---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <20190823201202.GA16040@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2019 20:12:02 +0000 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> Subject: US phone carriers make empty, unenforceable promises to fight robocalls All 50 states agree to let telcos keep doing what they're already doing. By Jon Brodkin Phone companies and attorneys general from all 50 US states are touting a new agreement to fight robocalls, but it won't actually do much to help consumers. The top wireless carriers and home phone providers promised attorneys general from every state and the District of Columbia that they would offer free robocall blocking and take other steps to fight robocalls. But the agreement imposes no legally binding requirements on phone providers. "Failure to adhere to these principles is not in itself a basis for liability," a disclaimer on the agreement notes. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/08/us-phone-carriers-make-empty-unenforceable-promises-to-fight-robocalls/ -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) ------------------------------ Message-ID: <744999a6-a499-41c2-891f-3fb4c73412b2@googlegroups.com> Date: 21 Aug 2019 14:30:37 -0700 From: HAncock4 <withheld@invalid.telecom-digest.org> Subject: History--1950 railroad telephone products The 1950 issue of Railway Signaling and Communications (Volume 43) contains numerous ads for communication products. It is a good illustration of the state of the art of that time. Electronics and improved materials were entering the marketplace. The Automatic Electric Company, of Chicago, was a competitor to Western Electric and marketed equipment specifically for railway applications. Railway telephones had to work over long distances and be rugged. Some of the ads are described below. relays and switches had to be rugged for railway service. https://books.google.com/books?id=mRYTAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22railway%20signalling%20%22automatic%20electric%22&pg=PA464#v=onepage&q=van%20buren&f=false telephone sets had to be dependable https://books.google.com/books?id=mRYTAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22railway%20signalling%20%22automatic%20electric%22&pg=PA527#v=onepage&q=van%20buren&f=false hermetically sealed relays https://books.google.com/books?id=mRYTAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22railway%20signalling%20%22automatic%20electric%22&pg=PA673#v=onepage&q=van%20buren&f=false Carrier channels to increase single line capacity. https://books.google.com/books?id=mRYTAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22railway%20signalling%20%22automatic%20electric%22&pg=PA131#v=onepage&q=van%20buren&f=false In addition, railroads were using IBM tabulating machines and early data communications via telegraph to interconnect them. That is described here. https://books.google.com/books?id=mRYTAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22railway%20signalling%20%22automatic%20electric%22&pg=PA622#v=onepage&q=van%20buren&f=false You may scroll through the rest of the issue. Two notable advertisers with numerous ads are wire/cable makers Okonite and Kerite, both touting the toughness and durability of their cable insulation. Other industrial suppliers advertise batteries and electrical tape. ------------------------------ Message-ID: <AAB9FF06-1172-4C22-B3DF-EDE29123871D@roscom.com> Date: 23 Aug 2019 11:11:00 -0400 From: "Monty Solomon" <monty@roscom.com> Subject: Phone companies, state attorneys general announce broad campaign to fight robocalls Phone companies, state attorneys general announce broad campaign to fight robocalls Twelve of the country's largest telephone companies on Thursday pledged to implement new technology that would spot and block robocalls while helping law enforcement officials track down criminals, part of an agreement brokered between the industry and 51 attorneys general to combat the growing telecom scourge. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/08/22/phone-companies-state-attorneys-general-announce-broad-campaign-fight-robocalls/ ------------------------------ ********************************************* End of telecom Digest Sat, 24 Aug 2019