From editor@telecom-digest.org Mon Jan 12 13:39:02 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p2/8.11.3) id i0CId2P18980; Mon, 12 Jan 2004 13:39:02 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 13:39:02 -0500 (EST) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200401121839.i0CId2P18980@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Approved: patsnewlist Subject: TELECOM Digest V23 #18 TELECOM Digest Mon, 12 Jan 2004 13:39:00 EST Volume 23 : Issue 18 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Telecom Update (Canada) #415, January 12, 2004 (Angus TeleManagement) Students' Data on Web, and N.Y.U. on Defensive (Monty Solomon) Leaving Dial-Up Business, Microsoft Aims MSN.com at Yahoo (M. Solomon) Re: Verizon DSL - Idiots (Steven J Sobol) Re: Verizon DSL - Idiots (Kilo Delta One Sierra) "Superman TV" and Telephones (Lisa Hancock) Re: Caller ID and Spying??? (Paul Vader) Re: More on NANP Numbering Compared to Europe (BV124@aol.com) Re: More on NANP Numbering Compared to Europe (Bob Goudreau) Re: Automated Attendant Systems (Jake Dempsey) ATT Slams Again (jdj) 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 is 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 10:22:25 -0500 From: Angus TeleManagement Subject: Telecom Update (Canada) #415, January 12, 2004 ************************************************************ TELECOM UPDATE ************************************************************ published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group http://www.angustel.ca Number 415: January 12, 2003 Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous financial support from: ** ALLSTREAM: www.allstream.com ** BELL CANADA: www.bell.ca ** CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA: www.cisco.com/ca ** CYGCOM INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGIES: www.cygcom.com ** GROUP TELECOM: www.360.net ** JUNIPER NETWORKS: www.juniper.net ** PRIMUS CANADA: www.primustel.ca ** SPRINT CANADA: www.sprint.ca ** TELUS: www.telus.com ************************************************************ IN THIS ISSUE: ** Primus Launches Local VoIP Service ** Vonage Partners With 360 ** Telus Workers Hold Second Strike Vote ** Spectrum Auction to Start February 9 ** Bernard Courtois to Head ITAC ** Quebecor Takes Back Videotron Telecom ** SaskTel Unveils Network Spending Plans ** RIM Prepares $900 Million Stock Issue ** Class Actions Against BCE/BCI Dismissed ** Nortel Wins Verizon VoIP Deal ** Rogers Wireless Shows Gains in 4Q Subscribers ** Bell Must Negotiate Over Buyouts ** Avotus to Buy Bill Management Developer ** Canada-Vietnam VoIP Service Planned ** Motorola Adopts Certicom Wireless Security ** C-Com Wins Mideast Contract for Satellite Gear ** Telemanagement Online Available Now ============================================================ PRIMUS LAUNCHES LOCAL VoIP SERVICE: Primus Telecommunications Canada has begun providing local residential telephone service over high-speed Internet connections. TalkBroadband offers Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Hamilton, Calgary, Edmonton, or Vancouver local numbers, but is available anywhere in Canada. ** Prices range from $19.95 to $34.95 a month, depending on the option package. The service can be bundled with special long distance packages, including unlimited Canada/U.S. calling for $20 a month. ** TalkBroadband does not yet provide E911 service. Primus hopes to offer it soon, within a given number's home calling area. VONAGE PARTNERS WITH 360: Telecom Update has learned that U.S. VoIP provider Vonage will work with Group Telecom/ 360networks to offer its service in Canada later this year. Vonage will retail the consumer offering; 360networks will provide switching and transmission infrastructure and Canadian telephone numbers. TELUS WORKERS HOLD SECOND STRIKE VOTE: The conciliation process between Telus and 10,700 members of the Telecommunications Workers Union ends today. The TWU is holding a strike vote, and a legal strike or lockout is possible February 3. (See Telecom Update #358, 412) SPECTRUM AUCTION TO START FEBRUARY 9: The 2.3/3.5 GHz spectrum auction, originally announced for January, is now scheduled to begin on February 9. Twenty applicants have already qualified as bidders; another five are pending. Deposits total about $40 Million. http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/insmt-gst.nsf/vwGeneratedInterE/sf08115e.html BERNARD COURTOIS TO HEAD ITAC: Bernard Courtois, who retired as Bell Canada Executive Counsel last month, has been named President and CEO of the Information Technology Association of Canada. He replaces Bill Bergen, the former Oracle Canada executive who left the ITAC post after only a few months in office. QUEBECOR TAKES BACK VIDEOTRON TELECOM: Quebecor Media has bought back the Carlyle Group shares of Videotron Telecom, in a deal worth about $125 million. A company representative told reporters that Videotron was now considering offering residential telephone service but had not made a final decision. SASKTEL UNVEILS NETWORK SPENDING PLANS: SaskTel says it will spend $121 million in 2004 to maintain and upgrade its network. Plans include expanding digital cellular coverage to 94% of the population and building an IP network that can support voice and Centrex-like features. RIM PREPARES $900 MILLION STOCK ISSUE: Research In Motion has announced plans to sell nine million shares, worth about $900 million at current prices. RIM says the funds will go to R&D, expansion, and possible acquisitions. ** Nextel, a U.S. cellco, has launched RIM's BlackBerry 7510, which combines BlackBerry's e-mail and PDA features with Nextel's iDen push-to-talk wireless service. iDen is offered in Canada by Telus under the brand name Mike. CLASS ACTIONS AGAINST BCE/BCI DISMISSED: The Ontario Superior Court has dismissed two $1-billion class action lawsuits brought by shareholders in Bell Canada International, a BCE subsidiary that is winding up operations. (See Telecom Update #351, 398) NORTEL WINS VERIZON VoIP DEAL: Verizon Communications, the largest U.S. phone company, says it will sign a five-year contract with Nortel Networks to evolve its national network to packet switching technology. Analysts estimate the value of the deal at US$5 Billion. ROGERS WIRELESS SHOWS GAINS IN 4Q SUBSCRIBERS: Rogers Wireless gained a net 172,700 subscribers in the fourth quarter, 14% more than during the same period in 2002. Monthly disconnects (postpaid) fell to 1.99%. ** Rogers Cable added 35,400 Internet subscribers (22% fewer than a year ago) bringing its total to 790,500. BELL MUST NEGOTIATE OVER BUYOUTS: The Canada Industrial Relations Board has confirmed that Bell Canada cannot offer "Voluntary Separation Packages" to employees without consulting their union, the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada. Bell had asked the Board to reconsider the ruling, made last year. AVOTUS TO BUY BILL MANAGEMENT DEVELOPER: Avotus Corporation, a Mississauga-based telecom management company, has signed a letter of intent to buy Formity Systems, a New Jersey company that develops communications expense management software. CANADA-VIETNAM VoIP SERVICE PLANNED: Montreal-based Can-Tel VoIP Enterprise, which describes itself as "a Canadian company of Vietnamese origin," says it will soon introduce prepaid calling card programs targeting Vietnamese and other Asian communities across Canada. MOTOROLA ADOPTS CERTICOM WIRELESS SECURITY: Motorola says its A760 smartphone will utilize Virtual Private Network technology from Certicom, a Mississauga-based supplier of wireless security. C-COM WINS MIDEAST CONTRACT FOR SATELLITE GEAR: Ottawa-based C-Com Satellite Systems has signed an agreement with a Kuwait reseller for distribution of its mobile antenna platform across the Middle East. TELEMANAGEMENT ONLINE AVAILABLE NOW! As promised, Angus Telemanagement Group today launches a premium service that gives Telemanagement subscribers exclusive online access to current and past issues of Telemanagement, Editorials, On the Line columns, feature reports, and more. ** Special Charter Subscriber rates are being offered for a limited time. For full details, go to www.angustel.ca/teleman/tm-sub-online.html. ============================================================ HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR TELECOM UPDATE E-MAIL: editors@angustel.ca FAX: 905-686-2655 MAIL: TELECOM UPDATE Angus TeleManagement Group 8 Old Kingston Road Ajax, Ontario Canada L1T 2Z7 =========================================================== HOW TO SUBSCRIBE (OR UNSUBSCRIBE) TELECOM UPDATE is provided in electronic form only. There are two formats available: 1. The fully-formatted edition is posted on the World Wide Web on the first business day of the week at www.angustel.ca 2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to: join-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com To stop receiving the e-mail edition, send an e-mail message to: leave-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com Sending e-mail to these addresses will automatically add or remove the sender's e-mail address from the list. Leave subject line and message area blank. We do not give Telecom Update subscribers' e-mail addresses to any third party. For more information, see www.angustel.ca/update/privacy.html. =========================================================== COPYRIGHT AND CONDITIONS OF USE: All contents copyright 2003 Angus TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further information, including permission to reprint or reproduce, please e-mail rosita@angustel.ca or phone 905-686-5050 ext 500. 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. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 00:41:53 -0500 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Students' Data on Web, and N.Y.U. on Defensive By KAREN W. ARENSON Three years ago, when Brian Frank entered New York University, he signed up for intramural basketball, providing his name and his university identification number, which was also his Social Security number. Yesterday morning, Mr. Frank, who is now a senior, learned from N.Y.U. that these details had been posted on the Internet. He was among about 1,800 N.Y.U. students who received the same e-mail notification from the university. In some cases, students' phone numbers were posted, too. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/10/nyregion/10identity.html ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 01:28:03 -0500 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Retreating From Dial-Up Business, Microsoft Aims MSN.com at Yahoo Retreating From Dial-Up Business, Microsoft Aims MSN.com at Yahoo By JOHN MARKOFF Microsoft said yesterday that it was repositioning its money-losing MSN Internet service operation to compete more directly with Yahoo's personalized Web portal and America Online's broadband premium service. At the same time, it is planning a new MSN premium service, priced at $9.95 monthly and modeled after Apple Computer's .Mac Internet-based customer support service. The strategy shift was announced by Microsoft's chairman, Bill Gates, in a speech in Las Vegas on the opening night of the annual Consumer Electronics Show. The shift represents a concession by Microsoft, which has invested billions trying to unseat America Online as the leading Internet service provider. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/08/technology/08soft.html ------------------------------ From: Steven J Sobol Subject: Re: Verizon DSL - Idiots Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 00:00:35 -0600 Joe@nospancity.com wrote: > If the web site tests the line and says it's eligible why not place > the order on-line so you don't have to deal with the "morons." You still have to deal with them. The simple solution is to find a reputable ISP that resells Verizon that will be willing to deal with Verizon when (not if) they screw up. The trick is never to deal with the telco directly. Or you can just do what I did, and get cable. JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services 22674 Motnocab Road * Apple Valley, CA 92307-1950 Steve Sobol, Geek In Charge * 888.480.4NET (4638) * sjsobol@JustThe.net ------------------------------ From: kd1s@aol.comremvthis (Kilo Delta One Sierra) Date: 12 Jan 2004 14:34:20 GMT Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Subject: Re: Verizon DSL - Idiots > If the web site tests the line and says it's eligible why not place > the order on-line so you don't have to deal with the "morons." Because if I key my phone number into the web site -- it says it IS NOT available. If I put another number in from same building, same cable it say sit is. And dslreports.com shows me roughly 6000 feet from the CO. ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com (Lisa Hancock) Subject: "Superman TV" and Telephones Date: 12 Jan 2004 07:01:25 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com I saw an old episode of the TV "Superman" (mid 50s) and noticed how today's phones would've made a difference. First, the bad guys following Lois had to choose between following her (or let her get away) or calling some associates. The debated this and finally chose to follow Lois. On the way, they passed a drug store and one guy left the guy to use the phone in there. Obviously no cell phones then. But today, how many drugstores have payphones in them? Back then it was something normal (our local drugstore had a phonebooth in the back, complete with a seat, light, and adjustable fan, and we often used it.) Second, when Lois Lane arrived home at her apartment, she didn't stop to check her ans machine for messages, as everyone does today. I'll bet a great many old TV shows and movies had plot twists based on someone urgently trying to phone another person but couldn't reach them because they were on the road. With cell phones that's all gone. Of course back then, businesses had secretaries to take messages. Nice apartment buildings had switchboards and would take messages for the residents. ------------------------------ From: pv+usenet@pobox.com (Paul Vader) Subject: Re: Caller ID and Spying??? Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 16:42:50 -0000 Organization: Inline Software Creations desiv writes: > As far as I know, Caller ID is data sent over the phone line from the > phone company. When my mom called this lady, QWest detects that this > woman is on the phone, and forwards the call and ANI info to Callwave. > They (Callwave) then sends it to this woman's PC. So, if this my mom If this other guy was calling and trying to get past call-blocking, he might, if he was behind a PBX or on an ISDN line, reprogam the number emitted by their system. Telemarketers do this all the time, and I think the rules which make it illegal came into effect on january 1st. > Now, I'm not asking how HE did it (if he did) ... What I want to know > is how would that be possible??? Caller-ID isn't perfect, but in this particular case it looks like some sort of database corruption -- maybe this callwave thingie mixed up information from two different calls? > Something like call forwarding or transferring?? Some way someone > could monitor phone calls??? Your punctuation marks are getting to the 'wearing underwear on your head' stage. Calm down. Of all the things this *could* be, I think tracing and monitoring is the least likely by far. If someone working for a security company wanted to do that, you'd never know it was happening if they had any skills at all. * * PV something like badgers -- something like lizards -- and something like corkscrews. ------------------------------ From: BV124@aol.com Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 01:17:17 EST Subject: Re: More on NANP Numbering Compared to Europe I was given to understand that Area Code "224" was an overlay to Area Code "847". Am I wrong? [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: That may be correct, I do not know. Having washed my hands of the whole ugly scene called 'Chicago' officially in 1999 with only one very short, limited visit since, in the year 2001, I have more or less lost track of things there. If 224 is 'only' an overlay as compared to a complete change of area code once again, then I guess that is a point in favor of the widely- scattered (from Newfoundland through the mid-south Pacific Ocean) but hardly inclusive (no Mexico, no Cuba) "North American" numbering plan. Actually, I had heard somewhere (maybe an Ameritech public relations blurb) that 847 had been edged to the west, starting over around Arlington Heights/Glenview somewhere while the 'north shore' area around Glencoe, Highland Park, Evanston all 'migrated' (was forced into) 224. Maybe someone who *actually lives there* can comment. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Bob Goudreau (address withheld at reader's request) Subject: Re: More on NANP Numbering Compared to Europe Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 01:38:20 -0500 [As usual, please omit my email address. Thanks.] >> My number in Paris has remained the same for 20 years now. >> Friends of mine in the states >> have endured 3, 4 or more area code changes during this time. > I think you'll find that the number of people living in areas that > have undergone that many NPA splits is proportionally very tiny > compared to the number who have undergone no changes at all. (Mark & > Co., are there actually *any* areas at all that have undergone *four* > splits since 1984? PAT complained about having four area codes over > the years, but bear in mind that he moved to different cities at least > a couple of times, which isn't at all the same as having your number > change due to an area code split. > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I do not remember the *exact* order of > things from back when I was living in Chicago but let us take a > hypothetical person living in Evanston/Skokie, IL for thirty years or > so. They began with 312 for all of northern Illinois. Then they > went to 708 when all suburbs were split away from Chicago. Then they > would have gone to 847 when the northern suburbs were split away from > the southern/western suburbs. Now they have gone to 224 when the > northeastern suburbs were split away from the northwestern suburbs. > That would appear to be four potential area code splits in a bit over > twenty years wouldn't it? No, it would actually be three splits (one original area code and three subsequent ones caused by splits), if the above scenario were correct. But I don't think it is, because I believe that NPA 224 is actually an OVERLAY on NPA 847, and the PLs on nanpa.com seem to confirm that. Thus, anyone with an existing phone number there will at worst have undergone only two area code changes in the last almost-60 years (312 to 708 to 847), and will never have to change again until the NANP expands beyond 10 digits (which looks at least 40 years out now, if not further). Two numbering changes in a century sounds like a pretty stable numbering plan to me! Bob Goudreau Cary, NC [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: If you are going to think of it that way (only two changes in sixty years) then you should probably recall that sixty years ago, when 312 became obligitory they had been able to use just seven digits prior to having to add 1-312 to the front end of it. There was a time when even 312 was not needed. PAT] ------------------------------ From: JakeD@rosestudios.com (Jake Dempsey) Subject: Re: Automated Attendant Systems Date: 12 Jan 2004 01:44:02 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com Shameless self plug ... but the Rose Unified messaging platform may fit your bill. http://www.rosetechnologies.com/Rosetech/RoseComm/CallManager/index.htm You can give it a look see. If you want you can keep folks in menus typing passwords and pin numbers for hours. Give us a call. 425-637-2344 just hit 0 for the operator and ask for Jake or Chad. Carl Navarro wrote in message news:: > On Wed, 07 Jan 2004 02:30:33 GMT, JamminDJ > wrote: >> Hello, I am a tech consonant for a computer help desk at a mid to >> large size university. Currently all calls to the centre go through an >> initial auto attendant system, then are forwarded to dept. depending >> on need. One of these options is password change. This is all done by >> human operator right now, we take their SSN numbers and get fed a new >> password out. This becomes quite tiresome, and some higher ups have >> actually threatened to quit due to the infinite number of calls for >> change password requests. My question is, is there a piece of software >> or hardware, capable of taking a purely numeric SSN number, feeding to >> one of our mainframes, and spit out the purely alphaic password? I >> know it can be done, this is evident in the CVS 'Rapid Refill' >> system. I just wonder if there is any third party software that can do >> this, and do it at a university price. > I have never done this, but Amanda does simple comma delimited or ODBC > compliant database lookups, depending on which system you buy. Try > www.taa.com and look at Amanda @work.group or Amanda Portal. The > former is fairly inexpensive for what it does, about $2500 retail, and > the latter about $5200 for 4 port systems. > Carl Navarro >> Thank you for your time, >> Paul Miller ------------------------------ From: jdj Subject: ATT Slams Again Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 04:42:39 -0800 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Anyone want to do business with ATT? This might be of interest: Looks like ATT is indulging in more creative revenue enhancement. I was again (soft)slammed by ATT, switched again from residential to business long distance. This time, they refuse to cancel the charges. I got a business bill in October for a prorated amount of the $25.00 they charge people who do not make any long distance calls. I also got a residential bill for the same period. I called ATT "sales" and wound up with a self-proclaimed telephone expert who would not cancel the business account and who started in with the insults and innuendo almost from the start. He also betrayed his total ignorance of how LEC's operate, which he claimed to be a certified expert in, with comments like, "How do you know what the classcode is? Did you walk into the central office and check your line?" He didn't know what "switch" meant. He stumbled on "LEC", too. He really went out of his way to be as offensive as possible. I guess he was only half right--he's certifiable, at least. I got ATT to block long distance service on 6 October but ATT continued to bill until they cut off service on 21 October. The LEC had just got rid of all their experienced help and was unable to terminate the primary long distance service until 10 October. I spent approx 2.5 hours getting passed around to people who had no clue as to what to do and would not admit to it. I was an ATT customer since 1971. They can thank their "salesman" and their slamming that I and my businesses will forever have nothing to do with them. I will never recommend any of their services. I have sent a written complaint to CAPUC, as this is in CA. I noted that ATT is also charging their residential customers fees for not making long distance calls starting this month. This is the second time they have slammed me, switching from residential to business without even the courtesy of a notice. Seems like ATT is in trouble -- if they have to start slamming and charging fees to customers not making enough calls. (I wonder how their stock fares?) ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 50 Independence, KS 67301 Phone: 620-330-6774 Fax 1: 775-255-9970 Fax 2: 530-309-7234 Fax 3: 208-692-5145 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe: telecom-subscribe@telecom-digest.org Unsubscribe:telecom-unsubscribe@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal about telecomm- unications on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. We believe we are the second oldest e-zine/ mailing list on the internet in any category! 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End of TELECOM Digest V23 #18 *****************************