From editor@telecom-digest.org Mon Jul 26 20:43:25 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.3) id i6R0hPA13662; Mon, 26 Jul 2004 20:43:25 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 20:43:25 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200407270043.i6R0hPA13662@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V23 #352 TELECOM Digest Mon, 26 Jul 2004 20:43:00 EDT Volume 23 : Issue 352 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Telecom Update (Canada) #441, July 26, 2004 (Angus TeleManagement) Re: Dedicated Internet Line (Scott Dorsey) Re: Dedicated Internet Line (John R. Levine) Re: Dedicated Internet Line (T. Sean Weintz) Re: Dedicated Internet Line (Barry Margolin) Re: Dedicated Internet Line (DevilsPGD) Re: Dedicated Internet Line (Hammond of Texas) Re: Phone for Noisy Environment (J Kelly) Re: Senate Committee Guts VoIP Bill (CharlesH) Re: In Regards to Help - Please (Mike Sutter) (News Feed) Re: Phone Card Inquiry (T. Sean Weintz) Clarification on 'Vonage Not in my Area Code' Thread (Patrick Townson) 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: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 16:19:01 -0400 From: Angus TeleManagement Subject: Telecom Update (Canada) #441, July 26, 2004 ************************************************************ TELECOM UPDATE ************************************************************ published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group http://www.angustel.ca Number 441: July 26, 2004 Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous financial support from: ** ALLSTREAM: www.allstream.com ** BELL CANADA: www.bell.ca ** CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA: www.cisco.com/ca ** CYGCOM INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGIES: www.cygcom.com ** GROUP TELECOM: www.360.net ** JUNIPER NETWORKS: www.juniper.net ** PRIMUS CANADA: www.primustel.ca ** SPRINT CANADA: www.sprint.ca ** TELUS: www.telus.com ************************************************************ IN THIS ISSUE: ** Sprint Launches Internet Phone Service ** Telus Extends Microcell Offer Again ** Primus to Offer Wireless Phones ** Bell Techs to Vote on "Final Offer" ** MTS to Operate as MTS Allstream ** Allstream Offers Wholesale VoIP ** EastLink Loses Bundling Complaint ** VoIP Hearing Extended ** Reverse Search Directory Service Permitted ** Telesat Launches Largest Communications Satellite ** Rogers Begins "Road Runner" Phase-Out in Nfld. ** GT Exec Moves to Vonage ** No Buyer for AT&T's Rogers Shares ** Rogers Wireless Offers Yahoo Internet Suite ** Bell Sued Over Modem Hijacking ** Telcos and Affiliates Subject to Same Rules ** Court Denies Landlord Appeal ** BCE Sells Yellow Pages Stake ** Telecom Conference Announces Speakers ** Should VoIP Be Regulated? ============================================================ SPRINT LAUNCHES INTERNET PHONE SERVICE: Sprint Canada's new Internet Phone Service, designed for residential and small/home-office customers, is available on six price plans, ranging from $19.95 to $31.95 a month. Numbers are available from Ontario area codes 416, 647, 905, and 519. A gateway device sells for $75, including four months of basic service. ** Sprint President Bill Linton describes the services as "Canada's first Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) compliant broadband phone service." TELUS EXTENDS MICROCELL OFFER AGAIN: Telus has extended its offer to purchase all Microcell Telecommunications shares to August 20. By the last deadline, July 22, Telus had been offered 288 class A restricted voting shares, 15,785 class B non-voting shares, 71,917 Warrants 2005, and 51,080 Warrants 2008. ** Microcell says it "continues to seek maximization of value to security holders by actively considering strategic and financial alternatives to the Telus offers." PRIMUS TO OFFER WIRELESS PHONES: Primus Telecommunications Canada and Microcell Solutions have signed a multi-year deal giving Primus access to Microcell's national PCS network as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator. Primus says it will begin offering wireless service in the fall. BELL TECHS TO VOTE ON "FINAL OFFER": The bargaining committee representing 7,097 Bell Canada technicians is recommending rejection of a contract proposal the company describes as a "final offer." Results of the membership vote will be announced August 16. ** Earlier this month, the union members rejected a previous offer and approved strike action. MTS TO OPERATE AS MTS ALLSTREAM: Manitoba Telecom Systems has asked the CRTC to change all tariff references to its operating units -- MTS Communications, MTS NetCom, and Manitoba Telephone System -- to MTS Allstream Inc. ALLSTREAM OFFERS WHOLESALE VoIP: Allstream's VoIP Access service allows VoIP service providers to connect to the public telephone network. It includes 9-1-1, 7-1-1, 4-1-1, Local Number Portability, and Operator services. EASTLINK LOSES BUNDLING COMPLAINT: The CRTC has rejected an EastLink complaint about Aliant's "value packages," because the telco no longer requires customers receiving the services to subscribe to its local phone service. (See Telecom Update #440) www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2004/dt2004-44.htm VoIP HEARING EXTENDED: To accommodate all the parties who want to speak at the CRTC's public consultation on VoIP, the hearing will now take place over three days, September 21-23. www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2004/pt2004-2-1.htm REVERSE SEARCH DIRECTORY SERVICE PERMITTED: The CRTC will allow telcos to offer a "reverse search directory assistance" service that provides the city, town, or postal code associated with a given telephone number, but not the street address. Only one search per call will be permitted and subscribers' express consent must be obtained. www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2004/dt2004-49.htm TELESAT LAUNCHES LARGEST COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE: After several delays, the world's largest commercial communications satellite, Anik F2, was successfully launched on July 17. Telesat says the satellite will provide two-way broadband Internet service as well as television. ROGERS BEGINS "ROAD RUNNER" PHASE-OUT IN NFLD: Rogers Cable has begun converting the e-mail addresses of its "Road Runner" Internet customers in Newfoundland to "@nl.rogers.com" addresses. The change is the first step in migrating customers to the Rogers Hi-Speed service offered elsewhere in Canada. GT EXEC MOVES TO VONAGE: Bill Rainey, formerly Senior VP of Commercial Services at Group Telecom, has been named president of Vonage Canada. He reports to Jeffrey Citron, CEO of the U.S. parent company. NO BUYER FOR AT&T'S ROGERS SHARES: When the deadline expired June 18, AT&T Wireless had failed to find a buyer for its 34% interest in Rogers Wireless. AT&T cannot now sell the shares without once again offering Rogers an opportunity to make an offer. (See Telecom Update #431, 434) ROGERS WIRELESS OFFERS YAHOO INTERNET SUITE: Rogers Wireless now offers a suite of Yahoo Internet services, including e-mail, instant messaging, and news reports, all with no additional charges. BELL SUED OVER MODEM HIJACKING: An Ontario customer has launched a class action suit against Bell Canada, charging that the telco should have known about and prevented the modem hijacking scams that have resulted in thousands of dollars in long distance charges for many customers. (See Telecom Update #439) TELCOS AND AFFILIATES SUBJECT TO SAME RULES: In its follow-up to Decision 2002-76, the CRTC has confirmed that telco affiliates are subject to the same tariffing and bundling rules as the incumbent telco itself. www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2004/dt2004-50.htm COURT DENIES LANDLORD APPEAL: The Federal Court has dismissed an appeal by the Canadian Institute of Public and Private Real Estate Companies and the Building Owners and Managers Association against the CRTC's statement that it can order access to buildings if carriers and building owners cannot agree on terms. The Court said that the statement, in Decision 2003-45, can't be appealed because the CRTC has not actually made such an order. http://decisions.fca-caf.gc.ca/fca/2004/2004fca243.shtml BCE SELLS YELLOW PAGES STAKE: BCE Inc. has sold its 11.1 million remaining shares of Yellow Pages Income Fund for approximately $123 million. The telco sold 90% of the company in 2002. TELECOM CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES SPEAKERS: Nearly forty speakers have been confirmed for Telemanagement Live!, which be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, October 20-21. Details on the program and registration are available at www.telemanagementlive.com. ** Telemanagement Live! is organized and presented by Angus Dortmans Associates and PW Ritchie & Associates. SHOULD VoIP BE REGULATED? The current issue of Telemanagement features Lis Angus's exclusive review and analysis of the telecom industry's debate on CRTC proposals for regulation of Voice over IP phone service. Also in this issue: ** Planning for High Availability Networking ** Is There a Future for Frame Relay and ATM Networks? ** Key Issues for Telecom Disaster Recovery To become a Telemanagement subscriber -- including unlimited access to Telemanagement's extensive online content -- visit www.angustel.ca/teleman/tm-sub-online.html or call 800-263-4415 ext 500. ============================================================ HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR TELECOM UPDATE E-MAIL: editors@angustel.ca FAX: 905-686-2655 MAIL: TELECOM UPDATE Angus TeleManagement Group 8 Old Kingston Road Ajax, Ontario Canada L1T 2Z7 =========================================================== HOW TO SUBSCRIBE (OR UNSUBSCRIBE) TELECOM UPDATE is provided in electronic form only. There are two formats available: 1. The fully-formatted edition is posted on the World Wide Web on the first business day of the week at www.angustel.ca 2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to: join-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com To stop receiving the e-mail edition, send an e-mail message to: leave-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com Sending e-mail to these addresses will automatically add or remove the sender's e-mail address from the list. Leave subject line and message area blank. We do not give Telecom Update subscribers' e-mail addresses to any third party. For more information, see www.angustel.ca/update/privacy.html. =========================================================== COPYRIGHT AND CONDITIONS OF USE: All contents copyright 2004 Angus TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further information, including permission to reprint or reproduce, please e-mail rosita@angustel.ca or phone 905-686-5050 ext 500. 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. ------------------------------ From: kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) Subject: Re: Dedicated Internet Line Date: 26 Jul 2004 15:44:42 -0400 Organization: Former users of Netcom shell (1989-2000) mike3 wrote: > Is it possible, physically, to build a dedicated hard line directly > into the Internet? Sure. Most sites do. Why? Scott "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." ------------------------------ From: johnl@iecc.com (John R. Levine) Subject: Re: Dedicated Internet Line Date: 26 Jul 2004 15:52:02 -0400 Organization: I.E.C.C., Trumansburg NY USA > Is it possible, physically, to build a dedicated hard line directly > into the Internet? Considering that "the Internet" doesn't exist as a single physical thing, no. It's easy enough to get a dedicated line to any of the ISPs and NSPs that comprise the Internet, of course. ------------------------------ From: T. Sean Weintz Subject: Re: Dedicated Internet Line Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 17:24:37 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com mike3 wrote: > Hi, > Is it possible, physically, to build a dedicated hard line directly > into the Internet? That question does not actually make sense. Firstly, there is no single object known as the "internet" - it is a collection of many many many different networks that are all interconnected. Taking my above point into account, you could argue that any leased line connection to an ISP is exactly that - a dedicated hard line to the internet. I mean wouldn't a T1 line (not frame - pt to pt) to a major ISP qualify as exactly that? Esp if you run BGP over it? One could even argue that if you are running BGP, you not only have a direct hard line to the internet, but that your local network actually is part of the internet. ------------------------------ From: Barry Margolin Subject: Re: Dedicated Internet Line Organization: Symantec Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 19:35:23 -0400 In article , mike4ty4@yahoo.com (mike3) wrote: > Hi, > Is it possible, physically, to build a dedicated hard line directly > into the Internet? Yes. Just run a serial or ethernet cable directly from an ISP's router to your computer. Barry Margolin, barmar@alum.mit.edu Arlington, MA *** PLEASE post questions in newsgroups, not directly to me *** [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: To those of you who have participated in this particular thread ('dedicated hard line to the Internet') shouldn't we define our terms? For example how many folks know the difference between the 'Internet' (with an uppercase /I/) and the 'internet' (with a lowercase /i/) and what we frequently refer to just as the 'net', I have always heard that the 'internet' consists of many interconnected networks, of which the 'Internet' (itself a collection of networks) is but one part. I have always assumed I was hardwired to the net because of my 'always on' cable or DSL connection as opposed to what we all used to do years ago, with dial-up. Any comments? PAT] ------------------------------ From: DevilsPGD Subject: Re: Dedicated Internet Line Reply-To: bond-jamesbond@crazyhat.net Organization: EasyNews, UseNet made Easy! Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 20:28:32 GMT In message mike4ty4@yahoo.com (mike3) wrote: > Is it possible, physically, to build a dedicated hard line directly > into the Internet? What is "the Internet" A DSL line could easily qualify, depending on what exactly you're trying to do. Nobody ever lost money underestimating the human intelligence. -- P.T.Barnum ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 13:53:39 -0700 From: Hammond of Texas Subject: Re: Dedicated Internet Line mike3 wrote: > Hi, > Is it possible, physically, to build a dedicated hard line directly > into the Internet? No. If it were, the Matrix would have you in minutes. ------------------------------ From: J Kelly Subject: Re: Phone for Noisy Environment Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 14:16:58 -0500 Organization: http://newsguy.com Reply-To: jkelly@newsguy.com On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 17:22:44 -0600, Clark W. Griswold, Jr. <73115.1041@compuserve.com> wrote: > J Kelly wrote: >> Can anyone recommend a GOOD quality phone for use in a noisy >> environment? Most phones sold today are total pieces of crap. >> Requirements are a volume control for the earpiece, be able to >> withstand a reasonable amount of abuse (dropping the handset, etc, not >> purposely abusing it), works with a POTS line, and hopefully costs >> less than $50. Don't need speaker phone, memory dialing, etc, but >> some of that might be nice, as would be noise cancelling. This is >> used in an area that has a lot of very large fans and motors running >> making a lot of noise. Even the 'office area' in this facility has a >> lot of noise and I'm half deaf besides. > Back in the days of TPC ("The Phone Company"), you could get something > called a "Confidencer" that was a replacement screw on transmitter for > standard handsets. It worked very well by reducing the sidetone (ie > noise) from the area you were in. > Standard phones and TPC have gone the way of the Dodo bird, so I have > no idea where you would go now. Reducing sidetone would be a BIG help. Good phones just do not seem to exsist anymore. On Sat, 24 Jul 2004 23:09:27 -0600, Phil Earnhardt wrote: > On 22 Jul 2004 12:27:01 -0700, a_user2000@yahoo.com (Justin Time) > wrote: >> The best answer for you is a headset. Lots of cabled headsets are >> available that will work in your price range, but you will probably >> want one with a noise-cancelling microphone if the noise level is such >> that can be heard over a normal phone. > I just noticed that there's a new headset option out there (new to me, > anyhow). > The only thing this headset (earset?) doesn't cover is the noise > you'll pick up from your other ear. A headset is not the solution I was hoping to find. I do far to much running around this facility to be able to monkey with putting on and taking of a headset, I want to grab the phone, hear the message, tell them what I'm doing, set it down and go about my business. If I need to walk around to look at some piece of equipment I want to just quickly set the phone on the desk and do so. 99% of the time I am not on the phone, so I can't just leave the thing on. I'm half deaf in one ear, so that helps a little. ------------------------------ From: hoch@exemplary.invalid (CharlesH) Subject: Re: Senate Committee Guts VoIP Bill Date: 26 Jul 2004 20:01:44 GMT Organization: http://newsguy.com In article , Paul Vader wrote: > anonfwd774@witheld at request writes: >> I'm not really sure how handheld GPS receivers work and I've never >> owned one, but I'm guessing they don't work too well inside buildings! > They don't work AT ALL inside buildings. As you guessed, they need an > unobstructed line-of-sight to the satellite. * Some cell phones (e.g., Verizon, Nextel) use something called aGPS (assisted GPS). With this, the cell site the phone is talking to does the complicated part of the GPS protocol, and feeds information to the phone so that the phone can get some timings for specific GPS satellites. The phone feeds this info back to the cell site, which computes the location of the phone and reports it to the E911 center. With the cell site doing most of the work, and knowing the location of the cell site, one can get a location fix on the phone with a much weaker signal and fewer satellites than required for a standalone GPS unit, allowing it to work indoors and between tall buildings. The "assisting" site has to be physically near to the phone (as is the case for a phone talking to a cell site), so it and the phone are "seeing" the same satellites and with nearly the same timings. See www.snaptrack.com. Of course this has nothing to do with VOIP, since with IP, you don't have anything like a "cell site" which is geographically close to the phone which could "assist" it. ------------------------------ From: News Feed Subject: Re: In Regards to Help - Please (Mike Sutter) Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 17:18:53 -0400 My stupid. I've got that in there because I post a couple of un-moderated groups and I'm trying to avoid becoming a "harvesting" victim. Sorry to take up your time. Regards, Mike Sutter PS - I don't suppose even a NAK-BOT could have gotten back to me under these circumstances. :) John Levine noted: > How do you expect the ack-bot to send you an acknowledgement if you > give it a forged return address? It's not clairvoyant. > Regards, > John Levine, postmaster@telecom-digest.org > (and postmaster of about 200 other domains) ------------------------------ From: T. Sean Weintz Subject: Re: Phone Card Inquiry Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 17:31:41 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Robert Bonomi wrote: > Such an animal probably *doesn't* exist. =UNLESS= they have _local_ > (i.e., _non_ toll-free access numbers in the area(s) you'd be calling > _from_) And, since you didn't specify _where_ you would be calling > from, nobody can tell if there's anything like that in your area. > The reason: > For *EVERY* call to a 'toll free' number from a pay-phone, the > toll-free number operator must pay the pay-phone operator something in > the range of 25-35 cents (I don't have the exact figure off the top of > my head), for the 'use' of the pay-phone for that call. > Either the card issuer (a) charges a surcharge for those pay-phone > originated calls that incur the extra costs, or (b) builds recovery of > those costs into the charges for *every* call. Guess which one lets > them advertise lower rates? > The card issuer surcharge for pay-phone calls =is= more than the > pass-thru cost, because they have to pay the pay-phone operator > _even_if_ the call doesn't complete to the far end. And for 'wrong > numbers', and for calls where the calling-card number is entered > wrong, and for calls where the calling card doesn't have enough money > on it to place the call, etc. etc. > Plus the additional administrative overhead of tracking the pay-phone > billings. That's where knowing ways of bypassing ANI come in handy. Used to be you could get around it by dialing 10-10-ATT, then hitting zero and convincing the ATT op to dial the 800 number (definitely a social engineering challenge) for the phone card for you -- the ANI would come up with an ATT number, not the payphone number. Doesn't work with ATT any more, but may work with other carriers. ------------------------------ From: TELECOM Digest Editor Subject: Clarification on 'Vonage Not in my Area Code' Thread Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 20:00:00 EDT John Covert commented on my earlier response to the fellow who wondered what do do since Vonage had no service (as of yet) in his specific area code. I suggested getting a 'virtual toll free' number so his friends and family could call him with ease, at no charge to them. I said that Vonage allowed me to combine all my minutes and use them. John noted, rightly, that Vonage did not charge for incoming calls except in the case of toll free, in which they gave you an allotment of 100 minutes per toll-free number/month. But unlike many of you with Vonage 'unlimited useage' accounts, I have a 500 minutes per month account -- older style plan -- for $15.00 per month, which is plenty for me. 500 minutes per month on outbound (which is all funnelled through the area 620 number) plus the charges per month on the virtual Chicago 773 number and the charges on the virtual toll- free 888 number. I do get 100 incoming minutes toll free and 500 minutes outbound. PAT] ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed 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 Patrick Townson. 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. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-402-0134 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org 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 Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE JUST 65 CENTS ONE OR TWO INQUIRIES CHARGED TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! REAL TIME, UP TO DATE! SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ --------------------------------------------------------------- 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. If you donate at least fifty dollars per year we will send you our two-CD set of the entire Telecom Archives; this is every word published in this Digest since our beginning in 1981. 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. End of TELECOM Digest V23 #352 ******************************