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TELECOM Digest Fri, 5 Aug 2005 19:30:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 355
Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson
Telecom Update #491, August 5, 2005 (Angus TeleManagement Group)
ISP for Liberty,KS (Iam Enoch)
Telephoning Russian Villages (cherniymonakh@hotmail.com)
Inter-Tel Phones Through Cable/DSL? (Beholder)
Comcast Reports Second Quarter 2005 Results (Monty Solomon)
Time Warner Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2005 Results (Monty Solomon)
Austin Gaffe Stirs Fantasy (Neal McLain)
Death Sentence For Independent ISPs (jmeissen)
FCC Gives Blessing to Sprint, Nextel Marraige (Joseph)
Stehekin Residents Say Hold the Phone - Forever (Joseph)
Re: NYT's Friedman Calls For Better Wireless Access (Mark Crispin)
Re: NYT's Friedman Calls For Better Wireless Access (Lisa Hancock)
Re: Opinion Telegrams and Mailgrams (NOTvalid@XmasNYC.Info)
Re: Personal Opinion Telegram and Mailgram - Discontinuance? (R. Bonomi)
Re: Calling All Luddites (Mark Crispin)
Re: Looking For Good International Conference Call Service (Hallikainen)
Re: Credit Reports, was Re: AT&T Customers Taken Over By Alltel (Sobol)
Re: Bell System and GTE Telephone Operator? (Justa Lurker)
Re: Bell System and GTE Telephone Operator? (BV124@aol.com)
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: Fri, 5 Aug 2005 10:55:23 -0700
Subject: Telecom Update #491, August 5, 2005
From: Angus TeleManagement Group <jriddell@angustel.ca>
Reply-To: Angus TeleManagement Group <jriddell@angustel.ca>
************************************************************
TELECOM UPDATE
************************************************************
published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group
http://www.angustel.ca
Number 491: August 5, 2005
Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous
financial support from:
** ALLSTREAM: www.allstream.com
** AVAYA: www.avaya.ca/en/
** BELL CANADA: www.bell.ca
** CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA: www.cisco.com/ca/
** ERICSSON: www.ericsson.ca
** MITEL NETWORKS: www.mitel.com/
** ROGERS TELECOM: www.rogers.com/solutions
** UTC CANADA: www.canada.utc.org/
************************************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
** BCE Revenues Up 4%
** Telus Revenues Rise 8.2%
** RIM Gets Mixed News from U.S. Court
** Union Says Telus May Be Ready to Talk
** Ottawa Seeks Comment on Power-Line Broadband
** Bell Buys Montreal Cableco Assets
** Nortel Postpones Quarterly Results
** Industry Canada Supports Rural Digital Roaming
** FCC Creates VoIP E911 Task Force
** Dobbin Moves to Toronto Hydro Telecom
** Quick Approval for Telus Bundle
** CRTC Limits Cost of Bell Service Improvement
** Wireless Age Buys Networking Company
============================================================
BCE REVENUES UP 4%: BCE's second quarter revenues of $5.0 billion were
up 4.2% from a year ago. Net income rose 2% to $563 million. Wireless
sales rose 10.5% to $771 million, making up 15% of total
revenues. Changes in other product-line sales: Long distance down
9.4%; local/access down 2.4%; data up 11%.
** Growth in subscriber base: wireless 146,000; video 63,000; high-
speed Internet 92,000.
** Telesat led BCE subsidiaries with a revenue gain of 61%, to $137
million, due in large part to income from the new Anik F2 satellite.
** BCE declared it had reached its goal of "significantly more
competitive labour agreements."
TELUS REVENUES RISE 8.2%: Second quarter revenues at Telus rose 8.2%
over the same quarter last year, to $2.02 billion. Net income
increased 10% to $190 million. Wireless sales increased 19% to $802
million, making up 40% of total Telus revenue. Changes in revenue in
other categories: long distance no change; local down 0.2%; data up
9.9%.
** Growth in subscriber base: wireless 131,100; high-speed Internet
17,100.
** Regarding the current labour conflict, Telus said that 70% of its
total work force continues to work, including all employees east of
Alberta.
RIM GETS MIXED NEWS FROM U.S. COURT: A U.S. appeals court has delayed
implementation of a lower court order to halt sales of BlackBerry
devices in the U.S. However, the same ruling confirmed most of the
earlier ruling against RIM on the substance of its patent dispute with
NTP Inc.
UNION SAYS TELUS MAY BE READY TO TALK: The Telecommunications Workers
Union says it has established "channels of communication with [Telus]
upper levels" and expects contract negotiations to resume in two to
four weeks. (See Telecom Update #490)
OTTAWA SEEKS COMMENT ON POWER-LINE BROADBAND: Industry Canada is
asking for public and industry comment on the deployment and
regulation of systems that deliver high-speed Internet and broadband
services over power lines. A consultation paper is now available
online; the deadline for comments is November 28.
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/insmt-gst.nsf/vwapj/bpl-e.pdf/$FILE/bpl-e.pdf
BELL BUYS MONTREAL CABLECO ASSETS: Bell Canada has bought the
residential assets of Cable VDN, a Gaz Metropolitain subsidiary that
provides service to 13,500 TV and 3,000 Internet subscribers in
Montreal apartment buildings.
NORTEL POSTPONES QUARTERLY RESULTS: On the day before it was to
announce second quarter results, Nortel Networks postponed the release
five days to August 8, to align with the date of U.S. regulatory
filings.
INDUSTRY CANADA SUPPORTS RURAL DIGITAL ROAMING: Under current policy,
wireless carriers are required to provide only analog roaming service
to other carriers; this will disadvantage small rural carriers as
analog is phased out. Industry Canada has announced a new policy that
"encourages" national wireless carriers to voluntarily provide digital
roaming to non-competing rural wireless carriers. The policy includes
no legal obligation, and no penalty for not complying.
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/insmt-gst.nsf/en/sf06317e.html
FCC CREATES VOIP E911 TASK FORCE: The U.S. Federal Communications
Commission has created a joint federal-state task force "to facilitate
the timely and effective enforcement of the Commission's VoIP E911
rules." In May the FCC ordered providers of telephone service over the
Internet to provide Enhanced E911 to all customers by the beginning of
November. (See Telecom Update #482)
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-260150A1.pdf
DOBBIN MOVES TO TORONTO HYDRO TELECOM: Telecom Ottawa COO Dave Dobbin
is leaving the utility telco to become President of Toronto Hydro
Telecom, effective August 15. Telecom Ottawa's owner, Hydro Ottawa,
has congratulated Dobbin on the move and will work with him to "ensure
an orderly transition."
QUICK APPROVAL FOR TELUS BUNDLE: The CRTC took only nine business days
to issue Telecom Order 2005-285, which approves a new Telus
residential bundle that offers discounts up to 30% to customers who
subscribe to Telus residential service and six calling features.
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Orders/2005/o2005-285.htm
CRTC LIMITS COST OF BELL SERVICE IMPROVEMENT: Six years ago, CRTC
Telecom Decision 99-16, which dealt with service in high-cost areas,
ordered the incumbent telcos to upgrade all localities to a newly
defined basic service that included touch-tone, access to 911, 411,
and voice relay, and access to long distance. Telecom Decision
2005-43, released this week, limits that requirement to localities
where the capital cost would not exceed $62,500 for each customer who
opts to obtain the upgrade.
** Bell says that 69 localities will be excluded from service
improvement programs under the new rule: in those locations only 5%
of customers, on average, want the upgrades.
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/1999/DT99-16.htm
www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2005/dt2005-43.htm
WIRELESS AGE BUYS NETWORKING COMPANY: Mississauga-based Wireless Age
Communications, a cellular retailer and phone card distributor, has
bought Wireless Works, which provides broadband wireless and Land
Mobile Radio services in the Niagara region. (See Telecom Update #447)
============================================================
HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR TELECOM UPDATE
E-mail ianangus@angustel.ca and jriddell@angustel.ca
===========================================================
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE (OR UNSUBSCRIBE)
TELECOM UPDATE is provided in electronic form only. There
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2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge.
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We do not give Telecom Update subscribers' e-mail
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===========================================================
COPYRIGHT AND CONDITIONS OF USE: All contents copyright 2005 Angus
TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further
information, including permission to reprint or reproduce, please
e-mail jriddell@angustel.ca.
The information and data included has been obtained from sources which
we believe to be reliable, but Angus TeleManagement makes no
warranties or representations whatsoever regarding accuracy,
completeness, or adequacy. Opinions expressed are based on
interpretation of available information, and are subject to change. If
expert advice on the subject matter is required, the services of a
competent professional should be obtained.
============================================================
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 5 Aug 2005 08:32:26 PDT
From: Iam Enoch <zir_enoch@yahoo.com>
Subject: ISP for Liberty,KS
Hello,
I am trying to find a way to get internet in Liberty, KS without
using Totah. They will not let any other ISP get a number in their
exchange. Do you have any ideas?
Thank you for any help you can give.
Will
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You did not say _where_ you live in
Liberty; the Totah Telephone business office rep said Totah was
'mostly entirely' all of Liberty (zip 67351) with 620-485 phones
but a 'tiny edge' was served by Southwestern Bell out of the
Independence Central Office 620-331. She offered me DSL 'for about
$30 per month' if you are served by Totah as you seemed to imply.
I checked with our two cable companies in this area: Cable One out of
Independence and Cox out of Coffeyville. Mike Flood over at Cable One
here told me they did not reach all the way to Liberty. I also chatted
with the Cox Cable tech support guy and asked him about it. He said at
first that '67351 zip code was shown on his map as an 'unserviceable
area' but he agreed that 'Cox takes in so much of Montgomery County
(other than Cable One communities) that he could not be sure.' He had
me hold while he called the 'head end' guys in Coffeyville and asked
them specifically about the fiber in the south end of the county; did
it reach into Liberty or not? They said it did not, presently. So it
would appear that for _high speed broadband service_ you are stuck
with Totah Telephone Company DSL service if that is what you have
now. Cable One also runs into many 'small' towns around here:
Cherryvale, Parsons, etc but not Liberty which is really a very tiny,
very rural area. ): By the way, Totah brokers DSL from Southwestern
Bell as I understand it, but under their own brand name.
If you are willing to use dialup service (much slower) you can get
an account with TerraWorld (which has _no_ 'local' numbers in
Liberty). You'd have to pay for a toll call to Independence or
Cherryvale or Coffeyville, whichever was cheapest for you, or
TerraWorld told me you could get an account with them and use
their 800 number by paying extra. But still it would just be
dialup speed. Sorry I could not find any better alternative
for you; Cox Cable at least told me they expected to get out that
way 'sometime in a year or so'; Cable One could not even give me
that little bit of encouragement. PAT]
------------------------------
From: cherniymonakh@hotmail.com
Subject: Telephoning Russian Villages
Date: 5 Aug 2005 07:28:24 -0700
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Hello, perhaps you can help:
My family are now at a cottage in a village outside Moscow, where they
are staying for weeks due to the hot weather. The telephone number
there contains less than the usual number of digits (6 instead of
seven). For some reasons calls cannot get there from North America,
although they can call here. The problem seems to be with the US, as
I don't even get a Russian dial tone, but a North American one
followed by an English-language message saying that there is no such
number and to try again.
Is there any trick to dialing such numbers and getting through? There
is freakish discrepency between the cost of calling from there (a
couple of dollars per minute) versus from here (cents per minute with
calling card), so I would prefer to be the one doing the calling.
Any help would be appreciated.
Regards,
BM
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: What is the _name_ of the village?
Let's begin by examining what _you_ show is the correct dialing
string. Often times, I have found that you have 'country code'
then 'city code' (like a USA area code) then the local number.
Many times, the 'city code' part has an extra digit or two, to
make up for 'less than seven' digits in the local number part.
Tell us the correct name of the village and what _you_ think is
the dialing string. Are you actually in Russia trying to make
the call, or in the USA trying to make an international call?
Some of our experts here will be able to figure it out, I am sure.
If in the USA trying to call do not be alarmed if an intercept
recording comes back in _English_ instead of in Russian. Telco
has some trick where if they (telco) knows that an intercept
message is on the way, they yank the connection and return with
an 'American' recording instead often times. Your turn, tell
us more specifics please. PAT]
------------------------------
From: Beholder <avital@gencorp-ins.com>
Subject: Inter-Tel Phones through Cable/DSL?
Date: 5 Aug 2005 07:28:15 -0700
Hi everyone, I am new to our office (been here about 3 months) and
have been quickly learning all about the Company's Inter-Tel phone
system that they installed in Nov 04'.
Our company has a converged system so our main office (which houses
the system) uses RJ11 wire to the 50+ phones that are in this
office. We also have 3 branch offices that use the IP version of the
same phone we have in our main office (Model 8520). We have a MPLS VPN
that connects our Headquarters to each remote office, so each branch
office has a T1 line running between them and our HQ.
As the system is set up now we can 3-digit dial any extension
regardless of where it is in the network. I am trying to persue the
possibility of using a normal cable or DSL connection to have our
phones connect to our system. I could have a phone at my house with my
cable connection, and have my work extention ring at my house. ALso if
salespeople traveled they could plug into a hotel's internet
connection and have access to voicemail and their extention.
Is this possible?
We are also looking at the possibility of having cable connections
supplied to each branch office which would be a better value as the
cable connections provide about 4x as much speed for 1/4 the price of
teh VPN lines.
If anyone has done this I would greatly appreciate some help.
Thanks, and I appoligize for the lenghtly post.
- Andrew
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 22:32:57 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Comcast Reports Second Quarter 2005 Results
Revenue Increased 10.5% to $5.6 Billion
Operating Income Increased 23.2% to $1.0 Billion
Operating Cash Flow Increased 13.2% to $2.2 Billion
20th Consecutive Quarter of Double-Digit Growth
Growth in New Services Continues
Added 1.1 Million Revenue Generating Units
During the First Half of 2005 Including
507,000 During the Second Quarter
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Comcast Corporation
(Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) today reported results for the quarter ended
June 30, 2005. Comcast will discuss second quarter results on a
conference call and webcast today at 8:30 AM Eastern Time. A live
broadcast of the conference call will be available on the investor
relations website at http://www.cmcsa.com and http://www.cmcsk.com .
- http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=50846672
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 2005 22:39:47 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Time Warner Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2005 Results
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 3, 2005--Time Warner Inc.
-- Company Reaches Agreement in Principle to Resolve Its Primary
Securities Class Action Litigation and Reserves $3 Billion
Related to All Pending Securities Litigation Matters
-- Board of Directors Authorizes $5 Billion Stock Repurchase
Program
Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX) today reported financial results for its
second quarter ended June 30, 2005. The Company also announced that it
has reached an agreement in principle to resolve its primary
securities class action litigation and established reserves of $3
billion related to this and all other related securities litigation
matters. In addition, Time Warner's Board of Directors has authorized
a $5 billion stock repurchase program over the next two years.
- http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=50881109
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 05 Aug 2005 07:24:57 -0500
From: Neal McLain <nmclain@annsgarden.com>
Subject: Austin Gaffe Stirs Fantasy
by Rick Casey
Houston Chronicle
It is said in Washington that a gaffe is when someone slips up and
tells the truth. Austin is becoming more like Washington. Time
Warner Regional President Ron McMillan of Houston made a gaffe in a
note he wrote in response to a fundraising letter from state
Rep. Corbin Van Arsdale, R-Houston. Now McMillan has me fantasizing
that he would expand on his truthful gaffe.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/metropolitan/3297313
------------------------------
From: jmeissen@aracnet.com
Subject: Death Sentence for Independent ISPs?
Date: 5 Aug 2005 21:47:16 GMT
Organization: http://extra.newsguy.com
The FCC just signed a death sentence for local independent ISP's.
http://tinyurl.com/dzhzg
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Verizon Communications (VZ.N: Quote, Profile,
Research) and other U.S. local telephone companies will be freed from
numerous regulations on their high-speed Internet services, the U.S.
Federal Communications Commission decided on Friday.
The agency unanimously agreed to treat the service, known as digital
subscriber line (DSL), as an "information service," which insulates it
from many traditional telephone rules, such as requirements to lease
network access to competitors.
.......
I fail to see how enabling a monopoly reduces prices and improves
service. :-/
John Meissen jmeissen@aracnet.com
------------------------------
From: Joseph <JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com>
Subject: FCC Gives Blessing to Sprint, Nextel Marriage
Date: Thu, 04 Aug 2005 16:57:54 -0700
Reply-To: JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com
By Arshad Mohammed and Yuki Noguchi
The Washington Post
WASHINGTON -- The merger of Sprint and Nextel Communications won
approval from the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice
Department yesterday, clearing the way for a combined company with
more than 35 million mobile-phone subscribers.
The companies said they expect the $35 billion merger to close within
two weeks and joint operations to begin within two months, meaning
consumers may see joint advertising on television and new signs in
stores by October.
The combined Sprint Nextel will be the nation's third-largest mobile
company and will have more ammunition to compete against its much
bigger rivals, Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless, and to forge
potentially lucrative partnerships with cable companies.
The company will continue to market to Sprint's customer base and to
Nextel's loyal business clients, who are devoted to its "push to talk"
walkie-talkie-like feature.
For now, the companies will still operate two different network
technologies, so that customers will not have to switch their phones.
They hope to develop a new version of Nextel's push-to-talk service
that will operate over Sprint's network, allowing current Nextel
customers to use the feature with Sprint customers.
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=sprintnextel04&date=20050804&query=fcc+gives+blessing+to+sprint%2C+nextel+marriage
http://tinyurl.com/79trq
------------------------------
From: Joseph <JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com>
Subject: Stehekin Residents Say Hold the Phone - Forever
Date: Thu, 04 Aug 2005 16:47:53 -0700
Reply-To: JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com
By Ralph Thomas
Seattle Times Olympia bureau
Judy Clark yells out to greet a neighbor in Stehekin. At left is the
community's only public phone. Clark is against expanding phone
service, saying it will change too many things here, including
face-to-face contact with people in this remote area.
Phil Garfoot, who turns 68 Wednesday, shoes a horse in Stehekin.
Garfoot doesn't want phone service coming to the remote community and
he isn't alone.
STEHEKIN, Chelan County -- Ana Maria Spagna has to think hard about
how long it's been since she talked on a telephone. Two months, she
figures, maybe longer.
It's not that Spagna is anti-social or suffering from some weird phone
phobia. It's just that she, like nearly everyone else here in this
remote mountain village, doesn't have a phone.
And she'd like to keep it that way.
More than a century after telephones came to towns like Seattle, a
small company called WeavTel is pushing to connect Stehekin
(pronounced sta-HEE-kin) to the outside world. But instead of
embracing the idea, many of the town's 100 or so year-round residents
are fighting hard to keep WeavTel and the telephones out.
"Why can't we have one place in this world where there aren't any
phones?" said Spagna.
Spagna and many of her neighbors have numerous arguments against
bringing phones to Stehekin. They say it will damage the town's rustic
but neighborly nature and ruin its reputation as a place where
tourists can truly escape their hectic city lives.
Some lifelong residents, descendants of Stehekin's first white
settlers, fear the phone system would further diminish the town's
already eroding spirit of self-reliance. They fume over a federally
mandated subsidy program that would enable WeavTel to make money even
if many of the residents never hook up.
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=stehekin04m&date=20050804&query=stehekin+residents+say+hold+the+phone
http://tinyurl.com/a8466
------------------------------
From: Mark Crispin <mrc@CAC.Washington.EDU>
Subject: Re: NYT's Friedman Calls For Better Wireless Access
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2005 08:59:21 -0700
Organization: University of Washington
On Wed, 3 Aug 2005, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
> A New York Times columnist, Friedman, calls today (8/3/05) for
> better wireless access in the United States. He says many foreign
> countries have better systems than we do and they will have the
> competitive edge on the US as a result.
Tell him to take a look at a map and consider the differences in
geography and demographics. It's pretty easy to have good wireless
coverage in densely-populated postage-stamp sized countries,
especially when not encumbered by zoning ("you are NOT going to put
that tower where I can see it!").
It is also advisable to consider geography. Japan is no slouch when
it comes to wireless, yet there are numerous dead zones in big cities.
Any honest coverage map of Japan will show that there is no coverage
at all in the sparsely-populated mountainous interior of Japan; the
coverage is in the big cities which are all on the coasts. I know
from personal experience that you lose service as soon as you get a
few kilometers from the urban core.
I also know from personal experience that there are numerous dead
zones in London.
Now, if two relatively small island nations have problems, consider
wireless coverage issues in a large continental nation, and you have
the situation faced by Canada, the US, and Mexico.
-- Mark --
http://staff.washington.edu/mrc
Science does not emerge from voting, party politics, or public debate.
Si vis pacem, para bellum.
------------------------------
From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Re: NYT's Friedman Calls For Better Wireless Access
Date: 5 Aug 2005 09:09:26 -0700
Mark Crispin wrote:
> Well he to take a look at a map and consider the differences in
> geography and demographics. It's pretty easy to have good wireless
> coverage in densely-populated postage-stamp sized countries,
> especially when not encumbered by zoning ("you are NOT going to put
> that tower where I can see it!").
That's an excellent point.
Many articles complain about the United States compared to other
countries. Certainly in some cases the complaints are valid.
However, we must be sure we're making an apples-to-apples comparison
and understand all the business-environment differences.
What seems particularly strange is that in the days the Bell System
the U.S. consistently was far ahead of other countries with telephone
service. I wonder if perhaps the lack of landline service options
fueled growth of cell phones in other countries. That is, in other
places the cell phone is the only phone they have because a
traditional phone line was either unavailable or too expensive.
In one sense developing an all-new cellular system is easier than land
lines since no expensive street house-to-house cabling is required.
Central office electronics are relatively cheap now.
------------------------------
From: NOTvalid@XmasNYC.Info
Subject: Re: Opinion Telegrams and Mailgrams
Date: 5 Aug 2005 05:01:03 -0700
Chris Farrar wrote:
> Pat, I wouldn't complain too much about the US Postal Service. Take a
> look at what the mail service is like in your neighbor to the north.
> Canada Post doesn't deliver on Saturdays.
And I hear that they charge sales tax on stamps.
------------------------------
From: bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi)
Subject: Re: Personal Opinion Telegram and Mailgram - Discontinuance?
Date: Fri, 05 Aug 2005 01:12:27 -0000
Organization: Widgets, Inc.
In article <telecom24.352.10@telecom-digest.org>,
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Does anyone remember when we used to
> have _two_ mail deliveries each day as a routine thing, and when
> postage cost only a few pennies at that? PAT]
"The cost of postage really _hasn't_ gone up all that much in the last
75 years. It's *still* about 3 cents a day."
Seriously, when you factor out inflation, the cost of mailing a letter
has not increased all that much over the years.
------------------------------
From: Mark Crispin <mrc@CAC.Washington.EDU>
Subject: Re: Calling All Luddites
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2005 17:39:28 -0700
Organization: University of Washington
On Thu, 4 Aug 2005, Thomas L. Friedman wrote:
> I began thinking about this after watching the Japanese use
> cellphones and laptops to get on the Internet from speeding bullet
> trains and subways deep underground.
Yes; in select areas, cellphones work in Japanese subways and on the
shinkansen.
The key is the phrase "select areas".
I have a domestic Japanese cell phone. I see the infamous "OUT"
(which is how many Japanese phones indicate "no service") appear
regularly while on the subway, and while on the shinkansen.
Actually, you're not supposed to be talking on the phone at all on
trains in Japan. In Japan, you're supposed to switch the phone into
"manner mode", which silences the ringer and speaker and directs all
incoming calls to voice mail.
The heavy usage of cell phones on Japanese trains that you see are
people playing games (muted!) or exchanging email messages (which only
needs intermittant connectivity). It was quite jarring to me back in
the US to encounter people engaged in loud and animated cell phone
conversations on public transportation (not to mention unmuted Game
Boys).
> But the last straw was when I couldn't get cellphone service while
> visiting I.B.M.'s headquarters in Armonk, N.Y.
How about not being able to get cellphone service at a research lab at
NTT?
By the way, Japan has about as many incompatible cell phone systems as
the US: PDC (TDMA-based 2G unique to Japan), cdmaOne (2G), W-CDMA
(3G), CDMA2000 1x (3G), and PHS (dual low-power public
wireless/cordless phone in Japan and a few other Asian countries).
There's no GSM in Japan. There is limited international roaming with
3G CMDA (W-CDMA, CMDA2000 1x), but not (as far as I can tell) with any
North American carriers.
-- Mark --
http://staff.washington.edu/mrc
Science does not emerge from voting, party politics, or public debate.
Si vis pacem, para bellum.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2005 19:50:46 PDT
Subject: Re: Looking For a Good International Conference Call Service
From: Harold Hallikainen <harold@hallikainen.com>
Guess I missed the part about Internet conferencing not
working. Sorry about that.
Harold
------------------------------
From: Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net>
Subject: Re: Credit Reports, was Re: AT&T Customers Taken Over By Alltel
Date: Wed, 03 Aug 2005 23:10:37 -0700
Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com
Charles Cryderman wrote:
> reporting company TRW. In it they talked about how many military
> personnel would have credit issues due to deployment. It also stated
> that all "Credit Reporting Companies" were required to provide, upon
> written request, copies of your credit report (address was provided
> for TRW). I then sat down and requested a copy to see if it
> worked. About 6 weeks later I did receive a copy and saw that only the
> credit I had requested was posted and that I was in good standing. I
Maybe you got special consideration as a soldier. Perhaps enlisted men
and women got a special deal because it wouldn't be easy for them to
deal with credit issues overseas ... But as far as I know, the rest of
us were not entitled to any free reports unless we were denied credit
or employment (as I posted earlier) or if there was a state law
specifying we were not to be charged. There have been some state laws
on the books prior to this past year.
Steve Sobol, Professional Geek 888-480-4638 PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
Company website: http://JustThe.net/
Personal blog, resume, portfolio: http://SteveSobol.com/
E: sjsobol@JustThe.net Snail: 22674 Motnocab Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307
------------------------------
From: Justa Lurker <JustaLurker@att.net>
Subject: Re: Bell System and GTE Telephone Operator?
Organization: AT&T Worldnet
Date: Thu, 04 Aug 2005 21:52:01 GMT
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: In Chicago, in addition to the CTA or
> Chicago Transit Authority (thus situated), there is also the CHA (or
> Chicago Housing Authorty) which is a _true_ atrocity if there ever was
> one. CHA has been in 'federal receivership' now for a few years due
> to the unbelievably awful living conditions in the 'homes' and the
> amount of crime on its property. Originally very nice _but plain_ living
> accomodations, the CHA was started in 1941 and its first commissioner
> was a woman who was a protege of Jane Addams of Hull House fame. CHA
> was intended to be _temporary, transitional_ housing for needy people;
> then after the second war ended, the idea was to provide _temporary,
> transitional_ housing for military veterans returnin from military
> duty. Since about 1960 or so, these high-rise (fifteen or twenty story
> buildings; a cluster of a dozen or so in each location) have been
> almost exclusively for black people;
Exactly how has this racial exclusivity been enforced ?
> many of whom of course
"of course" ???? Do explain further, please.
> have extensive criminal histories and their families; quite often
> the only person in the 'home' (all seven or eight thousand of them
> in an aggregate total) is the Mother. Nearly every one of them has
> one or more sons or fathers currently in prison or recently
> released. The little kids run around wild and rather delinquent as
> one would expect.
All of which is somehow the fault of the CHA ? You've lost me here.
> The television series of the 1970's, _Happy Times_ (written by Norman
> Lear) is now in endless re-runs on TV-Land .
"Good Times". I remember watching it as a lad, along with "All in the
Family" and other Lear shows. :-)
> The former commissioner of the mess, a man named Charles Swibel, a
> rich, white older man
How is his financial status, race, and age relevant ? Why did you
mention them ? Aren't you a white older man too (so that can't be the
problem) ? Maybe your real problem is that he is rich and you are not.
Or are you implying that he & the CHA oppressed black people on behalf
of rich white people. Say what you mean ! Don't keep us guessing.
> from the northern suburbs had some problems of his own in keeping
> the CHA money accounts in order, barely escaped going to prison
> himself, but did get CHA tossed into federal recivership (a sort of
> bankruptcy chapter used for governments) when the feds 'evicted' him
> from office.
Not all that unusual, or unique to Chicago or even Illinois,
unfortunately.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Racial exclusivity in Chicago means
that when black people move into a neighborhood, the white people
generally move out. Blame it on whomever you wish; that is a fact of
life in Chicago (another reason, among several, why I was happy to get
away from Chicago). I like Independence, because it is an integrated,
inclusive community. There are many 'integrated' couples and families
here. Blacks and whites are not at each other's throats as happens so
often in a place like Chicago. Gay and straight people are not always
hassling each other here either. We are simply too 'laid back' to
bother with that sort of thing. There was a discussion here in town
once of having a 'gay pride' parade. Some gay people said 'why should
we do anything like that; who needs such a garish display?' I did not
completely agree with that assessment (having lived so long in
Chicago) but I can see where the local guys were coming from.
Our public schools here are totally integrated; in Chicago the public
schools are almost entirely black (by default, since the white people
send their kids to private schools often times.) Here the white people
do not run and hide when blacks are around. The 'racial exclusivity'
of the CHA 'housing projects' came about by this default; blacks moved
in, whites moved out. It was not entirely the CHA's 'fault' except
that as the conditions of the housing got worse and worse over the
years, many less ecomically privileged blacks found it was all they
could afford, and the white people figured out somewhere else to
live. Yes, I am a white man, and no I am not rich; even when I lived
around Chicago I could not afford to live in an enclave like Wilmette
or Glencoe or Winnetka. Many of CHA's problems came from Charles
Swibel and his immediate sucessors, men who were demonstrated thieves,
men who ripped off the housing authority for most of its money, it was
nothing to do with 'rich oppressing poor' or 'white oppressing black'.
I mentioned those items about his race, wealth and living accomoda-
tions to show the difference between the person who ran the system
versus those who lived and still live under the system. In recent
years, some thought has been given to having a board of directors of
CHA who are _actually residents_ in large part of the housing
project. Just like the Chicago Police Department; isn't it sad there
has to be a law requiring officers to live in the city; in other words
they have to live where they shit and the other way around. For many
years there was no such law; cops tended to live where they wanted,
usually the white cops lived around other white guys (much nicer white
suburbs) and the black cops lived in at least the better class black
neighborhoods in the suburbs. Ditto with school teachers in
Chicago. You want to work here, then _live_ here as well. City of
Chicago had to force that rule, even with the unions fighting them. We
just do not have to do that sort of thing here; people in town by and
large are proud to be part of Independence. Once on a local area BBS
in Chicago, I got into a discussion with a guy who said "prostitution
and 'drug use' should be legal in a 'red light district'. " I asked
him where would you put the 'red light district'? He said "oh I guess
we would locate it somewhere in _Chicago_." I asked him why not
locate it in _Lake Forest where you live_ or maybe in _Winnetka?_
Needless to say he was highly indignant at my suggestion.
Oh, by the way, even our local 'housing project' here in town; it
is called 'Garden Walk Apartments' on North 10th Street near the
high school (rents subsidized by City of Independence and State
of Kansas) does not come close to the hassles that were so prevalent
with the CHA. And our housing 'project' is truely integrated, not
just all black people who cannot manage to do any better. PAT]
------------------------------
From: BV124@aol.com
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2005 22:28:10 EDT
Subject: Re: Bell System and GTE Telephone Operator?
You wrote:
> The TV show was called "GOOD Times". Among the various stars was a
> young Janet Jackson.
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yeah, my error, sorry. It was set in
> one of the Chicago Housing Authority buildings on the south side of
> town. PAT] I believe they were in the Cabrini Green Homes, which is
> on the near north side. At least the lead-in film was of Cabrini
> and the near north side.
I believe they were in the Cabrini Green Homes, which is on the near
north side. At least the lead-in film was of Cabrini and the near
north side.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: My second mistake in recent years; the
(Catholic nun) Mother Frances Cabrini 'Homes' at Division Street and
Halstead Street (where the CTA bus drivers always warn their
passengers 'duck down in your seats until we get to Clark Street') --
in order, I guess, to avoid being hit by a random bullet -- is right
next to the group of buildings named for Edgar Green, a long-ago
commissioner of CHA. It is one of the near north side branches of the
'homes' offered by CHA to black people. 'Cabrini', as 'Cabrini-Green'
is known in street parlance, is or was one of the worst. The couple
thousand people who live in the 'Cabrini-Green' highrises are not as
fortunate as the family in 'Happy Times'. I think when Lear made that
pilot, CHA required a lot of consideration (read that as 'loot') to
let him make the series and they (CHA) insisted on decorating and
fixing up one apartment where the actors would live which was nicer
than the usual accomodations there. Also, CHA insisted on giving
imprimatuer to Lear's work before they would okay the series being
made. CHA once was asked why they did not have _their_ administrative
offices in one of their own highrises rather than on State and Madison
Streets downtown where it is located. They had no answer for that, or
maybe were too embarassed or ashamed to say why. Once of our mayors
(during the interim when Daley was out of office) Jane Byrne tried
to score some political points by supposedly moving out of her near-
north elegant highrise and living for a month in Cabrini, just to
show that she was 'one of the regular people'. PAT]
------------------------------
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