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TELECOM Digest     Sun, 15 May 2005 02:20:00 EDT    Volume 24 : Issue 213

Inside This Issue:                             Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Microsoft to Offer Anti-Virus Software, Service (Lisa Minter)
    Verizon FiOS (William Cousert)
    Re: Do Cell Phones Still Offer "A" and "B" Carriers? (Michael Sullivan)
    Re: Do Cell Phones Still Offer "A" and "B" Carriers? (Steven M. Scharf)
    Re: How Is a Number Switched (AT&T to Vonage)? (Tony P.)
    Re: Setting up an Automated RSS Feed (Steve Sobol)
    Re: Last Laugh! Christian Telco in Gay Smear Allegations (Steve Sobol)
    Re: Last Laugh! Christian Telco in Gay Smear Allegations (Pete Romfh)

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               ===========================

See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details
and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest.  

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

From: Lisa Minter <lisa_minter2001@yahoo.com>
Subject: Microsoft to Offer Anti-Virus Software, Service
Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 00:18:11 -0500


Microsoft Corp. , the world's largest software maker, unveiled on
Thursday plans to launch a computer subscription service that would
include anti-virus and security updates for personal computers.

The Redmond, Washington-based software giant said it will initially
distribute the new service, called "Windows OneCare" among its
employees this week and will offer a trial, or beta, service for PCs
running Windows later this year. Users would pay a yearly fee for the
subscription.

In addition to providing anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall
protection, Windows OneCare will also include tools to keep PCs
maintained for optimal performance and back up key data.

Microsoft did not say how much it expected to charge for the service,
which had been expected for a while by the security software
community.

Microsoft acquired anti-virus technology from GeCAD Software Srl., a
Romanian software company, in 2003 to develop its own software. A
major security-focused update to Windows XP, called Service Pack 2,
was delivered last year.

Such efforts have hit the shares of major security software
vendors. McAfee Inc.'s shares are down 13 percent so far this year
while Symantec Corp.'s stock has declined 28 percent in the same
period.

"We're designing the service so it will continually update and evolve
over time," Ryan Hamlin, Microsoft's general manager of the Technology
Care and Safety Group said in a statement.

Nearly all of the major anti-virus security programs are designed to
be updated regularly over the Internet for a monthly or yearly fee, so
that they can cope with new virus threats as they appear.

Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. 

NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the
daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new
articles daily.

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

From: William Cousert <williamcousert@gmail.com>
Subject: Verizon FiOS
Date: 14 May 2005 13:03:35 -0700


I have a few qestions about Verizon's new FiOS service. It was
recently installed in my neighborhood and I'm thinking about switching
over from Comcast.

1. Does Verizon offer Usenet access with their accounts? Comcast only
offers a limited amount of bandwidth for Usenet and charges extra if
you exceed it.

2. Can I connect without using MSN?

3. I have three computers. Will they charge me extra for the
additional IP's? If so, how much?

4. Can I run a personal server? I'd like to be able to host my own
home page on it, as well as a message board. What about game servers
(quake 3, etc.)?

5. Will they offer cable tv services? I'd like to dump Comcast
completely. Will they have video on demand?

6.  15/2 service costs $49.95 per month.  30/5 costs $199.95 per
month.  Twice the bandwidth, four times the price. Why such a big jump
in price? Can you get two 15/2 packages and join them together
(remember shotgun modems? You could have two 56k modems work as one)?

6a. Does the $199.95 package give you the right to run servers? Maybe
that's the reason for the big increase?

7. Can FiOS handle higher speeds in the future, or will they need to
replace the fiber once again when the next leap in speed comes?

8. Has anyone in this group made the jump from Comcast to FiOS? What
do you think so far?

Thanks,

-William Cousert

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

From: Michael D. Sullivan <userid@camsul.example.invalid>
Subject: Re: Do Cell Phones Still Offer "A" and "B" Carriers?
Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 03:45:45 GMT


John Levine wrote:

>> Do today's cell phones have any option to do that?

> None that I've seen.  Typically the A carrier is TDMA or GSM, and the
> B carrier is CDMA, so if you forced the phone to the other one it'd
> have to fall back to analog and cellco's don't like that.

My CDMA/Analog Kyocera 7135 can choose A preferred or B preferred; it
can also be set to analog only or digital only.  Obviously, it won't
work on TDMA or GSM, but can be used on a manually forced analog A or
B.  Not that I would have any interest in doing so, however, because I
would prefer to have more than a minute or two of battery life.

Michael D. Sullivan
Bethesda, MD (USA)
(Replace "example.invalid" with "com" in my address.)


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Is the battery drain _that_ dramatic
between analog and digital (you said 'prefer to have more than a 
minute or two of battery life').   PAT]

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

From: Steven M. Scharf <scharf.steven@linkearth.net>
Subject: Re: Do Cell Phones Still Offer "A" and "B" Carriers?
Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 03:53:56 GMT
Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net


John Levine wrote:

>> Do today's cell phones have any option to do that?

> None that I've seen.  Typically the A carrier is TDMA or GSM, and the
> B carrier is CDMA, so if you forced the phone to the other one it'd
> have to fall back to analog and cellco's don't like that.

> Ten years ago when I had an analog car phone I would force it to
> switch all the time when I was on trips because I knew that the
> non-default carrier had a better roaming deal.

There are quite a few areas with two TDMA and two AMPS networks.
Depending on the phone, it can be easy or difficult to switch it
between networks. Some phones require being hooked up to a computer to
be switched, and some can be programmed over the air.

In areas where both Cingular and AT&T have TDMA networks, the networks
are still separate (labeled orange for Cingular, blue for AT&T, but it
is still A & B for AMPS).

I've recently activated several old TDMA phones for use on Beyond 
Wireless (http://gobeyondwireless.com) or CallPlus. These have to be 
phones that were either previously on the AT&T TDMA network, or that can 
be reprogrammed over-the-air. I.e., they can't activate a locked 
Cingular TDMA phone that can't be reprogrammed over the air.

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

From: Tony P. <kd1s@nospamplease.cox.reallynospam.net>
Subject: Re: How Is a Number Switched (AT&T to Vonage)? 
Organization: ATCC
Date: Sat, 14 May 2005 11:45:02 -0400


In article <telecom24.210.8@telecom-digest.org>, 
drears@runningpagespam.org.lga.highwinds-media.com says:

> I switched from my local phone service to Vonage in January.  I am
> completely happy with the service and have had no problem with it.  I
> was able to keep my number and the transfer took only 20 days.  I
> recommended the service to my dad and he switched.  He had a lot of
> problems with the number transfer.

> He had AT&T for both local and long distance.  I don't have the
> exact dates so I will make them up.  On day 22 of his service his
> phone jacks went dead and he was informed via email that the
> switchover of his phone number to Vonage had taken place.  The problem
> is/was that if anyone outside of Vonage called him, they would get the
> message that the phone number was disconnected.  Since I am on Vonage,
> I was able to call him with his original phone number.  The number was
> (856) 23X-XXX.  This persisted for 18 days.  I suspect the problem is
> not with Vonage but with the entity that manages the North American
> databases.  Can someone explain to me what the technical process is
> for switching over and what may have happened?

> Dennis

> P.S.  This is my first post to the Telecom digest in a decade.  Hi
> Pat, I'm glad that you are still moderating this forum.  BTW, you
> might remember me as drears@pica.spam.army.mil

Let me dispel the myths about why number transfers take so long. I
find it infinitely amusing that a cell phone can be transition within
48 hours, as can a land line when going regulated carrier to regulated
carrier.

There is nothing technical about it. Instead it is foot dragging by
the incumbent carriers, nothing more.

The same thing is happening with E-911. There isn't a true technical
reason why E-911 can't work with VoIP. Instead, the incumbents tend to
control E-911 systems in most places and you guessed it, they drag
their feet.

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

From: Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net>
Subject: Re: Setting up an Automated RSS Feed
Date: Sat, 14 May 2005 14:57:28 -0700
Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com


Isaiah Beard wrote, responding to TELECOM Digest Editor who asked:

>> Do any Digest readers know how to go about setting up an _automated_
>> RSS  feed?  I would make this Digest available using RSS if I knew
>> how to do it. If so, could you please email me?  I will really
>> appreciate your help.

> http://www.myrsscreator.com/

> Unfortunately their website is a bit "flash"y (as in heavy use of
> Macromedia products), but they do offer a tool that purports to
> automate the creation and dissemination of rss feeds.

There are a lot of blogging programs that have RSS feeds as one of
their features. I use http://www.blogcms.com/ but that's far from the
only one.


JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638)
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / sjsobol@JustThe.net / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED

"The wisdom of a fool won't set you free"
     --New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle"


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I am in the process of getting an RSS
feed set up now for the Digest. You can examine what has been done
thus far at http://www.feedrollpro.com/syndicate.php?id=308  PAT]

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

From: Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net>
Subject: Re: Last Laugh! Christian Telco in Gay Smear Allegations
Date: Sat, 14 May 2005 14:56:46 -0700
Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com


Linc Madison wrote:

>> A CHRISTIAN TELCO in Oklahoma, has been drumming up business by
>> smearing its rivals on moral affairs.

I bet they advertised themselves as being good Christians, too.

I know many people who are God-fearing, moral people who generally
choose to Do the Right Thing. A large number of them are
Christian. These *real* Christians don't have to advertise how
wonderful they are.

Whenever I see a business owner who feels the need to advertise that
he or she is a Good Christian(tm), that business owner falls to the
bottom of my list of choices for whatever good or service I'm shopping
for. In my experience, people who feel the need to crow "Jesus loves
me because I'm a wonderful person who never does anything wrong" are
usually hiding something.


JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638)
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / sjsobol@JustThe.net / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED

"The wisdom of a fool won't set you free"
     --New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle"

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

From: Pete Romfh <promfhTAKE@OUThal-pc.org.invalid>
Subject: Re: Last Laugh! Christian Telco in Gay Smear Allegations
Date: Sat, 14 May 2005 07:23:05 -0500


Pete Romfh wrote:

> TELECOM Digest Editor noted in response to Lisa Minter:

>> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Neither Lisa nor myself
>> could find where the .wav files (indicated by 'here' and
>> 'here' above) went to. If you are reading the text-based
>> mailing list of this Digest, you may wish to look up the
>> web site for the (British) Inquirer, read the article and
>> see if you can locate the missing .wav files. It should
>> make good listening.

> Here's the link to that audio file.  It's hilarious.

> Pete Romfh, Telecom Geek & Amateur Gourmet.
> promfh at hal dash pc dot org

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: _Where_ is the link, Pete?
> That's the same thing that Lisa got; copy the file out
> and nothing is there. 'Here' just turns out to be a blank
> space. In the next message, Linc Madison did his homework
> and entered the URL manually, so it could not get away.
> PAT]

In my case it was a defect in the Keyboard-Chair interface device.
Some adjustments are being made this morning.

#print  <wry grin>  ; OOPS!
#include <strong coffee> ; before posting. =;)


Pete Romfh, Telecom Geek & Amateur Gourmet.
promfh at hal dash pc dot org

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


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End of TELECOM Digest V24 #213
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