TELECOM Digest     Fri, 18 Nov 2005 16:27:00 EST    Volume 24 : Issue 524

Inside This Issue:                             Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    SBC Says "Lightspeed Strategy" Won't Choke Broadband Access (Fred Dawson)
    Cable Competition Worries Some Municipal Authorities (Michael Johnson)
    Verizon and Caller ID (Michael Quinn)
    The Firefly Phone (Monty Solomon)
    AOL Pictures Introduces Free Photo Sharing Website (Monty Solomon)
    Alltel to Offer Motorola RAZR V3c; Watch Live Television (Monty Solomon)
    Product Review: Podcasts Converted to Text (Monty Solomon)
    Cellular-News for Friday 18th November 2005 (Cellular-News)
    Cisco to Buy Scientific-Atlanta (USTelecom dailyLead)
    Telecom Update #506, November 18, 2005 (Angus TeleManagement Group)
    A Question About My Cell Phone Purchase (Patrick Townson)
    Re: Replacement For Siemens Gigaset (Robert Bonomi)
    Last Laugh! Bitch Dog Gets Cable Service (Dan Oldenburg)

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

See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details
and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest.  

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

From: Fred Dawson  <businessweek@telecom-digest.org>
Subject: SBC Says 'Lightspeed Stategy' Will Not Choke Broadband Access
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 14:14:38 -0600


SBC Says Lightspeed Strategy Won't Choke Broadband Access
By Fred Dawson

SBC Communications' Project Lightspeed service strategy has sparked
considerable confusion and even alarm as to what the impact will be on
users ' access to Internet content and applications, but company
officials say nothing has really changed in terms of SBC's approach to
best-effort broadband service.

"The pipe has gotten much bigger, which means the user experience over
best-effort broadband will be better, not worse with Project
Lightspeed," says Jeff Weber, vice president for product and strategy
at the carrier.  "But it's important to recognize the Internet is best
effort today, and it will be tomorrow, which is different from the
managed network we're creating with Project Lightspeed."

SBC has committed to delivering a suite of IP services, including
best-effort broadband, IPTV and voice over IP, via next-generation DSL
lines at an aggregate minimum rate of 25mbps to each household. Under
this scenario, about 5 to 6mbps is slated to be available for
best-effort Internet access, which "is what the cable companies are
offering," Weber notes.

The 25mbps threshold will not be a barrier to SBC's ability to expand
access bandwidth in response to market conditions, including demand
for higher speed broadband access, notes Chris Rice, executive vice
president for network technology. "We can bond two VDSL2 ports to
deliver 50mbps at 5,000 feet (of local loop), which, at 3,000 feet,
would increase to 80mbps," he says.

The question raised by consumer advocates and Web companies is whether
SBC Edward Whitacre in comments reported by Business Week in early
November was suggesting a new approach that would require portals,
third-party VoIP providers and other players to pay for use of the
carrier's network if they wanted to access its customers at the levels
of quality and bandwidth they' ve been accustomed to in the
best-effort broadband environment.

Whitacre, referring to Web entities, told Business Week "there's going
to have to be some mechanism for these people who use these pipes to
pay for the portion they're using.. For a Google or Yahoo! or Vonage
or anybody to expect to use these pipes free is nuts."

SBC officials said Whitacre was referring to the company's plans to
charge content suppliers for the quality-of-service, bandwidth
assurances, prioritization and other enhanced mechanisms available
through the Lightspeed network that would provide users a better than
best-effort experience. "It would be senseless for us to degrade the
broadband experience for our users when we have competitors who are
offering high bandwidth broadband services," Weber notes.

Left unanswered is the question of what allocation of significant
network capacity for quality-assured services, including
bandwidth-consuming IPTV, will mean to the amount of capacity that's
left over for best-effort broadband. Today all the IP-based capacity
for consumer services is used on a first-come, first-served basis by
packets flowing through the pipe. If that capacity is squeezed by
allocations of IP capacity to higher-quality services, best effort in
the new environment could be significantly affected.

While SBC hasn't provided specific clarification on this issue,
officials say the capacity expansion for IP traffic across metro
backbones as well as through access lines ensures the best-effort
capacity component will be unaffected. "We're spending a lot of money
to provide the carrying capacity for IP services that will deliver a
superior experience for our customers in all service categories,
including best-effort broadband," Weber says.

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.

*** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the
use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without
profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the
understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic
issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I
believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material
as provided for in section 107 of the U.S.  Copyright Law. If you wish
to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go
beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner, in this instance, Business Week. 

For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

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

From: Mike Johnson <mikejohnson@journalsentinal.com>
Subject: Cable Competition Worries Some Municipal Leaders
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 14:16:15 -0600


http:.//www.jsonline.com   
Original URL: http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/nov05/370051.asp

By MIKE JOHNSON
mikejohnson@journalsentinel.com

Legislation before Congress designed to increase cable TV competition
by allowing more companies into the market is getting a bad reception
from local governments.

Many leaders in municipalities in southeast Wisconsin and elsewhere
say they are worried they will lose the franchise fees they collect
from cable companies if the legislation passes.

The fees amount to thousands of dollars a year for some local
governments and, in the case of Milwaukee, almost $3.7 million
expected in 2006, for allowing cable providers use of public rights of
way.

The Video Choice Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Marsha
Blackburn (R-Tenn.), would eliminate local franchise agreements, a
move she contends will drive down the prices consumers pay for cable
TV.

Blackburn thinks the franchise agreements create a monopoly. Current
law that mandates franchise agreements serves "as a barrier to
competition" and prevents "new technologies from entering the market,"
she told her U.S.  House colleagues this year.

Many communities have agreements with a single provider, she
noted. The Video Choice bill would increase competition, allowing new
competitors, including other cable companies, telephone companies and
Internet providers, into the cable TV market, Blackburn said.

But local elected officials, who say they support increased
competition, are encouraging their federal representatives to oppose
Blackburn's bill and similar legislation, including a bill in the
U.S. Senate that could nationalize franchising.

Waukesha Mayor Carol Lombardi said municipal leaders are worried about
two things: the loss of the franchising fees and the loss of local
control in determining who provides cable service.

The revenue from franchise fees is crucial to municipalities, Lombardi
said, especially now that local governments are under a spending cap
imposed by state lawmakers.

Lombardi, who leads the Waukesha County Municipal Executives group,
sent a letter to U.S. Sens. Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl and
U.S. Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., urging them to vote against any
legislation that would remove local control over franchising fees.

"The financial constraints that we, at local government, ... are
facing is very serious," Lombardi wrote.

Waukesha's franchise fee with Time Warner Cable generates about
$600,000 a year.

Menomonee Falls will get about $232,000 this year through its
agreement with Time Warner.

Its village president, Rick Rechlicz, said he doesn't appreciate "big
government" sticking its nose in local government's business.

"At a time when we're trying to be fiscally sound, they want to
eliminate a non-tax revenue item," he said.

Milwaukee's Common Council also has opposed the measure, and city
officials have sent a letter to local congressmen stating their
opposition, said Paul Vornholt, a spokesman for Mayor Tom Barrett.

Need for competition cited

But Blackburn said local governments would not lose their fee revenue.
"My bill absolutely does not take away local revenue streams, and
those who claim otherwise don't have their facts correct," Blackburn
said.

"The language was specifically written to require that video providers
continue to pay fees to the local government. In all likelihood, this
legislation would decrease costs for consumers and increase revenues
for our local governments as more providers enter your local
marketplace," she said.  "More providers equal lower consumer prices
and more fees for local government.

"We've fallen to 16th in the world in broadband deployment, and we've
got little to no video provider competition because of the current
regulations.  This bill manages to correct those problems while
preserving local funding streams and control."

Del Beaver, the administrator of the Village of Jackson in Washington
County, said the federal government should leave well enough alone.

Jackson will get about $45,000 this year through its franchise
agreement with Charter Communications.

"The competition thing is a sham," Beaver said. "It isn't going to happen."

 From the Nov. 12, 2005, editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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.

*** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the
use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without
profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the
understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic
issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I
believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material
as provided for in section 107 of the U.S.  Copyright Law. If you wish
to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go
beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner, in this instance, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal.

For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

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

Subject: Verizon and Caller ID
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 18:52:12 -0500
From: Michael Quinn Michael <quinnm@bah.com>


Verizon called my house several times today concerning a fiber
installation scheduled for tomorrow.  Interestingly enough, the numbers
from which they called:

(757) 896-6330,  and
(888) 223-2355

delivered the numbers but not the caller name (they each showed as
"out of area") to my caller ID boxes and phones. This from a company
that I pay for caller ID service. When I or my wife call from our
office or cell phones, name is always delivered.  Strikes me as
curious at best, and hypocritical at less than best; Verizon can't
deliver caller name??.  Anyone with similar experiences?  No one at
(so-called) "Customer Service" was able to explain why.  One
trying-to-be-helpful supervisor suggested the phenomenon would go away
when my fiber service was activated. Jeez.   

Regards,  

Mike


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: It _probably_ has to do with the type
of switch or PBX that Verizon is using in that office. Telco also uses
switching gear in their own business office for their own incoming and
outgoing calls, in addition to the central office stuff everyone else
(including Verizon) uses. Some phone setups (like Direct Inward
Dialing for example and some flavors of Centrex) do not do very well 
on delivering caller ID period, let alone name with the ID. If every 
single employee of Verizon had a phone connected direct to the central
office (with no in-between switches or systems) then chances are
likely your caller ID box would deliver the number and the _name_ of
the person or the department, etc. But every single employee/department
of telco does not have that individual line -- well they do, but they
are routed through concentrators, switches,  etc.

Its those inbetween devices or switches or PBXs, etc which are either
misprogrammed (or most likely not capable of correctly rendering the
_name ID_) that are guilty. Since you are purchasing caller/name ID
service, whenever the central office is unable to deliver same, the
'default' is to tell you it is 'out of area' or 'unavailable' or
whatever.

I'll now tell you (and other interested readers) a story about me in
Chicago calling '611' one day: I have forgotten what the problem was
but I called '611' to report it. Thirty minutes or an hour later I got
a call back from some repair tech to say the problem was cured. The
tech's call came in per _my_ caller ID from 312-525-something, but I
was out and missed the call. I returned as the phone quit ringing and
went to check my caller ID box. I noted the number, and returned the 
call only to be greeted by a voice saying 'Ameritech Repair Service,
how may I help you?  When I gave my name and number, the tech knew
what it was about and told me what corrections had been made. So far,
so good. Then about 10-15 minutes later, I received a very angry call
 from a _supervisor_ in repair who bawled me out good for 'calling in
on our direct line rather than dialing 611'. She told me I was  'never
again to call in to a given tech person on their direct line, I was 
only to use the main number of '611'.  I told her all I had  done was 
returned a call showing on my caller ID. "oh ... well ... I will have
to think about that ..." was her reply. Later, she called back to 
apologize for her angry call, saying she was unaware that caller ID
boxes were giving out the 'direct numbers' of their employees, rather 
than the general incoming number of '611'.  So many people at telco
do not know, nor have any real reason to know, how _their own_ phone
system works, nor anything much about the company they work for other
than their own job function. I reported this in this Digest at the
time it happened (early 1990's) and remember someone responding by
saying "Bell got hoisted on their own petard".  PAT]

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

Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 21:42:25 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: The Firefly Phone


Introducing The Latest 'Catch' From Cingular: The Firefly Phone

In time for holidays, Cingular offers Cool, Fun Mobile Phone for
      Tweens that Helps Keep Parents in Control of Calls

ATLANTA and CHICAGO, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless and
Firefly Mobile, Inc. today announced the availability of the Firefly
phone, a pioneering mobile phone designed specifically for kids ages
12 and under.  Cingular is the first national U.S. carrier to launch
this unique voice-only phone. Firefly Mobile also announced this week
that the Firefly phone was awarded the prestigious 2006 'Best of
Innovations' Award in the telephone category from the Consumer
Electronics Association (CES).

The Firefly phone was designed with just five keys instead of a
regular dial pad. Parents use a private PIN to program up to 22
outgoing numbers into the phone, including speed-dial keys for Mom and
Dad. Kids place calls by pressing the Mom or Dad key, or selecting a
name in the Phone Book and pressing "send." Caller ID lets your child
know who's calling. An optional call screening feature can be
activated, allowing the phone to accept incoming calls from only those
numbers programmed into the phone.

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=53245670

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

Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 21:43:56 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: AOL Pictures Introduces Free Photo Sharing Website


DULLES, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 2005--

AOL Pictures Offers Consumers Unlimited Online Digital Photo Storage,
Tools That Make It Easier To Create Photo Albums, and Special Holiday
Offer for Free Prints.

AOL today announced the launch of AOL Pictures. The free photo sharing
website offers consumers unlimited online digital photo storage in
original resolution, tools that make it easier to create photo albums,
and much more. As a special holiday promotion, AOL Pictures is
offering each user 100, free 4x6 glossy or matte prints.

AOL Pictures, formerly known as You've Got Pictures, is a popular
online service which has been enhanced to provide a comprehensive
digital photo solution for consumers who want an easy way to view,
share, store, print and protect all of their favorite images. The
service, which currently has more than six million monthly visitors
and stores nearly 300 million photos, builds on AOL's extensive
infrastructure to offer unlimited and free storage for digital photos
in their original resolution, and is available free to anyone on the
Internet through the AOL.com portal ( http://www.aol.com/pictures ),
as well as on the AOL service.

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=53247086

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

Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 21:58:47 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: Alltel to Offer Motorola RAZR V3c; Watch Live Television


Alltel to Offer Motorola RAZR V3c; Watch Live Television with New
 CDMA EVDO Handset

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. & LIBERTYVILLE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17,
2005--Alltel (NYSE:AT), owner and operator of the nation's largest
wireless network, and Motorola (NYSE:MOT), a global leader in wireless
communications, announce today that the Motorola RAZR V3c mobile phone
will be available at Alltel stores nationwide starting
Monday. Customers can watch live television on the new CDMA EVDO
handset through MobiTV.

"The Motorola RAZR with its sleek design and next-generation
technology offers customers an unparalleled wireless experience,
including live TV that customers can watch while on the go," said Wade
McGill, vice president of wireless product management at Alltel.

"Alltel subscribers can now experience the most talked about mobile
device, the Motorola RAZR V3c," said Rick Gadd, senior director for
Motorola Mobile Devices Business. "This coveted mobile gives CDMA
users high style and in-demand design in the one thing they always
carry with them, their mobile phone."

The Motorola RAZR V3c features a 1.3 megapixel camera with 8x digital
zoom, video capture and playback and MP3 capabilities. The phone has
Bluetooth functionality as well as BREW 3.1.

     - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=53250680

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

Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 22:08:36 -0500
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
Subject: PRODUCT REVIEW: Podcasts Converted to Text


By BRIAN BERGSTEIN AP Technology Writer

BOSTON (AP) -- Suddenly the universe of downloadable audio files known
as podcasts seems as enormous as the Internet. Name a topic _ from the
weather in Asuncion to the ZigBee wireless technology _ and there is a
podcast about it.

But while the Internet's vastness is accessible because of
deep-probing search engines, comparably authoritative services for
podcasts and other multimedia haven't really emerged.

That's because search programs are primed to catalog text. When they
encounter an audio or video file, generally they determine the
contents by reading the titles and other descriptive tags, known as
"metadata," that creators voluntarily add.

It's useful, but much like examining only the first few lines of a 
Web site. Reading the whole thing is a lot better.

With that in mind, a few companies are trying to make search engines
actually listen to big audio and video files. From there,
speech-to-text software can generate written transcripts, which are
searched in addition to metadata.

Perhaps best known has been Blinkx Inc., an information-management
startup that gets its speech-to-text software from Autonomy Corp.

Now comes BBN Technologies Inc., a defense contractor that developed
elements of the Internet. After tinkering with speech-to-text programs
it created for U.S. intelligence services, BBN has produced Podzinger,
a Web service that mines the content of podcasts.

A third service, Podscope, from a broadcast-monitoring company called
TV Eyes Inc., performs a similar trick, but with a twist. CEO David
Ives says Podscope uses some voice-recognition technology but mainly
scans for phonemes _ the individual sounds that make up syllables _
rather than full words.

      - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=53272500

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

Subject: Cellular-News for Friday 18th November 2005
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 08:08:37 -0600
From: Cellular-News <dailydigest@cellular-news-mail.com>


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

[[3G News]]

3G Security Protection for Israeli Network
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14893.php

ArcSight says that Israel's Partner Communications has standardized on
ArcSight's ESM software to protect its 3G wireless network operations
from security threats. Partner Communications, a subsidiary of
Hutchison Telecom, built the first GSM wireles...

Taiwan Operator Deploys Multi-Network Platform
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14894.php

Azaire Networks has announced today that Taiwan's Chunghwa Mobile
Business Group, part of Chunghwa Telecom, will deploy it' IP Converged
Network Platform (IP-CNP). With the IP-CNP, Chunghwa Mobile will
provide its subscribers seamless services across...

Qualcomm Announces Platforms for Long-Term Wireless Roadmap
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14899.php

Qualcomm has announced its DMMX (DO Multicarrier Multilink eXtensions)
and HMMX (HSDPA Multicarrier Multilink eXtensions) platforms to
support the long-term roadmaps of EV-DO and HSDPA. The DMMX and HMMX
platforms will not only significantly improve ...

[[Financial News]]

Virgin Mobile To Invest In 2nd Half Customer Growth
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14878.php

Virgin Mobile Holdings Group PLC, the U.K. mobile telecommunications
services provider, Thursday said it will step-up investment in
customer acquisition in the second half after first-half results
showed strong revenue growth. ...

Virgin Mobile Hasn't Been Approached About A Takeover
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14880.php

Virgin Mobile Holdings PLC, the U.K. mobile telecommunications
services provider, Thursday said it hasn't received any takeover
approaches. ...

Vodafone CEO Takes "Full Responsibility" For Share Drop
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14886.php

Vodafone Group PLC Chief Executive Arun Sarin took responsibility
Thursday for the market reaction that earlier this week caused the
company to lose more that 10% of its share value. ...

Consortium Makes Formal Danish Telecom TDC Bid - Reports
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14887.php

COPENHAGEN (AP)--A group of private equity firms have made a formal
bid for Denmark's leading telecom operator, TDC A/S, news reports said
Thursday. ...

Exec says Russia's VimpelCom in talks to buy CIS cell operators soon
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14888.php

Russia's second-largest mobile operator VimpelCom is holding
negotiations on purchasing some mobile operators in the Commonwealth
of Independent States, or CIS, and one of the deals may be closed by
the end of this year, VimpelCom's Vice President ...

CEO sees VimpelCom's 2005 capex down on yr to $1.58 bln 
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14891.php

The capital expenditures of Russia's second-largest mobile operator
VimpelCom are expected to decrease to about U.S. $1.58 billion this
year from $1.68 billion in 2004, VimpelCom's CEO Alexander Izosimov
told reporters Thursday. ...

[[Handsets News]]

Russian customs says mobile handset imports soar year-to-date
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14883.php

Official mobile handset imports to Russia have risen to over 10
million units since the beginning of the year, Director of the Federal
Customs Service Alexander Zherikhov said at a conference Thursday. ...

Nokia Executive Sees 3 Billion Mobile Phone Users Worldwide By '10
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14885.php

TUNIS (AP)--The number of people worldwide using mobile phones will
likely reach 3 billion by 2010, a Nokia Corp. executive said
Thursday. ...

[[Legal News]]

Widow of NTP Founder Pens Angry Letter To U.S. Senators
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14882.php

The widow of NTP Inc. founder Thomas Campana has written a letter to
two Illinois senators complaining about the "gross injustice" that she
is suffering at the hands of the U.S. government. ...

PRESS: UK court freezes Alfa's 25% in Russia's MegaFon 
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14892.php

The U.K.'s Privy Council of the House of Lords has frozen a 25.1%
stake in Russia's third largest mobile operator MegaFon,
indirectly owned by Alfa Group, Kommersant business daily reported
Thursday. ...

[[Mobile Content News]]

Cingular Unveils New Web Interface For Mobile Phones
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14879.php

In an effort to make surfing the Web easier, Cingular Wireless will
unveil a new Internet interface for its cell phones. ...

NBC Sports Plans Mobile Games
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14897.php

NBC Sports and Abandon Mobile have announced that three new NBC
Sports-branded mobile game titles will be available on more than 125
types of mobile handsets across most major service providers starting
in early 2006....

[[Network Contracts News]]

Motorola Wins Uzbek GSM Contract
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14896.php

Motorola has won a three-year frame agreement with MCT Corp. to expand
the network of MCT's joint venture GSM network operator, Coscom across
Uzbekistan, including its capital Tashkent. The network deployment is
currently underway and will continuall...

[[Personnel News]]

Motorola Director Dies Unexpectedly
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14895.php

Motorola has announced the sudden death yesterday morning of Geoffrey
Frost, executive vice president and Motorola's chief marketing
officer. Geoffrey joined Motorola in 1999 and was instrumental in
defining Motorola's brand mission. His legacy is a ...

[[Regulatory News]]

Ofcom Starts Review Of Spectrum Used By Analog TV
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14881.php

Ofcom, the U.K. telecommunications and media regulator, Thursday
launched a review of the spectrum used by analog television, prior to
the completion of the switch over to digital television. ...

French Regulator Cuts SMS Text-Messaging Charge
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14889.php

French electronic communications regulator ARCEP said Thursday it has
decided to lower the wholesale charge for SMS text messaging
interconnection through France's three mobile telecom operators to
EUR0.043 per SMS from EUR0.05336, retroactive to Jul...

Russia's official denies NTC may get GSM license on Nov 28
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14890.php

Russia's State Radio Frequency Commission does not plan to make a
decision on awarding a GSM 1800 license for operation in the Far-East
Federal District to New Telephone Company, or NTC, at its meeting on
November 28, Andrei Beskorovainy, director of...

[[Statistics News]]

Brazil 10-Months Mobile Phone Client Levels Up 15.6 Million -Anatel
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14884.php

Brazilian mobile phone companies added 15.6 million customers in the
first ten months of 2005, bringing the total subscriber base to 81.24
million consumers, telecommunications regulator Anatel said
Thursday. ...

[[Technology News]]

Can WiMAX Live up to the Hype?
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/14898.php

Over the last few years, WiMAX has been hyped as the broadband
wireless technology of the future, providing a single solution for a
variety of applications, including last-mile fixed broadband access,
wireless backhaul for cellular phone sites and as...

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

Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 12:33:53 EST
From: USTelecom dailyLead <ustelecom@dailylead.com>
Subject: Cisco to buy Scientific-Atlanta


USTelecom dailyLead
November 18, 2005
http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/yncsatagCxBiqFKGHA

		TODAY'S HEADLINES
	
NEWS OF THE DAY
* Cisco to buy Scientific-Atlanta
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY WATCH
* Alltel to acquire Midwest Wireless
* Nokia: 3 billion cell phones users by 2010
* NTP plan would exempt government workers from BlackBerry shut-off
* TDC receives bid from buyout group
USTELECOM SPOTLIGHT
* Voice Over IP Crash Course by Steven Shepard
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
* IBM rolls out IMS products
* Analyst: Google Base will create new Web
VOIP DOWNLOAD
* FCC's CALEA expansion proves unpopular
* Report: IPTV infrastructure spending poised for big jump
REGULATORY & LEGISLATIVE
* Kathleen Abernathy to leave FCC in December

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

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

Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 11:03:44 -0800
Subject: Telecom Update #506, November 18, 2005
From: Angus TeleManagement Group <jriddell@angustel.ca>
Reply-To: Angus TeleManagement Group <jriddell@angustel.ca>


************************************************************
TELECOM UPDATE 
************************************************************

published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group 
http://www.angustel.ca

Number 506: November 18, 2005

Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous 
financial support from: 
** AVAYA: www.avaya.ca/en/
** BELL CANADA: www.bell.ca 
** CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA: www.cisco.com/ca/ 
** ERICSSON: www.ericsson.ca
** MITEL NETWORKS: www.mitel.com/
** NEC UNIFIED SOLUTIONS: www.necunifiedsolutions.com
** ROGERS TELECOM: www.rogers.com/solutions 
** VONAGE CANADA: www.vonage.ca

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

IN THIS ISSUE: 

** Ottawa Tables Internet Wiretap Law 
** Feds Propose Giving CRTC Fining Power 
** High-Speed Mobile Data Expands
** MTS Offers $15 Long Distance 
** Via Rail to Extend Onboard Wi-Fi 
** PBX Sales--Who's on First? 
** Rogers Fights New Brunswick over Right-of-Way Fees
** SBC Purchase of AT&T Gets Final OK
** Rogers Software Offers Electronic Clipboards 
** Bell Reduces Western Staff 
** RIM Says Patent Workaround Is Ready 
** Rogers Cutting Off Usenet 
** Cygnal Names New CEO 
** New CEO at Minacs 
** UBS Records Sales Growth 

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

OTTAWA TABLES INTERNET WIRETAP LAW: A bill tabled by the federal
government would require Internet Service providers to include
interception capability (wiretap access) on new technology, and to
give the names, addresses, and phone numbers of customers to law
enforcement agencies on request.

** Bill C-74, the "Modernization of Investigative Techniques 
   Act," received first reading in the House of Commons on 
   November 15. 

www.parl.gc.ca/PDF/38/1/parlbus/chambus/house/bills/government/C-74_1.PDF

FEDS PROPOSE GIVING CRTC FINING POWER: On November 13, Industry
Minister David Emerson introduced Bill C-73 to amend the Telecom Act.

** The bill would authorize the CRTC to levy fines for 
   violations of CRTC decisions or the Telecom Act--up to $15 
   million for carriers, and up to $50,000 for individuals.

** It would allow the CRTC to share confidential 
   information with the Competition Commissioner in 
   certain circumstances.

www.parl.gc.ca/LEGISINFO/index.asp?Lang=E&query=4581&Session=13&List=toc

HIGH-SPEED MOBILE DATA EXPANDS: Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility are
playing leapfrog in deploying high-speed cellular data communications
based on Evolution Data Optimized technology. This week, Telus
announced EVDO availability in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto
and Vancouver.  And Bell, which announced EVDO a week earlier in
Toronto and Montreal, this week added Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton
to its serving areas.

MTS OFFERS $15 LONG DISTANCE: Manitoba Tel customers who subscribe to
two or three of MTS TV, MTS High Speed Internet or MTS postpaid
cellular can now add unlimited wireline long distance in Canada and
the U.S. for $15 a month.

** The Manitoba telco says it now has 50,000 television 
   subscribers in Winnipeg.

VIA RAIL TO EXTEND ONBOARD WI-FI: Via Rail plans to offer Wi-Fi
service to all customers on its trains and in 22 stations in the
Windsor-Quebec corridor by November 2006, using technology installed
by Parsons Corp.  Partial service began in 2004. Price: $8.95/day or
$46/month.

PBX SALES--WHO'S ON FIRST? Cisco says a new research report shows that
it is now "the number one supplier in the global enterprise voice
market including both Internet Protocol (IP) and traditional
circuit-based systems." And Avaya says a new report shows that it is
"the global market leader in Enterprise Internet Protocol Telephony
Revenues and Port Shipments."

** Some readers may be surprised to learn that both claims 
   are based on the same report, published this week by 
   Synergy Research Group. 

ROGERS FIGHTS NEW BRUNSWICK OVER RIGHT-OF-WAY FEES: Rogers
Communications has asked the CRTC to block the New Brunswick Dept. of
Transportation from charging fees for Rogers' cables that are
supported on Aliant and N.B.  Power poles in DOT rights-of-way. The
DOT claims the CRTC has no jurisdiction.

www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2005/8690/r28_200512972.htm

ROGERS SOFTWARE OFFERS ELECTRONIC CLIPBOARDS: Rogers Communications
now offers mForms software that permits small business field staff to
access work orders and other forms on wireless devices. Price: $125
per user per month.

SBC PURCHASE OF AT&T GETS FINAL OK: The California Public Utility
Commission has approved SBC Communications' purchase of AT&T. This is
the final approval needed for completion of the US$16 billion deal. It
had already been approved in 36 other states and by two federal
agencies.

** SBC has said it will change its name to AT&T when the 
   acquisition is complete.

BELL REDUCES WESTERN STAFF: Bell Canada has cut 100 jobs from its
western Canadian operations, partly as a result of integrating
360networks, which it bought last year. (See Telecom Update #435)

RIM SAYS PATENT WORKAROUND IS READY: Research In Motion says it has
completed a BlackBerry software upgrade that would enable it to
maintain service in the event that a U.S. court issues an injunction
against BlackBerry sales in that country. (See Telecom Update #505)

** RIM has sued the maker of Cranberry business software for 
   trademark infringement. Another RIM suit has convinced a 
   New Jersey toymaker to rename handheld devices called 
   StrawBerry, BlueBerry, etc. 

ROGERS CUTTING OFF USENET: Beginning December 15, Rogers High Speed
Internet service will no longer include access to Usenet. The company
says newsgroups, once the most popular medium for on-line chat and
information sharing, have "largely been replaced by blogs, instant
messaging, personal Web pages and other tools."

CYGNAL NAMES NEW CEO: Cygnal Technology has appointed Jos Wintermans
as CEO. Wintermans, CEO of Rogers Cable in 1998-99, replaces Gerald
Hurlow, who continues as Cygnal's Chairman.

NEW CEO AT MINACS: Bruce Simmonds, founder and former CEO of a major
golf course company and former CFO of his family's Pickering-based
electronics business, has been named CEO of call centre service bureau
operator Minacs Worldwide. Founder Elaine Minacs will continue as
Executive Chair.

UBS RECORDS SALES GROWTH: Unique Broadband Systems, which bought a
majority interest in Look Communications last year, reports revenue
for the year ended August 31 of $38 million, 17% more than the
previous year.  The net loss was reduced by two-thirds, to $4.3
million. (See Telecom Update #434)

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

HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR TELECOM UPDATE

E-mail ianangus@angustel.ca and jriddell@angustel.ca

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COPYRIGHT AND CONDITIONS OF USE: All contents copyright 2005 Angus
TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further information,
including permission to reprint or reproduce, please e-mail
jriddell@angustel.ca.

The information and data included has been obtained from sources which
we believe to be reliable, but Angus TeleManagement makes no
warranties or representations whatsoever regarding accuracy,
completeness, or adequacy.  Opinions expressed are based on
interpretation of available information, and are subject to change. If
expert advice on the subject matter is required, the services of a
competent professional should be obtained.

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

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

From: Patrick Townson <ptownson@cableone.net>
Subject: A Question Please About my Purchase
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 19:55:54 -0600


I wound up purchasing a Nokia 6340i 'unlocked' phone on EBay for about
$35.00 using a 'Buy it Now' button and sent them a letter asking when
it would be sent out and how to use it,  I got back this reply:

> It will work for cingular. Just insert your SIm card and you should be =
> ready to go.

> Thank you,
> D&R Wholesale

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Patrick Townson
  To: auctions@thecellshop.net
  Cc: david@thecellshop.net
  Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2005 1:52 PM
  Subject: A question please about my purchase

> Using the 'Buy Now' arrangement I just now bought and paid for a Nokia
> 6340i cell phone.  Transaction #2R3490342F972910F $16.99 plus shipping
> and insurance total $36.97

> Please confirm a couple things for me:

> When is it expected to arrive?

> I presently have cell service from Cingular Wireless. This new phone
> will work on Cingular?  Is there any sort of 'unlock key' or 'unlock
> code' I will need to use, or just insert the SIM?

> Will I need to report this to Cingular Wireless to get it changed
> over on their records to be associated with my current cell phone
> number?

Another email from them said it had shipped Thursday afternoon and
should arrive by Monday or Tuesday at the latest. It said the
(S)ubscriber (I)nformation (M)odule had all the information required
for Cingular -- assuming I had an account there, which I do -- and it
was just a matter of taking the SIM out of the one phone and putting
it in the other phone. Now, if I can figure out how to open this
new phone I have now (Nokia 6010) *get the SIM out*, open the new
phone (Nokia 6340i when it gets here) and put the SIM in the new
phone I guess I should have it made. No need to say a word to Cingular
Wireless either way, _is that correct_? But I may wind up going to the
dealer where I first got put onto GSM and have him do it for me.

PAT

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

From: bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi)
Subject: Re: Replacement for Siemens Gigaset
Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 20:48:14 -0000
Organization: Widgets, Inc.


In article <telecom24.519.13@telecom-digest.org>,
DevilsPGD  <spamsucks@crazyhat.net> wrote:

> In message <telecom24.518.13@telecom-digest.org>
> bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi) wrote:

>> In article <telecom24.517.15@telecom-digest.org>,
>> CharlesH  <hoch@exemplary.invalid> wrote:

>>> Thor Lancelot Simon wrote:

>>>> I would stay away from the 900Mhz phones for a few reasons.  First,
>>>> the only multi-line phones available in 900Mhz are notoriously
>>>> unreliable.  Second, eavesdropping on many 900Mhz phones, even modern
>>>> ones, is trivial.

>>> How does one eavesdrop on a Digital Spread Spectrum (DSS) 900MHz
>>> cordless phone? I would have thought that with the spreading code
>>> being changed every time the phone is put into the base, they would be
>>> essentially uncrackable, like CDMA cell phones.

>> The phone and the base station have to negotiate the spreading code
>> used for each session.  If you can eavesdrop on that negotiation, you
>> _can_ predict the frequency hops, rendering it 'trivial' to track as a
>> third-party listener.

> Sure, except that the negotiation is typically performed by the base
> and handset via a wired connection OR at extremely low power (since it
> only happens when they're physically connected)

What happens if you turn the handset off, then back on, when it is
_out_ of the base?

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

From: Dan Oldenburg <washpost@telecom-digest.org>
Subject: Last Laugh! Bitch Dog Gets Cable Subscription
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 14:19:23 -0600


http:// washingtonpost.com

Demonizing the Customer
Some Company Help Staffs Disdain the People They Serve

By Don Oldenburg
Washington Post Staff Writer

Find yourself muttering the "I'm mad as hell and not going to take it
anymore" consumer mantra more often lately? Since misery loves
company, check out this bizarre episode from the Customer Service
Encounters of the Worst Kind folder. It's a case about one company
even misery may have trouble loving.

When LaChania Govan couldn't get her cable-TV's digital recorder
working, the 25-year-old working mother complained to Comcast Corp.,
her cable company. More than 40 times over four weeks she phoned
Comcast's customer-service department asking for help. "Calling
Comcast became my second job," says the Elgin, Ill., consumer. "I had
to ensure the cordless phone was fully charged and the kids were
content -- and I sat and called, I cooked and called, I cleaned and
called, and just called."

Govan says she was disconnected repeatedly, transferred to the
Spanish-speaking customer queue (not her language), put on hold,
transferred to technicians who didn't have a clue, "and so on and so
on."

Eventually she reached a "savior," that gem of a service rep everyone
hopes to reach. The rep sent a technician to replace Govan's cable box
at no charge and credited Govan with a month of service.

Case closed, right? If only. When Govan's next monthly Comcast bill
arrived in the mail, it was addressed to "Bitch Dog." Go ahead, rub
your eyes in disbelief, then read again. Govan says her initial
reaction was "come on, you have to be kidding me!" Then, she felt
"shocked and appalled," she says.

The Chicago Tribune scooped the story in mid-August, and follow-ups
have appeared in the Trib, the Associated Press, MSNBC and
elsewhere. Govan's case has become something of a cause clbre bringing
to a head the rage consumers increasingly feel toward inept and
uncaring customer service -- and now vice versa.

"The demonization of customers is not an uncommon or rare event, but
getting caught demonizing the customer as this company did is really
rare," says Scott M. Broetzmann, president of Customer Care
Measurement & Consulting, which recently released its annual Customer
Rage Survey (see the Oct. 30 column, " 'Service' That's Anything
But").

Customer service personnel commonly "ventilate" about customers they
deal with all day, he says, but seldom to the customer's face. When
one of his clients held sensitivity training for its customer-service
employees, asking them to draw pictures of their customers, most of
the drawings were "hideous, grotesque," he says. There's even a Web
site called http://Customerssuck.com (slogan: "The customer is never
right!")  where "frontline retail types" tell their horror stories.

"It's a high-stress job," says Broetzmann, not making excuses, just
stating the fact.

Govan, you should know, is a customer-service rep herself. She works
for a credit card company and has been in the business for six
years. That training helped keep her from flying off the hook through
the incident. When you hear what she thinks customer service ought to
be about, you may wonder why Comcast doesn't hire her. Customer
service "means to me being friendly, helpful and respectful," says
Govan. "I know how it feels to be a customer service rep and [to be] a
consumer on the other end. You do not have to settle for less, and you
do not have to be mistreated."

To Comcast's credit, the supervisor to whom Govan first told the story
was aghast, offered her two months of free service and promised to
investigate.  When the initial story ran in the Trib, a Comcast
executive left an apology on Govan's answering machine. In a later
conversation with Govan, he apologized again and offered six months'
free service to make amends -- which Govan has refused. Comcast, she
says, "has to accept the fact that they have humiliated me, not just
by the bill" but by the fact that people associate her with this
story. "It affects everyone around me and my children."

Comcast reportedly fired two customer-service employees connected to
the incident and changed rules to allow only supervisors to change
customer names on billings.

"This goes beyond losing your temper and saying something you wish you
kept to yourself," says Cheryl Reed, spokeswoman for Consumers for
Cable Choice Inc. (CCC), an Indianapolis alliance of consumers,
advocacy groups and other organizations founded in June to promote
fair prices, choices and better service in the cable TV marketplace.

Inspired by Govan's story, CCC last month launched the
http://MyCableNightmare.com Web site as a consumer grievance forum
encouraging cable customers to voice their frustrations.

"We're not anti-cable, we're anti- bad cable," says Reed, adding that
Govan's story and those on the site are indicative of an industry
problem -- no competition in cable, video and broadband services is
why cable's prices are skyrocketing and customer service is hitting
rock bottom. "Consumers need a better deal, and competition by its
very nature will give them a better deal."

But one disclosure is needed: When CCC got started last summer, it
received a $75,000 start-up grant from Verizon Communications Inc., a
telephone company that has a vested interest in promoting changes in
regulations to open the cable marketplace to competition.

"We are quite open that we have accepted industry funding," says Reed,
adding that 38 member groups and organizations also supply
support. "We don't care who provides the competition that will give
consumers a better product and better price ... but we're passionate
about having competition."

Got questions or comments? A consumer complaint? A helpful tip? E-mail
details toconsumer@washpost.comor write to Don Oldenburg, The Washington
Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. Because of the volume of
mail, personal replies are not always possible.


Copyright 2005 The Washington Post Company

NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the
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End of TELECOM Digest V24 #524
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