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For your convenience in reading: Subject lines are printed in RED and
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Previous Issue (just one)
TD Extra News
TELECOM Digest Sun, 22 May 2005 01:50:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 226
Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson
The New Laws of Television (Monty Solomon)
Thinking About VOIP (William Cousert)
Switch Identification (Mike Cater)
An Incident Forty Years Ago at Bell Labs (Lisa Minter)
Re: Foreign Exchange (FX) Lines Still in Use? (Robert Bonomi)
Re: Vonage Changes 911 to Opt-Out (Robert Bonomi)
Re: Sprint Has a Surprise For "Wireless Web Access" (Steve Sobol)
Re: Tie Lines (was Re: Foreign Exchange Lines Still in Use? (L Hancock)
Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the
Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and
the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other
journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are
included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address-
included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article
herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the
email.
===========================
Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be
sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters,
viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome.
We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we
are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because
we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands
against crime. Geoffrey Welsh
===========================
See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details
and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 23:22:54 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: The New Laws of Television
Piracy is Good?
The New Laws of Television
by Mark Pesce
There are two principle components of the new value chain of
television hyperdistribution: the producer and the advertiser. An
advertising agency is likely acting as an intermediary between these
two, connecting producers to advertisers, working out the demographic
appeal of particular programs, and selling ad payload into those
programs; this is a role they already fulfill -- although at present
they work with the broadcast networks rather than the producers.
There is no role for a broadcaster in this value chain; the audience
has abandoned the broadcaster in favor of a direct relationship with
the program provider. That said, the broadcasters are uniquely
qualified to transform themselves into highly specialized advertising
agencies, connecting advertisers to producers; this is something they
already excel at.
http://www.mindjack.com/feature/newlaws052105.html
------------------------------
From: William Cousert <williamcousert@gmail.com>
Subject: Thinking About VOIP
Date: 21 May 2005 11:03:38 -0700
Organization: http://groups.google.com
I'm thinking about subscribing to one of the many VOIP services
(Vonage, Callvantage, etc.) and have a few questions.
Are any of these good enough to replace a POTS line? I'll be using it
over Verizon's new Fios service.
Where can I find a comparison of all the available services? I did a
quick google search and found nothing.
Do any of the services offer a discounted rate for a second or third
line?
Lingo seems to offer the most for the least amount of money. Are they
worth considering?
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: For myself, I go with Vonage, mainly
because of my advertising relationship with them. I do not know if
that makes them 'better' or not, just 'cheaper' for me. I still have
some Vonage e-coupons good for one month of free service. If anyone
wants to test out Vonage, email me and ask for an e-coupon. The deal
is, you click on the link in the email I send you; it then walks you
through the sign up process of getting a number assigned, shipping
out the telephone adapter (quite easy to install), etc. You use a
credit card of your choice to pay for the adapter and a month of
service. _Then_ the e-coupon kicks in, and whatever service you
bought, you get a second month of the same for free. Email me for
your coupon: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu PAT]
------------------------------
From: Mike Cater <cater@cdvill66e.org>
Subject: Switch Identification
Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 17:39:42 -0400
Recently I switched service providers for my POTS line. We used to be
using a WECo 5ESS, with the older line cards (the better sounding
ones!). I switched to a cable provider and obtained a landline through
them. It's not VOiP. It is routed through the same switch I used to
use but it's not homed from that switch. So obviously this makes
finding the CLLI of the switch alot harder.
To get to the point, while messing around with the switchhook I got a
strange busy signal. It's 1600 Hz on for 0.5 seconds, off for 0.5
seconds. Here's a wav file of it: http://tinyurl.com/4dk34/busy.mp3
If you have any idea of what kind of switch this is,
please advise! Thanks.
------------------------------
Subject: An Incident Forty Years Ago at Bell Labs
From: Lisa Minter <lisa_minter2001@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 00:45:01 EDT
Forty years ago this month, at the Bell Labs offices in New Jersey,
the suspected origin of the universe was discovered, quite by
accident. They were not looking for that; it sort of just fell into
their laps, and later, it got them substantial recognition.
You can listen to it on the radio now: "NPR : The Big Bang's Echo"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4655517&sourceCode=RSS
------------------------------
From: bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi)
Subject: Re: Foreign Exchange (FX) Lines Still in Use?
Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 06:47:18 -0000
Organization: Widgets, Inc.
In article <telecom24.224.13@telecom-digest.org>, TELECOM Digest
Editor noted in response to Robert Bonomi:
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: As Robert knows, those four additional
> touch tone keys were known as A,B,C, and D. I forget the exact
> meaning of each, but my question is, did anyone with 'regular'
> service but with an Autovon phone ever try pressing those keys in
> a regular call? I did a couple times, and the immediate result was
> a 'fast busy' signal; the call would not complete. PAT]
On the PSTN, it somewhat depended on the switch and programming.
'Reorder' was the very-common switch reaction. There were a few
switches that completely 'ignored' those signals.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: But did you ever see/hear any that
neither ignored nor offered re-order, but instead actually _did
something_ ? I never did. PAT]
------------------------------
From: bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi)
Subject: Re: Vonage Changes 911 to Opt-Out
Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 07:53:13 -0000
Organization: Widgets, Inc.
In article <telecom24.224.12@telecom-digest.org>, bvlmv
<bvlmv@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Could someone put a brief explanation of :
> OPT- IN
> OPT -Out
> Thanks,
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: 'OPT' means 'optional', and it is the
> opposite of 'default', or the way 'things would normally happen'.
> In the context of this thread, Vonage has not been normally providing
> a working 911 service. To obtain 911 you have to make an effort to
> get it, by notifying the carrier. That would be 'OPT-IN' or ask to
> be included in whatever the program is.
> OPT-OUT (or option-out) is when the 'default' (or the way things normally
> happen) is to include you, but you do not want the default to happen,
> you want to option yourself out of the program or event being offered.
> Again, in the context of this thread, Vonage intends within ninety
> days -- probably due to recent government fiat -- to change their
> default (the way things normally happen) to be valid 911 service for
> everyone. If you do not want what will be the new norm, of emergency
> phone service, you will have to take action to be excluded (Opt out)
> rather than before when you had to 'Opt in' to use the emergency
> program. PAT]
Pedantic nit: PAT does have the _usage_ of the terms entirely correct,
but the explanation of "opt" falls in the "not exactly" category.
"Opt" is a real word, in and of itself. It is a verb, meaning "to
make a decision or choice", As in "I opted for peace and quiet, and
moved to the country." The word goes all the way back to classical
Latin. "Opt" traces from the root form in Latin, while 'option' (and
thus 'optional') trace from combining forms of that root.
The history of the 'in' and 'out' parts of the phrases _is_ less
obvious. Effectively, it comes from the same derivation, as being on
the 'inside' of a group, or being on the 'outside' of it. If you 'make
a decision or choice' to be part of the group -- to be included in it
--, you have 'opted in' to membership in that group. If you 'make a
decision or choice' *not* to be part of the group -- to be excluded
from it -- you have 'opted out' of membership in that group.
When there is a simple 'binary' decision involved -- where there are
only two _possible_ outcomes -- if you fail to make a particular
decision, you must be 'on the other side of the fence' from where you
would be if you'd did make that particular decision. e.g. if you
don't "opt in", you are 'on the outside', or, if you don't 'opt out',
you are 'on the inside'. Of course, life gets messier, when the
decision choice has more options, e.g. choosing a 'default' Long
Distance carrier for your telephone service. You don't just 'opt in'
or 'opt out' -- you have to 'opt _for_' a particular carrier to be the
default carrier, or expressly 'opt _against_ ' having any default
carrier. In this _class_ of situation, there is no clear-cut *single*
'other side of the fence', so the 'failure to make a decision'
situation does not have a single 'unambiguous' resolution. Thus,
there is a need -- for any _specific_instance_ of this class of
situation, to specify what happens if one does _not_ 'make any
decision'. In the case of the 'default' long-distance carrier, if you
do not express any preference, including not specifying 'no default
carrier', somebody rolls the dice, and randomly picks one.
------------------------------
From: Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net>
Subject: Re: Sprint Has a Surprise For "Wireless Web Access"
Date: Sat, 21 May 2005 17:43:13 -0700
Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com
billemery wrote:
> I also have PCS Vision, that's for using the phone itself as the email
> device, the wireless web access is when you use it as a modem.
> That's where the surprise is.
Ah. *That* explains where the confusion is.
I'm a longtime regular poster in alt.cellular.sprintpcs and a Sprint
PCS customer since December of 2000. I speak with some experience but
no authority (I obviously don't speak for Sprint).
PCS Vision phone packages are billed two ways. You can pay $15 per
month flat-rate and get unlimited usage with a $10 monthly download
credit (which disappears each month if you don't use it) or if you
don't want the monthly credit you can pay $10. Or you can pay $0
monthly and pay one cent per kilobyte transferred.
I am not sure about the a la carte, per-KB package, but the unlimited
flat-rate package is for Vision use from the handset only, and doesn't
allow use of a computer plugged into the handset. For that, you would
need to buy a wireless data card from Sprint and get a separate plan.
It's in black and white on the website. Go to PCSVision.com. That
forwards you to Sprint's Vision homepage. Then scroll down to the
bottom of the page and click TERMS & CONDITIONS - you may need to set
your popup blocker to allow popups from Sprint's website, if you have
a popup blocker running.
In the T&C popup window, scroll down to "OTHER SPRINT PCS VISION
TERMS", which says, and I quote:
Other Sprint PCS Vision Terms. You will not receive voice calls while
using Vision. Vision is not available for use with server devices or
host computer applications, other systems that drive continuous heavy
traffic or data sessions, or as substitutes for private lines or frame
relay connections. Unlimited Vision plans/options may not be used
with Sprint PCS phones or smart phones being used as a modem in
connection with other equipment (e.g., computers, etc.) through use of
connection kits or other phone-to-computer/PDA accessories, or
Bluetooth or other wireless technology. We may terminate services
without notice for any misuse. You may have access to certain games,
ringers, screen savers and other items on our Vision site ("Premium
Services") that are available for an additional charge. You will be
billed for Premium Service purchases on your Sprint PCS invoice based
on the charges as specified at purchase. Subject to the terms of the
content purchased, we may delete premium and non-premium items
downloaded to any storage areas we may provide, including any
pictures, games and other content. We may limit the amount of Premium
Services you may purchase in a specific timeframe (month, week, day,
or other time period).
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: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Re: Tie Lines (was Re: Foreign Exchange (FX) Lines Still in Use?
Date: 21 May 2005 20:17:44 -0700
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Julian Thomas wrote:
> Before a unified "dial 8" IBM internal network, there were a multitude
> of codes for different locations. Some of them were of the "let your
> fingers find the way" where you dialled a code for one location, and
> then its code for an associated location.
Many organizations worked this way. For example, a department store
chain devoted several pages of its phone directory to how to dial
different stores and the main office -- every location had its own
code and they were non-symetrical. I suspect as location ons were
added or expanded, they were just added to whatever empty slots were
on individual store PBXs, which themselves were all unique.
> After the dial 8 network was put in place, you dialed 8 + 3 digits for
> location + 4 digits extension.
As the Bell Telephone network grew more "intelligent" they could do
more things. The 8+3+4 network you describe was used by many organi-
zations. The last 4 digits were the same that an outside caller used,
but the 3 digits were different. Number cards had both sets of 3
digit codes on them. The internal systems usually had some sort of
acronym name for them.
My own employer had that system but abandoned it in favor of cheap
long distance circuits. Previously the dial 8 circuits were often
busy or not working that well. Dial 8 calls were not accounted for,
but dial 9 calls were and this allowed for better control of calling
and reduction of personal calls.
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The Stanotel network of Standard Oil
> Company was really something in that regard, but the biggest I have
> ever seen -- with a seven digit dial in number from the 'outside
> world' and absolutely unprotected;
As mentioned, people could dial into distant PBXs via tie lines and
then dial outward on another tie line. Sometimes this was protected
and blocked, sometimes not. Indeed, it was allowed to enable outward
local calls instead of toll calls to a distant city or relays to
distant locations. One fellow, who worked for an outfit that had many
remote locations, told me of building a long chain through many towns.
He could hear his dial pulses being slowly relayed through.
Usually internal phone systems were pretty well isolated, and of
course the Centrex's of different organizations isolated. But
sometimes there were leaks:
Many organizations shared the exchange for their Centrex. That is
Org1 would be 222-2000 and -3000, and Org2 would be 222-5000, -6000,
and -7000. Obviously the separate organizations had to dial 9-outside
to communicate with each and not internally. Well, usually. I
happened to work for two different companies that shared the prefix.
Attempting to dial the other on Centrex wouldn't work. But, playing
around with Org1's tie line did get me into Org 2! I dialed the
remote location, then dialed back from that remote location (tie lines
didn't protect too often for that) and was able to get directly into
Org 2. (For those wondering, my job was incredibly boring and I
needed something to make the day go by.)
In electro-mechanical days, the cost of maintaining tie lines--
since they transmitted dial pulses and signals in both directions--
must have been substantial.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: That same situation is true in Chicago.
City of Chicago's centrex system is 312-PIG-4000 and upward. Carson
Pirie Scott and Company department store is 312-744-2500 and downward.
But they are strictly separate. None of Carson's phones can get into
the city's phones or vice versa. City of Chicago had a switchboard on
RANdolph-8000 for about sixty years, then they decided to put all
the phones on centrex. This was back in the early days of the Viet
Nam war, the early 1960's, when people in Chicago (and most places
in the USA) were anti-everything-establishment. Illinois Bell had a
lot of phreaks and anti-war people working for them at the time, and
unlike today, where prefixes and area codes are in relatively short
supply and require some diligence in selection, in those days things
were so wide-open, zillions of prefixes available, etc.
City of Chicago asked for a centrex system; the guys at Bell started
working on it, and 'someone' chose 312-744 as the prefix to be used;
he and 'others' in the _in-crowd_ winked about it and mutually agreed
to keep their mouths shut until it was too late to be changed. The
tables at AT&T got updated, new directories got printed for the entire
city (it was about the time of year to do that anyway), then that
'someone' let the _Chicago Seed_ in on the joke. The Seed was the
original anti-everything newspaper during the 1960s ... the Seed
decided as a 'public service' to print a new public directory of the
city offices, "so our readers will know how to reach their council
person, the mayor, city offices, police officials, etc" . Midst a full
page in the Seed giving the new numbers to call, the Seed helpfully
noted, "To reach any Pig with whom you have business, under the new
phone system you only need to dial PIG and the Pig's four digit
extension."
Mayor Daley the First was furious about the whole thing; Illinois Bell
made sort of feeble apologies and explained that 'AT&T issues the
prefixes and codes, not us, and anyway it was all purely coincidental'
... over the next few years, _Illinois Bell_ cleaned up their house
quite a lot also. The Seed was the kind of newspaper the office clerks
in suits and ties working downtown would read on their way to/from
work, glancing around to see who was watching them read it, then
snickering at the stories they found therein. Everyone openly
condemmed the Seed, but loved to sneak reads from it, including the
infamous 'Directory of Pigs' issue. That was also the time when Mayor
Daley the First (father of the present guy holding the office) made
his rather stupid remark, "Our police officers are not Pigs! They are
human beans! And they demand respect, not disrespect!" As the VietNam
War progressed, and the two major riots in 1968 demonstrated, not
everyone agreed with the Mayor's assessment. Carson's Department Store
got moved in on 744 (in the lower group of digits) a few years later.
And _that_ is how City of Chicago came to have 312-744 for their
phones (but now, in 2005 they have not only 744, but 745, and 747 as
well.) PAT]
------------------------------
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End of TELECOM Digest V24 #226
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