HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 16:11:57 -0400
From: eric@madhaus.utcs.utoronto.ca (Eric M. Carroll)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: New Cards Telephones in Ontario, Canada 
Organization: UTCS Campus Access
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 742, Message 1 of 9

> Bell Canada has disabled international calling card calls from
> payphones for some time.  Now, they are starting to deploy significant
> numbers of payphones with magnetic card readers, LCD displays, etc.
> Presumably these will permit international calls -- I haven't used one
> other than for local calls yet.

While on a recent trip to the US I noticed that AT&T has deployed a
truly wonderful new payphone -- the AT&T Public Payphone 2000 -- in
most Hyatts. This phone has the usual card stripe reader and glass
advertising, but also includes a keyboard! Deep in the menus is a
"Place call in VT100 mode" entry, so I was able to call back to pick
up my mail, and charge it all to my calling card. And it was even
reasonably priced too. I was tickled pink -- Bell Canada has no such
equivalent.


Eric Carroll  University of Toronto Computing Services  Network Development
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 01:39 PDT
From: john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Digital Cable Radio (was Thoughts About WFMT vrs WNIB)
Reply-To: John Higdon <john@zygot.ati.com>
Organization: Green Hills and Cows
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 747, Message 3 of 14

mc/G=Brad/S=Hicks/OU=0205925@mhs.attmail.com writes:

> * a 24-hour toll free number to call to get the current selection and the
> two previous selections on any of the channels, listing artist, selection
> title, CD title, and publisher.

The system on my cable provides the current selection information
(title, composer, artist, record label and number) right on the remote
control in real time.

> (He was also telling me that they have a similar and older system in
> Japan that currently provides around 200 channels!)

Actually, it is over 400 channels. But many of them are not exactly
music. They are "environments". Birds tweeting, streams rolling, wind
chimes, and whale farts.

> Where I'm at, it adds $8 per month to your cable bill, including
> rental of the converter box and a remote.

Mine is $9.95, but apparently has a more useful remote. You also have
the option of buying the box and then paying only $4.95/month.

> And I've discovered some nice music by calling their toll free
> number to see what that was I was listening to!

That little remote information display has sent me to the record store
many times, which brings up an interesting point. The record companies
go into cardiac arrest whenever records are "played" for the public
with decent fidelity since they claim that it hurts sales. IMHO, the
opposite is true. And, I might add, that I STILL buy the CD even
though there is a digital output on the converter box that allows me
to record from the cable directly onto my DAT recorder. Of course, a
DAT tape costs as much as a CD and you do not get the liner notes!


John Higdon  |   P. O. Box 7648   |   +1 408 264 4115     |       FAX:
john@ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | 10288 0 700 FOR-A-MOO | +1 408 264 4407
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 92 07:49:11 EDT
From: dwn@dwn.ccd.bnl.gov (Dave Niebuhr)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: NYTel Problems
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 740, Message 7 of 9

In TELECOM Digest, Volume 12, Issue 735 Douglas Scott Reuben
<DREUBEN@EAGLE.WESLEYAN.EDU> writes:

> On 24 Sep 92 16:52:40 GMT, henry@ads.com (Henry Mensch) wrote:

> Then, the next day, call 611. Report the payphone and the problem.
> Since this is NYNEX, there is a 70% chance they won't fix it.

Let's make that 90% as per my experience.

> Day after that, call the NYTel President's Helpline, at 800-722-2300.
> Tell them your EXACT problem, the phone you tried the 800 number from,
> the 800 number, and a callback number. There is about a 50% chance
> they won't fix it. You may want to mention to them that if it is not
> fixed in 5 days (or however long you are willing to wait) you will
> call the NY Public Service Commission. This generally helps if you
> slip it it politely - they get VERY concerned when "The PSC" is
> mentioned.

Better yet; don't tell NYTel that you are going to contact the PSC and
then just do it and let them get surprised.

> I had a similar problem -- a NYTel payphone in Roslyn, NY
> (516-621-9803) was BLOCKING all 10xxx calls, so you could only place
> 0+ calls with NYTel or ITI. No one at NYTel could do anything about
> it, even though the people at the President's Helpline pretended as if
> they had some idea of what was going on.  After three weeks, lots of
> calls to 611, the Helpline, and the Payphone Business office, I just
> called the PSC. Within *one* hour, I received call-backs from three
> execs at NYTel, who got the information from me, and the problem was
> fixed the same day.

I wish NYTel would get off it's collective rear-ends and fix my
billing problem (incorrect charging to one exchange in the 516 area
code).  It has been one year this month since I first reported the
problem and the higher-ups are never around to answer my questions
including those made by letter.

> Isn't NYNEX just SO competant? And some people say GTE is bad ...:)  
 
NYNEX/NYTel is USELESS!


Dave Niebuhr      Internet: niebuhr@bnl.gov / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl
Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973  (516)-282-3093
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 92 19:36:57 EDT
From: isjjgcd@prism.gatech.edu
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Centel of Florida Merging With "Sprint Corporation"
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 753, Message 5 of 18

Quarter-page advertisement on page 9A in the Thursday, October 1, 1992
edition of the {Tallahassee Democrat}, Tallahassee, Florida:

    "Notice to Customers of Central Telephone Company of Florida

  "Notice is hereby given that Centel Corporation and Sprint
Corporation have entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger which,
if consumated [sic], will indirectly transfer the majority operational
control of Central Telephone Company of Florida to Sprint Corporation.
Centel Corporation, Central Telephone Company, Central Telephone
Company of Florida and Sprint Corporation have filed a joint petition
with the Florida Public Service Commission for approval of the
acquisition of the stock of Centel Corporation by Sprint Corporation
and thereby indirectly transfer the majority organization control of
Central Telephone Company of Florida to Sprint Corporation.

  "The joint petition does not propose a change to the rates of
services in effect for Central Telephone Company of Florida."

Ok, I'll admit I have no idea whether the "Sprint Corporation"
mentioned is the same as US Sprint, the IXC we all know and toward
which some of us are ambivalent.  If it isn't, though, wouldn't the ad
have made that clear?  If it is, what next?  Merger of AT&T with
BellSouth?  I just don't get it.


[Moderator's Note: I think the Sprint Corporation is one of the
various subsidiaries of US Sprint, which itself is a subsidiary, etc. 
Suffice to say, Central is being bought by Sprint. That's all you need
to know; guess who will provide Central's LD service in the future!  PAT]
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 92 22:37:45 PDT
From: richg@hatch.socal.com (Rich Greenberg)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Lost in Translation
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 756, Message 4 of 8

Pat, I recently got an old laptop from work for use as a portable
terminal.  Looking thru the tech manual, I came across a listing of
the pinouts of the several external connectors.  The description of
the pinouts for the RJ-14 jack for the internal modem is so far
off-the-wall that I would like to share it with the other TELECOM
Digest readers.

        ------------------------------------------------------
        PIN          SIGNAL
        NUMBER       NAME            DESCRIPTION
        ------------------------------------------------------
         1 - 2       -----           Not Connected.
         3           RING            Ring.  This line carries
                                     the ring signal.
         4           TIP             Tip.  This line carries
                                     the voice or data signal.
         5 - 6       -----           Not Connected.
         -----------------------------------------------------


Rich Greenberg - N6LRT - 310-649-0238 - richg@hatch.socal.com


[Moderator's Note: That's it?  That is pretty incredible!    PAT]
From: fybush@unixland.natick.ma.us (Scott Fybush)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: N0N/N1N Exchanges and 1+ Dialing
Date: 1 Oct 92 01:17:00 GMT
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 750, Message 2 of 13

The 1+ can be VERY ambiguous near an area code boundary.  Take the
example of Lowell, Mass., if you will.  Lowell is in NPA 508.  About
20 miles away, 508-635 is Acton, MA ... intra-LATA toll.  Adjacent to
the Lowell exchange, but just over the state and LATA line, is
603-635, Pelham NH.  Pelham is a local call from Lowell.

Here's what happens with various combinations of 1+ and NPA when
calling from Lowell:

635-XXXX   call connects over New England Tel to Pelham NH as a local call.
1-635-XXXX call connects over NETel to Acton MA as a toll call.
1-508-635-XXXX not allowed
1-603-635-XXXX call connects to Pelham as a toll call through chosen IXC.

I cannot imagine this making sense to someone who's never been in
Lowell before.

The same situation applies at the other end of 508, where Fall River.
MA has local calling to 401-635, Little Compton, RI.

When NETel had the opportunity to start things fresh in 1988, they
made sure that local calls across the 617-508 line (and there are many
of them, especially for suburban Boston customers with Metropolitan
Service) must always be dialed 1-508-NXX-XXXX.  As I write this, I'm
at home (617-891) logged on to a modem in 508-651, a local call.
Although there's no 617-651, I'm not allowed to dial seven digits to
508-651.  My dialing string must always begin ATDT*701508651 ...

I'm glad it's that way.  Kludges like the NH-MA and RI-MA ones just
add unnecessary confusion to an already complex dialing system.  They
also violate the Bellcore precept that one must always be able to dial
1-NPA-NXX-XXXX on any call, since 1-603-635-XXXX from Lowell does not
offer the same local call billing that 635-XXXX offers.  (To NETel's
credit, they DO make this clear in the call guide section of the phone
book.)


Scott Fybush -- fybush@unixland.natick.ma.us
From: stevef@wrq.com (Steve Forrette)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Cellular Phones With Deals Attached
Date: 1 Oct 92 02:34:26 GMT
Organization: Walker Richer & Quinn, Inc., Seattle, WA
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 751, Message 4 of 14

In article <telecom12.748.4@eecs.nwu.edu> tdarcos@mcimail.com writes:

> Second, for anyone that has an answer, what is the maximum number of
> nams you've seen for a single telephone.  Because of roaming and dual
> carriers, I saw an ad in the {Los Angeles Times} which showed a cell
> phone with QUAD nam capability.

My OKI 900 (also private-labeled by AT&T) has a five NAM capability.
I sleep well at night knowing that I will never run out of NAMs!


Steve Forrette, stevef@wrq.com
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 15:05:31 GMT
From: deej@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (david.g.lewis)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: N0N/N1N Exchanges and 1+ Dialing
Organization: AT&T
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 746, Message 8 of 11

> I don't see how this distinction is possible without a ten-digit
> dialing requirement.

> [Moderator's Note: I think the 1+ is always required, however the
> system can wait for a time-out, then interpret everything it recieved
> at once; i.e. seven or ten digits, etc ...

Several ways.

1.  The 1+ can be required for 10-D calls, and required to be absent
for 7-D calls.  The 1+ is therefore the indicator to the switch to
expect ten following digits.  This is called the "prefix method".

2.  The 1+ is "optional" from a dialing point of view (e.g. is used to
indicate local/toll).  A four-second Final Digit Timer is started
after seven digits are received.  If this timer times out, the switch
interprets the number as 7-D; if a digit is received before the timer
times out, the switch expects a 10-D number.  This is called the
"timing method".

3.  The 1+ indicates local/toll, and the switch examines the three
digits following the initial 1.  If they are an N0/1X which is not
assigned as a CO code in the NPA, they are interpreted as an NPA code
and seven more digits are expected.  If they are an N0/1X code which
is assigned as a CO code in the NPA, a Final Digit Timer is started
after four more digits are received, as in the timing method.  If they
are an NNX code, only four more digits are expected.  This is called
the "hybrid method".

Bellcore recommends the prefix method as the standard dialing
procedure.


David G Lewis                              AT&T Bell Laboratories
david.g.lewis@att.com or !att!goofy!deej     Switching & ISDN Implementation
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 07:09:11 -0600
From: rickie@trickie.ualberta.ca (Richard Nash)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Sidetone (was LD Transmission Quality Comparison)
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 760, Message 5 of 12

Hans-Gabriel Ridder writes:

> In article <telecom12.745.7@eecs.nwu.edu> John Higdon <john@zygot.
> ati.com> writes:

> I seem to remember reading (in an ITT manual, I believe) that the
> sidetone was generated by *intentionally* unbalancing the hybrid
> transformer.  Also, a friend of mine once had a phone with a "broken"
> hybrid which produced *no* sidetone at all (or at least very little).
> This always annoyed me as it fooled me into thinking the phone had
> gone dead.

In the good old days, the 2500 set could be ordered up without
sidetone.  This was some kind of a military specification that
improved communications in less than ideal environments.


Richard Nash     	Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6K 0E8
UUCP:                   trickie!rickie@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca
Amatuer Radio Packet:   VE6BON @ VE6MC.AB.CAN.NA 
                        VE6BON.ampr.org [44.135.147.206]
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 92 22:17:02 GMT
From: pls@cibecue.az05.bull.com (Paul Schauble)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Select Ringing Call Director Needed
Organization: Bull HN Information Systems, Inc., Phoenix Product Division
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 744, Message 9 of 14

I'm looking for a call director that can direct a call to various
devices based on selective ringing. I'd like to find a device that can
attach three or four devices. Sources?


PLS
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 02:21:16 GMT
From: stevef@wrq.com (Steve Forrette)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: N0N/N1N Exchanges and 1+ Dialing
Organization: Walker Richer & Quinn, Inc., Seattle, WA
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 750, Message 6 of 13

In article <telecom12.746.6@eecs.nwu.edu> Jim.Rees@umich.edu writes:

> My cellphone is in 313-600, and I can dial seven, ten, or eleven
> digits.  This works because cellular switches always know how many
> digits you dialed.  The phone doesn't send the number to the switch
> until you press the "spend" key.

A couple of years ago, most of the cellular carriers on the west coast
went to the "1 means toll" scheme, although a leading 1 is never
required from a cellular phone because of the technical reasons you
mention above.  It used to be that you could dial long distance as seven
or ten digits -- now a leading one is required.  You can still dial ten
digits if the call is local, and 1+ is allowed for local calls if you
choose to dial that way.


Steve Forrette, stevef@wrq.com
Date: 03 OCT 92 16:10   
From: MPA15C!ARTHUR@TRENGA.tredydev.unisys.com
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: What it Costs to Have the President Over
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 757, Message 12 of 13

This may be straying a bit from telecommunications, but it's an
interesting thread.  I lived in Santa Barbara during the Reagan years;
his mountain retreat was atop Refugio Road, a miserably steep (I'm a
bicyclist) road a few miles north of town.  Whenever he sullied our
town, there was the requisite traffic inconvenience, but there was one
interesting other effect.  All over, garage doors would mysteriously
go up and down either constantly or sporadically.  The appropriate
folks in the President's entourage consistently denied any connection,
but it got so that people had to disconnect electricity to their
openers when a presidential visit was scheduled!  I suspect there was
enough of an electronic blanket over Santa Barbara that it's a wonder
we all didn't keel over from acute cancer.


Arthur L. Shapiro      ARTHUR%MPA15C@TRENGA.TREDYDEV.UNISYS.COM
Software Engineering
Unisys Corporation     Speaking as a civilian, rather than for
Mission Viejo, CA      Unisys, unless this box is checked: [ ]
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 14:23:52 GMT
From: sue@netcom.com (Sue Miller)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: My Favorite Intercepts
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 748, Message 10 of 12

In article <telecom12.744.13@eecs.nwu.edu> phil@rochgte.fidonet.org
writes:

> The most boring intercepts are those from Germany (right to the
> point), the French outer territories (which always seem to be running
> on the winner of the wow and flutter tape unit award), India, which
> barely makes it out, and the old British standby, the long tone, which
> doesn't allow us to hear anything at all. :-)

The long tone took me aback when I was in England this summer.  I am
used to hearing some sort of diagnostic recording.  Luckily someone
explained it to me.  I also encountered another puzzling intercept
when I called someone in London from Boston.  "The line is parked" in
a wonderful fingers-up-the-nose accent.  I wasn't quite sure what that
meant, so I called the ATT international operator.  She didn't know
either, but obligingly rang up BT to ask.  As we suspected, it did
mean that the line was engaged.
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 20:36:00 -0600
From: rupa@f-454.fidonet.org (Rupa Schomaker)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Info Needed About "Nationwide Long Distance" Company
Reply-To: rupa@f-454.fidonet.org
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 737, Message 5 of 6

About three hours after my new line was hooked up, I got a call from
"Nationwide Long Distance" offering me an irresistable offer (which I
could refuse for the time-being).  Here is what they told me:

- 100% fiber optic;
- NOT leased lines (they own their own network -- or so they say);
- optional PIN for long distance calls;
- $48 of free LD calls.

The telemarketer then took extra pains to point out that they have an
800 number and 1+ dialing (there are still LD companies that don't?).

They also try to push a "free" cellular phone (a "400" dollar value!).
After pushing it turns out to be a trasportable and you have to sign
up with GTE Mobilnet.  They evaded the question about whether it would
have to be a one year contract or if it could be month-by-month (but I
suspect the former).

In addition you get a free car alarm valued at $150.  After further
questioning you have to get it installed by the vendor which is $69.

So, anyone know anything about this company?  Do they have quality
lines?  Good service?

Oh, and how did they know about my phone number almost immediately
after the lineman hooked it up?


UUCP -> rupa@f-454.fidonet.org     FidoNet ->  1:106/1024
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 16:29:01 BST
From: Peter Willis <pjw@galadriel.bt.co.uk>
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Will a UK FAX Machine Work in New Zealand?
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 749, Message 11 of 13

A colleague of mine wants to take his UK group 3 FAX machine to New
Zealand.  He wants to know if it will work in New Zealand and if he
will have to modify it in any way. For example what is the mains
voltage in New Zealand? What type of telephone line connector will be
required? Will MF4 dialing work?


Thanks in advance,

Peter Willis,  pjw@uk.co.bt.galadriel
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 07:37:25 GMT
From: HOFFMANMK@appstate.edu (Marvin Hoffman)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: What it Costs to Have the President Over
Organization: APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 745, Message 4 of 10

In <telecom12.740.9@eecs.nwu.edu> phil@wubios.wustl.edu writes:

> Tomorrow President Bush is scheduled to give "an important policy
> statement on drugs and community involvement" and our church is
> playing host in our parish hall for this event.  Friday there were at
> least 14 SWBT trucks there, they dropped two 300 pair cables to either
> the parish hall or to the school gym which will serve as the press
> facilities.  Even today (Sunday) there have been at least ten trucks
> working all day providing the appropriate jacks, etc.

Material deleted regarding costs and who pays ...

Personal story:

When I was in graduate school at the University of Georgia, the senior U.S.
Senator from Georgia, Richard B. Russell, died.  Senator Russell was a very
powerful Senator, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, over 30
years in the senate, etc.  His funeral brought nearly the entire Senate
membership as well as President Johnson.  Press coverage in the Atlanta
Constitution noted that telephones were installed along the route every
quarter mile between Atlanta and Winder, Georgia (approximately 25 miles) 
for emergency use by the President and Secret Service.  Further, 600 telephones
were installed in Winder for use by the media.


Is this still done?
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 92 10:05:26 -0700
From: henry@ads.com (Henry Mensch)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: PC-Based Voicemail Systems
Reply-To: henry@ads.com
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 736, Message 8 of 10

I've been charged with looking into PC-based voicemail systems ... the
cynic in me doesn't believe they really work, but they seem to be
fairly popular ... can someone speak to the usefulness/featurefulness
of these devices?


henry mensch / booz, allen & hamilton, inc.  / <henry@ads.com>