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The Telecom Digest for April 22, 2011
Volume 30 : Issue 104 : "text" Format
====== 29 years of TELECOM Digest -- Founded August 21, 1981 ====== |
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Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:36:47 -0500
From: John Mayson <john@mayson.us>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: When country codes become +1-NPA codes
Message-ID: <BANLkTi=4DP9UKy37CpZtHX2sdpiB_NdQYA@mail.gmail.com>
Since the mid-1990s a few areas, namely US territories in the Pacific
Ocean, joined the NANPA. I understand why they did this. The calls
became "domestic" for billing purposes. I also imagine it made it a
little easier for military personnel and make and receive calls to and
from the mainland US (international dialing sometimes confuses
Americans).
Later this year Sint Maarten is scheduled to abandon +599 for +1-721.
We briefly touched on this here: http://goo.gl/Hwite. I'm curious
what drove this decision, particularly since the other half of the
island is maintaining its own country code. Wouldn't a country want
its own country code for national pride reasons? Was this perhaps
done for tourism or business ties back to the US and Canada? Much of
the Caribbean ties back to the original +1-809, but there are islands
with their own country codes. Do any of them plan to join the NANPA?
Sorry if this seems like an esoteric question. I got to thinking a
few days ago when a waste of an area code it is for a
country/territory with only a handful of exchanges.
--
John Mayson <john@mayson.us>
Austin, Texas, USA
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:25:41 +0000 (UTC)
From: "Adam H. Kerman" <ahk@chinet.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: When country codes become +1-NPA codes
Message-ID: <iopi9l$uj7$3@news.albasani.net>
John Mayson <john@mayson.us> wrote:
>Since the mid-1990s a few areas, namely US territories in the Pacific
>Ocean, joined the NANPA. I understand why they did this. The calls
>became "domestic" for billing purposes.
Changing the dialing plan didn't change anyone's billing. It certainly made
it easier to scam a US telephone subscriber into dialing a number served by
a foreign telephone exchange but not necessarily terminating in that country
in order to jack up the bill.
>I also imagine it made it a little easier for military personnel and
>make and receive calls to and from the mainland US (international dialing
>sometimes confuses Americans).
I think people with a need to call military personnel would learn how
to dial a call. Our largest bases are still in Japan and Germany, two
countries that won't ever join NANPA.
>Later this year Sint Maarten is scheduled to abandon +599 for +1-721.
>We briefly touched on this here: http://goo.gl/Hwite. I'm curious
>what drove this decision, particularly since the other half of the
>island is maintaining its own country code. Wouldn't a country want
>its own country code for national pride reasons? Was this perhaps
>done for tourism or business ties back to the US and Canada?
That's my assumption.
Mark Cuccia can tell us if this is the first telephony area not originally
set up by the British that joined NANPA.
>Much of the Caribbean ties back to the original +1-809, but there are
>islands with their own country codes. Do any of them plan to join
>the NANPA?
Seems logical, as they are more likely to have American tourists than
tourists from the former or current European colonial power.
>Sorry if this seems like an esoteric question. I got to thinking a
>few days ago when a waste of an area code it is for a
>country/territory with only a handful of exchanges.
Shirley a dial-a-porn company will grab all the codes not needed by the
local population.
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2011 09:47:36 -0500
From: Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: Info about these cellular snoopers?
Message-ID: <iopg2g$uvr$1@dont-email.me>
To follow up on the Cellebrite cell-phone snooping gear, here's a link
to the user handbook for the equipment:
http://cryptome.org/isp-spy/cellbrite-spy.zip
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2011 08:21:26 -0700 (PDT)
From: Lisa or Jeff <hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Caution urged on medical apps
Message-ID: <50bb0b3d-f39d-42dc-810a-78894811b50b@x37g2000prc.googlegroups.com>
The Phila Inqr had an article about the explosion of wireless
technology used in health care, but there are questions as to their
reliability and accuracy.
for article please see:
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20110421_Caution_urged_as_smartphone_technology_expands_into_medicine_and_health.html
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:40:48 -0700 (PDT)
From: Lisa or Jeff <hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Transoceanic telephony (history)
Message-ID: <d49d2901-b26b-4765-96b8-8c111b6d123e@d26g2000prn.googlegroups.com>
An interesting article from Bell System Technical Journal of June 1942
describing research into developing a transoceanic cable. Topics
including describing the long-wave and short-wave radio-telephone
systems then in use, the design parameters of a repeater, physical
construction requirements, and a long discussion of bandwidth and
making the best use of it in radio, land lines, and cables. Also
discussed are experimental cable installations to test all of the
above.
There's a description of a deviced called a "vocoder" which appears to
be a crude form of voice digitization so as to pack more bandwidth
within the cable. The problem was that inflections were lost. Much
later on the Bell System developed a way to squeeze more conversations
on a cable by filling up the natural spaces that occur within
conversations.
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:57:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael <michael.muderick@gmail.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Amtel Apartment Entry Security Phone
Message-ID: <c2057568-ee17-4a82-b14a-5998b2c5700f@f15g2000pro.googlegroups.com>
In a recent building demolition I grabbed an Amtel Apartment entry
type phone. (I can email pictures). Basically there is no display on
the unit...just a handset, hookswitch, red indicator "in use" light,
and a touchtone keypad. The part number on the Pc board inside is
60-08241, and the designation is AMTEL CLASSIC. I have some limited
programming instructions from the client, but I need to know the
interconnect on the terminal board inside, i.e. terminals for the
power, AC?DC? voltage? Door lock contacts?
Pick up the phone, hit a four digit number, person answers, and hits a
touch tone to let you in.
Does anyone have anything on this unit? I can send you pictures if
that will help.
TIA
michael@muderick.com
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2011 11:10:21 +1000
From: David Clayton <dcstar@myrealbox.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Apple iPhone secretly records owners' every move
Message-ID: <pan.2011.04.22.01.10.19.520680@myrealbox.com>
I don't know what is more surprising, the story or that people still
believe that they actually have some privacy any more!
http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/apple-iphone-secretly-records-owners-every-move-20110421-1dpab.html
Apple iPhone secretly records owners' every move Charles Arthur
April 21, 2011
Security researchers have discovered that Apple's iPhone keeps track of
where you go - and saves every detail to a secret file on the device which
is copied to the owner's computer when synchronised.
The file contains the latitude and longitude of the phone's recorded
co-ordinates along with a timestamp, meaning that anyone who stole the
phone or the computer could discover details about the owner's movements
using a simple program.
With the iPhone tracker, researchers were able to map out the location
data their phones were collecting.
For some phones, there could be almost a year's worth of data stored, as
the recording of data seems to have started with Apple's iOS 4 update to
the phone's operating system, released in June 2010.
Pete Warden, one of the researchers, said: "Apple has made it possible for
almost anybody ... with access to your phone or computer to get detailed
information about where you've been."
Only the iPhone records the user's location in this way, say Mr Warden and
Alasdair Allan, the data scientists who discovered the file and are
presenting their findings at the Where 2.0 conference in San Francisco on
Wednesday. "We haven't come across any instances of other phone
manufacturers doing this," Warden said.
Simon Davies, director of the pressure group Privacy International, said:
"This is a worrying discovery. The existence of that data creates a real
threat to privacy."
Mr Warden and Mr Allan point out that the file is moved on to new devices:
"The fact that [the file] is transferred across is evidence that the
data-gathering isn't accidental."
Mobile networks already record phones' locations, but it is only available
to the police and other recognised organisations following a court order.
The iPhone system appears to record the data whether or not the user
agrees. Apple declined to comment on why the file is created or whether it
can be disabled.
The researchers have set up a web page at Mr Warden's website to let Apple
users check location data the phone is retaining. The Guardian has
confirmed that 3G-enabled devices, including the iPad, also retain the
data.
Graham Cluley, at the security company Sophos, suggested that Apple might
be seeking data for advertising targeted by location, but he added: "I
tend to subscribe to cock-up rather than conspiracy on things like this -
I don't think Apple is really trying to monitor where users are."
However, Apple can legitimately claim that it has permission to collect
the data. Near the end of the 15,200-word terms and conditions for its
iTunes program is an 86-word paragraph that says: "Apple and our partners
and licensees may collect, use, and share precise location data, including
the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device. This
location data is collected anonymously in a form that does not personally
identify you and is used ... to improve location-based products and
services."
The Guardian
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