From editor@telecom-digest.org Mon Aug 30 22:37:21 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id i7V2bKP20463; Mon, 30 Aug 2004 22:37:21 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 22:37:21 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200408310237.i7V2bKP20463@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 #405 TELECOM Digest Mon, 30 Aug 2004 22:37:00 EDT Volume 23 : Issue 405 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Telecom Update (Canada) #446, August 30, 2004 (Angus TeleManagement) Postwar Bell System - Controversy? (Jeff nor Lisa) Obituary: Walter J. Zenner, 1904-2004 (Jim Haynes) Looking for Receive-Only VoIP (Mark Atwood) Sprint Settlement Notice: Free Sprint Phone Card (ninja_fanatic) Re: Microsoft Changed My Mind (Paul A Lee) Re: Microsoft Changed My Mind (Steve Sobol) Presidential Debate on Tuesday, August 31 Probably on TV (Pat Townson) Re: Last Laugh! Boom! (Thomas A. Horsley) Re: Specific Telephone Numbers (Tony P.) Re: LNP Wireless to Voip Possible? (John R. Levine) Comcast to Market New Video Recorder (Monty Solomon) Last Laugh! Visiting the Doctor's Office (Lisa Minter) 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: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 15:57:05 -0400 From: Angus TeleManagement Subject: Telecom Update (Canada) #446, August 30, 2004 ************************************************************ TELECOM UPDATE ************************************************************ published weekly by Angus TeleManagement Group http://www.angustel.ca Number 446: August 30, 2004 Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by generous financial support from: ** ALLSTREAM: www.allstream.com ** BELL CANADA: www.bell.ca ** CISCO SYSTEMS CANADA: www.cisco.com/ca ** CYGCOM INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGIES: www.cygcom.com ** GROUP TELECOM: www.360.net ** JUNIPER NETWORKS: www.juniper.net ** PRIMUS CANADA: www.primustel.ca ** SPRINT CANADA: www.sprint.ca ** TELUS: www.telus.com ************************************************************ IN THIS ISSUE: ** Ottawa Ends Wireless Spectrum Cap ** Telus Merges Sales Groups, Plans Staff Cuts ** Federal Mediator Enters Aliant Strike ** Local Resellers to Get Toll Compensation ** Bell Buys Spectrum From Kedar ** Wi-LAN Reports Loss, Replaces Staff ** Telus Says Competitors Failing to File IXPL Reports ** Mitel Launches Call Accounting ** Rogers Upgrades Wireless Desktop ** Rogers Picks Azaire for Hotspots ** Spotwave Raises $12 Million ** Court Denies Verisign Challenge to Icann ** Com Dev Back in the Black ** Living With Converged Networks ============================================================ OTTAWA ENDS WIRELESS SPECTRUM CAP: Industry Canada has rescinded the rule that limits the amount of radio spectrum a cellular telephone company can hold. The change removes a major barrier against mergers and acquisitions in the mobile phone industry: Telus, which is currently trying to buy Microcell, could be the first major beneficiary. http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/insmt-gst.nsf/en/sf05645e.html TELUS MERGES SALES GROUPS, PLANS STAFF CUTS: Telus says it will combine its Client Solutions (large business) and Business Solutions (small and medium business) sales units into one by October. Joe Natale, current President of Client Solutions, will head the merged unit; Business Solutions President John Maduri has left the company. FEDERAL MEDIATOR ENTERS ALIANT STRIKE: Following a public appeal by labour ministers and premiers from all four Atlantic provinces, federal Labour Minister Joe Fontana has asked Aliant and its unions to meet with a federal mediator today. The strike began on April 23; the two sides have not met since July. ** The union is seeking enhanced pensions and benefits, and greater job security in face of efforts by the company's owner, BCE, to move back-office functions to Bell Canada. LOCAL RESELLERS TO GET TOLL COMPENSATION: Responding to an application by West Coast Teltech and A&A Call Link Telesolutions, the CRTC has reversed a previous ruling, now saying that "one-hop resellers" are entitled to compensation for lost business when local calling areas are expanded. (See Telecom Update #382, 390) www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2004/dt2004-56.htm BELL BUYS SPECTRUM FROM KEDAR: The newsletter Report on Wireless says that the high-speed wireless net Bell Canada plans to build in Alberta will use spectrum acquired from Mobilexchange Spectrum, a company controlled by telecom entrepreneur Mike Kedar. Kedar acquired six wireless licences in the 24 GHz range in January from Wispra, which had paid $74 million for them in the 1999 auction but never launched service. (See Telecom Update #417, 445) Wi-LAN REPORTS LOSS, REPLACES STAFF: Wi-LAN Inc's third quarter revenue was $6.1 million, down from $7.5 million a year ago. The company had a net loss of $4 million. CEO Sayed-Amr El-Hamamsy says that as a result Wi-LAN is "replacing under-performing marketing and sales personnel, including some senior executives," and is looking for two new vice-presidents to head sales and marketing. TELUS SAYS COMPETITORS FAILING TO FILE IXPL REPORTS: Telus says that competitors have not informed the CRTC about routes where they are offering inter-exchange private line service, which would trigger deregulation of Telus' IXPL service on those routes. Telus has asked the CRTC for stiffer reporting requirements. www.crtc.gc.ca/PartVII/eng/2004/8640/t66_200408915.htm MITEL LAUNCHES CALL ACCOUNTING: Mitel Networks has introduced the IP Telephony Accounting Solution, a utility that monitors and reports on corporate telephone usage. It includes fraud detection, validation of carrier billing, and call flow forecasting. ROGERS UPGRADES WIRELESS DESKTOP: Enhanced Wireless Desktop version 4.4, released last week by Rogers Wireless, supports e-mail synchronization with the Treo 600 smartphone and other devices. Subscribers to any of Rogers' Wireless Data Service plans can obtain Enhanced Wireless Desktop at no additional charge. ROGERS PICKS AZAIRE FOR HOTSPOTS: After an RFP process that began last December, Rogers Wireless has selected California- based Azaire Networks to provide secure authentication and authorization services in Rogers Wi-Fi hotspots across Canada. The software will allow customers to pay by credit card or have their charges applied to a Rogers Wireless account. SPOTWAVE RAISES $12 MILLION: Ottawa-based Spotwave Wireless, a developer of in-building wireless coverage technology, has raised $7 million in new venture capital, and received a $5 million line of credit from Royal Bank. COURT DENIES VERISIGN CHALLENGE TO ICANN: A U.S. federal court has thrown out Verisign's suit charging the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers with antitrust violations. Verisign launched the suit when ICANN ordered it to stop transferring customers who mis-typed web addresses to its own website. COM DEV BACK IN THE BLACK: Com Dev International, a Cambridge-based satellite components maker, reports May-June sales of $32.4 million, 42% higher than last year. Profits were $4.2 million, similar to the previous quarter and an improvement from a $1.6 million loss a year ago. (See Telecom Update #413) LIVING WITH CONVERGED NETWORKS: It's one thing to decide to merge enterprise voice and data on a common IP network; it's quite another to make it work properly. The September Telemanagement includes a feature report on "Designing Converged Networks for Manageability," including a seven-step troubleshooting checklist. Also in this issue: ** IP Centrex Comes of Age: a review of hosted services from Telus, Bell, and OneConnect. ** A Buyers Guide to Broadband-IP Phone Services: what to watch for (and watch out for) including a summary of services now available in Canada from nine companies. Subscribers to Telemanagement Online can read the new issue on our website now. To receive Telemanagement every month -- including unlimited access to Telemanagement's extensive online content -- phone 800-263-4415 ext 500 or visit www.angustel.ca/teleman/tm-sub-online.html. ============================================================ HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR TELECOM UPDATE E-MAIL: editors@angustel.ca FAX: 905-686-2655 MAIL: TELECOM UPDATE Angus TeleManagement Group 8 Old Kingston Road Ajax, Ontario Canada L1T 2Z7 =========================================================== HOW TO SUBSCRIBE (OR UNSUBSCRIBE) TELECOM UPDATE is provided in electronic form only. There are two formats available: 1. The fully-formatted edition is posted on the World Wide Web on the first business day of the week at www.angustel.ca 2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to: join-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com To stop receiving the e-mail edition, send an e-mail message to: leave-telecom_update@nova.sparklist.com Sending e-mail to these addresses will automatically add or remove the sender's e-mail address from the list. Leave subject line and message area blank. We do not give Telecom Update subscribers' e-mail addresses to any third party. For more information, see www.angustel.ca/update/privacy.html. =========================================================== COPYRIGHT AND CONDITIONS OF USE: All contents copyright 2004 Angus TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further information, including permission to reprint or reproduce, please e-mail rosita@angustel.ca or phone 905-686-5050 ext 500. The information and data included has been obtained from sources which we believe to be reliable, but Angus TeleManagement makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding accuracy, completeness, or adequacy. Opinions expressed are based on interpretation of available information, and are subject to change. If expert advice on the subject matter is required, the services of a competent professional should be obtained. ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com (Lisa Hancock) Subject: Postwar Bell System - Controversy? Date: 30 Aug 2004 14:04:58 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com The people, business, and government of the United States put aside their differences for the duration of WW II. Everyone was united to defeat the enemy. However, the minute the war ended old issues erupted with a fury. What was the public image of the Bell System during those years? For background: The public demanded the servicemen be brought home at once, even though it would take months for ships and trains to get them home. Business demanded an end to price controls though that result in rapid inflation due to scarcity of consumer goods. The public demand consumer goods even though it would take time to convert factories from war to domestic production and get raw materials. In politics, the Dems and Repubs were at each other's throats. Communism was a big issue because of Stalin's aggression and the discovery of communist spies in government and labs. Did the Bell System get hit with the communist witchhunts? (There really were active communist spies and agents out there, but the McCarthyites missed them and went after innocent people instead). Did the Bell System make it's people sign loyalty oaths or conduct background checks for past party membership as did other organizations? [AFAIK, the Bell System was not affected by this.] The Bell System had a huge backlog of service requests to fulfill and it took years to catch up. New housing developments had a payphone battery on a corner until home phones could be installed. Did the public or regulators get impatient with the Bell System as time wore on? Looking backward, did the Bell System do all it could to meet the demand for service -- were new W/E plants built, were new installers hired and exchanges expanded on a timely basis? I've seen their publicity literature and they said they were doing all those things, but in hindsight, were they doing the best possible? Also, as the postwar era wore on and phones got installed, it became a bigger part of our culture. I believe thanks to carrier, long distance rates were reduced. Were there any "intellectuals" who criticized the growth of the telephone and Direct Distance Dialing? The official Bell System history doesn't really go into this sort of thing. It is more technical, describing all the innovations that were put into service in those years. As mentioned, the publicity documents (ie employee newsletters) talked of the big effort the company was making to meet the backlog, but that is not an objective source. ------------------------------ Subject: Obituary: Walter J. Zenner, 1904-2004 Reply-To: jhaynes@alumni.uark.edu Organization: University of Arkansas Alumni From: haynes@alumni.uark.edu (Jim Haynes) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 21:15:34 GMT See Who's Who in Engineering for 1940s-1950s Chicago native Walt Zenner was a graduate of Armour Institute, now Illinois Institute of Technology. He worked for Teletype Corp. from 1925 until he retired in 1965, when he was V.P. of R&D. Then he co-founded Extel. This is an obituary from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for Walt Zenner who passed away on August 27 at the age of 100. Zenner, Walter J. Publication Date: August 29, 2004 Born in Chicago February 21, 1904, passed away august 27, 2004. Survived by his wife, Lois A. (nee Martin) Zenner; sons, John "Jack" (Diana) Zenner and Tom Zenner; daughters, Mary (Harold) Webster and Chris (Larry) Litwin; 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mildred in 1975. Mr. Zenner was an inventor of communication products covered by 115 US patents and was vice president of research and development of Teletype Corp. from 1928 to 1964. He was also co-founder and chairman of Extel Corp. an early manufacturer of both dot matrix and ink jet printers of his design. Friends may visit on Monday from 4 to 8PM at the Funeral Home and on Tuesday from 1PM until time Funeral Servcie 2PM at First Congregational Church in Mukwonago (231 Roberts Dr., Mukwonago). Burial Wednesday 1PM at Mt. Emblem Cemetery, Elmhurst, IL. Memorials to First Congregational Church of Mukwonago or Kiwanis Manor in East Troy. SCHMIDT & BARTELT VAN VALIN Funeral and Cremation Service 315 Main St. (Hwy ES) Mukwonago jhhaynes at earthlink dot net [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Wasn't an electronic item common in radios and television sets specifically named after him which was called the 'Zenner Diode'? In a brief summary, will someone tell us what was the purpose of the 'Zenner Diode'? PAT] ------------------------------ Subject: Looking For Receive-Only VoIP From: Mark Atwood Organization: EasyNews, UseNet made Easy! Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 20:52:27 GMT I'm looking for a VoIP provider that can receive a call on a NANP number, but cannot call out. I expect that such a service would be relatively less expensive to provide (no need to pay termination charges to anyone else). Are any of the players doing this? Mark Atwood | When you do things right, people won't be sure mra@pobox.com | you've done anything at all. http://www.pobox.com/~mra | http://www.livejournal.com/users/fallenpegasus ------------------------------ From: ninja_fanatic@yahoo.com (ninja_fanatic) Subject: Sprint Settlement Offer: Free Sprint Phone Card Date: 30 Aug 2004 14:52:08 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com If you're interested in a free $50 phone card from Sprint check out this link: http://www.casualcaller.com/images/settlementclaimform.pdf. If you were ever a Sprint customer, you can make a claim by filling out the form and sending it in! ------------------------------ From: Paul A Lee Subject: Re: Microsoft Changed My Mind Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 16:36:06 -0400 Organization: Rite Aid Corporation In TELECOM Digest V23 #404, Shalom Septimus wrote (in part): > Remember that Spanish comedian that had a sock on his hand > that he would talk to? Senor Wences, I think was his name. > He'd talk, and the sock (with a face drawn on it) would > answer him. The insane Central American dictator in the movie > "The Inlaws" did the same sort of thing without the sock (he > had the face drawn right on his thumb and forefinger, if I > remember correctly -- been a while since I saw that picture). Senor Wences himself used a drawn-on face, rather than a sock -- on his Ed Sullivan appearances, at least. I dimly recall that he would pull a black wristlet onto his arm, draw the face on his thumb and the base of his index finger, and put a tiny wig over his knuckles as Sullivan backed away and the lights went down. There was another Wences character on the Sullivan show that was just an articulated puppet head in a box, as I vaguely recall it. Paul A Lee Sr Telecom Engineer Rite Aid Corporation HL-IS-COM (Telecomm) V: +1 717 730-8355 30 Hunter Lane, Camp Hill, PA 17011-2410 F: +1 717 975-3789 P.O. Box 3165, Harrisburg, PA 17105-3165 W: +1 717 805-6208 ------------------------------ From: Steve Sobol Subject: Re: Microsoft Changed My Mind Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 13:06:14 -0700 Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com Shalom Septimus wrote: > In the context of Usenet, a sock-puppet is what you call it when > someone posts a message, and "someone else" posts a message agreeing > with or supporting the first one, but when you check the headers you > find that all the messages are sent by the same person using different > aliases. Essentially he's trying to make it look like he's got a vast > groundswell of support, but in reality it's just the sock on his hand > answering him. > Presumably, what Steve meant was that this "friendly" who posted the > original message was just a sock on BG's hand, giving us his message > while making it look like it came from someone else. Bingo. This is precisely what I meant. The poster to which I was replying sounded an awful lot like a Microsoft shill. 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: Patrick Townson Subject: Presidential Debate on Tuesday, August 31 to be Televised Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 20:39:06 -0500 The first multi-party presidential debate of the 2004 election cycle comes to New York on August 31st. Michael Badnarik, the Libertarian candidate, and Green Party candidate David Cobb, have confirmed that they will participate in the event, scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church, 502 West 41st Street. Other presidential candidates, including President Bush, Democratic challenger John Kerry, Constitution Party candidate Michael Peroutka and Independent Ralph Nader have been invited to participate, as well. The debate will be moderated by Walt Kane of News 12 New Jersey and Robert Richie of the Center for Voting and Democracy. "President Bush and Senator Kerry have been involved in 'sensitive negotiations' over debates for some time," says Badnarik, 50, of Austin, Texas. "But it isn't rocket science. We've secured a location, moderators, and a format that gives every candidate a chance to address the issues. If Bush and Kerry want a debate, they've got one. If they don't -- well, that's a statement in and of itself." The debate, which will be preceded by an all-candidate press conference, allows each candidate a five minute opening statement, a three minute closing statement, and two minutes to answer questions posed by the moderators and the audience. The debate will be open to the public, without "set-asides" for the campaigns. "In other words," says Badnarik's communications director, Stephen Gordon, "the real public, not the fan club, will have a chance to grill the candidates." ------------------------------------------------- In addition to the debate at 7:00 p.m. EST, Tuesday, there will be a fundraiser at 5:30 and a press conference at 6:00 p.m. the same day. You are all invited to attend the debate and associated activities. The event is free of charge to the public. However, seating is limited. In order to help defray the costs of the activity, your donation of $50 ensures you a seat in one of the front rows of the event. You may make this donation by calling our debate coordinator, Donald Meinshausen, at (551)358-4591 or by e-mail at freedonnow@yahoo.com. At this moment, it seems likely, albeit with no guarantees, that this debate will be televised. We will do our best to keep you informed of which media will be covering this event. If you can't attend the debate, but wish to help defray some of the costs involved, please contact Donald at (551)358-4591 or by e-mail at freedonnow@yahoo.com today. Please pass this message to other lists and people who might be interested in attending or watching this debate. Paid for by Badnarik/Campagna 2004. On Usenet in cooperation with several moderated newsgroups which have agreed to post it. ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Last Laugh! Boom! From: tom.horsley@att.net (Thomas A. Horsley) Organization: AT&T Worldnet Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 00:17:57 GMT Actually, I've always wanted something like that (I always though of it as a "personal sarcophagus"), but I'm not all that worried about terrorist attacks, I just want to avoid air conditioning and/or heating the whole house when I'm only gonna be using the few square feet of bed for the next several hours -- that and to keep out the sound of the noisy dog barking next door :-). >>==>> The *Best* political site >>==+ email: Tom.Horsley@worldnet.att.net icbm: Delray Beach, FL | Free Software and Politics <<==+ ------------------------------ From: Tony P. Subject: Re: Specific Telephone Numbers Organization: ATCC Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 00:52:24 GMT In article , curious11112001 @yahoo.com says: > I'm looking for TDD [not TTY] numbers, fax numbers, and dial-up modem > numbers in: > 1. Stamford, Connecticut > 2. Switzerland > 3. Holland > 4. Canada > 5. France > 6. Russia > 7. Germany > 8. London > 9. Italy > Thanks in advance. I believe CT might be 711. ------------------------------ From: johnl@iecc.com (John R. Levine) Subject: Re: LNP Wireless to Voip Possible? Date: 30 Aug 2004 21:39:04 -0400 Organization: I.E.C.C., Trumansburg NY USA > Should I be able to port my current wireless phone number to a Voip > account(T-mobile)? I have read wireless to wireless and wireline to > wireless, but cannot find any info either way on wireless to Voip. All the VoIP carriers I know of that offer POTS phone numbers get them from CLECs, so for portability purposes a VoIP line is a wireline line. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 20:52:30 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Comcast to Market New Video Recorder By Peter J. Howe, Globe Staff | August 29, 2004 Starting tomorrow, Comcast Corp. will begin marketing an enhanced cable box to New Englanders that will accelerate a revolution that is changing television-watching habits, and the television industry itself. The Motorola box, which includes a TiVo -style digital video recorder, will allow millions of subscribers to watch shows on their own schedule and skip through the advertisements. Although the technology has been available for a few years, most notably from industry leader TiVo, the adoption of the digital video recording by the region's dominant cable provider signals that this disruptive technology is about to go mainstream. The Comcast digital video recorder, built around a large hard drive, will be able to store 50 hours of regular programming or 10 hours of high-definition format shows, while also letting people pause and rewind shows as they are broadcast live. Comcast will charge $9.95 a month for the system with no upfront installation charge, a steep discount from TiVo, which charges at least $99 for a stand-alone recorder plus $12.95 for monthly service. About 5 percent of US households now own digital video recording systems, a figure that is expected to rise to 22 percent by 2008, according to The Yankee Group, a Boston market research firm. Even though the numbers are small, industry executives expect growing DVR usage to roil the $58 billion US television advertising market, as increasing numbers of consumers, particularly the most affluent who are most likely to rent the devices, get the power to program their own television viewing, and ignore the traditional 30-second television spot. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/08/29/comcast_to_market_new_video_recorder/ ------------------------------ From: Lisa Minter Subject: Last Laugh! A Visit to Doctor's Office Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 14:46:22 -0500 There's nothing worse than a snotty doctor's receptionist who insists you tell her what is wrong in a room full of other patients. I know most of us have experienced this. You got to love the way this old guy handled it. An 86-year-old man walked into a crowded doctor's office. As he approached the desk, the receptinist said, "Yes sir, what are you seeing the doctor for today?" "There's something wrong with my dick," he replied. The receptionist became irritated and said, "You shouldn't come into a crowded office and say things like that." "Why not? You asked me what was wrong and I told you," he said. The receptionist replied, "You've obviously caused some embarrassment in this room full of people. You should have said there is something wrong with your ear or something and then discussed the problem further with the doctor in private. " The man replied, "You shouldn't ask people things in a room full of others, if the answer could embarrass anyone." The man walked out, waited several minutes and then reentered. The receptionist smiled smugly and asked, "Yes?" "There's something wrong with my ear," he stated. The receptionist nodded approvingly and smiled, knowing he had taken her advice. "And what is wrong with your ear, sir?" "I can't piss out of it," the man replied. The doctor's office erupted in laughter. ------------------------------ 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. 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SPONSORED BY TELECOM DIGEST AND EASY411.COM SIGN UP AT http://www.easy411.com/telecomdigest ! ************************ --------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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 #405 ******************************