From editor@telecom-digest.org Mon Jun 14 18:55:34 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.3) id i5EMtYf01721; Mon, 14 Jun 2004 18:55:34 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2004 18:55:34 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200406142255.i5EMtYf01721@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 #290 TELECOM Digest Mon, 14 Jun 2004 18:55:00 EDT Volume 23 : Issue 290 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson 8x8 Announces First Enhanced 911 (E911) Service for VOIP (VOIP News) VoIP over Power Line Set for Testing (VOIP News) Office Telephone System Recommendations (Mike McWhinney) British Telecom to End Circuit-Switched Network (The Old Bear) Re: California: SBC Restrictions on DSL Are Illegal (John Levine) Be Careful About Quoting Scanner Messages (Charles B. Wilber) Re: Need Expert Legal and Medical Testimony for Lawsuit (John Levine) Re: Need Expert Legal and Medical Testimony for Lawsuit (Paul Vader) Update to Previous Posting on Norvergence (Dave Mitchell) 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: VOIP News Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2004 12:17:04 -0400 Subject: 8x8 Announces First Enhanced 911 (E911) Service for VOIP Reply-To: VoIPnews@yahoogroups.com The bad thing about this is that Packet8 charges extra for 911 service, and also, according to some discussion over the weekend on BroadbandReports.com, requires you to have a number in your geographic ratecenter. It's that last requirement that will be a sticking point for many -- after all, one of the reasons for moving to a VoIP service is to be able to get a number in a larger adjacent exchange. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-14-2004/0002192381&EDATE= 8x8 Announces First Enhanced 911 (E911) Service for Residential Voice Over IP (VoIP) TAMPA, Fla., June 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 8x8, Inc. (Nasdaq: EGHT), the Packet8 broadband voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and videophone communications service provider, today announced at the annual meeting of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) the immediate availability of enhanced 911 (E911) services for subscribers to the Packet8 internet telephony service. Packet8 is the first VoIP residential telephone service to offer "real" E911 service which will automatically route calls and computer-based "screen pops" of caller information to emergency personnel at local Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). Because the 911 call is routed as emergency traffic and is accompanied by E911 caller information, emergency personnel can ensure that callers receive the same kind of response that they are accustomed to receiving from legacy, switched telecommunications services provided by incumbent telephone carriers. The Packet8 E911 implementation will also eliminate unnecessary dialog for operators about callers' whereabouts, which is vital in cases where a caller may not be able to verbally communicate because of an emergency condition. Bryan Martin, 8x8's Chairman and CEO, will present an overview of Packet8's E911 service at NENA's annual meeting today in Tampa. As a signatory to the NENA statement of principles (available at http://www.nena.org/NENAVONVOIP%20press%20release%20FINAL%20112603.pdf), 8x8 has been working with its commercial partners and NENA to rapidly deploy E911 services to Packet8 subscribers. Until now, 911 services provided by other residential VoIP services have either not supported emergency services or have only utilized simple techniques to route 911 calls to non-emergency, 10-digit telephone numbers. These "10-digit dialing" techniques typically result in 911 calls being connected to a variety of locations including non-emergency or administrative lines of PSAPs, the "crime-not-in-progress" number of a police station, or, in some instances, invalid numbers. Packet8's E911 service, which is being deployed using VoIP building blocks provided by Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: LVLT), eliminates these issues, and delivers on the principles outlined in 8x8's prior agreements with NENA. "We applaud the efforts of 8x8 to develop and deploy its E911 solution," said Richard Taylor, NENA President. "As the organization dedicated to the advancement, development and improvement of emergency telephone services, we are pleased with 8x8's commitment and progress to E911. We look forward to future advancements to deliver this critical service to the public." The Packet8 E911 solution requires a subscriber to enter the physical address where they will locate the Packet8 terminal adaptor (the device that connects a regular phone to a Packet8 internet connection). The address is verified and the Packet8 phone number is specially provisioned so that it will support E911 protocols at the PSAP when an emergency call is made. When a consumer calls 911, the call is routed to the PSAP trunk lines as emergency traffic, and is terminated directly to the nearest emergency operator with caller information and location simultaneously appearing on the PSAP operator's computer screen. Packet8's E911 service is currently available in over 50 markets by signing up for Packet8's E911 service at http://www.packet8.net, and is expected to be available to approximately 65% of the US population later this year. "We are extremely pleased to announce the availability of true E911 services to our Packet8 customers," said Bryan R. Martin, 8x8's Chairman and CEO. "We will continue to work with our partners and NENA to further the reach of these services, as well as to improve the versatility of 911 services through direct IP connections including the availability of video, data and other rich media content during emergency communications." Packet8's E911 service is available today in select areas. To check the availability of E911 in a particular area, please visit http://www.packet8.net. Pricing for Packet8's E911 service includes a one-time provisioning fee of $9.95, and a recurring monthly surcharge of $3.00. About 8x8, Inc. 8x8, Inc. offers the Packet8 voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and videophone communications service and Packet8 Virtual Office (http://www.packet8.net). For additional company information, visit 8x8's web site at http://www.8x8.com. About Packet8 and Packet8 Virtual Office Packet8 enables anyone with high-speed access to the Internet to sign up for voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and videophone communications service at http://www.packet8.net. Customers can choose a direct-dial phone number from any of the more than 270 area codes and 2400 local prefixes offered by the service, and then use an 8x8-supplied terminal adapter to connect any telephone to a broadband internet connection and make or receive calls from a regular telephone number. For $19.95/month, Packet8 subscribers can make unlimited calls to any telephone number in the United States and Canada, and unlimited calls to any other Packet8 subscriber anywhere in the world. Calls to non-Packet8 numbers outside the United States and Canada are charged at the additional per-minute rates available at http://www.packet8.net/about/international.asp. All Packet8 accounts come with voice mail, caller ID, call waiting, call waiting caller ID, call forwarding, hold, line-alternate, 3-way conferencing, web access to account controls, and real-time online billing. Packet8 Virtual Office allows business users anywhere in the world to be part of a virtual PBX that includes auto attendants, conference bridges, extension-to-extension dialing, ring groups and a host of other business class PBX features, while still enjoying unlimited phone calls anywhere in the United States and Canada and the same low, per-minute international rates available in Packet8's residential plans. With Packet8 Virtual Office, each extension has its own direct dial telephone number which can be any telephone number on the Packet8 network, regardless of geographical location, and can make unlimited extension-to-extension calls anywhere in the world. About NENA NENA's mission is to foster the technological advancement, availability, and implementation of a universal emergency telephone number system. In carrying out its mission, NENA promotes research, planning, training and education. The protection of human life, the preservation of property and the maintenance of general community security are among NENA's objectives. NOTE: 8x8, the 8x8 logo, Packet8, the Packet8 logo and Packet8 Virtual Office are trademarks of 8x8, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE 8x8, Inc. Web Site: http://www.8x8.com http://www.packet8.net http://www.packet8.net/about/international.asp Full press release at: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-14-2004/0002192381&EDATE= BroadbandReports.com thread: http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,10486162~mode=flat ------------------------------ From: VOIP News Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2004 14:30:52 -0400 Subject: VoIP Over Power Line Set for Testing Reply-To: VoIPnews@yahoogroups.com http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/105/8034 What better way to provide Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service to millions of residences and businesses than to feed the technology directly to electrical outlets? Such an approach would make VoIP as easy, perhaps even easier, to access than standard telephone service. At least that's how Atlanta-based LecStar Telecom sees things. LecStar is preparing to test high-speed Internet access over power lines during a six-month field trial with an undisclosed regional electric utility. LecStar says it initially plans to offer 30 utility customers Broadband over Power Line (BPL) service, and approximately one in five customers also will receive phone service over BPL as part of a VoIP trial. LecStar will be one of the first local exchange carriers to offer VoIP over BPL service to customers in the U.S. Full story at: http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/105/8034 How to Distribute VoIP Throughout a Home: http://michigantelephone.mi.org/distribute.html If you live in Michigan, subscribe to the MI-Telecom group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MI-Telecom/ ------------------------------ From: eljainc@ameritech.net (Mike McWhinney) Subject: Office Telephone System Recommendations Date: 14 Jun 2004 10:21:32 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hello, We are currently shopping around for a office telephone system. We do not need anything fancy (we have 4 lines, 8-10 phones). We're looking for something similar to the following: http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/communication_systems/adv_hybrid_sys.asp Is there any phone system better than this for within the same budget area (<$2000) We want a good phone system that is upgradeable/expand- able while remaining cost effective. Regards, Mike McWhinney ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2004 16:28:30 -0400 From: The Old Bear Subject: British Telecom to End Circuit-Switched Network in Favor of VOIP As summarized in NewsScan for June 11, 2004: BT TO SHUT DOWN 'CIRCUIT-SWITCHED' NETWORK IN FAVOR OF VOIP U.K. giant British Telecom will gradually shut down its traditional circuit-switched network and migrate over to technologies that route phone calls over the Internet. The change "will deliver our vision of a converged, multimedia world where our customers can access any communications service from any device, anywhere -- at broadband speed," says BT Wholesale CEO Paul Reynolds. The new system will enable each subscriber to have a single phone number for both mobile and fixed-line services, and will make possible such add-on features as family conference calls, video streaming and voice-activated phones. BT estimates that by the 2008-09 fiscal year, the new network could save it about 1 billion pounds annually. source: (AP 10 June 2004) http://apnews.excite.com/article/20040611/D834FNTO0.html ------------------------------ Date: 14 Jun 2004 20:49:12 -0000 From: John Levine Subject: Re: California: SBC Restrictions on DSL Are Illegal, Judge Rules Organization: I.E.C.C., Trumansburg NY USA > Question: Does the law prohibit an ILEC, a CLEC, and an end-user > customer, from entering into a three-party contract, with the consent > of all three parties, such that the ILEC provides voice service on the > line to the end-user customer, while the CLEC provides DSL service on > the same line to that customer? No, ILECs could do line splitting if they wanted to. The reason they don't is partly administrative, they'd have to invent some way to bill two different parties for the same line and figure out how to do the moves and changes and repairs. Mostly it's that the lord gave them the right to have 100% of the phone business so it'd be blasphemous to do so. R's, John ------------------------------ Date: 14 Jun 2004 15:52:34 EDT From: Charles.B.Wilber@Dartmouth.EDU (Charles B. Wilber) Subject: Be Careful About Quoting Scanner Messages Pat, You might want to be careful about repeating what you heard on the scanner to other parties. Newt Gingrich and others learned about some of the relevant state and federal statutes the hard way. Charlie Wilber Dartmouth College --- You wrote: > It was from the sheriff PSAP database; that new computer thing > called 'Vonage', this is the first time we ever had one of those, > let me know if it is a good call or flaky." Apparently it was > 'good' since a few minutes later the EMT responds, "citizen had some > food caught in his throat, we've cleared it but are taking him over > to Mercy (Hospital) Emergency Room." --- end of quote --- ------------------------------ Date: 14 Jun 2004 20:45:28 -0000 From: John Levine Subject: Re: Need Expert Legal and Medical Testimony for Lawsuit Organization: I.E.C.C., Trumansburg NY USA >> 1-212-561-5483 If you tell Google to search Usenet for that number, you find a copy of the same message in a spam report, and a different message last month from a guy who says he's in Missouri and is looking for a child he fathered 17 years ago. Most peculiar. http://groups.google.com/groups?q=212-561-5483 ------------------------------ From: pv+usenet@pobox.com (Paul Vader) Subject: Re: Need Expert Legal and Medical Testimony for Lawsuit Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2004 21:09:57 -0000 Organization: Inline Software Creations writes: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Not a telecom thing, but an interesting > problem facing a man who needs help obtaining a personal injury > lawsuit. Included here FYI and thoughts. PAT] > I'm a poor widows son rummaging around in a rubbish pile in Southeast ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ooh fun! That's a Masonic password, or at least a paraphrase of one. > So mote it be. And this is a Mormon one, if I remember my Sherlock Holmes. As for the story, I find it sad and irritating at the same time. It's bad that the guy got hurt in an accident, but shopping around for a lawyer to try to tie a subsequent medical condition to an accident to make lots of cash is pretty repugnant. * * PV something like badgers--something like lizards--and something like corkscrews. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: So Paul, can you tell me a little more about these Masonic and Mormon passwords; why they exist and what is the meaning (of the passwords)? PAT] ------------------------------ From: Dave Michaeli Subject: Update to Previous Posting on Norvergence Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2004 12:16:09 -0400 Dear Mr. Townson, Please update the following thread: http://mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/telecom-archives/TELECOM_Digest_O nline/0239.html with the text below. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. ------- Update requested -------- This is a follow-up to my previous posting regarding Norvergence. Since making that posting, Norvergence has taken the necessary steps to address my concerns and has resolved all of the open issues. I am completely satisfied with the results, and I appreciate their efforts in this matter. - Dave - MicroShop Systems [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I wish all you people who have unkind and uncharitable things to say about that fine company Norvergence and their ethical marketing practices would recall a few things before you send messages here to the Digest. For one, assuming Norvergence does use you as an example in their litigation, which is quite likely, given their disposition to do same, you may have months and months or years of grief as a result. For next, consider the nature of the archives and Usenet in general: Let's say you have offended Norvergence. An example we shall use is you took a pillow, cut the end open, went over to a window somewhere and shook out all the feathers in the wind. All you have to do in your quest for forgiveness is go outside, find all the feathers and stuff them back in the pillow. Sounds easy, right? You are *never* going to collect all the feathers back. Think before you speak. PAT] ------------------------------ 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. 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End of TELECOM Digest V23 #290 ******************************