TELECOM Digest     Mon, 31 Oct 2005 18:30:00 EST    Volume 24 : Issue 496

Inside This Issue:                             Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    E-Waste Dumping Victimzes Developing Nations (Nancy Weil)
    Sprint Premieres High-Speed Entertainment and Information (Monty Solomon)
    Sprint Launches the First Instant, Over the Air Music Download (M Solomon)
    Sprint And SANYO Launch Multimedia Phone to Provide Wireless (M Solomon)
    GPS Tracking with Google Maps (Monty Solomon)
    Telefonica Buys O2 (USTelecom dailyLead)
    Re: Setup Home IIS Server That Doesn't Allow Outside Connections (S Sobol)
    Re: Setup Home IIS Server That Doesn't Allow Outside Connections (R Bonomi)
    Re: Old Chicago Numbering (hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com)
    Re: Phone Shown in 'Capote' / RJ Connector History (hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com)
    Re: WU History (hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com)
    Re: Madison in an Uproar! Hundreds Arrested Halloween Revelry (C Cryderman)
    My Latest Blog Site (TELECOM Digest Editor)

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               ===========================

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and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest.  

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

From: Nancy Weil  <idg@telecom-digest.org>
Subject: E-Waste Dumping Victimizes Developing Nations, Study Says
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 16:38:44 -0600


Nancy Weil, IDG News Service

A report by a U.S. nonprofit group calls on governments globally to
pressure electronics manufacturers to remove toxic chemicals from
their products "at the earliest possible date" and also urges
consumers to take responsibility for their electronic waste.

The Basel Action Network (BAN), based in Seattle, involves a worldwide
network of environmental activists focused on "confronting the
excesses of unbridled free trade in the form of 'Toxic Trade'... and
its devastating impact on global environmental justice." The group
focuses on human rights and the environment and aims to heighten
awareness about, and prevent the dumping of, toxic waste and pollution
in poor and developing countries. (Its name refers to an international
convention, described below, on hazardous wastes.) Its investigation
into electronic-waste (e-waste) dumping in Lagos, Nigeria, is the
topic of BAN's latest report.

As BAN notes in the report "The Digital Dump: Exporting Re-Use and
Abuse to Africa", released last week, "much of the growth in the IT
sector in developing countries has been fueled by the importation of
hand-me-down, used equipment from rich, developed countries, whose
consumers are all too happy to find buyers for it. As a result, many
brokers and businesses have sprung up to channel used equipment from
North to South, rich to poor."

The findings about dumping of used electronics equipment in Nigeria
came as no surprise to African IT leaders, who say that if African
governments fully realized the harm being done, they would take
action.

"This is a contentious issue and if our governments understood it,
they would do something about it," said Dorcus Muthoni of LinuxChix
Africa, an organization campaigning for the adoption of open-source
software in Kenya.

The Dangers

Improperly discarded electronics can create hazardous waste from such
materials as flame retardants used in plastics and circuit boards,
solders containing lead and tin, barium and lead in cathode-ray tubes,
beryllium alloys in connectors, and mercury, among other potential
environmental hazards, the BAN report notes.

One of the people interviewed for the report told BAN that "This thing
is happening because they are poor. Poor countries will accept
anything," said Richard Gutierrez, BAN's toxics policy analyst.

While all of the major U.S. PC vendors have recycling programs in
place for used IT equipment, such products are often sold to brokers
for disposal and wind up in countries such as Nigeria, but also
elsewhere in Africa and in Asia. Some of the equipment is repaired or
refurbished for use in those countries, becoming important components
in bridging the "digital divide," but much of the gear -- up to 75
percent, according to some estimates -- is beyond repair and ends up in
dumps or landfills.

"Seen at ground level, the massive importation of used equipment is a
success story seriously clouded by the smoke of a growing
environmental and health disaster," the BAN report said. "The reality
is that this burgeoning new trade is not driven by altruism, but
rather by the immense profits that can be made through it and those
involved are oblivious to, or unconcerned with, its adverse
consequences. Too often, justifications of 'building bridges over the
digital divide' are used as excuses to obscure and ignore the fact
that these bridges double as toxic waste pipelines to some of the
poorest communities and countries in the world. While supposedly
closing the 'digital divide,' we are opening a 'digital dump'."

Safeguards

Some countries do have safeguards in place. "Sending IT equipment in
Africa that cannot be repaired should be discouraged. In Zambia, we
use the Technology and Service Neutral Approach system, which states
that all ICTs and IT equipment being exported or imported must meet
the international standard and health requirements of users," said
Shuller Habeenzu, chief executive officer of the Communications
Authority of Zambia.

The Basel Convention, part of the United Nations Environmental
Program, also addresses the issue of hazardous wastes being dumped in
developing countries and in Eastern Europe. Stricter environmental
regulations in developed nations that were imposed in the late 1980s
led to the rise in "toxic traders," as the Basel Convention Web site
calls them. Those traders set up businesses to profit from those who
sought cheaper alternatives for getting rid of hazardous wastes after
it became more difficult and costly to deal with such materials under
stricter regulations.

The Basel Convention is an international treaty that sets up controls,
enforcement mechanisms, and requirements that signatories agree to
follow, including preventing and monitoring illegal traffic in
hazardous waste, promoting cleaner technologies and production, and
focusing specifically on helping developing nations.

The treaty has been ratified by 165 countries; the U.S. is not one of
them.  The U.S. signed the Convention in March of 1990, indicating
agreement with the treaty and the intention of ratifying it, but thus
far has not taken the final step in ratification. As with 'Kyoto',
President Bush has refused to cooperate with other nations.  While
other nations have not signed at all, along with the U.S., only Haiti
and Afghanistan have taken that step and then failed to ratify the
treaty. The BAN report on dumping in Lagos calls the U.S. "the worst
actor" among developed countries that perpetuate dumping of hazardous
waste in developing nations. "United States just will not work with
any one else on this problem," noted one of the treaty authors. 

"As the only developed country absent at the table of the world's only
waste treaty, the U.S. can be viewed as nothing short of a remarkable
example of irresponsibility," the report said. "The U.S. policy on
electronic waste is shamelessly negligent ... Canada, likewise, while
nominally a Basel Party, seems intent on ignoring the Basel waste
lists to avoid controlling e-waste exports."

Recommendations

In its list of recommendations to combat illegal dumping of e-waste, BAN
urges governments to pressure manufacturers to remove toxic chemicals from
products as soon as possible. That is a move that IT industry analysts and
other environmental groups also say is the only truly effective measure to
protect the environment.


BAN also calls on strict enforcement of the Basel Convention and lauds
Australia for its efforts in that regard. Australia requires full testing of
electronic waste to certify that it complies with the Basel Convention
before it is exported.


At the same time, developing countries need help to create "environmentally
sound waste management systems," BAN said. Such efforts should not be part
of continuing to export hazardous wastes to those countries, "but rather as
a necessity for any country that must deal with all kinds of wastes.
Adequate waste management is as vital to society as clean air, clean water
and clean food, for today, without it, we will have none of these things we
have taken for granted since the beginning of time."

Michael Malakata of IDG News Service contributed to this report.

Copyright 2005 PC World Communications, Inc.

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

Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:29:18 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Sprint Premieres High-Speed Entertainment and Information


     Sprint Premieres High-Speed Entertainment and Information
     Services via Sprint Power Vision(SM) Network

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2005--Sprint
(NYSE:S)

High-Speed Network and New Multimedia Phones Allow Wireless Customers
to Download Complete Songs Over-the-air, View Live TV, Share High-Res
Images, Retrieve Customized News and Enjoy Instant Access to Powerful,
Innovative Services at Broadband-like Speeds.

Sprint (NYSE:S) today announced a significant step in convergence
and another industry first with the launch of several new and enhanced
entertainment, information and communication services that will
operate via the high-speed Sprint Power Vision(SM) Network. For the
first time, U.S. wireless customers will be able to download and
purchase full songs over-the-air right from their phone. Customers can
also view live TV and 30 multimedia entertainment and news channels;
take and share high-resolution pictures and high-quality video; and
retrieve customized news, traffic, weather, sports and entertainment
information. Initially, the services will be available on two new
Sprint Power Vision Phones. The new high-speed services and multimedia
phones will give Sprint customers more choice and flexibility to
watch, listen, play and do at the speed of life.

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=52716145

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

Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:28:41 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Sprint Launches the First Instant, Over the Air Music Download


     First Such Service in the U.S.
     - Oct 31, 2005 08:00 AM (BusinessWire)

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2005--

Customers Can Instantly Purchase and Download Full Songs Over-the-Air
Right to Their Phone When and Where They Want via the High-Speed
Sprint Power Vision(SM) Network

Sprint (NYSE:S) customers will be the first wireless customers in the
U.S. to download full songs over-the-air. Today Sprint announced the
opening of the Sprint Music Store(SM) powered by Groove Mobile, the
first music store in the U.S. that lets wireless customers browse,
preview, download, play and manage high-quality digital music, right
from their phone. Sprint customers can now take their music with them
on the go and have instant access to purchase and download music when
they want to, not just when they are in front of a PC.

Sprint Music Store customers can browse, preview and purchase hundreds
of thousands of songs from virtually every genre of music from EMI
Music, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, Warner Music Group and Universal
Music Group. For $2.50 a song, customers get two copies of the song:
one high-quality version formatted to play and enjoy only on their
phone and another high-quality version formatted to download on their
PC. Customers can also burn their music to a CD using Windows Media
Player.

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=52716166

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

Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:30:16 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Sprint And SANYO Launch Multimedia Phone to Provide Wireless


     Sprint And SANYO Launch Multimedia Phone to Provide Wireless
     Access to Powerful, Innovative Services at Broadband-Like Speeds

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2005--

The MM-9000 is compatible with the Sprint Power Vision(SM) Network --
Sprint's EV-DO network -- and compatible with the Nationwide Sprint PCS
Network.

Sprint (NYSE:S) and SANYO announced today the introduction of the
Sprint Power Vision(SM) Phone MM-9000 by SANYO. The phone enables
customers to enjoy Sprint's next generation of data services,
including high quality music, live TV, high-resolution digital
imaging, fast Web browsing and On Demand information for news, sports,
weather and more, all at broadband-like speeds on the Sprint Power
Vision Network.

MM-9000 by SANYO is one of the first phones available from Sprint that
enables customers to access the Sprint Music Store(SM), the first
mobile music storefront in the United States that allows wireless
customers to browse, preview, buy, download and play full-length songs
right from the phone. The MM-9000 enables customers to be spontaneous
with instant access to hundreds of thousands of songs. Like a portable
MP3 player, the Sprint Music Store lets customers sample tracks and
organize their music using customized playlists.

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=52715976

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

Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 17:02:29 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: GPS Tracking With Google Maps


Excerpt from

http://www.boston.com/business/personaltech/articles/2005/10/31/new_phones_for_skypers/

GPS tracking with Google Maps

Developers have created a new pastime, fauxjacking, that mashes
together GPS mobile phones and Google Maps. One fauxjacking service,
Mologogo, requires only a $60 GPS-enabled phone and the use of a
mobile carrier's Internet services to work. People can use the free,
downloadable Mologogo Java application (available at www.mologogo.com)
to create real-time visual records of their movements. Push pins on
the Google maps show the times the tracked device was in a particular
location.

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

Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 12:15:34 EST
From: USTelecom dailyLead <ustelecom@dailylead.com>
Subject: Telefonica Buys O2


USTelecom dailyLead
October 31, 2005
http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/xgnwatagCvvdttBJam

		TODAY'S HEADLINES
	
NEWS OF THE DAY
* Telefonica buys O2
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH
* Level 3 buys WilTel
* Analysis: Philly's Wi-Fi network is on Comcast's home turf
* Telcos shift course to combat changing markets
* Sprint Nextel launches music, TV services
* Comcast acquires Susquehanna Communications
* Scientific-Atlanta shareholders speculate over SEC filings
USTELECOM SPOTLIGHT
* Mark your calendars for TelecomNEXT -- A new kind of tradeshow
HOT TOPICS
* Ericsson to buy Marconi's telecom equipment business
* SBC reveals details about IPTV plans:
* SBC outlines Project Lightspeed goals:
* The end of an era for AT&T
* Justice Department approves telecom mergers
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
* TV's online future
REGULATORY & LEGISLATIVE
* FCC votes today on mergers

Follow the link below to read quick summaries of these stories and others.
http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/xgnwatagCvvdttBJam

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

From: Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net>
Subject: Re: Setup Home IIS Server That Doesn't Allow Outside Connections
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 09:30:40 -0800
Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com


strutsng@gmail.com wrote:

> I want to know if ISP SBC block incoming port 80 request from outside?

Probably. Most ISPs do block incoming port 80. If you want to run a
server, make sure to subscribe to a service that allows it.


Steve Sobol, Professional Geek   888-480-4638   PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
Company website: http://JustThe.net/
Personal blog, resume, portfolio: http://SteveSobol.com/
E: sjsobol@JustThe.net Snail: 22674 Motnocab Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307

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

From: bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi)
Subject: Re: Setup Home IIS Server That Doesn't Allow Outside Connections
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 21:24:56 -0000
Organization: Widgets, Inc.


In article <telecom24.495.7@telecom-digest.org>, <strutsng@gmail.com> wrote:

> I am subscribing SBC Yahoo DSL Express Package, and I want to setup
> personal home IIS server at home, that allows outside connections to
> my server. I am able to run it internally, but couldn't connect from
> outside.

Exposing IIS to the outside world without a heavy-duty firewall in
place is simply *asking* to have your system broken into.

> I want to know if ISP SBC block incoming port 80 request from outside?

"Maybe", "probably", even.   <grin>

> Any ideas?

Did you try:

  1) reading your service agreement to see what it says about running
     servers?

  2) *asking* the SBC support people if you are allowed to run servers?

  3) asking the SBC support people if they block incoming port 80 requests.

> Please advise. Thanks!!

Comment: If you don't have the knowledge/skills to investigate/troubleshoot
a matter like this yourself, you should _not_ be attempting to set up
an "exposed to the world" server on the Internet, by yourself.  Get somebody 
who _knows_ _what_they_are_doing_ to go over *everything* on that box (and 
the rest of your local network), and who can recommend/specify a good 
hardware-based firewall -- *and* who can diagnose _why_ contact from the 
outside world "doesn't work".

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

From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Re: Old Chicago Numbering
Date: 31 Oct 2005 09:33:39 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com


Wesrock@aol.com wrote:

> "Very seldom"?  How about Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Tulsa,
> Oklahoma City and, of course, much of the Los Angeles area.
> Undoubtedly true of many other places as well..

I think in the days when they planned C.O. offices, those cities _and_
associated metropolitan area were fairly small and not expected to
grow too much over the years.  L.A. was a special case.  The cities
you mention were all in the south and until air conditioning was
widespread and oil became scarce in the 1950s, there wasn't too much
growth expected for them.

In contrast, the 'traditional' big cities were growing rapidly--new
commerce and industry, and many immigrants streaming in.

> All those had been completely converted to dial by the early 1930s,
> perhaps in the 1920s.  The first dial office in Oklahoma City was cut
> over in early 1921 (using Automatic Electric SxS equipment; Bell Labs
> and W.E. had not yet recognized there was a need for such equipment.

IIRC from the Bell Labs history, the Bell System by 1921 did recognize
the need for automated switching.  Actually, it was first preferred
for isolated areas to save the cost of a 24/7 operator.  Switch
machines were very expensive and had full capacity whether actually
used on not.  Human operators only worked when needed.

Labor shortages and expense of humans (lunch rooms, matrons) caused
the Bell System to rethink its policy.

Conversion from manual to dial was by no means an indicator of how
"busy" an exchange was.  There were other factors as well.  As
mentioned in another post, it was practical for Bell to have manual
pay telephones in some resorts into the 1970s.  Plenty of busy small
towns had manual as late as 1962, probably requiring a huge
switchboard.  In thinking about two towns I know of, I realize they
might have been busy during the day, but virtually empty overnight.

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

From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Re: Phone Shown in 'Capote' / RJ Connector History
Date: 31 Oct 2005 09:44:10 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com


C_shore wrote:

> I hate sloppy history in movie props. Were RJ connectors in use in 66?

> This could be the worst film/phone mistake since a movie (sorry I
> forgot the name) that showed an actor using a Pacific Bell pay phone
> in New York City some years back.

You may have missed a recent discussion on this newsgroup about how
telephone props very often made the incorrect sound, such as ding-ding
from coins in a single slot payphone, or a 300-type ringer on a 500
type phone.  Characters dialing a phone call almost always dialed
wrong, spinning the dial or dialing too few digits.

If a film made today is about an historical period, usually the phones
will be wrong.  It's common to have a black rotary 500 set with a
clear plastic dial and modular cords as a phone in use in the early
1950s or even earlier.  Other times a foreign old style set is used.

I suspect virtually film viewer won't notice modular cords instead of
hard wired or the wrong kind of pay phone.

As to modular connectors, I don't think they came out until the mid
1970s.  When we got new phone service in 1972, our jacks were the old
style big 4-prong.  I believe my office converted to touch tone and
modular sets around 1977, many of us continue to use that system to
this day, though I think most of the WE 2500 sets have been replaced
with more modern 2500 sets or modern fancy sets.

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

From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
Subject: Re: WU History
Date: 31 Oct 2005 09:55:45 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com


David Josephson wrote:

> Replying to a post from Lisa Minter, hancock4 wrote (in part)

>>> "Although the number of leased wires has not been reduced in absolute
>>> terms, today their proportion has decreased to about 60%. S. M. Barr,
>>> Western Union vice-president in charge of planning, expects this
>>> percentage to drop to 40% in the next few years, hopes to get the
>>> proportion of leased facilities down to 20% eventually."

> And it became a real bear of a problem (among others) in the 80's
> before and after the Bell breakup. They were in essence a CLEC before
> Judge Green made it feasible for CLECs to exist.

But the question is if WU was able to get down the number of leased
lines as they hoped to.  I believe their effort dated from the early
1960s, long before divesture and break up.

Is a CLEC a long distance carrier?  Anyway, WU might have used Bell
lines but it did not use Bell services.  In other words, Bell did not
switch the call or do anything with other than provide a steady
physical path.  WU subscribers did not use their Bell telephone to
connect to WU lines, they used special sets directly provided by
Western Union on a wholly separate network.  This is not the same
arrangement as today.

[private wire services contraction?]

> Did it really? That service remains today, Western Union Financial
> Services was the only profitable piece of the company and was sold to
> First Financial of Atlanta in 1994 for about $1.2 billion. (The
> present owner, First Data, merged with First Financial the next year
> in a deal worth $7 billion).

Today's Western Union is in money transfers by individuals.  I think
this service is wholly separate than that serving banks and
corporations and never included that.  I wonder what happened to the
private line business WU serving corporations.  In essence, WU was
competing with Bell for long haul private line service, WU had its own
microwave and later satellites.  Presumably WU was able to underprice
Bell.

>> Again, this is good business. What happened to the government
>> contracts?

> My guess, from looking at one of these contracts for the installation
> and operation of a private analog telemetry circuit for the Air Force,
> is that WU didn't understand how to make money on private
> networks. They were careful to charge a lot up front, and actually
> sold the terminal and enroute microwave equipment to the government as
> part of the deal. This particular circuit was to be shut down this
> year (2005) but I believe is still in operation, with no provision for
> replacing the equipment, some of which is the original gear from the
> mid 1960's. If this contract is indicative of their business acumen,
> it's no wonder that it was hard for them to stay afloat.

I'm not sure what and why you describe is bad business on private
networks.  What should WU have done instead?

I am also surprised that a circuit is still in service especially with
1960s equipment.  The maintenance alone on such equipment is more
costly than modern electronics, and the circuit is probably very slow
by today's standards.

> There is an interesting history at http://www.westernunionalumni.com ...

Thanks for the reference.

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

Subject: Re: Madison in an Uproar! Hundreds Arrested in Halloween Revelry
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 15:49:18 -0500
From: Charles Cryderman <Charles.Cryderman@globalcrossing.com>


Pat stated:

> And Lisa Hancock wondered out loud a couple days ago if Halloween
> celebrations had gotten out of hand. In Detroit, I presume they are
> still burning down buildings over the Devil's night commemoration. I 
> know that by comparison it made our Neewollah/Octoberfest events of the
> past week look like a Sunday School outing. Madison seems to get this
> trouble ever year also. I know our police here in Independence were
> busy, but nothing I guess like Madison, WI or Detroit.

Pat, bad news for you. Detroit doesn't burn like it has in the past.
There is a strong community outreach as we come up to Halloween and
they patrol the streets. Now days there are less fires then during
normal times the days prior to Halloween and Devil's night. This has
been going on for more then 5 or 6 years now.


Chip Cryderman

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

Subject: My Latest Blog Site
Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2005 23:29:14 EST
From: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu (TELECOM Digest Editor)


For any of you who are interested, I have started a new 'blog',
replete with a few links (mostly to td-extra stuff) and I will make
comments there from time to time as it occurs to me.

http://ptownson.blogspot.com (This is the 'official' blog entry site
maintained by Google, with Google ads, etc.

PAT

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


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              ************************

Visit http://www.mstm.okstate.edu and take the next step in your
career with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management
(MSTM) degree from Oklahoma State University (OSU). This 35
credit-hour interdisciplinary program is designed to give you the
skills necessary to manage telecommunications networks, including
data, video, and voice networks.

The MSTM degree draws on the expertise of the OSU's College
of Business Administration; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the
College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The program has
state-of-the-art lab facilities on the Stillwater and Tulsa campus
offering hands-on learning to enhance the program curriculum.  Classes
are available in Stillwater, Tulsa, or through distance learning.

Please contact Jay Boyington for additional information at
405-744-9000, mstm-osu@okstate.edu, or visit the MSTM web site at
http://www.mstm.okstate.edu

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All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the
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and messages should not be considered any official expression by the
organization.

End of TELECOM Digest V24 #496
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