From editor@telecom-digest.org Sun Feb 29 23:33:47 2004 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.11.6p2/8.11.3) id i214XlZ14396; Sun, 29 Feb 2004 23:33:47 -0500 (EST) Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 23:33:47 -0500 (EST) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <200403010433.i214XlZ14396@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 #97 TELECOM Digest Sun, 29 Feb 2004 23:33:00 EST Volume 23 : Issue 97 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Technology Triumphs 'Do Not Call' List: Block ALL Unwanted Calls (Chase) Re: In Naming Computer Viruses Speed and Confusion Rule (Gene Berkowitz) Re: Memories: Enterprise -vs- Zenith Numbers (Lisa Hancock) Re: The 22 Bell Operating Telcos and their Subs and their Subs. (Gillis) Re: The 22 Bell Operating Telcos as of 1984 (Diamond Dave) Re: Nevada Bell (Al Gillis) Re: Nevada Bell (Sammy@nospam.biz) Re: The Real TiVo (Clarence Dold) Re: Verizon Land Line International Rates (Dr. Joel M. Hoffman) Re: Southern/South Central Bell Border, was Re: BOC Oddities (jmayson) Re: Verizon Says That Hawaii and Upstate NY Are For Sale (Sammy@nospam) Re: Verizon Says That Hawaii and Upstate NY Are For Sale (John Levine) Re: "Upstate NY" (was Re: Verizon Plans to Sell) (Wesrock@aol.com) Re: "Upstate NY" (was Re: Verizon Plans to Sell) (Steven J Sobol) The Thread DID Continue From the Digest (was Re: Verizon Plans) (Cuccia) Last Giggle/Snicker! Re: Picture, Michael Powell in a Bra (Al Gillis) 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 is 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: Ken@Privacy-Call.com (Ken Chase) Subject: Technology Triumphs 'Do Not Call' List - Block ALL Unwanted Calls Date: 29 Feb 2004 18:19:56 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com In response to numerous questions about the 'Do Not Call' List and blocking unwanted calls, we are posting information about the latest release, the http://privacycall.com/pages/caller-id-screener-intro.htm TECHNOLOGY TRIUMPHS OVER FTC'S "DO NOT CALL" LIST New Caller ID Screener Allows Only 'Invited' Callers to Ring - Free of Fees (SCOTTSDALE, AZ) Telemarketing companies and exempted groups may have found loopholes in the new National Do Not Call List, but telecom automation groundbreaker Bill Sasso of Digitone Communications thwarts them again with his latest invention, the http://privacycall.com/pages/id-screener-3.htm Privacy Call ID Screener A small, tabletop device designed for customers who subscribe to Caller ID, the Privacy Call ID Screener allows only 'Invited' callers to ring their phone. All other callers are handled as the consumer chooses. Although the device is customizable, its use is simple. Callers on the consumer's 'Invited' list ring through without interference, while anonymous or unfamiliar callers are asked to identify themselves or leave a message, without ringing the phone. Callers on the consumer's 'Excluded' list cannot ring the phone or leave a message, including cell phone, out-of-state, and international callers. "We call it 'Caller ID with attitude!'" says Sasso. "Now consumers can choose who can ring their phone, and when, without the limits and extra monthly charges from your telephone service provider. Using the unit's Caller ID screen, it only takes a push of a button to add callers to your 'Included' or 'Excluded' list. And, using the 'Wildcard' feature, the consumer can 'Invite' or 'Exclude' entire area codes, prefixes or number sets. With the ID Screener, exemptions like those to the National 'Do Not Call' List simply do not exist." A snap to install, the Privacy Call ID Screener prevents telemarketing calls, predictive dialers, misdialed numbers, hang-up calls, false faxes, pollsters, political organizations, exes, creditors and anyone else the consumer doesn't want to talk to ... ever again. Additional benefits include a call-forwarding feature that, on a single line, seamlessly connects 'Invited' callers to a cell phone or alternate location, as well as a 'Do Not Disturb' mode. This feature prevents all callers from ringing the phone during set hours, such as bedtime and study time, either on a one-time or daily basis. "The ID Screener is particularly useful for people who keep unusual hours, such as those working the graveyard or swing shifts," says Sasso. "During 'Do Not Disturb' hours, 'Invited' callers can leave a message, but the phone will not ring, ensuring total privacy." A secret emergency code is provided in case of emergencies. The Privacy Call ID Screener is the latest addition to the Privacy Call series, designed to help residential consumers and business owners better manage their telephone communications and reduce monthly telephone charges. Consisting of six different models, Privacy Call Series products are available at the Privacy Call website www.Privacy-Call.com or by calling (888) 833-5333. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: This sounds a great deal to me like the old Privcode machine, which was popular back in the 1970's. It was attached to the phone line, and was sensitive enough to go off hook at the slightest hint of a change in voltage, so the phones seldom if ever actually rang. Instead, this machine -- the Privcode -- would announce its intentions and demand that the caller enter or speak his Privcode ID number (actually, it was referred to as the 'extension' number desired by the caller. The proper three digit 'extension' allowed the phones to ring. Otherwise, the caller got transferred to an answering machine. Really a great device, and manufactured in those days by IMM (International Mobile Machines) of Bala Cynwyd, PA. It is no longer available I don't think. Perhaps this new machine which Ken Chase describes is a good replacement. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Gene S. Berkowitz Subject: Re: In Naming Computer Viruses, Speed and Confusion Rule Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 22:29:23 -0500 In article , monty@roscom.com says: > Survival Of the Catchiest > By Mike Musgrove > Washington Post Staff Writer > Early one Monday afternoon, Craig Schmugar, virus research manager at > computer security firm Network Associates Inc., was at his desk taking > a quick look at the programming inside a new computer worm that his > team had just discovered, still in the early stages of circulating the > Web. > As Schmugar scanned through the worm's deciphered code, his adrenaline > started pumping. This one had ambitions. > The worm disguised itself as a bounced piece of e-mail and had an > innovative way of collecting addresses, looking for more potential > victims. Schmugar had a feeling this one was going to create a lot of > trouble; it was time to sound the alarms -- but first he needed to > attach a name. What to call it? > Antivirus companies compete with each other fervently in the hopes > that their customers will hear about the latest computer-based threat > from them first. The result is that when there's an outbreak of a new > virus or worm, companies often race to offer competing names for the > same bug. > http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6924-2004Feb25.html > http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2004/02/29/confusion_reins_in_naming_of_viruses_that_bug_computers/ All the more reason why these should be reduced to a CRC32. "Kuul" names just glorify these pests further. --Gene [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: It really is sad, isn't it, that there have to be entire departments at companies these days to deal with the massive amounts of viruses (or do you say virii?) and spam floating around. It is also very sad that the 'general public' neither understands or seems to believe how bad these problems have gotten. In fact, the same 'general public' is a big part of the problem with their deliberate 'cc: everyone-I-Can Think of' jokes and anecdotal stories. PAT] ------------------------------ From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com (Lisa Hancock) Subject: Re: Memories: Enterprise -vs- Zenith Numbers Date: 29 Feb 2004 17:55:14 -0800 Organization: http://groups.google.com Nick Landsberg wrote: > I'm pretty sure that Diamond State telephone was Delaware. Yes, that's Delaware. For some reason, Diamond State Telephone was operated as a unit of Bell Telephone Co. of Penna, even though I think it was legally a completely separate company. Even today, Delaware is part of the Phila area LATA. If you look at a map of lower NJ along the Delaware River, you'll noticed the border is along the river shoreline, not in the middle. There's a part of of the land on the Jersey side that is actually part of Delaware (near National Park, NJ). While we're on the subject of strange geography, there's a little island off New Foundland, St. Pierre IIRC, that is completely part of France with no connection to Canada. > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Speaking of the old Nevada Bell, did > you ever see their telephone book? One book *only* for the entire > state. After the front part of the book was devoted to the two or > three large cities they serviced, then it went just page after page > of toll station listings. The name of the town, followed by either one > or two 'toll station' numbers, in one case I think five listings. > Four of five such toll station communities listed on each page, and > the same redundant instructions listed for each one: "To reach the > subscribers in xxxx, dial your zero operator and ask for 'xxxx toll > station number xx'. PAT] I guess today it no longer looks that like. What I find peculiar is looking at a road map of Nevada, with numerous areas outlined and marked "danger zone", but no explanation of what the danger is or how one should stay safe and clear. As to "Rhode Island and Planataions", could someone explain that name? Lastly, I checked Google and if I read it correctly, there was stuff on Enterprise numbers posted back in 1998. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Were the Google references in 1998 messages *about* Enterprise, or were they cases of people still having them in service? I know after 800 service started, Bell continued to offer Enterprise as a grandfathered arrangement for several more years. PAT] ------------------------------ From: Al Gillis Subject: Re: The 22 Bell Operating Telcos and their Subs and their Subs... Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 14:51:20 -0800 Organization: http://extra.newsguy.com Nick Landsberg wrote in message news:telecom23.96.10@telecom-digest.org: > Mark J Cuccia wrote: >> And, so now here is a summary of the Twenty-Two BOCs as of the time of >> divestiture, grouped according to their seven Regional Bell Holding >> Corporations as created in the 1984 breakup of AT&T's Bell System. >> The names of the BOCs and RBHCs are as of 1984, with some notes as to >> recent developments. > [ SNIP - Good list Mark ] > Let's not forget the "subsidiaries of subsidiaries" which also were > around. I don't know of how many there might have been but I first > joined the "Bell System" with .... [drumroll] > Empire City Subway Co. Ltd. > It was (is still?) a wholly owned subsidiary of the what was then NY > Tel and is now Verizon. Way back when, circa, 1890, they signed a > contract with the city of NY to provide conduits for "low-voltage > electric service". Eventually, they were bought out by NY Tel, but > still retained their corporate identity, and had to sell conduit > ("underground pipe", thus the term "subway") space to all bona-fide > communications providers. Officially, they "sold" space to NY Tel, > Western Union and the cable companies, but the huge majority was for > NY Tel. > The contract was a sweet deal. ECS was allowed to make "up to 10% > profit" with the rest going to the City of New York. There were many > years when the "profit" was 9.98% :) Nick - that's a great Sub of a Sub! Clearly one only a very few have ever heard of! (Certainly not me!) One of the bigest of the "sub of a sub" would of course be Teletype Corporation. Also under the Western Electric banner is Sandia Labs that helped end WWII by helping the Manhatten Project. Who can point out more of them? And don't you just love the old "lightning bolt" type used in the WE logo years ago. Wish that were a True-Type choice! ------------------------------ From: Diamond Dave Subject: Re: The 22 Bell Operating Telcos as of 1984 Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 19:42:35 -0500 Organization: The BBS Corner / Diamond Mine On-Line On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 03:45:29 GMT, Nick Landsberg wrote: > Let's not forget the "subsidiaries of subsidiaries" which also were > around. I don't know of how many there might have been but I first > joined the "Bell System" with .... [drumroll] > Empire City Subway Co. Ltd. Empire City Subway still exists to this day. Website: http://www.empirecitysubway.com/ > From the main page of their website: "Empire City Subway Company (ECS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Verizon that specializes in subsurface engineering and construction services. Since 1891, ECS has held a franchise from the City of New York to build and maintain a conduit and manhole infrastructure in Manhattan and the Bronx. ECS rents this space to telecommunications and cable television service providers. " Dave ------------------------------ From: Al Gillis Subject: Re: Nevada Bell Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 14:40:27 -0800 Organization: http://extra.newsguy.com Steven J Sobol wrote in message news:telecom23.96.12@telecom-digest.org: > Wesrock@aol.com wrote: (Snip) > And Nevada is not a heavily populated state. Drive from my house in > Apple Valley to Las Vegas up Interstate 15 and you drive through a > whole lot of nothing up to the state line, and even then there's > nothing but a few casinos until you hit the Vegas area. (It's a three > hour drive.) > Other parts of Nevada border the Death Valley area of California -- > also not a very heavily populated area :) And let's not forget that Northern Nevada along the Oregon border can be pretty short of humanoids as well. Also, my rich uncle's Air Force put me up in Wendover, Utah for a while. Aside from a casino in "West" Wendover, NV the only action was watching UP freights roll through the area! Al > JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, Apple Valley, CA > Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / > sjsobol@JustThe.net > PGP: C57E 8B25 F994 D6D0 5F6B B961 EA08 9410 E3AE 35ED ------------------------------ From: Sammy@nospam.biz Subject: Re: Nevada Bell Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 14:45:41 -0800 Organization: Cox Communications Wesrock@aol.com wrote: > The largest city in Nevada, Las Vegas, was not and is not served by > Bell. > Wes Leatherock > wesrock@aol.com What about until the end of WW II? ------------------------------ From: dold@TheXRealXT.usenet.us.com Subject: Re: The Real TiVo Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 22:13:57 UTC Organization: a2i network Monty Solomon wrote: > One of Amazon's most popular technology books last month was Hacking > TiVo. The book's enormous popularity intrigues me because of what it > says about TiVo digital video recorders: 1) Geeks love the TiVo; and > 2) Many of these same gadget-happy TiVo owners are not satisfied with > TiVo in its off-the-shelf incarnation. As a Tivo owner, I have not hacked. I think some folks hack because they can. I don't feel a pressing need. Some hack to add more storage space, but I don't use the unit for archiving a movie I might watch next year. I only have things on there that have appeared in the last few weeks that I intend to watch in the next few weeks. There are four sets of hacks. 1- Adding more disk space (weaknees). I have no need. 2- Simple remote-control-programmed changes to the interface. I use some of these. 3- Poking around in Linux, for some feature additions, but mostly just to poke around. I don't use this, although it is somewhat attractive. 4- Serious feature additions, morphing of standalone with DirecTivo, and copying of video files to DVD. Uncharted territory for my tastes. If the ethernet interface was already enabled on my DirecTivo, I would use it, but I don't intend on popping the paint on the warranty-sealed screws unless there is some real benefit. Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 20:47:43 GMT From: joel@exc.com (Dr. Joel M. Hoffman) Subject: Re: Verizon Land Line International Rates Organization: Excelsior Computer Services [re charging $3.00 or so per minute for overseas calls made without a calling plan] > Absolutely predatory on the part of Verizon. The web site should > have stated both rates, and in large, clear print stated that the > "theft" rate automatically applied unless you called the company and > signed up. This is but one more example of the drawbacks of privatizing the phone system. If companies can still make money charging $0.15/minute to Europe, what in the world makes anyone think it's better for consumers to have companies charging 20 times that? -Joel ------------------------------ From: jmayson@nyx.net Subject: Re: Southern/South Central Bell Border, was Re: Nevada; Oddities Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 23:40:22 GMT Organization: Road Runner High Speed Online http://www.rr.com > - Rossville, Tennga, and McCaysville, GA (adjacent to Chattanooga, > Benton, and Copperhill, TN respectively) > - Liberty (Cherokee County), NC (adjacent to Copperhill, TN) > - Georgetown, GA (adjacent to Eufaula, AL) > All these areas are served by central offices in TN/AL except for part > of the Rossville rate center which is served by a CO in Georgia (which > also serves customers in Tennessee and has a CLLI starting with > "CHTGTN" = Chattanooga TN even though it's physically in Georgia.) I worked for AT&T in Tucker, GA. One day my phone rang and the caller immediately went into a monologue about a patient (I got an earful about medical history, vitals, etc.) I interrupted her and told her I was an AT&T employee, not a doctor. She then demanded I connect her to such-and-such hospital. I was just a back office, co-op student who wrote dBase III databases, not an operator. At the time all of north Georgia was 404. Peope in GA but near Chattanooga could dial just 7-digits (or 1+7-digits) to reach that city. Apparently she was outside of that zone, so I got the call in Tucker. John Mayson Austin, Texas, USA ------------------------------ From: Sammy@nospam.biz Subject: Re: Verizon Says That Hawaii and Upstate NY Are For Sale Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 14:48:53 -0800 Organization: Cox Communications > And if they want to sell Hawaiian Tel, why aren't they selling ... Hawaiian Tel is a tough operation. Each island is one big local calling area. It will never change. The money used to be in inter-island toll until competition set in. ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 2004 01:20:05 -0000 From: John Levine Subject: Re: Verizon Says That Hawaii and Upstate NY Are For Sale Organization: I.E.C.C., Trumansburg NY USA >> John, what does your local media (radio/TV/newspapers) say http://www.syracuse.com/business/poststandard/index.ssf?/base/business-4/1078047320315550.xml I found an article in today's Syracuse Post-Standard. They reiterate the reasons VZ would want to sell the upstate NY territory, lower profits than downstate, hostile regulators who are about to fine them yet again for lousy service, etc. But they can't figure out who'd want to buy it, either. John R. Levine, IECC, POB 727, Trumansburg NY 14886 +1 607 330 5711 johnl@iecc.com Village Trustee and Sewer Commissioner http://iecc.com/johnl Member, Provisional board, Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-mail ------------------------------ From: Wesrock@aol.com Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 17:47:39 EST Subject: Re: "Upstate NY" (Re: Verizon Plans to Sell ...) In a message dated Sun, 29 Feb 2004 13:00:06 CST Mark J Cuccia writes: > What would be interesting is if Qwest-LEC or SBC (or even BellSouth) > would take it over! If BellSouth were to take it over, what *NAME* > would BellSouth Corporation use for marketing and as the local > operating company, as this area is *NOT* "south"! :-) Southwest Airlines seems to be operating profitably in Providence, Albany and Baltimore without changings its name, not to mention Northwest Airlines operations in the South and Southeast and indeed in many parts of the world. Wes Leatherock wesrock@aol.com [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yes, but ... the objective of Southwest Airlines is for the carriage of passengers and freight to somewhere in the southwest, is it not? Or does Southwest Airlines have much or any 'local' traffic around New England and New York City? PAT] ------------------------------ From: Steven J Sobol Subject: Re: "Upstate NY" (Re: Verizon Plans to Sell...) Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 19:22:54 -0600 Mark J Cuccia wrote: > You'd mentioned in the earlier post that Alltel does have a few small > towns in NY. I wonder if they might consider taking over all of that > chunk of upstate NY (NYTel/NYNEX/BA/VZ)? Would make more sense. CenturyTel primarily has lines in Lorain County, Ohio, west of Cleveland. Going east on I-90 towards upstate New York, you go through large chunks of northeast Ohio that are all Western Reverse Telephone (which was bought out by Alltel). Lake County's suburbs of Cleveland are SBC, but just about everything else in Lake is Alltel; with the exception of Burton, everything in Geauga County is Alltel; and Ashtabula County, sitting on the state line, is all Alltel as far as I know. Don't know how much of the Erie PA metro is Alltel. I'd assume that Erie itself is Verizon, but don't know for sure. JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, Apple Valley, CA Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / sjsobol@JustThe.net PGP: C57E 8B25 F994 D6D0 5F6B B961 EA08 9410 E3AE 35ED ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 16:31:54 CST From: Mark J Cuccia Subject: The Thread DID Continue From the Digest (was Re: Verizon Plans) Pat Townson added the following to the beginning of a (sub) thread of posts/emails between John Levine and Me (Mark J. Cuccia), those emails were cc'd to the Digest intended for publication, and Pat did publish them all ... thanks ... (this appeared in volume 23 issue 96, Sun, 29 Feb 2004 16:24:00 EST) > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The next several messages in this issue > of the Digest did *not* begin here but were part of a series of > messages between John Levine and Mark J. Cuccia which were copied to > the Digest, by one or the other of them. PAT] (The first in the series started off as follows, with John quoting me) Date: 29 Feb 2004 04:17:32 -0000 From: John Levine Subject: Verizon Says That Hawaii and Upstate NY Are For Sale > I read a report from the WSJ about a week ago that VeriZon is > seriously considering selling off (GTE) Hawaiian Telco and also SOME > of its NYTel/NYNEX/BA franchise area in upstate NY! (and John's reply continued, snipped for this presentation). Actually, Pat, this "spin-off" thread *DID* originate from the Digest, and simply continued as individual posts from John or me, to you/Digest, it only happened that we CC'd each other. The actual series appeared for the first time in this new issue (96), but it did "originate from" Telecom Digest. The initial text that John quoted from me, transcribed above, is from TELECOM Digest, Volume 23, issue 95, Sat, 28 Feb 2004 22:23:00 EST, in article subject "Nevada; Other BOC Oddities", about half-way down in that article, and it is as follows: > VeriZon (Bell Atlantic/NYNEX) has actually *introduced* the 1970s-era > "Bell" logo in previous *GTE/CONTEL* areas, such as on trucks, > buildings, payphone signage, etc! BTW, I read a report from the WSJ > about a week ago that VeriZon is seriously considering selling off > (GTE) Hawaiian Telco and also SOME of its NYTel/NYNEX/BA franchise > area in upstate NY! Note the second sentence in there is *EXACTLY* what John Levine quoted from me to start off his reply in this spin-off "thread" about VeriZon planning to sell-off (GTE) Hawaiian Telco, and also some of the original NYTel/NYNEX/BA franchise area of upstate New York... Just want to set the record straight! Mark J. Cuccia mcuccia@tulane.edu New Orleans LA CSA [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well ex-cuuuuse me! PAT] ------------------------------ From: Al Gillis Subject: Last Giggle/Snicker! Re: Picture, Michael Powell in a Bra Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 13:15:32 -0800 Organization: http://extra.newsguy.com Well, John, probably none of us wants to know WHY you're looking for this picture but go to the 1-25-04 issue of Willamette Week and click on "Volume" (or click on this: http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=4858) Enjoy! Al John Bartley or K7AAY@ARRL.NET" wrote in message news:telecom23.94.3@telecom-digest.org: > Yes, Michael Powell in a bra. > Some telecom or computer magazine I've read within the past week had a > B&W pic of the Chair of the FCC in a bra. I'd heard he wore it at > some stag event, and wasn't surprised when I saw it; just trashed the > magazine, and forgot about it. > Now, I've read the Notice of Rulemaking for BPL (internet service over > power lines), and need that picture, because there's nothing like > sophomoric humor on the part of Powell to illustrate the cavalier way > the FCC is approaching the issue. > What issue? > Go set your tune your hi-fi to AM, pick a spot between local stations, > and turn up the vpolume about half way. Then, try to have a phone > conversation over a bad cellular connection with your ear six inches > from the speakers, and you will still have an easier time > communicating than hams will when we experience the 16 db over S9 > interference already demonstrated by BPL. > That interference explains why Austria and Japan already tried, then > abandoned, BPL. However, this is 'the best government which lobbyist > money can buy', so we get the FCC telling us in the Notice they expect > power companies to fix the problems, the same power companies who > already take *months* to resolve RFI (radio frequency interference) > problems with existing tech. > The burden of proof of the problem will be on the *ham*. How easy is > it to talk to your power company? Hams know it gets much harder when > interference problems arise. > Hams have to buy all of our own gear to equip ourselves to be able to > communicate in emergencies, and we're a part of just about every > emergency plan there is. > How many hams will learn the special skills needed for shortwave and > longwave and make the investment of $$$$ to buy the gear, if all we > get is static from BPL? You have to practice just like it's for real > to be competent in something so demanding as passing radio traffic, > and longwave and shortwave require very different skills than the VHF > and UHF short-range frequencies which are unaffected by BPL. > Folks, I need this pic to help me prove my point. Anyone remember what > magazine that picture was in? > Thanks, 73s and best regards, > John E. Bartley, III K7AAY telcom admin, PDX - Views mine. > celdata cjb net - Handheld Cellular Data FAQ > *This post quad-ROT13 encrypted. Reading it violates the DMCA.* ------------------------------ 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'. 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End of TELECOM Digest V23 #97 *****************************