporates the coding program.

The government has been trying to limit proliferation of
encryption programs, and regards their export as a violation of laws
restricting technology transfers that could threaten national
security. But computer users contend that software publishers are
entitled to the same free-speech protections as any other publisher,
and say it is too late to stop the spread of coding programs.

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

Date: Thu, 23 Sep 93 01:50:51 EDT
From: [email protected] (Nigel Allen)
Subject: New area code 905 now works from 519 NPA
Organization: National Capital FreeNet, Ottawa
Reply-To: [email protected]

Chris Farrar, sysop of the Professional Thinkers Guild BBS in Windsor,
Ontario (FidoNet 1:246/20, modem (519) 256-8717) posted the following
message in the C-TELECOM echo on Fidonet.

21 Sep 1993 (1650 EDT)

Phone numbers that will be in area code 905 after the upcoming split
are now dialable as 1-905-NXX-XXXX from the 519 (Windsor) area.
Previous to this, Bell would intercept the call after eight digits were
dialed, even though 905 was active. A test with AT&T from Jackson MI
on Saturday Sept 18, would not connect with NPA 905 numbers.

Chris

[Note from NDA: The official date for the introduction of 905 is
October 4, 1993. I suspect some COCOTs and PBXs will still block 905
after that date because their administrators didn't bother to
reprogram them for the new area code.]

Nigel Allen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada [email protected]

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End of TELECOM Digest V13 #659
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