From editor@telecom-digest.org Tue Sep 21 22:00:01 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p3/8.11.6) id i8M201f17859; Tue, 21 Sep 2004 22:00:01 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 22:00:01 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200409220200.i8M201f17859@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 #439 TELECOM Digest Tue, 21 Sep 2004 22:00:00 EDT Volume 23 : Issue 439 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Speakeasy Launches VOIP Solution for Broadband Consumers (Jack Decker) Sipura Technology Accelerates the Voice Over IP Market (Jack Decker) Re: VOIP: How is it Done? (Clark W. Griswold, Jr.) New VOIP Product.... (Monte) Out of Area Calls (gladyretired@yahoo.com) Free Resources - VOIP, LAN, WAN, ROUTING - PDF, Whitepapers (TekJockey) Re: Vonage and SIP (John R. Covert) Re: Vonage and SIP (Stanley Cline) Re: Vonage and SIP (T. Sean Weintz) Re: Any Old Mechanical Systems Still in Use in the US (Frank@Nospam) Re: Any Old Mechanical Systems Still in Use in the US (Anthony Bellanga) Re: Any Old Mechanical Systems Still in Use in the US (Diamond Dave) Re: TouchTone Patent (Lisa Hancock) Re: Telephone to PC Messaging (Joseph) Teltone TLS-3 (OLD version) (Truth) Re: DIRECWAY VPN Accelerator (Clarence Dold) Re: The Wal-Mart Supremacy (Joseph) Re: The Wal-Mart Supremacy (Lisa Hancock) Secure Flight Scales Back Air Passenger Screening (Monty Solomon) 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: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 12:04:56 -0400 Subject: Speakeasy Launches VOIP Solution for Broadband Consumers Reply-To: VoIPnews@yahoogroups.com COMMENT: This isn't the least expensive VoIP offering, but it may appeal to those who live in an area where Speakeasy offers service, because Speakeasy is one of the few DSL providers that has been able to offer independent DSL (that is, DSL service that is not "bundled" with the incumbent phone company's dial tone). So you may be able to get Speakeasy DSL and their VoIP service under one bill, and not pay for any lines of traditional phone service - something not possible in many areas when you obtain DSL from the local telephone company. Of course, you could probably also obtain Speakeasy DSL and use another VoIP provider, possibly for a lower overall rate and/or with more features for your money, but without some of the advantages outlined in this press release. And, some people really do like the convenience of a single bill. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-21-2004/0002255319&STORY&EDATE= New Speakeasy Voice Offers Superior Quality and Reliability SEATTLE, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Speakeasy (http://www.speakeasy.net), the nation's largest independent broadband services provider, is launching Speakeasy Voice, which will provide the most reliable, highest quality Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) service available anywhere today. The service will be available to existing and new Speakeasy broadband subscribers. Speakeasy is now the only provider to offer a simple and streamlined "broadband + voice" service nationwide. Customers who sign up for the service by the end of the year will receive three months of free unlimited calling anywhere in the United States and Canada. After the three-month period, the basic service price will be just $29.95 per month. Speakeasy Voice is designed to work seamlessly with the company's range of connectivity packages, especially the recently introduced OneLink(TM), which provides nationwide dedicated loop ADSL (or "naked" DSL) without the hassle of a phone line. "We asked our customers what was most important to them in a VOIP solution. The overwhelming answer was quality and reliability," said Bruce Chatterley, Speakeasy president and CEO. "We listened and developed the first VOIP service in the nation with VQ Technology. With other VOIP services, your call quality deteriorates significantly when you are downloading a file or even surfing the web. VQ Technology enables Speakeasy to prioritize voice traffic over data traffic, so call quality is never affected by your online activities." From a base of almost zero at the end of 2003, VOIP telephony services are predicted to grow to about 400,000 households by the end of 2004, and to 12.1 million by 2009 (Source: Jupiter Research, August 2004). VOIP enables voice communication to be digitized and transmitted in digital packets rather than by traditional, circuit-committed protocols. New Speakeasy Voice customers will receive a telephone adaptor and quick-start instructions and from there, they simply plug their phone and DSL modem into the adaptor and then are ready to make and receive calls. Speakeasy Voice provides local, long distance and international calling, as well as many of the popular features such as caller ID, call waiting, last call return, voice mail, directory assistance and more. Additionally, Speakeasy Voice's 911 service is fully integrated with local Public Safety Answering Points from day one and will provide name, address and phone number information for proper emergency dispatch -- unlike other providers who rely on cellular or analog backup 911 trunks. Speakeasy Voice is available to Speakeasy broadband subscribers for a $40 installation fee; unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada is free for the first three months to those customers who sign up for Speakeasy Voice by December 31, 2004. Thereafter, the service is $29.95 per month. The service is ideal when combined with OneLink(TM) the first nationwide "naked" DSL service. Speakeasy Voice can also be added to any other Speakeasy broadband connection, with VQ Technology included in all Speakeasy Voice packages. Customers interested in Speakeasy Voice may obtain more information by visiting http://www.speakeasy.net/residential/voice or by calling 800-890-5214. About Speakeasy Founded in 1994, Speakeasy is the nation's largest independent broadband service provider. Combining a nationwide network, intelligent customer service along with pioneering technologies and product offerings, Speakeasy delivers a superior online experience for demanding broadband users. Speakeasy broadband is available in most metropolitan areas within the 48 contiguous states. Tho se interested in Speakeasy's broadband service can visit http://www.speakeasy.net or call customer service at 800-556-5829. SOURCE Speakeasy Web Site: http://www.speakeasy.net 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: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 12:17:40 -0400 Subject: Sipura Technology Accelerates the Voice Over IP (VoIP) Market Reply-To: VoIPnews@yahoogroups.com http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=72919 Broadband Phone Company Vonage Is the First Service Provider to Deploy the Products to Subscribers SAN JOSE, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 09/21/2004 -- In a move certain to advance the availability and acceptance of its state-of-the-art technology, Sipura Technology announced today that it has licensed internally developed hardware and software technology to Linksys, a division of Cisco Systems, Inc. to be incorporated in consumer and SOHO networking gear. United States-based broadband phone company Vonage is immediately supporting the Linksys devices for their residential and business subscribers. The first devices to hit the market are a standalone analog telephone adapter (ATA) and two broadband routers with integrated voice capability. Linksys is marketing these devices under the names PAP2, RT31P2 and WRT54GP2, respectively. Regular analog telephones and fax machines can be connected to the devices that, when provisioned with service, will be able to place and receive phone calls over a DSL or cable broadband Internet connection providing call savings along with advanced telephony services like three party conferencing, call waiting, caller ID and distinctive ringing. Sipura currently provides ATAs to the majority of the new entrant VoIP service providers including; BroadVoice, EconoPhone (Switzerland), SIPMedia, Telio (Norway), VoicePulse and ZipGlobal. "Sipura branded products are used in many different residential and business applications by VoIP service providers the world over," said Jan Fandrianto, Sipura president and CEO. "By using our technology in their products, Linksys is able to deliver an instant winner to Vonage, with their subscribers the ultimate beneficiaries," Fandrianto said. He went on to say, "We will continue to develop innovative VoIP solutions for our customers so that they can provide differentiated, high-quality services to their subscribers." With its own product line of programmable, mass deployable VoIP ATA solutions, Sipura Technology has established itself as a leading vendor in the highly competitive market for VoIP customer premise equipment (CPE). Three Sipura branded ATA products are shipping today, with more to come in the near future. Sipura products available today are the SPA-1000, a one port ATA, the SPA-2000, a two port ATA and the SPA-3000, a combined one port ATA plus one port VoIP gateway. Sipura VoIP CPE stands out as the most advanced product in the marketplace based on the hundreds of configurable features, international applicability and dedicated customer support. Sipura's innovative implementation of the popular worldwide IP telephony standard Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is used in addition to their secure and sophisticated provisioning and firmware update technology. Sipura incorporates technologies like SIP, HTTPS, XML and multiple toll-quality voice coding algorithms to deliver CPE solutions to service providers and system integrators. Through licensing this powerful and proven technology, Sipura licensees like Linksys, are able to provide products that can be brought to market quickly and deployed with immediate interoperability in most broadband VoIP service provider networks. About Sipura Technology: Sipura Technology, Inc., located in San Jose, California, delivers VoIP endpoint products that are economically and functionally designed for large-scale global Voice over IP deployments. By providing exceptional value, Sipura Technology offers customers high quality products that support rapid service adoption with secure and sustainable growth. Web address: http://www.sipura.com Linksys is a registered trademark or trademark of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the US and certain other countries. Vonage is a registered trademark of Vonage Holdings Corporation. The names BroadVoice, EconoPhone, SIPMedia, Telio, VoicePulse and ZipGlobal are property of their respective owners. VoicePulse is a trademark of VoicePulse, Inc. Copyright 2004 Sipura Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Contact: Name: Sherman Scholten Company: Sipura Technology Phone: (408) 572-5670 E-mail: sherman@sipura.com SOURCE: Sipura Technology, Inc. ------------------------------ From: Clark W. Griswold, Jr. Subject: Re: VOIP: How is it Done? Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 12:29:02 -0600 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Shabam wrote: > In order for VOIP to work, there must be a PBX switch at most > locations around the country, in order to convert the data packets > back into analog and be routed through the local phone lines. That > way VOIP customers can call analog phone customers. No. There only needs to be one switch. Bulk minutes from long distance providers are so cheap these days that all you need to do is bring your IP calls to a single point and offload them to the long distance provider at that point. Now what that says about single point failures and overall reliability is another thing. For competitive reasons most VOIP providers won't discuss the specifics of their network, or at least not the ones I've spoken with. That should give you pause for thought. > Second question. For internal routing, such as when VOIP user A calls > VOIP user B, the signal is obviously not being converted back into > analog and passed through the local phone company. My question is, > how is the signal able to find its way to user B? By IP address? > What if user B's IP is dynamic or he moves his IP phone to another > network connection? I'm guessing that whenever the phone is plugged > in, it's sending a signal back to the company telling it its IP > address. Yep. ------------------------------ From: madman_monte@yahoo.com (Monte) Subject: New VOIP Product Date: 21 Sep 2004 14:22:14 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hello everyone, We are just testing a new VOIP product called DingoTel. It has 3 kinds of services. 1. DingoTel 2Way. 2. DingoTel Anywhere. 3. DingoTel PC. Please feel free to download any of them and let us know what you think about the product. The URL is www.dingotel.com Thank you. ------------------------------ From: gladyretired@yahoo.com Subject: Out of Area Calls Date: 21 Sep 2004 13:32:33 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Hello: This is a very frustrating problem. I am on both the federal and my state do-not-call lists. These, for the most part, have worked great, cutting my unwanted telemarketing calls down by 90+%. However, once in a while, I get calls that are "out of area" with no phone number shown. Sometimes, I will get these every 20 minitues and it will last all day! Of course -- when you pick up the phone to attempt to ID the caller -- you get -- surprise -- nothing (a lawbreaker, is what you get). So, you cannot report such a "person" to the state or federal govt. (so much for do not call lists). I know I am dealing with computers when this happens; My question is -- is there a way to block these from ever getting to the phone unless the caller IDs themselves? MY phone Co. (Comcast) is no help. I know the technology is there to do this, but, for some reason, my company will not get involved (their excuses are too much bull to show here). Are there any after market devices that would help? Any other way to ID these idiots so they can be sued? I figure someone herein has had and solved such a problem. Anyway, thx and peace to you all! [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Does your telco (Comcast) offer either *60 service (block last caller) or block unidentified callers? The first of these two (*60 block last caller) is probably better since telco would probably claim (regards the latter offering) that the caller is not really 'unidentified', just that they (telco) are not in a position right now to tell you who was calling. It seems if the caller does not specifically do *67 at the start of their dialing, they are not, technically, 'unidentified'. But with *60 reject or block last caller, whenever you get one of those, telco does enforce the 'no more calls' rule. Dial *60 and a recorded message will tell you "to block the last call you received *whether you know the number or not, press 01", and after you press 01 telco responds that the last number which called you has been blocked. You can also block *known* numbers by just dialing the number to be added, if you know it. Your limit to the number of callers you can block is ten, to add more you have to take an older one off the list. I guess telco figures that no one is going to have more than ten such callers (computers, tele- mrketing sales agents, bill collectors) after them at any given time. *60 is not the cheapest of the custom calling features, actually it is sort of expensive. I think I pay $4.95 per month for it. But that feature plus 'block unidentified callers' (another two or three dollars per month), has really quieted down my phone a lot. You might ask your telco if they offer 'block last caller' and/or 'block unidentified caller' as custom calling features. PAT] ------------------------------ From: tekjockey@yahoo.com (TekJockey) Subject: Free Resources - VOIP, LAN, WAN, ROUTING, PDF's, Whitepapers. Date: 21 Sep 2004 14:34:33 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com All, Learn VOIP (H.323, SIP, MGCP, RTP) LAN, WAN, ROUTING http://www.compointsolutions.com Updated Daily - Tutorials, news, resource links and pdf's on learning voip. Great for: Businesses looking to implement VOIP and networking in their companies professionals seeking knowledge. Fresh content - updated daily! Vist the links and feed your appetite for knowledge! http://www.compointsolutions.com Check it out... :-) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 14:51:08 EDT From: John R. Covert Subject: Re: Vonage and SIP Steve Sobol asked: > Does Vonage work with SIP or IAX The main Vonage line will work only with the Vonage-supplied ATA. However, once you have a Vonage main line, you may order (for $10 plus the $1.50 regulatory fee) additional "Softphone" numbers (each has its own number) with 500 minutes/month each. The Softphone will work with Asterisk PBX, and allows multiple simultaneous incoming and outgoing calls. Each one may only be registered to one softphone client (or PBX) at any one point in time, at least for incoming calls. I assume the 800 virtual numbers have the same options, but not having one, could be wrong. /john ------------------------------ From: Stanley Cline Subject: Re: Vonage and SIP Organization: Roamer1 Communications Reply-To: sc1-news@roamer1.org Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 00:31:48 GMT On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 18:18:51 -0700, Steve Sobol wrote: > Does Vonage work with IAX or SIP devices? Specifically, does the > service work with the Asterisk PBX system? Like pretty much all other consumer VoIP services, Vonage uses SIP -- but Vonage only allows use of hardware devices and softphones that they provide. :( As for Asterisk: the answer is no, unless you consider connecting the POTS output from a Vonage-provided ATA or MTA to an FXO card "working with Asterisk" -- which I don't, since it's an utterly ridiculous kludge. Other VoIP providers, such as VoicePulse and BroadVoice, are much more friendly to Asterisk users. Stanley Cline -- sc1 at roamer1 dot org -- http://www.roamer1.org/ "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. There might be a law against it by that time." -/usr/games/fortune ------------------------------ From: T. Sean Weintz Subject: Re: Vonage and SIP Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 15:06:03 -0400 Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com Steve Sobol wrote: > Does Vonage work with IAX or SIP devices? Specifically, does the > service work with the Asterisk PBX system? > 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. Uses sip. Never tried it with Asterix, but if you have the parameters you need to set it up, don't see why not ... ------------------------------ From: Frank@Nospam.com Subject: Re: Any Old Mechanical Systems Still in Use in the US? Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 18:32:55 GMT Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net vu huong wrote: > Hello, > Does anyone know of any old telephone systems still in use in the US > (i.e. SxS, etc.) If so, is it possible to post any phone numbers so I > could "hear" them in action? > Thanks, > Vu They are all gone, thank goodness. ;-) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 12:56:27 -0600 From: Anthony Bellanga Subject: Any Old Mechanical Systems Still in US? Reply-To: anthonybellanga@withheld at request Pat, to prevent spam, please do NOT display my email address. Do NOT dispaly the "from" address nor the "reply-to" address. On 20 September 2004, Vu Huong wrote: > Does anyone know of any old telephone systems still in use > in the US (i.e. SxS, etc.) If so, is it possible to post > any phone numbers so I could "hear" them in action? There are no more Step nor Crossbar switching systems anywhere in North America (US, Canada, etc), at least not as far as the "official" public switched telephone network is concerned. I don't know when the last SXS or XB system in the US was retired, replaced with Digital, but the last "known" SXS system in Canada was in Nantes in Quebec. It was replaced with a Nortel Digital office in June 2002, just over two years ago. However, there might still be some "hobbyist" SXS systems around, which you "could" dial into, but your rotary dial pulses or hook flashing are not passed from your (digital) central office to the called end. You will also have to pay toll charges to call the person's "hobby" or "museum" SXS switch if such toll would apply to call to that destination (unless they had it hooked up to an 800 type number). I doubt that any working Step or Crossbar PBX systems are still in any actual "real" use, other than "hobby" or "museum" set-ups. There are some actual telephone equipment museums (the most famous one in Seattle), which have working examples of Step, Panel, and Crossbar, but I don't think that these are reachable via the "real" public switched network though. These are working but "standalone" museum central office switching systems. - Anthony ------------------------------ From: Diamond Dave Subject: Re: Any Old Mechanical Systems Still in Use in the US? Organization: The BBS Corner / Diamond Mine On-Line Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 21:08:42 -0400 On 20 Sep 2004 19:57:09 -0700, psychoshredder@yahoo.com (vu huong) wrote: > Hello, > Does anyone know of any old telephone systems still in use in the US > (i.e. SxS, etc.) If so, is it possible to post any phone numbers so I > could "hear" them in action? As far as I know, there are no more step or crossbar offices in the US or Canada. The last one that I'm aware of was Nates, Quebec in Canada, which was converted to digital in June 2002. If you want to hear recordings of old step and crossbar offices, visit these two websites: Phone Trips: http://www.wideweb.com/phonetrips Telephone World: http://www.dmine.com/phworld Dave ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com (Lisa Hancock) Subject: Re: TouchTone Patent Date: 21 Sep 2004 13:57:24 -0700 John Centralia wrote: > Would like to find the patent number for DTMF / TouchTone, probably > issued in the 1940-50 time frame. I would recommend the Bell Labs history series, Vol II Switching 1925-1975. I don't know if the book will have the actual patent number (assuming there is one), but may refer you to another source. Another source might be the Bell Laboratories records, especially 1948-1951. The early pushbutton dialing experiment was held in Media PA along with a new #5 crossbar switch. The system used then is different than today, and I'm not sure could be accurately called DTMF or the trademarked "Touch Tone". I saw a 1959 Bell System ad "for the future" and one of the phones was a Touch Tone set. It used a 500 base, with a round unit fitting through the dial hole that contained the keypad (10 button). I think that design looks more attractive than the bigger squared off flat front actually used for the 2500 set, but I guess that is a subjective matter of opinion. GTE had an ad in the same magazine, showing their red rotary sets of their distinctive design. I think the 500 set had better lines. ------------------------------ From: Joseph Subject: Re: Telephone to PC Messaging Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 17:37:03 -0700 Reply-To: JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com On 21 Sep 2004 07:25:28 -0700, rayta@msn.com (Ray Normandeau) wrote: > ckm1955@gmail.com (Huntley Meadows) wrote in message > news:: >> I was wondering specifically as to whether there is a way for my >> daughter to send a message using some service whereby the message >> would show up on my PC in real-time (a la IM), so as to allow me to >> get off the phone to receive her call. > If she is on line, she can send you an Email > Wife and I use Virgin phones from which you can send a text msg to > Email for ten cents. > Virgin uses SPCS network. Pretty much all North American mobile providers have the ability to send email. A universal access can be had by sending your email to 10digits@teleflip.com e.g. 2063549999@teleflip.com ------------------------------ From: Truth Organization: http://www.lp.org Subject: Teltone TLS-3 (OLD version) Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 18:47:36 GMT Have a TLS-3, but no manual. I figured out dialing the station numbers on the front panel would ring each phone, but dialing 1234 on one caused a steady alarm type ring on the other phone. I think hitting the star button caused a normal ring as well. Are there any other numbers that cause special features on this unit? Checking the Teltone website, they picture a completely different unit as the TLS-3, so they must have updated it, and kept the same model number which was extremely stupid. They could have made it the TLS-4 or TLS-500 or something else. Plus, no manual or info on this unit on their site at all. All I need to know, is any other special number codes for features or operations that I don't know because I don't have a manual for it. Figuring out how it works otherwise, did not require much brain power at all. Thanks in advance for any help. ------------------------------ From: dold@XReXXDIREC.usenet.us.com Subject: Re: DIRECWAY VPN Accelerator Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 18:43:39 +0000 (UTC) Organization: a2i network Thor Lancelot Simon wrote: > No, it very much is *not*. It says "IPsec" and it's not IPsec, much > less "standard IPsec" (and no, putting the word "industry" in front > does not in any meaningful way to dilute the claims that it is "IPsec" > and "standard IPsec"). I don't see "standard IPsec" in their blurb. I see "standard Nortel IPsec". Looks like standard marketspeak to me. Who says that they should be compatible with someone else's security package? Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5 ------------------------------ From: Joseph Subject: Re: The Wal-Mart Supremacy Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 11:31:27 -0700 Reply-To: JoeOfSeattle@yahoo.com On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 02:27:18 -0400, Telecom Digest editor opined: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: All I know is that Walmart has > generally wreaked havoc with the existing businesses in almost every > small town where they have located. Here in Independence, KS where > I am located, Walmart came to town in the year 2000, built a new, > very large supercenter west of town. This is a well known result of Walmart moving in. However, it doesn't have anything to do with RFID which was the topic of the article. You make no comment on that, but go off on WM's other attributes. What gives with that? [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I took the point of the article to be in the first couple lines: 'Walmart forces others to go along' and 'tough love'. RFID is just one by-product of Walmart's corporate strategy. In other words, when we move into town the purpose was not to force RFID on all the merchants/vendors, the purpose was to get rid of any/all competition in that town. As a matter of fact, they have forced several businesses out of business here, including a major competitor, K-Mart, three grocery stores, etc. They probably won't quit that strategy until Independence downtown is completely deserted; no more stores, etc. When we get to that point, *then* watch and see how long they still have their low, everyday prices. PAT] ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com (Jeff nor Lisa) Subject: Re: The Wal-Mart Supremacy Date: 21 Sep 2004 14:13:22 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com I too try to patronize independent merchants rather than big chains. But the picture isn't always so simple. We had an independent town drugstore that was competing with CVS. He was hurting and eventually closed. But some things were his own fault: 1) Selection: CVS had far more variety of sundry items and of better quality. 2) Hours: CVS usually operated per posted hours. He would close early if he felt like it. Generally, CVS was open later. 3) Speed: Often he had to order stuff for my prescription, delaying its filling for a day or so; CVS usually has it in stock. 4) Community relations: CVS worked hard when it rehabbed the building so it'd fit in the town's 'historic district'. The pvt owner would not cooperate with the town in several ways and ruffled some feathers. The pvt guy did do a few things better -- he personally filled prescriptions and would personally discuss any precautions with you. The CVS is done on an assembly line and their pharmacists -- who would often change -- aren't as knowledgeable. The pvt guy hired intelligent kids to help him. They were very courteous and helpful when you came in. The CVS hires airheads that turnover frequently and are of no help at all. The only decent kids are the ones who worked for the pvt guy and went to CVS when he closed day. As to big stores vs. little stores, the fact is that shoppers are voting with their feet and patronizing the big stores (usually). It may be prices, convenience or selection, but Walmart is doing something better to attract customers, otherwise they'd stick with the old stores. Being a chain is no guarantee of success, plenty of once big retail chains over the years have shut down. I must admit that now that I use CVS, it has some benefits for me I didn't have in the other pvt store. Everybody on this newsgroup keeps telling me that the new modern companies are better for the customers than the old Bell System. That would apply to retailing as well -- the Walmart appears to be a better deal for customers than the old mom 'n pop stores. Let's face it -- chains competing with small stores is nothing new -- it dates back to the formation of chain stores 100 years ago. I would however prefer Walmart stuck to its former stores and stayed out of the grocery business just to avoid concentrating too much economic power in small hands. > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: All I know is that Walmart has > generally wreaked havoc with the existing businesses in almost every > small town where they have located. Here in Independence, KS where > I am located, Walmart came to town in the year 2000, built a new, > very large supercenter west of town. They started building from > scratch, and got the place open late in the year of 2000. The first > thing they did was get in a big discussion with City of Independence > over getting utilities there (the property was formerly *not* in > the city, on the north side of Main Street that far west. The city > agreed to annex the area. If you do downtown to shop these days, > the stores are mostly empty of customers; but the parking lot at > Walmart is full and running over all the time. They originally had > been working along with the Chamber of Commerce here in town by > honoring our 'Main Street Independence' gift certificates. All the > stores downtown sell and honor those gift certificates (which are > processed through the Chamber of Commerce offices); its a promotion > to help build up business downtown. One day Walmart said they were > not going to honor those certificates any longer. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Lisa is quite correct; if we wish to be consistent in our viewpoints; what was good for Traditional Bell (getting ripped asunder, parts scattered everywhere) should be good also for Traditional Small Town downtown. To put it another way, why should Traditional Bell be fair game for competition but small town grocery stores and pharmacies not be fair game? Maybe its because so many of us hated the Bell after we studied the dirty tricks it played on the farmer's telephone cooperatives everywhere around the start of the 20th century, but now we love *our own small town drug stores and grocery stores*. Maybe the Telephone Company was just to large, to distant, to remote for us in any of our memories to relate to it, yet when we go downtown and see all those vacant store fronts it brings tears to our eyes. Might that be the reason? PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 16:47:41 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: CDT Headline: "Secure Flight" Scales Back Air Passenger Screening From: info@cdt.org Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 16:34:47 -0400 (EDT) "Secure Flight" Scales Back Air Passenger Screening The Transportation Security Administration released a series of documents announcing the test phase of an airline passenger screening system known as "Secure Flight." The program, which focuses on matching passengers against a watch list of suspected terrorists, supercedes the much-criticized CAPPS II - the Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-screening System. The new program puts an increased premium on the reliability of watch list entries. September 21, 2004 Privacy Impact Assessment for the test phase only [PDF], September 21, 2004: http://www.cdt.org/security/usapatriot/20040920tsa1.pdf Privacy Act System of Records Notice for the test phase only [PDF], September 21, 2004: http://www.cdt.org/security/usapatriot/20040920tsa2.pdf Paperwork Reduction Act Information Collection Request and Draft Order for the test phase only [PDF], September 21, 2004: http://www.cdt.org/security/usapatriot/20040920tsa3.pdf ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. 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