TELECOM Digest     Wed, 2 Nov 2005 15:11:00 EST    Volume 24 : Issue 499

Inside This Issue:                            Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    FCC Approves Telecom Mergers (Associated Press News Wire)
    Microsoft Makes Big Push on Ad-Based Software (Eric Auchard)
    Ga Tech Conference Focuses on Farming (Elliott Minor)
    Mobil Travel Guide Goes Mobile (Monty Solomon)
    BlackBerry 8700c Accelerates in Cingular Fast Lane (Monty Solomon)
    Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far (Monty Solomon)
    Sony CD Protection Sparks Security Concerns (Monty Solomon)
    Nokia Announces Convergence Devices for Mobile TV and Digital (M Solomon)
    Sprint/Comcast/Time Warner/Cox/Advance/Newhouse Joint Venture (M Solomon)
    Nortel Reports Results for the Third Quarter 2005 (Monty Solomon)
    Cellular-News for Wednesday 2nd November 2005 (Cellular-News)
    Four MSOs Announce Deal With Sprint Nextel (USTelecom dailyLead)
    Cingular GO Phone Questions (apngss@yahoo.com)
    Verizon FIOS, DSL; Possible Cancellation Fees (jeremyeastburn@gmail.com)
    Re: Old Chicago Numbering (Joseph)
    Re: Recorded Call From Law Office? (William Warren)
    Re: Recorded Call From Law Office? (Dave Garland)
    Re: Remote Call Forwarding (Tim@Backhome.org)
    Last Laugh! Google and Reality Reset (Lauren Weinstein)

Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the
Internet.  All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and
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               ===========================

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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: Associated Press News Wire <ap@telecom-digest.org>
Subject: FCC Approves Takeovers Creating Telecom Giants
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 12:15:01 -0600


WASHINGTON - Federal regulators unanimously agreed Monday to allow the
nation's two biggest phone companies, SBC Communications Inc.  and
Verizon Communications Inc., to take over the two leading long-distance
providers.

But the Federal Communications Commission also prodded the companies
into accepting some temporary price freezes, as well as safeguards to
prevent them from gaining too much control over Internet service.

The FCC's approval was the last major potential impediment to SBC's
purchase of AT&T Corp. for $16 billion and Verizon's acquisition of
MCI Inc. for $8.44 billion.

As a merged company, Verizon and MCI together will have annual
revenues exceeding $90 billion. Together, SBC and AT&T will have
revenues of more than $70 billion, and the takeovers will extend both
companies' access to the lucrative market for business customers.

Each of the new companies will be vastly larger than their
competitors, including Atlanta-based BellSouth Corp., with revenue of
$20 billion in 2004, and Reston, Va.-based Sprint Nextel Corp., with
revenues of $41 billion.

Both SBC -- which will adopt the AT&T name once the transaction is
final -- and Verizon plan to compete directly with cable companies to
deliver video services.

By allowing the transactions, the FCC is helping "create strong global
carriers that will vigorously compete" to provide voice, data and
video services, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said.

Still, some consumer advocates said regulators should have gone further.

"The commission has failed to ensure that consumers will receive
meaningful choices at fair prices," Gene Kimmelman, senior director of
public policy for Consumers Union, said in a statement.

The concessions demanded by the FCC include:

 ... The telecom companies cannot force consumers to take local phone
service if they want only high-speed Internet access. Many customers
with cell phones don't want to pay for old-fashioned phone service;
they just want digital subscriber lines (DSL) for their computers.

 ... For two years, the companies must provide "neutral" Internet
service by not restricting consumers' access to rivals' Web sites and
software.

 ... For 30 months, they must freeze the rates they charge existing
wholesale customers.

Last week, the Justice Department signed off on both transactions
after demanding only that SBC and New York-based Verizon divest some
fiber-optic network facilities they control.

Martin, a Republican, had not wanted any additional concessions.

But because the five-member FCC has one vacant seat, it is split
evenly between two Republicans, Martin and Kathleen Abernathy, and two
Democrats, Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein.

Copps and Adelstein pushed so hard for concessions that the vote,
originally scheduled for Friday, was delayed until Monday. Marathon
negotiations over the weekend concluded with both sides saying they
were disappointed, but willing to live with the results.

"I believe the affected markets would remain vibrantly competitive
absent these conditions," Martin said. However, SBC and Verizon were
willing to accept the concessions because of "their desire to move
forward," he said.

After the FCC vote, San Antonio-based SBC said it can accept the
"limited conditions that will still allow the combined company to
realize the benefits of the merger."

Copps said the compromise "falls far short of ideal," but would at
least help to "protect against injurious consequences."

Chris Putala, executive vice president of Atlanta-based EarthLink
Inc., an Internet service provider, said that while they might not be
perfect, the concessions were "certainly positive news."

EarthLink fears that if SBC and Verizon were to require that DSL and
local phone service be sold together, then customers would have less
incentive to use EarthLink, with its option to make calls using the
technology known as voice over Internet protocol, or VoIP.

Consumer advocate Kimmelman said the problem is that the FCC is not
imposing the concessions across the entire industry.

"The absence of similar enforcement mechanisms for other telephone and
cable companies means that Internet service providers and applications
developers can be undermined" by the powerful telecom giants, he said.

Copyright 2005 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.

Also see http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/newstoday.html
Also see http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/TDNewsradio.html


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: It is _good_ to see the FCC put this
clamp on SBC where people do not have to accept their phone service
in order to purchase their DSL. I wonder how how long it will take
for SBC to comply with this new requirement.   PAT]

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

From: Eric Auchard  <reuters@telecom-digest.org>
Subject: Microsoft Makes Big Push on Ad-Based Web Software
Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2005 21:30:40 -0600


By Eric Auchard 

Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, on Tuesday said
it is embarking on a major new way of doing business in which it
offers its software as free online services, funded by advertising,
while seeking to fend off rivals like Google Inc.

Outlining what it said was its biggest strategy shift in five years,
the Redmond, Washington company told a meeting of analysts and
reporters that it would deliver many of its key products and services
as online services as well as selling subscriptions or licenses for
software installed on computers.

Windows Live and Office Live will give users some of the basic
features of the software giant's two most-profitable products, but
without the complexity of installing and maintaining the software in
computer hard drives.

"We are trying to put a 'services plus software' mentality into many
of the product groups inside Microsoft," said Bill Gates, Microsoft's
chairman and chief software architect.

Microsoft also said it planned to fold many well-known products in its
MSN division into a new brand called Windows Live. The move will
combine its instant-messaging service, a new online e-mail service
replacing Hotmail, Web security, data storage and other features, all
available via the Internet.

The software giant is looking to defend its mainstay Windows and
Office software franchises by borrowing from ideas used by challengers
such as Google, Salesforce.com, WebEx, Yahoo Inc. and scores of start-ups.

While most of these rival programs have tiny audiences relative to
Microsoft's hundreds of millions of Office users, the simplicity and
power of Web-based software has captured the imagination of many
software developers across the industry.

"(Microsoft) clearly gets where the focus of the competition needs to
be," said Tim O'Reilly, publisher and software design guru, on the
sidelines of the event.

"There are going to be some fabulous new services. But whether they are
built by Microsoft or by Yahoo or Google or Salesforce remains to be seen,"
O'Reilly said.

AD-SUPPORTED SOFTWARE

Three tiers of service will be offered, starting with a free,
ad-supported one, a second tier with more features paid for by a
low-cost subscription fee and a premium price, full-featured tier for
services that users regularly rely on.

Windows Live is a free Web-based service in which individual users can
sign up for a "live" home page that pulls in constantly updating
content from a range of information sources including Web searches,
e-mail, syndicated headlines from other sites and photos and audio
from across the Web.

Office Live will give smaller companies access to many of the features
in Microsoft's collection of programs for business tasks, as well as
the ability to maintain corporate e-mail accounts and data.

The pay-per-click advertising system pioneered in the dot-com era by
Overture and fine-tuned by Google has created a new way of supporting
innovative services and software on the Web, Microsoft executives
said.

"Google has done an amazing job of making that ad engine click on
eight cylinders. We have all learned quite a bit from them," Ray
Ozzie, Microsoft's recently named chief technical officer said. "They
and we have barely scratched the surface."

Microsoft is testing its own adCenter software in France and Singapore
and will begin offering it for use by advertisers and partner Web
sites worldwide over the next year, he said.

"We currently have about a 10 percent share of the online market. We
fully intend to grow this share," Ozzie said.

"This advertising model has emerged as a very important thing," Gates
said.  "We want all software developers to tap into these models," he
said of how many start-ups now depend on advertising from rival Google
to fund their new Web projects.

Analysts attending the meeting said Microsoft demonstrated it clearly
grasps how the industry is shifting to deliver software as Web-based
services rather than isolated programs. But these moves are
preliminary and fragmentary, they said.

The new initiative also reflects a recent company-wide reorganization
at Microsoft that put MSN under the Windows division and put Ozzie in
charge of Microsoft's efforts to deliver software services over the
Web.

"It shows that they get it," said Goldman Sachs analyst Rick Sherlund,
but added that he had many questions how Web services would meld with
its existing businesses.

(Additional reporting by Reed Stevenson in Seattle)

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: Elliott Minor <ap@telecom-digest.org> 
Subject: Ga Tech Conference Focuses on Farming
Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2005 21:32:15 -0600


By ELLIOTT MINOR, AP Farm Writer

Speakers at the University of Georgia's Unwired 2005 Conference
predicted Tuesday that U.S. agriculture is on the verge of a
technological revolution that will allow farmers to complete many of
their chores from laptop computers in their homes or tractors.

"Wireless technology is not the technology of the future, it is the
technology of the present," said David Bridges, assistant dean of the
University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences.  "If we don't bring technology to rural areas, they won't
advance."

The two-day conference focused on the use of wireless technology to
improve farm efficiency and how high-speed wireless connectivity can
enhance the lives of rural residents, most of whom are limited to
slow-speed dial-up internet connections.

One of the speakers, Wade Mitchell, 59, connected to his farm in
Genesco Township, Iowa, from the conference room in south Georgia and
showed how he monitors environmental conditions in his grain bins
wirelessly through the internet.

He and his son, Clay, have one of the nation's most technology
advanced family farms. Their tractors, sprayers and harvesters steer
themselves using Global Positioning Satellite signals, freeing the
Wades to work at laptop computers while the equipment travels through
the fields.

 From their mobile offices, they can monitor machinery, check e-mail
and commodity prices, read the latest news and even order parts.

"By the time I get to the dealer, they're on the counter," Wade said
of his parts delivery.

Besides improving farm efficiency, Wade believe wireless connectivity
will have an added benefit for the environment by helping farmers
minimize pesticide applications by spraying chemicals more precisely.

John Helm, director of field services for Vivato, a Spokane, Wash.,
company that makes high-powered wireless equipment, said wireless is
coming to farms and rural areas because "we all like the convenience
of our mobility."

His company has helped utilities and communities set up wireless
networks to improve efficiency, to promote economic development and to
enhance the quality of life.

"It's an amenity that's required," he said. "In our culture, we
realize how much more we can do when we're connected."

The conference, which has attracted about 100 wireless experts from
around the nation, covers such subjects as funding large-scale
networks, wireless sensors and controls for the home and the farm and
even how to set up wireless networks.

Craig Kvien, who directs a high-tech University of Georgia
agricultural research lab in Tifton, said farmers strapped with
significantly higher fuel bills could benefit by controlling some of
their farm work through wireless networks.

"With the cost of fuel, a little wireless internet can save a lot of
money, natural resources and people's time," he said. "Ten years ago
you would never have thought of a farmer sitting in a tractor and
doing these things."


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.

Also see: http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/AP.html
Also see: http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/internet-news.html

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

Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2005 23:49:50 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Mobil Travel Guide Goes Mobile


CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 1, 2005--Mobil Travel Guide today
announced a new concept in mobile electronics that re-writes the book
on travel information. The revolutionary travel tool is based on Mobil
Travel Guide's half-century tradition of rich information and
objective Star Ratings, combined with built-in mapping, global
positioning system (GPS), constant search processes, and an
extraordinary degree of personalization.

The result: a guide that knows the traveler's tastes and location, and
that alerts the traveler to interesting places nearby. "Mobil Travel
Guide's new offering reflects the changing wants and needs of today's
travelers," said Shane O'Flaherty, vice president of Quality
Assurance, Mobil Travel Guide. "More people are mobile, planning their
travel via laptop or handheld. Travelers can now keep Mobil Travel
Guide's highest quality information at their fingertips."

Mobil Travel Guide is immediately releasing 10 of its popular guides
in the new format, known as Spot Guides(TM), a mobile technology
developed by Chicago-based Earthcomber LLC. The guides operate as
extensions to the basic Earthcomber platform. Each guide offers
in-depth destination content that can either be browsed, like a
hyperlinked book, or continuously searched based on the traveler's
current location and interests. Interactive links are available to
connect guidebook content with corresponding map locations.

Personalization features allow travelers to precisely specify what
they want to find. Each guide searches constantly for all of the
things the traveler is interested in, based on the user's preferences
and current location.

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=52755522

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

Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2005 23:59:16 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: BlackBerry 8700c Accelerates in Cingular Fast Lane


First EDGE-Enabled BlackBerry Handset Offered Exclusively On Largest,
            Fastest National Wireless Data Network in U.S.

ATLANTA and WATERLOO, Ontario, Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackBerry(R) is
going high-speed as Cingular Wireless and Research In Motion (RIM)
(Nasdaq: RIMM) (TSX: RIM) today introduced the BlackBerry 8700c(TM),
the first BlackBerry device to support high-speed EDGE network
technology.  The new, sleek BlackBerry 8700c features a completely
re-engineered device platform that is optimized for breakthrough
performance and usability.  It will be available in the
U.S. exclusively from Cingular Wireless beginning November 21.

The EDGE-enabled BlackBerry 8700c is an eagerly anticipated addition
to Cingular's popular BlackBerry portfolio that provides users with
best-in-class performance for email, phone, browsing and corporate
data applications in a lightweight, all-in-one device.  With the
dramatically enhanced device platform and integrated EDGE
capabilities, BlackBerry 8700c users will experience noticeably faster
Web browsing, application performance and attachment viewing; the
ability to store and run more powerful enterprise, and personal
productivity applications; as well as comprehensive, smoothly
integrated phone features in a light and compact design.

The BlackBerry 8700c operates on Cingular's EDGE network -- the
largest and fastest national wireless data network in the U.S. with
availability in 13,000 cities and towns and along nearly 40,000 miles
of major highways.  Customers can use the quad-band BlackBerry 8700c
with Cingular service in more than 170 countries for voice and over 90
countries for data.  With the BlackBerry 8700c from Cingular,
customers will have the choice of using two browsers: the BlackBerry
Browser(TM) for HTML Internet browsing and a browser optimized for
Cingular's popular MEdia(sm) Net wireless Internet access service.

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=52756278

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

Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 00:11:27 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far


Mark Russinovich

FYI

Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far

Last week when I was testing the latest version of RootkitRevealer
(RKR) I ran a scan on one of my systems and was shocked to see
evidence of a rootkit. Rootkits are cloaking technologies that hide
files, Registry keys, and other system objects from diagnostic and
security software, and they are usually employed by malware attempting
to keep their implementation hidden

http://www.sysinternals.com/blog/2005/10/sony-rootkits-and-digital-rights.html

CD DRM Makes Computers Less Secure
Tuesday November 1, 2005 by J. Alex Halderman

Yesterday, Sysinternals's Mark Russinovich posted an excellent
analysis of a CD copy protection system called XCP2. This scheme,
created by British-based First4Internet, has been deployed on many
Sony/BMG albums released in the last six months. Like the SunnComm
MediaMax system that I wrote about in 2003, XCP2 uses an "active"
software-based approach in an attempt to stifle ripping and copying.
The first time an XCP2-protected CD is inserted into a Windows system,
the Windows Autorun feature launches an installer, which copies a
small piece of software onto the computer. From then on, if the user
attempts to copy or rip a protected CD, the software replaces the
music with static.

http://www.freedom-to-tinker.com/?p=919

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

Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 00:25:11 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Sony CD Protection Sparks Security Concerns


By John Borland

Story last modified Tue Nov 01 14:15:00 PST 2005

Mark Russinovich was doing a routine test this week of computer
security software he'd co-written, when he made a surprising
discovery: Something new was hiding itself deep inside his PC's guts.

It took some time for Russinovich, an experienced programmer who has
written a book on the Windows operating system for Microsoft, to track
down exactly what was happening, but he ultimately traced it to code
left behind by a recent CD he'd bought and played on his computer.

The SonyBMG-produced Van Zant album had been advertised as
copy-protected when he'd bought it on Amazon.com, and he'd clicked
through an installation agreement when he put the disc in his
computer. What he later found is that the software had used a
sophisticated cloaking technique that involves a "rootkit"--something
not dangerous in itself, but a tool often used by virus writers to
hide all traces of their work on a computer.

http://news.com.com/2100-7355-5926657.html

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

Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 08:08:55 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Nokia Announces Convergence Devices for Mobile TV and the Digital


Nokia Announces Convergence Devices for Mobile TV and the Digital
Home at Nokia Mobility Conference 2005

Nokia Mobility Conference 2005, BARCELONA, Spain and ESPOO, Finland,
November 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

- Nokia Strikes Another High Note With the Launch of Three More Nokia
Nseries Multimedia Devices, While New Nokia Products and Solutions for
Enterprises, Application Developers and Mobile Networks Give
Convergence a Push.

Today, at the Nokia Mobility Conference 2005, Nokia illuminated its
convergence strategy by extending the Nokia Nseries multimedia range
to include three new devices: the Nokia N92 (the world's first mobile
device with a built-in DVB-H receiver), the Nokia N71 and the Nokia
N80. With these new devices consumers can wirelessly watch mobile TV,
stream music, share photos and send emails with attachments, using
technologies such as 3G, WLAN and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)*.

This latest launch follows the announcement in October of the Nokia
Eseries, a new family of Nokia smartphones targeted at the business
world.  The Nokia Nseries, first launched in April, and the Nokia
Eseries are the manifestation of Nokia's vision of convergence and the
emerging digital industry, bringing together information technology,
enterprise applications, broadcasting, music and imaging. Speaking at
the Nokia Mobility Conference, Nokia Chairman and CEO Jorma Ollila
explained how devices like these lie at the heart of digital
convergence.

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=52780443

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

Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 08:11:07 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Sprint/Comcast/Time Warner/Cox/Advance/Newhouse Joint Venture


Sprint Nextel, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and
Advance/Newhouse Communications to Form Landmark Cable and 
Wireless Joint Venture

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 2, 2005--

  Tens of Millions Nationwide to Have Access to the "Quadruple Play"
     Integrating Video, Voice, Internet and Wireless Capabilities

Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE:S), Comcast Corporation
(Nasdaq:CMCSA, CMCSK), Time Warner Cable -- a unit of Time Warner Inc.
(NYSE:TWX), Cox Communications and Advance/Newhouse Communications
today announced they will form a joint venture that will accelerate
the convergence of video entertainment, wireline and wireless data and
communications products and services to the approximately 41 million
customers currently served by four of the country's largest cable
companies as well as to Sprint's nearly 46 million wireless
subscribers. The venture has the potential to serve approximately 75
million homes currently passed by the cable companies.

The companies in the joint venture will work to develop converged next
generation products for consumers that combine the best of cable's
core products and interactive features with the vast potential of
wireless technology to deliver services anywhere, any time.
Leveraging the expertise, technical leadership and customer focus of
Sprint and four of the largest, most successful cable and broadband
communications companies will provide millions of customers access to
the most advanced integrated entertainment, communications and
wireless products available anywhere in the United States.

Terms of the Agreement

The joint venture, which is mutually exclusive for three years and has
a 20-year term, calls for a combined initial financial commitment of
$200 million, $100 million of which will be committed by Sprint and
$100 million of which will be committed collectively by the cable
companies. The investment is expected to be used to fund the
development of the converged services, national marketing initiatives
and back office integration. The companies contemplate additional
participation from other cable companies.

Beginning in 2006, the companies in the joint venture plan to:

    --  Offer consumers access to the expanded four element bundle, or
        "Quadruple Play," or any combination of services including
        video, wireless voice and data services, high speed Internet
        and cable phone service

    --  Serve growing consumer demand for a wireless "third screen"
        beyond the TV and computer screens

    --  Develop and introduce new co-branded wireless devices that
        will provide new and unique features that integrate cable and
        wireless services all on a single device

    --  Sell and market these co-branded products and services to
        customers through a combination of 1,600 Sprint retail stores,
        cable retail outlets and other third-party distributors,
        including thousands of RadioShack stores

Unlike MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) or other wholesale
relationships, the companies participating in this joint venture will
retain full economic benefits of the acquired customers, similar to
what they currently enjoy through their direct retail channels.

 ...

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=52782316

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

Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 08:12:07 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Nortel Reports Results for the Third Quarter 2005


TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 2, 2005--Nortel Networks
Corporation (NYSE:NT)(TSX:NT):

    --  Q3 2005 revenues of $2.66 billion, up year over year 22
        percent
    --  Q3 2005 net loss of $105 million, $0.02 per common share on a
        diluted basis
    --  Q3 2005 cash balance of $3.0 billion

Nortel Networks Corporation (NYSE:NT)(TSX:NT) today reported results
for the third quarter of 2005 in U.S. dollars and in accordance with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=52783650

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

Subject: Cellular-News for Wednesday 2nd November 2005
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 07:23:06 -0600
From: Cellular-News <dailydigest@cellular-news-mail.com>


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

Leather Clad 3G Phone
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14656.php

Vodafone Japan has announced that later this week, it will commence
nationwide sales of the Vodafone 703N 3G handset by NEC, which
features a 'leather touch design' that gives the surface of the
handset a soft, high-quality leather feel....

Israeli Firm Starts Production of Cameraphone Components
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14655.php

Tower Semiconductor, an Israel based wafer foundry, and Biomorphic
Microsystems, a supplier of innovative imaging solutions for the cell
phone and PDA markets, have announced that Tower has begun
manufacturing of Biomorphic 2.0 and 1.3-megapixel CMOS...

Econet Nigeria Wins Legal Battle
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14654.php

The Federal High Court of Nigeria has ruled that it has the
jurisdiction to appoint arbitrators in the ongoing dispute between
shareholders of Vee Mobile, formerly Econet Wireless Nigeria. In
making its ruling, the court dismissed an application brou...

The Motorola Phone that Kills Germs
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14653.php

Motorola has announced the launch of the Motorola i870, a new mobile
device that comes with an antimicrobial coating over the casing. The
i870 blends a 1.3 megapixel camera with a video recorder, MP3 player
and two-way radio. Additionally, the i870 i...

Mobile Games Developer Loses Boss
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14652.php

I-play, the mobile games company, has unexpectedly announced that
Brian Greasley has stepped down as CEO of the company. David Gosen,
currently Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed acting Chief
Executive with immediate effect....

Improving Customer Care in Azerbaijan
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14651.php

Formula Telecom Solutions has signed a multi-million dollar agreement
with BakCell, Azerbaijan's second-largest cellular network operator,
to provide it with FTS' Leap CRM platform. Leap CRM will offer Bakcell
a fully user-customizable solution for m...

HSDPA Billing Agreement Completed
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14650.php

Convergent billing provider, Cerillion Technologies says that it has
completed implementation of its mediation solution in support of Manx
Telecom's new HSDPA network. Cerillion Mediator was implemented on
time and to budget, and integrated with the ...

Nokia Completes UMA Voice and Data Calls
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14649.php

As a significant milestone in its fixed-mobile convergence strategy,
Nokia has completed both voice and data calls with Unlicensed Mobile
Access (UMA) technology in a Nokia Solutions Experience Center in the
United States....

Steady Rise in US Handset Sales
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14648.php

According to The NPD Group, mobile phone sales to consumers in the USA
reached 31.6 million units in the third quarter of 2005. This number
represents solid incremental growth of 7% from the second quarter 2005
sales volume of 29.6 million units and ...

Ukrainian CDMA Operator sees 2005 investments in network at $10 mln 
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14647.php

U.S.-Ukrainian joint venture International Telecommunication Company,
or ITC, plans to invest about U.S. $10 million in the development of
its network this year, a spokesman with the company told Prime-Tass on
Monday. ...

Shareholders of 7 units of VimpelCom OK merging with parent co
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14646.php

The general meetings of shareholders of seven subsidiaries of Russia's
second-largest mobile operator VimpelCom have approved merging into
the parent company, VimpelCom said on Tuesday. ...

Belarus MDC active subscriber base up to 1.705 million
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14645.php

The active subscriber base of Belarus’ mobile phone
operator Mobile Digital Communications, or MDC, rose 3.6% in October
to 1.705 million people as of November 1, the company said
Tuesday. ...

Lucent Tech Discovers $80 Million Accounting Error In Balance Sheet
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14644.php

Lucent Technologies Inc. disclosed Tuesday that it became aware of an
error reported in its fourth-quarter and fiscal year financials last
week that will result in an $80 million increase in its pension
liabilities and a corresponding reduction in sh...

Russia's MTS gets full control of Turkmen cell operator
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14643.php

Russia's largest mobile operator Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) has
purchased a 49% stake in U.S.-registered Turkmenistan mobile operator
Barash Communications Technologies Inc. (BCTI) for U.S. $18.52
million, increasing its stake to 100%, MTS said Tuesd...

Virgin Mobile Expands Distribution Of Contract Offer
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14642.php

Virgin Mobile Holdings PLC, the U.K. mobile telecom service provider,
Tuesday said it has expanded the distribution of its fledgling
contract offer to over 1,000 stores across the U.K. ...

Motorola Reaches Settlement In Zafirovski Lawsuit
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14641.php

Motorola Inc. agreed to settle its lawsuit against a former executive
it had accused of breaching a non-compete agreement. ...

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

Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 12:44:59 EST
From: USTelecom dailyLead <ustelecom@dailylead.com>
Subject: Four MSOs Announce Deal With Sprint Nextel


USTelecom dailyLead
November 2, 2005
http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/xmBoatagCwbmfBUAQD

		TODAY'S HEADLINES
	
NEWS OF THE DAY
* Four MSOs announce deal with Sprint Nextel
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH
* DT plans job cuts, restructuring
* Cable's push toward the quadruple play
* Voice, Internet and VOD package marketed to hoteliers
* Nokia launches new handsets, predicts smartphone boom
* Microsoft launches ad-supported software service
USTELECOM SPOTLIGHT
* Voice Over IP Crash Course by Steven Shepard
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
* Mobile e-mail tussle on the horizon
REGULATORY & LEGISLATIVE
* Supreme Court nominee Alito rules on tech
* House bill would free Web from FEC restraint

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

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

From: apngss@yahoo.com
Subject: Cingular GO Phone Questions
Date: 1 Nov 2005 23:21:10 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com


Anyone using Cingular GO phone
http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-phone-service/gophone/index.jsp
or have that experience? I have couple questions:

1) Does "Go Phone" have the same reception strength as regular Cingular
phone? In terms of reception, does it make any differences? Is "Go
Phone" using GSM?

2) Do we need to pay tax and other surcharges for "Go Phone"? I don't
use phone too much, plus I don't like the regular phone needs to pay
almost $9 for the tax and other surcharges.

Please advise. Thanks!!

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

From: jeremyeastburn@gmail.com
Subject: Verizon FIOS, DSL, and Possible Cancellation Fees
Date: 1 Nov 2005 18:37:23 -0800
Organization: http://groups.google.com


I currently am in the middle of a 1 year contract with Verizon DSL. I
want to order Verizon FIOS but am worried about getting hit with the
cancellation fee. I spoke with a DSL rep (FIOS was busy all day and I
couldn't get through) and they said I could possibly have to pay the
cancellation fee. My take is that I am upgrading my Verizon DSL
service to Verizon FIOS service. I will be paying more money each
month for FIOS so why would they want to hit me with a cancellation
fee when I am actually upgrading.

Anyone else have experience with this? Thanks!

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

From: Joseph <JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Old Chicago Numbering
Date: Tue, 01 Nov 2005 18:50:38 -0800
Reply-To: JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com


On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 18:43:17 -0500, Tony P.
<kd1s.nospam@nospam.cox.nosapm.net> wrote:

> I do recall that they really stretched out the cutovers. My
> grandparents house in Providence still had the old style call progress
> tones indicating they were still on the Panel until 1975 or so. The CO
> for most of Providence is a huge building -- at least 14 floors that
> were once filled with switching gear. Now it's just the 4th floor. The
> rest of the building is offices.

I was in Providence in 1978 and my recollection is that they had mixed
ESS, panel and #1XB all working right next to each other.  Another
interesting thing about Providence is evidently Providence was a 2L 4N
city originally since many of the exchanges in Providence have a one
after them like PLantations 1, ELmhurst 1 and so on.

On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 16:17:24 -0800, Jim Stewart <jstewart@jkmicro.com>
wrote:

> Anyone traveling on Interstate 90 through Washington might be
> interested in stopping at the telephone museum in Cle Elum.  It's in
> the orginal manual exchange building and it was the labor of one local
> woman to preserve as much of the manual system and equipment as
> possible.

Cle Elum also did a stand in for Cicely, Alaska in the CBS series
Northern Exposure!

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

Date: Tue, 01 Nov 2005 22:53:04 -0500
From: William Warren <william_warren_nonoise@speakeasy.net>
Subject: Re: Recorded Call From Law Office?


Carl Moore wrote:

> My unlisted telephone received a call this morning which stated it was
> from "Bennett ..." law office and gave me toll-free number 1-888-571
> (or 575 in lieu of 571) and a case number.  I did not write the
> numbers down, and they were not repeated.  Did anyone else get a call
> like this?

Carl,

IANALB I say ignore it: it's a marketing call.

Anything a lawyer sends that's important, he'll send via Certified
mail or have delivered by a process server.

HTH.

William Warren

(Filter noise from my address for direct replies)

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

From: Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com>
Subject: Re: Recorded Call From Law Office?
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 13:22:55 -0600
Organization: Wizard Information


It was a dark and stormy night when Carl Moore <cmoore@ARL.ARMY.MIL>
wrote:

> My unlisted telephone received a call this morning which stated it was
> from "Bennett ..." law office and gave me toll-free number 1-888-571
> (or 575 in lieu of 571) and a case number.  I did not write the
> numbers down, and they were not repeated.  Did anyone else get a call
> like this?

You mean, the toll-free number was incomplete (no final 4 digits)?
That's an odd one, since you couldn't call them back if you wanted.
Probably whoever programmed the call messed up.

Otherwise, sounds like a bill collector call.  If it's not you they're
after, they've got a wrong number listed for the desired victim.  I've
gotten calls like that.

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

From: Tim@Backhome.org
Subject: Re: Remote Call Forwarding
Date: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 04:44:31 -0800
Organization: Cox Communications


Don't forget plain old call forwarding with the remote programming option.  I
have that service and call call a special number and change my home number's
CF from any location.

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

From: ptownson@telecom-digest.org
Subject: Last Laugh! Google and Reality Reset
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 21:38:24 -0600


Back in the early 1980's, a frequent contributor to TELECOM Digest was
Lauren Weinstein; in fact his satirical piece dealing with the demise
of the Bell System is part of our archives and is brought out here to
the Digest every year or so, typically around January when the
anniversary of the Bell System divestiure is recalled. We do not hear
much from Lauren these days, but he has stayed quite busy as a look at
his web site  http://www.vortex.com/lauren reveals. He does a lot of
audio work on the net these days, with his 'Day Think' and 'Fact
Squad' features. A regular column he does is what caught my eye today,
however, which is called 'Reality Reset' and his latest column, from
October 23 http://www.vortex.com/reality/ is printed here, with his
permission. You may with to get on his mailing list (see details on 
his various web pages) for his commentaries, both audio and written.


                        REALITY RESET
                "Free for All: The Google Excuse"
                       October 23, 2005
                          Satire by
                       Lauren Weinstein
                       lauren@vortex.com


      "Hey Lauren, it's Sal, how go things?"

      "Oh, hi Sal. Nice of you to call. I probably shouldn't ask what you've
been up to lately."

      "Now, Lauren, what kind of attitude is that to take? And me calling to
tell you about my latest great idea!" said Sal.

      "That's what I was afraid of," I said.

      "This one's a sure thing. I've figured out a way to get all of the
music and movies anyone could want, and all without paying for them. And
it's completely legal!"

      "Yeah? How so?"

      "I got the idea from Google's book project -- you know -- that Google
Print for Libraries thingie where they scan copies of all the copyrighted
books that they get for free through those library deals they made -- they
don't even have to pay the copyright owners one thin dime!"

      "Haven't there already been a couple of lawsuits filed against Google
about that plan, from the author and publisher groups?"

      "Never mind those. Listen -- I can use Google's logic to get free
copies of films, music -- anything I want! All I have to do is borrow the
CDs or DVDs, downloaded music or video or whatever, copy them, and then
offer some sort of 'fair use' excerpt index service, just like Google is
doing with the books. It's the perfect gimmick. Maybe I could runs ads with
them too -- that's where Google is really raking it in. Hell, if Google can
do this sort of thing with one kind of copyrighted work without paying, why
can't anyone else do it too, and why should it be restricted just to books?"

      "Well I don't know. Isn't Google offering some sort of opt-out to the
publishers?"

      "Oh yeah, sure, as long as the publishers specify each individual
title and abide by Google's deadlines and other demands. But don't you see
the beauty of this? Google is making all of the rules, and the copyright
holders are at their mercy! Those Google guys are geniuses!"

      "How are you going to offer an excerpt index for music and movies?"

      "Well, remember that this is really just an excuse to get the stuff
for free, but I figure like if someone searches for the word 'lemon' I'll
give them thirty seconds of lemon tunes -- 'but the fruit of the poor lemon
is impossible to ...'"

      "I know the song, Sal."

      "And for the movie lookups I can give them little video clips from
'Hard Day's Night' and 'Help!' and ..."

      "That's John Lennon, not Lemon."

      "Lennon? Are you sure?"

      "Yeah, pretty sure."

      "Hmm, I'll have to make a note of that, thanks."

      "Look, Sal, don't you think that the record companies, movie studies,
RIAA, MPAA, and half the population here in L.A. is going to come after you
on this one? Is this really fair to the copyright holders, to make and keep
complete copies that way, when you haven't even paid for their works once or
asked their permission? Do you really think that what you're talking about
is fair use?"

      "Google thinks that doing it with books is fair use! And like Wernher
von Braun said, 'Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?
That's not my department.'"

      "That's from an old Tom Lehrer song, Sal."

      "Really? I'll have to add his albums to my copy list ..."

      "Sal, shouldn't you wait on this at least until you see how the
lawsuits against Google come out?"

      "Naw. No way -- Google can't lose."

      "How can you be so sure?"

      "Are you kidding, Lauren? With that mass of data Google's got salted
away on everyone's search activities, what judge is going to dare cross
them? Do you really think that some stuffy old guy is going to risk having
his S&M site searches and browsing exposed? Man, compared to the goodies
that Google's probably got, the FBI files must be a drop in the bucket."

      "Well, I must admit that you've got quite a concept there, Sal. It
could change the recording and motion picture industries forever," I said.

      "Yeah, I figure the idea is worth a mint. I wonder if I can patent it
before I get ripped off," said Sal.

      = = = = = =

      --Lauren--
      Lauren Weinstein
      lauren@vortex.com

      For information about the author, please see:
http://www.vortex.com/lauren

      "Reality Reset" Home Page and E-Mail Info

Copyright 2005 Vortex Technology. All Rights Reserved.

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


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