TELECOM Digest Wed, 29 Dec 93 10:15:00 CST Volume 13 : Issue 841
Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson
Re: How are Telephone Calling Cards Verified? (Chris Labatt-Simon)
Re: 500 Channel Cable Television (Brad Hicks)
Re: 500 Channel Cable Television (Mitch Wagner)
Re: Privacy and Caller ID/Auto Callback? (Charles Reichley)
Re: Privacy and Caller ID/Auto Callback? (Mitch Wagner)
Re: Automatic Call Distributor Information Wanted (Russell E. Sorber)
Re: Telix and Busy Signals (Jeffery Foy)
Re: Is UK IDDD Changing 4/94? (David Woolley)
NPA Questions (Bill Hofmann)
International Dedicated Connections (Patrick Nta)
Argentine Phone Companies (Telecomm,Telephonic) (Charles Reichley)
Re: Guatemala Calls Canada Looking For Love (Carl Moore)
Digital Cordless Phones Question (mike%
[email protected])
Editor's Comments on Communications/Computer Progress (H.A. Kippenhan Jr.)
TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
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From:
[email protected] (Chris Labatt-Simon)
Subject: Re: How Are Telephone Calling Cards Verified?
Date: 29 Dec 1993 15:13:55 GMT
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY, USA
[email protected] (Chris Farrar) writes:
> For my current calling card, with a 519 area code number, running the
> card number through software (on a PC) that will tell if a Visa or
> MasterCard number is valid, has the card number come back as being a
> valid MasterCard, even though it is several digits too short to be a
> MC.
Credit cards use the last digit of the full number as a check digit.
I don't have the specs in front of me, but if I recall, they use a mod
10 translation with the summation equalling the check digit. I'm not
sure if it's mod 10 or something else though. It's a fairly common
practice for a lot of types of plastic. If the first digit of your
calling card is a 5, and you ran it through a credit card
authorization program, it would usually recognize it as a Mastercard.
Hence, if the last digit uses the same checksum, then it would appear
as a valid Mastercard, regardless of its length.
Chris Labatt-Simon Internet:
[email protected]
Design & Disaster Recovery Consulting CIS: 73542,2601
Albany, New York
PHONE: (518) 495-5474 FAX: (518) 786-6539
Subscribe to the Lotus Notes Mailing List - e-mail me for info....
------------------------------
From: mc/G=Brad/S=Hicks/
[email protected]
Date: 28 Dec 93 21:17:28 GMT
Subject: Re: 500 Channel Cable Television
Several people have mentioned, in discussing the topic "500 Channel
Cable Television," that what's wrong with this is the sheer difficulty
of finding anything interesting. Most of them called for some kind of
set-top computer that downloads listings and offers you multiple ways
to search them.
Whether you ever thought about it or not, those of us with satellite
TV systems =already= have, in theory, roughly 400 to 500 channels of
video available to us, of which maybe 190 or so carry free video (*
see footnote), another 30 or so carry cable-TV type subscription-only
channels, and the rest of which is either part-time rental ("feeds"
for various purposes), private data channels, or just unused yet. In
any case, at just about any time you turn on even a cheap C-band only
system like mine, there's at least 150 channels available to "surf."
Since this has been around for a while, you might think that the
problem had been addressed. And it has: exactly that set-top computer
and downloading service already exists, and it's called SuperGuide.
Before you try to reinvent the wheel, go down to your local satellite
TV dealer and ask to see a SuperGuide in use; it's not bad for current
state of the art. That is to say, it'll show you what's on now, or
let you search for programs alphabetically by name, or show you the
schedule for a particular "channel." It also connects to the infrared
port on your VCR to let you record events directly off of the on-screen
menus of the SuperGuide.
In other words, I've seen the 500-channel future with interactive
on-line real-time "TV Guide" computer services that y'all are looking
for ... and it's =old= technology. Unless there's good upstream
communications, and maybe the "everybody's a publisher" open platform
model that the EFF is pushing for, all that the telco and cable TV
"information superhighway" types are bringing to the table is a new
transmission medium, and =maybe= (if we're lucky) higher video
resolution.
* Footnote: of the 190 or so channels of "free" video on the
satellites, probably 50 of them are religious, probably another 50 are
shop-at-home not counting the 10 or so that are non-stop infomercials,
probably another 25 are used part-time for minor sports broadcasts,
and probably another 25 or so are some form or other of (subsidized)
educational channel. There's a "free" "adult variety" channel that
is, in effect, a non-stop ad for the owners' 900 "hot chat" lines, a
"free" music video channel where they constantly run across the bottom
the 900 number for requesting the video of your choice, and another
"free" music video channel that at least once during each video
shrinks it down about 66% and uses the rest of the screen to advertise
that you can buy the music and/or the video from them by calling their
800 number. The rest are merely "regular" programming -- that is to
say, advertiser supported. Even with 500+ channels of video
bandwidth, There (still) Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. I Have
Seen The Future ... and it's mostly televangelism, sports, infomercials,
and 900 numbers. (*sigh* *grin*)
I brought all of this up not to divert TELECOM Digest into a
discussion of satellite TV, just to give you a glimpse of what the
500-channel future might (does) look like. For further discussion of
the satellite TV angle on all of this, see rec.video.satellite or it's
unmoderated mailing list equivalent, homesat at
[email protected],
or see section 8 of forum CEFORUM on Compu$erve.
J. Brad Hicks Internet:
[email protected]
X.400: c=US admd=ATTMail prmd=MasterCard sn=Hicks gn=Brad
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The televangelism aspect is a very
interesting one. I can remember years and years ago -- the 1950's
in particular -- when there were no specifically 'religious' radio
stations with the exception of WMBI out of Chicago at Moody Bible
and maybe one or two others; HCJB in Quito, Ecuador comes to mind if
you include shortwave stuff. In that era, FM was very new and not
that many people had FM radios so everything was on AM. But the AM
stations were absolutely loaded with radio preachers every Sunday
all day and all night. WLS (890 AM in Chicago) in those days 40
years ago carried nothing but pre-recorded religious programs from
about 5 AM Sunday morning through 1 AM Monday morning when they
signed off the air. One after the other, usually thirty minutes in
length but a few of 15 minutes; now and again one had a full hour.
The old WCFL (1000 AM back then) was the same way. I guess those
preachers, some of whom are familiar names today paid big dollars
for WLS' clear channel and 50,000 watts of power.
A woman evangelist by the name of Aimee Semple McPherson used to be on
WLS every day of the week along with quite a few other radio stations
in the 1930's and 1940's. She'd preach day after day against the evils
of hard drink, the use of tobacco and marijuana and other things. WLS
loved her; so did KOA in Denver and WWL out of Cincinnati. She
brought them huge listening audiences all night long and she paid them
top dollar from her own collection basket which was always running
over. She never hesitated to remind the audience to send those love
offerings to her (" ... send your letters and gifts to me, Aimee
Semple McPherson, Pasadena, California, the United States of America
.. that's all the address you need ..." and if you were listening to
her in Canada, well, there was a post office box in Toronto for you to
write to. Her main 'competitor' was a fellow named Father Coughlin.
He was on every radio station day after day also with the message that
whatever was wrong in the world was the fault of 'the communists'. He
had books and pamphlets that he had written which would explain it all
in detail if you would write him and request your free copy. Of course
your free-will gift had better be enclosed when you wrote him. Like
Aimee, the good Father got his mail via Pasadena, California (where
his name on the envelope was the only address you needed) and he also
had a box in Toronto. Apparently people ordered his pamphlets and
books; he was the Rush Limbaugh of his time; Aimee even quoted him
occassionally in her broadcasts. How the technology has changed! But
alas, even though the speakers have changed and the level of sophis-
tication on the part of the producers of religious shows has increased
greatly, the hucksterism is still there. WLS changed formats to hard
rock music in 1961 and all the preachers were dropped at one time; WLS
bought out their contracts as part of the format change.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 93 1:44:48 EST
From:
[email protected] (Mitch Wagner)
Subject: Re: 500 Channel Cable Television
Organization: Open Systems Today
[email protected] (A. Padgett Peterson) writes:
> Several people have suggested that they might be able to edit out
> everything except what is wanted. I doubt that the companies will
> offer this since they are interested in selling *more* so will have to
> tell you about things you did not select.
The carriers will not have an inducement to sell you those editors,
but I'm sure that third parties will do so.
mitch w.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 93 14:07:48 EST
From: Charles Reichley <
[email protected]
Subject: Privacy and Caller ID/Auto Callback
It seems that anybody these days who runs a business and has clients
could afford to buy a cellular phone, and not use their client's phones
for calling anybody. This would obviate the need for an 'alternate'
caller id since the ID of the caller would be tied to their cellular
phone.
Charles W. Reichley, Loral/FSC???, Manassas, Va.
Reminder : This post has nothing to do with IBM or its subsidiaries
------------------------------
From:
[email protected] (Mitch Wagner)
Subject: Re: Privacy and Caller ID/Auto Callback?
Organization: Open Systems Today
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 93 19:10:55 GMT
[email protected] (Alan Boritz) writes:
> I think that supposedly intelligent people (doctors, lawyers, social
> workers, and their employers) should find their OWN solution to that
> issue and not burden the public-switched-telephone-network, and the
> rest of us, with their problems ...
I don't have a problem with that in the case of doctors and lawyers,
who often make scads of money -- or at least a sufficient amount to
foot the bill for a second phone line. What is the cost of a second
phone line, anyway? -- $50/mo. and maybe a few hundred dollars install
charge, right?
However, social workers make teeny-tiny little salaries, and that
$50/mo. is a big deal for them.
Clearly, if we as a nation decide we need CallerID, then we also need
to provide for exceptions where the public might be better served by
NOT having it.
mitch w.
------------------------------
From:
[email protected] (Russell E. Sorber)
Subject: Re: Automatic Call Distributor Information Wanted
Date: 28 Dec 93 23:01:28 GMT
Organization: Motorola Cellulsr Infrastructure Group
Alex Cena <
[email protected]> writes:
> On Wed, 08 Dec 1993 15:47:43 EST Jason Demarte <
[email protected]>
> wrote:
>> I have recently been reading about the sytem called Automatic Call
>> Distributor (ACD) and am wondering who are the major dealers for each
>> version of ACD: integrated ACD and stand-alone ACD. If anyone has
>> some any information on this please post me a response, thanks.
> You should call Aspect Telecom for some information.
Rockwell Switching Systems is also very big in ACD equipment.
Rockwell has much (if not most) of the airline reservation system
market as well as ACD equipment in several large Wall Street brokerage
houses.
Rockwell Switching has a office in Downers Grove Il. and does at
least some sales/marketing out of that office also. Call Directory
Assistance for the number (area 708)
Russ Sorber
Software Contractor - Opinions are mine, Not Motorolas!
Motorola, Cellular Division
Arlington Hts., IL (708) 632-4047
------------------------------
From:
[email protected] (Jeffery Foy)
Subject: Telix and Busy Signals
Date: 28 Dec 1993 23:50:44 GMT
Organization: University of Washington
In a message on 12-28-93,
[email protected] wrote the following:
> Okay, I just set up a new PC Logic 14.4kbps Internal Fax/Modem for a
> friend, and set-up deltaComm's Telix v3.21 for it.
PC Logic? Doesn't ring a bell here ...
> I CANNOT get Telix to recognize a busy signal. I am already using
> ATX4V1 to no avail (sp?).
You sure it's Telix that isn't recognizing the busy? Go into terminal
mode in Telix and dial a number that's busy. If you don't get any
response (i.e. the word BUSY) then it's the modem not Telix. If, OTOH,
the BUSY is displayed, check Telix's modem response strings. You might
have to manually put the word BUSY in one of the fields.
> Any suggestions (besides TRY x PROGRAM and BUY x BRAND MODEM) e-mailed to
> me would be most appreciated.
Well, you SHOULD try other stuff just as a matter of course. But I
don't think I'll tell you which other stuff to try. 's best to try on
your own. :)
Jeffery Foy --
[email protected]
[email protected] or
[email protected]
------------------------------
From:
[email protected] (David Woolley)
Subject: Re: Is UK IDDD Changing 4/94?
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 93 17:34:46 GMT
In article <
[email protected]>
[email protected] writes:
> From Oftel Consultative Document June 93:
> The codes that will *not* change at NCC are the existing codes for
> non-geographic services, ie:
My understanding (from {BT Engineering Journal}) is that the only reason
that the non-geographic numbers are not changing is that they would
conflict with the old geographic numbers. The intention is that, once
a quarantine period has expired on the old numbers, the non-geographic
numbers will be rationalised. This does not necessarily mean that
firm decisions have been made about these numbers. (The first digit
will be used to classify numbers (one for geographic land based
numbers).)
David Woolley, London, England
[email protected]
------------------------------
From:
[email protected] (Bill Hofmann)
Subject: NPA Questions
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 1993 16:30:19 PST
In reviewing the various sources (telecom postings, discussions with
LECs, etc), I'm left with a few questions that folks out there may be
able to help with:
1. Does any state publish 1 + NPA+ 7d AND 0 + 7d instructions? I have
here that Delaware still does (302). Carl Moore's note in
"history" yhat 213 does is incorrect.
2. BESIDES dialing Fort Worth to Dallas (817 to 214) and other towns
in that corridor, are there any other localities which
REQUIRE 10 digit dialing across NPA boundaries (for non-toll
calls, I guess)?
FYI, 510 allows 1+510 dialing, I haven't checked other Bay Area area codes.
Bill Hofmann
[email protected]
Fresh Software and Instructional Design +1 510 524 0852
------------------------------
From:
[email protected] (Patrick Nta)
Subject: International Dedicated Connections
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 1993 13:58:20 -0400
Organization: Harvard Medical School
I am looking for telecom companies that offer 56kbs/64kbs or X.25 data
connections to Nigeria. Or cheap satellite links.
AT&T, Sprint and MCI only offer Analog (voice grade) connections.
Thanks.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 93 15:03:36 EST
From: Charles Reichley <
[email protected]>
Subject: Argentine Phone Companies (Telecomm, Telephonic)
Reply-To:
[email protected]
Organization: IBM Federal Systems Company (for now)- Manassas, VA USA
Does anybody have any interesting information about the two Argentine
phone companies? Like how they decided how to break the country into
two parts, what state of modernization have they achieved, etc.?
Charles W. Reichley, Loral/FSC???, Manassas, Va.
Reminder: This post has nothing to do with IBM or its subsidiaries
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 93 15:30:04 EST
From: Carl Moore <
[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Guatemala Calls Canada Looking For Love
Actually, wasn't that Hightstown, NJ which had the numbers (advertised
overseas) for horoscopes etc.? That is in the 609 area, not 201.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You could be right. PAT]
------------------------------
From: mike%
[email protected] (Mike S.)
Subject: Digital Cordless Phones Question
Organization: BITS, St. Louis, MO
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 1993 21:24:05 GMT
Message-ID: <1993Dec28.212405.24529%
[email protected]>
I am doing a bit of late Christmas shopping for myself, and have
decided on a 900Mhz digital cordless phone. The models I have heard
about and seen locally are the usual Tropez/Vtech ($200-$250) models,
the AT&T 9100 ($250), and Uniden EXP9100 ($350).
The Uniden claims to use spread spectrum transmission so I picked one
up under a 30 day trial period. Sound is, as usual, "almost corded
quality", and uniform throughout my house. I haven't had time to any
serious range tests yet and I have never hit the almost-out-of-range
beeps around the house. The manual says they are using MSK
modulation.
I did search the 903-925 MHz band with the trusty scanner and as
expected couldn't find anything intelligble. The scanner did however
seem to lock up on a few frequencies that seemed to be dependant on
the phone being active, which I wouldn't think possible if they were
really using what I think of as spread spectrum.
Has anyone had the opportunity to do any testing on this model, even a
comparison of the above models and the Cobra/RS/CM units?
The Uniden and AT&T to my ears are roughly comparable in sound
quality, the Uniden has a few additional features and a lighted
keypad.
Mike mike%
[email protected]
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 1993 16:10:18 CST
From: H.A. Kippenhan Jr. <
[email protected]>
Subject: Your Comments on Communications/Computer Progress
Hi:
On 25 Dec 1993 18:26:24 GMT, Robert McMillan wrote:
>> A feature I used to do occassionally was called "Ten Years Ago in
>> the Digest" and perhaps a few readers would enjoy some of the
>> comments from the readers who were on our list back then during the
>> final days of the old Bell System and the first few days of the 'new
>> way' of doing things. PAT]
> Yes, it can be interesting to go back in the archives. I remember
> seeing a note from the Moderator at the time, Jon Solomon, saying
> something to the effect that now that AT&T's breaking up, we can't
> have any political commentary in the Digest because of the AUP for the
> various nets. He also said the Net was about to convert from NP to
> the newfangled TCP/IP ... amazing how much technical progress there's
> been in the Internet in such a short period of time.
TELECOM Digest Editor noted in response:
> Yes, the changes in network technology have been occurring at a
> exponential rate. It took how many thousands of years to invent the
> telephone and learn to control electricity for our convenience? Then
> in the next hundred years ... wow! Computers were 'invented' in the
> late 1940's and early 1950's ... 25-30 years later 'home computers'
> first began to make an appearance in the late 1970's. Now 15 years
> later, more computational resources sit on the desk in my office than
> existed at Harvard University in 1960. Several years passed between
> the 110/300 baud modem and the 1200 baud modem. After a couple years
> 2400 baud became available, and then 9600 and 14.4 came through almost
> immediately thereafter. The {Chicago Tribune} in an editorial comment
> in 1900 commenting on 'all the tremendous inventions of the past
> century' (meaning 1801-1900) asked, "how long will it be before we
> run out of things to invent ...". It boggles my mind to think of what
> kinds of things we will have at our disposal twenty years from now.
> That is, unless we 'run out of things to invent'... :) PAT]
It's probably safe to say that technology is advancing at a greater
than exponential rate. One of the things that is often overlooked is
that there are more scientists alive [and hopefully working - 8-)]
today than the total in mankind's history to date. It's no wonder
that things are changing so fast.
We want to be careful about 'run(ning) out of things to invent'.
There was a proposal just shortly after the Civil War to close the
U.S. Patent Office because everything that could possibly be invented
had been thought of. No criticism here (I assume that 'run(ning) out
of things to invent' was a -in-cheek remark).
Just my $0.02 worth.
Best regards,
H.A. Kippenhan Jr. Internet:
[email protected]
National HEPnet Management HEPnet/NSI DECnet: FNDCD::KIPPENHAN
Fermi National Accelerator Lab. BITnet:
[email protected]
P.O. Box 500 MS: FCC-3E/368 Telephone: (708) 840-8068
Batavia, Illinois 60510 FAX: (708) 840-8463
------------------------------
End of TELECOM Digest V13 #841
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