From editor@telecom-digest.org Mon Apr 19 00:11:01 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p2/8.11.3) id i3J4B1A11275; Mon, 19 Apr 2004 00:11:01 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2004 00:11:01 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200404190411.i3J4B1A11275@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 #192 TELECOM Digest Mon, 19 Apr 2004 00:11:00 EDT Volume 23 : Issue 192 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson PIP Data Memo: The Rise of Wireless Connectivity (Monty Solomon) Broadband Penetration on the Upswing: 55% of Adult Users (Monty Solomon) Faith Online: 64 Percent of Wired Americans Have Used Internet (Solomon) Glittery Gem Phones Lure Asia's Elite (Monty Solomon) Court Delays Phone Competition Decision (Monty Solomon) Comcast Partners With NECN, WCVB, WGBH, NESN & CN8 to Launch (M Solomon) Telecoms Struggle With Impact of Internet Calls (Monty Solomon) Cable Networks Favor Nielsen's "People Meters" (Monty Solomon) IBM Reports 2004 First-Quarter Results (Monty Solomon) Internet "Spyware" Emerges as New Online Threat (Monty Solomon) Spy Stoppers (Monty Solomon) Amazon Joins Crowded Web Search Field (Monty Solomon) Cingular New York City's New Free Mobile-To-Mobile Plan (Monty Solomon) AT&T Wireless Music Recognition Service (Monty Solomon) Re: Who is "VOIP News"? (Barry Margolin) Re: Feds: No Analog TV by '09 (jmayson@nyx.net) Interfacing Old 56 kbps T1 Devices With New T1 (jayaram) Re: AT&T Wireless Announces Aggressive New Offer (Paul Vader) Re: Spam Issues (Tom Betz) Signaling Reference (Srinidhi) Re: A-la-carte v. Tiering (was The Aftermath of DISH/Viacom)(Wesrock) Re: Skype is Not Hype (Wolfgang Keller) Re: VoIP's Broadband Bottleneck (Nick Fiekowsky) Getting Your Number Listed Deliberately (Larry Rachman) Home Wireless Networks Vulnerable (Lisa Hancock) 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 21:35:00 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: PIP Data Memo: The Rise of Wireless Connectivity PIP Data Memo: The rise of wireless connectivity and our latest findings April 13, 2004 Table of Contents: Complete data memo on wireless connectivity, e-shopping, auctions, and Internet demographics Methodology http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=121 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 21:37:45 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Broadband Penetration on the Upswing: 55% of Adult Internet Users Broadband Penetration on the Upswing: 55% of Adult Internet Users Have Broadband at Home or Work Table of Contents: 55% of adult Internet users have broadband at home or work Fast Internet connections at home Broadband use in the workplace Broadband adoption among population subgroups Factors in home broadband adoption Prospects for switching among dial-up users Availability Regional Broadband Use Online activities and broadband users Broadband users on the cutting edge Appendix http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=120 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 21:41:46 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Faith Online: 64% of Wired Americans Have Used Internet Faith Online: 64% of wired Americans have used the Internet for spiritual or religious purposes Table of Contents: Summary of Findings Part 1. Introduction Part 2. Internet uses of the "online faithful": Who are they and what do they do online? Part 3. Information-seeking about religion: looking "inside" and "outside" Part 4. Overall Internet use among those who have different reasons for faith-related online activities Part 5. Religiously-oriented Internet use among different religious and spiritual profiles Part 6. Online religious "seeking" Conclusions Methodology http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=119 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 21:52:06 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Glittery Gem Phones Lure Asia's Elite By Jennifer Tan SINGAPORE, April 19 (Reuters) - For Asia's hip and swanky, carrying a mobile phone with a cracked screen and a tatty plastic cover is tantamount to a crime against fashion. Instead, a Prada ensemble with Gucci loafers or Manolo Blahnik stilettos demands nothing less than a diamond-encrusted handset from China's TCL Mobile Communication Co Ltd or an 18-carat white gold mobile with a sapphire crystal face by Nokia (HELS:NOK1V) unit Vertu. Indonesian haute couture designer Harry Darsono, 54, carries a $26,550, 215-gram platinum Vertu cellphone to match his Lanvin shirts and Hugo Boss shoes when he entertains customers. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=41099080 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:52:44 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Court Delays Phone Competition Decision WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal appeals court has agreed to delay until June 15 a decision throwing out new rules designed to encourage competition for local telephone service. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals acted in response to a request by the Federal Communications Commission, which asked for the time in order to give the former Bell telephone companies and competitors to negotiate an end to the legal dispute that has held up competition rules for eight years. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=41082166 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:51:49 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Comcast Partners With NECN, WCVB, WGBH, NESN & CN8 Comcast Partners With NECN, WCVB, WGBH, NESN & CN8 to Launch 'Get Local' Video ON DEMAND Service in New England - Apr 15, 2004 11:00 AM (PR Newswire) Local Programming Now Available ON DEMAND Minutes After it Airs for 2.2 Million Comcast Customers BOSTON, April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Video on demand gets local today in New England as Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA and CMCSK), announces an unprecedented partnership with local television stations to offer the most extensive regional content lineup available in a VOD service. For the first time, Comcast will offer its 2.2 million New England customers 24-hour access to local programming minutes after it airs on top regional broadcast and cable networks. Local programs carried on New England Cable News (NECN), WCVB-TV Channel 5, WGBH, New England Sports Network (NESN) and CN8, The Comcast Network, will now be offered through the new Get Local programming category, available through Comcast's ON DEMAND service. With Get Local, Comcast Digital Cable customers have access to local content that they can pause, rewind and fast forward right from their remote control, soon after the programs air. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=41081351 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:55:00 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Telecoms Struggle With Impact of Internet Calls By Justin Hyde WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) - With Internet phone services signing up thousands of new customers a day, telecom industry observers are beginning to question how well the old local phone companies will defend themselves against a growing throng of competitors. So far, cable companies and firms like Vonage have only nibbled at the edges of the local telephone market with voice over Internet Protocol service, or VOIP, winning about 250,000 customers. But as more households sign up for broadband Internet service, and larger players such as AT&T Corp.(NYSE:T) unveil their VOIP service, executives and analysts see the threat to the Baby Bells rising. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=41083271 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:55:49 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Cable Networks Favor Nielsen's "People Meters" By Michael Learmonth NEW YORK, April 15 (Reuters) - The cable TV industry hopes media measurement company Nielsen Media Research's delayed effort to install its "people meters" in New York City will succeed and says the technology will show a dramatic shift of viewers -- and advertising dollars -- from broadcast to cable. Cable companies typically reserve about 2 minutes an hour to sell local advertising. But because many cable programs have such small audiences, they've won only about 14 percent of the $28 billion U.S. local TV advertising market. As Nielsen replaces written diaries with more accurate electronic people meters, analysts expect cable's market share to jump -- perhaps as much as 10 percent -- boosting the bottom line of operators such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications and Cox Communications. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=41083307 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:57:24 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: IBM Reports 2004 First-Quarter Results ARMONK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 15, 2004--IBM today announced first-quarter 2004 diluted earnings per common share of $.93 from continuing operations compared with diluted earnings of $.79 per share in the same period of 2003, an increase of 18 percent. First-quarter income from continuing operations was $1.6 billion compared with $1.4 billion a year ago, an increase of 16 percent. Revenues from continuing operations for the first quarter were $22.2 billion, up 11 percent compared with the first quarter of 2003 revenues of $20.1 billion. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=41084263 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:36:33 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Internet "Spyware" Emerges as New Online Threat By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON, April 18 (Reuters) - Internet users have learned to keep an eye out for viruses, worms and "spam" e-mail. Add another online hazard to the list: spyware. Programs that hide in users' computers and secretly monitor their activities are emerging as the next high-tech plague, experts say. Spyware can sap computing power, crash machines and bury users under a blizzard of unwanted ads. It can capture passwords, credit-card numbers and other sensitive data. Spyware has even begun to burrow into popular culture. ... - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=41097598 [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Two good tools I use here to keep the computers cleam are 'Ad-Aware' and 'Spy-Bot, Seek and Destroy'. These two programs (both freeware) combined with AVG 6.0 run in the back- ground all the time, just looking for spies they can kill. Having a Netgear router (firewall) and Zone Alarm also keep things pretty clean, anyway, I suspect the firewall and Zone Alarm (also free download) prevent the spies from 'calling home' or otherwise reporting to their owners. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:36:26 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Spy Stoppers Spy Stoppers By Cade Metz PC Magazine http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1524223,00.asp Spybot Search & Destroy http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1522668,00.asp http://www.safer-networking.org/ http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download Spy Sweeper http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1523288,00.asp http://www.webroot.com/wb/products/spysweeper/index.php Spy Audit http://www.webroot.com/services/spyaudit_03.htm [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I should mention that Yahoo Instant Messenger is not even safe now, so the Zone Alarm people have some software that sits and monitors (and encrypts) your IM traffic, killing inruders as necessary. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:42:05 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Amazon Joins Crowded Web Search Field By MATTHEW FORDAHL AP Technology Writer SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Joining an increasingly crowded field, online retailer Amazon.com quietly launched an search service to help Web surfers find information _ including products from its store _ on the Internet. Amazon's A9.com Inc., a Palo Alto, Calif.-based subsidiary, was released in test mode Wednesday but will compete for clicks not only with Google Inc., Yahoo! Inc. and others, but also Microsoft Corp. when it launches its own search technology later this year. Like its competitors, A9.com offers both a Web site and an Internet Explorer toolbar from which users can enter search terms and block annoying pop-up ads. Searches also can be limited to just Amazon.com products _ as well as the text of books available at Amazon.com. Internet search tools _ an industry now dominated by Google _ will be a core component of any major Internet or operating system player in the future, analysts say. A9.com's service currently relies heavily on a partnership with Google, which supplies many of the search results, and Amazon's Alexa subsidiary, which provides traffic, other sites of interest and additional information on specific Web sites. It weaves information from its partners into a single site. Search results also include text ads from Google's sponsored links program. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=41077833 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:44:25 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Cingular New York City's New Free Mobile-To-Mobile Plan Offers No Roaming and No Long Distance for True Mobile-to-Mobile National Coverage NEW YORK, April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cingular Wireless has taken the guesswork out of mobile-to-mobile calling for New Yorkers. With the Cingular Nation GSM plan, Cingular customers can make free mobile-to-mobile calls to their Cingular friends anywhere nationwide -- and never pay roaming or long distance fees. Cingular's new suite of national rate plans -- Cingular Nation GSM -- provides users with unlimited nationwide mobile-to-mobile minutes and 5,000 nationwide night and weekend minutes in addition to the plan's core package of anytime minutes on plans starting at $49.99 per month. Cingular Nation GSM subscribers will not have to pay for incoming or outbound calls with other Cingular customers. The new plans also come standard with Rollover(SM) -- the feature that lets customers keep their unused anytime minutes. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=41079427 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:46:32 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: AT&T Wireless Music Recognition Service in the US REDMOND, Wash., April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T Wireless (NYSE:AWE) announced the availability of a new music recognition service today that allows customers to identify songs simply by placing their phones near a music speaker. The service is the first of its kind in the US, and adds to AT&T Wireless' industry-leading portfolio of music-related content and offers. Designed for today's on-the-go music fans, customers simply dial "#ID" (#43) from any AT&T Wireless phone to initiate the service. When prompted, customers then hold the phone near the music source for approximately 15 seconds. Users will immediately receive a text message on their wireless phone with the name of the song title and recording artist. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=41079986 ------------------------------ From: Barry Margolin Subject: Re: Who is "VOIP News"? Organization: Looking for work Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 11:13:37 -0400 In article , Steven J Sobol wrote: > Ron Chapman wrote: >> I agree. I've killfiled this author. That's the very first time in >> 15 years that I've done ANYTHING like that in comp.dcom.telecom. > Dunno why -- I don't see it as being any different from the stuff that > Monty Solomon posts, except that he doesn't focus on VoIP. > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I think I may know why. Some people are > having a very difficult time dealing with the fact that the handwriting > is on the wall for traditional telephony. I just find the volume of it extremely annoying, and not very interesting. They're mostly just press releases from companies tooting their own horns, not useful technical information. Barry Margolin, barmar@alum.mit.edu Arlington, MA *** PLEASE post questions in newsgroups, not directly to me *** ------------------------------ From: jmayson@nyx.net Subject: Re: Feds: No Analog TV by '09 Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 18:33:59 GMT Organization: Road Runner High Speed Online http://www.rr.com > Congress and the FCC, however, never determined exactly how to measure > that 85%. FCC mass media bureau chief Ken Ferree said the plan is a > way to make the switch as painless as possible but still get > broadcasters to give up the analog frequencies. The only way I can see this working is for the FCC to demand analog sets stop being sold on a certain date, then a number of years later demand TV stations drop their analog signals. Today I have seen black and white portable sets for as low as $14.99! We recently picked up some color 13" sets for under $100. There's no mention anywhere that these sets will be useless before the end of the decade. I wonder how many average consumers are aware of this? I can see people buying analog TVs right up until the drop dead date. John Mayson Austin, Texas, USA PS: My message to the digest about digital TV might not have made sense. I mentioned the low prices for televisions. My point was my family and others I know are buying up these dirt cheap TVs. One for every room! Why not? They're cheap. But in less than three years they're going to be overpriced paperweights. I cannot believe the FCC is allowing analog TVs to be sold today when their current plan to render them useless in a little over 30 months. John ------------------------------ From: rajaram_s@yahoo.com (jayaram) Subject: Interfacing Old 56 kbps T1 Devices with New T1 Date: 17 Apr 2004 13:29:17 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hi, I have T1 64 kbps output device which I want to interface with a 56 kbps T1 (old devices) infrastructure. What is the best way to do this? My T1 framers do not support 56 kbps framing. Thanks in advance. Raj ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 15:37:51 -0500 Subject: Re: AT&T Wireless Announces Aggressive New Offer From: Paul Vader > They've had them for a while. I have a plan I got in March 2002 with > 250 daytime minutes, 3500 n/w minutes for $30, good anywhere in the US > except for the Gulf of Mexico system. For a while they were pushing > preferred network plans (similar to VZ's America's Choice) where your > minutes are good on their network and a few preferred partners but I was aware, I'm a Cingular nation subscribe myself. The familytalk plan is nice -- I gave my parents and sisters phones for essentially the activation fee, and since none of us are chatterboxes, we've rolled over a ton of minutes. PV ------------------------------ From: Tom Betz Subject: Re: Spam Issues Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 01:58:45 UTC Organization: XOme TELECOM Digest Editor noted in a response to Robert Pierce in news:telecom23.185.12@telecom-digest.org: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Maybe some of you guys who know about > this kind of thing can give me some advice. What do you show, if > anything about 24.119.225.28 and any blacklists? Thanks. PAT] reports that it ain't listed anywhere. CableOne must be taking care of business. Quoth whoward@piv27.cns.ualberta.ca (Walt Howard) in news:telecom23.190.4@telecom-digest.org: > And then we have Steve at SELLCOM, ... who has yet to answer any of the plain questions I asked in . "I am afeard there are few die well that die in a battle; for how can they charitably dispose of anything when blood is their argument? Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the King that led them to it; who to disobey were against all proportion of subjection." - W.S. ------------------------------ From: nidhi83@hotmail.com (Srinidhi) Subject: Signaling Reference Date: 17 Apr 2004 22:19:43 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hi, Where can I find good material on various Signaling schemes like SS7, ISDN, R2 etc.? Books or web pages, kindly suggest. Thanks, Srinidhi ------------------------------ From: Wesrock@aol.com Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 09:24:47 EDT Subject: Re: A-la-carte v. Tiering (was The Aftermath of DISH/Viacom)-1 I certainly did not intend to imply that this was your text. Besides the double line headers >>, I also changed the usual introductory phrase to read that you "quoted" rather than you "wrote." Perhaps I should have stressed this even further, and I apologize to Neal and to anyone who may have been misled. Wes Leatherock wesrock@aol.com wleathus@yahoo.com In a message dated Fri, 16 Apr 2004 21:54:09 -0500, Neal McLain writes: > Wes Leatherock wrote [TD 23:176]: >> Neal McLain quoted: >>>> There is a difference. The sports section in the newspaper is >>>> created either by the same wire services that they subscribe to or >>>> by their own reporters and doesn't cost a whole lot extra. The >>>> sports channels on cable networks are additional costs to the >>>> cable operator that they have to pass on to everyone because they >>>> have to pay for every subscriber. >> This indicates a complete lack of understanding of newspaper >> economics. The Sports Department is a dedicated organization in any >> newspaper of any size and probably the biggest single cost center in >> the news department. >> [snip] >> The sports section of a newspaper is by no means a >> by-product. And sports coverage doesn't come cheap. >> I've been there, both on a newspaper and on a wire service. > I'd like to clarify something here: I did not write the "There is a > difference" paragraph above; I was quoting an earlier message from > another reader (Paul Robinson, TD 22:270). I realize that Wes > indicated this fact in his posting by using ">>" line-headers, but I'm > afraid that any reader who didn't notice those ">>" symbols might > mistakenly assume that I wrote it. > I used Robinson's quote in my message "A-la-carte v. Tiering (was > Aftermath of DISH/Viacom)-1" [TD 23:174] to illustrate the following > point: in order to recover their infrastructure costs, cable TV > companies and DBS companies, like newspaper companies, need to > maximize "circulation." In this context, "circulation" refers to the > number of customers who pay to receive a medium (a copy of a newspaper > or basic CATV/DBS television service) and who, in turn, are exposed to > the advertising contained therein. > Although the Arizona Republic might well favor so-called "a-la-carte" > pricing for television channels provided by cable TV companies and DBS > companies, I rather doubt that it would be willing to swallow its own > medicine and offer its newspaper on an a-la-carte basis -- especially > in light of Wes' description of the costs involved in putting together > a sports section. > Neal McLain > nmclain@annsgarden.com ------------------------------ From: wk@objectarchitects.de (Wolfgang Keller) Subject: Re: Skype is Not Hype Date: 18 Apr 2004 06:30:00 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com I'm somewhat new to VoIP. I wanted to add a voice channel to my chess playing with a friend somewhat far away. We tried M$ Windows Messenger and with firewalls at each end in place it was too much work to try to get it to run. There are tons of postings in the web with problems and long long documents with tons of terms I don't want to know :-). Today we tried Skype -- with 0$ Headset from an old Dragon voice recognition program and also with speakers. Works just fine -- absolutely cool. Besides you need not by the Skype headset -- you should be able to use any USB set -- a colleague who recommended Skype has some vanilla USB think. So really -- what's the problem? It works! Video would be nice to have, but this is really o.k. for ZERO bucks Cheers, Wolfgang ------------------------------ From: fiekowsky@aol.com (Nick Fiekowsky) Subject: Re: VoIP's Broadband Bottleneck Date: 18 Apr 2004 14:32:01 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com I am skeptical about how well the Motorola box does QoS. I have Vonage's Motorola sitting between my cable modem (Motorola Surfboard / Comcast) and my home network. Last week my wife was unable to use Vonage until I stopped a massive (> 1 gByte) directory upload I was running at the time. My wife also complains that calls to Paris & South Africa (our primary Vonage use) get cut off. If we don't use our computers during the call, things are more reliable. Have been considering getting a Linksys 8-port cable / DSL Router / Switch. http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=34&scid=29&prid=604 This box gives priority to ports 1-4 vs. 5-8. I can plug the Motorola into port 1, the rest of my home network into 5-8. Chainsman wrote in message news:: > I have Vonage and have tested it with Verizon DSL (G.lite) with 132k > fixed-speed upload, and Cox High-Speed Internet with about 230k > variable-speed upload. The Motorola VoIP machine does QoS and > priority queuing but only if it's the last device before the modem. > Since the activity on your home network is what is causing the > dropouts and dropped calls you can use the built-in firewall and NAT > function of the Vonage machine which has built-in logic to always > prioritize the VoIP traffic over your network traffic. Even if your > internet provider ignores the QoS, and indeed a cable modem network > QoS is meaningless due to the nature of how uploads work, the Vonage > box will make every attempt to handle the VoIP traffic at a higher > priority thus making your calls sound better on both ends. > Give it a try and let us know how it works for you. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I am curious about this also. After someone wrote me and said try putting the (Vonage) Cisco ATA-186 at the front of the line, I discovered there was no way to do this without getting a *new* adapter (the Motorola one) from Vonage. Well, the Motorola is on order, in transit and should be here tomorrow, Monday. I am not sure it is really going to make a difference, even with the one-meg I now get from CableOne, since the *upload* to CableOne is still only 250 K, versus (formerly 500 K and now one meg downloads.) To make matters a bit more difficult, on Friday Vonage cut me off entirely until I called and made a stink. It seems *their* computer had issued me an RMA to return the old Cisco ATA and when the computer issues an RMA it also at the same time *disconnects* or no longer recognizes the old box as a security issue. Their technician told me they 'could have' forced the old box to remain active since I was not giving up service; that this was 'merely' a QoS problem with a new style box replacing the old box, but for some reason they did not, until he told his supervisor to do it after I called to complain. They also charged me (from my supply of 'next month free' credits) one hundred dollars for the new box -- actually 99.95 -- because the computer demanded some money as security in order to issue an RMA, but they said once the old Cisco is back to them they will refund the entire 99.95 'since it is a QoS problem.' I assume it will go back on my account in the form of 'next month free' credits. You can be assured I will watch my account on line until I see everythign back to 'normal'. But then their technician 'Edgar' called me back and said he really did not think the new Motorola Telephone Adapter was going to cure my ailments. "You still only have 250 K upload from Cable One, regardless how how much download you bought. The Motorola can and does give priority to certain ports first; other ports later, but as long as you are having your Win 98 and Win 95 make those big huge FTP dumps (of .jpg files) every fifteen seconds or so, I just can't see the Motorola able to keep up with it if you have a lengthy phone call as well." I am supposed to call him or his supervisor back on their direct lines once I install the Motorola; (a) they will have to turn it on (and the Cisco off); and (b) find out just how 'heavy weight' the Motorola will be under a 'heavy load' from me. It will be interesting to find out. Any other tests or questions I should ask as I put it all together? PAT] ------------------------------ From: _lr_@yahoo.com (Larry Rachman) Subject: Getting Your Number Listed Deliberately Date: 18 Apr 2004 16:03:18 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Yes, I know that usually the battle is to *keep* your number from being listed, but that's not the case this time. I have a phone number provided by an IP telephony provider, but it does not come with a directory listing. Is there some way I can get this number listed (as a business) by the various directory services (both voice and 555-1212)? Surely, folks with blocks of DNIS lines must have the same sort of issue. How is it done? Thanks in advance, Larry Rachman [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: You are correct; the 'default' on Bell lines is be listed and pay extra for non-pub/non-listed numbers. On toll-free 800, cell phones and VOIP the default is non-pub and they do get a slight fortune to list someone. At one point I was going to get an 800 number published; the service rep told me it could be done but the cost was very prohibitive; I think $10 or $20 **per month** on top of the cost for the service. Ask your service rep to set it up for you if it really is worth it. I know Vonage does not make anything off of it; it is strictly a 'pass through' (with Vonage as the agent) to the 555-1212 and service bureaus. Outrageous? I thought so for my puny, pitiful little thing; a seldom used 800 number. I've heard someone at Vonage talk about an on-line directory of listed (Vonage) numbers -- now about a quarter-million customers -- but I know nothing about where it is going, if it is or not. PAT] ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com (Jeff nor Lisa) Subject: Home Wireless Networks Vulnerable Date: 18 Apr 2004 17:27:24 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com An article in a recent Phila Inquirer reported that many home users of wireless networks fail to set up firewalls and basic security protection and are thus vulnerable for data and identity theft. A security consultant demonstrated how easy it was to spy. They drove a neighborhood and quickly found an unsecured network and were able to read all sorts of personal information, including credit card numbers, downloading history, etc. Protection is easy by merely turning on security checks available in newer operating systems. Home networks should have firewalls and security protection. It has been previously reported how spammers and virus spreaders find unprotected home networks and use them as a base to bounce off malicious emails. ------------------------------ 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: 620-402-0134 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 oldest e-zine/mailing list on the internet in any category! URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/ (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from * * Judith Oppenheimer, President of ICB Inc. and purveyor of accurate * * 800 & Dot Com News, Intelligence, Analysis, and Consulting. * * http://ICBTollFree.com, http://1800TheExpert.com * * Views expressed herein should not be construed as representing * * views of Judith Oppenheimer or ICB Inc. * ************************************************************************* ICB Toll Free News. Contact information is not sold, rented or leased. One click a day feeds a person a meal. Go to http://www.thehungersite.com Copyright 2004 ICB, Inc. and TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. ************************ --------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of fifty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. If you donate at least fifty dollars per year we will send you our two-CD set of the entire Telecom Archives; this is every word published in this Digest since our beginning in 1981. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. End of TELECOM Digest V23 #192 ******************************