From editor@telecom-digest.org Thu Aug 5 14:32:05 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.3) id i75IW5N09336; Thu, 5 Aug 2004 14:32:05 -0400 (EDT) Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 14:32:05 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200408051832.i75IW5N09336@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 #366 TELECOM Digest Thu, 5 Aug 2004 14:32:00 EDT Volume 23 : Issue 366 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Net Phone Calls Must be Able to be Tapped -U.S. FCC (Jack Decker-VOIP) FCC Takes Step Toward VOIP Wiretapping Regulations (Jack Decker-VOIP) FCC: Web Phone Calls Must Allow Wiretaps (GuitarMan) FCC Rules on Wireless Outage Reporting and CALEA Compliance (Jack Adams) EPIC Alert 11.15 (Monty Solomon) Comcast Video Mail (Monty Solomon) HP and Philips Begin Licensing Video Content Protection (Monty Solomon) Old Bell System TTY Guys? (jsw@ivgate.omahug.org) Re: Trying to Identify 1940s Equipment (Prison Phone?) (John Stafford) Re: Trying to Identify 1940s Equipment (Prison Phone?) (jdj) Re: Trying to Identify 1940s Equipment (Prison Phone?) (Bart Lederman) Re: Trying to Identify 1940s Equipment (Prison Phone?) (Scott Dorsey) Re: US West History (Steven J Sobol) Re: US West History (John Levine) Re: US West History (Jack Adams) Re: US West History (Hammond of Texas) Re: US West History (Joseph) 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: Jack Decker Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 02:27:37 -0400 Subject: Net Phone Calls Must be Able to be Tapped - U.S. FCC Reply-To: VoIPnews@yahoogroups.com http://finance.lycos.com/qc/news/story.aspx?story=42904448 WASHINGTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Internet phone carriers such as Vonage should set up their systems so U.S. law enforcers can monitor suspicious calls, the Federal Communications Commission tentatively ruled on Wednesday. By a vote of 5-0, the FCC said "voice over Internet protocol," or VoIP, providers should be subject to the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, which ensures that law enforcers will be able to keep up with changing communications technologies. VoIP service is likely to replace much traditional phone service over the coming years, the commission said. Full story at: http://finance.lycos.com/qc/news/story.aspx?story=42904448 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: Jack Decker Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 02:29:05 -0400 Subject: FCC Takes Step Toward VOIP Wiretapping Regulations Reply-To: VoIPnews@yahoogroups.com http://www.itworld.com/Man/2697/040804fccvoip/ Grant Gross, IDG News Service, Washington Bureau The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday took the first step toward requiring voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) providers to comply with law enforcement wiretapping requests. The FCC voted to begin an examination of the policies needed to ensure that VOIP providers comply with the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), which allows U.S. law enforcement agencies to listen in on telephone conversations. The commission's decision on Wednesday included a tentative finding that communications services offered over broadband pipes, including VOIP, are subject to CALEA requirements to comply with law enforcement wiretap requests. The tentative rules would also cover managed communications services offered over broadband connections, including managed instant message or video services, said Ed Thomas, chief of the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology. Nonmanaged peer-to-peer (P-to-P) services, including consumer-grade instant messaging services and noncommercial VOIP services, would likely not be subject to CALEA regulations under the proposed order, FCC staff said. Full story at: http://www.itworld.com/Man/2697/040804fccvoip/ ------------------------------ From: GuitarMan Subject: FCC: Web Phone Calls Must Allow Wiretaps Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 12:21:58 GMT Here's some more interesting news concerning VoIP: WASHINGTON - Internet phone carriers such as Vonage should set up their systems so U.S. law enforcers can monitor suspicious calls, the Federal Communications Commission tentatively ruled on Wednesday. More Here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5603020/ ------------------------------ From: adamsjac@telcordia.com (Jack Adams) Subject: FCC Rules on Wireless Outage Reporting and CALEA Compliance Date: 5 Aug 2004 10:31:36 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com See the following: http://www.ctia.org/news_media/daily/pub_view.cfm?pub_id=1&issue_id=1927&type=html for the full report from CTIA. In brief, the FCC voted unanimously to require wireless service providers to provide network outage statistics just as their wireline brethren have been doing since Hector was pup. Separately, they also said that ALL service providers (broadband, wireless, VoIP, etc.) must comply with CALEA (Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Agencies). ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 09:59:09 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: EPIC Alert 11.15 ======================================================================= E P I C A l e r t ======================================================================= Volume 11.15 August 4, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Published by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) Washington, D.C. http://www.epic.org/alert/EPIC_Alert_11.15.html ====================================================================== Table of Contents ====================================================================== [1] EPIC Report: Homeland Security Given Census Data on Arab Americans [2] White House Responds to 9/11 Commission Report [3] Court Rejects Agency Effort to Withhold CAPPS II Info From EPIC [4] Agencies Issue Rules on Homeless Tracking; Bank Customer ID [5] Congress Considers Bills to Strengthen E-Mail Privacy [6] News in Brief [7] EPIC Bookstore: A Little Knowledge [8] Upcoming Conferences and Events http://www.epic.org/alert/EPIC_Alert_11.15.html ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 13:47:31 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Comcast Video Mail Comcast Introduces Video Mail - An Exciting New Way to Connect With Family and Friends Comcast Announces `Great American Getaway' Sweepstakes Sharing Special Moments Has Never Been Easier - Just Record, Preview and Send PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast, the nation's number one broadband Internet provider, today announced the launch of Comcast Video Mail, a fresh and electrifying new way to communicate online. Comcast Video Mail enables Comcast High-Speed Internet customers to easily create video messages up to 45 seconds in length, using their personal computer and a webcam. Customers can also use Comcast Video Mail to send personalized video greeting cards and to share their digital photos via narrated photo slideshows. Imagine sending a unique video message to celebrate the birthday of an oldest childhood friend -- or being able to share the experience of baby's first tooth with grandparents 3,000 miles away. With Comcast Video Mail, users can connect with families and friends online like never before. Comcast Video Mail is available to all Comcast High-Speed Internet customers at no additional charge, and the service is designed to be easy to use and enjoy. Sending Video Mail messages is as simple as 1-2-3 - that is, record, preview and send. With the Greeting Card feature, customers can insert their special video message into more than 50 different cards covering various occasions and sentiments, including birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. Video Mail's Photo Narrator function allows users to import up to 10 of their digital photos and narrate their own personal slideshow, with the ability to get creative and toggle between a live recorded image of themselves and the actual pictures. Comcast Also Makes It Easy to Connect with Webcams Comcast has also made it easy for customers who do not already own a webcam to obtain one. Current High-Speed Internet customers will have the opportunity to purchase select webcams at discounts of up to 35 percent, beginning with Logitech's popular QuickCam Messenger and QuickCam Pro4000 models. Free shipping and free toll-free support are included, and additional brands will be available soon. Details are available at: http://www.comcast.net/products/webcamoffer/ . Additionally, users who sign up for Comcast High-Speed Internet service throughout the month of August will receive a free Logitech webcam, as supplies last. Details are available at: http://www.comcast.net/freewebcam/ . - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=42927483 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 13:50:52 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: HP and Philips to Begin Licensing Video Content Protection System PALO ALTO, Calif. & AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 5, 2004-- Technology Enables Recording of Digital Television Broadcasts with the Broadcast Flag HP (NYSE:HPQ)(Nasdaq:HPQ) and Philips (NYSE:PHG) today announced that their Video Content Protection System (VCPS), formerly called Vidi, has received approval from the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and will now be offered to manufacturers through a license program. VCPS-enabled products will allow consumers to record video from digital television (DTV) broadcasts under the FCC's Broadcast Flag regulation. VCPS is designed to be used with DVD+R, DVD+RW and DVD+R DL optical discs. The FCC adopted the Broadcast Flag rules as a content protection mechanism for digital broadcast television. The Broadcast Flag is a digital code that can be embedded into a digital broadcasting stream and signals DTV reception equipment to prevent indiscriminate redistribution of digital broadcast content over the Internet. The use of VCPS in digital video discs and recorders makes it possible for consumers to record digital broadcasts that are protected by the Broadcast Flag onto a DVD+R/+RW disc, and enjoy TV programming protected by the FCC rules. After July 2005, FCC regulations require manufacturers of digital video recorders to use FCC-approved content protection technology when recording U.S. digital television broadcasts that are marked with the Broadcast Flag. VCPS provides a transparent solution for consumers -- there is no change in how the customer records and views their favorite TV program -- while automatically adhering to these regulations. VCPS is easily integrated in PCs, DVD recorders and players and in optical discs. The use of this technology does not increase the cost of the manufacturing process of DVD+R/+RW discs. - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=42922053 ------------------------------ Subject: Old Bell System TTY Guys? Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 11:22:22 CDT From: jsw@ivgate.omahug.org Reply-To: jsw@ivgate.omahug.org > In my youth one of my telephone company friends sometimes went out to a > customer site to work on the Teletype. I never saw the site or the > equipment, but some of the stuff he took with him included a couple of > vacuum tubes, commercial types 35L6 and 50Y6. I've always wondered > what the equipment was and what the tubes had to do with it. > Anybody know? Not to show my age, but the 35L6 was a beam power tube that was used for (other than the obvious audio output) such things as relay/sole- noid drivers and servo controllers. I don't remember them in any teletype gear (I'm not *that* old) but I do remember them in 60's vintage card sorters. They were popular because the heaters of three of them could be wired in series across the standard 120v AC line, saving the need for a filament/heater transformer. Good day JSW ------------------------------ From: usenet.persona@earthlink.net (John Stafford) Subject: Re: Trying to Identify 1940s Equipment (Prison Phone?) Date: 4 Aug 2004 23:32:34 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com With suitable embarrassment (since I do know that transistors are not 1940s technology) ... The phones look 1940s-ish to me; but the electronics are newer (Doug Faunt suggests the 60s) ... I will be quiet now :-) usenet.persona@earthlink.net (John Stafford) wrote in message news:: > I'm trying to identify a piece of telecom equipment that appears to be > from the 1940s. > It consists of a suitcase with dividers that contains two Stromberg > Carlson telephones and a battery-operated amplifier. The phones plug > into the amplifier using one quarter inch plugs. The amplifier has a > rotary off/on volume control, a speaker, and an output jack (marked > record). > When both phones are taken off hook they're connected to each other > and can be used like ordinary phones, both sides of the conversation > are also audible through the amplifier speaker. > The amplifier is powered by a six volt "battery" that is a cardboard > box that indicates that it contains 4 AA cells, as well as by a > "standard" 9 volt battery. > There are no markings that I can see on any of the equipment (other > than on the phones). It does appear that the suitcase was custom-made > because the rivets that hold the dividers are the same as those that > hold the suitcase together. The suitcase handle does say made in the > USA on one side and has the numeral 6 (or 9) on the other. The > latches are marked with a flying airplane logo. > Please see pictures at http://www.flortraits.com/wii/ > My current guess is that it is some sort of "portable prisoner to > outside phone". > I will summarize and post any information I received. > Thank you. > John "but then I've been wrong before" Stafford ------------------------------ From: jdj Subject: Re: Trying to Identify 1940s Equipment (Prison Phone?) Date: Wed, 04 Aug 2004 23:55:10 -0700 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com On Wed, 04 Aug 2004 08:40:52 -0700, John Stafford wrote: > I'm trying to identify a piece of telecom equipment that appears to be > from the 1940s. > It consists of a suitcase with dividers that contains two Stromberg > Carlson telephones and a battery-operated amplifier. The phones plug > into the amplifier using one quarter inch plugs. The amplifier has a > rotary off/on volume control, a speaker, and an output jack (marked > record). This appears to be a telephone training set from the early 1960's. The transistor amplifier with a "B" battery and the jet airplanes on the case latches put it well after 1950 and the phenolic printed circuit board and components push it more likely past 1960. It is used in scenarios such as training brokers to handle phone orders, or training telephone salespeople. Ma Bell produced a similar system with a ring feature so that either phone could be made to ring, adding a bit of realism to the training. ------------------------------ From: lederman@star.enet.dec.DISABLE-JUNK-EMAIL (Bart Z. Lederman) Reply-To: lederman@encompasserve.DISABLE-JUNK-EMAIL.org Organization: Personal Opinions Only Subject: Re: Trying to Identify 1940s Equipment (Prison Phone?) Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 12:35:12 GMT I wanted to send email directly, but it doesn't appear that this post had a valid address. I'm reluctant to post anything here (though I used to), because the last time I did so several years ago Pat insisted in putting a "real" return E-mail address and I've been "spammed" regularly ever since. But if and only Pat is willing to leave my return address in a 'munged' state I will reply here. I looked at the photographs on the web site posted, and there is no way this was built in the 1940s. The transistorized board for the amplifier is late 1950s or even early 1960s technology. I'm reasonably certain that the "standard" 9 volt battery shown was developed for the transistor radios of thh 1950s: I've never seen one in a 1940s device. Hopefully this will help in tracking down the origen of this device, which looks to me as if it was built as a "one-off" or prototype and was not a commercial unit. B. Z. Lederman Personal Opinions Only Posting to a News group does NOT give anyone permission to send me advertising by E-mail or put me on a mailing list of any kind. Please remove the "DISABLE-JUNK-EMAIL" if you have a legitimate reason to E-mail a response to this post. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Years ago, B.Z., I did not know as much about the net and trouble makers as I know today. Believe it or not, B.Z., at one point in my old age, I actually wanted to have as perfect a Digest as I could, a place where readers would feel free to express their ideas and engage in public and/or private email teaching and learning from others. I do not feel that way any longer. Now I mostly leave the munging alone and let everyone fight the spammers the best way they can, in the way they feel best. If the guys cannot reach each other effeciently any longer because of spam, that's really too bad, but I am burned out worrying about it. Just sitting here now, waiting patiently for the day when the spam traffic reaches 95-98 percent of the total traffic each day. PAT] ------------------------------ From: kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) Subject: Re: Trying to Identify 1940s Equipment (Prison Phone?) Date: 5 Aug 2004 10:02:11 -0400 Organization: Former users of Netcom shell (1989-2000) In article , John Stafford wrote: > I'm trying to identify a piece of telecom equipment that appears to be > from the 1940s. > It consists of a suitcase with dividers that contains two Stromberg > Carlson telephones and a battery-operated amplifier. The phones plug > into the amplifier using one quarter inch plugs. The amplifier has a > rotary off/on volume control, a speaker, and an output jack (marked > record). > When both phones are taken off hook they're connected to each other > and can be used like ordinary phones, both sides of the conversation > are also audible through the amplifier speaker. > The amplifier is powered by a six volt "battery" that is a cardboard > box that indicates that it contains 4 AA cells, as well as by a > "standard" 9 volt battery. Are you sure this is from the 1940s? Where does the B+ for the tubes come from? > My current guess is that it is some sort of "portable prisoner to > outside phone". My guess is that it is much newer than you think it is, and that it is intended for hostage negotiation if not prisoner use. --scott "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." ------------------------------ From: Steven J Sobol Subject: Re: US West History Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 00:17:32 -0500 Doug Faunt N6TQS wrote: > Am I correct in believing that US West was one of the "baby bells"? > And what happened to the company, if so? Yes. US West was an RBOC. Is now Qwest. JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, http://JustThe.net/ Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / sjsobol@JustThe.net PGP Key available from your friendly local key server (0xE3AE35ED) Apple Valley, California Nothing scares me anymore. I have three kids. ------------------------------ Date: 5 Aug 2004 06:08:44 -0000 From: John Levine Subject: Re: US West History Organization: I.E.C.C., Trumansburg NY USA > Am I correct in believing that US West was one of the "baby bells"? Yup. > And what happened to the company, if so? During the bubble, bubbilicious long distance carrier Qwest Communications bought the much larger US West and renamed the combined company Qwest. Glorious leader Joe Naccio ran the company into the ground, to within a hair's breadth of bankruptcy, which is quite an accomplishment for a company that is still the de facto monopoly telco in a big chunk of the country running from Washington and Minnesota to New Mexico. Now that Naccio is gone, it's recovered somewhat but it's still called Qwest. John R. Levine, IECC, POB 727, Trumansburg NY 14886 +1 607 330 5711 johnl@iecc.com, Mayor, http://johnlevine.com, Member, Provisional board, Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-mail ------------------------------ From: adamsjac@telcordia.com (Jack Adams) Subject: Re: US West History Date: 5 Aug 2004 05:58:19 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Doug Faunt N6TQS wrote in message news:: > Am I correct in believing that US West was one of the "baby bells"? > And what happened to the company, if so? > 73, doug Yes, the short answer is that it encompassed Mountain Bell and Pacific Northwest Bell which covered almost the entire Northwestern quadrant of the continental US. Somewhere along the way, Quest was formed (basically renaming US West), Joe Nachio took over, and it went to *#@+ in a handbasket. For details on this and other divestiture shenanigans, visit David Massey's http://www.bellsystemmemorial.com/ A website created as a memorial to the people, history, technology and the "Spirit of Service" of what was known as the "Bell System" prior to 1984. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 08:39:52 -0700 From: Hammond of Texas Subject: Re: US West History Doug Faunt N6TQS wrote: > Am I correct in believing that US West was one of the "baby bells"? > And what happened to the company, if so? > 73, doug Yes, US West, originally Pacific Northwest Bell, was one of the "baby bells". They are now Qwest. ------------------------------ From: Joseph Subject: Re: US West History Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 09:08:53 -0700 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Reply-To: JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com On 04 Aug 2004 23:47:05 -0400, Doug Faunt N6TQS wrote: > Am I correct in believing that US West was one of the "baby bells"? > And what happened to the company, if so? In 1984 when the "Bell System" was split up USWest was one of the "baby bells" that was formed along with NYNEX, Bell Atlantic, Bell South, Southwestern Bell, Ameritech and Pacific Telesis (if I've omitted any others it's unintentional.) Since that time there has been some consolidation and name changes. NYNEX was absorbed by Bell Atlantic. Bell Atlantic then combined themselves with former GTE companies and became Verizon. Southwestern Bell became SBC and bought Pacific Telesis and Ameritech. Qwest which was a long distance only company bought USWest. Big fish/little fish :) remove NONO from .NONOcom to reply ------------------------------ 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. 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