From ptownson Wed May 19 15:35:04 1999 Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.9.1/8.9.1) id PAA00526 for \ptownson; Wed, 19 May 1999 15:35:04 -0400 (EDT) Received: from mail02.rapidsite.net (mail02.rapidsite.net [207.158.192.68]) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.9.1/8.9.1) with SMTP id PAA00517 for ; Wed, 19 May 1999 15:35:02 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 19 May 1999 15:35:02 -0400 (EDT) From: seema@infozech.com Message-Id: <199905191935.PAA00517@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Auto: nl@infozech.com X-Loop-Detect: 1 To: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu Status: RO ********************************************************************* Telcomine (http://www.infozech.com/telcomine.html), a monthly newsletter from Infozech. Telcomine brings you the latest trends and developments in frontline IT Technologies. To subscribe send a mail to nl@infozech.com ********************************************************************* *****TELCOMINE************ Wealth of Information about Telecommunications Volume 2,No 5, May 1999 IN THIS ISSUE 1. IBM'S CELL PHONE -CUM- COMPUTER WITH 11" VIRTUAL SCREEN ON 1.4" BASE In a remarkable multi-media quantum leap IBM says it is "cooking up" a cell phone plus computer that would navigate the web with the thumb over an 11 inch virtual screen, enter data by voice and provide an entire range of telecom facilities such as phone calls, email, faxes and voicemail. 2. BRITISH TELECOM'S HANDWRITING COMPUTER - NO KEYBOARD It was thought that the biggest revolution in handwriting was the pen. Not anymore. British Telecom has come up with the next big revolution - a computer which lets the user write by hand without keyboards 3. TELECOM SERVICES NET $800 BILLION Big differences have been visible in estimates of revenue generated by telecom services in 1997-98, believed to be $800 billion in 1998. 4.CLINTON-OBUCHI DEAL TO FIGHT Y2K BUG - BUT THE VIRUS IS ALREADY HERE Believe it or not, the Y2K bug has attained the distinction of figuring in the just concluded US-Japan Washington summit between President Clinton and Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. The two mightiest economies in the world have agreed to join forces to squash the Y2K bug. 5. WILL INTERNET BREED MORE LITTLETONS? The Littleton tragedy once again aroused the conscience of the world against the numerous dangers of Internet. Several possibilities have emerged for checking its misuse against corrupting the minds of the young and committing violence, deception, fraud, indecency, pornography and a wide variety of other crimes. Telcomine takes a look at this phenomenon through the following six stories: A. PENTIUM III NUMBERS CAN TRACK "ROGUE COMPUTER" In its new Pentium chip Intel Corp, the giant chip maker has embedded a serial number in each chip, which can also serve as its unique identity number. This can be an ideal clue to track down any "Rogue Computer" which may be the source of putting out criminal or objectionable material on Internet. B. FILTERING SOFTWARE BLOCKS ACCESS TO OBJECTIONABLE MATERIAL A number of products are available which, when installed in the personal computer, block access to web sites containing objectionable material. These products work by creating lists of sites that are deemed inappropriate for access by children. C. AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT CLASHES WITH ISPs OVER CENSORSHIP The Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Bill 1999 sets out a censorship regime for Internet Service Providers that will be based on a "black list" of sites. The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA), decided that the sites have to be blocked or ISPs will face fines of up to AUS$27,500 (US$17,600) per day, per site. D. LIE-DETECTING SOFTWARE TO CATCH DECEIT Even when a liar wags his finger, his voice betrays him. With this principle in mind, an avante garde piece of software- the Fortress Personal Lie detector - is developed. This Software detects a lie by identifying minute physiological changes that express themselves by beeping while the subject is knowingly engaged in deception. E. NET SLEUTH PROGRAM COULD HELP STOP INTERNET SCAMS "Net Sleuth,'' a computer program being developed at the U.S. Energy Department's Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico may soon make it easier for regulators to spot misleading stock tips or fake news stories on the Internet. The program specializes in sorting through massive amounts of information to find specific clues that could spot a bogus stock tout and help pinpoint the author of anonymous words in cyberspace. F. BRITISH TELECOM'S WAR ON NUISANCE CALLS The burgeoning increase of e-mail and fledgling Internet telephone technology are making communicating around the world cheaper, easier and faster for anyone with a computer. But one of the unintended consequences of this has been the problem of junk (unsolicited) electronic mail and malicious and unwanted telephone calls. 6. FEDERAL AGENCIES PROBE HIDDEN CHARGES IN LONG DISTANCE CALLS Cheap calls may not be as cheap as advertised. This is the reason behind a new probe by two Federal Agencies who have been receiving complaints from callers saying they are being hit with fees not advertised by some alternative long distance companies, purporting to provide discounted long distance calls through their "dial-around service" or the more commonly known "10-10" dialing service. 7. BEAT THE BILLING NIGHTMARE With new services and new carriers entering the market regularly, billing has become a carrier nightmare and led to inaccuracies in customer's bills. In an article to the Internet Telephony magazine, Mr Ankur Lal, CEO, Infozech, discusses how it can be brought under control. 8. MAGICTEL SUCCESSFULLY USES eBILL FOR IP TELEPHONY Infozech's billing solution eBill meets with a good start in Hong Kong when Hong Kong giant Magictel successfully uses it to send out bills to its customers for the Month of May. 9. MAILBOX Thank You Telcomine Billing World - an International magazine on the billing and customer care industry thanks Telcomine for mentioning its "Billing System Functionality Report" in the newsletter. ********************************************************************* IBM's Cell Phone -cum- Computer with 11" Virtual Screen on 1.4" Base ********************************************************************* In a remarkable multi-media quantum leap IBM says it is "cooking up" a cell phone plus computer that would navigate the web with the thumb over an 11 inch virtual screen, enter data by voice and provide an entire range of telecom facilities such as phone calls, email, faxes and voicemail. Its most striking feature obviously is the virtual screen, which uses the latest single mirror VRD (Virtual Retinal Display) technology. According to an IBM statement, the recipe calls for a cellular phone with data capability to which is added a small computer. The combination is then married to a 1.4 inch diagonal projection display that projects onto a specially designed mirror that is built into a flip phone cover. The result is a new mobile platform that provides a VGA resolution display and computer in a handheld cell phone. While talking on the phone, the display appears to the user as if it were the same size as an 11-inch notebook computer screen at normal reading distance. A thumb-operated TrackPoint, located on the side of the phone, allows the user to readily navigate among icons and information windows. The device represents an extension of the voice and personal-information-manager (PIM) capabilities of a "smart phone," enabling connections to the Internet or Lotus Notes network so that users can send email, faxes, voicemail, Web pages and other files. It also has the potential to connect to a speech recognition server by phone, which would allow a user to dictate notes or responses and then see the recognized text as it is returned from the server. A team of Watson researchers -- along with John Karidis, manager of new product exploration at IBM's consumer division is developing a prototype of this new kind of software. ********************************************************************* British Telecom's Handwriting Computer- No Keyboard ********************************************************************* British Telecom has come up with a computer into which you can write by hand without using keyboards. It was thought that the biggest revolution in handwriting was the pen. This futuristic 'computer pen' stores in its memory what the user is writing - and is claimed to be the next big revolution after the pen. Unlike a conventional handheld computer, the stylish prototype called 'SmartQuill' has no keyboard. It links to a printer, mobile telephone, modem or a personal computer via a special electronic ink-well, allowing handwritten notes to be stored on its hard disk. "SmartQuill" can even translate invisible writings in the air. This is achieved through a unique technology called accelerometer- that monitors hand movements and can also be used as a 'virtual hinge' to scroll around the small screen on the pen and detect left or right-handed use. The 'computer pen' can function as a diary, calculator, calendar, contacts database, alarm, note-taker and calculator and can receive e-mails and paper messages. Unlike the Apple Newton, which also uses a pen, the SmartQuill does not need a screen to work. The really clever bit of technology is its ability to read handwriting not only on paper but also on any flat surface - horizontal and vertical. The pen will be a boon to users writing in languages such as Chinesewhich traditional keyboards cannot cope with. ********************************************************************* Telecom Services Net $800 Billion ********************************************************************* Big differences have been visible in estimates of revenue generated by telecom services in 1997-98. For example, Montpellier, France-based consultancy IDATE estimates that the world market for telecom services grew from $720 billion in 1997 to break the $800 billion barrier in 1998. But these estimates are far ahead of the $644 billion figure compiled by the Geneva-based International Telecommunication Union for 1997 (the ITU has not yet released a figure for 1998). The reason appears to be that operators are no longer under the strict obligation to submit data to central governments. It seems, that while liberalization has opened markets to competition, it has closed off many of the numbers to market statisticians. Today, where the incumbent operators are loath to admit market share loss, researchers such as OECD are finding it increasingly difficult to compile accurate data because they do not know how many new operators have entered the market. It should thus not come as a surprise that despite strong growth in various sectors between 1996 to 1998, analysts are still uncertain about the likely growth during the next five years. ********************************************************************* Clinton-Obuchi Deal To Fight Y2K Bug - But the virus is already here ********************************************************************* Believe it or not, the Y2K bug has attained the distinction of figuring in the just concluded US-Japan Washington summit between President Clinton and Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. The two mightiest economies in the world agreed to join forces to squash the Y2K bug. However, reports from various countries, specially New Zealand and India show the virus has already struck at many critical points partially paralyzing banking and corporate operations and will spread the world over in a few months. In a recently published report the Garner Group, a leading U.S. technology research company, estimates that 5% of Y2K problems happened before January 1, 1999, 25 percent would reveal themselves in 1999 with 55% waiting until next year. 15% would not come to light until 2001. A blessing in disguise, it would mean that the attack would be phased out over a period and not strike at a single moment at the turn of the millennium. New Zealand was the most recent target of the bug when it began a new accounting year on April 1st , with its non-compliant accounting packages. The first impact of the bug was also felt in India at the beginning of the Indian Financial year (April) when many banks were trying to calculate the interest payment for January-March 2000, said Mr. Dewang Mehta, President, National Association of software and service companies (NASSCOM), India. It has long been acknowledged that in the Year 2000 computer glitch would occur on the midnight on Dec 31st, but analysts from the Gartner Group, have been warning that problems will start from July. When most United States companies roll over their accounting year - and will be spread over a 30- month period. The causes, according to a research director at Gartner would be forecasting software that looks six months into the future, the beginning of new fiscal year for many corporations and some "date related" anomalies in the software code. Reports on the most visible messes created by the bug are available at the "Bug Bytes" center on the Year 2000-information website. (http://www.year2000.com/y2kbugbytes.html) ********************************************************************* Will Internet Breed More Littletons? ********************************************************************* The Littleton tragedy once again aroused the conscience of the world against the numerous dangers of Internet. Several possibilities have emerged for checking its misuse against corrupting the minds of the young and committing violence, deception, fraud, indecency, pornography and a wide variety of other crimes. The suggestions include: * A unique identity number for each computer as given by Intel in its Pentium III chip to trace the source of mischief. This is switched off by default. A computer user can however turn the number on if it is needed for a particular application. * Equipping all Internet access with "filters" to screen out undesirable stuff. * Monitoring software to enable a check on what the kids have been watching * Making ISPs accountable for any objectionable material coming on Internet like cable operators on TV * Several lie detecting and "Sleuth" software programs have recently come in the market to catch the offenders, such as a lie-detecting software that can detect a lie by identifying minute psychological changes in the subject and a "Net sleuth" program that can track any fake news story on the Internet. * Restricting or forbidding superfluous keyword arrays thrown in to attract unsuspecting surfers. In the following six stories Telcomine takes a look at this disturbing phenomenon ********************************************************************* Pentium III Numbers Can Track "Rogue Computer" *********************************************************************In In its new Pentium chip Intel Corp, the giant chip maker has embedded a serial number in each chip, which can also serve as its unique identity number. Intel, which makes about 85% of the world's chips, has done this to protect the computer security. It can also be an ideal clue to track down any "Rogue Computer" which may be the source of putting out criminal or objectionable material on Internet. As proof of this there is the controversy that has been raised by privacy advocates forcing Intel to distributing additional software that could enable Pentium III buyers to hide the number. ********************************************************************* Filtering Software Blocks Access to Objectionable Material ********************************************************************* A number of products are available which, when installed in the personal computer, block access to web sites containing objectionable material. These products work by creating lists of sites that are deemed inappropriate for access by children. Some products prevent access to the computer during specific hours of the day. Others provide parents with a log of the websites visited by their children. Cybersnoop, for instance, creates a tamperproof database of a history of websites visited by the user - so that parents can examine every web address since the last time Dad checked in. It can be found at (www.pearlsw.com/csnoop/snoop.htm). Others like the CyberPatrol (www.cyberpatrol.com) allow parents to choose which type of sites to block based on the parent's criteria. Additional such software programs can be found at the Netparent's web site at (www.netparents.org). Filtering by the ISP Filtering by the ISP requires the use of a proxy server, which would serve as a broker between the ISPs customers and remote web sites. When a customer of a filtering ISP wants to see a web site, his request goes to the proxy server operated by the ISP. The proxy server will then check to see if the site should be blocked. If the site is allowable, the proxy server retrieves the web page and returns it to the customer. The Center for Democracy and Technology is leading a campaign to make information on the growing pool of safety tools widely available on the web. It can be found at www.cdt.org. ********************************************************************* Australian Government Clashes with ISPs Over Censorship ********************************************************************* The Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Bill 1999 sets out a censorship regime for Internet Service Providers that will be based on a "black list" of sites. The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA), decided that the sites have to be blocked or ISPs will face fines of up to AUS$27,500 (US$17,600) per day, per site. Members of the general public will be able to complain to the ABA about any site, either in Australia or overseas. If the ABA deems it to be rated X (adult) or RC (refused classification) ISPs have to block the site, if it is in Australia, or block it if "technically feasible" if it is hosted internationally. Those sites that are rated R (restricted) which do not have adult verification mechanisms in place will also have to be censored by Australian ISPs. Local providers have loudly protested against public suggestions by the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston that a solution to the problem might be installing proxy-filtering software, despite the performance and cost problems the providers say this would cause. The ISP community, represented by the IIA, had been working with the government to develop a code of practice which would obviate the need for such harsh legislation, but without warning the government released the bill just after the inaugural Australian ISPCON conference in Melbourne. ********************************************************************* Lie-Detecting Software to Catch Deceit ********************************************************************* Even when a liar wags his finger, his voice betrays him. With this principle in mind, an avante garde piece of software- the Fortress Personal Lie detector - is developed. This Software detects a lie by identifying minute physiological changes that express themselves by beeping while the subject is knowingly engaged in deception. The Fortress Personal Lie Detector uses an advance VSA algorithm, which allows the user to identify easily the precise physiological changes in a person. It can be found at http://www.digitalrobotics.com, and used to test anyone be it your friends and family or sound bites pulled off from the TV or radio. ********************************************************************* Net Sleuth Program Could Help Stop Stock Scams ********************************************************************* "Net Sleuth,'' a computer program being developed at the U.S. Energy Department's Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico may soon make it easier for regulators to spot misleading stock tips or fake news stories on the Internet. The program specializes in sorting through massive amounts of information to find specific clues that could spot a bogus stock tout and help pinpoint the author of anonymous words in cyberspace. According to Bill McDonald, Enforcement Director at California's Department of Corporations, "the problem with prosecuting fraud in the Internet is anonymity, but there are patterns of speech or threads you could follow with this program that would help make a case for you." With the Net Sleuth, it will now be easier to catch the perpetrators of hoaxes who spread fake news on the Internet such as that of PairGain technologies Inc which boosted the company stock up by 32%. ********************************************************************* British Telecom's War on Nuisance Calls ********************************************************************* The burgeoning increase of e-mail and fledgling Internet telephone technology is making communicating around the world cheaper. But one of the unintended consequences of this has been the problem of junk (unsolicited) electronic mail and malicious telephone calls. To combat the growing menace, the international telecommunications company British Telecom (BT), is to introduce a new service in 1999 in the United Kingdom that will allow users to ban upto 10 telephone numbers of nuisance callers. Known officially as the last Incoming Call Bar, the receiver of unwanted calls simply keys in a numbered code on the telephone and the next time the offender calls, a recorded message says: "The person you have dialed does not wish to speak to you." The new system is capable of overriding the 141 bar code that bars the display of the caller's number. ********************************************************************* Federal Agencies Probe Hidden Charges in Long Distance Calls ********************************************************************* Cheap calls may not be as cheap as advertised. This is the reason behind a new probe by two Federal Agencies who have been receiving complaints from callers saying they are being hit with fees not advertised by some alternative long distance companies, purporting to provide discounted long distance calls through their "dial-around service" or the more commonly known "10-10" dialing service. A 'Lou Harris' survey points to the fact that dial-around calls are not as cheap as they are made out to be. According to it, over 80% of consumers are aren't aware that many dial around companies, such as Telecom USA (10-321), compare their rates to AT&T's highest rates, not AT&T's discount rates. Facing a growing number of complaints, the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission will be jointly looking into how such dial-around services are advertised and whether consumers get enough information about rates, restrictions and where to call with a billing problem. ********************************************************************* Beat the Billing Nightmare ********************************************************************* With new services and new carriers entering the market regularly, billing has become a carrier nightmare and led to inaccuracies in customer's bills. Is there a way to get the situation under control? Mr. Ankur Lal, CEO of Infozech, answers these questions and many more in an article to the Internet Telephony magazine. For more details visit at http://www.infozech.com/news.html ********************************************************************* Magictel Successfully Uses eBill for IP Telephony ********************************************************************* Infozech's billing solution eBill met with a good start in Hong Kong recently when Hong Kong giant Magictel successfully used it to send out bills to its customers for the Month of May. Delighted with it, Mr. Peter Burton, Director of Operations, Magictel, was all praise for it. "Thanks for all your help," he told key people at Infozech. The company is using eBill to bill for its IP Telephony services. Magictel is part of a global communications network known as Interline. The Interline global network reaches over 200 countries including local partners in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Australia, USA, UK, New Zealand, Canada and China. eBill provides software solutions for telecom services like Callback, toll-free numbers, calling cards, Internet services and Internet Telephony. Details at http://www.infozech.com/solution.html ********************************************************************* Mailbox ********************************************************************* Thank You Billing World Thank you so much for mentioning our billing report in your newsletter -- Jill Morgan, Managing Editor, Billing World Thanks for the plug in the newsletter and thanks in general for the good work! - Dan Stone Production Manager, Billing World Thank you Jill and Dan. As a new comer in the field, Telcomine greatly values and appreciates your opinion. - Editor Please do me a BIG favor: send a summary like this every month of the contents; I will be pleased and happy to print it. - Patrick .A. Townson, Editor, Telecom Digest Thanks for adding me to your list. Would it be possible for us to sponsor your list - Brian McConnell, Phonezone I am interested in this newsletter. I am proud that some Indian is handling this. As I am from India and if I see some Indian name I try to jump on the bandwagon, especially if they are in IT industry. - Ben Desai ************************************* If you have found Telcomine useful, please consider telling somebody else about it. Executive Editor: Seema Dhawan E-mail: Telcomine@infozech.com Internet: http://www.infozech.com/telcomine.html Fax: 408-490-2840; Voice Mail: 408-490-2842 Please visit us at http://www.infozech.com