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Subject: TELECOM Digest V23 #168

TELECOM Digest     Wed, 7 Apr 2004 16:55:00 EDT    Volume 23 : Issue 168

Inside This Issue:                            Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Book Review: "Cybersquatters Beware", Chantelle Newhook (Rob Slade)
    SS7 MSU and SIF (marzi)
    Re: Cell Phones Exceed Land Lines in Maine (Jack Hamilton)
    Re: Skype is Not Hype (Jack Hamilton)
    Re: RJ11 Line 1/2 Splitter - Do These Still Exist? (DevilsPGD)
    Re: Voiceglo Chooses Terremark's NAP of the Americas (Len S.)
    Re: Philly Area Miliwatt (1004 Hz) Test Number Needed (Tony P.)
    Re: Walmart Mix Up Balancing Credit Cards Causes Major Hassle (Leighton)
    Re: Walmart Mix Up Balancing Credit Cards Causes Major Hassle (Wesrock)
    Re: Walmart Mix Up Balancing Credit Cards Causes Major Hassle (J Kelly)
    Re: Radio Signals (Carl Moore)
    ACLU Suit (was Re: David Nelson) (Carl Moore)
    Advice on Choice of Career (Chris Kinney)
    MS in Telecommunications Management Program, Oklahoma State (Boyington)
    User Request for PTSN Information (Charles Gray)
    Norvergence in the News. Again? Yes Again!  (Benjamin)

All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the
individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other
journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are
included in the fair use quote.  By using -any name or email address-
included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article
herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the
email.

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

Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be
sold or given away without explicit written consent.  Chain letters,
viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome.

We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we
are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because
we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands
against crime.   Geoffrey Welsh

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

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

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

From: Rob Slade <rslade@sprint.ca>
Organization: Vancouver Institute for Research into User 
Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 08:19:09 -0800
Subject: Book Review: "Cybersquatters Beware", Chantelle MacDonald Newhook


BKCYBSQT.RVW   20031118

"Cybersquatters Beware", Chantelle MacDonald Newhook, 2002,
0-07-090579-7, U$19.95/C$24.99
%A   Chantelle MacDonald Newhook chantelle@disputewinners.com
%C   300 Water Street, Whitby, Ontario   L1N 9B6
%D   2002
%G   0-07-090579-7
%I   McGraw-Hill Ryerson/Osborne
%O   U$19.95/C$24.99 905-430-5000 800-565-5758 fax: 905-430-5020
%O   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0070905797/robsladesinterne
     http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0070905797/robsladesinte-21
%O   http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0070905797/robsladesin03-20
%P   290 p.
%T   "Cybersquatters Beware"

The introduction talks about branding, and the fact that companies can
do it very inexpensively on the Internet.  Chapter one explains
trademarks, as well as the domain name system.  The Uniform Domain
name dispute Resolution Process (UDRP) is outlined in chapter two
(along with other similar mechanisms), and key elements necessary to
winning a dispute are noted.

Successive chapters present a number of cases involving different
types of principals and principles: companies (in three), institutions
and individuals (in four), celebrities (five), sex (six), complaints
and comments (in seven), generic names (eight), and an amalgam, in
chapter nine, of airlines, banks, wineries, and other companies that
have not prepared for the disputes.  Chapter ten deals with the
process of going to court with domain name disputes.  Trends and
indications in decisions are reviewed in chapter eleven.

The book does provide a good compilation of advice on a complex and
poorly understood topic.  There is one proviso: the text frequently
makes the point that the race is not always to the justified, nor the
legal battle to the prepared.  However, as current wisdom has it, the
prepared side is the one to bet on.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 2003   BKCYBSQT.RVW   20031118


======================  (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade@vcn.bc.ca      slade@victoria.tc.ca      rslade@sun.soci.niu.edu
      Where are we going?  And why are we in this hand basket?
http://victoria.tc.ca/techrev    or    http://sun.soci.niu.edu/~rslade

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

From: maurizio_marzotti@yahoo.it (marzi)
Subject: SS7 MSU and SIF
Date: 7 Apr 2004 06:56:03 -0700
Organization: http://groups.google.com


Hi All,

I'm not so much used to SS7.

I've a following question:

If the number of MSU tx or RX is zero in a quarter, how many sif/sio
can I expect into the same period?  I suppose zero, is it correct?

Thanks in advance,

Maurizio

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

From: Jack Hamilton <jfh@acm.org>
Subject: Re: Cell Phones Exceed Land Lines in Maine
Date: Tue, 06 Apr 2004 22:19:54 -0700
Organization: Copyright (c) 2004 by Jack Hamilton.  
Reply-To: jfh@acm.org


johnl@iecc.com (John R. Levine) wrote:

>> Cell phone subscribers in the state now exceed the number of Verizon
>> telephone lines running into Maine homes, according to spokesman
>> Peter Reilly.

> Verizon is not the only landline telco in Maine.  There are plenty of
> independents.  I would be surprised if there were more cell phones
> than landlines, since in large parts of rural Maine, your cell phone
> just plain doesn't work.

But rural areas, by definition, are not heavily populated, so there
wouldn't be many landlines in rural Maine either.

Cell phone access doesn't matter for tourists and visitors -- if you go
somewhere there's no cell phone coverage, you can't have a landline
installed in your car.


Jack Hamilton
jfh@acm.org


In the end, more than they wanted freedom, they wanted comfort and
security.  And in the end, they lost it all - freedom, comfort and
security.  Edward Gibbons

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

From: Jack Hamilton <jfh@acm.org>
Subject: Re: Skype is Not Hype
Date: Tue, 06 Apr 2004 22:25:12 -0700
Organization: Copyright (c) 2004 by Jack Hamilton. 
Reply-To: jfh@acm.org


VOIP News <voip news> wrote:

> [Comment: Above and beyond the problems with Skype described in this
> article, my opinion is that any service that relies on the computer's
> audio circuitry will not be around for long.  The reason is that for
> optimal sound quality, both ends really need to use a headset -
> otherwise you get audio feedback loops from speakers to microphone.
> But in order to use a headset, you have to disconnect your speakers
> and standalone microphone (if any) from your computer's sound system.

No, you need to disconnect only the speakers.  There won't be any
feedback into a standalone microphone if the sound is coming through a
headset.  If you use a headset anyway because you want better sound
than comes through the cheap speakers that came with your computer, or
you don't want to disturb the neighbors, there's no expense except the
microphone.

> And even if you somehow work around that, if you let your computer
> play streaming audio or background music while you work, you have to
> shut that down every time you take a call.

Which would be the polite thing to do during a call in any case.


Jack Hamilton
jfh@acm.org

In the end, more than they wanted freedom, they wanted comfort and
security.  And in the end, they lost it all - freedom, comfort and
security.  Edward Gibbons

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

From: DevilsPGD <lalalaNOSPAM@crazyhat.net>
Subject: Re: RJ11 Line 1/2 Splitter - Do These Still Exist?
Organization: EasyNews, UseNet made Easy!
Date: Wed, 07 Apr 2004 07:12:23 GMT


In message <<telecom23.166.1@telecom-digest.org>> Alex
<alex@totallynerd.com> did ramble:

> Does anyone know of a supplier that still produces or sells these
> splitters?  I'm not talking about a y-splitter where one analog line
> is split to two, but one that physically splits the two pairs of
> lines.

I picked up a couple from Radio Shack a few weeks ago.  Alternatively,
it's fairly simple to wire your own if you have access to a cable
crimping tool, or happen to see a telco employee making a service call
and you have $10 you want to part with.


HAM AND EGGS: A day's work for a chicken; A lifetime commitment for a pig

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

From: lens_world@www.com (Len S.)
Subject: Re: Voiceglo Chooses Terremark's NAP of the Americas
Date: 7 Apr 2004 02:02:00 -0700
Organization: http://groups.google.com


Buyer beware with Glophone ...

The Glophone, webphone can be very troublesome.

Tech support doesn't appear to know how to sort out problems as I've
had a problem with a paid account that they have not been able to
resolve - basically blocking me from using what I paid for.

Non-Refundable Payments (or Donations to Glophone)

The T's & C's stipulate that your payment for the service (aside from
the equipment purchases) is non-refundable.  I'm assuming this
includes your "pre-payment" as well.

If you're unsatisfied, well ... it would be nice if they thanked you for
your donation.

Proceed at your own risk ... and read the T's & C's better than I did (I
would not have signed up if I read this).

Is this another technology that won't fly because it cannot deliver?

L

VOIP News wrote in message news:<telecom23.134.3@telecom-digest.org>:

> http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040322005116&newsLang=en

> March 22, 2004 08:30 AM US Eastern Timezone 

> Voiceglo Chooses Terremark's NAP of the Americas as Connectivity Hub
> for Its Global VoIP Infrastructure

> [Comment: One thing you will find about this list is that when I see
> false and misleading statements in corporate propaganda, I will have
> no hesitation to call your attention to them.  Thus is the case here -
> I know of at least two other providers that can be used over dial-up
> connections, though I do not believe that either officially supports
> them, probably because dial-up connections are sort of like Forrest
> Gump's box of chocolates ... you never know what you're gonna get,
> and some dial-up connections are doubtless too slow to support even
> the highest compression codecs.

> But, Packet8 has let it be known that their service can work over a
> dial-up connection, and VoicePulse's low bandwidth setting (available
> only to customers with the newer Sipura SPA-2000 adapters) would also
> work over dial-up, providing the customer has enough savvy to set up
> Internet Connection Sharing.  So VoiceGlo's assertion in this press
> release that "Among all of the proven VoIP providers, Voiceglo's
> technology is the only one that permits use with dial-up connections"
> is simply not a factual statement. They *may* offer somewhat better
> performance over dial-up than the others, although personally I'd even
> have some doubts about that, but they certainly are not the "only
> one."]

> Full story at:
> http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040322005116&newsLang=en

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

From: Tony P. <kd1s@nospamplease.verizon.reallynospam.net>
Subject: Re: Philly Area Miliwatt (1004 Hz) Test Number Needed
Organization: ATCC
Date: Wed, 07 Apr 2004 03:57:15 GMT


In article <telecom23.166.3@telecom-digest.org>, tgdyar@sbcglobal.net 
says:

> I posted this message on comp.dcom.telecom.tech with no luck so I thought
> I'd try here.

> My daughter lives in a very old row house in the Philadelphia area and
> the inside wiring is a mess.  I live in CT but on my next visit to her
> I want to bring down my telephone test set and check out the inside
> wiring to find out what needs fixing.  She's already determined, using
> the NIC, that the problem is not with the tel line coming in.

> Since I'm from CT I need the local number there, nearest to 215-887 to
> get the 1004 hz, miliwatt, test tone.

> Contact me direct if you don't want to divulge this to the world.

Why not just buy a cheap toner off of ebay? From the description you're 
giving I'd say this is what you're trying to accomplish, tracing of a 
line. 

Even a new one is < $50.00. 

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: He does not even really need to do that
much. Just attach a good battery or a little pocket size radio at the
demarc (less the working phone line of course) then go up and down
the line with a buttset or receiver listening for the radio or the
battery. There is nothing sacred about the 1004 hz tone signal.  PAT]

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

From: hudsonl@skypoint.com (Hudson Leighton)
Subject: Re: Walmart Mix Up Balancing Credit Cards Causes Major Hassle
Date: Tue, 06 Apr 2004 22:47:42 -0500
Organization: MRRP


> At the end of the day, the whole batch of transactions is sent as a
> "financial" to the network.  There is a vast sort/merge, and the
> rebatched transactions are sent on to the issuers.  The net payments
> are made overnight, and that's when the merchants get their money.
> The blocked amounts are reinstated to the accounts, and the real
> transaction amounts are deducted from each account.  (It can happen
> that the authorized amount and the transaction amount differ.)

OK, this explains what happens when I push the close button 
on the credit card machine at the end of the day.


-Hudson

http://www.skypoint.com/~hudsonl

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

From: Wesrock@aol.com
Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 09:58:03 EDT
Subject: Re: Walmart Mix Up Balancing Credit Cards Causes Major Hassle


johnl@iecc.com (John R. Levine) wrote:

> Now that you mention it, the Bank of America isn't the Bank of America
> any more, either.  In 1998 it was absorbed by Nationsbank, an
> aggressive east coast bank, which renamed the combined entity to Bank
> of America because the name was so well known.

        Well, as an "east coast" bank it already had a strong presence
in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, and I am sure many other states nowhere
near the east coast, so while its headquarters is in Charlotte, N.C.,
its acquisitions had made it much more diverse.

> Now Bank of America-Nationsbank is absorbing Fleet Bank, a regional
> bank in the northeast which had already vacuumed up a lot of banks
> in New York and New England, with the whole mess to be called Bank
> of America.  So the old San Francisco bank is still in there
> somewhere, but there's a whole lot of other stuff as well.

        Didn't the name Fleet Bank cease to exist earlier this week
when the acquisition was complete?  That is, I think it is all now B
of A.

        In Texas, both B of A and NationsBank had branches.  When
NationsBank acquired B of A (renaming itself B of A), the old B of A
branches simply became Texas branches of the combined bank, no longer
distinguishable separately as part of the San Francisco operation.
That was probably true most places.

Steven J Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> wrote:

> BTW, I thought BofA was still headquartered in SFO too, until very
> recently.  I learned that when they merged with NationsBank
> (headquartered in Charlotte), Charlotte became the headquarters for
> the merged company.

       NationsBank, headquarted in Charlotte, *bought* B of A, and
apparently had never considered moving its headquarters.

Graeme Thomas <notchur.biz> wrote:

> The decision on whether to use a signature-based system or a PIN-based
> system is done by the card issuer.  You can have PIN-based credit
> cards, or signature-based debit cards, although I admit both are rarer
> than the other way around.

      In the U.S.A. many, probably most, banks issue a card bearing
either the Visa or M.C. logo and the bank's logo.  The customer can
choose whether to use the signature method or the PIN method.  (And
the merchant can decide whether to accept such cards using the
signature method.  Some merchants -- led by Wal-Mart -- won an anti-trust
suit against Visa and MasterCard to void the portion of the merchant
contract requiring them to route all such transactions through Visa or
M.C. at much higher transaction charges for the signature method.)


Wes Leatherock
wesrock@aol.com

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: We have a very nice branch of Bank of
America here in town, at Penn and Locust Street. The lady told me they
have checking accounts at no charge for old people as long as their
social security money is on direct deposit to that bank. I've thought
about moving my account over there from Commerce National Bank, but
Commerce is much closer to my house and has a 24 hour drive through
auto teller I can use.  PAT]

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

From: J Kelly <jkelly@newsguy.com>
Subject: Re: Walmart Mix Up Balancing Credit Cards Causes Major Hassle
Date: Wed, 07 Apr 2004 09:56:12 -0500
Organization: http://newsguy.com
Reply-To: jkelly@newsguy.com


On Wed, 7 Apr 2004 00:02:13 +0100, Graeme Thomas <notchur.biz> wrote:

> The way it typically works is as follows.  When you buy something, the
> card terminal sends a AUTHREQ (authorization request) to the
> merchant's acquiring institution.  The message is then routed through
> the appropriate network to the issuing bank, who check to see if there
> are sufficient funds in the account.  The amount of the transaction is
> blocked in the account, which means that it's still there, but spoken
> for.  The acknowledgement is sent back, by the same route, to the
> merchant.  If everything is OK, there will be a 6-digit authorization
> code on the slip.

I'm curious about "blocking".  Does anyone know what happens if I call
a hotel and reserve a room for sometime in the future, say six months,
and I use a debit card to guarantee the room, do they generally block
your card for the amount of that room?  Or do they not do anything
with you card number until check in time.  I only have a debit card
and I have an aversion to using it for hotel reservations, but maybe I
shouldn't be concerened about it.  I have used my PayPal debit card at
check-in time and they blocked 5 days worth of the room cost to it at
that time.  They did not unblock it when I paid the total at the end of
the week, only charged the final amount.  The blocked charge "falls
off" the PayPal card after 10 days if it isn't finalized by the
merchant.

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

Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 13:31:57 EDT
From: Carl Moore <cmoore@ARL.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: Re: Radio Signals


Responding to a Nov. 2002 message: I have had cases where KYW
(Philadelphia news-radio, 1060 AM) got bounced to me in Michigan,
Ohio, West Virginia, and North Carolina.

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I've never heard KYW do that, but I do
on rare occassion get WLS (890 AM) from Chicago here in Independence
and I used to get KOA out of Denver a lot in Chicago. And when WAIT
(820 AM) in Chicago used to be a daytime only station, as soon as they
flipped the switch at night a station out of Toronto (CJ-something)
used to boom in almost every night. Here in Independence almost
nightly, in addition to KOA (Denver) we also hear some *very loud*
rock station out of Calgary, Alberta. We *used to get* WGN (720 AM)
out of Chicago here in Indy 24 hours it seems until the Cuban people
parked on that frequency and drove them away. Now 720 AM is just
heterodyne, 24 hours per day.  Radio signals are funny creatures.

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

Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 13:52:41 EDT
From: Carl Moore <cmoore@ARL.ARMY.MIL>
Subject: ACLU Suit (was Re: David Nelson)


I see a story today that the American Civil Liberties Union
has filed suit against the Transportation Security Administration
over "no-fly" list.  Among the people brought together in the suit
was a 34-year-old lawyer David Nelson from Belleville, Illinois.
It mentions " he's not the David Nelson the government believes
is a threat", and I don't know just what threat is posed by
someone called David Nelson.

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Poor David Nelson. One of them is the
son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson; they were such good parents, I wonder
where they went wrong with David or how he got in so much trouble, if
that's the one the government is after. Wouldn't it be wild if the
troublesome one (in the government's opinion) was not David Nelson at
all, but just some guy who chose that name for an alias. People are
always picking on John Smith (yes, there is such a real person, only
about ten million of them) in the same way. I wonder why our government
does not regard John Smith as a trouble maker also. Oh, come to think
of it, I imagine they do, at least until the first Tuesday in November
when 'they' get kicked out -- *on their ass* !   PAT]

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

From: chris_kinney@hotmail.com (Chris Kinney)
Subject: Advice on Choice of Careers
Date: 6 Apr 2004 21:16:26 -0700
Organization: http://groups.google.com


I am considering a career in this particular field and you wonder if
anyone in the group has some helpful hints or suggestions for you.

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well for a career in telecommunications
you need to start with an education in same, and one I can strongly
recommend is the Master's Degree program at Oklahoma State University.
OSU is now a sponsor here at the Digest, and I am beginning now to 
get their stuff on line on our web site and the Digest. In a message
in this issue of the Digest, Jay Boyington of OSU tells a bit about
their program.  PAT]

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

Subject: MS in Telecommunications Management program, Oklahoma State, on
From: Jay Boyington <jboying@okstate.edu>
Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 12:48:44 -0500


Mr. Townson,

You'll find the content below. Please let me know if you have any
comments or questions. Thanks again for your time and assistance.

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

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

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

Jay Boyington
Assistant Director
MS in Telecommunications Management
102 Gundersen Hall
Stillwater, OK 74078
405-744-9000, Fax 405-744-7474
www.mstm.okstate.edu

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thank you very much, Mr. Boyington, and
welcome aboard. I especially appreciate the efforts of Charles Gray
of your faculty connecting us together. PAT]

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

Subject: User Request for PSTN Info
From: Charles G Gray <graycg@okstate.edu>
Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 13:49:20 -0500


Pat, I cc:d you on this when I first sent it, but the attachment was
too big.  This was in response to a request a few days back for
information on the public phone network.

I saw your request for info in the Telecom Digest.  I teach at Oklahoma 
State University in the master of science in telecommunications management 
(MSTM) program.  One of my classes is Telecommunications Industry 
Overview, where I give students the "50,000 foot view" - really a 
broad-brush approach.  I have one session on the PSTN and switching.  I 
will attach the PowerPoint slides that I use in that class for your 
information.  If you choose to use them in any way other than personal, 
please credit the Okla State Univ MSTM Program, and my copyright.  BTW, 
they are just plain black and white.  I usually have some distance 
learning students, and lots of flashy graphics or color slows down their 
connections.  I just try to keep it simple.


Regards,

Charles G. Gray
Senior Lecturer, Telecommunications
Oklahoma State University - Tulsa
(918)594-8433


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note:  Mr. Gray, thanks for your offer. What
I would like to do is put your pictures, charts and slides in the
Telecom Archives if you wish to share them. The reason your email 
failed due to size was because prior to all the spam and virus 
attacks I used to get things of various sizes in email. MIT agreed 
with me to begin limiting telecom email to fifty thousand bytes to
cut back on the multi-mb and multi-gig spam and viruses that were
rolling in each day. Now instead, I get much spam and viruses daily
but only 49,999 bytes or less long. Not so unweildy, and easier to do
battle with.  You have my other address, use it to get me whatever
you wish to share with readers here. And thanks again for agreeing
to sponsor the Digest regularly.   PAT]

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

From: Benjamin <benjamin@nbfinc.com>
Subject: Norvergence in the News, Again? Yes Again!
Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 12:41:22 -0600


I have many forums and sites, giving good and bad reports of
Norvergence.  I work for one of the Banks that has been financing the
Matrix phone system.  I am just curious about Norvergence.  If you
could sent me any info that would be great thank you.


Benjamin

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Although we have had good and bad
reports here in this Digest, most of the reporting has been bad news.
I suggest you look in our archives http://telecom-digest.org at the
'reports' and 'technical' sections. Under the reports, look at the
files on Norvergence, where there are, among other items a paper on
Norvergence claiming fraud with the Matrix box. Also you may wish to
look through the *recent* back issues files of this Digest (same
area, see the back issues section) and scan for 'Norvergence' for a
few dozen more messages in the recent past. Perhaps a careful study
of our archives will help your bank detirmine how to continue with
its financing plans for Norvergence. You're welcome, and please feel
free to report any decisions you make, etc, if you consider it
anyone's business here. If its notchur.biz that's  cool also.   PAT]

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

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
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      a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system
      for archives files. You can get desired files in email.

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*   TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from                  *
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End of TELECOM Digest V23 #168
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