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Message Digest 
Volume 29 : Issue 41 : "text" Format

Messages in this Issue:
 Re: FIOS battery life?
 Re: FIOS battery life?
 Touch-Tone<tm> on SxS
Does ADSL interfere with cordless phone?
 Re: Does ADSL interfere with cordless phone?
 Retired Phone Numbers Unretired
 Re: Retired Phone Numbers Unretired 
 Re: Two 1A ESS COs to be Replaced in 2010; 59 Remain 
 Re: Two 1A ESS COs to be Replaced in 2010; 59 Remain 
 Area Code 710?


====== 28 years of TELECOM Digest -- Founded August 21, 1981 ====== Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. 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, and other stuff of interest.
Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:39:05 -0800 From: Sam Spade <sam@coldmail.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: FIOS battery life? Message-ID: <tkfcn.111785$fu3.46027@newsfe12.iad> hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote: > FIOS requires house power to run. The setup includes a battery in > case of a power failure, but I've heard* the battery lasts only three > hours. When the power failure exceeds that the subscriber is out of > luck. > > * Friend in suburban Washington who has FIOS and lost phone service > after three hours due to the storm power failures which lasted far > longer. > With Vonage it all goes away immediately with a power failure.
Date: 9 Feb 2010 04:24:02 -0000 From: John Levine <johnl@iecc.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: FIOS battery life? Message-ID: <20100209042402.42501.qmail@simone.iecc.com> >FIOS requires house power to run. The setup includes a battery in >case of a power failure, but I've heard* the battery lasts only three >hours. When the power failure exceeds that the subscriber is out of >luck. That sounds right. VZ doesn't replace the battery, so the older the battery is, the faster your phone fails. R's, John
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 12:43:46 -0600 (CST) From: jsw <jsw@ivgate.omahug.org> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Touch-Tone<tm> on SxS Message-ID: <201002091843.o19Ihku7079845@ivgate.omahug.org> Ma Bell did have one rather innovate method of providing Touch-Tone on step offices, combined with other features. Their 'directorized' SxS offices used a common control unit between the linefinder and the first selector. This provided dial tone and received digits, either dial pulse or Touch-Tone in real time and stored them. When dialing was complete, the common-control unit then either drove the switches to complete the intra-office call or selected a trunk to another office and outpulsed the appropriate digits using the method the far-end office spoke. The office I remember best of this type was the Manawa office in Council Bluffs, Iowa, 712-366. This was cut to a DMS-10 ca. 1984. It had the precise dial tone of other TT-compatible offices, but an incredibly funky set of tones for the ringback and busy-back tones. When rotary dialing, the register-sender (or whatever you call the common-control unit) did exhibit the classic 'clunk' between digits, typical of SxS offices.
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 10:09:11 +0000 (UTC) From: "Adam H. Kerman" <ahk@chinet.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject:Does ADSL interfere with cordless phone? Message-ID: <hkrc86$r28$8@news.albasani.net> I posted this in the XDSL group, but that group is too quiet. Recently, I had a new phone service installed, shared with ADSL. I used the filters shipped with the DSL device, but I'm getting lousy sound on my old cordless phone, Sony SPP 2000, a 1.7 Mhz instrument. Yes, I know that such phones were always inadequate and readily overheard, but the handset is cool looking, it has swappable sealed lead acid batteries which means the handset is never recharged in the base. It's survived being dropped quite a lot. Anyway, do these require a different filter than the one that came in the box?
Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:23:46 -0800 From: Steven <diespammers@killspammers.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: Does ADSL interfere with cordless phone? Message-ID: <hksg8i$7p5$1@news.eternal-september.org> Adam H. Kerman wrote: > I posted this in the XDSL group, but that group is too quiet. > > Recently, I had a new phone service installed, shared with ADSL. I > used the filters shipped with the DSL device, but I'm getting lousy > sound on my old cordless phone, Sony SPP 2000, a 1.7 Mhz > instrument. Yes, I know that such phones were always inadequate and > readily overheard, but the handset is cool looking, it has swappable > sealed lead acid batteries which means the handset is never > recharged in the base. It's survived being dropped quite a lot. > > Anyway, do these require a different filter than the one that came > in the box? I had a problems like that, AT&T placed a filter at the Network outside the house and ran a new cable direct to the DSL, that took care of the problem as the voice phones no longer needed the filter. -- The only good spammer is a dead one!! Have you hunted one down today? (c) 2010 I Kill Spammers, Inc., A Rot in Hell. Co.
Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:23:58 -0700 From: Robert Neville <dont@bother.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Retired Phone Numbers Unretired Message-ID: <g0v2n55dt9kml5bca7t33jamqaf8d5n4pg@4ax.com> Back in the day... I seem to recall a general telco policy of retiring used phone numbers a minimum of six months, and much longer if there continued to be hits on the not in service number. I can recall a few exceptions when area codes/exchanges filled up, but for the most part, when you received a number from the phone company it was for all intents an unused number. I don't know if it's abandonment of that policy, nearly free long distance, debt collection companies who buy up past due accounts or an upsurge in people skipping out, but I'm going nuts dealing with collection company calls. I recently dropped Vonage as my primary landline service. Nothing wrong with Vonage, but the underlying broadband collection in this rural area is pretty flaky and I was tired of dealing with poor call quality. Previous locations with Vonage worked fine. Decided to use my Google Voice number as my public number, but needed an underlying line from Qwest as cellular wouldn't meet my needs. My location is in a very rural area, one voice exchange, not a high growth area, area code was split a year or so ago. The first number Qwest assigned started receiving one to two calls a day almost immediately. Mostly collection calls, but school truancy, school delay/cancellation robo calls, utilities and the occasional personal call. Despite the personal information involved, it was amazing the profile I was able to build up of the previous assignee. I know the full name (including kids names), home address, and a pretty good financial profile. After about two weeks of this, I had enough, so I called Qwest and asked for a different number. They assigned a new number - same problem. Citigroup, Barclays and an interesting group called MCM are particular favorites. MCM is apparently what's left of the old Fingerhut Catalog company. Remember them? They apparently fronted as a catalog sales company but made their money going after all the suckers who fell for their "easy terms". My understanding is that informing these companies that they are not to call any more is all it takes to stop the calls by US law, even if I was the person they were looking for, much less a wrong number. But it's amazing how much they try to grill you when you tell them not to call. They want to know what number they called, how long the number has been reassigned and try asking the same questions in different ways. Since Google Voice is the public number, changing the underlying physical number isn't a problem other than the hassle factor, but I'm amazed at what a issue this has been.
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 15:37:37 -0800 (PST) From: hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: Retired Phone Numbers Unretired Message-ID: <db676da5-63de-4d5e-9468-675f30966c2f@h2g2000yqj.googlegroups.com> On Feb 9, 11:23 am, Robert Neville <d...@bother.com> wrote: > The first number Qwest assigned started receiving one to two calls a > day almost immediately. Years ago, when I [first] got a phone, I got obscene calls the very first night. At first Bell wanted a service charge to change the number but after some pressure they agreed to change the number at no charge. The new number had no problem. For your situation I would try to get a hold of a carrier's supervisor and demand a new number (at no charge) that has been idle for a while. Perhaps you should send a Certified Letter to them rather than call them. As to [how long disconnected numbers are held before reassignment] today, I retired two phone lines a few years ago. One line, which was rarely used, was reassigned after several months. The other line is still forwarding the calls after several years.
Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:51:27 -0800 From: Sam Spade <sam@coldmail.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: Two 1A ESS COs to be Replaced in 2010; 59 Remain Message-ID: <QFlcn.69684$RS6.19071@newsfe15.iad> Mark J. Cuccia wrote: ~ > > WECO/Lucent/Alcatel 1AESS switches still exist in the US. There are > around 60 such 1As remaining, basically all within > at&t/SBC/Ameritech, sbc's at&t/BellSouth, and > at&t/SBC/Southwestern-Bell territory. From what I can tell, there > are NO more 1As in at&t/SBC/Pacific*Telesis (Pacific*Bell in CA > nor Nevada*Bell), nor Qwest/US-West territory, nor Cincinnati Bell > territory, nor at&t/SBC/SNET (Connecticut). Do you (or anyone) know why Pacific Bell, et al, decided to replace perfectly good 1AESS platforms with either DMS-100s or 5ESSes? I can understand changing to digital for further replacement of remaining 5XBAR and SXS, but some of those 1AESS platforms had been in service for as little as 15 years. What does a digital end office do that a 1AESS won't (wouldn't) do?
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 16:11:59 -0800 (PST) From: markjcuccia@yahoo.com To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Re: Two 1A ESS COs to be Replaced in 2010; 59 Remain Message-ID: <2282da01-8f94-4e6b-a5ad-8909c93d7ebf@c4g2000yqa.googlegroups.com> Sam Spade wrote: > Mark J. Cuccia wrote: >> WECO/Lucent/Alcatel 1AESS switches still exist in the US. There are >> around 60 such 1As remaining, basically all within >> at&t/SBC/Ameritech, sbc's at&t/BellSouth, and >> at&t/SBC/Southwestern-Bell territory. From what I can tell, there >> are NO more 1As in at&t/SBC/Pacific*Telesis (Pacific*Bell in CA >> nor Nevada*Bell), nor Qwest/US-West territory, nor Cincinnati Bell >> territory, nor at&t/SBC/SNET (Connecticut). > Do you (or anyone) know why Pacific Bell, et al, decided to replace > perfectly good 1AESS platforms with either DMS-100s or 5ESSes? No specific reason, unless it was a tax write-off? Nortel (or AT&T/Lucent) "sold" them on the DMS (or 5E)? > I can understand changing to digital for further replacement of > remaining 5XBAR and SXS, but some of those 1AESS platforms had been > in service for as little as 15 years. Well, when was the cutover? If it was past 2000, then the 1A was originally installed after 1985. I don't know if WECO/AT&T was still making 1As for NEW installations or complete cutovers replacements of electromechanical switches (SXS, Panel, XB) after the mid-1980s. In 1987 in New Orleans, the last two #5XBs were cutover to "ESS". Broadmoor (NWORLABM---) became a 5ESS. Michoud (NWORLAMU---) became a DMS-100. > What does a digital end office do that a 1AESS won't (wouldn't) do? 1AESSes and similar non-digital, yet still electronic/SPC offices apparently can NOT do ISDN, nor other more modern/enhanced packet-type functions. Of course, for the average residential or small business customer of the general public, this really isn't much of an issue. But for larger business customers, if there aren't any 5Es or DMSes or other digital switches nearby to get FX/FCO from, then the ILEC will need to replace the 1A with a digital. Or else that business customer will port away to a CLEC willing to provide service off of their digital or packet switched local network! Also, Lucent/Alcatel might not be able to provide continued assistance/etc. for 1As (and 2(x)ESS, 3ESS) anymore, although I don't know for certain. While I can still surf-the-web/etc. with Win-95 and such. there are more and more webpages that won't function properly with older OS' and/or software associated wtih older OS'. The older software might not work anymore neither, or if I have an older OS, I can't integrate newer software. I don't like it, but that's how things are these days. Similarly, I have had to buy brand new cellphones instead of having older ones simply repaired, or at times even buying brand new cellphones to simply use my wireless provider. And then there was the FORCED converson from NTSC/analog to digital last year (don't get me started on that!), even though you can have conveters/etc. So, I guess the same things apply to 1As vs. digital/packet c.o. switches as well..... mjc
Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:42:23 -0500 From: Ann O'Nymous <nobody@nowhere.com> To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org. Subject: Area Code 710? Message-ID: <hksrt0$v3$1@speranza.aioe.org> Area Code 710 is assigned to "US Government Services". According to the Wikipedia article on it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_code_710) there is only one working number as of 2006. It seems rather silly to allocate an entire area code to one phone number, esp. when it was assigned when area codes were rapidly becoming scarce (NNX format). How is it really used? I assume that high level government officials such as the President/VP, House and Senate Members, the Cabinet, high level officials in the military/CIA/etc have 710 area code numbers, not reachable by phones not in that area code other than those with a need (home phones, those of family members). Correct, or am I way off base?
TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly to telecom- munications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition 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 Bill Horne. 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. The Telecom Digest is moderated by Bill Horne. Contact information: Bill Horne Telecom Digest 43 Deerfield Road Sharon MA 02067-2301 781-784-7287 bill at horne dot net Subscribe: telecom-request@telecom-digest.org?body=subscribe telecom Unsubscribe: telecom-request@telecom-digest.org?body=unsubscribe telecom 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 Copyright (C) 2009 TELECOM Digest. All rights reserved. Our attorney is Bill Levant, of Blue Bell, PA. --------------------------------------------------------------- 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 The Telecom digest (10 messages)

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