Date: Sun, 20 Dec 92 03:17:38 EST
From: Jack.Decker@f8.n154.z1.fidonet.org (Jack Decker)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: GTE and Subscriber Carrier
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 911, Message 4 of 9

I recently moved from Michigan's glorious Upper Peninsula to the more
densely populated lower part of the state.  Unfortunately, the
property I purchased was in the middle of GTE territory.  I had
thought that the service just might be acceptable because my serving
exchange (Whitehall, Michigan) seems to be operating off of a modern
digital electronic switch, though I have no idea what type (anyone?).
I can tell you that there are no noticible clicks as the call
progresses, and when you call a number the phone actually rings before
the caller hears ringback tone, if that helps any.

Anyway, that isn't my problem.  It turns out that in the rural area I
live in, there simply aren't enough phone lines to go around, so GTE
has put EVERYONE out here on subscriber carrier.  Here is what I can
tell you about it:

1)  The box hanging on the pole outside my home reads as follows:

    LENKURT 82A
    STATION CARRIER SYSTEM
    8212A-03
    CHANNEL 3

2) I am told that this system puts six subscribers on one line, and
there is NO "baseband" subscriber (that is, one of the six does not
get the actual physical pair ... there's no "A party" and "B party" as
in some other carrier systems.

3) Apparently this system is obsolete, since GTE is using equipment
here that has been removed from service in other GTE exchanges (lucky
us)!

4) The "at rest" idle line voltage is only 15 volts, which has already
caused some problems with certain equipment I had.  However, the "off
hook" voltage seems to be a healthy six volts.

5) On voice calls, I find it very difficult to hear the person at the
other end (using a standard 500-type telephone).  However, my modem
seems to work fine at 2400 bps.  And, wonder of wonders, after being
told that my fax machine probably would not work on these lines, it
appears to work fine, at least for outgoing calls (haven't tested it
on incoming yet, but then I don't receive many faxes).  The folks I
call can hear ME loud and clear, so the low audio level is in one
direction only.

6) Don't know if it's the carrier or the central office, but dial
pulsing at 20 PPS (pulses per second) is NOT accepted... I had to drop
back to the standard 10 PPS.  You'd think a digital exchange would
accept 20 PPS, but maybe not.

7) If someone drives by using a two-way radio, the signal comes in
loud and clear on my phone for the few seconds that they are within a
couple hundred feet of my carrier unit (don't take the distance as
absolute truth; this has only happened once so the distance estimate
is a wild guess at best).

Anyway, I'd like to hear from anyone who knows anything about this
stuff.  In particular, I'm wondering why I have such low audio at my
end, and whether there is a way to boost that signal WITHOUT messing
up my fax and data transmissions.  Should I just leave well enough
alone and maybe get a volume control handset, or should I keep
badgering GTE to give me a better line?

By the way, they've already had to change out the carrier equipment
twice.  The first time, I had a whine on my line that sounded a lot
like a data transmission, but it wasn't coming from any of my
equipment because I wasn't even moved in yet (in fact, I had my phone
plugged into the network interface box outside).  Then they "fixed"
that and I promptly had the problem of having battery on the line, but
no dial tone (for two mornings in a row).  Now they've changed the
equipment again and I have the low volume problem, though I may have
had that before (it was very noisy outside so I had trouble hearing
anyway).

The GTE repairman told me that I am about seven or eight miles out
from the central office, but you'd think that since I'm on carrier
anyway, the carrier equipment would boost the signal strength.  Maybe
not, though.

I recall at one time reading some discussion here of a piece of
equipment designed for "long loops".  I don't recall what it was,
though, nor whether it would be applicable in this situation.  If such
a device would be helpful, I wonder what my chances would be of
convincing GTE to hang one on my line (assuming they've ever even
heard of such a device, which is doubtful in and of itself).

I do have one other question.  For the first time, I am a local call
from a MichNet node (in Muskegon).  I am wondering if there is any way
that I can read news or anything without actually having an account on
some system.  I don't want to do anything illegal, but I do know that
there are some things you can do (such as get a weather forecast, or
use the NETMAILSITES server) without being registered, and I just
wondered if maybe it was possible to read news too.  If any other
MichNet users are reading this and have an answer (or just know of
anything else useful that can be accessed), please let me know.


Internet: jack.decker@f8.n154.z1.fidonet.org    Fidonet: 1:154/8
Jack Decker, via the Great Lakes Internet <=> FidoNet Gateway
Internet: Jack.Decker@f8.n154.z1.fidonet.org
    UUCP: ...!umich!wsu-cs!royaljok!154!8!Jack.Decker