From editor@telecom-digest.org Wed Aug 18 16:00:26 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.3) id i7IK0Q116906; Wed, 18 Aug 2004 16:00:26 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 16:00:26 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200408182000.i7IK0Q116906@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 #387 TELECOM Digest Wed, 18 Aug 2004 16:01:00 EDT Volume 23 : Issue 387 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Mobile Device Developments 2004-Other Upcoming Conferences (Elena Colle) NomadISP Announces Nomadic WiFi Hotspot Franchise for RV and (Editor) Crypto Researchers Abuzz Over flaws (Monty Solomon) World Payphones (Thomas J. Fletcher) Avaya ODBC - CentreVu Reports (Eric B.) Anyone Know Anything About RTP and NAT Traversal? (JustSomeGuy) Transmission Time Calculation & Impact of Distance on it (qazmlp) Re: Phone Fraud: xtremeISP.com ? (Steven J Sobol) Re: Phone Fraud: xtremeISP.com ? (Isaiah Beard) Re: Number Not in Use (Steven J Sobol) Re: Number Not in Use (Robert Bonomi) Re: Wardriving Guilty Plea in Lowe's Wi-Fi Case (Scott Dorsey) Re: Delete: Bathwater. Undelete: Baby (Paul Vader) Coalition Proposing Lowering Rate Phone Companies Pay (Jack Decker-VOIP) 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Mobile Device Developments 2004-Other Upcoming Conferences Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 17:02:06 +0100 From: Elena Colle Mobile Device Developments 2004 *****Other Upcoming Conferences: Push-to-Talk, WLAN, Participation TV**** 1-3 September 2004 Contact mailto:elena.colle@visongain.com for Hilton Kensington, London ***************** FULL AGENDA BELOW ***************** Following up on the success of Mobile Device Developments 2003 visiongain B2B Conferences are please to announce the 2nd annual event examining the current state of the market for mobile devices (smartphones, phone-enabled PDA, communicators, 2.5G and 3G handsets), and the opportunities for growth both in market size and ARPU (average revenue per user). This event will yet again be the meeting point for Mobile Operators, Handset Manufacturers & Application Developers. Key themes include: *What features and applications are going to be tomorrow's standard *What brands are going to lead the market? *Which handsets/devices are revolutionising the mobile offer? *Developing features to boost customer use and ARPU *Adapting devices for all networks and standards of connectivity: 2G, 2.5G, 3G, Bluetooth, WiFi, VoIP, EDGE *Managing strategic alliances for maximum revenue for all players involved *Marketing new devices: market segmentation, pricing, promotional alliances Confirmed Speakers -Eric Shadduck, Group Manager Mobile E-Mail and Messaging, International Business Marketing IM2, T-Mobile International -Marcos Eguillor, Handsets & Smart Cards Expert, Telefnica Mviles -Jukka Helin, Head of MediaLab, TeliaSonera -Cdric Nicolas, Mobile Multimedia and i-mode Expertise and Roadmap manager, Bouygues Telecom -Ed Candy, Technology Director, 3 UK -Alex Hum, Programme Head, New Human Interaction Technologies, Orange Group Research and Innovation -Thijs Altena, Marketing Business Markets, KPN Mobile -David Werezak, Vice President Marketing, Research in Motion -Myrddin Jones, Manager Business Display Group, Hitachi Europe Ltd -Mike Phillips, Director of Marketing Wireless & Broadband Systems, Motorola/Freescale Semiconductors -Orly Nesher, Director of Marketing, Emblaze Mobile -John Williamson, Vice President Technology, Carrier Devices Testimonials from the event: 'Good event: well organised, good speakers, and good content', P.P., TIM 'Very compelling content, good variety of speakers with different angles', K.M., Belgacom Mobile 'Very interesting, very good networking opportunities', S.T., Alcatel 'Excellently prepared conference', G.W, Sun Microsystems 'Useful event - good range of topics and questions', N.H., TDK Systems This years event is planned to bigger and better with more attendees, more exhibitors and more opportunities to discuss, network and learn. Places at this event are strictly limited so BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW. To make a booking on this event, please contact me via phone or email. Book early to secure a place. - PRICING - Attend the: 2 Day conference with interactive workshop - ONLY GBP1600 plus VAT 2 Day conference - ONLY GBP1299 plus VAT Workshop only - ONLY GBP650 plus VAT - BOOKINGS - Booking is easy, simply contact Elena Colle on: Telephone: +44 (0)20 8767 6711 Fax: +44 (0)20 8767 5001 Terms and conditions apply - see below Email: mailto:elena.colle@visongain.com Please find below the conference agenda. To book your place at simply give me a quick ring or email me stating whether you require a single place or a group booking. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Regards, Elena Colle Account Manager Visiongain b2b Conferences Tel: +44 (0) 20 8767 6711 http://www.b2b-conferences.com mailto:elena.colle@visiongain.com ****AGENDA**** PRE-CONFERENCE INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP Developing devices and features for business customers Wednesday 1st September 2004 Led by: Del Alibocus, VP Business Development, UIQ Technology AB ------------------------------------- DAY ONE - THURSDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER 2004 ------------------------------------- Conference Chair Alan Hadden President Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) 8:40 Registration and coffee 9:10 Opening remarks from the Chair DEVELOPING NEW DEVICES: STRATEGIES AND REQUIREMENTS 9:20 Optimising devices opportunities for the business market * Device segmentation from voice to data and what is in between * Features sets that sell devices and have an impact on their price points * Service and device bundles - the advantages and disadvantages * Services and revenue in the business market Eric Shadduck Group Manager Mobile E-Mail and Messaging International Business Marketing IM2 T-Mobile International 10:00 The role of devices in Telefnica Mviles' business strategy: the advantages of branded handsets * Determining the key features to develop a handset offer to suit end-users needs * Managing working partnerships with manufacturers to develop branded handsets * Adapting the offer to varied markets * Developing handsets to enable personalisation and interactivity Marcos Eguillor Handsets & Smart Cards Expert Telefnica Mviles 10:40 Coffee and discussion 11:00 Building a varied device offer to meet users needs * Update on the current trends and dynamics within the mobile device market * Analysing the segments of the device market, and how to combine features and functionality to meet differing user needs * Ensuring the usability of new handsets: how to make it work for business and entertainment users? * Developing successful partnerships with operators and software developers * Strategies for future devices: what features are going to lead the market and what devices will dominate? David Werezak Vice President Marketing Research in Motion 11:40 Challenges in software integration and testing for handset manufacturers * Issues in technology choices when developing new mobile devices * Interoperability and how it influences the development of applications * Technology solutions to enhance the usability and profitability of mobile devices Colin Aitken Vice President Marketing & General Manager Europe Sasken Communications 13:00 Lunch PERSONALISATION AND INTERACTIVITY 14:10 The importance of personalisation and interactivity for mobiles * Boosting revenues with personal and interactive offering * Key features to provide the right level of interaction and personalisation * Working with device manufacturers to develop the features Alex Hum Programme Head, New Human Interaction Technologies Orange Group Research and Innovation 14:50 Enabling key content and personalisation services * Balancing standardisation and differentiation/personalisation * The technology needed to allow a full range of applications, location services, e-payments, multimedia messaging and video * Designing the user interface: making the use of new services and applications more appealing to users * How can device designs lead to an increase of ARPU? Johan Lodenius Senior Vice President Europe Business Relations Qualcomm 15:20 Case Study: Orange Israel, Alpha P8 * Market need for a segmented customized device * Targeting the youth market with the Alpha P8 * Unique features in the Alpha P8 * Emphasis on usability for uptake of operator services * Understanding the market for customized operator devices Orly Nesher Director of Marketing Emblaze Mobile 15:50 Coffee and discussion 16:10 Enhancing mobile devices with successful displays * Review of the display market * Current and emerging display technologies for mobile devices * New display technologies for video and wide viewing * Review of display resolutions and sizes used in mobile devices * Display customisation Myrddin Jones General Manager, Display Products Group Hitachi Europe Ltd 16:40 Smart Card solutions to boost update of mobile data services * New solutions for multi-media services and devices * Removing the complexity for the end-user * The benefits for operators and handset manufacturers * Ensuring security for wireless applications Cyril Annarella EMEA Marketing Director - BU Telecom Gemplus 17:10 Close of Day One ----------------------------------- DAY TWO - FRIDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER 2004 ----------------------------------- 8:40 Registration and coffee 9:10 Opening remarks from the chair: Alan Hadden, President Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) 9:20 Challenging convention to deliver innovation in the mobile device offer * Using the latest technology to deliver innovative devices * Delivering a mobile offer to support operators' brand development * Striking the right balance between innovation, performance and usability * The importance of design, style and features in creating a range of devices Eric Pite Vice President Smartphones Sendo ADAPTING DEVICES TO NEW NETWORKS AND NEW CONTENT 10:00 Developing a handset offer to drive 3G services * 3UK's experience of working with manufacturers to develop suitable handsets * Determining the key requirements to design handsets according to the services offered * What features drive mobile usage and 3G services * Providing the right balance between new technology and usability * Future handset technologies for 3 and the relevance to customers Ed Candy Technology Director 3 UK 10:40 Coffee and discussion 11:00 Technology requirements for next generation devices * What are the new handset requirements for next generation services (3G, EDGE) and how to make the step from 2.5G? * Determining what drives market demand for enhanced data services and identifying the relevant handset requirements * The current choice of handsets for next generation services and their distinguishing features: are they living up to the expectations? Brian Dally Director Product Marketing, Client Software Openwave Systems 11:40 Streaming and Broadcasting Services for Mobile Handsets * How handset vendors, software vendors, network operators and service operators can all benefit from the introduction of mobile video services * Mobile streaming and broadcasting technology overview and requirements for GPRS/EDGE/W-CDMA/DVB-H networks & handsets * Streaming, downloading or broadcasting: which technology to use for different services? * Assessing the quality aspects in mobile video services * Mobile video broadcasting for DVB-H terminals: experiences from the Finnish trial * TeliaSonera's first commercial video services for cell phones Jukka Helin Head of MediaLab TeliaSonera 12:20 Lunch 13:40 Adapting to EDGE: developing handsets for a new technology and new services * Why Bouygues Telecom selected EDGE technology for its network * What services will be introduced with EDGE * What are the links with Bouygues Telecom's i-mode main offer? * How the EDGE handsets were designed with vendors * What is the evolution path from EDGE to 3G ? Cdric Nicolas Mobile Multimedia and i-mode Expertise and Roadmap manager Bouygues Telecom 14:20 Platforms solutions to enable mobile digital broadcasting (DVB-H) * Designing standards for the delivery of digital television and data services * What are the market enablers, who are are the key parties who will create the DVB-H market ? * What services and revenues can be expected from the development of mobile DVB? * The technology behind digital broadcasting to mobile handsets * Possible platform solutions for subscriber equipment Mike Phillips Director of Marketing Wireless & Broadband Systems Motorola/Freescale Semiconductors 15:00 Coffee and discussion 15:20 A new brand for a new generation of mobiles: i-mate(tm) * The I-mate offer: smartphones and pocket-PCs * Designing devices: usability and portability * Developing devices for next generation networks (3G, EDGE, Bluetooth) * Enabling wireless services with Windows Mobile * Accessories and features John Williamson Vice President Technology Carrier Devices 15:50 KPN's experience of handset developments for businesses * The fundamentals of building a successful relationship with vendors * Using devices to achieve differentiation in a competitive marketplace * Determining the key selling-point of a new device and developing it accordingly: mobile office, video content, gaming Thijs Altena, Marketing Business Markets KPN Mobile 16:20 Close of conference Terms & Conditions NB - Due to high demand, we do not 'reserve' or 'hold' places - a request for an invoice to be raised will be treated as an official booking and will be subject to the cancellation policy as outlined below. Cancellations/substitutions and name changes: All bookings carry a 50% liability after the booking has been made, by post fax, email or web. There will be no refunds for cancellations received on or after one month before the start of the conference (e.g. cancellation on or after 20th January for a conference starting on 20th February). If you decide to cancel after this date the full invoice remains payable. Conference notes, which are available on the day, will be sent to you. Unfortunately we are not able to transfer places between conferences and executive briefings. However if you are unable to attend the event you may make a substitution/name change at any time as long as we are informed in writing by e-mail, fax or post. Name changes and substitutions must be from the same company and are not transferable between companies or countries. Indemnity: visiongain Ltd reserve the right to change the conference/executive briefing content, timing, speakers or venue without notice. The event may be postponed or cancelled due to acts of terrorism, war, extreme weather conditions, industrial action, acts of God or any event beyond the control of visiongain Ltd. If such a situation arises we will endeavour to reschedule the event. However, visiongain Ltd cannot be held responsible for any cost, damage or expenses, which may be incurred by the customer as a consequence of the event being postponed or cancelled. We therefore strongly advise all customers to take out insurance to cover the cost of the registration, travel and expenses. To unsubscribe please reply with unsubscribe in the subject line. Data protection: Visiongain Ltd gathers and manages data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Information contained about you may be used to update you on visiongain Ltd products and services via post, telephone, fax or email, unless you state otherwise. We may share your data with external companies offering complimentary products or services. If you wish your details to be amended, suppressed or not passed onto any external third party, please send your request to the Database Manager, visiongain Ltd, 40 Tooting High Street, London, SW17 0RG. Alternatively, you can visit our website www.visiongain.com and amend your details. Please allow approximately 30 days for your removal or update request, you may receive additional pieces of communication from visiongain Ltd during the transitional period, whilst the changes come into effect. To unsubscribe please reply with unsubscribe in the subject line. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 22:11:53 +0400 From: Editor Subject: NomadISP Announces Nomadic WiFi Hotspot Franchise for RV http://www.pressreleasenetwork.com NomadISP Announces Nomadic WiFi Hotspot Franchise for RV and Coach Owners! Allows Coach & RV owners to sell WiFi Internet services wherever they go! Boise, Idaho - Aug 18, 2004 (PRN): NomadISP, the fastest growing provider in WiFI services to the recreational industry, announced at FMCA today the availability of the Nomadic WiFi Hotspot Franchise to Coach and RV owners. The announcement facilitates owners of Coaches and RVs to own a NomadISP franchise allowing them sell and deploy WiFi services at any location within North America that they visit. The franchise includes all equipment, training, and support for an owner to have a profitable business aboard their vehicle, selling WiFi service to adjoining campers, guests or anyone else, wherever they go. "In keeping with our goal of making WiFi available everywhere for the recreational industry, we have created a solution that allows the WiFi hotspot business to be carried by the true Nomads of America, the full-timers that are living within their coaches. This franchise allows them to have a solid, profitable business wherever they go, and to sell that service at any location within North America." stated Kelly Hogan, CEO, NomadISP. The franchise is a complete business, including a high-speed portable Satellite Internet system, the NomadISP HotSpot Gateway, antennas and mounting hardware for their coach, and training on commissioning and managing the system when arriving at their location. Franchises start at $3,995 for manually configured systems, and $9,995 for fully robotic positioning versions. Franchisees have the ability to set their own pricing based on the WiFi market, which promotes a fair market, and several early adopters have seen up to $1,500 per month in net income from the ownership of the systems, as well as tax advantages of having a business based in their coaches. "This solution innovates the WiFi business for the recreational industry by insuring that High-Speed Internet follows the natural migration of the Nomadic owners within America and that a competitive market exists for the consumers of the service. Our solution is complete, allowing for scheduled departure based pricing, quick deployment, and we have even insured that if two or more NomadISP systems are in vicinity of each other, that they bridge together to insure that the WiFi experience is improved for all the users. We even include a VOIP satellite phone for the owner! It just doesn't get any better than this, truly Nomadic connectivity!" continued Hogan. Owners can purchase the Nomadic Franchise through NomadISP's extensive dealer network of over 300 dealers located in every state, which includes personal, local training on how to deploy their equipment. For more information, contact nomadwifi@nomadisp.com or Franchise support at 1-877-254-6672, ext 203. About NomadISP: NomadISP is a systems integration ISP marketing directly to businesses with challenging ISP requirements. They specialize in Satellite connectivity, 802.11 WiFi hotspots, and offer their products to remote housing areas, campgrounds, RV Parks, Marinas, and Truck stops. They are headquartered in Boise Idaho, with offices in Portland and Medford OR. For more information, contact: NomadISP 3100 N. Lake Harbor Lane, Suite 116 Boise, ID 83703 Phone: 208-342-1789 ext. 203 Email: nomadwifi@nomadisp.com Website: http://www.nomadisp.com editor@pressreleasenetwork.com http://www.pressreleasenetwork.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 14:51:24 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Crypto Researchers Abuzz Over Flaws By Declan McCullagh Staff Writer, CNET News.com Encryption circles are buzzing with news that mathematical functions embedded in common security applications have previously unknown weaknesses. The excitement began Thursday with an announcement that French computer scientist Antoine Joux had uncovered a flaw in a popular algorithm called MD5, often used with digital signatures. Then four Chinese researchers released a paper that reported a way to circumvent MD5 and other algorithms. While their results are preliminary, these discoveries could eventually make it easier for intruders to insert undetectable back doors into computer code or to forge an electronic signature -- unless a different, more secure algorithm is used. A third announcement, which was even more anticipated, took place Tuesday evening at the Crypto 2004 conference in Santa Barbara, Calif. The other papers also were presented at the conference. Eli Biham and Rafi Chen, researchers at the Technion institute in Israel, originally were scheduled to present a paper identifying ways to assail the security in the SHA-0 "Secure Hash Algorithm," which was known to have imperfections. In a presentation Tuesday evening, however, Biham reported some early work toward identifying vulnerabilities in the SHA-1 algorithm, which is believed to be secure. Biham's presentation was very preliminary, but it could call into question the long-term future of the wildly popular SHA-1 algorithm and spur researchers to identify alternatives. Currently considered the gold standard of its class of algorithms, SHA-1 is embedded in popular programs like PGP and SSL. It is certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and is the only signing algorithm approved for use in the U.S. government's Digital Signature Standard. SHA-1 yields a 160-bit output, which is longer than MD5's 128-bit output and is considered more secure. http://news.com.com/2100-1002-5313655.html ------------------------------ From: t.fletcher@ramsa.com (thomasjfletcher) Subject: World Payphones Date: 18 Aug 2004 11:57:10 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Am looking for technical history of payphones for website www.worldpayphones.com Anybody have any further info? ------------------------------ From: ericboyd_71@yahoo.com (Eric B.) Subject: Avaya ODBC - CentreVu reports Date: 18 Aug 2004 07:31:29 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com I'm hoping for some info here. As far as I know, the Avaya switch uses Informix as the database, but please correct me if I'm wrong. What is the default username and password for accessing the Avaya switch using ODBC. I know for a Siemens switch, it's 'u_odba', but what about Avaya. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 04:01:56 GMT From: JustSomeGuy Subject: Anyone Know Anything About RTP and NAT Traversal? Organization: Shaw Residential Internet How do RTP packets travers a NAT? ------------------------------ From: qazmlp1209@rediffmail.com (qazmlp) Subject: Transmission Time Calculation & Impact of Distance on it Date: 18 Aug 2004 08:53:30 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Two nodes are connected in the same IP network. The average bandwidth of the IP link between those 2 nodes is 'T' MB/sec. These 2 nodes are 'D'(maybe, 200 or 300 km)km apart from each other. In that case, how much time it will take for transferring 'A' MB amount of data from one node to the other one? I am just confused about how the distance need to be considered for calculating this. Kindly clarify! ------------------------------ From: Steven J Sobol Subject: Re: Phone Fraud: xtremeISP.com ? Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 00:31:36 -0500 Raj wrote: > This person called repeatedly on a too good to be true offer claiming > to represent xtremeisp.com. The offer was for dialup OR broadband > service(he did not know the difference or did not care) for 2 years at > a flat rate $285 USD. In exchange he offered a Dell computer, Nokia > phone, vacation package and 1000 USD online shopping package. He only > wanted my checking account number. I hung up on him saying that I > would research and get back to him. The numbers he left me with are > 1-866-751-9360 and 1-510-248-4104, which he claimed to be calling from > New York; on checking was found to be from Oakland, CA. I suspect > fraud. I'll say. He wanted to dip into your checking account, I'm sure. You may want to inform xtremeisp of this too. 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. ------------------------------ From: Isaiah Beard Subject: Re: Phone Fraud: xtremeISP.com ? Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 10:23:36 -0400 TELECOM Digest Editor noted in response to Raj: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Sounds to me to a bit rotten also. And > another one to watch out for is the television ad for 'get a new > computer with no credit check. If you have a telephone and a checking > account you can have a new computer for just $35 per week.' $35 per > *week* for 52 weeks and they debit/ACH your checking account each > week. That's a scam also. PAT] Yeah, people who jump into these things don't do the math. I saw the ad too, and if you do the math, after 52 weeks (one year) of $35.99 payments, you've got an old outdated computer that you paid $1871.48 for. Dell's top of the line consumer model currently sells for $1679, and something that is comparable in specs to what this scam was offering can be had for a mere $449. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: To make matters a bit worse, some years have *53* weeks in a year; well they all do including years with a February 29 in them. And depending on the day of the week when they start their ACH debits you get about three chances out of seven that your 'billing/debiting cycle' will get hit 53 times instead of 52. So as a practical matter, budget an extra $36 into your math, or about $1900 total cost. And not to worry, they will make sure you get started in the right cycle. Rip offs! And that black lady who does their promotions on television is an accomplished actress who once did appearances on "Twilight Zone". Remember her? PAT] ------------------------------ From: Steven J Sobol Subject: Re: Number Not in Use Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 00:32:17 -0500 Owain wrote: > Ned Protter wrote: >> I dialed it. After two rings I got three shrill tones and an >> announcement that the number was not in service. I dialed >> again with the same result. >> How could I receive a call from an out-of-service number? > Are you sure the announcement was a genuine telephone company > announcement, or had the telemarketer put an answering machine on the > line with a fake annoucement? I'd expect a genuine announcement not to > ring first. In my experience, if a number is disconnected, the line may ring once before you get the telco intercept message. YMMV 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. ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Number Not in Use Organization: Robert Bonomi Consulting From: bonomi@host122.r-bonomi.com (Robert Bonomi) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 07:32:22 +0000 In article , Owain wrote: > Ned Protter wrote: >> I dialed it. After two rings I got three shrill tones and an >> announcement that the number was not in service. I dialed >> again with the same result. >> How could I receive a call from an out-of-service number? > Are you sure the announcement was a genuine telephone company > announcement, or had the telemarketer put an answering machine on the > line with a fake annoucement? I'd expect a genuine announcement not to > ring first. Your expectations are *NOT* in line with reality. Mobile (cell) phone carriers are notorious for having 'slow' and *inconsistent* cut-in of intercept messages. I had occasion to call a friend the other day, who's phone had gotten temporarily cut off. First time, the intercept kicked in _after_ three rings. Of course, it doesn't say _what_ number was called, so, I suspected a mis-dial. Re-dialed, and the intercept took over _before_ the 1st ring. In the _middle_ of the 'not in service' message. Just for grins, tried it again about 5 minutes later -- 3 rings and then the intercept. (Two days later, the number _was_ working, and the friend confirmed that it _was_ a carrier cut-off/intercept.) Or, for example if the number is in a DID block assigned to an "answering service's" PBX. The telco 'thinks' the number _is_ in service, and pipes it down the (analog) trunk to the PBX. which, after rummaging in it's database decides it it _not_ assigned, and plays its 'not in service' message. The _caller_ may hear 'ringing' from the point the telco starts to pipe the call down the DID trunk to the PBX, *before* the PBX figures out 'what to do' with the call. Those issues don't arise _if_ the signalling is 'pure digital' (i.e., SS7 and/or ISDN) all the way to the _last_ switch. Anything that "looks" like analog circuits, including DS-0's on a channelized T-1 (or above), and the fun-and-games _does_ commence. In article , T. Sean Weintz wrote: > Robert Bonomi wrote: >> Yup. with the right equipment and telco-connection, the _entire_ >> caller-ID data is under the control of the customer. They can make it >> say _anything_ they want it to. > Oh yeah, with a VOIP extension at home to our PBX here at work, which > has two PRI's for it's outgoing/incoming calls, I have been sorely > tempted to play prank call games at night with friends. The potential is > unlimited. > I mean what would YOU do if you got call at 3:00am from some idiot > insisting that he wants to order a pizza, and caller ID said it was > from the whitehouse ... "I'm sorry, Mr. Gore. Your credit card does not match the address you've given us. We are unable to accept your order. " _Next_ question? But, then, I've had to, over the years, deal with a _lot_ of strange calls. Many pranks, some deadly serious. Like a hospital emergency room trying to locate the physician of an only-partially coherent patient. Couldn't get a precise ID from the victim, and were calling anybody who's name appeared "close" to what they understood her to be saying. At the time, I was the _only_ person listed in the entire greater Chicago area, with my last name. (heck, there's less than 200 people with that name in the entire U.S. :) How life gets _really_ confusing. This all started _late_ one evening. I'm working that nite at 'xyz software labs'. The call comes in at home. My room-mate, *sleepily* answers the phone. Hears the name, and says 'He's at work. call XXX-XXXX', so they do. I answer the 'nite line' from the computer room, with all the attendant background noise. In that kind of environment, "Doctor' can sound an awful lot like 'Robert'. They _know_ they've reached a 'lab' facility, and are talking to the 'Doctor'. I'm really a computer-systems guy, running tests of new software, that has to be done in 'non-production' time. "Massive confusion" would be a gross understatement for describing the first moments of -that- call. Now, the 'small world' department intervenes. A high-school acquaintance had recently moved to town, joining the nursing faculty at one of the local med schools. Had, a week or so previously, told me that she'd seen a listing for somebody with "my" last name, in the med school faculty, and the department that he was in. Thus I could tell that ER caller that "there _is_ a Doctor by that name, on the teaching faculty of .... Hospital, in the .... Dept." I got about that far, and they interrupted, saying, with great relief, that that probably _was_ the person they were looking for. (The departmental affiliation apparently matched an ongoing medical condition of the ER patient.) > People just don't know how easy it is to spoof caller ID if ya got ISDN. A -lot- depends on the connecting carrier, too. The sloppy ones will pass along 'anything' that the customer puts on the line. The 'good' ones monitor the data, and replace anything 'invalid' (i.e. -not- something that the customer actually 'owns') with 'actual' identification. Unfortunately, the sloppy carriers vastly outnumber the good ones. ------------------------------ From: kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) Subject: Re: Wardriving Guilty Plea in Lowe's Wi-Fi Case Date: 18 Aug 2004 09:20:59 -0400 Organization: Former users of Netcom shell (1989-2000) Danny Burstein wrote: > I'll take your analogy and raise you one better: > You own a drive-in movie theater with two acres of land. You've got a > waist high chain link marking your property. > The screen is visible for hundreds of feet around. And the radio signal > you're using for the audio is similarly detectable. > People park outside your fence and watch and listen to the movie. > What's the crime? Before 1986, there was no crime. The Communication Act of 1934 made it legal to listen to any radio communications as long as you did not divulge private information to a third party. This made things very interesting ... reporters could use scanners to locate crime scenes, but they could not write about information they heard on the police radio unless they had also got the information in some other way. With the Electronic Communication Privacy Act of 1986, listening to that drive-in signal becomes illegal. This is a very poorly thought-out law that was drafted by the cellphone lobby; rather than actually securing communications, it was cheaper for them to make monitoring illegal. Wi-Fi hijacking is definitely an ECPA violation... but then if you read the ECPA literally, use of WiFI at all is an ECPA violation. It definitely makes listening to subcarriers of broadcast channels illegal without explicit permission, which basically makes it illegal to listen to FM stations in stereo or to television with the sound turned up. It was drafted by folks with no real understanding of radio technology. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." ------------------------------ From: pv+usenet@pobox.com (Paul Vader) Subject: Re: Delete: Bathwater. Undelete: Baby Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 14:23:47 -0000 Organization: Inline Software Creations T. Sean Weintz writes: > federal grants. Our spam filter has thrown a monkey wrench into the > works more than once -- other non-profits we deal with tend to use the > cheapest ISP they can find, which means the ISP they choose to use is > likely to be a spamhaus, which means their IP address space is usually > on one or more blocklists. Then use a phone. Email was never intended, even before spam, to be reliable. That's simply the way it is - if you rely on email as your sole point of communication on critical issues, you're in trouble. * * PV something like badgers--something like lizards--and something like corkscrews. ------------------------------ From: Jack Decker Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 11:56:25 -0400 Subject: Coalition Proposing Lowering Rates Phone Companies Pay One Another Reply-To: VoIPnews@yahoogroups.com http://www.x-changemag.com/hotnews/48h17161747.html By Josh Long A coalition representing a wide range of U.S. telecommunications companies has submitted a plan to the FCC proposing to radically change the system governing how carriers pay one another to complete calls. AT&T Corp., Level 3 Communications Inc., SBC Communications Inc. and Valor Telecommunications LLC are among the group of companies supporting a plan submitted by the Intercarrier Compensation Forum (ICF). The ICF, which has been working to develop a proposal for more than a year, says the current rules were written two decades ago and do not reflect changes in the industry such as the popularity of wireless and growth of Internet-based phone service. The coalition on Monday submitted a filing to the FCC outlining the proposal and intends to file a more comprehensive plan in the next week or so. Abolishing Fees The ICF has proposed moving to a unified rate structure and drastically reducing the 'access charges' and other fees carriers pay one another to complete calls -- eradicating the fees altogether in July 2011. The decreases in rates would begin to take effect next summer and there would be reductions over the next seven years. [...] Under the ICF proposal, the unified rate also would apply to Internet phone traffic in 2008, although the coalition does not say how the proposed rules would affect Internet phone service before that date. The FCC is mulling how to regulate Internet phone service in a number of proceedings, and one of the dilemmas the agency faces is whether companies routing traffic over the Internet should be required to pay other carriers access charges for completing calls. [...] In addition to reforming intercarrier compensation rules, the ICF also has proposed changing the method by which carriers contribute to the Universal Service Fund, the multi-billion dollar pot of money used partly to subsidize telecom services in rural areas where the cost of providing local phone service is high. End users would pay a flat fee every month to support the fund based on every phone number and high-speed Internet connection they have. That means cable companies and DSL providers also would charge high-speed Internet customers a fee. [Comment: So in effect, someone who has a broadband Internet connection and either broadband OR traditional wireline phone service would get dinged twice (and if you have an "alternate number" you'd get hit yet again, although the need for those would probably disappear as long distance charges go away), and you'd be paying just to give corporate welfare to the greedy bastards that run the small monopolistic local phone companies. I say it's high time we kill this subsidy - tell these phone companies they have five years to either figure out how to become profitable, or sell their companies, but the handouts ARE going to stop come hell or high water. I realize there are some good small phone companies (and they will probably figure out how to survive without the subsidies) but then there are the greedy ones that try to inhibit access to ISP's owned by anyone other than "the phone company", and use other dirty tricks to capture every last dollar they can from their captive custo mers. I would REALLY like to know why these rural phone companies have the idea that they should be guaranteed any particular income level - businesses start and fail all the time. These phone companies for the most part are monopolies in their service areas, and have done everything possible to fight off competition EXCEPT lower their rates and improve their service offerings (again, there are very striking exceptions to this -- small companies that have treated their customers more than fairly -- but they are few and far between). Even if they are forced to sell because the handouts of OUR money will be cut off, they have made a very nice little income for many years. Did anyone ever guarantee them the right to continue to rip off their customers AND the customers of larger phone companies forever? They should be glad to have received what they have already received, and maybe start looking for a new line of business to get into if they really think they cannot survive in the telephone business.] Full story at: http://www.x-changemag.com/hotnews/48h17161747.html 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/ ------------------------------ 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. 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