TELECOM Digest     Wed, 26 Oct 2005 13:20:00 EDT    Volume 24 : Issue 487

Inside This Issue:                             Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Yahoo Travel Lets Users Help Each Other Plan Trips (Eric Auchard)
    Study Finds Less Trusting Internet Users (Associated Press News Wire)
    TV Downloads May Undercut ABC Stations (Monty Solomon)
    'Splogs' Roil Web, and Some Blame Google (Monty Solomon)
    The Coming Mobile-Video Deluge (Monty Solomon)
    Say Hello To HELIO; SK-EarthLink Changes Its Name (Monty Solomon)
    Sprint Nextel Investor Quarterly Update: Third Quarter 2005 (Monty Solomon)
    Google Provide Access To Historic Television Archives (Monty Solomon)
    Cellular-News for Wednesday 26th October 2005 (Cellular-News)
    Re: Sneaky Cingular Wireless (Tim@Backhome.org)
    Re: Privacy Worries? Don't Print in Color (Dan Lanciani)
    Re: Privacy Worries? Don't Print in Color (Lisa Hanock)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding Question (Wesrock@aol.com)
    Re: Caller ID TIME For Setting Time on Regular Pots Analog Phones (Berger)

Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the
Internet.  All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and
the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other
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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
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               ===========================

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.  

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Eric Auchard (reuters@telecom-digest.org)
Subject: Yahoo Travel Lets Users Help Each Other Plan Trips
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 11:02:07 -0500


By Eric Auchard

Yahoo Inc. , the world's most popular Internet media network, is
looking to up-end the online travel industry by helping its users
share planning tips, photos and travel lore with fellow travelers.

On Wednesday, Yahoo said it plans to offer tools that turn Yahoo
Travel http://travel.yahoo.com/ from a reliance on professionally
created content into an online travel guide that encourages users to
publish and share their itineraries.

"We are creating much more of a platform around which people can
participate," James Slavet, general manager of the Yahoo Marketplace
business unit, which include the company's travel operation, said in a
phone interview.

The site's Trip Planner tool enables users to research, publish and
share personalized itineraries, both with friends and family, or,
optionally, as public guides for travelers headed to the same
destination to use for their own planning.

"Anywhere you travel, there are people who have traveled there before
you," Slavet said.

At its core, the Yahoo Travel site acts as a tool to pull together all
the loose strands of a travel plan, from potential destinations, to
flights, hotels, activities, calendars and maps, all designed to be
shared with others if so desired.

The system allows the user to create personalized maps of all the key
locations on one's itinerary, for example.

Wrapped around this are options to make it easier for users to share
digital travel photos, participate in travel-related message boards,
or contribute user reviews and ratings, among other features.

The travel site incorporates user-contributed travel photos, organized
by location or other categories, via Flickr the phenomenally popular
photo sharing site that Yahoo acquired earlier this year. The site
also includes a database of vacation home rentals supplied by their
owners.

Yahoo Travel boasts nearly 500,000 hotel or vacation activity options
in 40,000 destinations worldwide.

For now, user contributions are focused on the pre-planning of trips.

Eventually, Yahoo hopes to incorporate more features that will help
users chronicle their journeys using the Internet, mobile phones and
digital cameras to contribute travelogues, on the fly, as it were,
Slavet said.

Yahoo Travel could also act as a repository for post-trip photo
collections and other remembrances, serving to create a rich vein of
user experiences for new travelers to incorporate in their own
planning, a sort of next-generation travel guide.

Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. 

NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the
daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new
articles daily.

------------------------------

From: Associated Press News Wire <ap@telecom-digest.org> 
Subject: Study Finds Less Trusting Internet Users
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 11:03:50 -0500


As identity theft has grown, so has fear of being victimized through
high-tech means. A new study finds some computer users are cutting
back on time spent surfing the Internet. Some have also stopped buying
altogether on the Web.

The report from Consumer Reports WebWatch finds nearly a third of
those surveyed say they've reduced their overall Web site use.

Some 80 percent of Internet users say they're at least somewhat
concerned someone could steal their identity from personal information
on the Internet. A majority of users asked say they've stopped giving
out personal information on the Web and a quarter say they've stopped
buying online.

The survey was of 1,500 U.S. Web users aged 18 and older.

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press.

NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the
daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new
articles daily.

For Associated Press headlines and stories, please go to:
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/AP.html   or
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/news.today


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Some of you may remember, as I do, when
our 'village' was a much smaller place, much more innocent and much
more friendly. Then came 1993-94 and things began to change a lot
around here.   PAT]

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 01:12:40 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: TV Downloads May Undercut ABC Stations


By NICK WINGFIELD, JOE FLINT and ETHAN SMITH
Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
October 17, 2005; Page B1

Last Thursday morning, Apple Computer Inc. started selling an episode
of the hit television series "Lost" through its iTunes Music Store for
$1.99 after the show aired the night before on ABC. It marked the
first time a popular show was made available for legal downloading
over the Internet so quickly after its original airing.

With that, Apple may have helped open a Pandora's box for the media
business. The Cupertino, Calif., company and its first TV partner --
Walt Disney Co., the parent of ABC -- have taken a potentially
significant step in the dismantling of a decades-old system for
distributing TV programming to viewers, a move that could have
profound long-term consequences for broadcasters, cable systems and
satellite companies if more users download shows instead of watching
them the old-fashioned way.

Apple's deal with Disney, which also includes past and current
episodes of "Desperate Housewives," "Night Stalker" and "That's So
Raven," is already causing waves in the TV business. On Friday, Leon
Long, the president of the association representing ABC's affiliate
stations, expressed misgivings about the partnership, which was
announced publicly by Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs and Disney CEO
Robert Iger at an event last Wednesday. In a letter Mr. Long sent to
the president of the ABC network, Alex Wallau, Mr. Long said ABC
affiliates are concerned that they weren't given an opportunity for
financial participation in a new form of distributing shows that
derives value through the promotion and broadcasting of affiliates.

The letter, a copy of which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal,
says: "It is both disappointing and unsettling that ABC would embark
on a new -- and competitive -- network program distribution
partnership without the fundamental courtesy of consultation" with its
affiliates.

Mr. Long, who runs the ABC affiliate WXON in Biloxi, Miss., didn't
return calls seeking comment. Mr. Wallau said he would respond to the
affiliates this week but declined to comment further.

For TV affiliates, Apple's new offering "is really bad," says Josh
Bernoff, an analyst at Forrester Research in Cambridge, Mass. "You
don't get anything. You just get a smaller audience," he says.

Also concerned about the Apple-Disney partnership are the unions that
represent TV-show writers, producers, directors and actors. Soon after
Disney and Apple's announcement, those unions issued a joint statement
saying, "We look forward to a dialogue that ensures our members are
properly compensated for this exploitation of their work."

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB112951305777370362-IUm_bODHiRRSv_Y0eY7YkpXrTWY_20061025.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 01:24:56 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: 'Splogs' Roil Web, and Some Blame Google


By DAVID KESMODEL
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ONLINE

Spam, long the scourge of email users, rapidly has become the bane of 
bloggers too.

Spammers have created millions of Web logs to promote everything from
gambling Web sites to pornography. The spam blogs -- known as "splogs"
 -- often contain gibberish, and are full of links to other Web sites
spammers are trying to promote. Because search engines like those of
Google Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. base their rankings of Web
sites, in part, on how many other Web sites link to them, the splogs
can help artificially inflate a site's popularity.  Some of the phony
blogs also carry advertisements, which generate a few cents for the
splog's owner each time they are clicked on.

The phony blogs are a particular problem for Google, Microsoft and
Yahoo because each offers not only a Web search engine focused on
providing the most relevant results for users but also a service to
let bloggers create blogs.

Just this past weekend, Google's popular blog-creation tool, Blogger, 
was targeted in an apparently coordinated effort to create more than 
13,000 splogs, the search giant said. The splogs were laced with 
popular keywords so that they would appear prominently in blog 
searches, and several bloggers complained online that that the splogs 
were gumming up searches for legitimate sites.

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB112968552226872712-8b5l_fijhNltE4s7DX6tvLI9XNo_20061025.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 02:08:14 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: The Coming Mobile-Video Deluge


By Olga Kharif
OCTOBER 11, 2005

As carriers gird for an expected surge in demand for TV mobile phones,
many are looking to Qualcomm to deliver the goods

When Qualcomm announced plans for a network that would deliver video
over mobile phones last November, analysts met the idea with more
raised eyebrows than approving nods. Qualcomm (QCOM ) had built its
reputation on licensing wireless technology and making cell-phone
chips. The concept, dubbed MediaFLO and championed by Paul Jacobs, who
later became Qualcomm's chief executive, came across as costly and too
far outside the company's core areas of expertise.

Even though demand for TV over cell phones had taken off in Asia, it
was still unproven in the U.S. What's more, the number of technologies
for beaming video to wireless handsets was already on the
rise. Investors wondered what would set MediaFLO apart -- and whether
Qualcomm would ever break even on the estimated $500 million it would
take to build the network.

Almost a year later, Jacobs's announcement is looking distinctly less
odd. Early video services from providers Cingular Wireless and Sprint
Nextel (S ) have attracted more than 500,000 subscribers, according to
MobiTV, which provides TV services for both carriers.

BALLOONING BASE.  Cingular has seen its video-user numbers surge with
virtually no advertising. "It has been very popular, and that tells us
that there's something there," says Rob Hyatt, executive director for
mobile content at Atlanta-based Cingular, the largest U.S.  wireless
operator. Other providers, including Verizon Wireless, have joined the
race to add customers intent on watching news, sports, and
entertainment clips over their cell phones.

Mobile video is set to take the wireless industry by storm (see BW
Online, 12/1/04 "TV Phones Prep for Prime Time"). The U.S. mobile
video user base may balloon to more than 20 million by the end of
2007, up from less than 1 million today, says Albert Lin, an analyst
at American Technology Research (ATR). Assuming each subscriber pays
$5 a month for such services, that would translate to a $1.2 billion
market. Worldwide, more than 250 million people are expected to be
watching mobile video by 2010, generating some $27 billion in sales,
vs. with $200 million today, according to market consultant ABI
Research.

Why the meteoric rise? For starters, the technology has improved, and
prices on video-capable handsets have dropped. In fact, now that some
devices are available for less than $100, "adoption rates are going up
like a hockey stick," says Key Sar, associate director of content
programming at Verizon Wireless, the second-biggest U.S.  mobile-phone
carrier.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2005/tc20051011_9768_tc024.htm

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 09:05:41 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Say Hello To HELIO; SK-EarthLink Changes Its Name and Unveils


     Say Hello To HELIO; SK-EarthLink Changes Its Name and Unveils
     Brand For Its Breakthrough Mobile Offering Launching Spring 2006;
     HELIO To Leverage SK Telecom Innovation In New Service
     - Oct 26, 2005 07:00 AM (BusinessWire)

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 26, 2005--Effective today,
SK-EarthLink, Inc. becomes HELIO, Inc., a new mobile brand custom
built for young, tech-savvy consumers. The company is a $440 million
joint venture between SK Telecom (NYSE:SKM), one of the world's most
advanced wireless carriers, and EarthLink (Nasdaq:ELNK), the nation's
next generation Internet service provider (ISP).

Why HELIO? The Heliocentric view, radical when Copernicus preached it
in the 16th century, held that the sun was at the center of the solar
system. In the same way, HELIO recognizes that for millions of young
consumers today, the mobile device is at the center of their lives.


     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=52606030

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 09:07:18 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Sprint Nextel Investor Quarterly Update: Third Quarter 2005


RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 26, 2005--Sprint Nextel Corp.
(NYSE:S)

    Third Quarter Highlights

    --  New company off to fast start

    --  Strong revenues, profit and cash flow performance

    --  Wireless pro forma net adds of 1.3 million push total subs to
        45.6 million

    -- Substantial progress on merger integration and Local spin

    Wireless

    --  Pro forma revenues of $8.07 billion increased 12%
        year-over-year

    --  Pro forma Adjusted Operating Income* of $698 million increased
        45% year-over-year

    --  Pro forma Adjusted OIBDA* of $2.65 billion increased 14%
        year-over-year

    Long Distance

    --  Revenues were $1.74 billion, a slight increase from the prior
        quarter

    --  Adjusted Operating Income* was $163 million versus a loss of
        $17 million in the year-ago period

    --  Adjusted OIBDA* was $285 million, an 8% increase sequentially

    Local

    --  Revenues of $1.67 billion increased 5% year-over-year

    --  Adjusted Operating Income* of $459 million increased 5%
        year-over-year

    --  Adjusted OIBDA* was $736 million, an increase of 3%
        year-over-year

In its first quarterly earnings release, Sprint Nextel Corp.  (NYSE:S)
today reported third quarter 2005 earnings per share of 23 cents
compared to a loss per share of $1.32 in third quarter 2004. Pro forma
Adjusted EPS*, which removes the effects of special items, was 25
cents per share compared to 16 cents in the same period a year ago.
The current quarter pro forma earnings benefited by about 4 cents per
share due to lower depreciation expense in Long Distance following the
asset impairment charge recorded in the year-ago period. Pro forma
Adjusted EPS* was reduced by 16 cents in third quarter 2005 and 15
cents in third quarter 2004 related to incremental tax-effected net
amortization and depreciation expense which has significantly
increased from historical reported amounts due to the step up of our
customer base in purchase accounting. Excluding these purchase
accounting impacts, pro forma Adjusted EPS* was 41 cents per share
compared to 31 cents in the same period a year ago.

Pro forma Consolidated revenues of $11.2 billion increased 8% from the
year-ago period and pro forma Adjusted OIBDA* of $3.67 billion
increased 10%. Pro forma Adjusted Operating Income* of $1.32 billion
was up 46%, in part aided by the lower Long Distance depreciation
expense. Total pro forma capital expenditures in the third quarter
were $1.6 billion.

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=52606061

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 09:19:56 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Google Provide Access To Historic Television Archives


Google and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Provide 
Access to Historic Television Archives

Taped Interviews of America's Greatest Television Actors, Writers, 
Producers, Directors Made Available For Free Viewing on Google Video

MOUNTAIN VIEW & NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif., October 26, 2005 - Google
(NASDAQ: GOOG) and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Foundation today announced a joint effort to make the Foundation's
Archive of American Television interviews available for free viewing
on Google Video. This historic collection includes interviews with
Alan Alda, Dick Wolf, Steven Bochco and many of television's greatest
actors, writers, producers, directors and others.

http://www.google.com/press/pressrel/video_academy.html

------------------------------

Subject: Cellular-News for Wednesday 26th October 2005
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 07:33:38 -0500
From: Cellular-News <dailydigest@cellular-news-mail.com>


Cellular-News - http://www.cellular-news.com

Worldwide Smartphone Market Soars in Q3
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14552.php

The continuing shift from standalone handhelds to converged smart
mobile devices was confirmed again by the latest estimates released by
analyst firm Canalys. The positions of the top four device vendors
worldwide remained unchanged from Q2, with HP ...

ZTE Wins GSM Contract in Nepal
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14551.php

Nepal Telecom is to replace a range of existing GSM value-added
service equipment with systems from ZTE Corporation. ZTE will supply
Nepal Telecom with a range of value-added services equipment including
1,300,000 lines of HLR (Home Location Register...

Multiplayer Games on 3G Network
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14550.php

Hutchison 3G UK is enabling customers to be able to play the
multiplayer versions of Synergenix's games Lock 'n Load Combat Arena
and Rally Pro Contest MP on their handsets. Lock 'n Load Combat Arena
and Rally Pro Contest MP are being offered as a fr...

Consulting Contract for Brazilian Operator
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14549.php

Convergys? has won a new five-year contract to provide professional
and consulting services to the Brazilian CDMA operator, Vivo. Under
the terms of the agreement, Convergys will deliver multiple
professional and consulting services including softwar...

One-Third of Consumers May Use Wireless as Primary Phone in 2009
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14548.php

Between 23% and 37% of USA wireless subscribers will use a wireless
phone as their primary telephone by 2009, reports In-Stat. About 9.4%
of U.S. wireless subscribers already use a wireless phone as their
primary phone, and compared with earlier surv...

Andrew Signs WCDMA License Agreement
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14547.php

Andrew Corporation has signed a WCDMA infrastructure patent license
agreement with Qualcomm. Under the terms of the worldwide
royalty-bearing agreement, Qualcomm has granted Andrew a license to
develop, manufacture, and sell WCDMA picocell and microc...

Handset Sales Up, but Prices Down
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14546.php

According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global
mobile phone shipments grew 25% year-over-year, to reach a record 209
million units during Q3 2005. In contrast, worldwide industry ASPs
(Average Selling Price) fell 11% annually during...

Ukrainian mobile operators’ revenue flat on month in September
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14545.php

The revenue of Ukrainian mobile operators was almost flat on the month
in September falling 0.9% to 1.36 billion hryvnas, the State
Statistics Committee said Tuesday. ...

Russia's Dalsvyaz unit to launch mobile services in Sakhalin
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14544.php

Wireless Information Technologies, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Russian regional fixed-line and mobile operator Dalsvyaz plans to
launch its mobile services under the Dalsvyaz GSM brand in the
Sakhalin Region by the end of the year, Alexei Skrylnikov...

Kyrgyz Justice Ministry re-registers ownership of 100% in Bitel 
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14543.php

Kyrgyzstan's Justice Ministry re-registered on October 19 ownership
rights of 100% in mobile operator Bitel to little-known Rezervspetsmet
company, Bitel said in a statement Tuesday. ...

PRESS: Turkish authorities OK Russia's Alfa buying Turkcell
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14542.php

Russia's Alfa Group has received approval from Turkish authorities to
buy a 13.2% stake in Turkey's leading mobile operator Turkcell through
a U.S. $3.3 billion convertible debt deal with Turkcell shareholder
Cukurova Group, Vedomosti said on Tuesday...

Rogers Communications To Buy Nortel's Brampton Site For C$100 Million
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14541.php

Nortel Networks Corp. has agreed to sell its almost 1 million
square-foot Brampton, Ont. facility to Rogers Communications Inc. for
about C$100 million. ...

TeliaSonera CEO: Will Keep Looking For Acquisitions 
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14540.php

Nordic telecommunications operator TeliaSonera Tuesday said it will
keep looking for acquisitions. ...

Ericsson CEO: Marconi Will Bolster Transmission Operations
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14539.php

Ericsson President and Chief Executive Carl-Henric Svanberg Tuesday
said the acquisition of most of U.K. telecommunications equipment
maker Marconi PLC's business will bolster the Swedish mobile
operator's transmission operations. ...

TDC Enters Agreement With Telenor To Enter Norway Market
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14538.php

Danish telecommunications operator TDC says that its TDC Mobil unit
has entered a MVNO agreement with Telenor in Norway. ...

Ericsson Buys Most Of Marconi For GBP1.2 Billion
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14537.php

Swedish wireless equipment maker Telefon AB LM Ericsson Tuesday agreed
to buy most of Marconi Corp. PLC's operations in a deal worth GBP1.2
billion, ending uncertainty over the U.K. vendor's future. ...

Australia's Telstra: Cost Structure Too High 
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14536.php

Australian dominant telecommunications company Telstra Corp. said
Tuesday that regulatory and competitive pressures on the business,
coupled with changes in technology, have increased cost pressures and
led to a decline in earnings. ...

BlackBerry Maker Files Emergency Appeal With US High Court
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14535.php

Research In Motion Ltd. has filed an emergency appeal with the
U.S. Supreme Court in a final attempt to freeze proceedings in its
patent dispute with NTP Inc. while it continues to argue U.S. patent
laws don't apply because the company operates in Ca...

------------------------------

From: Tim@Backhome.org
Subject: Re: Sneaky Cingular Wireless
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 02:51:14 -0700
Organization: Cox Communications


What's the problem with that?  Credit card companies, LEC, electric
utilities, etc., all do the same thing.  There are a lot of deadbeats
out there.

Bob, Hofkin wrote:

> [PAT, please remove my email address & name from this message. --Bob
> Hofkin]

> Two bits of sneaky language showed up on my Cingular Wireless bill
> this month. First, a new late fee, announced in all caps:

> LATE PAYMENT CHARGE: A 1.5% LATE PAYMENT CHARGE PER MONTH MAY BE
> APPLIED FOR AMOUNTS UNPAID 20 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF INVOICE (AK
> 0.875%, AR 0.085%, NE 1.33%, WI 1.00%).

> Second, a bit of legal bogosity in smaller print on the return stub:

> Use of service or payment of this invoice indicates agreement with the
> General Terms and Conditions for wireless service.

> I really wonder what they've got planned and why they're coercing an
> "agreement" here. Maybe it's to get former AT&T Wireless customers in
> line somehow, but it sure smells rotten. I'm sure they wouldn't let me
> off without paying the bill or the early termination fee if I don't
> agree with their terms.

> I think publicity is probably the best way to deal with this
> particular nastiness.

> boB

> That's another fine message you've gotten us in.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 05:14:45 EDT
From: Dan Lanciani <ddl@danlan.com>
Subject: Re:  Privacy Worries? Don't Print in Color


> Of course, the same technique can be used to identify anything else 
> from the printer. But Zahren says privacy-conscious citizens have 
> nothing to fear. "You only have to worry about it identifying you if 
> you have partaken in illegal activity," he said.

The flurry of messages I've seen on this subject seem to be missing a
larger problem.  The encoding scheme disclosed by the EFF does not
incorporate any kind of cryptographic signature of the page image.  As
far as I can see, printers don't even sign their time/date stamps.
This suggests that if you have any sample page from a printer (or
perhaps just its serial number) you can potentially forge many pages
that appear to have come from that printer.

Supposedly there is already a firmware hack available to disable the
watermark in the described printer.  If this is so I wouldn't be
surprised to see a version that lets you set the serial number in the
watermark to whatever you want (or maybe randomize it).  Regardless,
the manufacturer obviously has the ability to do this already and
likely so do various law enforcement agencies.

Given the above I would hope that matching watermarks would be treated
only as very weak evidence, not even on the level of actual
handwriting comparisons and old-style typewriter font matching.  Yet I
fear that because it's digital and new and "the computer says so" a
watermark match will be taken as conclusive evidence that the pages
came from the indicated printer.

Dan Lanciani
ddl@danlan.*com

------------------------------

From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Re: Privacy Worries? Don't Orint in color
Date: 26 Oct 2005 09:47:08 -0700
Organization: http://groups.google.com


Monty Solomon wrote:

> You can't say the same about color laser printers, as we learned last
> week. Actually, we should have learned it nearly a year ago. That's
> when PC World magazine reported that makers of color laser printers,
> in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, have programmed their
> machines to print tiny yellow dots on every printed document. These
> dots are almost invisible under normal conditions, but can be spotted
> by anyone with a magnifier and the right sort of lighting.

Some people go through printers quickly and put them out for yard
sales or even in the trash.  People also let friends use printers.
Someone could inadvertently get criminally charged for something they
didn't do.

I am concerned that the explosion in electronic communication will
create problems for people unknowingly traced and possibly falsely
accused or suspected.

In this day and age, even being suspected of something can be ruinous.
They might not be able to lock you up in jail, but it will become
impossible to transact any kind of business to live.

The authorities supposedly could match typewritten documents to a
particular typewriter via high magnification.  The conviction for
perjury of Alger Hiss* was based in part through a match up of
typewritten documents.

*Alger Hiss was a prominent government figure.  A man named Whittaker
Chambers accused Hiss of being a communist spy during the Communist
witch hunt era.  Hiss denied, under oath, being a spy and ever knowing
Chambers, Chambers said they were close friends and that he lived in
their home.  It came down to either Hiss or Chambers was blatantly
lying.  Hiss' story had a lot of holes in it.  It was too long to
charge Hiss with espionage, but he was charged with perjury (lying
under oath), convicted, and sent to prison.  He and his wife
proclaimed his innocence until they died many years later.  Liberals
felt it was a frame up.  Richard Nixon, who was in Congress at the
time, found a lot of evidence implicating Hiss and that propelled him
to fame.  Liberals hated Nixon ever since.  Today, general agreement
is that Hiss was indeed guilty of perjury.

------------------------------

From: Wesrock@aol.com
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 09:25:20 EDT
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding Question


In a message dated Tue, 25 Oct 2005 18:11:02 EDT, Nhfloral@aol.com writes:

> Patrick,

> I stumbled upon your Telecom Digest while doing a search on Google; I
> hope you might be able to provide help. You have my permission to
> post this in your Digest.

> Please call me with questions! My contact info is at the end of this
> email.

> When did it become legal for telephone companies to solicit listings
> which are deceptive? A company in New Jersey that has a "local
> listing" in a Concord NH telephone book calling themselves "Concord
> Florist"? A locksmith or a towing company that lists in one phone
> book, but is actually nowhere near that location?

Foreign exchange service existed long before World War II, and
probably decades before that.  Also long before the inception of 800
numbers.

Remote Call Forwarding makes it less expensive, particularly with 
the way toll rates have been falling, but it's hardly new.

Wes Leatherock
wesrock@aol.com
wleathus@yahoo.com

------------------------------

From: George Berger <gberger@his.com>
Subject: Re: Caller ID TIME For Setting Time on Regular Pots Analog Phones
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 10:15:52 -0400
Organization: Heller Information Services


In article <telecom24.486.9@telecom-digest.org>, Steven Lichter
<shlichter@diespammers.com> wrote:

> You're right it does come from the switches master clock, but if it is 
> off, then they are not running their updates each night to the NBS or 
> like clock.

Hi --  Slight "correction," NBS is now NIST. Also, you can get the Naval 
Observatory time from either 202-762-1401, or, go to:
http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/anim

George

I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am
not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
            -- Robert McCloskey, State Department spokesman (attributed)

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