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The Telecom Digest for October 11, 2010
Volume 29 : Issue 273 : "text" Format

Messages in this Issue:

Apple Plans to Offer iPhone on Verizon(Monty Solomon)
Re: What is a "female-specific mobile handset"?(John Mayson)
Cellphone companies urged to display safety warnings more prominently (Thad Floryan)
Phone system DDoS coupled with Hack Attack(Thad Floryan)
Apple takes steps to nip iPhone 4 scalping in bud(Thad Floryan)
Re: What is a "female-specific mobile handset"?(Barry Margolin)
Re: What is a "female-specific mobile handset"?(tlvp)
Re: Delivery of ANI on a non-IN WATS call?(Adam H. Kerman)
Re: History--metroliner phones(John Levine)


====== 28 years of TELECOM Digest -- Founded August 21, 1981 ======
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Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2010 00:27:18 -0400 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Apple Plans to Offer iPhone on Verizon Message-ID: <p062408d5c8d6f0e442a5@[192.168.180.244]> Apple Plans to Offer iPhone on Verizon By MIGUEL HELFT October 8, 2010 SAN FRANCISCO - Facing intense competition from phone makers wedded to Google's Android software, Steven P. Jobs, Apple's chief executive, finally plans to make the iPhone available on Verizon Wireless, the largest wireless carrier in the United States. After more than three years of using only AT&T cellphone networks, Apple is now making a version of the iPhone 4 for Verizon's network, according to a person who is in direct contact with Apple. Apple and Verizon will begin selling the phone early next year, said the person, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity because the plans were supposed to be confidential and he did not want to alienate his contacts at Apple. Apple and Verizon Wireless declined to comment. ... http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/09/technology/09phone.html
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2010 14:29:45 +0800 From: John Mayson <john@mayson.us> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: What is a "female-specific mobile handset"? Message-ID: <AANLkTinmX7wi3+xcyXFd9mi6z162h3HeDJvi9NX7um1L@mail.gmail.com> On Sun, Oct 10, 2010 at 11:51 AM, Thad Floryan <thad@thadlabs.com> wrote: > > I'm still scratching my head trying to understand what would be a > female-specific handset without being risqué.  :-) > > Anyone have any ideas?  Just curious. I'm scratching my head wondering why this is necessarily an issue. I'm willing to bet in the US more men than women own hammers and drills while more women own sewing machines and knitting needles. Do women need, or even want, mobile phones in these countries? What percentage of the overall population owns mobiles? If only a small fraction own them, the women being 23% less likely isn't the real story. Sounds like a classic case of trying to apply western political correctness where it really doesn't apply. I'd be more concerned about getting good health care for these women. Forget mobile phones. John -- John Mayson <john@mayson.us> Austin, Texas, USA
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2010 03:57:53 -0700 From: Thad Floryan <thad@thadlabs.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Cellphone companies urged to display safety warnings more prominently Message-ID: <4CB19C31.9020407@thadlabs.com> I'm still catching up on the week's news. The following item is a bit disconcerting thinking back to all the real-world problems that have been reported and verified regarding GSM interference (audio system and hearing aid interference, electronic stovetops turning on starting fires, etc.) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8052262/Mobile-phone-companies-urged-to-display-safety-warnings-more-prominently.html " " Mobile phone companies have been urged to display health warnings " about the risks from radiation more prominently by pressure groups " and scientists. " " User manuals for the most popular phones tell users not to place " devices directly against their bodies but the advice is often " buried in the small print. " " Research into the potential danger caused by mobiles have proved " inconclusive, but some studies have suggested an effect on the " brain and on sperm quality. " " Alasdair Philips, of Powerwatch, an independent group which " investigates the safety of mobile phones, told the Daily Mail: " "Most people have no idea about these warnings. " " "The safety advice should be included on the boxes and far more " prominently in the "getting started" section of user guides and " not just in the detail at the back that hardly anyone reads." " " Meanwhile Dr Devra Davis, a leading US scientist, has warned that " if the health risks are ignored we could face a "global public " health catastrophe" within three years " " Mobile phones are low-powered radio frequency transmitters which " produce microwave radiation. " " Dr Davis, who was part of a team that won the Nobel Peace Prize " in 2007, has warned that the threat from this radiation has been " underplayed. " " Her book Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation, What " The Industry Has Done To Hide It And How to Protect Your Family, " includes supporting research from studies in the U.S., Sweden, " Greece, France and Russia. " " A team at the University Of Washington found that just two hours " of mobile phone-level radiation splintered the DNA of brain " cells in rats, making them similar to cells found in malignant " tumours. " " In Moscow, a study has found that children who regularly use " mobile phones have poorer memories and other learning problems. " " Research in seven countries, including the U.S., China and " Australia, suggests that keeping a switched-on mobile in a " trouser pocket can effect sperm count. " " Manuals for the latest BlackBerry (the Torch), warn users to " "use hands-free operation if available and keep the device at " least 25mm from your body (including the abdomen of pregnant " women and the lower abdomen of teenagers)" when it is " switched on. " " Apple tells iPhone users to keep them 15mm away from their " body and to point the dock connection towards their shoulders " "to increase separation from the antenna". " " The Nokia C6 says phones should either be used at the ear of " 15 mm away from the body and that accessories should not " contain any metal. " " Dr Davis said that people should start keeping phones in bags " and the knee-level pockets of cargo trousers, well away from " their ovaries or testicles. And looking w-a-y in the back of my (old) Nokia 6162i cellphone manual, it states: PACEMAKERS Pacemaker manufacturers recommend that a minimum separation of 6 inches (20 cm) be maintained between a handheld wireless phone and a pacemaker to avoid potential interference with the pacemaker. These recommendations are consistent with the independent research by and recommendations of Wireless Technology Research. Persons with pacemakers: * Should always keep the phone more than 6 inches (20 cm) from their pacemaker when the phone is switched on; * Should not carry the phone in a breast pocket; * Should use the ear opposite the pacemaker to minimize the potential for interference. * If you have any reason to suspect that interference is taking place, switch off your phone immediately. HEARING AIDS Some digital wireless phones may interfere with some hearing aids. In the event of such interference, you may want to consult your service provider.
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2010 04:43:34 -0700 From: Thad Floryan <thad@thadlabs.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Phone system DDoS coupled with Hack Attack Message-ID: <4CB1A6E6.5040608@thadlabs.com> This is something new (9-OCT-2010): http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704847104575532420374067024.html " " When a giant international cyber-theft ring was broken up last " week, details emerged about a new tactic hackers are using: " bombarding individual and business phones with incessant calls " using automated dialing programs and, while the phones are " tied up, raiding bank and brokerage accounts. " " If the financial institutions can't reach the victims to ask " about the suspicious activity, the transactions often go through, " law-enforcement officials say. It is a new twist on so-called " denial-of-service attacks, in which hackers overload financial- " services websites with information in order to crash them. " " The cyber-theft ring -- in which dozens of arrests were made in the " U.S., the U.K., the Netherlands and Ukraine, according to court " documents and federal officials -- allegedly used the tactic, among " others. " " The ring was responsible for losses of $70 million from accounts " at various banks and brokerage firms, including J.P. Morgan " Chase & Co., E*Trade Financial Corp. and TD Ameritrade Holding " Corp.'s TD Ameritrade, according to the Federal Bureau of " Investigation. " " TD Ameritrade confirms that it has been working with the FBI " in its investigation of the ring since last December. Chase " says it is working closely with national and local law " enforcement and cyber-security experts. An E*Trade spokeswoman " says the company is cooperating with the investigation. " " The ring allegedly used a "malware" program called "Zeus Trojan" " to hijack accounts, embedding it in email messages and " attachments. Once installed, it grabbed user names and passwords " from banking and brokerage accounts, enabling the alleged " thieves to drain the accounts. " " At the same time, victims' phones were tied up with a barrage " of phone calls, according to the federal complaints, preventing " them from contacting their bank or brokerage. Busy signals " also prevented fraud monitors at the institutions from contacting " victims, according to FBI officials who were interviewed before " the announcement of the arrests. " " The ring then allegedly took over the accounts, transferring " funds to new ones set up by "mules," or accomplices, who " collected funds and transferred them elsewhere. " " The telephone bombardments lasted as long as a week, sometimes " forcing victims to disconnect their lines or switch phone " numbers, which bought the suspects time to raid their accounts. " " "They overwhelm a victim's phones so that the bank can't call " the victim and the victim can't call them," says Timothy Ryan, " supervisor for the cyber-investigations unit of the FBI's " Newark, N.J., office. The FBI issued an alert for consumers " about the telephone denial-of-service attacks in June. " " [...] { article continues at the preceding (above) URL }
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2010 05:41:17 -0700 From: Thad Floryan <thad@thadlabs.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Apple takes steps to nip iPhone 4 scalping in bud Message-ID: <4CB1B46D.7010603@thadlabs.com> Hmmm, China Telecom uses CDMA for their cellphones, so what kind of iPhone 4s are being sold in China? Interesting article found at: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2010-10/09/content_11388556.htm " " Apple takes steps to nip iPhone 4 scalping in bud " By Tuo Yannan (China Daily) " Updated: 2010-10-09 10:02 " " BEIJING - Apple has ceased direct sales of its iPhone 4 at " its retail outlets in Beijing and Shanghai and is only " accepting online orders in order to curb rampant scalping, " just 13 days after the company launched it in the mainland. " " Customers lined up continuously in front of the four Apple " stores in the two cities after Apple launched the popular " handset in the mainland on Sept 25. " " Although Apple refused to reveal sales figures for the " iPhone 4 in China, a salesman at the company's flagship " store in Beijing's Sanlitun Village shopping mall said " that 1,000 phones were sold within three hours. " " The popularity of the iPhone 4 gave scalpers golden " opportunities, who hired people to line up outside Apple " stores and charged an extra 600 yuan per device. According " to a report in the Shanghai Morning Post, the Sanlitun " Apple store closed on Sept 29 due to scalping activities. " " Apple China announced the new rules for purchases of the " iPhone 4 on its website on Thursday. Customers have to " pre-order the phone online with their real name and pick " it up from Apple outlets with their identity card or " passport. Each customer can only pre-order one iPhone 4 " per day, discouraging scalping. " " "It is a very good way to prevent scalping," said Beijing " office worker Kong Xiangyi. " " "I'd rather not have an iPhone 4 than pay scalpers," said Kong. " " There are three way to buy an official iPhone 4 in the " mainland: pre-order from Apple's website, Apple's official " partner China Unicom, or Suning Appliance Co Ltd, the " nation's largest electronics retailer. " " China Unicom's sales of the iPhone 4 since Sept 25 have " exceeded 100,000, according to Li Gang, senior vice-president " of the company. " " Fan Zhijun, vice-president of Suning Appliance Co Ltd, told " China Daily that its daily sales of the handset in Beijing " were around 1,000. " " Vincent Gu, senior analyst of iSuppli Corporation, an Internet " analysis company, said the online order rule is "a marketing " measure", and the scalping phenomenon will fade as the " novelty of the new product wears off. " " "Normally electronic products do not have supply problems, " so I think this is a marketing measure," he said. " " Beside its Chinese carrier partner China Unicom, Apple was " reported to have had "intensive talks" on the iPhone 4 with " China Telecom, China's third-largest wireless operator. " Deutsche Bank AG analysts were quoted by the Wall Street Journal " as saying that China Telecom may be in talks with Apple to " offer the iPhone 4 next year. " " The Wall Street Journal said Apple may build a Code Division " Multiple Access version of the popular iPhone 4 device for " the US provider Verizon Wireless's CDMA network. China Telecom " uses the same technology. " " Apple Inc and China Telecom spokespersons refused to comment.
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2010 00:41:36 -0400 From: Barry Margolin <barmar@alum.mit.edu> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: What is a "female-specific mobile handset"? Message-ID: <barmar-BFA8C3.00413510102010@news.eternal-september.org> In article <4CB13842.4020907@thadlabs.com>, Thad Floryan <thad@thadlabs.com> wrote: > I'm still scratching my head trying to understand what would be a > female-specific handset without being risqué. :-) > > Anyone have any ideas? Just curious. Colors and styles more attractive to women, e.g. pink. -- Barry Margolin, barmar@alum.mit.edu Arlington, MA *** PLEASE post questions in newsgroups, not directly to me *** *** PLEASE don't copy me on replies, I'll read them in the group ***
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2010 00:45:26 -0400 From: tlvp <tPlOvUpBErLeLsEs@hotmail.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: What is a "female-specific mobile handset"? Message-ID: <op.vkcfh0p2itl47o@acer250.gateway.2wire.net> On Sat, 09 Oct 2010 23:51:30 -0400, Thad Floryan <thad@thadlabs.com> wrote: > " ... development of a " female-specific handset. > I'm still scratching my head trying to understand what would be a > female-specific handset without being risqué. :-) A handset bedecked with rhinestones? using pink rather than black or silver plastic? You recognize "female-specific" shoes, or slacks, or wallets, or hats, or blouses, or handkerchiefs, no? What's so strange about "female-specific" cellular handsets? :-) Cheers, -- tlvp -- Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2010 04:57:25 +0000 (UTC) From: "Adam H. Kerman" <ahk@chinet.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: Delivery of ANI on a non-IN WATS call? Message-ID: <i8rh3l$q9e$2@news.albasani.net> Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> wrote: >Aren't you confusing "PBX" with "Centrex-CO"? You know, Bill, you insisted on having this discussion in private email, then you posted your followup anyway after I already explained to you that I was doing no such thing. Please don't accuse me of nonsense completely out of left field.
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2010 04:04:05 +0000 (UTC) From: John Levine <johnl@iecc.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: History--metroliner phones Message-ID: <i8rdvk$20rh$1@gal.iecc.com> >As an aside, the Metroliners had radio train phones on board which had >direct dial outward service and were a prototype of future cellular >service. Trains passed off a call from one wayside tower to another >seamlessly as it rode along. Ironically, today we have to have Quiet >Cars since everyone yaks loudly on their cell phone. Didn't need any quiet cars on the Metroliner, since the pay phone was in a phone booth, like God intended. R's, John
TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly to telecom- munications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to Usenet, where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Bill Horne. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. The Telecom Digest is moderated by Bill Horne. Contact information: Bill Horne Telecom Digest 43 Deerfield Road Sharon MA 02067-2301 781-784-7287 bill at horne dot net Subscribe: telecom-request@telecom-digest.org?body=subscribe telecom Unsubscribe: telecom-request@telecom-digest.org?body=unsubscribe telecom This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Copyright (C) 2009 TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization.
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