---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <6682ecc3-f0bd-44af-9671-950086f18610@googlegroups.com> Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2016 16:59:44 -0700 (PDT) From: HAncock4 <withheld@invalid.telecom-digest.org> Subject: History--telephone arrangements for 1965 presidential inauguration In April 1965, the Bell System ran an advertisement describing its efforts for the presidential inauguration of January 1965. It was illustrated by drawings. It said: . Providing telecom service for the event took substantial advance planning by numerous Bell personnel over the course of a year. . Bell installed 125 TV circuits at 30 locations for the three TV networks*. It was watched by 70 million television viewers. Bell also installed 300 radio circuits, and arranged for the event to be telecast to Europe via the new Telstar satellite. It was the largest TV installation in Washington's history. . For reporters, telephones and teleprinters were installed at hundreds of locations. In the accompanying sketch, the telephones were a battery of pay phones mounted on a long shelf. The specific model of the teleprinter was not clear. Private line networks were set up for public safety groups, . For the general public, 24 phone booths, painted red, white, and blue, were set up along the parade route, and were equipped with Touch Tone phones. There was also a telephone trailer for the public, staffed by an attendant to assist people. It was prominently marked, "PUBLIC TELEPHONE / The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Companies". . A Call Director set (new at the time and considered fancy) was installed at the reviewing stand with a direct line to the White House switchboard. Mobile telephones was installed in the president's car and at the Capitol. [I was not able to find any comparable information for Western Union. As mentioned earlier, Bell and Western Union were competitors in providing teleprinter service (private line and switched) to organizations. Also, at that time W.U. sought to provide computer data communications in competition with Bell.] * The figure of 125 TV circuits at 30 locations seemed high to me, but that's what the advertisement said. The television networks must have spent a great deal of money to cover the inauguration. Broadband TV circuits weren't cheap, and there was the cost of all the equipment. In other historical news, in August 1977, the national Boy Scout Jamboree, held in Moraine Park, Pennsylvania, required a telephone network of 56 outside lines, 182 inside lines, and 90 pay phones. ------------------------------ Message-ID: <090ef55a-9386-44eb-8b3d-476cc0d0d2a3@googlegroups.com> Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2016 12:50:39 -0700 (PDT) From: HAncock4 <withheld@invalid.telecom-digest.org> Subject: Re: Let's Commiserate About Verizon On Tuesday, August 23, 2016 at 10:54:16 PM UTC-4, Bill Horne wrote: > When are we going to realize that telecommunications companies have > gotten too big and arrogant, and institute mandated levels of service > and insist that failure to perform means big fines and refunds for the > customers? Oh, I know: Never. > > It is the rare individual who cannot empathize with Ms. Ephron and her > friends Deena and Marty, for whom the very thought of changing > internet providers provokes meltdown anxiety. When AT&T mistakenly > disconnected my internet because of a "clerical error" (canceling me > instead of the customer who requested it), it took a whole week to > restore service. > http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/24/opinion/lets-commiserate-about-verizon.html Verizon's lousy treatment of its customers, both landline and wireless, has been extensively reported. There are a flood of articles documenting the problems. It's not just individuals, but entire communities cut off. Could someone explain how treating customers lousy is a good business practice? Note that many of the customers aren't $20/month message rate POTS users, but rather $100 month wireless/DSL/national service subscribers. Further, a lot of customers who do want FIOS can't get it, and Vz won't explain why or when it will be available. Further, all this negative publicity can't be attracting new customers to Verizon or encourage recommendations. People need telephone and broadband service. If Vz won't provide it, people will go to competition, such as cable TV carriers or other wireless carriers. So, regardless of government regulation, how does Verizon make money by shedding its customers? [public replies, please] ------------------------------ ********************************************* End of telecom Digest Sat, 27 Aug 2016