---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <r405tn$dj7$1@dont-email.me> Date: 7 Mar 2020 07:00:39 -0600 From: "Dave Garland" <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> Subject: FCC to require anti-robocall tech after "voluntary" plan didn't work out by Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica Phone companies would be required to deploy technology that prevents spoofing of Caller ID under a plan announced today by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai. Pai framed it as his own decision, with his announcement saying the chairman "proposed a major step forward... to protect consumers against spoofed robocalls." But in reality the FCC was ordered by Congress and President Trump to implement this new rule. The requirement on the FCC was part of the TRACED Act that was signed into law in December 2019. Pai previously hoped that all carriers would deploy the technology voluntarily.... https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/03/ajit-pai-follows-congress-instructions-requires-new-anti-robocall-tech/ ------------------------------ Message-ID: <776D5E78-8327-4F7C-B9E8-7F875407D512@jt-mj.net> Date: 6 Mar 2020 21:05:59 -0500 From: "Julian Thomas" <jt@jt-mj.net> Subject: Keystone [was Re: History "Postal Telegraph" > On Mar 5, 2020, at 14:31, HAncock4 <withheld@invalid.telecom-digest.org> wrote: > > As an aside, there was another telephone company, Keystone > Telephone, that competed directly with the Bell System in a > few places. AFAIK, only Philadelphia I remember seeing signs in the '40s - '50's for 'Bell Booths' and also Keystone booths. > They too fell onto hard times and were merged into the Bell System. > http://www.keystonetelephone.com/ There was something murky about their demise into the belly of the Bell whale; I've never been able to get to the bottom of it. ---- Julian Thomas - http://jt-mj.net File not found. Should I fake it? (Y/N) ------------------------------ Message-ID: <5749ccc5-54a1-45a8-b849-db3e434d43db@googlegroups.com> Date: 6 Mar 2020 10:58:53 -0800 From: HAncock4 <withheld@invalid.telecom-digest.org> Subject: Re: AT&T Puts More Jobs on the Chopping Block On Thursday, March 5, 2020 at 9:30:16 AM UTC-5, Moderator wrote: > AT&T is weighing a long list of plans to cut tens of billions of > dollars in costs that will likely result in even more dramatic job > losses for the connectivity and entertainment giant's employees. The > company previously said it plans to cut $1.5 billion in labor-related > costs this year. >https://www.sdxcentral.com/articles/news/att-puts-more-jobs-on-the-chopping-block/2020/03/ In addition to job cuts, the above article says there will be wage and benefit cuts as well. Workers will end up doing more work for less compensation. Many workers these days are being hammered by lost benefits. They must pay higher premiums for health care, yet receive fewer benefits. If they get sick, the unreminbursed, out of pocket and deductible costs are very substantial, costing the worker many thousands of dollars. In my opinion, that sucks. I believe companies, with their record profits and tax cuts, can well afford to pay their workers' health care. The link below is to a 1947 Bell System advertisement describing the trustee responsibility of company management. Unlike today, where managers answer solely to enriching the stockholders, in the past management recognized it served customers and employees as well as stockholders. https://books.google.com/books?id=nlIEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA32&dq=life%20bell%20system%20employment&pg=PA32#v=onepage&q&f=false Personally, I think about that when I get my Comcast bill. They have increased their rates 10% while removing channels from my lineup and reducing service quality. The company is incredibly profitable. Lastly, here is a 1952 Bell System ad touting it as a good place to work. While one didn't get rich working for the telephone company, and the workplace was rather regimented, it still was better than today's cutback mentality. https://books.google.com/books?id=eFQEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA7&dq=employment%20%22bell%20telephone&pg=PA7#v=onepage&q&f=false ------------------------------ ********************************************* End of telecom Digest Sun, 08 Mar 2020