The Telecom Digest for July 22, 2010
Volume 29 : Issue 197 : "text" Format
Messages in this Issue:
| Is Broadcast TV about to be killed? | (Neal McLain |
| PA-PUC Approves Overlay to 570 Area Code | (Mark J. Cuccia |
| Additional NPA Overlay to Toronto ON 416/647 ?? | (Mark J. Cuccia |
| Apple: iPut a rubber band on it | (Monty Solomon |
| Re: outdoor phone booth - photo | (Richard |
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Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:20:40 -0500
From: Neal McLain <nmclain@annsgarden.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Is Broadcast TV about to be killed?
Message-ID: <4C4683A8.6090606@annsgarden.com>
The following letter was written by James Edwin Whedbee, M.Ed., owner of
KZJW-LD (low-power digital), a broadcast station licensed to Bledsoe,
Texas. KZJW-LD originates some programming, but for most if its
broadcast day, it retransmits KENW, the PBS affiliate of Eastern New
Mexico University.
I received this message because I am member of the Society of Broadcast
Engineers Chapter 105, Houston. The message was forwarded to all chapter
members by the Chief Engineer of the Houston Univision Radio station.
Perhaps Bill Horne's predictions about the death of broadcast television
will come true after all, notwithstanding my assertions to the
contrary. Nevertheless, the NAB still holds enormous power over
Congress, and its power will be even greater if the Republicans take the
House this fall.
Anyway, here's the letter:
=============================================================
Dear Friends and Family:
This will be the first time I publicly discuss the amounts of money I
frequently donate to the Democratic Party or its candidates. For a man
of modest means, it is considerable. It is the first time I discuss it
because I want those Democrats here on Facebook who count themselves as
my friends to consider what my support or continuing support means to
them. Many of us have friends in Washington, D.C. whom apparently don't
realize when the wool is being pulled over their eyes or don't care, and
that's what I feel requires discussion.
Right now pending before the Federal Communications Commission (445 12th
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554) in GN Docket No. 09-51 is the current
Chairman's so-called National Broadband Plan. The Chairman of the FCC,
the Hon. Julius Genachowski, is a Democrat. He was brought into the FCC
as an attorney for a previous Chairman, Mr. Reed Hundt. He also was a
'protege' of sorts under Vice President Al Gore. Finally, before being
appointed Chairman of the FCC himself, he worked as a staffer of Senator
Chuck Schumer, D-NY. His pedigree in the party notwithstanding, Chairman
Genachowski seems to support a clearly anti-democratic approach to
managing the electromagnetic spectrum.
Before 2009, you watched your televisions on analog TV sets. For those
of you with converter boxes, you still do but the converter box takes
the digital signal and changes it to an analog picture for you to view.
Here in the Central Plains, our over-the-air television stations are our
lifelines during inclement weather-particularly if you've ever had your
satellite television or cable TV go out during a storm. Over-the-air TV
broadcasters were made some promises that you may not know about. Let's
begin with this one: if you 'give back' your analog channel, you may
'keep' your digital channel. Sounds like a fair exchange of things of
value, yes? So, we did. Rightfully, each TV station owner in the USA has
a right to the digital TV channel on which those lifeline weather
signals are broadcast. That promise was made to us in the 1996
Telecommunications Act, whose principal proponent is rumored to be no
other than Vice President Al Gore.
After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001, the 9/11 Commission
Report recommended establishing a Public Safety Band in the vicinity of
700 MHz to protect our nation by providing better communications
interoperability for firefighters, police, and other first-responders
and national security stakeholders. Just one thing: 700 MHz belonged to
TV Broadcasters before 9/11. Nevertheless, because we're a patriotic
bunch, TV Broadcasters relocated TV stations - at considerable expense
mind you - so that our nation's first response teams could have TV
Channels 52-69. In exchange, our relocated TV stations were 'given' TV
Channels 14-51 with assurances that we were done at June 2009.
Two promises made: we'd get to 'keep' our digital channels and our
allocation between TV Channel 14 (470 MHz) and TV Channel 51 (698 MHz)
would be unmolested. For all intents and purposes, the United States
Government under Democrats and Republicans promised us spectrum between
470-698 MHz in exchange for our cooperation. We gave the cooperation.
Now comes the a new FCC Chairman and his National Broadband Plan wherein
he envisions taking TV Channels 31-51 and auctioning those channels to
wireless telecommunications firms like Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, Google
Inc., et al. It is suggested somehow that in these auctions, the new
licensees would 'own' and be able to 'lease' their spectrum for wireless
broadband. Mind you, TV stations can ALREADY lease unused digital
spectrum to these same companies under our regulatory authority (47 CFR
73.624 and 74.790). We MIGHT get to share in the proceeds of any auction
of OUR spectrum that the FCC Chairman's plan envisions taking from us.
Now, here's the rub. International Treaty and specifically the ITU World
Radiocommunication Conferences from 1978 to 2007, as adopted by the USA
and ratified in the Senate, allocates 470-698 MHz to broadcasters.
Combine that with the promises TV broadcasters would get to 'keep'
digital licenses after converting away from analog signals, and I think
it is reasonable to suggest we OWN that spectrum. However, just like the
United States Government's past history of vitiating treaties with
Native American Tribal Governments and taking what they owned in the way
of land and rights, with one stroke of the pen, FCC Chairman Genachowski
intends to take analogous action against TV Broadcasters and remove them
from the 'reservation' of TV Channels 31-51, 'repack' TV broadcasters,
and cram us into TV Channels 14-30 ("Spectrum Analysis: Options for
Broadcasting OBI Technical Paper No. 3." FCC, 2010). Mind you, every
credible broadcast engineer in existence has told the FCC that is not
even technically feasible to do! (Society of Broadcast Engineers, June
25, 2010; Doug Lung: "FCC Spectrum Analysis Doesn't Add Up," TV
Technology Magazine-June 18, 2010.)
For their part, the wireless broadband telcos - and particularly those
giants aforementioned - have promised the FCC huge returns on spectrum
auctions if the FCC takes our spectrum (June 2010: T-Mobile in ex parte
disclosure to FCC Secretary in 09-51) with the 'threat' that the FCC
won't make as much in these auctions if the predetermined spectrum in
question isn't reallocated to them. While I won't go so far as to
suggest that this amounts to extortion, it gets right up there next to
it! Mind you, the FCC says it will 'share' some undisclosed proportion
of those auction fees generated with 'voluntarily' displaced
broadcasters...isn't that like sharing a bribe to convince someone to
look the other way?
That's the carrot; here's the stick: those broadcasters unwilling to
'give up' spectrum in exchange for sharing some minority interest in
auction proceeds will be hit with 'spectrum utilization fees' so they
wind up paying to use the spectrum that might otherwise have been
auctioned. No doubt, some arbitrary amount up to and including the
amount some unknown economist at the FCC assigns as the amount it should
have received at auction will be the spectrum fee! Now, for anyone who
has been to an auction, either in person or on E-Bay will tell you that
you can't 'assign' a value to what an item will bring at auction! Don't
believe me? Senators Kerry and Snowe just yesterday (July 19, 2010)
introduced into the U.S. Senate, a draft bill (styled,``Spectrum
Measurement and Policy Reform Act'') proposing to authorize the FCC to
do precisely that in conjunction with this "National Broadband Plan."
Now, we get to the crux of my position as a TV Broadcaster and as a
Democrat. The U.S. Constitution, and particularly the First Amendment of
the same, says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably
to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of
grievances." The freedom of speech or press is intended to be encumbered
by Congress with 'spectrum fees.' The Fifth Amendment of the U.S.
Constitution says, in pertinent part: "...nor be deprived of life,
liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private
property be taken for public use, without just compensation." I can't
think that the liberty and property being promised that we'd get to
'keep' a digital license in exchange for an analog license can be
squared with snatching that spectrum away. I certainly feel we have a
great case under this same amendment for suing the federal government
for condemnation by regulation if the National Broadband Plan and
accompanying Senate Bill are adopted.
Democrats, I am a donor. I am also a TV Broadcaster. These should NOT
hold me in special regard, but reality is that donors tend to be heard,
so please also hear this: I am a teacher and a veteran. I have
contributed my entire adult life to service of this nation. I am the
voice, in small part, of this nation. You cannot - in good faith -
promise something can be kept and then proceed after two election cycles
to give it to somebody else...that's not just a lie, it's a fraud. You
cannot take a bribe and give us a share in it and think we can, with a
clear conscience, look aside for you to commit a lie or a fraud.
Democrats, as a donor I have the right to grant or refrain from granting
my further goodwill to our party as I see fit. A fellow Democrat, Mr.
Genachowski at the FCC, needs to be set straight. I would ask that you
join my voice in expressing to him and those misguided Senators he has
misled the error of his ways. We must also point out to the remaining
Democratic Senators that TV Broadcasters can ALREADY DO everything that
National Broadband Plan wants to do without violating any International
Treaties, any of the U.S. Constitution, and without stealing anybody's
spectrum rights. Democrats, I will hold my party accountable if Mr.
Genachowski is permitted to continue in his misguided efforts. He has
been told the many alternatives he has which would be legally and
technically valid, and this party - we - must convince him to act in
those alternatives.
Best wishes,
James Edwin Whedbee, M.Ed.
Commissioner of Deeds to the State of Missouri for the State of New
Hampshire
Owner: Digital TV-23, KZJW-LD
July 20, 2010
___
***** Moderator's Note *****
ObTelecom: The price of implementing {4|5|n}G mobile service is
affected by the amount and "quality" of radio spectrum carriers must
obtain.
Bill Horne
Moderator
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 23:15:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Mark J. Cuccia" <markjcuccia@yahoo.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: PA-PUC Approves Overlay to 570 Area Code
Message-ID: <129716.38527.qm@web31104.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
The Pennsylvania-PUC has unanimously approved (5-0) an OVERLAY for the
570 area code region in north-central and north-eastern Pennsylvania.
The PA-PUC had actually approved the overlay last week, on Thursday
15-July-2010. There is a Press Release at the PA-PUC's website:
http://www.puc.state.pa.us/General/press_releases/Press_Releases.aspx?ShowPR=2563
and there are media reports at various local area radio/TV/newspaper
websites.
The PA-PUC's press release indicates that the new overlay area code will
be needed by 3-Q/2011, and hopes that the telco industry will have the
overlay implemented by 01-March-2011. At present, 7-digit dialing is
still possible for local intra-570 calls, so there will have to be what
is probably going to be an expedited transition to mandatory ten-digit
intra-570 local dialing.
It is also possible that further or stricter number/NXX-code conservation
measures could postpone the implementation of the new area code overlay.
This will be determined by the telco industry and regulatory, probably
when the next "NRUF" Survey is released by NeuStar-NANPA in late
October or early November 2010.
The new area code digits are NOT indicated at this current PA-PUC press
release of Thursday 15-July-2010, but my GUESS is that 272 will be the
new overlay area code.
570 split from 717 (retained by eastern south-central Pennsylvania) back
in 1998/99.
There are already overlays in Pennsylvania. Southeastern PA (Philadelphia
Metro) is the 215/267/(future-445) "core" part, and 610/484/(future-835)
is the "outer ring" (suburbs) part, 610 first split from 215 in 1994/95.
The initial 215/267 and 610/484 overlays took place in 1999.
Southwestern PA including Pittsburgh Metro was originally intended to
be overlaid, the original 412 area code overlaid with 724 back in 1997,
but that was canceled, a split implemented instead in 1998. Pittsburgh
PA Metro kept 412, the other areas of southwestern PA split to 724 in
1998. ALL of the 412 and 724 area was "officially overlaid" in Summer 2001,
but only ten-digit mandatory dialing was implemented so far. Even to this
day, there are still not any 878-NXX c.o.codes from the 878 overlay NPA.
However, 724 is almost out of available NXX c.o.codes, so it is likely
that there will finally be some 878-NXX codes assigned/activated by
late this year (2010) or early next year (2011).
The other two area codes in Pennsylvania (both dating back to the official
"origins" of the NANP/Area Code Format of October 1947), have also had
area code "relief" planning by the telco industry and regulatory. 814
for northwestern PA and western south-central PA, and also 717 which is
still retained by eastern south-central PA following the 717/570 split
of 1998/99 -- both have relief petitions pending before the PA-PUC,
overlays area requested in both cases by the telcos. No indication of
when the PA-PUC will make any kind of announcements as to split vs.
overlay (overlays are likely), and obviously not the codes themselves,
but my GUESS is for:
582 as the relief code for 814,
and 223 to overlay 717.
VeriZon/Bell-Atlantic/Bell-of-Pennsylvania is the dominant ILEC (BOC)
for Pennsylvania, but VZ/GTE-and-Contel is also dominant throughout most
of Pennsylvania. The legacy GTE including Contel in PA has been retained
by VZ and has been "integrated" into the day-to-day operations of
legacy BOC BA/B-PA, just as it has been in BA/C&P-Virginia. I doubt that
VeriZon will sell-off legacy GTE/Contel in PA or VA, unless they also
sell-off all of their legacy landline operations (BOC as well) in either
state. But I tend to think that PA and VA are rather profitable when
compared to West Virginia.
Other ILECs in PA which also operate in other states include:
- Windstream (from Alltel and also the local "Denver & Ephrata Tel")
- CenturyLink (from Embarq/Sprint/United)
- Frontier (from Citizens and others; but apparently NOT from any GTE
nor Contel within Pennsylvania which seems to all still be VeriZon)
- TDS Telecom
- Armstrong (which is also an ILEC in parts of NY, WV, MD)
and of course, there are other small locally owned independent rural
ILECs as well throughout the state.
I expect that NeuStar-NANPA and/or the PA-PUC will announce the actual
code digits for the overlay to 570, within another several weeks, and as
mentioned above, my GUESS is that 272 will be the overlay. Also, I
tend to think that the PA-PUC will be making their split vs. overlay
decisions and subsequent announcements on 814 and 717 later this year,
in Fall 2010.
Mark J. Cuccia
markjcuccia at yahoo dot com
Lafayette LA, formerly of New Orleans LA pre-Katrina
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 23:19:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Mark J. Cuccia" <markjcuccia@yahoo.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Additional NPA Overlay to Toronto ON 416/647 ??
Message-ID: <971580.73896.qm@web31102.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
On Tuesday 20 July 2010, the CRTC announced that Toronto ON will likely
need an additional area code to its already existing 416/647 overlay,
by or during 2015.
http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/com100/2010/r100720.htm
for the CRTC press release
and
http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2010/2010-490.htm (HTML)
http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2010/2010-490.pdf (Adobe-Acrobat)
for the Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2010-490
It doesn't actually specify that the new area code "must" be an
additional overlay, but that the telco industry in Ontario (through
the Canadian Numbering Administration) is to come up with one (or more)
area code relief options submitted to the CRTC.
However, considering that the last area code split in Canada was the
Alberta 403/780 split of early 1999, that every new area code introduced
in Canada in 2001, 2006, 2008, 2010, and planned so far for 2011-forward
is going to be an overlay, especially since 416/647 is already in an
overlay, and that adjacent 905/289 for the Toronto ON suburbs/"outer
ring" is to be overlaid with 365 in March 2013, it is very likely that
the existing 416/647 area code region for Toronto ON "itself" is going
to be further overlaid, NOT split. The "likely" new area code could be
437, but this is not yet a "given".
A few days ago, SAIC-CNA (Canadian Numbering Administrator) set up the
beginnings of a page at its website for documents and announcements
regarding additional relief (early 20-teens) for the 416/647 region,
http://www.cnac.ca/npa_codes/relief/416-647/relief_416-647.htm
Right now, it is only a "skeleton" page, with no additional documents
nor announcements (other than some June 2010 "NRUF-related" documents
regarding 416/647), it does not yet even have the CRTC's announcements
of Tuesday 20-July-2010. But those CRTC documents and other documents
going forward regarding 416/647/ (future 437 ??), will be posted here.
The existing 905/289/forthcoming-365 area code region for the Toronto ON
suburbs (outer ring) split from the 416/647 Toronto ON "City" area code
as the 416/905 area code split, back in 1993/94. This was the first
completely "brand new" geographic/POTS area code introduced in Canada
since 1962 when there was the 705/807 split in western Ontario, and when
709 was introduced for Newfoundland/Labrador splitting from having to
share from New Brunswick's 506 (although the use of 506 to identify or
"reach" any exchanges in Newfoundland/Labrador (NL) would have only been
used by Operators prior to 1962 since customer DDD "to" NL didn't start
until 1962 when 709 was "split" from sharing from NB's 506).
There were further splits in Canada in the later 1990s, but starting in
2001, every new area code in Canada was an overlay. In 2001, Toronto's
416 was overlaid with 647, and the Toronto Metro suburbs and "outer
ring" 905 was overlaid with 289. Other southern/southeastern Ontario
area codes which border 905/etc, or are at least close by to 416/etc,
have since been overlaid: 519 overlaid with 226 in 2006, 613 overlaid
with 343 this year 2010, and 705 to be overlaid with 249 next year 2011.
And then the 905/289 Toronto ON Metro's "outer ring" is to be overlaid
with 365 in March 2013.
And now it is announced by the CRTC that the 416/647 area code overlay
pair for Toronto ON "itself", will need further area code relief by 2015,
and although not specified as a "given" by the CRTC, it is very likely
that this will be a further overlay, and it is also quite likely that
437 could be the additional new area code.
More details to come as they are known.
Mark J. Cuccia
markjcuccia at yahoo dot com
Lafayette LA, formerly of New Orleans LA pre-Katrina
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:52:46 -0400
From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Apple: iPut a rubber band on it
Message-ID: <p06240834c86c50471056@[192.168.0.109]>
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2010/07/20/apple_iput_a_rubber_band_on_it/
The Boston Globe
GLOBE EDITORIAL
Apple: iPut a rubber band on it
July 20, 2010
Soon after Apple released the latest iPhone last month, consumers
found that holding the phone in the usual manner - palm against the
back, fingers along the sides - can reduce the device's signal
strength to nil. This, to say the least, is a major flaw: One should
be able to walk and talk on a cellphone without gripping it in some
exotic way. To fix the glitch, Apple is now issuing free
plastic-and-rubber bumpers that go around the phones and limit
interference with the external antenna. Who would have guessed a
glorified rubber band could save one of the decade's most-hailed
devices?
Apple's responses to complaints have been mostly tone deaf. Before
issuing the bumpers, the company told unhappy customers to simply
hold their phones a different way. And in a press conference last
week, Apple CEO Steve Jobs blamed the media for the negative
publicity. After releasing a mobile phone that wasn't entirely mobile
when used as, well, a phone, it's hard to imagine what kind of press
coverage Jobs had expected. It didn't help that Apple admitted that
all past iPhones have displayed inflated signal strengths.
This is a cautionary tale for early adopters, who might be slower to
line up the next time Apple releases a flashy new product. Rubber
bands may restore the iPhone's signal strength, but the hurt feelings
among the company's usually awestruck fans might prove harder to fix.
(C) Copyright The New York Times Company
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:25:06 -0700
From: Richard <rng@richbonnie.com>
To: telecomdigestmoderator.remove-this@and-this-too.telecom-digest.org.
Subject: Re: outdoor phone booth - photo
Message-ID: <u40f469a4fmdbd4ckjm859jlvh0j317ing@4ax.com>
On Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:53:57 -0700 (PDT), Lisa or Jeff
<hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com> wrote:
> Today, finding pay phones is hard enough, but finding a phone booth
> is extremely rare.
In one of the more recent Superman movies, there is an emergency.
Clark Kent runs to a payphone, only to discover that it's
free-standing, not a booth. He has a disappointed look on his face,
and runs somewhere else to change his costume.
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